Tag Archives: stout

Storm King, King of Stouts

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stormking2Throughout the sampling of my 40 birthday beers, I am also interleaving some of my normal stock. And, as always, my normal stock contains either something new, or something I haven’t had in a long while.

Victory’s Storm King Imperial Stout was a beer I bought myself to share at my 40th party and we never dipped into it. It is one that I haven’t had in a long time. When I finally got around to having one the other day after recently sampling several great stouts over the past month, I was taken back by how good great this beer is.

Storm King is a stout that can hold up a thick, rich, malt with a bounty of hops. Hop nose and bitterness surrounds this stout seemingly to border on a style of porter I’ve been in search of for so long.

Sometimes I wonder why I keep tying new beers when I’ve already found something I love. But, tastes change and repetition can get boring. In the meantime, Storm King is my “go to” stout, and I’m giving it 4.5+ on the unofficial Hop-Talk scale.

Sorry Guinness, today America takes back the title.

Demon of Ale

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Now some beers are a bit higher in alchool than others. Normal might be considered 5%, 6%, 7% ABV, so by higher I am referring to beers with an ABV of 8%, 9% and even 10%. Some beers are considered barley wines because their alcohol content is on par with that of wine, around 11%, 12%.

So, I’m looking through my fridge to see what ale is next on my list. I’m feeling like a stout… Mephistopheles’ Stout looks very nice. I like the graphic on the label, I like the name and Mephistopheles is the final installment of “The Demons of Ale” series. This is going to be gr…. whoa! does that say 16.1% ABV??? Yikes!

That’s a bit strong for a Wednesday evening. It would be like having three beers at once. You and I will both have to wait to find out how this beer fairs, but I’m looking forward to it.

mephistopheles-stout
Avery’s Mephistopheles’ Stout
Beer Style: Stout
Hop Variety: Magnum, Styrian Goldings
Malt Variety: Two-row barley, black malt,roasted barley,Belgian special B, aromatic
OG: 1.135   Alcohol By Volume: 16.1%   IBU’s: 107
Color: Coal Black

Mephistopheles is the crafty shape shifter, the second fallen angel. Amazingly complex, coal black, velvety and liqueurish, this demon has a bouquet of vine-ripened grapes, anise and chocolate covered cherries with flavors of rum-soaked caramelized dark fruits and a double espresso finish. IBU’s 107.

Cascade!

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This is a guest post from my good friend Max, half of our “Advisory Panel”.

Recently Al asked me recount an event for the Hop Talk readers that happened when we last got together for our annual Octoberfest. As a parent there are times your child may say or do something that makes your heart just burst with pride. This was one of my moments.

It was early Saturday morning and, as tradition dictates, we were opening our Guinness Stouts (which we have coined our “breakfast beer”) as we stood in the kitchen discussing our plans for the day. As we began to pour, my wife called to my three-year-old son who was playing in another room. “Nicholas! Do you want to see the cascade?” Conversation ceased as the cry of “oh boy the cascade!” coincided with the crashing sound of whatever toy my son had in his hand as it hit the floor. This was closely followed by him appearing in a full-out sprint, rounding the corner and jumping up onto the stool at the breakfast bar to lock eyes on the four simultaneous cascades. I’m not sure whose smile was bigger; his from enjoyment or mine from pride.

(Just in case you’re not familiar with the term “cascade”, here’s an illustration)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X30NAc8khc