Flying Monkeys Brewery: The Matador version 2.0 - El Toro Bravo

Have you ever been inside of a humidor? It's a very distinct smell. Ever wonder what it would be like to burn one down and then use the ashes to make a beer that tasted just like it? Wonder no more. This version of Flying Monkeys The Matador dark rye ale is aged on a bed of Spanish Cedar. This process marries the beer with the flavors of the wood and, with the spiciness of the rye malt, leaves this beer with an amazing flavor and mouth-feel. A little on the beefier side in the mouth, along with a huge 10.10% abv Flying Monkeys is no stranger to gigantic flavors and huge beers. This beer is no exception. I can only imagine chewing the perfect medium-rare steak and sipping this in unison. The flavors were almost meant to be. Drink it now or cellar this beast for up to 2 years and see where it goes. Cheers!

My Score: 97

Rate Beer: 95

Beer Advocate: 87

Carling Black Label

Yup. Fuckin' Black Label. It had been a while so I cracked one last night after a total shit day at work. You know what? That beer was delicious. I don't know if I just needed a beer so bad at that point that it could have been any beer, or something else. Either way, it lead to me doing some googling about said beer. FACT: Originally Carling's Black & White Lager, after renaming it, went on to become the world's first beer to be brewed on a mass international scale. This is back in the 20's.

FACT: Black Label sold amazingly well up to and through the 90's.  It's a Canadian Lager that eventually opened up shop here in the states. The idea was to have a premium lager at prices that seemed more local. I guess it's always been cheap. There's nothing overly amazing about this beer. It just is. That may even be the best part. It's exactly that beer for when you just want a damn beer, and you don't want your pants brought down over the price. At this point if you've never had a Black Label... what? Were you ever a young human? You could probably go buy some right now with whatever is in your couch. That's the best. Cheers!

Flying Monkeys The Chocolate Manifesto

Chocolate lovers rejoice. I have found for you, the most chocolatey beer around. It may be like drinking boozy chocolate milk. Or a million melted tootsie rolls. With booze in them. Flying Monkey brewery's The Chocolate Manifesto is your Wonka beer. It's huge in everything from a 10%abv, to flavor, and mouth feel. The lactose sugars make this one a milk stout and it is ever so creamy. Roasty, sweet, cocoa, caramel. It's dessert in a glass. The packing is as eye catching as it can be, too. So you're sure not to miss this on the shelves. Try playing around with some hard ciders and making snakebites with this one. I've had this beer mixed with McKenzie's Pumpkin Cider and it was pretty damn good. Had Halloween written all over it. Pair this with an insulin shot. Cheers!

My Score: 89

Rate Beer: 98

Beer Advocate: 93