Omnivore Atlanta

Baltic Porter
Zywiec Breweries PLC
Zywiec, POL
9.5% ABV

Ordinarily, I steer clear of Eastern European beers. Most of these imports are the ubiqitous European pale lager, or the uniquely bad Slavic version of American malt liquor–sickly sweet and corny, with a wallop to the head that leaves the word “hangover” imprinted on your cheek. This Heineken-owned brewery in Poland produces several such beers, mostly for the local market, but this huge Baltic porter is fairly widely available in the U.S. and really stands out from the crowd. Loaded with roasty toastiness, deep fruity notes, and an herbal, bitter edge, it is satisfyingly rich, with a kick like a Polish draft horse.

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New Belgium Brewing Company
Ft. Collins, CO
6% ABV

This golden ale pours a bright gold with excellent clarity. A decent head settles to a ring and leaves a bit of lacing. A beautiful beer that should be served in a pilsner glass to show off its glowing color. The aroma is of floral, fruity hops, with some definite grapefruity citrus and a hint of honey sweetness. The bright citrusy, piney hops lead the flavor profile, with some dry, biscuity malts following closely behind. Clean orchard fruits (apple, pear) lends some sweetness, but overall this is a dry, almost powdery ale. The mouthfeel is medium-light, with a nice spritzy bite and mild bitterness. Easy-drinking, with plenty of hop flavor and good balance, this is a nice session beer that is well suited to autumn weather in Atlanta.

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Atlanta Brewing Company
Atlanta, GA
5.5% ABV

Atlanta Brewing Company has really been improving their product lately, and they should make a point of saying so. Lots of people have preconceived notions of their beer, and if you haven’t had one lately, they are worth revisiting.

Peachtree Pale Ale pours a hazy, burnished gold, with an off-white fluffy head that leaves some nice lacing. Citrusy and floral hops dominate the aroma, with some caramel malt in the background. The taste is hop-forward, with a strong grapefruit rind bitterness upfront from the Cascade hops, juicy citrus in the middle, and spicy dryness in the finish. A coarse graininess in the toasted malts and solid carbonation contribute to a moderately prickly mouthfeel. Medium bodied with a very faint caramel sweetness. There’s a borderline aspirin-like bitterness in the aftertaste. A bright pale ale that borders on an IPA, Peachtree Pale Ale is a fine session beer and well-suited to summer quaffing.

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Full Sail Brewing
Hood River, OR
5.6% ABV

This month’s beer picks will lean toward the lighter side of the spectrum to guide you through the dog days of summer.

Full Sail’s LTD series has included a bock and an amber ale, and the third offering is a German-style pilsner, perfect for summer quaffing. This is a simple concoction of two-row pale malts and Sterling hops that plays on, but does not copy, the classic German pilsner. It pours a clear gold with a frothy, off-white head that clings to the side of the glass. The aroma is full of earthy grain and floral hops with a hint of spice. Cereal graininess rides over the mildly soapy, grassy hops, but the finish is clean and satisfying. The body is medium-light, with a bit of slickness and a pleasant tingle of carbonation. Great right out of the bottle and reasonably priced, this is a fine choice for toting to a backyard barbeque or house party where tolerance for biting hop bitterness might be low.

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Great Divide Brewing Company
Denver, CO
10.0% ABV

Great Divide celebrates its 15th year in business with a potent Double India Pale Ale aged on French and American oak to “round off the edges.” Indeed, it’s a very drinkable DIPA, with tons of malt complexity and vanilla essence to balance the aggressive hop bill.

Unlike typical over-the-top hop bombs, the initial nose carries significant fruity esters, along with brandy-like alcohol and vanilla. Floral hops, pineapple, and fresh wet pine needles round out the subtle (for a DIPA), inviting aroma. Toffee sweetness hits first in the taste, followed by a solid, resinous smack of hops. The malts, oak and citric bite of hops combine to create a whiskey sour-like quality, right down to the smoky, boozy warmth and cherry sweetness. Oaky dryness and vanilla hold onto the middle, with a pine and grapefruit rind hop bitterness rising in the finish. An alcohol burn lingers in the sinuses on the long fade.

