The holidays are here and we bet that you could use a little break from all of that holiday shopping. Come by this week and try three bright and beautiful new beers - you deserve a little holiday "me time".
Raj - English Pale Ale with Black Tea - 5.3% ABV
We built a true-to-style English pale ale on a base of nutty, rich Maris Otter malt and a healthy dose of Crystal 45 for those drippy caramel mid-tones. Crystal hops in the whirlpool and Crystal and Idaho 7 in the fermenter provide aromas of strongly brewed black tea with lemon, while a 15%-by-total-volume addition of Kilogram English Breakfast tea to the finished beer ties it all together with geranium and orange blossom high notes and earthy tea leaf dryness closing the finish. The inspiration here was peachy, tea-like aroma we know well from Crystal hops, and our curiosity about how those tones would or would not harmonize or synergize with actual tea; we're very pleased with the result.
Stack - West Coast Double IPA - 9.8% ABV
American 2-Row and a 20% helping of light Munich malt supply a light but bready platform for the tangerine aromas of Amarillo, mango juiciness of Citra, and pine resin of Simcoe. A slightly fruity and dry fermentation with a hop-accentuating American ale strain leads to a mid-palate of candied orange and a firmly bitter finish true to the style. This beer might drink easy, but it packs a serious punch.
Stack Overflow - West Coast Coffee Double IPA - 9.0% ABV
This beer is a study in harmony and contrast. The bready base of light Munich weaves its flavors together with the palate-drying, roasty flavor of the Intelligentsia Coffee Karyenda - Burundi we add at a rate of eleven parts beer to one part coffee. The coffee's brighter notes--tamarind, tangerine, dried cherry--complement and buttress the fruit aromas from heavy whirlpool and dry-hopping. The biggest payoff here is the finish: it's a mouth-smacking blend of robusto cigar and chocolate-covered tangerine, bringing together high fruity notes with mid-range toffee and milk chocolate, and deep, drying earthy roast underneath it all.
Pair any of these beer offerings with our delicious food for a solid holiday treat that will please you and yours, no matter what your tastes.
Happy Holidays from your neighbors at Cinderlands!
