First I want to start by saying I went to a wine tasting event to taste the beer of the week. While there I met a gentle man (the owner of the wine store) who has come to realize like me that there are beer aficionados’ out there just like people who like wine. He, a wine sommelier, was very knowledgeable about craft beer and “out of the box” beer, as well as traditional beer and common brews.
So as we know I have been trying new things. I started in the grocery store trying different off brand items. But I never realized the complexity of the items that wine stores hold.
So my new acquaintance offers me something he just got his hands on. He told me this was a seasonal brew that was only made once a year and features some of the most prized selections of beer that are bottle together to make an ultimate blend.
Firestone 14 Anniversary Ale
The blend consists of: 31% Double Double Barrel Ale, 29% Sticky Monkey, 27% Parabola, 7% Velvet Merkin, 3% Good Foot, 3% Black Xantus.
By far it was a dark brew. Not a lot of head formed but robust aroma’s where permeating from the glass. I decided to get my family involved. My Father and Grandfather lent their taste buds to try this new found brew of mine. My father gave me a weird look and my Grandfather just said I was weird. They are more commonly used to drinking ‘common’ beer. In fact in a direct statement from my grandfather “if Yuengling didn’t make it, then it aint beer,” I laughed at this statement. My father, on the other hand, who realizes my pallet, said that it was definitely strong in flavor, but not something he could drink on a daily basis. This was exactly my point to him that these beers I am drinking are not meant to be consumed over a game of poker, that’s what the Yuengling is for.
As dinner was plated, I was greeted with a turkey leg (my favorite part), cranberry sauce, green beans and stuffing. My glass of brew slowly being consumed as if it where a 20 year old Scotch. The flavor of this brew at first seemed to overpower my meal, but as the meal progressed the brew seamed to flow right in to the flavors. The turkey was moist and savory while the cranberry was sweet and tangy, adding in the robust flavors of aged ale and the complex aromas it was well matched. I recommend this brew to anyone who might be entertaining guests with a large game bird, or if you’re sitting down to a Cornish Hen by yourself. Poultry seems to be the best logical choice for this brew, as red meats or even port might be to strong in flavor to smooth out the flavor of the brew.
“Prost”
