People wonder why I have grown a beard. I am a Leafs fan so it certainly isn’t a playoff beard, although maybe this is the year? Some people ask if I am a hunter. Nope, the only hunting I do is for tonight’s review brew in the ol’ beer fridge. Someone said if I had a pipe with this beard it would make me look educated, but I don’t smoke a pipe so I expect it only makes me look old. And writing these beer reviews pretty much removes the appearance of me being educated. Is it an expression of rugged individualism? Not really, just laziness most likely. Although perhaps these days laziness is an expression of rugged individualism? It used to be that being lazy was just an expression of laziness. But it is a winter beard which segues well into this beer review.
In 2012 I presented at a TedX conference and received a gift courtesy of Muskoka Brewery, it was a special 750ml edition of a new brew called Winter Beard. I must admit I don’t recall how that beer tasted, so when I saw it on the shelf I was eager to review it for old times sake.
The Golden Ticket!
So after chirping on about an endless summer, I go straight into winter fireside brew mode. This brew pours black on black, sans foam. Headless. It has a nice chocolate aroma with some roasty toasty malt in there too and perhaps a touch of fruit sweet. First swig I was eager, maybe too eager. They said double chocolate and they ain’t lying. Loco cocoa with a mild cranberry finish. A strong stout in both flavour and ABV, bold as Brando. A double trouble stout, high ABV and with a Willie Wonka level chocolate infusion that should guarantee a golden ticket. Not balanced but not trying to be. They got the cranberry right, and it appears briefly in the finish. But there is so much chocolate it’s turning my grey beard black! I am still trying to process the over the top chocolate and I finally figured it out. I was in thirsty swig mode, because that’s the way I roll, but this is a sippin’ by the fire stout, not a big swig and slam it, suck it down stout. I don’t think 10 years ago I was ready for this beer and I am not sure I am now, but when I started into small swig mode it turned into quite a nice mellowing by the fire experience.
A slow sippin’ chocolate lovers dream stout, go slow make good. if you don’t have winter beard now you will have had one by the time you finish this beer.
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