Arthur Guinness & Co. - "The 1798 Limited Edition" double extra stout [Ireland]

After a long career as an attorney, my father retired in August and took a monthlong sojourn to Europe. Besides a fine sampler of Irish pot still whiskey, on his way back from Dublin he kindly brought me back this - a 9.00% ABV special release stout from Arthur Guinness & Co.

So the Guinness that you're used to ordering at a bar or seeing in the stores is their "Guinness Draught", known by its iconic gold harp and black bottle and one of the most popular beers in the world. Now owned by Diageo, this 258-year-old brewery was once the largest and most productive brewery in the world and in 2011, it produced almost a quarter of a billion gallons of beer. But as it turns out, this brewery makes many more offerings than the everpresent inky-black draught, some of which are just now making their introductions to North American markets. You may see their "Foreign Extra Stout" or their "Harp" lager in stores, and with the explosion of fancy craft beers over the last decade, sometimes the big brewers want to make something special...so enter this series.

This is called "The 1798 Limited Edition" double extra stout, and at first glance, seems a bit superlative, a la "double secret probation" from Animal House. But the terms "double" and "extra" have historical meaning, especially for English beers: these terms denote the strength and gravity of the beer. So we've got a special beer, heavier than the usual but still made with the usual roasted barley and 100% crystal malts, and my research reveals that this beer is finished over oak chips from the original beer vats in Guinness' oldest brewhouse - Old Vat House No. 1. Pretty neat! It's also been aged for 18 months in the cask, for all that wood-finished goodness. So this looks really cool, and let's dive in.

Pours a root beer color, substantially lighter than the normal Guinness draught. It's also carbonated, not nitrogenated, so is fizzy (although generates a thin, creamy layer of tan-colored head.)

Smooth and a bit oily at first, the primary flavor I detect is is cocoa mixed with a sort of burnt sugar / brown sugar flavor. As I have a few more sips, more recognizable flavors come through - molasses, raisin, some more of that cocoa. A little bit of licorice but not too much, thankfully. It's not super thick, basically the same consistency as the Draught, but more oily I think. 

It's rather interesting - quite a divergence from the usual Guinness - and at first hard to place, but I can find some nice parallels to the Boston Beer Co.'s "Sam Adams Tetravis" in terms of that raisin and burnt sugar flavor. It certainly lacks that almost-bland quality that you'd find in a Guinness draught; it's more on the imperial stout end of things, specifically with the oiliness and the complexity of flavors. I'm also happy that in terms of consistency, it's not overly heavy. Overall quite good, and although only 2400 bottles have been made worldwide, if you can get your hands on this, please try it - it's interestingly different than the usual and worth a try...especially if you don't like other Guinness offerings!

Beringer Vineyards - 2012 Knights Valley cabernet sauvignon [California]

Here's a wine we had a few weeks ago; one my father had been saving for quite some time - a 2012 cabernet sauvignon from St. Helena, CA-based Beringer Vineyards.

California cabernets have a stellar reputation, as the grape can produce very complex, spicy, and well-round wines able to be aged for decades. Sonoma County in particular makes some of the most desirable of all the California cabernets, that is, provided when it is not a wind-fueled inferno. True story - a lot of Sonoma and Napa wines will suffer for years as the result of smoke exposure from the recent fires. Yields and quality in many fields will be diminished through 2020, sadly.

Today's bottle was produced in Beringer's Knights Valley vineyard, located in the Knights Valley AVA which was awarded an American Viticulture Area designation in 1983. This area, about 16 miles up Route 128 from Beringer's headquarters in St. Helena, is the warmest of the valleys in the Sonoma region, which is important for growing grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux. This area has what's known as "cobbled alluvial soil" - essentially sandy, loose soils with some clay and rocks tossed in. Sounds terrible, but it's actually a good soil in which to grow wine.

I like the coloring around the edge; there's a deep garnet color with no bricking.

Up front there's some delicate fruit (Dan thinks blackcurrant) but mostly "dark" fruit and skins. The wine is quite delicate, naturally a function of the aging, but also probably the grape as well. On the finish there's a quite long savory quality, which I think is the most dominant flavor. The closest I can come to describing it is salt, but it's not super salty in the way that a Pico Maccario barbera is, or some Chiantis are. On the aftertaste, there's a bit of that dark fruit coming back, mixed with the salt and some slightly sweet alcohol esters.