Considering the strong elements contributed by the wood aging, the mouthfeel is somewhat raw and grainy and could be a bit softer and creamier. No doubt some further aging will help with that, as well as mellowing the burn. Medium-full and sticky, this is definitely a sipper, but balanced and enjoyable. I had no problem finishing a 22-oz bomber, leaving me warm and happy.

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Doppelbock, shmoppelbock: Shmaltz Rejewvenator 2009

Shmaltz Brewing Company
Saratoga Springs, NY
7.8% ABV

Rejewvenator is Shmaltz’ spring and summer seasonal, celebrating the barley harvest. This year’s incarnation is fermented with fresh-pressed date juice, honoring the fruit of the ancient date palm, a symbol of the Kingdom of Judea that was stamped on the ancient sheckel coin. According to Psalm 92:12, “The righteous shall flourish like the Date palm.” This is a righteous beer if I do say so. Two different Belgian ale yeasts were used, along with a lager yeast, imparting the the fruity esters of a Belgian dubbel as well as the clean, crisp fermentation of a German doppelbock.

Rejewvenator ‘09 pours a lovely cedar red with an inviting, slightly boozy aroma full of drunken plums, apricots, overripe bananas, and dates, natch. Generous hopping contributes some citrus rind and spruce as well. The taste is smooth and sweet up fron,t with brandied fruit flavors of candied dates, raisins, and figs, yielding to toffee and an ever-rising herbal hop and alcohol bite. Piney hops and anise settle on the palate with other tingly, almost prickly, spices. Hot alcohol lingers on the breath, which is a bit surprising for an under-8% beer. Banana and clove hang in the background, but this seems less like a doppelbock or a Belgian dubbel than an American-style barleywine or strong ale. It exhibits clean, crisp flavors throughout, with little residual graininess or earthiness in the malt profile.

Although the alcohol is a bit overbearing, Rejewvenator drinks like the celebratory ale that it is. The medium-full body and spot-on carbonation give it a festive character. I’m definitely going to save some for Christmas. Er, make that Hanukkah. L’Chaim!

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Smuttynose Brewing Company
Portsmouth, NH
7.7% ABV

The lengthy spring has extended the appeal of styles like maibock, the rich, malty lager that is traditionally served in the month of May. Although the month has passed, this style still holds plenty of appeal. Smuttynose’s maibock, part of its Big Beer Series, pours a beautiful, clear autumn gold with a nice two-finger head that settles slowly but inevitably, lacking any significant staying power. A tall pilsner glass really shows off the color, clarity, and slowly rising bubbles.

The doughy, earthy aroma of German malts dominates the nose, with a hint of spicy, floral noble hops in the background. The taste is sweet initially, but more like honey than sugar. Biscuity malt, tannic white grape skins, and a sweet sting of alcohol provide a firm mouthfeel. A touch of ale-like fruitiness in the center suggests honeydew melon and apple. Powdery dry grain, mildly spicy hops, and an astringent bitterness drop hard in the crisp finish, leaving the palate clean and ready for another sip.

This is a well-structured, dryish bock that strikes a nice balance of sweet malt, spicy hops, and alcohol. It lacks the complex malt character of a traditional German maibock like Einbecker, but makes up for it in drinkability and food friendliness. It may set a new standard for the style.

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French Broad Altbier

French Broad Brewing Company
Asheville, NC
5.5% ABV

Once a rarity, Altbier seems to be coming into its own lately, with the classic German Uerige more widely available and quality American versions coming from Victory, Otter Creek and Southampton. Altbier is a German ale found primarily in the Düsseldorf region. It is fermented at ale temperatures, but cold conditioned like a lager, for a clean, crisp character. Unlike the other German ale style, kölsch, altbiers are malt-forward and slightly sweet, rather than spicy and dry.

French Broad Altbier pours an orangey-gold, with a rocky, off-white head. Damp, earthy aroma and some floral notes in the nose, along with a bit of estery, ripe apple. Toasted Munich malt dominates the flavor, with its distinctive graininess and bready character. Grassy, herbal, tea-like hops provide a subtle counterpoint, but this one is all about the malt. Smooth and soft on the tongue, with a gentle carbonation and easy drinkability. A welcome break from the current hop-bomb trend. Try this with a grilled burger and corn-on-the-cob at your next cookout.

