. Beer of the Month

I know what you're thinking - why am I wasting my time writing about some pear flan fiasco when I haven't even posted September's Beer of the Month tasting notes yet?  And it's October already!  

Well, the fact is, we drank all the beer and forgot to take any notes.  But this is the internet so I'll just make shit up.

September's tasting meeting began in our garage with this man.  We'll call him Brent. 

Brent is not a big fan of wheat beers, so that's what we began with.  An Anchorage Brewing Company Whiteout Wit that tasted like a regular witbier, but with an extra bit of spiciness, which makes sense because it's got lemon peel and coriander and pepper in it.  I'm pretty sure we liked it.

Next was an Autumn Maple Belgian Brown Ale by The Bruery.  Brent's keen Canadian nose was quick to detect the scent of maple syrup.  Or maybe he saw the big maple leaf on the label.  Anyway, the beer was spicy and deliciously sweet.  It's got molasses in it.  Is that a bad thing?

After that, Brent had to go home.  He was replaced two weeks later by this man.  We'll call him Bryce.

I didn't have high hopes for the Brouwerij De Molen Hel & Verdoemenis.  I tried a De Molen beer about a year ago and it was probably the worst beer I've ever tasted.  I don't remember what it was called (something in Dutch), but it was flat and nasty - like some kind of experimental avant-garde beer, not for consumption by regular drinkers.  Fortunately, the Hel & Versoemenis was way nicer. It's an Imperial Stout - slick and boozy. There was some other taste behind the rich chocolate/coffee flavor.  Wood, maybe.  Or Holland.

Last was a Terrapin Beer Company Reunion Brown Ale.  As I poured it I thought that two dark beers in a row might be a bit much, but this one was a lot less dense than the De Molen.  And its chocolatiness was more vanilla-y.  Bryce claimed he could discern a note of chilli pepper at the end.  I think I might buy another.