Fall is with us again, stouts, porters, and browns are being drunk. But for this one lets focus on the dark stuff – #stoutday13 was Friday after all.
I have had a few new ones these past few weeks, and what better tribute to the day than to do a nice write-up.
Tröegs – Dead Reckoning Porter
Dead Reckoning features Pilsner, Caramel, Chocolate and Roasted malts along with Chinook and Vanguard hops. I did not pick up on much chocolate personal, and found it quite hoppy for a Porter. In fact, for a while I was on the fence on what I thought of this one. Paired with a peanut butter sandwich though, it was extremely enjoyable.
Flying Dog – Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout
Pearl Necklace is a dry stout brewed with Rappahannock River oysters. Nice and smooth hints of chocolate and slightly salty. A pleasure to drink. I really want to pair this up with some oysters. Raw or Rockefeller, either with be a great pairing. Plus sales of Pearl Necklace benefit the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration Project.
Left Hand – Wake Up Dead Imperial Stout
As Left hand says: “Wake Up Dead lurks in our cellars for over 4 months before being unleashed. Hints of raisins, black licorice, coffee and dark chocolate are followed by earthy, herbal hop notes.” While it can use a tad bit more aging time, it was rather mellow for an Imperial Stout. Very enjoyable and a great treat for #StoutDay. I can not wait to try the nitro bottle version when it ships out here in January!
New Holland – Dragons Milk
Dragon’s Milk is a 17th century term used to describe the strong beer usually reserved for royalty. This strong ale was aged in oak for over 120 days. The aging process extracts flavors from the wood, which contribute to its complex character. Hints of bourbon flavor perfectly compliment its roasted malts to produce a beer fit for a King. I found it to be tasty but still way too hot, most of the flavors need more time laying down to fully develop. Will be checking them out again next year
Lost Abbey – Serpents Stout
Not sure of the age but it is an older bottle, bought off the shelf from my local shop. Lost Abbey’s description pretty much perfectly sums up this wonder. “The history of the bible and religion is indeed the struggle of good vs. evil. Our Serpent’s Stout recognizes the evil of the dark side that we all struggle with. This is a massively thick and opaque beer that begs the saints to join the sinners in their path to a black existence.” Immensely complex without being over bearing, alcohol kept perfectly in check. Absolutely fantastic. I had this as the first beer of the night during a sampling of stouts, and it was the winner for me. Topping the already brilliance of Old Rasputin, ten FIDY, and Founders Breakfast. As nice as Narwhal was, it sadly could not hold a candle in this flight.
Did anyone else have a great stout / porter they want to share? Feel free to comment, or drop me a line at [email protected]
