Karbach Three Legged Lab Imperial Stout

We're in Texas.  Of course we take our imperial stouts in a can.  And of course we drink too many of them and wake up the next day with a headache.  A dark and tasty 9.2% ABV wonder, the Three Legged Lab from Houston's Karbach Brewing is a lovely late night libation.  Pouring an inky black with minimal brown head, the beer smells of malts, alcohol, coffee, and some dark chocolate notes.  The beer's flavor is slightly bitter, the coffee notes weighing in first, but finishes rather smoothly with just a hint of sweetness.  Karbach has yet to disappoint me.  Everything they release is worth a taste at the very least.

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Solid Rock Trinity Vanilla Milk Stout

As my stout affinity continues through these winter months, i keep searching and keep finding a new variety to choose from.  Solid Rock Brewing, out of Spicewood, Texas, offers up a tasty and easy drinker with their Trinity Vanilla Milk Stout.  Pouring a dark, brownish black with minimal head, this stout smells of malts, cream, and vanilla.  The flavor is akin to most milk stouts on the market, creamy and malty with some cocoa and coffee notes, but with hints of vanilla throughout.  Sweet, but not too sweet, and hanging in there at 5% ABV, it's a lovely brew for a chilly weekend afternoon.

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Calavera Mexican Imperial Stout

It's actually been cold here in Austin the last couple of days, and that means stout weather at my house.  And while i don't normally associate Mexico with stouts, enter the Calavera Mexican Imperial Stout from Tlalnepantla, Mexico.  This 9% ABV libation pours a dark black with brownish head, and smells of malts, dark fruit notes, vanilla, and an all around roastiness.  Flavors of malt, coffee, toffee, and chocolate make for a pretty standard imperial stout, but the vanilla notes in the mix really make the whole thing pop.  It's definitely worth a taste if you're looking for something new.

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Real Ale Phoenixx Winter Ale

I am a fan of winter ales, the blend of malts, hops, and spices the perfect libation for a chilly day.  Real Ale's Phoenixx Winter Ale is a spicier, seasonal take on a tradition ESB (English Strong Bitter), and it is a tasty concoction indeed.  Pouring a reddish amber, the beer smells of hops with some notes of toffee in the mix.  The flavor is a swirl of toffee, caramel, malt, spice, and hops set to 7.2% ABV, but pretty smooth nonetheless.  This was a great beer to sip on all day at Christmas, and i expect it to endure the rest of the winter.

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