Well, color us fans of the newest in Deschutes's Reserve series. We sampled the Stoic on tap, and while it definitely is Deschutes's own special take on a "quad", it's that own special take that makes this a fun beer.
It pours a nice deep amber color with a slightly golden hue and a thick head. Lacing and retention are both decent.
A quick sniff is almost a bit disappointing; the spiciness is definitely there, but there's not much more to it. Is this just another take on a Belgian?
No, thankfully not. Now, make no mistake, the spicy flavors you expect do hit the mouth, but there is a lot more depth here. Cherries flourish almost as broadly as the Dissident, though with a smoother mouthfeel, and there are wine-like qualities all around. Makes sense, seeing the ale was aged in wine casks.
This is an 11% beer, and you wouldn't know it. The deep, mildly sweet flavors hide the alcohol perfectly, to the point where you don't even think of it. That's pretty impressive and just a bit dangerous.
It's fashionable to be unimpressed by Deschutes these days, which... OK, whatever, most everybody wants to be a snob, and most everybody fails spectacularly at it. This is a great ale, and it'll hopefully hit Spokane taps (and bottles, obviously) soon. The Stoic might not quite be the Abyss, but I'll be damned if it isn't a great ale.
People always ask us, "Team SpoCOOL, which places are must visits in Spokane?" Then they might ask, "Which places should we stay away from?" And they may even ask, "Have you visited [insert spot here]?"
And to that we always, at least from today, answer "Why don't you have a gander at our review index?"
Here we simply list our reviews, and any spot that was a must after our initial visit (in other words, spots that received a 5 or a 6 eye rating) is marked as such.
Simple! So go read, and possibly be inspired. Or don't. Either way.
Breaking Bad is without a doubt the best show on television right now -- with all respect to Eric and his newfound emo ways on Twilight True Blood -- and it gets better with each episode. The science teacher diagnosed with terminal cancer who gets entangled in a web of meth manufacturing is a darkly funny scenario filled with tense drama.
And something like that does, of course, lend itself to a drinking game!
Take a drink every time Walt gives Jesse a stereotypical teacher speech about meth manufacturing ("you need to apply yourself!").
Take a swig of beer every time Walt kills someone.
Take an additional sip if the victim is killed indirectly from Walt's actions. (Run through season three, and you'll be floored.)
Finish the bottle if the victim dies indirectly from Walt's cold blooded actions. (There's a difference!)
Take a shot every time Jesse utters some variation of "beeatch".
Take a shot every time Walt has to replace his windshield.
Take a swig of beer every time Hank says something racist to a Mexican.
Have a drink every time Walt lies to his family. Have a second one if it's a transparent lie.
Take a shot every time Walt Jr. wants to distance himself from his father's name.
Drink every time you catch yourself thinking "And I didn't think Bryan Cranston or Bob Odenkirk could get more awesome than they already were!" or "Dr Tim Whatley was a great Seinfeld character."
Take a drink every time you see an actor who previously appeared on Seinfeld.
Take a shot every time Bryan Cranston parades in his tighty-whities.
One of the more interesting beer collaborations right now -- and there are quite few -- is between Boulevard and Deschutes. Together they've come up with a recipe they dub "white IPA", and they've both brewed it their own way.
Currently we have only tested Boulevard's entry at Blue Spark, and it's definitely what most would consider a professional brew, but I'm not so sure I love it. Like it a lot, yes, but I can't say I love it.
So what is a "white IPA"? It's pretty much a Belgian IPA, i.e. a mix of hoppy flavors flanked by a milder, spicier Belgian sensibility. As someone who prefers porters and stouts, that is not necessarily a dream combination for me, but I can respect the idea.
It pours a bleak hazy golden color with just a bit of head, nicely foamy. The nose reveals what many will consider a pretty glorious mix of spices and hops, with citric, florally hints.
This is a medium bodied beer, and very refreshing at that. The hops are fairly mild, and the spices probably hit up front more than anything. It melds over the tongue, slowly revealing the citric flavors, and the floral aftertaste gives the whole thing an almost feminine touch.
Boulevard has an amazingly well put-together beer here. I respect the product a whole lot. The only problem is that the flavor profile isn't entirely for me. Anyone who are fans of Belgians and IPAs -- and I know there are many -- will probably consider this the Holy Grail of ales.
I'm curious to try the Deschutes brewed version, if nothing else.
