Greetings, fellow beer lovers! It's Friday! All this week we have talked about two of the most popular Fall Seasonals, the Pumpkin Ale and of course the Ocktoberfest. Today I want to walk a different trail. I am going to be going up to Michigan and checking out some awesome beers from some amazing breweries over the weekend so I wanted to cover something a little off the beaten path to kickstart my weekend. A style that is sort of new to the official vernacular of beer geeks. Cascadian Dark Ale/Black India Pale Ale.
Black India Pale Ale? What is that? And what the hell is Casacadian Dark Ale? And how are these related?
First thing's first.
India Pale Ale or IPA was first made in England in the 1700's. IPA's are a heavily hopped, high abv. variant of Pale Ale. The big hop profile(hops are a natural preservative) worked in concert with the higher alcohol content to preserve the ales for shipment to English soldiers stationed in India at that time. India Pale Ale. Got it? Good.
Cascadian Dark Ale is named after the Cascade Hop. An American hop named after the Cascade Mountain Range where they are grown in the Pacific Northwest. Cascade hops have a very citrus/pine scent and taste that was used in the development of the Cascadian Dark Ale/Black IPA . The black part of Black IPA comes from the large amount of malt and grain used to give the beer a very nearly or completely black appearance.
Alright, now that we have gotten all the background info out of the way let's get to the goods. Stone Brewing Company is known for their unwaivering dedication to bitterness. All their beers brandish verbose labels that give the brewers a pat on the back all while conveying that you are"unworthy". Their words, not mine. Arrogance as an art is their style. In fact one of their most popular ales is called Arrogant Bastard. 'Nuff said, right? But Stone Brewing is the real deal. And this bomber full of contradiction is, too.
Pours black with just the slightest hint of merlot on the bottom edge of my goblet. A thick milky mocha head settles to a lace that covers the entire surface of the beer all while sticking to the side in a film. Mostly hops in the nose, but chocolate malt fills in the rest.
This one is smooooth. Doesn't carry the IBU's(international bitterness unit) that I've come to expect from Stone, but not in a disappointing way. Hops are forefront on the tongue, but the chocolate malt really blends and mellows things down. Not really even getting much alcohol spice. It does warm the tummy, though. As the beer shifts towards the aftertaste an interesting back and forth between the hop bitterness and the malt bitterness takes place. Very unique. Very interesting. Good full mouth-feel to make this one hell of a beer. Sublime.
Musical Pairings:
First thing's first.
India Pale Ale or IPA was first made in England in the 1700's. IPA's are a heavily hopped, high abv. variant of Pale Ale. The big hop profile(hops are a natural preservative) worked in concert with the higher alcohol content to preserve the ales for shipment to English soldiers stationed in India at that time. India Pale Ale. Got it? Good.
Cascadian Dark Ale is named after the Cascade Hop. An American hop named after the Cascade Mountain Range where they are grown in the Pacific Northwest. Cascade hops have a very citrus/pine scent and taste that was used in the development of the Cascadian Dark Ale/Black IPA . The black part of Black IPA comes from the large amount of malt and grain used to give the beer a very nearly or completely black appearance.
Brewery:
Stone Brewing Company
Escondido, California
Brewery Website: http://www.stonebrew.com/
Name/Style:
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale/Cascadian Dark Ale/Black IPA
ABV(alcohol by content):
8.7%
Pours black with just the slightest hint of merlot on the bottom edge of my goblet. A thick milky mocha head settles to a lace that covers the entire surface of the beer all while sticking to the side in a film. Mostly hops in the nose, but chocolate malt fills in the rest.
This one is smooooth. Doesn't carry the IBU's(international bitterness unit) that I've come to expect from Stone, but not in a disappointing way. Hops are forefront on the tongue, but the chocolate malt really blends and mellows things down. Not really even getting much alcohol spice. It does warm the tummy, though. As the beer shifts towards the aftertaste an interesting back and forth between the hop bitterness and the malt bitterness takes place. Very unique. Very interesting. Good full mouth-feel to make this one hell of a beer. Sublime.
Musical Pairings:
Artist:
Kanye West
Song:
Run Away
Run Away
Kanye West, love him or hate him, is a superstar of epic proportions. He exudes an arrogance and absolute self-righteousness that has never been wielded on such a grand scale and with such success before in human history. What more can I say. Let's have a toast for the douche bags.
