It’s been awhile since I posted a beer review, so I figured I’d give a quick update on the beer wall and a rundown of a couple beers I’ve tried since my last review. We began in October with 54 different beers, and the beer wall has proven to be so popular we’ve expanded to 80 different beers, all while weeding out the bad ones. Here’s a few I’ve tried recently, with some quick notes:
Mikkeller Black Hole – Bourbon Barrel-Aged: this is a stout brewed with coffee, honey and vanilla, and then aged in bourbon barrels. Black Hole is resembles an imperial stout in appearance, being jet black and extremely viscous. There is a lot of bourbon in the nose, but not so much the taste. Tastewise, this is a typical (albeit, high octane) coffee stout. A lot of coffee and roasted malt, and not very boozy considering it is 13.1% ABV. Definitely worth trying, but at it’s price point it won’t be a regular buy for me.
Hel & Verdoemenis, by De Molen: this is a Belgian-style Imperial Stout. Black and oily, with a lot of roasted malt in the taste, and a hint of hops (unusual for a stout). Not as sweet as De Molen’s Heaven & Hell, which is an American-style Imperial Stout, but I like sweet, so I prefer Heaven & Hell.
Southern Star Bombshell Blonde: this is an American Blonde Ale, and a good one at that. I’ve noticed that blonde ales can be hit or miss, as they’re pretty easy to screw up. Southern Star has a great recipe here – not too sweet, not too bitter, just the right balance to create a smooth, easy-drinking beer that packs a lot of flavor. Very bready, with hints of banana and brown sugar.
Yeastie Boys Digital IPA: this is an IPA from New Zealand. Very hop-forward, but once you get past the initial taste, this is a well-balanced beer. Not my favorite IPA, but it’s price point makes it more accessible than Mikkeller’s Green Gold (which is currently my favorite IPA).
