Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Pour me another, Pretty Please with a Cherry on Top



Evil Twin Brewing
Imperial Biscotti Break Natale Pretty Please with a Cherry on Top
Denmark (and Brooklyn, NY)


Style | ABV
American Double / Imperial Stout |11.50% ABV

eviltwin.dk
@EvilTwinBrewing

About Evil Twin Brewing
The brewer, a Dane who recently relocated to Brooklyn, Jarnit-Bjergsø, clearly enjoys what he does and how he does it. Evil Twin beers are currently exploding all over the U.S. and beyond, being brewed everywhere from South Carolina and Scotland to Holland and Fanø, an island off the southwestern shore of Denmark. Last year he brewed about 20 different beers. Warning: love what you are drinking? Better stock up. It’s the reputation of Jarnit-Bjergsø and his dynamic and creative mind, that regardless of how well received those 20 beers are, he is unlikely reproduce many of them the same way. He likes to keep things fresh.

I had heard good things about his recipes and brilliance so I was excited to see a 22 oz. big boy of this brew staring me in the face at the store. The guy who rang me up also raved about it, so despite the price tag being $16, I knew I made a good choice. Research is priceless after all! Also, I never met a stout I didn’t like.

The pour: This brew pours dark black like soot; no light what so ever is coming through. A thin brown foam forms on top with light lacing on the sides of the glass.

The nose: Immediately wafts of almond followed by dark chocolate, coffee, vanilla bean, cherry cola and oak.

The taste: full bodied mouth-feel, coats your tongue from front to back. Lots of chocolate and espresso right away, really tasty – sweet, roasted malts, then a vanilla biscotti, hazelnut pop. The finish is the cherry on top all the way, which gets a little more sour as you continue to drink, but it’s not overwhelming. A really nice balance of spice, flavor and alcohol here – careful this is an 11% abv brew!

Pairings: This might be my inner Italian talking, or maybe just obvious due to the name, but I am thinking Italian cookies all the way, especially anything with an almond, amoretti or anise flavor; biscotti (obviously), pignoli cookies, pizzelles, cannoli -- For dinner? I am thinking roast beef, steak, or maybe a cocoa rubbed pork loin.

I am getting hungry …
Buon Natale!

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