Despite all the flavors in this wine, it's quite delicate.  It was a good pairing with turkey, since the meat wasn't heavily spiced, but the wine lacked any true standout flavor - which is both good and bad. On one hand, soft and complex wines like this one shouldn't overpower, but they also need to have a bit of strength to them. I thought the wine could have a bit more fruit character, which would make it richer and a little sweeter. Still - a nice bottle for a nice holiday dinner.

Domaine Franck Millet - 2014 "Sancerre" sauvignon blanc [France]

You may recall last August, I served a charcuterie with another Sancerre sauvignon blanc - a 2014 bottle from Domaine Patient Cottat. Today's wine is another entry from the Sancerre AOC, this time a 2014 sauvignon blanc from Domaine Franck Millet, located about two hours south of Paris in the village of Bué, Cher department, of the Centre-Val de Loire province.

Also known at the Loire Valley, this area is world-famous for making excellent wine. So what about this valley is so great? It's the soil. Soil is an important variable in winemaking - in fact, the most important. The minerals, composition, and bugs in the soil directly and dramatically affect the yield, quality, and character of the grapes grown therein. Many of the wines grown in the Loire Valley are grown in a soil called "Kimmeridgian" - a term used to describe a very minerally soil containing limestone, clay, and fossilized shells and coral. The result is a soil rich in nutrients and excellent for growing grapes; so excellent in fact that WineGeeks.com calls it "the most famous and important [wine soil] on Earth" and rated it #1 of all soils used to make wine. So let's dive in!

In the glass, it's clearish yellow - a little bit like a light gold. The nose is quite delicate - mostly some fresh flowers. I should note that I served this slightly chilled.

It's perfect - everything I'd expect from a Loire white...a low-sugar wine with strong mineral notes, some green melon flavors, and nice crispness, too - not at all buttery. It's mildly acidic and finishes with a steady, medium/full flavor, which is kind of the sweet spot in my humble opinion. This wine also delivers a slight tartness on the aftertaste, which adds a pleasant way to recall just how tasty this was!

Vinified in stainless steel, this fresh Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect example for wine from this area. For pairings, we served this with homemade rosemary / mint lamb shanks, mashed potatoes, and gravy jus, and I really liked to contrast between a crisp, fresh, white wine and a heavy, savory meal. It's not a common pairing, but it works.

If any of you are fans of clean, fresh Sauvignon Blanc with no bite, definitely seek out wines from the Loire Valley. At a cost of $24.99, I obtained this particular bottle a year or so ago from the former Charles Fine Wines, but it is available at select stores (as are other wines from this area - just look for the name Sancerre or Loire Valley) and enjoy!

Stone Brewing Co. / Abnormal Beer Co. - "Neapolitan Dynamite" imperial stout

Here's a funky collaboration from Stone and Abnormal Brewing Co. - it's an 8.50% ABV imperial stout brewed with chocolate, vanilla, strawberries, and coffee. Sounds great, right?

This beer, born from a partnership with the American Homebrew Association, is the 2017 winner of Stone's homebrew competition. Homebrewers from around San Diego get to pitch their ideas, make a beer at home, then offer it up to Stone's experts for judging. The grand prize in this contest is a limited production run of the winning beer by Stone. Chris Banker, of Cervezeria Insurgente, won a few years ago with his now-famous "Xocoveza."

According to the bottle, this beer was inspired by "...that humble box of striped ice cream from our childhoods." The bottle also suggests that this beer be paired with liger meat, which is a nice reference to the Napoleon Dynamite-inspired name of the beer.

It pours silky black and generates a dark brown head - very stout-like.

There's a nose of sweet malts, but not much else. To be honest I sometimes have trouble detecting aromas in stouts. It's easier as it warms up. In the glass, it's an inky black, and has some dark brown bubbles.Some of the bubbles stick to the glass, which is cool.

Since it's a Stone stout that's super heavy and strong, as expected it initially presented some dark, burnt cocoa / coffee bean flavors. As the beer warms up, and after a few sips, an interesting parade of flavors come through. The coffee makes the first appearance, and while it's strong, it's not dominant. The chocolate comes up - competing for the star role - and delivers nicely. If you like chocolate in beer, this is the stout for you. Interestingly, there's strawberry on the finish and aftertaste for sure. That's a neat flavor and definitely one I don't encounter too often in a beer, and it lingers for quite a long time.

