The Good, The Bad, and The Unidragon

Last week, an old friend and fellow beer enthusiast came into Austin to visit and to attend the Flying Saucer's annual Beerfeast event.  After an afternoon spent in the sun imbibing beer after beer, sample after sample, the fest was capped off with a little 14% ABV brew from Massachusetts' Clown Shoes Brewery, the lovely titled The Good, The Bad, and The Unidragon.  A Russian Imperial Stout, this beer is dark and black with a brown head and lacing that never leaves the side of the glass.  Aromas and flavors of roasted malt, some dark fruit notes, chocolate, toffee, and alcohol are abundant, but for as strong and intense as the beer is, it actually goes down quite smoothly.  Maybe a little too smoothly.  It's really an amazing beverage, and currently only available here in Texas.  We are special.

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A Pale Mosaic

I'm not sure if you would call the latest from Hops and Grain a pale ale or an IPA.  It's kind of both.  It's kind of neither.  But either way, A Pale Mosaic sure is tasty.  Pouring a nice and cloudy gold, the beer smells of wheat, pine, and hints of fruit.  The oily mosaic hops give the brew a nice body with a light bitterness on the back end, and tastes of wheat, spice, grapefruit, and more citrus notes.  It's more bitter than your standard pale ale, but not quite into the realm of IPA's, and that's okay because it is easily drinkable and has secured a place in my fridge.

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Black Pumpkin Oatmeal Stout

Years and years ago, i got turned on to pumpkin ales courtesy of the very delicious, though now seemingly hard to find (in Austin anyway) version from Buffalo Bill's Brewery in Hayward, California.  Since then, i've moved on to other pumpkin concoctions from other brewers, but just found my way back to fold with the Black Pumpkin, a tasty pumpkin-tinged oatmeal stout.  (Man, a whole lotta pumpkins in that last sentence.)  The beer pours dark and thick and smells of pumpkin, spices, and roasted malts.  The flavor is creamy and roasty, with subtle chocolate notes and a whole lot of pumpkin, and at 7.5% ABV, this is a fairly easy beer to consume through the better part of a ballgame.  Gotta get my fill while the season's strong.

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Oklahoma Suks

If the last few weeks are any indication, i'm probably going to be one sad dude on Saturday afternoon, hanging my head in defeat...yet again...because my football team likes to make me upset.  That being said, never ever ever give up.  Every year, Independence Brewery here in Austin puts out a limited amount of Oklahoma Suks beer, a cleverly disguised version of their classic Austin Amber.  The beer pours a nice amber and smells of hops and spices.  There's just a hint of caramel in the flavor of this easily sessionable 4.8% ABV brew.  If you're here in Austin, the surrounding area, or Houston or Dallas, grab some of these up quick before they're all gone...and then use them to celebrate victory this Saturday.  Or wash away your tears.  Hook 'Em!

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