MKE Booyah Farmhouse Ale

I keep hoping for something I'll like from Milwaukee Brewing. I keep hoping...


On to the next Milwaukee brew, this one a self-described Farmhouse Ale. Makes sense to pour it into a Belgian glass, right? No ABV listed, and as free of gobbledygook as all the rest of their labels.

But before we start, "Booyah"? I don't know if I've heard a dumber name for a beer in recent times. It used to be a marines saying, right? But now it's adopted by the bros and dbags. Not a good sign.

Clear amber appearance, slim head.

Aroma: soft, slightly (ever-so slightly) spicy, Belgian yeast and malt. They're going in the right direction. It at least feels like they know what they're doing.

Taste: light bodied, with stone fruit (apricot, peach) and some citrus notes, sweet malt,and more of the distinctive saison yeast. Ends with more sweetness lingering on the palate than it should. Lower attenuation in this one? It ought to be crisper, cleaner, drier. Bubblegum is starting to show up, or at least a hint of it.

In all, a misguided, but well-meaning, attempt at a saison ("let's call it Farmhouse Ale so we don't scare anyone way.") Perhaps better than Lift Bridge Farm Girl, but not by much.

I just know that I much be calling for a Booyah at the bar any time soon.

MKE (Milwaukee Brewing) Little Bitta White IPA

This new style called "white IPA" has led to some confusing interpretations. This one of the most confused.


Milwaukee Brewing Little Bitta White India Pale Ale. "That's local flavor." 6.5% Alc. by Vol.

Appearance: hazy & yellow, small head.

Aroma: soft, slightly sweet, with very little hop bitterness, if any. Also missing are any of the hallmarks of a witbier. Often, this style is interpreted as a wit with more hops. Is this merely an IPA with wheat? Let's taste it and see…

Taste: smooth, creamy, and lightly hoppy. I can taste the wheat in this, and there's a certain amount of spice, but this is from the hop character, I think. Hop bitterness continues, then a wave of sweetness comes in, from malt. They do a bit of a shuffle, a dance for dominance, and the sweet comes out the conquerer.

This feels like the last "white IPA" I tried, with this blend of a white ale and an IPA being less than the sum of it's parts. I'm not getting the particular spicy, fruity delights of a wit, or the bracing, refreshing, thrilling aspects of an IPA.

Not sure what this is. It's not bad, but not for me. This is a very confused and confusing beer. And calling it an IPA just makes me yearn for a real one.

Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

The constant search for the new keeps me from re-visiting the old favorites, this is my curse. I've never purchased a bottle of Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter since this blog began, can this be true? Alas, it is. But, lo, and behold, I did purchase some kegs, and tapped the first today, and with this pint of porter, I revisit my old notes, from my first bottle, back in June of 2003, received via trade (about 7 or 8 years before it was available here).


Appearance: solid brown body, with a lush, flowing head of tannish foam atop, though in a hurry to settle down.

Aroma: mild at first, creamy, with hints of nuts, vanilla, caramel, with slowly the better earmarks of a good porter emerging, and we're getting the roasted coffee, getting roastier and bitterer as we go, and as it unfurls we can detect things weightier, headier, more thick and viscous: molasses, syrup, motor oil.

On first sip and gulp, I was magically lifted up and removed from the mundane and the everyday. Mouth-filling, rich, powerful, flavorful, and full.

Nothing loose or limpid here. Bitterness is just so, and soon turns to the sweet. I don't know what exactly to liken it to, but it seems to tread a middle ground: no too bitter, not to smooth, juuust right.

Finish is fine and long-lasting, settles in to occupy the mouth and endear itself to all the senses.

This is one that I'd put at the top of the list for American porters. Can't go wrong here.

Rubicon Monkey Knife Fight Pale Ale

Of all the things that "The Simpsons" has brought us over the last 25 years, the evocative concept of a monkey knife fight is the one that inspired the names of two (count 'em, two) different beers. The other one is at Nodding Head Brewery in Pennsylvania and is an IPA. Here we have California's version, from Rubicon. There's nothing like the joys of a monkey knife fight pale ale…maybe…let's find out…Sacramento, CA…5.4% ALC./VOL.

Hazy, pale amber coloring, (unfiltered?), lovely white head, drifts down while leaving lace.

Aroma: nicely hoppy, slightly spicy, pitch perfect pale ale nose. Floral, and herbal and everything nice.

