Nick's and my feelings on Southern Tier are well-established by this point.
I will admit that I have one small problem with their beers; they're bottled almost exclusively in 22 oz. bottles (an inconvenient size)--these bottles sometime cost a bit more than you might want to pay. But let's be honest. It's completely and totally worth it.
Every beer these people brew? DELICIOUS. MAGNIFICENT. EXQUISITE.
So I bought a Southern Tier Iniquity; apparently a "Black Ale". I knew nothing about the style or the Iniquity in particular. As with every other Southern Tier beer, the gamble more than paid off. It pours like a Guinness or any other stout: very very dark and thick, but with a browner, lighter, and taller head than most stouts. The taste is different from anything else I've tasted. Definitely an ale backbone, but with some SLIGHTLY roasted notes, and a really sweet finish that doesn't show up in most ales. As usual with Southern Tier, the hop balance is beautiful and interesting, with a strong and clear hop presence, but without overpowering hops and spice.
So, a question for the mysterious readers who have started to pop up (welcome, btw, everyone!). What do you think about the approach of buying beers based on the brewery, regardless of the particular style or brew? I've become convinced that ANYTHING Southern Tier brews is worth buying and drinking, regardless of what it is.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
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1 comment:
I think this is a generally endorsable strategy. There are a few breweries that I will almost always try a beer from:
Allagash
Southern Tier
Stone
Gouden Carolous
De Dole
Anderson Valley
And while there have been some disappointments in there (namely in that I really am not a fan of the Allagash White at all), it's led me to some amazing beers. Like the Anderson Valley Summer Solstice or the Stone Levitation Ale which is one of my all time favorite session beers because of the remarkable amount of flavor packed into a beer with such low ABV.
And now I have to look for the Iniquity :)
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