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: 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: 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: A smoked rye doppelbock that is “[a]n homage to all things pig”. The smoke comes from cherrywood-smoked malted barley, then there’s some rye, and two other unnamed malts.

Nose: Smoke! Also fruity malt. Dried figs. And some alcohol.

Taste: Ooh, lots of smoke, balanced with a deep, rich molasses-like maltiness.

Overall: Should go well with pork, as indicated on the bottle. And this really does need to be served along with food, else the smoke gets pretty overpowering.

Background: From Keweenaw Brewing up in that other part of Michigan. You know, the bit that’s not shaped like a mitten.

Nose: Sweet grain and a light hint of fruity hops.

Taste: Smooth, sweet, and mild malt with the barest touch of spicy noble hops.

Overall: Light and easy-drinking, but with well-balanced flavour and nicely zippy carbonation.

Background: What’s nicer on a cold wet winter’s night than a nice malty Scotch Ale? Not much, to be sure, though there are things like Quelque Chose that will give it a run for its money. Bell’s is eager to cater to your every need, so here’s a seasonal release of, well, a Scotch Ale.

Nose: Malty caramel with earthy undertones.

Taste: Dextrinous and creamy, with a solid caramel malt presence and hints of appley esters.

Overall: Well, hmm. *scuff scuff*. After the build-up in the introduction, I almost hate to write my reaction. It’s decent-tasting and drinkable, but well on the light side for a Scotch Ale, while being heavier than a normal Scottish Ale. Neither fish nor fowl, it’s not quite what I was looking for to warm the cockles of my heart (or my toes). Still, it’s tasty, and as long as you aren’t looking for a strong ale you shouldn’t suffer any disappointment.

Background: Farmhouse-style ale brewed with spelt. As you know, Bob, spelt is a species of wheat.

Nose: Fresh-mown grass, soft wheat, fruity esters, and spicy phenols.

Taste: Slightly sweet pale malt body, slight tartness, mild noble hop flavour. A little lemony, some spicy phenolic character, light herbal influences.

Overall: After the first bottle I wasn’t sure what to think, but on reflection I’ve decided that it’s really very good.

Background: Zingerman’s does a great line of cheeses, including some excellent goat cheeses. The “Little Ypsi” is one of their newer offerings, and is a small (approximately two inches in diameter and one inch high) cylindrical cheese is akin to a French crottin. It’s made from local goats’ milk with animal rennet, then aged for a bit.

Beautiful butter-yellow rind, snow-white inside. Smells goaty and cheesy, just like goat cheese ought. Dense, creamy, and soft, with just a hint of flaking. While there’s some smooth barnyard in the background, this specimen is fairly fresh with a less goaty flavour than it will develop with more aging.

Overall: A little nugget of goaty goodness. Mmm, goat.