Taste: Medium body. Mouth filling hoppy goodness galore. Clean and refreshing. Judicious hopping. Just about everything you'd want from an exceedingly drinkable pale ale. nothing wrong with that. There's always a need and a place for such a thing.

Hey, let's read the label: Nothing but legal mumbo-jumbo and factual ephemera. Not a drop of gobbledygook about. Cool with that.

Rubicon Monkey Knife Fight Pale Ale will not knock your socks off. What it will do is exactly what it's supposed to. All right by me.

Cigar City Florida Cracker White Ale

Cigar City Florida Cracker Belgian-style White Ale, 5.5% Alc. by Vol.
White Ale brewed with curacao peel and coriander. Canned by Cigar City Brewing (not "brewed and canned by…"?), LLC, Tampa, FL. Drink fresh! Do not age! Pour gently into a glass.
Good idea, think I will…

Clouded, pale yellow coloring. Nice white head, slips down to nil.

Aroma: There it is, citrus and spice and wheat. Note perfect witbier nose.

Taste: Smooth, sweet, lightly hoppy, turning dry in the end. Light bodied, crisp, refreshing, comforting. Orange and lemon flavors match beautiful with the spice and roll off the tongue with the wheat. Tastes just like a wit should.

Much thanks to Dave for the can.

About that can. Let me get out my glasses…(sigh)…you know what, forget it, it's too long for me to type. I'll find a link to it, so you can find out the historical background for the name. It's not just a pun on white folks? Well, thank heavens!

Milwaukee Brewing Hop Freak Double IPA (infused with tea)

The other day I met a man from Milwaukee Brewing Company, and his name was Mike. After he told me about his beers, and presented me with seven samples, I paused, as often happens, not sure what his name was anymore. (It takes me a bit before I remember people's names. I have to have to hear it at least three times.)
I thought it was Mike, but as I looked at his shirt with the "MKE" logo, I thought…"nah, that can't be right, that would be too convenient." As is often the case, I was right, after all.

So, I had six beers to try, actually, for I'd bought a 6-pack of Hop Happy IPA last year on an excursion to Wisconsin. Now, they're in our market. And I'm going to start this survey of MKE, or MBC, with one of their bigger beers, the Hop Freak double IPA.

Brewed and bottled (or canned) by Milwaukee Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 8.7% Alc. by Vol. 1 pint can.

A scaly green monster lurks on the label, hops at his feet, pint of ale in hand. "Born big & bitter."The logo of "Rishi tea" sits off to the right of the beast. That's one curious thing about this D.I.P.A. Can't seem to remember another tea-infused DIPA. Let's go ahead and drink it:

Lightly hazy, apricot-hued, smallish white head. Enticing enough.

Aroma: Not getting hardly any hop bitterness, but I can smell the tea, alright. The aromatic delights of a big, bold bitter DIPA are largely missing here. Was this intentional? A DIPA without a flowering, engaging aromatic element is not a thing of joy.

Taste: Fruit, citrus, grapefruit, and then the big, bold hop bitterness, which hangs on the palate for a time. Hop bitterness lays long on the palate, but subsides enough for smooth malt to take over for a time. I'm still, though, puzzled about the idea of infusing tea into a beer of this kind, wondering why, and for what purpose.

Maybe the copy on the can will tell me? Here it is: "Herb-In Legend is our series of adventure brews. A collaboration with Milwaukee's own Rishi TEa, this IPA is infused with organic Jasmine, lending it a sweet, floral aroma. Strong citrus notes come from a generous amount of American hops. Hop Freak was born big and bitter but a sizable malt bill adds balance to the beast."

Well, a beast with a name like this should be more unbridled, I should think (and do, actually).The tea-infusion doesn't seem to add anything, instead it seems to dilute it. It certainly drinkable, and even enjoyable, but you keep missing something as it travels down the throat. You keep wondering if it could have been better. Every brewery should strive to bring it's fans one really great double IPA (okay, not every one, I'm not going to demand that of August Schell, for instance), and this is not that one from MKE. Maybe they've got another up their sleeve?

New Belgium 1554 Black Lager

As previously noted here in TBN (yeah, I'm calling this blog that now, life is short, got to cut it down to the nib), I've been using sampler 12-packs as an inexpensive way to get to some beers I might not otherwise try. My second New Belgium sampler is in the Folly series, with a revival beer from 2007, the Mighty Arrow pale ale, entered here a few days ago. There are 4 other beers, 3 of which have made it on this site (and two of them are probably perennials in these assortments), Fat Tire, Ranger IPA and Trippel, which is now decorated with 3 chickens. (I liked it better when it was three dancing maidens.)

