Steadman’s Dr. Gonzo
It isn’t too often that a word engrains itself in our language through the actions of one person. Hunter S. Thompson is one such person. His gonzo journalism put the name gonzo* on the map so to speak. The word has gone beyond just journalism and has become an adjective to describe unconventional, bizarre, or crazy behaviour. The indirect connection of Flying Dog Brewery to Thompson is that Ralph Steadman**, who illustrated several of Thompson’s articles and books including “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” is also the illustrator for many of the brewery’s beer labels. Some pretty amazing label art by the way.
The word gonzo will allow me to give a day off to some other adjectives that I frequently use in my reviews. Words like delicious, smooth, balanced, tasty, and easy drinking, don’t have to show up for work today.
When it comes to this review, in COMDB reviewer vernacular, I took one for the team. At COMDB we would call this review a public service announcement. A warning, to be ignored at your own peril.
Most porters are in the 4 to 5.5% range. High ABVs for stouts and porters are hit and miss but I recently enjoyed a 9% porter. This Imperial Porter weighs in at a hefty 10% and perhaps the name of the brew best describes it.
A nice pour, you can catch the strong aroma as it pours but it doesn’t have that strong 10% on the nose in the glass. More like a mild porter roasted malt. First taste full flavour roasted/burnt malt with a bit of boozy and a very strong harsh burnt coffee finish. It’s a sipper not a swigger, a nurser not a slammer, a chipper not a chugger, in other words I had to drink it slow. I think my gonzo days are long past. This brew has a very strong roasted burnt malt liqueur coffee harsh finish. It is too strong and over the top to catch any more subtle flavourings that may be in there. At times it seems to alternate between harsh or boozy, neither taste works. This high ABV brew isn’t about the journey, it’s about the destination. The 10% generated fear, the tasting resulted in loathing.
This Flying Dog brew is flying on one wing with no prayer. Perhaps it’s only redeeming quality was a 355ml bottle instead of a tall can. I finished it but that doesn’t mean I liked it. I have to say that I feel like I survived this brew, rather than enjoyed it. If I didn’t enjoy Hunter S. Thompson’s work it might have rated even lower.
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