Overall, this was a fun idea, as the stout is a perfect vehicle for these dessert flavors, but trying to cram so many competing flavors into one beer is a tall order. Although the beer delivered the flavors in "steps", I feel like at times they blended together and weren't as distinctive as they could have been. Personally, I'd prefer this beer to be parsed out into two or three versions, such as chocolate/coffee, vanilla/strawberry, and coffee/vanilla versions. That might make the beer less "crowded". 

Napoleon Dynamite GIF courtesy of Fox Searchlight pictures. GIF grabbed from the web at IndieWire.com

Boulevard Brewing Co. / Firestone Walker - "Collaboration 6" ale

Here's a tasty collaboration beer I recently had on draft at Red Apron, a little bar / butchery joint inside northeast DC's Union Market (where I attended a less-than-stellar beer festival some years ago). This stood out to me on the menu: it's "Collaboration 6", a 12.50% ABV barrel-aged blend of ales by Boulevard Brewing Co. and Firestone Walker Brewing Co. 

File photo (c) RateBeer.com

It's actually a blend of extant ales, composed of the following blend by percentage:

• Boulevard's "Bourbon Barrel Quad" - 45%
• Boulevard's "Imperial Stout X - Tart Cherry" - 10%
• Firestone Walker's "Stickee Monkee" - 35%
• Firestone Walker's "Velvet Merkin" - 10%

So a blend of some really quality stuff...I've had both Boulevard ingredients by themselves, in 750mL formats, and have had both Firestone Walker beers as part of the fine 18th anniversary blend, which I have had twice. I wasn't aware that this was the makeup of the "Collaboration 6" when I ordered it, but hey - that's the fun part about discovery.

It's black in the glass, with a thin clingy white foam. It's an interesting amber / brown color when candled. The biggest flavor note here is the sweet malts - whoa! The Bourbon Barrel Quad heritage comes through in both the boozy sweetness and wood barrel flavors. Interestingly, there's a nice undercurrent of cherry ( from the tart cherry stout infusion) which is most noticeable on the aftertaste. Overall, quite a heavy and sweet beer, and one that will surely warm you up on a cold winter's night.

Field Trip: Cigars International Superstore [Hamburg, PA]

Although I buy most of my cigars online or in bulk via an auction, sometimes the mood strikes me to visit a cigar shop. In general, prices are usually higher in a retail store, but there's a couple of advantages to going to a brick-and-mortar: you can feel, smell, and touch the cigars you want; you can buy as many or as few as you like (buying online is usually only in bulk, like 5-, 10-, or even 20-packs); and you can usually smoke inside and partake in the cedar-scented ambiance that a cigar shop has to offer. I was traveling in Pennsylvania recently, and when I discovered that my trip would take me only be thirty minutes away from the Cigars International superstore, I had to check it out. 

Cigars International is my preferred outlet of choice. And no, I am not paid to say this. Out of all the cigar websites, I've found CI has the best blend of fair prices, wide selection, and good customer service. They also do not nag you constantly to join a cigar-of-the-month club, unlike another competitor who will remain nameless. 

Primarily a booming online business, CI has three retail outlets - one in Hamburg, PA, and two in Bethlehem, PA, where their corporate headquarters is. I visited the one in Hamburg, which according to their website is likely the largest cigar store on the planet. Sounds like a winner to me.

The store is located right near Cabela's (another fun place to shop!) and looks very impressive from the outside. It was very easy to find the place, and it's easy-on, easy-off the highway. Outside there's ample parking, an outdoor roof deck, and plenty of benches to sit on and smoke. They also have a putting green, although I didn't see it.

Inside is really stunning. The whole place is an open humidor and the sheer volume and selection of cigars is enough, to quote John Hoynes, to stun a team of oxen in its tracks. The islands in the middle of the store are registers; the entire perimeter of the store is wall-to-wall shelves of cigars. They are organized by brand, and have pretty much any major brand and selection someone would want. They sell cigar supplies, a ton of pipes and pipe tobacco, accessories, cutters, lighters, you name it. There's also a sale area called the "value vault" which has tons of cheap and off-off-brand smokes. Almost all the cigars sold were available in singles and boxes.

A note about "open humidors" - this is a term I use (and probably made up) to describe how cigars are stored at a retail outlet. There's basically two ways to do it - you can have the cigars tucked away in a freestanding humidor (or in their own room), in either case sealed from outside air; or you could have the cigars sitting out uncovered and the whole shop would be humidified. Some places, like J&R Tobacco in downtown DC (and this CI Superstore!) are the latter. Puros, my hometown tobacco shop in Glastonbury, has a walk-in room that's sealed off from the main shop floor.

