A Flowery Song

Background: Beer, probably made with molasses. Also, it’s named after a pneumatic drill that killed miners with dust inhalation-related illnesses.

Nose: Subdued, slightly metallic, not much going on.

Taste: Slight molasses flavour, light tartness, smooth biscuity malt.

Overall: The can isn’t lying when it calls it light bodied, and a slight metallic twinge isn’t helping. It might make a decent quenching summer beer, but I’m not loving it.

Background: This fall release from the wonderful Great Lakes Brewing Company is a highly-hopped amber ale named after a vampire.

Nose: Caramel and treacle, with citrusy hops in abundance.

Taste: Big punch of hop flavour contributing piny, citrusy, and vegetal leaf mould accents on a bed of rich caramel malt.

Overall: It’s very good.

Background: Lychee is a fruit. Nata de Coco is more interesting; it’s produced by fermenting coconut water with Acetobacter xylinum, a unique bacteria that synthesises cellulose. The result is a chewy, translucent, slightly sweet jelly-like substance.

Nose: Sweet, floral lychee.

Taste: Very sweet lychee. It’s got a good fruity flavour, but this is flavoured sugar water, not juice. The Nata de Coco is floating around as small cubes, approximately 3mm on a side. It adds an interesting texture dimension, but has a tendency to settle to the bottom.

Overall: I found it too sweet for my tastes, but other than that very interesting.

Background: Founders’ strong Scotch Ale is called “Dirty Bastard”; the bottle only gives us “ale aged in oak bourbon barrels” as the description, but I think it’s a fair assumption that the base beer is Dirty Bastard.

Nose: Fresh corn bourbon and vanilla oak.

Taste: Sugared oak. The caramelisation from the wee heavy plays nicely with the sweet bourbon flavours from the barrel, but the extra alcohol really thins out the body. Somewhat fruity.

Overall: I like barrel-aged beers, I really do. Unfortunately, I find that the bourbon barrels most commonly used have a tendency to overwhelm even the most robust base beer, giving them a distressing sameness. This is good beer, but it’s not great and it’s very bourbon.

Background: I love cream wafers. There’s something about the crunchy layers that appeals to me on a visceral level. This specimen comes in individually packaged servings and is made in Vietnam for a Malaysian company called Wonderfarm Biscuits & Confectionery. Oh, and they’re coconut flavoured.

Nose: Grainy and sweet, dried coconut.

Taste: Sadly dry and dusty, though nicely crunchy. There’s coconut flavour there, but it’s oddly oily and unpleasant.

Overall: Cream wafers don’t aspire to the level of haute cuisine on their best day, and this isn’t their best day.

Background: The first (and so far only) pumpkin beer from Jolly Pumpkin, this golden ale is flavoured with pumpkin, cacoa, and spices.

Nose: Dry, tart, with hints of cinnamon and chocolate.

Taste: Dry, tart, with hints of oak and squash. Very negligible spice influence, really.

Overall: Good beer. But while it’s what I expected from a Jolly Pumpkin beer, it’s not really what people expect from a pumpkin beer.

Background: Belgian-style farmhouse ale, available as a seasonal release in 750ml bottles. Very energetic carbonation; make sure to chill before opening, and it may be wise to open it over the sink rather than your computer keyboard or photographic equipment. Even a gentle pour produces an impressive head of foam.

Nose: Funky and earthy; a bit of barnyard, a bit of cellar.

Taste: Tart and refreshing. Lemons, black pepper, coriander.

Overall: Good Saison! Not a traditional choice for the middle of winter, but the acidity and earthiness went nicely with the steak and kidney pie I was having.

Background: Spiced pear melomel from Sandhill Crane Vineyards in the lovely prison town of Jackson. If you’re wondering, melomel is a category of mead made with fruit, but that fruit is not grapes (which would be a pyment) or apples (cyser). Ah, the wild and wacky world of mead categories. This particular mead is made with local honey, locally grown pears, and some cinnamon (spiced meads are also called metheglins).

Nose: Lovely aroma of honey and cinnamon. Very fruity, with lightly floral influences.

Taste: Smooth and spicy. Hard to pick out any specifically pear influence, especially with the high amount of residual sugar. But there’s soft fruit there, along with musky honey, citrus, and some cinnamon.

Overall: Very nice, but unless you fancy going into a sugar coma this is best enjoyed in small amounts.

Background: This resinated white is made from a blend of Savatiano and Roditis, according to the winemaker’s website. At least I think that’s what it says; I don’t actually speak Greek, so other than picking out Σαββατιανό and Ροδίτης I’m at a loss.

Nose: Fresh mown grass, with fir tree overtones.

Taste: Musky and floral, with a lightly acid bite. Earthy, resinous…resin.

Overall: Possibly the best retsina available locally, well balanced and pairing well with fatty fish (or even leftover pizza).

Background: Kvass is a mildly alcoholic drink made from bread (often rye). This is a non-alcoholic carbonated soft drink made from rye and barley malt concentrates.

Nose: Slightly sour and musty.

Taste: Sugary rye and some citric acid.

Overall: Nothing special. It’s certainly drinkable and an interesting flavour for soda, but it doesn’t wow.