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Moor Better: Claymore Wee Heavy Scotch Ale

Great Divide Brewing Company
Denver, CO

Named for a famous sword, this beer is a tribute to the “Wee Heavy” ale, the rich, strong version of Scotland’s traditional malt-forward ales. Hops were historically hard to come by in Scotland and were regarded with some disdain since they had to be imported from England. Malted barley, on the other hand, was a staple, so these beers are loaded with cereal goodness.

Great Divide’s version pours a deep mahogany brown with some ruby highlights around the edges. The aroma is peaty and slightly smoky, and leans toward woody, rather than sugary notes. The taste follows suit with deep, charred caramel, mild coffee, and earthy hops. That smoky peat comes through on the back end, suggesting a cozy hearth. A bit of brown sugar sweetness, cocoa powder and nutmeg spice linger on the lips in the semi-sweet finish. Medium-bodied, with some leggy alcohol, Claymore is best enjoyed at cellar temperature like a good Scotch, where the malt can really shine.

Photo by Jeff Holland)

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Liquid Candy: Weihenstephaner Vitus

Brauerei Weihenstephan
Freising, GER
7.7% ABV

This weizenbock is new to Georgia, thanks to the dedicated efforts of Beer Advocate and Sandy Springs resident Justin Michels, who rallied like-minded beer lovers to lobby the Georgia distributor of Weihenstephaner beers, Georgia Crown, to add this beer to their portfolio. For Georgia Crown, it was a simple matter of adding Vitus to its order from Total Beverage Solutions, the South Carolina importer that was already bringing the beer into the U.S. Just goes to show what some good old-fashioned agitation can accomplish. Show your appreciation by picking up a few bottles.

Vitus might be described as an imperial version of Weihenstephan’s world-class weissbier, packing more body and more flavor into a fruity, tart and refreshing Bavarian wheat beer. A huge, fluffy head of cotton candy-like foam sits atop the orange-gold beer, rising a full inch above the rim of the glass without falling over, eventually settling to a finger of off-white foam that you could probably use as shaving cream. Beautiful.

The traditional banana and clove aromas from the yeast are off the chain, combining with a distinct lactose note that conjures a banana cream pie from Picadilly. Banana haters need not apply. The initial taste is of sugar cookie and grainy wheat, followed by a Juicy Fruit center of banana, pineapple, and bubble gum. Just when you think you are drinking candy, a solid hit of tangy, slightly lemony yeast and spicy hops cleans up the palate. Coriander, clove, and sage linger in the long, mildly sour finish. As would be expected from a wheat beer, the mouthfeel is creamy, but with a slick almost oily character that is perfectly balanced by the active carbonation that holds that foamy cap all the way down.

Although the flavors beg to be savored, Vitus goes down as smooth as the mellowest hefeweizen. The alcohol is well hidden, with only the sweet slickness hinting at the high gravity. A remarkable beer that really has no equal that I have had. It would pair nicely with any number of foods, from salad to dessert.

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Terrapin Beer Company
Athens, GA
9.8% ABV

Terrapin brewer Spike Buckowski has jumped into the Belgian ale wave with both feet with Volume 5 of the Side Project Series. Monk’s Revenge is described as having the hop profile of a double IPA, with the malt and yeast of a Belgian tripel. Six kinds of malt and six hop varieties, dextrose to replicate the Belgian candi sugar, and a yeast copped from one of the 7 Trappist breweries (Spike is mysteriously vague about which brewery) all contribute to a wonderful complexity in both aroma and flavor.

Floral and spicy hops greet the nose, along with a faint resiny note that clues you to the beer’s American heritage. Sweet, biscuity malt and the unmistakable ripe fruit of Belgian yeast are also evident. The taste starts with the smooth, mild tropical fruit sweetness of pineapple and banana, followed quickly by a tingly hop bite of grapefruit, white pepper, pine, orange, and mint. The sugary base carries warm buzz of kirsch and amaretto into the strong, drying finish. The banana and clove esters of the Belgian yeast become stronger as it warms, as does some solventy alcohol.