While it's fun to have a huge open humidor, this approach concerns me because the smoke from people milling about may settle on the open cigars. While there are smoke-eating machines and fans and whatnot, the smoke from all those people puffing away may cause flavors and smoke aromas to settle on the open cigars. To what extent this is actually true, I don't know. Just my two cents!

They had nice little baskets to cart around one's purchases. Here's another view of some of the shelves, this time featuring Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, and to the lower left, Caldwell Cigar Co.

There's also a humidor section...how about this one for size? Only eight hundred bucks. That doesn't include the two thousand dollars worth of cigars you need to put in this thing...

One major attraction to this store is the Drew Estate stuff the have. As I've discussed before, Drew Estate is probably one of the most popular brands of cigars out there and I've reviewed them extensively on this blog. While much of Drew's cigar catalog is easily found online and in retail stores, some of their rarer stock is so popular that some people pay hundreds of dollars per box to get them. The below picture is just one of two freestanding aisles full of Drew stuff, so hopes were high that I might find some of things I have been unable to get my hands on.

And case in point - the Drew Estate "ACID Opulence 3", the only current entry in the ACID series I have not tried. That was my first stop! Grabbed this 6x54 parejo toro off the shelf, went over to the cutter shelf, and lit up using a triple-torch lighter they had at the counter.

This cigar combines Nicaraguan tobacco from three different years (hence the "3" in the name) and topped with a Mexican San Andres wrapper. II could definitely tell this was part of the ACID line - lots of semi-sweet infusion notes. The flavor profile reminded me of the "ACID Kuba Kuba" when it comes to the spice blend - sandalwood, some sugar, some cedar. Notably, there's a "darkness"from the San Andres tobacco that's really quite nice. It adds a darker, coffee bean / cocoa bean flavor note that counters well to the natural essential oils in the filler and binder.

On the other side of the shelf, they had a wide selection of Drew's "Liga Privada" line - their most sought-after - and so of course I had to take a look. At the Connecticut Barnsmoker event last year, I was able to try the "T52" as well as the "Ratzilla", and got one of the "Unico Serie 'A'" - not sold in stores - which I smoked on Christmas Day last year. Although I'm familiar with the label, and like it, they are extremely expensive and I wasn't planning on grabbing any in quantity with one exception: the Liga Privada "Papas Fritas", which would have been located on the top shelf of the photo below had they not been sold out. The overturned box tells this sad story.

I admit I was tempted to get a few of the ones I hadn't tried (except for the "Flying Pigs", a short format which is inexplicably expensive) but I only chose one: a "Liga Privada UF-13", a robusto-sized smoke made from inky black tobacco. Like my other experiences with this line, they were bone-dry so it'll be quite some time before I can enjoy it.

Also of interest - the new ACID candelas! Grabbed a 5-pack of the short-format "Blondies" and also two of the new candela "Kuba Kubas." These are new and if I recall, the first entry into the candela wrapper from Drew. More on candela wrappers later...

All this shopping had me peckish so I headed over to their bar area at the opposite end of the store. Situated near some pool tables and a fearsome Chuck Testa'd mountain lion, the bar area had about fifteen stools and some televisions. They had a decent menu of beer and liquor, with about six taps and a whole bunch of premixed cockatai. Since I had an hour's drive ahead of me, I didn't drink anything, but I did order some food - the offerings weren't extravagant, but quite affordable bar classics like hot dogs, mozzarella sticks, and fries. Just the kind of food that I'd want watching the game over a cigar and a beer.

This fearsome beast doesn't have a name, so I'll call him Fred. He looks like a Fred.

If you ever find yourself in that part of Pennsylvania, stop on by. It's a pilgrimage that any cigar smoker should make, and the ample social spaces they have would make this a great place to hang out with friends and grab a drink. Their selection can't be beat, the staff is great (thanks Scott!) and if I lived nearby, I'd be here every week!

Paradox Beer Company - "Skully Barrel No. 49 - High Biscus" wild ale

Here's another beer I grabbed just for fun - it caught my eye last month at the Putnam Super Liquors in East Hartford, CT.  It's Colorado-based Paradox Beer Company's "Skully Barrel No. 49 - High Biscus", a 7.50% ABV wild sour golden ale brewed with hibiscus, tangerine peel, lemongrass hops. It's entry number 49 in their Skully Barrel series - a long series of funky and interesting beers. I've been really digging the sour / wild ales lately, and am always on the lookout for entries in this genre. 

