Blitzen Flavored Ale

Label:

Maumee Bay Brewing Company

1 pint 6 Fl. Oz

A radiant holiday ale specially brewed with orange, cinnamon, and honey.

Appearance:

Head: Off white to beige

Aroma: Orange, malty, amazingly complex scent, holiday spices

Body: Dark brown, says it’s filtered but lots of debris.

Taste:

Nutmeg, cinnamon, orange, honey, malty, carbonated…in that order, but all at once.

Stu’s Review:

This is a hiatus beer that I got as a present during my vacation to Ohio. Word must get out that I am a beer freak and review what I drink. First off, I love this beer for one huge reason: its local (for Ohio). Secondly, there are so many other admiring characteristics of this holiday ale. Its not overly spice, something that is EXTREMELY easy to do…try a Harpoon Holiday and tell me there isn’t nutmeg in there (although I truly love the Harpoon Holiday, I have to critic it…). It’s really well balanced. It’s got a hint of orange with subtler hints of honey for a well made sweet/sour combination. The spices elevate the base flavors to a more elegant level. Its not overly hopped and the malt isn’t roasted. It just screams talent on all fronts. Third, I don’t think you can find this beer outside of Maumee Bay…so you are stuck with my review. If you are in the Ohio/Michigan area please look this beer up, and do me a favor and send me more.

I think I am developing a midwest beer fetish.

Hiatus? Already?

Yeah we just started this thing… and i come down with a cold. Oh, but not any cold. It’s a three-weeker.

At least, that’s what I’m expecting. My evil office-mate passed it on to me, and has now explained how much fun i should expect. For nearly a month. I tried to start a review of Stone’s Smoked Porter… but sadly it was nothing like i remembered. And i realized: i had been defeated by the germs.

So since i can’t fully enjoy my brews as i explain them to you, i’m gonna hafta take a few weeks off. Which is unfortunate, because check out what i had in the hopper!

I absolutely love that Gulden Draak. It has dutifully served as my favorite beer ever since i discovered it at the Saloon on U st in DC. I’ll get a review of that up here eventually. The YuleSmith i’ve never had but it comes highly recommended. And i suppose should wait until exmas. The Samichlaus is “in storage” because the first one i had punched me in the face. And not in that good way. This thing is bottled one day a year, and some say it’s better to age them. This one was bottled December 6 2007, and i may let ‘er sit a while longer. That 14% ABV is a killer.

The Mikeller Beer Geek Breakfast, hiding behind the washout of the flash, is another favorite of mine. A friend of mine and i plan to have a few of these Thanksgiving morning. Should be a good time. If i can smell properly by then, i’ll share my joy with the class.

Until then, we’ll be one Baron down…

-dmf

Bell’s Special Double Cream Stout

Brewed with a blend of 10 different malts, Double Cream is an incredibly rich stout composed of dark, sweet, and smooth tones intermingled with a soft, roasty finish.

Beer Facts:

Bell’s Brewery, Inc.

Comstock, MI 49053

355 ML serving

ABV: 6.1%

Appearance:
Head: Thick creamy, slow forming, long lasting (if poured correctly)!

Body: Dark brown when it his the light, black velvety texture. Slightly above average viscosity (not Guinness thick though)

DRINK IT OUT OF A PINT GLASS!

Aroma:

Roasted sweet chocolate, coffee, malty.

Taste:

Dark roast with hints of coffee and dark cocoa. The label says a roasty finish, but I found the finish to be creamy. Due to the alignment of 99% of humans taste buds the stout hits you with a bitter bite, and then follows with a very dark, very light sweet taste much akin to foreign dark chocolate with a high cocoa content. The finish may be creamy, but the aftertaste and what lingers in your mouth is a malty/roasty flavor; that is until you have another.

Stu’s Review

For me this beer was exactly what I needed on these cold D.C. days. Its full body and slightly sweet velvety tastes warm my heart and mind. The label is spot on and the flavors jumped out as soon as it hit my lips. The smell alone foreshadowed the incredible flavor. Great beer, better price (only $12.50 including tax for a 6 pack!). My favorite beer right now.

Where I got it:

Timor Bodega

200 Rhode Island Ave NW
(between N 2nd St & N 3rd St)
Washington, DC 20001

(202) 588-5612

www.timordc.com

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