The balance here is fantastic, with all of the malty, fruity, hoppy, and tangy notes getting their chance to shine, but the overall effect seems a bit raw. The bottle-conditioned beer has a dullish carbonation that might lively up itself with a bit more time, and the hot alcohol suggest that this would be a good candidate for cellaring, although the hopheads might object that the fresh hop aromas and flavors would suffer. I’d have a couple fresh, then put a couple away; that way, you get the best of both worlds.

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Take the local: Brooklyn Local 2

Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn, NY
9% ABV

This Belgian-style strong dark ale joins the Local 1, a strong saison, in Brooklyn’s regular lineup. This is good news, indeed, as brewer Garrett Oliver is building a nice portfolio of Belgian-inspired ales. Local 2 is brewed with honey and citrus peel and is refermented in a beautiful imbossed 750-ml cork-and-cage bottle. The Diet Coke-brown color and equally cola-like, quickly-dissipating head leave the impression of a fizzy dark lager, but appearances can be deceiving. There’s plenty of heft to this baby. Burnt sugar, roasty malt, and brown bread yeastiness dominate the aroma, with a hint of herbal spice and nose-tingling alcohol in the background. These flavors carry over to the taste, which is sweet, and slightly roasted, with notes of mild coffee, toffee, chocolate, cherry, raisin, and licorice candy. Herbal hops, the tang of Belgian yeast, and the drying alcohol complement the sweet malts and honey, which only seems evident in the slick, smooth mouthfeel. The body is a bit thinner than might be expected from strong dark ale, but the bright carbonation and clean, dry character are plenty satsifying, as is the flush of alcohol that warms all the way down. A fantastic interpretation of a Belgian ale that should satisfy both purists and extreme beer lovers.

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Toasty: Weyerbacher Fireside Ale

Weyerbacher Brewing Company
Easton, PA
7.5% ABV

It will probably soon be back up to a balmy 65 degrees, but I had to pick up this smoked ale for the snowy weekend. Weyerbacher’s Dan Weirback has shown great respect for malts while many of his craft beer compatriots in the United States have been pushing International Bittering Units to the max with high-alpha American hop varieties. Fireside Ale has the unmistakable aroma of toasted malts and a hint of smokiness that is comforting and homey. Woody malts and a caramelly fire-toasted marshmallow dominate the malt profile, with a semi-sweet center of maple, cocoa, and nut contributing to the campfire vibe. Clove-like spice, tingly alcohol, and flash of citric and piney hops gently balance the malts. The finish is somewhat dull and undercarbonated, but the silky smooth body makes for pleasant sipping. Enjoy it in front of your fake fireplace.

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A trusty old dog: Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale

Smuttynose Brewing Company
Portsmouth, NH
5.7% ABV

Dogs seem to be a frequent inspiration for brown ales, as evidenced by Abita Turbodog, Avery Ellie’s Brown Ale, and the new-to-Georgia Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale. This beer pours a clear, glowing chestnut that is just about the same color as Olive (R.I.P.), the Smuttynose mascot that graces the label. A volumionous, rocky head sits atop the body and pops and crackles down to a thin cap, leaving some fine lacing. A moderately sweet, toasted malt aroma fairly explodes from the glass, suggesting brown bread crust with an earthy spice note. There are some fruity notes of apple skins and orange, as well. The toasted bread continues in the flavor profile, along with soft crystal malts, steeped grains and a faint nutiness. A flash of juicy sweetness in the center hints of maple syrup, cocoa and toffee. The hops are subdued and vaguely tea-like, with a bit of steely tang of alcohol and a chocolately orange in the clean, dry finish. Round and smooth, with a decent heft to the body, this is a delicious take on an English brown ale, wth its emphasis on malt complexity. A perfect accompaniment to beef or sharp cheese.