Across the world, hibiscus is a common ingredient in teas, foods, and traditional medicine so I guess it was just a matter of time before someone made it into a beer. Now that I think about it, it's actually not unique to this example - five or six years ago, I tried Stone Brewing Co.'s "Hibiscuscity", a hibiscus ale made as part of Stone's Stochasticity Project. Unfortunately I do not remember my tasting notes; so I am going into today's bottle with an open mind.

Wow, this generates a ton of foam. Very nice pink color on the pour, and leaves lots of sticky lacing on the side of glass.

It's quite fizzy and light, and presents some strong, tangy, sour citrus flavors. Reminds me a lot of a tangerine or a clementine. There's also a strong flavor of oaky dryness , mostly on the finish, which makes this beer particularly sweet and dry. I wonder to what extent the barrel aging influenced that. I like the orange fruit notes, and that oaky dryness quite capably cuts through the spicy enchiladas that I paired this with. If you like sour beer, give this a spin - it's pretty dry and oaky and sour, but worth a try!

Perennial Artisan Ales - "Hopfentea" weissbier

Here's a quick look at an interesting creation from Perennial Artisan Ales, recommended by former colleague Matt G. It's a 4.2% ABV Berliner weissbier that's blended with tropical tea. I've had some beers infused with tea before, most recently the "Sweet Summer South" in the 2016 Sierra Nevada Beer Camp box. I'm curious to try this one.

It's got a cloudy orange-pink color, with a nose of sour fruit. When poured, it generates a thin white head that dies down quickly. Taste-wise, this beer was lighter than I expected - it was sour and tangy with a balanced fruit taste followed by a strong and enjoyable wheat beer taste. There's some acidic / drying flavors to it, especially on the aftertaste. Not bad - true to the genre, flavorful, and refreshing. In my opinion, too expensive though - it cost $15.99 for a 750mL. Would like to see this in 12oz bottles or growler fill - at a lower price point.

Empyrean Brewing Co. - "Pitched Blue" ale

The B-side of the back-to-back Empyrean Brewing Co. posts is their "Pitched Blue", a light 5.40% ABV  ale made with fresh blueberry juice. Made with Galena hops, it has Munich and Honey malts, flaked barley, it clocks in at a rock-bottom 15 IBUs.

Fruit is nothing new in beer, but I do not believe I have ever had a beer made with blueberries. Relatedly, I think the only berry ale of this sort that I've tried was an underwhelming "Blackbeary Wheat" from Long Trail. But that was years ago, and needless to say - happy to give berries another shot.

It pours quickly and generates a super thick layer of slightly-purplish foam. There's an intense aroma of blueberry, which is a good sign. The beer is root-beer colored, some brown ale coloring when candled.
 

Taste-wise, it's most impressive. There's solid blueberry flavors right as the beer hits your tongue. It's the consistency of juice, not thin or attenuated like the "Blackbeary Wheat", and has nice accompanying notes of sugar and some soft porter-like notes. Not a lot of carbonation here, and the foam sticks with the beer and adds a nice touch. Finish is soft and leaves a lingering note of blueberry.

Generally, quite nice as fruit beers go. The biggest concern I had going into this was two-fold - one, that it would be too thin and vaguely blueberry-flavored (as opposed to an actual blueberry beer) and two, that it would be very sweet and sugary and would perhaps taste artificial. Neither of these things happened. This beer presented a good mix of flavors, and a really solid showing by the blueberry which is all I could ask for. Definitely one to try, and anyone interested in a blueberry beer would be hard-pressed to find anything better.

Empyrean Brewing Co. - "Carpe Brewem" mango IPA

Apparently my review of this super tasty mango IPA has been sitting in my drafts folder, languishing, for quite some time. Shame on me! This is one of a pair of brews that my colleague Dustin got this for me on a trip to Nebraska a while back (the other being Kinkaider Brewing Co.'s "Devil's Gap" jalapeno ale.) However, Dustin has also brought me a blueberry ale which will be posted tomorrow!

Made by Empyrean Brewing Co. out of Lincoln, NE, this 7.80% ABV imperial IPA is brewed with mango extract and a variety of hops: Simcoe, Citra, and Cascade. Behold the "Carpe Brewem."

