November 2005 Archives
This beer was on sale at Whole Foods the other night, so I picked up a six-pack. I'm familiar with Fuller's ESB and therefore was eager to give this one a shot. Even for a porter, this struck me as bitter and flat. Perhaps I've been spoiled by more chocolately porters, or this pack was just past its prime, but I'd rather track down a Yuengling Porter (tough to find consistently outside Philly) next time.
Gripes: Dull flavor profile, dominated by bitterness.
Characteristics: Dark brown color (nearly opaque), medium body, exceptionally low carbonation.
Bottom Line: I'll try a draught sometime (if anyone actually carries porters on tap in DC), but not too soon.
Rating: 5/10
We picked up this 4-pack for its back-story alone -- a commemorative brew dedicated to the life and times of Hunter S. Thompson. I'm not sure how this beer really connects to Thompson, but I'm definitely not complaining. This beer is reminiscent of Brooklyn's Black Chocolate Stout (without the propensity for a creamy head, of course) but with a heftier punch.
Minor Gripes: Denser than a Friendly Fribble.**
Characteristics: Seriously, this is a thick beer, heaviest porter I've ever seen. Dark brown color, completely opaque, initial coffee flavors giving way to dark chocolate.
Bottom Line: An excellent sipping beer that changes flavors nicely as it sits and warms slightly. I couldn't drink it every night, but I am a better person for having tried it.
Rating: 7/10
Jinx crosses boundaries and is (perhaps) a little unsure of itself -- too light to be a porter, but more depth than most ales. This seasonal offering has flavors one might associate with certain whiskies -- smoke, earth, wet leaves, and an odd sweetness underneath that occasionally threatens to upset the whole deal. Definitely influenced by its place of origin ... New England autumns are generally damp and gray, which is why locals take such joy in those few crisp, bright days when the leaves appear to be on fire.
Minor gripes: 1. The aphorisms inside the bottlecaps simply aren't funny -- I guess the Magic Hat No. 9 gets all the good turns of phrase. (I'd offer thoughts on rebuses under bottlecaps, but I can't seem to confirm my recollection that Carling Black Label was one of the participants in that fad.) 2. Magic Hat's website is entirely Flash.
Characteristics: Light-to-medium weight, smoky amber/brown color, smooth drinking, occasionally cloying when served at warmer temperature (i.e. not straight out of the refrigerator).
Bottom Line: Recommended for those who enjoy Irish and Scotch whiskey (but could do without the frequent throat-clearing exercise of that first sip).
Rating: 7/10
I'm a beer enthusiast... have been for many years (since my old roommate Mark dared me to drink something interesting), and I don't see any end in sight. I don't pretend to be an expert, just someone who likes beers that aren't necessarily yellow and best-served ice-cold to numb the taste buds.
I've decided to start tracking the beers I sample as a personal reminder of what I've tried and what I might want to try again. I'm not going to go back in time too much (except for a couple classics) -- it would be too hard to remember all the beers I've tried and whether I actually liked them for the right reasons.
Before I get started, I do want to give a quick shout-out to Maura.com and her wine page, which inspired me to get this site out of my mind and into the ether. Anyway, I hope you find this effort to be somewhat interesting or informative... I know it'll work to my benefit.
