There are so many different categories of beer it can drive you crazy. From Barley Wine to Weizenbier who is to know which beer to pair with a menu?
This Valentine’s Day we sharpened our teeth for a carnivorous feast of grilled steak from Whole Foods, caramelized onions, sautéed green beans and homemade Yukon Gold fries…without a doubt I knew I wanted a brew with a nice earthy tone that would pay tribute to the sweet marinade.
It just so happens that friends of mine surprised me with a growler of Ipswich Dark Ale from Mercury Brewing Company…everyone should be so lucky to have friends like these. Last year Ipswich Dark took 6th place in the American Brown Ale category at the US Open Beer Championship.
As I emptied the growler into my English pint glass the rich, brown beer was eaten up by a huge, tan head that did not want to disappear until I sipped it off the rim. Even then the lacing was left around the glass as if I were drinking a glutinous, root beer float.
The malted, molasses sweetness of the beer brings out the very best of any BBQ, while the dynamic, bitter hop finish was a welcomed revelation. I laugh at a lot of reviews when I read that someone tasted weird items such as dried soil or a rare fruit only found on the shores of the Amazon….but for the first time I found myself craving some butter as the suggestion of burnt toast rolled over my tongue that had my mouth begging for another sip.
Overall I gave Ipswich Dark Ale 8 out of 10. It is not the supreme brown ale, but it is undeniably one I would hunt out again.
No comments:
Post a Comment