It’s somewhat fitting that as the Northeast cleans up after superstorm Sandy that I’m wishing them well with local pirate themed beer;  Winter Storm, an imperial ESB from the Heavy Seas line by Clipper City Brewing in Baltimore, Maryland.  The scent is grainy and slightly floral.  The middle is caramel with more pine than I’m used to in an ESB.  It seems they’ve hopped this one up a bit.  As for the “Imperial” it’s definitely heavier than your average ESB, with a medium to heavy body and a bit of chewiness at the finish, and at 7.5% ABV it’s a fairly potent brew.  Overall this is a really nice, well balanced beer.

Tonight I’m trying out an imperial stout from Boulevard Brewing in Missouri, called Dark Truth Stout.  It pours an inky black, and has a super dense long-lasting head.  The scents are of chocolate and coffee, with a slight astringency.  The middle is rich and creamy, with a heavy, milky body, and notes of chocolate and orange and bitter roasted malt.  The finish is sticky and lingers on the back of the tongue, and gives only the slightest hint of the alcohol that’s present in fairly substantial quantities.  (9.7% ABV)  This is a beautiful heavy beer, just right for a chilly fall night after dinner.