Since my girlfriend loves the gonzo - Gonzo Imperial Stout

Well, it certainly has been awhile...No excuses on my part, although I could push out several very valid 'reasons'.

Let's jump right into it: Gonzo Imperial Stout





I am not certain why the Flying Dog brand of beers has such a love for Hunter S. Thompson (or, at least the artist that does all the drawing for his works), but it seems to me like this company uses this art all the time for their beers. I know a ton of people who really enjoy Flying Dog, but have never had the pleasure of getting to try one myself...

The beer is very dark and flows lightly into the glass...very little head for a stout, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this has a lot to do with the way I have learned to pour my beers for optimal beer consumption! The flavor is strong and has heavy undertones of dark chocolate. The strength of the beer is surprising, given how smooth it is to drink. The aroma is chocolately with slight hints of maple (although the beer has no maple taste to it).

This is a very tasty stout, but not one that I think I could handle for an entire evening of drinking. I would certainly recommend having this beer over dinner or with a chocolate dessert (Jess will be making a cake using stout from a future blog post: kamikaze gourmet...look it up!). Definitely have this beer whenever you are looking for a nice, strong stout!


Flavor: Dark stout with a nice, heavy undertone of dark chocolate
Color: Dark brown (almost purplish on the adhesion to the glass)
Alcohol Content: 7.8% (by volume)
Average Price: $5.99 (bottle)

Calories: 269
Total Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0g
Carbs: 18.6 g
Protein: 0 g





P.S. I'll end with a promise...much more frequent posts in the future!

Wait, im NOT reviewing an IPA? - Sierra Nevada Stout

I have been a fan of Sierra Nevada since my first sip of it in a few years ago...however, I can say that my experiences have typically been with their different varieties of hoppier beers (IPAs, seasonal beers, etc.) The company itself has a very unique and inspirational history (the president began brewing in his garage and now has one of the largest microbreweries in the country...all with no paid advertising). Today, to experience more of their brand, I will be sampling the Sierra Nevada Stout.







Right off the bat, this is probably one of the darkest beers I have ever seen; imagine a Guinness without the defined head and unique bubbling. The aroma is nice and chocolaty, but not quite as potent as the aforementioned beer...The flavor is rich with a surprising (and pleasant) hoppy finish. I suppose that this is to be expected with a Sierra Nevada, as it seems that they pride themselves on the ability to infuse any beer the brew with a good amount of hops. The flavor is forward, but doesn't linger on the pallet much longer than it should.

All in all, I would say that this beer is a very tasty addition to my already beloved Sierra Nevada brand. If you are looking for a traditional (i.e. Guinness) flavored stout, I would probably steer away from this one, but if you are looking for something a bit more unique than your typical stout, then I would definitely recommend this beer!


Flavor: Chocolaty with a warm hoppy finish
Color: Dark brown (practically black)
Alcohol Content: 5.8% (by volume)
Average Price: $8.99 (6 pack)

Calories: 175
Total Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0g
Carbs: 14.1 g
Protein: 1.5 g

Dave update: Eel River Brewing Organic Porter

This is my first foray into the organic beer area. Generally speaking, I am a firm believer that organic products do not taste any different from regular products, and when they do, it is largely due to self-persuasion. This beer pours dark, but clear, so the light causes a reddish brown hue top be seen. Head is chocolatey, but disappears quickly.

On the one hand, I commend this beer for using an organic approach AND producing a very good tasting porter for LESS than 6 packs of other porters or stouts can be had (50 cents less than Guinness for instance). It is tasty, and reminds me of one of James and I's newest favorites-the Harpoon Limited Barrel Series Oyster Stout, and is the closest I've found as a replacement. Do the organic ingredients matter? Probably not, but it is a tasty brew.


Color: deep reddish brown, but clear.
Scent:Malt, plain and simple.
First taste: chocolate front, leading to malt. Great malt flavor here.
Feel: Pretty heavy, but doesn't "slog" the way Guinness does, making it easier to drink.
Finish: Slight bitter touch at the finish, balancing the malt.
Alcohol Content: 6.3% ABV
Average Price: $8.50 per 6-pack of 12 ounce bottles.

Micro-post: Guinness

As my tribute to St. Patrick's day (and general lack of creativity), my micro post today is about Guinness. A very well known stout with a celebrated history that has been around for over 250 years. I really love Guinness and highly recommend you share one with me soon!





Flavor: Delicious choclate stout
Color: Black (although Guinness claims it is a very dark red)
Alcohol content: 4.0% by volume (but interestingly enough only 3.2% by weight!)Average price: $7.99 (6 pack)


Random factoid: The world's largest Guinness brewery is in Nigeria...