The fourth one is confusing me. The label calls it 1554 Black Lager. I always remembered 1554 being categorized as an ale. Did things change, or is my memory so poor. So, I'm writing new notes, and away we go…

New Belgium 1554 Black Lager, 5.6% ABV.

Dark brown, very nearly black coloring, with slight shades of crimson peeping through the edges. Small, cocoa-tinged head. Looks good.

Aroma: roasty dark malts, very dry, some espresso notes. Hardly a smidgen of sweetness. Hops hand in there in good stead.

Time to drink up…Smooth, clean, malty, and flavorful. Very easy-drinking, medium-bodied, quick finish, but full-flavored. Traces of cocoa, and judicious amounts of coffee in this malt character. This recipe keeps all manner of sweetness at bay, without pounding away with the hops. Excellent balance. Tasty, tasty stuff. (But I still wonder what it's supposed to be. Schwarzbier? Is there a historical precedence for a Belgian black ale that can also, many years later, be a lager, also?)

It's good beer and you can drink it. Cheers to that.

Let's read the label: "A Belgian book from 1554 would inspire this Black Lager{Wait…it "would" or it "Did"?} recipe. Brewed back to life, 1554 immediately made fans with it's surprisingly light taste and dry, chocolatey finish."

I'm still perplexed. Did they switch from brewing it as an ale to a lager, and leave that fact out? Good question. BeerAdvocate.com has three listing for New Belgium 1554, one called Enlgihtened Black Ale, listed as a Belgian Dark Ale, and entered on the site in 2002. This is the one I reviewed in February of 2003, which I share at the end of this post. There's also another name, Brussels style Black Ale. This new name, the Black Lager, now finds it listed as a "Euro Dark Lager."

While we're scratching our heads, I'm going to go back in time and uncover my first notes taken on the 1554 when it was a Black Ale,
from Feb., 2003:

"Black ale? A new appellation for me, but after tasting, it's more accurately a brown ale painted up in blackface, ...not that there's anything wrong with that.

Dark brown in color, more reddish when seen through light. A full, frothy, creamy off-white head towers on top. Powerful aromatics waft out, fruity and floral, soft, sweet notes of toffee, cream, and nuts. Bold brace of hops jump on board the palate and carry through the finish. Excellent texture, chewy and substantial. Hops start to bow out, as they are muted by the full feeling of the powerful malt presence. Very satisfying, and a superior choice for a session ale. I have to wonder if they didn't blacken this brew, which otherwise tastes like an excellent example of brown ale, to avoid comparison to the inferior Newcastle."

Deschutes Chainbreaker White IPA

Deschutes Chainbreaker White IPA. Bend, OR. Ale Brewed with Spices. 5.6% aBV.

This is one of those I should have gotten around to long ago, it's been around long enough. I'm a big fan of Deschutes, I like everything they do, what took me? Eh… "white IPA"? Really? Not sure on that one….That's why.

Well, I bought a single bottle, just to try it and check it off. Maybe after I've finished it I'll wish I had bought a six-pack?

Hazy, pale yellow appearance, beautiful, big white head, leaving lace.

Aroma: spice and citrus, the very staple of a witbier. Floral hoppiness. Light, airy, and lovely.

Taste: Mmm, delicious. Light-bodied, clean and crisp. Easy drinking, for sure. Smooth, with wheat malt sweetness. What I'm not getting is the promised hops. Is this merely a slightly hopper witbier? Is that all it is? Is it that the craft beer crowd eschews the wit as a "chick beer" or whatever, and will flock to anything called an IPA? Is that it?

I'm gonna read me some label gobbledygook: "What if wheat wasn't the goal itself? But a route to something absolutely new?" That's up on top. On the side: "You pair wheat, hops and Belgian yeast {can you "pair" three things?} and suddenly Bingo, a wheat like nobody else's. With real depth, coriander and sweet orange peel, it's citrus-packed and silky smooth going down."

Borealis Raisin Liaison Saison

Borealis Fermentery Raisin Liaison Saison. Knife River, MN. Belgian-style Saison Ale. 1 pint, 9.4 fluid ounces.

