Tonight is my first considered plunge into beer north of 6% ABV. All three of these were illegal to sell in Alabama less than a month ago:
I’m drinking pale ales and India pale ales almost exclusively right now. Stem & Stein has a great selection of off-the-beaten-path stuff. Moreover, they’re right down the road, and buying beer there gives me the little extra buzz of supporting a small business.
When in a malty mood, I have occasionally enjoyed Abita Turbodog for some time now, and I like their Jockamo. It’s a little too floral to suit me on the front end, but it finishes smoothly, with that marvelously carnivorous IPA punch in the middle.
The Rye Squared Imperial Pale Ale from the good folks at Terrapin is also a fine product, but it may swing the pendulum too far the other way. It ultimately acquits itself, but the start is almost flat.
They’re both enjoyable and I’d drink each again, but in this style, Snake Dog IPA is still my current favorite.
I haven’t tried the Westmalle Trappist Dubbel, which came highly recommended by a friend, yet. As much as I enjoy beer, so far I haven’t had much of a palate for Belgian brews. So I want to give this one the fairest of shakes, and that means I want to try it fresh, and not on the heels of other beers. Perhaps tomorrow.
Part of me hopes I don’t like it. This stuff is $5 a bottle. I can’t develop a taste for this!
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Ugh, Turbodog. Not good for humans. Good for car engines.
I wish some of these would migrate to our neck of the woods!
BamaDan: It works for me from time to time. It’s really malty though, and I tend to prefer beers toward the hops end.
Lori: You’ll probably have better luck at an independent shop than you will a corporate entity. An inquiry is probably worth your time. Tell the owner somewhere that you’ll be an avid consumer if s/he stocks interesting beers.
By the way, I had the Trappist ale tonight, and it was quite a tasty beer. However, it wasn’t 375% more tasty than any number of beers that I can get for somewhere south of $1.50 each. It is notable, however, as the first Belgian beer I’ve really enjoyed.
I’ll have to tell Hubby about the Abita Jockamo. He really enjoys the India Pale Ales. I’ve heard that Flying Dog has a pretty good IPA, but have yet to find it in stores.
azn8tive: Flying Dog’s IPA is my favorite. It’s called Snake Dog. I’ve not seen a sixer of it locally; the ones I’ve had have been in the variety packs.