(photo by Jeff Holland)

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Three-way, anyone? Stone, Jolly Pumpkin, and Nogne O Special Holiday Ale

Stone Brewing Company
Escondido, CA
9.0% ABV

Once again I am late for the party. I just picked up this holiday collaboration, and I wish I had done so earlier because this one would have been great with the Christmas goose (if I had had a Christmas goose). No worries; this wassail-like ale with a hearty ABV and a complex laundry list of additions should age wonderfully for next year. If you see it around, pick up a few and sock some away to break out at the end of the year. There are three different bottles, each with a note from one of the three brewers.

Mitch Steele of Stone, Kjetil Jikiun of Norway’s Nøgne Ø, and Ron Jefferies of Jolly Pumpkin in Michigan got together on this one, and each brought a little something to the pot–juniper berries from Norway (actually sourced from Italy), chestnuts from Michigan, and sage from Southern California. The enticingly spicy aroma will awaken holiday memories of evergreen, berries, and nutmeg, and the taste has a noticable earthy nuttiness. Dry, woody malts and a faint mincemeat-like sweetness linger under the tang of rye malt and caraway seeds. Cocoa and chickory in the center carry over into a long, dry, herbal finish of anise and cranberry. The body is firm and smooth, but not particularly creamy, with a warm alcohol, bordering on hot. The herbal flavors are tea-like, and I could see drinking this warm like a toddy to soothe flu symptoms (disclaimer: I am not a doctor). Complex and unique, if a bit raw, I am looking forward to trying it with a bit more age on it.

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Allagash Dubbel Reserve

Allagash Brewing
Portland, ME
7.0% ABV

Introduced to Georgia a little over a year ago, Allagash produces some of the best American examples of Belgian-style beers around. Their dubbel exhibits the rich caramel malt and yeasty tang of a traditional dubbel (Corsendonk and Chimay Red are probably the best known examples) with more of an herbal bite. It pours a deep chestnut brown with a nutty aroma, a hint of spice and some sweet maple notes. The taste is nicely balanced right from the start, with cola-like brown sugar sweetness, spicy bitterness, and tangy yeast all pushing through. A toffee and cocoa center tamps down the fruity esters that are more typical in a dubbel, but there are definite notes of raisin and red apple. Tart apple and citrus emerge middle to end, with a bracing herbal hop bitterness of anise and earth in the lingering dry finish. The mouthfeel is a bit thin for the style, but is consistent and clean, with a blooming carbonation. The well-integrated sweet and herbal flavors would be an excellent foil to sweet grilled meats or smoky cheeses.

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Make it funky: Jolly Pumpkin Maracaibo Especial

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Dexter, MI
Belgian Amber Ale
7.5% ABV

Although it was released in November as a seasonal ale, it is certainly not too late to pick up a bottle of this “special brown ale.” In typical Jolly Pumpkin fashion, it straddles the strange territory between open-fermented Belgian ale and tropical elixir by way of the frozen Midwest. It is brewed in the abbey style, with wild yeasts that introduce funky aromas of dirty sheets and composting earth. Really. Cacao, cinnamon and orange peel add the equatorial element suggested by the Venezuelan city from which the beer takes its name.

This is a fairly light-bodied beer, flinty and sharp, despite its rusty amber color. Tart green apples, sour cherries and tangerine ride on a barely-there raft of toasted malt, yielding to herbal flavors of lemongrass and mint in the tart-but-not-puckering finish. Intriguingly complex but eminently approachable, Maracaibo Especial is a great introduction to the world of wild ales, and a tart, fruity treat to get you through a cold winter.

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Otter Creek Copper Ale

Copper Ale
Otter Creek Brewing
Middlebury, VT
5% ABV

I recently ran across several beers from this small-town Vermont brewery and picked up the altbier on a whim. The Copper Ale is Otter Creek’s flagship beer, and the first one it produced back in 1991. A Czech pilsner and a porter are part of the lineup in Georgia. The brewery also produces Wolaver’s Organic Ales.

