The Bruery - Tart of Darkness - oak aged sour stout

I was at a bar last night where some older gentlemen next to me were experiencing their first sour beer. One guy said it tasted like a fruity bandaid. He's not wrong. Most people assume a beer with a sour taste has gone bad and cannot find the appreciation behind the talent it takes to make a truly good sour. It's certainly an acquired taste, but when you get it there will never be enough. One brewery who certainly understands the delicate art of funkifying beers is the Bruery out of California. Tart of darkness has all the great chocolately-roasty qualities of a stout but this ponys trick is an amped up carbonation(lessens when aged, highly recommended) and a HUGE sour bite. Even thinking about this beer makes the back of my jaw water. It's definitely overwhelming if it's your first dive into the sour world, but such a giant treat once you're addicted to them. A low 5.6%abv to so drink away. Honestly, buy a bottle and forget about it in your cool basement for a couple years. Thank me later. Cheers!

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My score: 100

Rate beer: 99

beer advocate: 94

Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot Barley Wine Ale

It's not wine, ya dingus. It's beer. You haven't been paying attention. Nicely hopped, nicely malted and certainly a bold, boozy-sweetness. This multi-gold medal winner weighs in at a hefty 9.6% and you can taste it too. Shit warms the blood. Sick of shoveling already? Here's your reward. Don't live in areas that get snow? May you choke on this heavenly nectar. Centennial, Cascade & Chinook are pumped into this bitter beast matched with tons of 2 row barley and english caramel malts. It's just a big beer, okay? Hey, get drunk real fast thanks to my this thing here. Basically, you're welcome and go drink this beer already. Cheers!

BONUS!! Watch it ferment!

My Score: 93

Beer Advocate: 93

Rate Beer: 99

Bell's - Special Double Cream Stout

It's that time of year, where I just talk about stouts for a while. Why? Because Aren gets mad and hits me when I don't. Bell's Special Double Cream Stout. Now, if you're like me and have a dairy allergy, this name may send you to the hills screaming. No worries! I wouldn't do that to you. This stout is only named for appropriately describing it's ever so creamy mouth feel, and in fact, has no dairy in it. Sweet relief! Double cream blends 10 different malts to achieve it's flavor of roast, dark chocolatey, coffee-type flavors without focusing on the burnt, smokey aspect like most stouts. This one's all velvety goodness, baby. So curl up with your 26 cats and a blanket and have a 6er of this handy. Maybe, just maybe, your winter won't suck so much asshole. Cheers!

NOTES:

ABV 6.1%

Ages UP TO 12 MONTHS

My Score: 90

Rate Beer: 99

Beer Advocate: 89

Thirsty Thursdays with Dave: Final Absolution

Simple, Dubbel and Tripel or Trippel, not triple. Tripel's have triple the amount of malt which give them a much higher abv. Big frothy heads, notes of cloves and bananas. Lightly hopped only for preservation, the bitterness is almost unnoticeable. Tripels finish with a spicy sweet taste but the mouth feel is light and easy, due to Belgian candy sugar. Despite the higher alcohol content, the best Tripels are the one's where you can't tell you're getting hammered until you stand up. Dragonmead brewery offers this in a nice light-proof box with Final Absolution. Keeping true to the style most often done by Trappist monks, Final Absolution is a fine example of an American-style tripel. Native to Michigan, found at all finer beer stores and the Vile Co. homebase fridge. Meant for sipping, if you're a girl. To be paired with cheeses and bbq'd meats or, just for those cold nights when the only warmth is the glowing laptop screen on your face... Cheers rubes!

Beer Advocate: 90 

Rate Beer: 94