Beer synopsis.

[kidorhi]

I'm currently drinking a bottle of Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout. Alcohol content: 9%. Highest I've ever had as far as beer goes. Yes, I know it can get even higher, like barleywine. It's got a toasty wheat flavor, with caramel and chocolate undertones, but the hops make their own case and balance it well through the middle and end taste

Comments

[bly_me]

wow! sounds good, i'm going to have to try it. right now i'm crazy about ommegang (8.5%) it's been a fav. of mine for about 10 years now. i've never been good at giving taste descriptions, i'm interested in how you'd describe it.

[kidorhi]

Thanks. Yeah, you should definitely give it a shot. I'm curious about ommegang. Is it a type of beer, or a brand/company or...? Is it local to you? Good to find somebody else interested in well-made beer.

I've noticed that the higher-gravity stuff just tends to have bigger flavors, so it seems easier for me to describe. Like Arrogant Bastard Ale (7.2%), which, poured into a glass, surprised me colorwise with its relative lightness, because it's extraordinarily bitter and fruity and full. A healthy buzz crept up on me the first time I had a 22 of it, before I read the bottle a bit more.

Oregon's sorta ruined me for beer-drinking too many other places around the country, heh.

[bly_me]

i know. i love the beer selection when we're in the nw. one of my northwest favorites is bridgeport esb! yum! beginning last month we're now able to get fat tire here in minnesota! so, things are slowly but surely getting better.

ommegang is a brand of belgian ale brewed by an american company in belgium. here's the label description,"ommegang is a belgian abbey ale-top fermented and bottle conditioned, yielding a rich, fruity, aromatic, burgundian brew". i love those yeasty belgian farmhouse and abbey ales.

[kidorhi]

Yeah, I'd agree with the cool weather assessment. I tend to cycle my beer that way over the course of the year, with the stouts and porters and such come fall and winter, but this one was an unexpected gift that I was just too curious to let sit around for long.

Generally, right now, I'm drinking fairly pale stuff. I recently picked up a 12 pack of Full Sail's Session lager, which is a nice anytime beer, and comes in cute Red Stripe-like stubby bottles. Stuff like Pyramid's Apricot Ale (which tastes amazing with fresh mango) or a hef by them or Widmer Bros are good general standbys for me during the summer too.

Anything interesting come your way recently, or a favorite you'd recommend?