Altbier (literally “old beer”) is a German ale style popular in Dusseldorf, and a throwback to the pre-lager days. Altbiers have a bit more malty character and body than German lagers, with perhaps a hint of fruity esters from the ale yeast, but this is still a clean, well-structured ale. Otter Creek’s version features toasted grains and caramelized malt nicely balanced by a floral hop character and a quenching citric sourness. The firm body is consistent throughout, with a lively carbonation and a moderately bitter finish. The toasted malts and slightly sweet grains are a natural match for a burger or wings; just in time for your Super Bowl party.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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The fourth offering in the Terrapin Side Project series is a porter brewed with two kinds of Ecuadorean cocoa provided by Cacao Atlanta. Sixty pounds of cocoa powder are added after the boil. the finished beer is then aged on 60 pounds of cocoa nibs, lightly roasted cocoa beans crushed into coarse chunks.

Traditional porters often have some chocolate flavors from roasted specialty malts, so the addition of chocolate is a natural extension of the style. Terrapin thankfully avoids chocolate overload to create a subtle chocolate aroma and flavor complemented by dry, peaty malts. It tastes initially of powdery cocoa, just as advertised, with some smoky malts, raisin, caramel and earth. Bittersweet chocolate and coffee notes add to the complexity.

Hop flavor seems limited to some grassy, hay-like notes and a bit of citrusy tang that may also come from the yeast. Bitterness is subdued but more than adequate to counter the malts, which are pleasantly dry and toasty. The solid, consistent body lends a pleasing mouthfeel from beginning to end — smooth and mouth-coating, with a gentle carbonation. Alcohol becomes a bit more evident as it warms, but I would be surprised if it were more than 7 percent.

Dos Cocoas is a fantastic, easy-drinking porter in the English tradition. I could drink it all day. This is no Snickers bar, but it would certainly pair well with one.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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BORN TO BE WILD: Roxy Rolles Amber Ale from Magic Hat

Magic Hat Brewing Company
Burlington, Vt.
5.1% ABV

I was introduced to this redhead in the Magic Hat Feast of Fools winter sampler pack and was hoping I could find it by itself in a sixer. Lo and behold, there it was, and I’ve been going back to it again and again. Billed as a hoppy amber ale, it’s very approachable and makes a great everyday drinking beer. Simcoe hops are added after fermentation, and their piney, grassy character is evident in the nose. There’s also some sweet, toasted malt and a bit of yeasty sourness that make a solid first impression. The taste is equally complex, with woody, herbal flavors nicely balanced by a slightly tart cherry and apple tang, and a soft caramel sweetness that gives way to a dry, citric finish. Roxy Rolles is proof that drinkability doesn’t have to equal banality.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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Divine: Lectio Divina from Saint Somewhere

Saint Somewhere Brewing Company
Tarpon Springs, FL
8% ABV

My hope is that breweries like this little upstart near Tampa are the wave of the beer future. They don’t even have a proper website! Still, the Saint Somewhere Brewing Company has managed to get its two Belgian-style ales distributed in Georgia, so they know how to work it.

Beautifully packaged in a 750-ml bottle with a cork-and-wire closure and Art Nouveau-style artwork, Lectio Divina (Divine Reading) is an amber ale that falls somewhere between a dubbel and a strong dark ale, with a bit of Flanders red tartness thrown in. Bottle-conditioned with a big, funky yeast, it should be decanted carefully to keep the yeast from overpowering the other flavors. There’s lots of caramel and candied sugar sweetness in the aroma, along with the  yeast’s distinctive, ripe banana ester.

The taste brings a more complex palate of orchard fruits, raisins and sour cherries, along with white pepper, clove, mace, and a spicy, yeasty tang. An active carbonation counters the slightly syrupy mouthfeel. As befits its humble origins, the flavors are a bit raw and sweet, and the alcohol gets a little boozy, but Lectio Divina is a distinctive ale that proves that there’s more to Florida beer than island lagers with a lime jammed in the neck. It pairs nicely with the nutty flavors of an asiago pressato and some Wheat Thins.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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HeBrew Jewbelation Twelve

