Strange Roots Experimental Ales Ancient Vortex

One of the things i asked for for Christmas last year was a rare beer club membership.  Nobody got it for me.  So i just got it for myself.  And so far, one of the wonderful brews that's been sent my way is the Ancient Vortex, a Belgian style dark ale brewed with raw cacao and candi sugar from Strange Roots Experimental Ales out of Pittsburgh.  The 9.2% ABV beer pours a dark, brownish black with a tan head, and smells of chocolate, dark fruits, and Belgian yeast.  Flavors of dark fruit, malty caramel, and notes of dark chocolate abound in a beer with a light feel and medium body.  And it's surprisingly easy to drink too.  Bring on some more rare brews.

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Saint Arnold Commitment Imperial Stout

Spring Break is over.  The kids are still home.  And we're working from home.  And we can't go anywhere.  The next few weeks are going to be stressful, and admittedly scary.  Our leaders are either complete morons, wholly corrupt, or nowhere to be seen.  It's going to get worse before it gets better.  So, yeah i'm going to drink.  And it's all going to go straight to my head, particularly when it's something as tasty and strong as the Commitment Imperial Stout from Saint Arnold Brewery.  The 13.4% ABV brew pours black with a brownish head and smells of chocolate, molasses, and spice.  The flavor is a mix of dark chocolate with subtle notes of vanilla, cherry, and dark fruit, with a hint of alcohol.  And it's easy to drink too.  Probably too easy.  But these are strange, stressful, and scary times.  So enjoy.

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Odd Side Passion Dank Juice

What a long, strange day it's been.  Driving to work this morning with next to no traffic, the combined result of people having left town for Spring Break, the lack of influx of out-of-towners for a cancelled SXSW, and a coronavirus pandemic that just gets scarier and scarier with each passing hour.  I drove through a deserted downtown to get to the office, and then noticed the closed stores and restaurants during my lunch break.  The school district my kids attend called and emailed with the word that a return to school is now postponed until April.  And then my boss made the decision to have as many staff members as possible work remotely from home.  It's weird out there people.  And i'm trying not to panic.  And the Passion Dank Juice from Odd Side Ales is doing everything it can to help with that.  Pouring a hazy straw gold, the 6.75% New England IPA is, as its name would suggest, and dank and juicy treat.  Aromas of tropical fruit and passion fruit abound with some hints of spice and hops, and the flavor is a crisp mouthful of said tropical and passion fruits along with some grapefruit bitterness and lacey dankness.  Wonderful stuff.  I'll have to brave the virus and depleted grocery stores to obtain some more.

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Moondog Imperial Stout

Earlier this week i turned 41, and what better way to celebrate getting one year closer to leaving this mortal coil than by ending the evening with a delicious brew.  The brew in question this year comes from Whitestone Brewing here in Cedar Park and their Moondog Imperial Stout, a milk stout brewed with fig and coconut.  The 11.5% ABV beer pours black with a tan head and smells of figs and molasses with some hints of vanilla and booze.  The flavor is sweet, heavy on the fig, with a boozy finish.  Wonderful.

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Blue Owl Dapper Devil

Some weekends, a sour beer is just the right way to go.  And so we have the Dapper Devil from Blue Owl Brewing, a sour raspberry Belgian Strong Ale that certainly does not disappoint.  Pouring a nice ruby red with a light pink head, the beer smells of raspberries (naturally) with some some hints of the Belgian yeast.  The flavor is heavy on the raspberries, with a nice and dry tartness that really masks the brew's 9% ABV.  Watch out, because it will sneak up on you.  All in all, a great Sunday beer.

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