At last, at last, Borealis is dropping by the Twin Cities and bringing their beers to us. I haven't been to the Duluth area since the All Pints North fest in 2012, and haven't had a chance to pour one of their beers into one of their glasses since I brought bottles back home in May of 2012. Another trip to Duluth is long overdue, but I don't need to make that journey, for now their beer is at Zipp's and a few other stores in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Enough blah, blah, blah, I'm ready to crack this open!

Appearance: dark amber/ hazy burgundy coloration, with a sizable, staying head of white froth. Looking great.

Aroma: Ah! Utterly lovely. A lot of yeasty notes in this nose, some citrus fruits, more dark ones. Minor hops, major malt. Creamy, rich, beautiful.

Taste: Smooth, mellow, and malt-tastic. Hops are very low, spices are felt, and dark fruits maintain a delicious presence. Perfect integration, magnificent melding. I'm not really getting what I would from a normal saison, the fruit additions transform it a bit.
 Saisons have been turned into a rather malleable style these days, a platform for tossing about other flavorings. I wouldn't have guessed this as a saison, more of a Belgian pale or, no, a strong dark, with the raisin additives.

Hey, you know what, maybe the label will make things clear….First paragraph is the same as all the others…then "Raisin Liaison is a Franco-Belgian-style Saison of "seasonal" ale that was served up to summer field hands to keep morale high and the work flowing. The traditional spiciness of a Saison with a hint of darker fruitiness imparted from our friends, and liaisons, the raisins."

No ABV listed. I'd guess it at 8.5 or 9%, maybe…maybe more? Higher than an average saison (6-7%), is what I'd assume.

What this is, though, is terrifically delicious. It makes me very happy. Mmm, smooth, malty, well-rounded, and all kinds of wonderful. Love it.

New Belgium Mighty Arrow Pale Ale

New Belgium Mighty Arrow Pale Ale. 6% ABV. Looking at notes from June, 2008:


Clear, pale orange appearance, big, lacey white head, high carbonation.

Highly hopped aromatics, citrus & spice. Cascades? Really lively, clean, piney. Lemon zest & orange rind.

Soft and lovely on the palate. Lush, tasty malt holds it down, a tender pillow for the hops to spring off of.

Nice and smooth, tasty, hoppy, light bodied, and easy drinking.

Clown Shoes Muffin Top Belgian-style Triple IPA

Clown Shoes Muffin Top Belgian-style Tripel India Pale Ale. Mercury Brewing company, Ipswich, Massachusetts. 1 pint, 6 fl. oz. Alc. 10.5% by vol.

Clear, golden-hued, slim white head.

Aroma: Spice and fruit (citrus, stone), with with alcohol lurking in the background. Floral hop notes.

Taste: Bright and bubblegummy. Moderate hop bitterness meets Belgian yeast. Do we have triple that meets an IPA, or is it a "triple IPA" vs. a double? I'd think a "triple IPA would have to be stronger, richer, danker. Leaning hard on the former choice.)
Tangerine, mango, grapefruit blends with Belgian candy sugar and yeasty funkadelica. Fruit flavors hang over the hops, with booze roaring in.
Medium-bodied, drinkable in spite of the high ABV. A bomber may be more than I need of this.

Let's look at the label and see if there's any gobbledygook:
"Intense flavors, reminiscent of candied fruits, mix with American hops and sweet orange peel to create a unique take on a Belgian-style ale. Disclaimer: no muffin tops were harmed in the creation of this label."

Seef Bier

"Seef Bier, the Original Antwerp Ale. Brewed by Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie. 11.2 fluid ounces. 6.5% aBV. Serve Cold. Swirl bottle while pouring."

Cloudy, golden coloring, lush, looming head, leaving lace.

Aroma: lightly hoppy, slightly spicy, with sour traces, floral notes, vegetal tones. A curious blend, in Belgian fashion.

Taste: It's there again, and in that order. Uniquely Belgian hop flavor, little touches of indecipherable spicing, a hint of wheat, distinctly Belgian yeast flavor, and then a whisper of sour and funk. Light bodied. Clean, crisp and refreshing, with the sour kick never quitting.

This "Seef bier" is a style unto itself…let's look over here and let the importer tell us all about it.

I do like this. It's a little weird, but that's what's special about the Belgians.

