Tasting Notes

(listening to Mark Knopfler's superlative album "Sailing to Philadelphia")

On the occasion of my birthday (which officially is tomorrow), I received a box of various beers from my brother-in-law Tim. Tim is a lover and brewer of beer, and he filled the box with good stuff.

1)Homebrewed Stout. Tim did not supply a name for his brew, so I dub it Howell at the Moon Stout. It is excellent. It's better than many of the professionally brewed stouts I've had, be they on draft at a microbrewery or bottled. It was thick and black, but it was free of the chalky dirtiness that afflicts some heavy beers. It reminded me of Fuller's London Porter or Lost Coast 8 Ball Stout. It's well balanced and drinkable, but profoundly satisfying. Brown sugar, smoke, leather, chocolate and toffee notes.

2)Jolly Pumpkin La Roja. This is from Dexter, Michigan. It is a Belgian style artisinal amber ale. 7.2% alc/vol. It is fantastic. I drank the whole 750 ml bottle myself, and I was pleasantly buzzed. A strong but balanced wave of brown sugar, smoke, sherry, peat moss and an elusive white-wine-like zing washed over my palate. Good heavens, what a beer. This one demands your attention as soon as you sip it.

3)Bell's Pale Ale. One of my favorites ever since the first time I had it in the early 90's. It's a nice cloudy, hoppy pale ale. I love a good bitter beer, and I love sour cocktails and single malt scotch. Everything needs a backbone.

4)Paulaner Salvator Doppelbock. A strong, brown sugary, buttery, toffeeish beer. I've had it before, and it deserves its place in Michael Jackson's Great Beer Guide.

More great beer awaits me in the box. Thanks, Kathy and Tim.