Mango has quickly become a popular ingredient for brewers. Dogfish Head uses it in their "Romantic Chemistry" IPA; San Diego's Ballast Point releases a brilliant session ale called "Mango Even Keel"; and Harpoon Brewery makes a fun beer called "Camp Wannamango." Just like the pumpkin craze of the early part of this decade, mango is rapidly becoming a fixture in summer seasonal beer offerings.

Pours quickly with a thin nose - some thin white foam, but nothing too generous.

Interesting, the most dominant flavor here is the hop backbone to the beer, not the fruit. Sure, the mango does make an appearance, but it's not the centerpiece. I like the hop blend as well - Citra is one of my favorite hops - and the hint of tangy hop bitterness doesn't overwhelm the sweet mango.

What I like most about this is that it's not overly concerned with being mango-flavored. While the "Mango Even Keel" is great in terms of mango flavor, it's also rather light and one-dimensional - namely the mango dimension (also a great name for a prog rock band.) It's important to draw not just on the main flavor component but the "base" craft beer component as well, which is why I like that the "Carpe Brewem" has good notes of mango but doesn't forget its IPA heritage, which makes for a rather tasty beer. Thanks Dustin!

Field Trip: Breakaway Brew Haus [Bolton, Connecticut]

Beer aficionado Fritz Moritz (who you may recall picked me up a can of Alchemist Brewing Co.'s famous "Heady Topper" a few years ago) sent me a few suggestions for breweries to try for my September trip to New England. While big breweries are good, some of the coolest and most fun places are small, so I chose Bolton, CT's own Breakaway Brew Haus, the brainchild of a guy named Matt Soucy. This brewery has been covered by a handful of Connecticut newspapers and websites, and has steadily gained popularity since it opened earlier this year.

Breakaway is located not too far from where I grew up, so it was a short, scenic drive through the country to get there. The brewery is currently run out of Soucy's home and was born from his history as a homebrewer. Making beer in one's home, which I covered a couple of times before, is a great way for hobbyists to practice their craft and many breweries have been started out of this kind of domestic experiment. Matt focuses on making good beer often with local ingredients, and since he respects the sixteenth century German purity law known as Reinheitsgebot, some of his beer is made using only four traditional ingredients - water, hops, barley, and yeast.

We parked on the street and walked down his driveway to the house. To get the beer, you first stop off at an expandable tent on the driveway and fill out a State of Connecticut-mandated form. Once that's done, you approach the garage window and Matt pops out. Samples of each of the beer are available, and of course I tried all three.

They change as Matt makes the beer, but the offerings that day were:

• "Face Plant #1" - a 7.89% ABV IPA made with Mosaic and Eukanot hops. (Left below) 
• "Face Plant #2" - an 8.10% ABV DIPA made with Citra hops (Right below)
• "Bonfire Stout #3" - a 6.60% ABV stout made with local honey, Citra hops, and cacao nibs. 

I enjoyed both samples; The #1 was tangy and brassy, but not harsh; the #2 was a sweeter and juicier version of the #1, also a bit softer. Both were good examples of what I like in DIPAs - not a ton of bitterness, but good refreshing flavor and a strong showing of hops. All of them, by the way, are variants - Matt is constantly improving and adjusting these blends, so there's always new stuff to try.

What really drew my attention on the menu was the "Bonfire Stout", which resembles both in name and in blend Fremont's "Bonfire" which I love. A note about filling up - Matt does not have a bottling line (yet) so for now, you've either got to bring your own bottle or buy a 750mL Breakaway-branded fliptop bottle (reusable, of course, and can be refilled for a $1 discount.) Since I didn't have a bottle or growler with me, I nabbed a fliptop bottle, filled it up with "Bonfire Stout", and brought it home for a closer look.

Pours nicely and generates some thick white fuzzy foam. It's quite dark, with some sediment in there. 

It's not heavy, but not light either - just the right balance of drinkability and flavor. The cacao nibs come through pretty nicely and I think the hop blend gives it a little levity. I'd definitely suggest this as a year-round dark beer, and would love to not just drink it, but perhaps try it in beer bread. 

So far, so good. If you ever find yourself in central Connecticut, give Breakaway Brew Haus a try. Matt is passionate about his craft and knows his stuff, and judging by the steady stream of customers we observed coming up to the window to fill up their bottles, Breakaway won't be small for long. I've never reviewed a brewery this small before (with the technical exception of Nano Brew in Cleveland) so if you're interested in getting some really great small batch beer, sign up for the mailing list, show up early, and get your fill!