Bell's Midwestern Pale Ale

Bell's Midwestern Pale Ale, Brewed and Bottled by Bell's Brewery, Comstock, MI. Alc. 5.2% by Vol.

Clouded golden hue, snowy white head, settles to a slim collar.

Aroma: Large citric notes, some spice, plenty of yeast. Hops and yeast, that's what we've got.

Taste: Full-bodied, full of yeast-y goodness, with plenty of vibrant, citric hop notes bouncing on the palate. Much maltier than the average pale ale, and as it's unfiltered, so much more yeast-ier. I have to wonder, though, if this is different that the other Bell's Pale Ale? Is that retired, and this is it's replacement? Good questions. I'm searching for answers.

Without those, I'm still enjoying it for what it is. Hey, there's gobbledygook on the label, and as it's Bell's, it's probably terse, mysterious, perhaps poetic? Here it comes: "A blond ale reminiscent of the golden fields at harvest--made with Michigan-grown barley and a delicious blend of pale malts with a distinctive spicy, floral aroma and taste. We invite you to reap what we've sown."

Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale

Cross one brewery off the ones to shop for in Wisconsin Trips. Oskar Blues of Colorado is now in Minnesota, kegs and cans. I noticed that their groundbreaking pale ale, the first craft beer in cans, hasn't appeared here, and brought a can home. The notes are from my first taste of it, in March of 2005:


I have to tell you, the rhyming name reminds of the Preston Sturges classic film, "The Lady Eve", where Henry Fonda plays a herpetologist who also happens to be heir to a brewing fortune. In one scene, a waiter onboard the ocean liner "Hopsy", as he is nicknamed, is traveling on, dryly intones the following line: "They only want Pike's Pale, the Ale that won for Yale. Rah. Rah."

But how about Dale's Pale Ale, "A Huge Voluminously Hopped Mutha Of A Pale Ale", as the can reads...you said a mouthful, bub. Let's crack the snap-top, and dig in...

Hazy, crisp amber color, good chunk of cream-toned foam above.

Aroma, plenty of hops in there, the piney, juicy, grapefruity, zesty, tangy kind. Puts me in mind of Alpha King and others of that sort. Big citrus...I like it!

Taste: zing, zing! Nice, pungent hoppy taste in every bite, but not too bitter. Flavor slides along the mouth, with a neat resin-y edge, loads of alpha acids, abundant fruity flavor. This one is right up my alley.

Body is medium, but the flavor is full, and the finish is bitter, hoppy, fruity. Taste is long-lasting in the mouth. This would definitely be a regular buy for me, if it were available here.
tasty stuff, with plenty of hops...just what turns my crank.

Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome

I've got something to say that will not surprise you: This post is far too late. Right now, winter has worn out it's welcome. How about a Winter Goodbye?

Okay, on with the beer...


Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome. Here's a brew that once upon a time, way back when, I would look forward to every year, and anticipate the changing of the labels. I haven't touched a bottle in years. Why not revisit it? And will it be another case where my 11-year old notes are still satisfactory? I decided it was not.

So, I'm opening a recent bottle, and taking new notes…here we go…

the 2013/2014 edition once again, as always, features the quote from W. Shakespeare, "Blessing of your heart you brew good ale." New this year, a depiction of one the shire horses of Samuel Smith, being fed.

Clear, light amber/caramel-toned appearance, under a lush off-white head.

Aroma: Uniquely British. Fuggles? East Kent Goldings? wormwood? It's a malty nose, yeasty, caramel and toffee notes. Hops are low.  Nicely balanced.

Taste: Hop bitterness comes to the fore here in the taste, shines for a moment, then fades as malt takes over. From their, it's nothing but balance. Nothing dominates, nothing goes forward. Sweet malt and bitter hops keep things going on the tongue.

Now, the problem I'm having is that this is an utterly English ale, but it doesn't seem especially special, and hasn't any particular qualities that set it apart as a winter seasonal. I feel that it ought to be bigger in one way or another, maltier, hoppier, stronger in some way.

Let's pause and read the label: "This seasonal beer is a limited edition brewed for the short days and long nights of winter, the full body resulting from fermentation in stone Yorkshire squares, and the luxurious malt character, which will appeal to a broad range of drinkers, is balanced by against whole-dried Fuggle and Golding hops with nuances and complexities that should be contemplated before an open fire." 6.0% ALC./VOL.

