Good Grief Fruited Strong Ale

Great things can happen when great minds come together.  At least that's the case with Good Grief, a fruited strong ale made in collaboration with 5 different Texas breweries to benefit first responders.  Coming to us from the good folks at Roughhouse Brewing (San Marcos), Jester King (Austin), Lazarus (Austin), Oddwood Ales (Austin), and True Anomaly Brewing (Houston), the 11% ABV brew pours a dark burgundy brown and smells of molasses, dark fruit, and a hint of oak.  The flavor is a complex mix of dark and stone fruits, tart black currants, oak and booze, and some nice hints of chocolate that starts sweet and finishes dry.  Delicious, and a damn good collaboration i must say.

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Main Boss Imperial Stout

So on Friday, i did something i didn't think i would ever do.  I sat and watched all 4+ hours of the "Justice League" Snyder cut.  It was fine.  Way, way too long, but it was fine.  I guess.  Anyway, getting me through the whole ordeal was the delicious and vicious Main Boss Imperial Stout, a collaborative beer between Minnesota's Fair State Brewing Cooperative and Iowa's Pulpit Rock Brewing.  The 12% ABV brew pours black with a dark tan head and smells of vanilla, brown sugar, and malt with some hints of fruit.  The flavor is sweet and syrupy, a thick liquid dessert of molasses and vanilla along with some chocolate notes and plenty of alcohol.  This one won't be for everyone, but it sure did make for a good companion during a 4-hour movie.

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Austin Beerworks Malt Dämon

Bringing in the Spring with a wonderful new brew from Austin Beerworks and their 7% ABV Maibock, Malt Dämon.  The beer pours a nice coppery brown with a white head and smells of malt and hops along with some floral notes.  The flavor is a sweet mix of malt, grain, and caramel that goes down smooth and feels like it needs to be drunk in a big beerhall or garden with a bunch of fellow revelers.  Get your vaccines so we can do that kind of thing again.  Prost!

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The Dude Imperial Milk Stout w/ Hazelnut, Vanilla Beans, Cocoa Nibs & Sea Salt

For the last few years, one of my favorite beers to come out of Austin's craft brew scene is The Dude, a White Russian inspired imperial milk stout from the good folks over at Pinthouse.  And a week ago, they released a small batch of the beer along with some wonderful variations, my favorite of which was brewed with hazelnut, vanilla beans, cocoa nibs, and sea salt.  The 10.5% ABV brew pours black with a light brown head and smells of chocolate and creamy vanilla.  The flavor is an all too smooth mix of those same chocolate and vanilla notes along with some hints of salt that really complement the sweetness.  I would have drunk these all night long.

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Tornado Shark Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Strong Ale

I'll admit it.  Sometimes a goofy name or some cool label art are enough to get me to try a beer.  And sometimes it pays off.  The Tornado Shark Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Strong Ale from Lone Pint was brewed in conjunction with the brewery's 7th anniversary, and it's a tasty celebration.  Pouring an amber-ish brown, the 8.3% brew smells of apple, cinnamon, and a little bit of booze.  The flavor is a nice mix of said apples and cinnamon, along with more notes of dark fruits, booze, and oak.  It makes for an excellent dinnertime beer.

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