Circle Envy

Austin's Circle Brewing Co. has a rather tasty amber beer called Envy.  The brew pours a darkish red, minimal head, and smells of molasses, some dried fruit, and maybe some hints of pine.  The flavors are predominantly sweet, but not too sweet, a good combo of the aforementioned molasses and fruit.  The hops compliment the malts well, adding a dry bitterness, but not too dry and bitter, to the beer.  Complex and simple.  Well done.  Drink this with anything.

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Austin Beerworks Heavy Machinery Black IPA

The ongoing Heavy Machinery IPA series from Austin Beerworks continues to impress and delight my taste buds with each subsequent release.  The latest batch is a Black IPA, that pours a dark, leathery color with a light, quickly dissipating head.  The beer's aroma consists of some floral and pine elements mixed with some lighter malt and coffee smells.  The taste is a bitter and hoppy one, a good mix of pine, citrus, and malt.  It's interesting, but instantly drinkable if you're an IPA kinda person.  Kudos.

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Adelbert's Gypsy Belgian IPA

Austin brewery Adelbert's just released their first collaborative beer, a Belgian IPA called Gypsy that was brewed with Kim Clarke, formerly of the Celis Brewery, and more notable the first female brewmaster in Texas.  The Gypsy is a medium bodied, golden brew with a light and thick head.  The beer smells of citrus and bananas with some light floral hints.  The taste is sweet and hoppy, a light, easy to drink IPA.  If you're not normally an IPA drinker, you may enjoy this tasty collaboration.  Hopheads on the other hand, should probably look elsewhere.

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Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout

When a beer has a name that sounds like a pimp...you buy and drink the damn thing.  And so we have Firestone Walker Brewing's take on an oatmeal stout, Velvet Merlin.  The beer pours a dark brown, blackish color with a fast dissipating tan head (it kind of looks like a Coke).  Aromas of coffee, malt, and woodiness pair with flavors of caramel, oatmeal, and more coffee.  For a stout, it's actually pretty refreshing and crisp, and is easily drinkable at 5.5% ABV.

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Southern Star Buried Hatchet Stout

Oh, you American Double Imperial Stouts...how you make the day just that much better.  Texas's Southern Star Brewing has an excellent one to boot with their Buried Hatchet Stout, a dark black stout with a creamy tan head.  The beer smells of coffee and chocolate and tastes the same, but with some hints of toffee and cream throughout.  Add in a decent amount of hops to give just a little bit of bite to all that roasted malt, and you've got yourself a lovely pre or post dinner beer.

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