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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Hole Lang Syne

Here we are, a week into the new year, and while i didn't really do much on New Year's Eve (stayed in with my wife and kids, a fire, some football, and some kind of serial killer hunting game after the kids went to bed), i did have a fantastic beverage in hand as the proverbial ball dropped.  Hole Lang Syne, a Belgian strong ale brewed with raspberries and blackberries from the good folks at Rabbit Hole Brewing near Fort Worth, was the perfect libation to ring in the new year.  The 10% ABV brew poured a lovely amber with a white and quickly dissipating head.  Aromas of fruit (raspberry and blackberry of course), sugar, and some mild spices were prevalent, while the flavor was sweet, but not too sweet, fruity, but not too fruity, and with just the right amount of subtle tart and alcohol notes.  May our 2019 be as great as this beer was.

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Sol Vinum

Last week i wrote about my post-Thanksgiving dinner beer, a veritable alcoholic dessert, but this week, it seemed i should complete things by taking on my dinner beer.  I'm not really a wine drinker, so instead i went with a wine-ish brew.  Marble Falls' Save The World Brewing makes some pretty knockout stuff, so their Sol Vinum, a Belgian strong ale aged over crushed red grapes proved to be a perfect beverage to accompany a table of family and food.  The 9.3% ABV brew pours gold with a bubbly white head and smells of spice and fruit.  The flavor was the same mix of spices and fruit with a kind of lacy alcohol feel in the mouth, and it paired wonderfully with our Thanksgiving dinner.  I can imagine it pairs nicely with most other meals as well.  I'll be having this one again soon.

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COOP Ale Works DNR Belgian Strong Ale

This last weekend, i got to visit my sister and her family in Oklahoma, an all too short trip, but a fun one nonetheless.  Naturally i managed to squeak in a couple of local brews before leaving, and the one that left the biggest mark was the DNR Belgian Strong Ale from COOP Ale Works in Oklahoma City.  The beer pours a nice and cloudy amber with a quickly dissipating white head and smells of yeast, spice, fruit, and a little vanilla.  Flavors of banana and spice are at the forefront of this 10% ABV concoction, with some notes of fruit, molasses, and booze on the back end, all in a fairly dry finish.  Top notch.

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Silver City The Giant Made of Shadows Belgian Strong Ale

Still celebrating the beer i enjoyed in Washington a month ago, and still wishing i'd smuggled some of it back to Texas, my possible favorite from my time in the Pacific Northwest is another astounding brew from Silver City (quite possibly my new favorite brewer from the region).  Encouraged by their delicious creations brought to the Bremerton Brewfest, i snatched up a few samples of their wares to drink with my friends before vacation ended, highlighted by the fantastic and wonderfully named Belgian strong ale, The Giant Made of Shadows.  Pouring dark with a slight crimson hue, the beer smells of dark fruits and malt, with those same dark fruit flavors swirling nicely with notes of toffee, coffee, and molasses.  As a fan of dark Belgian ales, this one was right in my wheelhouse, and the 9.9% ABV kept me nicely sated.  Please start selling this in Austin.

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Rogness Belfort

Upstart Texas brewery Rogness has been going strong about two years now, and have started to release a series of reserve, one-off batches of beer.  The Belfort is a Belgian style strong ale, and it was a pretty tasty one to boot.  The beer pours a nice crimson amber with a moderate white head that dissipates quickly.  The brew smells of caramel, dark fruits, banana, and some hints of toffee.  Flavor wise, the beer keeps with the aspects of its aroma, with some added breadiness and a light vanilla.  It finishes nicely and would go great with a meat and cheese plate...and we're smack in the middle of prime meat and cheese plate season.

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Monk's Indiscretion

Monk's Indiscretion is the second beer i am recommending from Washington state's Sound Brewery.  A Belgian strong ale, this stuff is delicious.  The aroma is sound (no pun intended) mix of light florals, fruit, citrus, and hints of pepper.  It has an earthy feel to it.  The taste is the same, featuring bits of orange peel, banana, grass, and spice...but not too much spice.  The beer is remarkably smooth, considering the 10% ABV, and it's tasty enough that i'm sure i would enjoy drinking this brew all day long.  I was very sad when i finished the bottle.  This beer alone is worth a trip to the Pacific Northwest.

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