The last few posts have referenced specific beers I have tried that dabble into some new flavor profiles. Chocolate & peanut butter into Terrapin’s Liquid Bliss and spicy rooster Sriracha sauce into a Rogue stout. While different and certainly adventurous, in modern times, these are actually quite tame in comparison to some of the new offerings out there. Warning: I have NOT tried some of these beers. This post is not an endorsement. Now, if anyone wants to send me one, I’d be happy to try it and comment on it in a future post!
21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon. Yes, I have had this one. I’m not big on all of the super-fruity beers that seem to be attacking us every day. I prefer to avoid those overly syrupy beers that can get very sweet and thick. HOHW is not one of these. This is a light summer-y wheat beer that goes through a second fermentation that includes watermelon. The result is a light, very drinkable beer that reminds you of summer and watermelon without hammering any flavors home.
Southern Tier Creme Brulee Stout. Another one I am proud to say I have had. This one threw me for a loop. Back when my rock star wife did the 40 days of beer for my 40th birthday, one enterprising friend brought me this one and the Uinta Double IPA. I am not big on custard and/or creme brulee. Just doesn’t do it for me. With trepidation, I poured this one and gave it a whirl. Slap yo mama good. It was dessert in a glass. Come to think of it, had I not annihilated the bottle so quickly, this would have been great poured over vanilla ice cream. Sweet, rich, thick, creamy and oh-so-delicious. Find it, and thank me later. I’ll forever be indebted to sweet, dear Peggy for gifting it to me!
Island Brewing Avocado Honey. Okay, so I added this one purely because of the crazy notion of having guacamole in a beer. I’m a huge guac fan, but I don’t believe it should be poured into a frozen mug. With a little exploration, I learned that this is a sweeter beer (but not overly so) made from honey that bees create after visiting an avocado orchard. Different. There are no avocados dumped into the fermentation process, thankfully. Reviews say that it is quite drinkable, although not so memorable. It’s only brewed once a year in preparation for the annual California Avocado Festival – first week of October, so there’s still time!
Funky Buddha Maple Bacon Coffee Porter. Really? So many flavors … I cannot imagine what this tastes like. So I actually found someone who had, “It’s like someone took breakfast and dumped it in a blender.” Maple syrup + bacon + coffee and all with the mouthfeel of a porter. Wow. Most reviews are VERY high on this one, so I’ll need to seek this one out. Think a porter with maple sweetness and coffee aroma, followed by a salty bacon finish. Get some scattered, smothered, covered on the side and we’re all set.
So there we have it. Some of the more unique flavors I’ve ever seen in a beer. What about you? What’s the craziest beer ingredient you know of?
