Three nights back upon a levy,
I drank a tall but great Wee Heavy,
while I pondered glass and barrel of ales no more.
I thought my beer a bit too heady,
but decided to hold steady,
quoth the barman “gently pour.”
Okay, so I will probably leave the poems to the rest of the contributors from now on but secretly I’m hoping that Poe can peer through the void on this night of all nights to find some enjoyment in what I have written as much as I have found his poem “Lines on Ale”. Tonight is Halloween and I found it appropriate or perhaps inappropriate to find the perfect beer for practicing the dark arts. Our three selections from the brewers cauldron are Weyerbacher Heresy, Brasserie Dieu du Ciel! Rigor Mortis ABT, and Founders Devil Dancer.
Weyerbacher Heresy is an imperial stout aged in whiskey barrels. Heresy is black with a thick tan head highlighted with a slight ruby color. At 8% abv this concoction is sweet and strong with whiskey flavor. Much of the stout character is lost as the whiskey left in the barrel overwhelms any roasted character that may have been part of the original grain bill. I find whiskey barrel aged beers to be hit or miss and in this case mostly a miss. Although I do find it has it merits and is actually enjoyable I feel that little character that lets me know I’m drinking beer remains.
Our second potion is Rigor Mortis ABT from Brasserie Dieu du Ciel! An abbey-style brown ale that tops in at 10.5%. This brew is dark brown quad with malt forward but well balanced sweetness. Little to no hop character is present and no residual sweetness is detected. I find Rigor Mortis ABT to be smooth and drinkable which is a feat considering the abv. The flavor profile finishes with a slight Belgian yeast character and a nice chocolate note.
Photo by Mike Berube
Our final but biggest selection is Founders Devil Dancer, 12% triple IPA that boasts the use of 10 hop varieties contributing to a hefty 112 IBUs. The color is impressive reminding me of dark ruby and the head is presented in a thin white lace. The malt and hop character are extremely well balanced which is surprising considering the bitterness and hop usage. The biggest detractor to this elixir is the slight medicinal taste that is likely contributed by the high alcohol content.
So which spooky filter is best to enjoy while practicing the dark arts? Although I don’t think I could drink it daily, my choice is Rigor Mortis ABT.
Boo!
Mike Berube is a beer lover who has the belief that there are good beers, there are bad beers, and then there is the right beer. He has begun a quest to find the perfect for every situation.
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