Yeah, except it's not really all that. It's tasty, it's delicious, and satisfying, but nothing more. And I want it to be more. I also wonder what it was in the past. The last time I published notes on this beer was back in February of 2003. I didn't rely on those old notes to represent this bottle, because I can't find any resemblance. Here they are, for old times sake:

2001 bottle, reviewed in December '02. Now why is it I never saw the '02 anywhere? So, the question is :how does it hold up after a year?
Thin white head, dark reddish appearance. Vinous nose, raisin, reminds me of a barleywine, but just a smidge. Spicy, aromatic, with notes of vanilla, sweet and malty. Smooth, and quite downable, with just enough flavor.
This used to be a wintertime staple for me, but I've fallen for the darker, bolder type of winter ales.
Quite good after 12 months, nothing wrong with it at all, though it tastes maltier than bottles I had last winter.

Lake Superior Special Ale

More looking back, this time on Special Ale from Lake Superior Brewing of Duluth. And, once more, notes from that magical month of April in 2003:


Color is cloudy bronze, showing a clearer orange at the bottom of the glass, and the head is a thick, fluffy white.

Aroma holds traces of spice and fruit, is fresh and largely clean, resembling an ESB in that regard.

Hops give a full attack on the palate, and texture is smooth, but spicy. Fair enough finish, with a distinctly citrusy aftertaste.

Malt is adequate, hops are ample and tasty, beer was fully enjoyed. More hops than a bitter, and less than an IPA (at least, an American craftbrewed IPA), and quite a drinkable ale.

Grand Tetons Coming Home Barleywine 2012

Grand Teton Coming Home 2012 Barley-wine. Or Holiday Ale, whatever you want to call it. Check the attached jpegs of the card that rests around the neck of the bottle. All kinds of info there. I read it, and you can, too. It talks of hops and growing and traditions and bottle-conditioning and blah, blah, blah. ABV: 10%. IBU: 75.

Deep burgundy coloring, slim white head. Looks the part, inviting.

Aroma: Caramel and toffee, under smoke and tobacco. Burnished brandy and leather notes, It's what I want in a barley-wine, a little fine and mellow with appropriate aging. Very cool.

Taste: Forward fruit, massive malt, giant hop presence. Everything's here in abundance, and it's all getting along just fine. A bombastic brew, kept in good balance. This is one that should be shared with friends and family. Me, I drink it by myself so that I can write about it and tell you.

I like the work of the bottle-conditioning and the age on it. All barley-wines really ought to have a good year on them. I appreciate them young, but they're much nicer when they're calm and mellow like this.

More chocolate coming through, more caramel and toffee, plus a ton of American hops, bringing us the bitter with the sweet. Hugely hoppy, a massacre of malt. Boom, boom, this is the goods.

Surly/Three Floyds/Real Ale Blakkr Imperial Black IPA

Surly Blakkr Imperial Black Ale. IBU 85. ABV 9.99% (Why can't they say 10? Because that wouldn't be 666 upside down.)

So, I'm going to scan the sheet from the tap release at Grumpy's Monday night night and post it here, to give you some further information and a flavor for the approach of this thing. I didn't get any kegs this week (next week, I hope), so I wanted to make sure I got some and went out and paid $17.99 for a 4-pack. I've been trying to keep a budget, but some things take priority.

I will break the news that this concept was conceived when three brewers met and discovered their mutual love of the music called metal, and embarked on this project to make "the most metal beer ever." And here's where I know that I will fail to truly appreciate this beer before I even try: I don't have any heavy metal music to listen to while drinking it. No soft metal, either. No metal of any kind. Maybe Hendrix? The Bad Plus' cover of "Iron Man"? Forgive me, one and all, but I just don't care for metal. I had to say it, and I'm not sorry, so, can you let me pass on this? I dig what I dig, man.

So, I'm laying down some late period Coltrane ("Om", maybe,) for volume, chaos, and kinetic energy, although it seems slightly sacrilegious, for Trane wasn't speaking to Satan when he blew his horn. How about the Stones' "Sympathy For the Devil"? Again, I'm clutching, so I'll forget the metal-ness of the mise-en-scene, and start pouring.

On the label, designed and drawn by Michael J. Berglund, a 3-headed demon arises from flames, with numerous symbols float around them and about the top of the can, and sorrowful souls writhing in agony around them. (I assume. Maybe they're bowing in prayer, or calling out for an encore?)

