Beers on Santa's Wish List
Port Brewing Santa's Little Helper Imperial Stout - 10.0% ABV, 22oz, $8.99
Hopefully Santa's little helpers don't drink this until after Christmas as this is one robust Russian Imperial Stout. However for the rest of us non-elves this is a great treat to enjoy with friends and family during the the holiday season.
Santa's Little Helper pours as black as a lump of coal with a creamy beige head that quickly dissolves.
The nose is chock full of roasted malts, espresso, and dark chocolate with whispers of molasses and alcohol if really delving in. The taste is very simlar to the nose, with chocolate and roasted malts taking over the tastebuds. On the back end there is a slight bitterness which I presume to be from the chocolate and coffee flavors, but bittering hops may have something to do with it as well. There is a nice amount of alcohol warmth for these cold winter nights.
This beer is truly a treat and would make for an excellent stocking stuffer!
Uinta Brewing Cockeyed Cooper Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine Ale - 11.1% ABV, 750ml, $13.99
This bourbon-barrelled barley wine will make sure to keep you nice and warm during the upcoming holidays.
Cockeyed Cooper pours an opaque burnt umber with a creamy, frothing, 1-inch light tan head. The head dissipates quickly leaving nice lacing around the glass.
On the front of the nose citrus, floral hops are dominant with toffee and caramel shining through and a touch of vanilla. The bourbon is faint on the nose although as this beer warms, so does the smell of bourbon. The first sip is very complex and full of hops, toffee, caramel, vanilla, oak with a remnant of bourbon.
This is a very good example of what a barley wine is and can be. It is big, robust, flavorful hitting both the hops as well as the caramel malts, the boozy yet sweet body. The bourbon barrel aging is certainly a nice subtle addition to this beer.