A Hit and A Miss

DuClaw Brewing company is very close to me here at Aberdeen, and as a result they have enjoyed my patronage more than once or twice. As a result I have tried and enjoyed several of their beers, below are two I tried most recently.


Hit:
Bare Ass Blonde Ale
19 IBUs and 5% ABV

Jak makes fun of me a lot for liking girly beers, and in this case I must confess, I like this beer a lot. It is simple, good, clean fun, despite its title. The hops are barely present in this, yet it has a complexity that lends itself to drinking regardless of the season. I find that the only difference in how I enjoy it is that in the warmer weather I like to have a lemon wedge in it (I know, fruiting the beer) while in the cold I prefer it as is. The finish is what I like best about this beer, it is smooth as, well I suppose a Bare Assed Blonde would be, though I suppose silk would be a more accessible comparison. It coats the tongue well, and the after taste is pure sweet joy. It is not the best beer I have had, but it is like skittles, not the most sophisticated or the best, but always there for a good memory.


Miss:
Black Jack Imperial Stout
67IBUs and 8% ABV

This beer made me sad. It smells heavenly, just enough of that hoppy goodness with the perfect overtones of what the company claims is 3 different malts. The head did not dissapoint, it was almost like eating a Riesen with a little caramel for good measure. As I reached the beer itself, I had high hopes for some amazing beer. Maybe it is my lack of sophistication, maybe the Blonde had coated my tongue with main stream goodness, but once I hit the beer, I was glad I had ordered a sample glass instead of a pint. There was that same espresso and caramel that I had smelled and tasted in the foam, but where the Blonde triumphs, the Black Jack fails, as the after taste reminded me too much of medicine. The votes on the website disagree with me, but this is Jak and My blog, so I can say what I want.

-Nathan