Perfect blackness, with slight traces of red creeping out at the sides and foot. Roasted tan head stays large on top, until retreating, while leaving lace. Ominous.


Aroma: Hops hit first, pungent and powerful, piney and citric, even while being enveloped by the darkness below. Malt keeps pace and threatens to swallow all else. Hop aromas are screaming out of this nose, hoping to escape the dread darkness.

Taste: Once in the mouth, things get more intense. Hops hold their own and then some, becoming stronger on the palate that you'd suspect, and the flavor of the malt strives to catch up. Dark chocolate flavors, aniseed, char, smoke, tobacco…deep, dense, rich stuff. But the hop bitterness is never quite conquered and the two parts reign supreme in the flavors, hand in hand.

Not quite balanced, but not quite not. The alcohol is felt fairly early on, and brings on a mood of doom. (Not really, I'm just exaggerating for effect. I thought you'd figured that out by now?) Not one for the mild or fearful. Don't have more than one if you've got anything else to do later in the night. (Says the guy who's going to close the evening with a 10% barley-wine bomber.)

So, now we read the label" "This double black as night IPA is too massive for just one brewery's efforts. BLAKKR took the trinity of REal Ale Brewing Co., Surly Brewing Co., & Three Floyds Brewing Co. to actualize this crushing ale. Cheers."

This is another mighty, massive Surly (co-)creation. I would smash the can on my forehead as a sort of salute, but, you know, I'm just not that metal.

Sierra Nevada Blindfold Black IPA

Sierra Nevada Blindfold Black IPA. Alc 6.8% by Vol.

Dark brown, nearly black, shining crimson highlights at the edges, large, lightly tanned head, slowly slipping.

Aroma: Caramel and cocoa tones start it off, with citric hop notes bursting through. A deft blend of malt and hops.

Taste: Starts off, again, creamy, malty and chocolatey, then a sharp turn on the palate into hop country. The two sides keep up with each other, a tasty tango in the mouth. Hop bitterness hangs on just a bit in the finish, and it's stay is a happy one. Medium bodied, and moderate in every way. Here's one of the "black IPAs" (is safe to not call them Cascadian Darks, right? No Portlandites around me?) that I don't mind, and in fact, can enjoy. The clash between the two elements is not as large and loud as in the others that turned me off, and possibly away from the style entirely.

What do they tell us on the bottleneck label? "Blinfold blankets us in darkness yet maintains a surprisingly light body, and bold, hoppy character. This black IPA emerged from our Beer Camp program and builds on Sierra Nevada's legendary love of hops with roasted malt for depth and complexity, Like it's namesake, Blindfold is a bit disorienting--the color of a stout and the intense, hop-forward flavors of a classic American IPA."

Anchor Porter

Another oldie and goldy. I don't pick this one up much, always in pursuit of the new, but do choose it on draft when I see it. Once more, notes from March, 2003, for Anchor Porter, from a pint poured on tap when I had it among the selections at the Blue Nile, 11 years ago:

Anchor Porter. 5.6 % ABV. 40 IBU.
Anchor Brewing, San Francisco, CA.

Jet-black color, with a tight cocoa/creamy tan head.

Aroma is a roasty delight: coffee, chocolate, nuts. Deep, rich, satisfying.

Terrific initial grit on the palate, a torrent of beautiful bitterness braces the tongue, but it's smooth sailing all the way down. Full body, rewarding flavor, fat malt, and just sweet enough.
Texture smooths out and the large portion of this drink is an easy-going, fully flavored ride.

 While I love bolder and brasher stuff, Anchor Porter just about acheives perfection, and the happiness that ensues when it's flavors flood my mouth and spread my smile out wide confirm that thought.

Here's some ripe gobbledygook from the label: "San Francisco's famous Anchor Porter brand is made in one of the smallest and most traditional breweries in the world by the brewers of Anchor Steam beer. Our old-fashioned porter is virtually handmade, with an exceptional respect for the ancient art of brewing. We use 100% malted barley, generous amounts of fresh, whole hops, entirely natural carbonation, and a simple, natural brewing process that is like no other in the world. The deep black color, the thick, creamy head and the intensely rich flavor of Anchor Porter , made in San Francisco since 1972, have earned this delicious and unique brew a worldwide reputation for outstanding quality. It is aesthetically pleasing and wholly superior in every respect."

I'd call that overblown if it wasn't true.