Making the Rounds

Lovecraft Honey Ale, Blonde Ale, Narragansett Brewing Company, Rhode Island USA,  7% ABV

Amber brown body, with a pillowy tan head that disappears quickly. Fair amount of hops in the finish, with a layer of honey that lasts into the swallow and aftertaste. The first time I had this beer was at a bar, (still from a can) and it tasted really creamy and malty. Not quite as I remember it, more like an ESB this time around.

Space Cadet, Black IPA, Triple C Brewing Co. North Carolina USA, 6% ABV

I tend to like Black IPA more than IPA or Imp IPA, because they balance out the hops with a dose of roasted malt. If I remember correctly this was my first beer from Triple C, and it was a good one. The pour is inviting with a roasted grain aroma and espresso like foam, which laces that glass. The opening notes are roasted malt which transition quickly to a hops bite in the finish. A little bit more hops forward than some other examples,  I feel this beer would do well paired with something like Buffalo Wings.

Ephemere, Fruit Beer, UniBroue, Canada 5.5% ABV

Ephemere is one of the earliest beer I’ve tried, and among the first fruit beers. Back then I was more used to the fruitiness of wine-coolers so I was a bit disappointed by what I got. But, the beer has always been stuck in my mind and I finally just gave in and decided to buy a bottle. It’s a good summertime beer, with a light apple flavor with an easy dryness to it. A minor sweetness to the beer, that dissipates quickly.

Mateo & Bernabé Mateo 21, Wheat Ale, Mateo & Bernabé, Spain 5% ABV

The packaging of this beer caught my eye, a very low key, traditional label with a small booklet (not pictured) hanging from the neck. One of my first experiences of  Spanish craft beer. The palate was delicate, especially the carbonation, which was light for a wheat beer. The flavor is a bit roasty, with some lingering notes of honey in the finish. I have a feeling if it was left to warm a bit in the glass the notes would shift a bit more to a mild sourness.

MegaDestroyer

Imperial Stout, Howe Sound Brewing,

I came across this bottle while visiting Asheville. The name alone sounded exciting, plus it was Canadian, I’ve not tried many Canadian craft beers and as a bonus it’s licorice infused.
The moment you get a whiff of this beer you are reminded of what the starring feature is, there is a strong Eau de Jagearmeister. The body is quite similar to that infamous liquor as well, but maybe not quite as intense. The licorice notes start right off, mellowing a bit towards the back of the throat, where you get more of the traditional stout malt flavors in the swallow. However, give it a moment or two and the licorice comes back as an aftertaste sitting pleasantly. It’s an interesting brew, one I can’t imagine drinking in one sitting. Luckily the quart jug comes with a built-in cork so it can safely sit in the fridge for a bit. If you like licorice or feel adventurous I recommend trying it because it is very unique, and pulls off the concept pretty well.

When I was a child back in Hungary our version of the menthol cough drop was licorice flavored. Back then I didn’t even realize it was supposed to be for cough, it was just a candy you could pretty much find anywhere. It was called Negro, for the French term for black, but in this case it was more for chimney sweeps, a clever implication of it cleaning out your pipes. Licorice flavor seems to be a lot more popular in Europe then here in the States, especially with children. The Dutch especially made great many sweets with licorice flavor, which I found to be on average much more bitter than what I was used to.

Howe Sound is one of the grandfathers of the Canadian craft brewing, founded in 1980 in beautiful British Columbia. I’m not sure I would try MegaDestroyer again, but I’ve got my eyes open from anything else from the brewery.