Shmaltz Brewing Company
Saratoga Springs, NY
12% ABV

The final installment of this month’s big, black, high-gravity beer picks is this monster kitchen-sink anniversary ale from He’Brew. With 12 malts, 12 hops, and 12 percent alcohol, it is a mouthful. Caramel malts, herbal hops, and some molasses in the nose give little hint of the intense flavors within. The taste is full of burnt sugar, roasted malt, huge toffee, anise, chocolate and alcohol that is sort of like Kahlua on steroids. I searched desperately for some fruity elements and found a bit of black cherry and raisin, but this is more about charred malts and piney, resiny hops. Some baked grapefruit and brown sugar provide a juicy, quenching finish. Charcoal flavors and some hot fusel alcohol that burns the tongue give it a challenging drinkability. Full-bodied and sticky, with an oily mouth-coating bitterness, this is a big beer that would probably benefit from cellaring for a year or two. I really enjoyed last year’s Jewbelation 11. Did one more malt and one more hop variety push this one over the edge? Hell yeah. This one goes to 12!

(photo by Jeff Holland)

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Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn, NY

10% ABV

In keeping with this month’s somewhat accidental Beer Pick theme of thick, black, potent beers, this week’s pick is Brooklyn’s luscious take on the Russian Imperial Stout. Like the Baltic porters, these stouts were brewed in Britain for export to the Baltic states and Russia, where they were reportedly a favorite of Catherine the Great. As a woman of legendary appetites, she favored the strong roasted malt bitterness and alcoholic strength. This one knocked me back at first, and I struggled with the burnt flavors and astringent bitterness. However, I found that I had made a rookie mistake in not letting the beer warm up a bit. Straight from the fridge, the chocolate-y notes and pruney sweetness are muted, leaving only the bitter edge. Gradually the more complex notes of chocolate-covered espresso beans, licorice candy, soy, and molasses emerge. The obvious alcohol hits in the nose and in the dark rum-like finish, warding off the cold. Viscous and smooth on the tongue with a long lingering bitterness, this is a big beer that demands respect. For such a potent brew, it is also a relative bargain at $10.99 a six-pack, so if you think Guinness is for wussies, this one’s for you.

(photo by Jeff Holland)

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Traquair House Ale
Traquair House Brewery
Peebleshire, Scotland, UK
7.2% ABV

The Traquair House is the oldest continually-inhabited residence in Scotland dating to 1107. It was owned by the Scottish Crown before passing to the Earls of Traquair. It is still occupied by the descendants of the Maxwell Stuart family. A brewery operated out of a separate building in the 18th century producing beers for the house and staff. It was abandoned for some 150 years before being revived by Peter Maxwell Stuart, 20th Laird of Traquair, in 1965. It is currently managed by Stuarts daughter, Catherine Maxwell Stuart and produces 600-700 barrels of beer annually, including the flagship House Ale, a subtle “Wee Heavy” with a not so subtle 7.2% ABV. Rich, peaty malts, powdery carob, and burnt caramel dominate the front end, with raisin and fig notes midpalate. Herbal flavors of anise, eucalyptus, and vanilla gradually emerge, along with a sherry-like alcohol. A citric tartness and mineraly tang builds slowly in the finish. The thinnish body and gentle carbonation make it an easy drinker, but this authentic ale rewards reflective sipping, and at about $5 for an 11.2 oz. bottle, it is a bit pricey to be throwing them back.

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Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter
The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Farmville, NC
9.0% ABV

Baltic porters have their origin in the export trade between Great Britain and the Scandinavian and Eastern European ports of the Baltic Sea. They were brewed with extra strength and robustness to travel well and satisfy the market demand for bold beers in the frigid winters of Sweden, Finland, and the eastern states of Russia. Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter is brewed in eastern North Carolina for the relatively balmy markets of the Southeastern United States, but is still appreciated on a chilly winter night. Pouring an inky, opaque black with a creamy, mocha-colored cap of foam, this American version boasts a rich aroma of coffee and blackstrap molasses. The roasted coffee carries over into the taste, but shares equal billing with a smooth dark chocolate and burnt caramel. Some dark berry and raisin fruitiness emerges briefly, but the sweetness is nicely countered by an herbal, licorice, and Brazil nut bitterness. There’s a pleasant, lingering piney resin in the long finish. The alcohol is evident but not overwhelming, making its presence known in the cheek-flushing warmth that banishes any chill. This one is disappearing quickly, so pick some up if you see it.

(photo by Jeff Holland)

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