I saw Airways Brewing’s limited edition Final Departure Imperial Stout at the store, with a sign saying One per Customer. That always gets my attention, at the least. But this one… it has an AIRPLANE on it. And not only an airplane, a sorta decaying, mossy one that hits me right here, man. It might be a 767, which mean it might have CF6 engines on it, and I worked on those a while back. So of course I had to have it. It’s a beautiful dark beer with a coppery head and fruity aroma. It has a very bitter, full taste with a hint of coffee and a smooth brightness. There is a lingering bitter aftertaste, too. Although it’s not my most favorite flavor (I like them sweet), the taste really fits the name and the art. Would recommend ++.

OK, so I could be biased about this beer, considering the golden octopus on the front, holding hops and barley and stuff. But still, I think Indra Kunindra tastes great. It has a nice, fragrant aroma, almost barleywine-ish. It’s not at all sweet, and has a slightly bitter aftertaste. You can taste the spices – it includes curry, cumin, cayenne, and coconut. Complex and delightful, buy a handful (or eight) when you see them!

Cavatica Stout from Fort George Brewery is bright, bubbly, and an interesting mix of sweet and bitter. The flavor is mostly sweet, but not overwhelmingly so, and the bright bitterness may come from the carbonation. It’s a really good mix. It also has a very slightly smoky smell. And the can has arachnids on it. That’s probably why I picked it up and why I like it so much.

Elysian Brewing

Those of you that have been following me a while know how much I love milk stouts, and this is no exception. It has excellent hints of coffee along with the classic milk stout flavor. It is slightly flatter than some beers, which goes well with the flavor. It’s sweet and full and slightly bitter at the end. Excellent.

I may have found a new favorite beer. Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout is so delicious that it would have its own level in the adult version of “Sugar Rush” from Wreck-it Ralph. It’s dessertish and chocolatey like a decadent hot dark cocoa, as opposed to milk stouts, which tend to be delicious like chocolate milk. It has an intense cocoa flavor that’s not too sweet and without any bitterness. I’m having trouble finding words. Just try it.

I found a new dark beer that’s pretty good. I’m a fan of Souther Tier beers in general. Their Double Milk Stout is pretty delicious. It has a definite sweet milk stout taste, but with an extra stouty kick. Just what I would expect a double milk stout to be.

Weyerbacher Old Heathen Imperial Stout is a really good beer. I am fond of imperial stouts – they’re delicious – but you can’t drink too many at a time because they’re quite rich. This one is smooth and fairly sweet, with a hint of fruity. There’s a bit of a bright bite to it, and a pleasing aftertaste. I recommend!