I Always Meant to Try That...

Disclaimor: The following paragraph contains a shameless Law and Order: SVU reference.

I have a craft beer confession. I have a habit to ignore beers that are typically readily available and lean towards seasonals, one-offs, and rarities. I tend to have an attitude of "I can get that later" and go for something I feel won't be around long. The problem is, I miss out on some great brews by doing that. So a while back (I'm a bit behind on the blogging) my buddy TJ picked up three great beers that I had always meant to try. These are their stories (DUN DUN).

First up was Ten FIDY from Oskar Blues. This is a big Russian Imperial Stout that weighs in at 10.5% ABV, so TJ and I decided to split a can. Ten FIDY pours oily black and thick with a dark mocha head that doesn't stick around long. The nose is big and roasty, and it makes no effort to hide that it packs a significant alcohol punch. Surprisingly, the booze is less present in the taste. Big roasted malts lead this out with just a hint of the alcohol. It is incredibly smooth but pretty heavy. It finishes up with some delicious dark chocolate flavors. Personally I was glad we split this can since we had two more brews to go, but I could see this making a great slow sipper on a cool evening. Oskar Blues has yet to disappoint!

Next up was one that I had eyed for a long time: Brooklyn Brewery's Local 2. It pours a dark brown with an eggshell head. The nose is a typical yeasty odor that you expect from a Belgian Strong ale. Before we get into flavors, I have to compliment this beer on smoothness. Sometimes these kinds of beers can get a bit overwhelming or heavy. They usually have high alcohol content (this is 9%) and the sweetness, though delicious, can make these beers a one and done kind of deal. Not here. Delicious sweet malts are balanced beautifully with some light banana and honey notes. Finishes with just a slight bitterness. I won't lie, if I had opened this on my own, I would have had no difficulty finishing the bottle. Fantastic!

The next offering is from Brouwerij Huyghe out of Belgium: Delirium Nocturnum. Another Belgian strong ale, this one pours a dark brown with an off white head. The nose boasts some sweet, fruity notes along with some bready yeasts. Sweet, maple and malts are the backbone of this beer, followed by a tangy fruit finish. The yeasty banana notes are far less prevalent here then in most of the beers I've had in this style, but they still make an appearance. All in all a solid offering, but not my favorite beer out of Belgium.