Dark, Dank, Dreary and a Perfect Tuesday Night

Tuesday was just one of those days: dark, dank and dreary. The clouds had been in all day long and had been threatening until late when they brought down their torrents. But there was a break in the weather and I ventured out to my usual Tuesday haunt, the Meridian Pint to see what elements had been brought to the table. It was a good thing that I did because I had a remarkable evening.

After ordering my food (half a Peruvian chicken, yucca and coleslaw with a nice fresh verde sauce) I put an order in for my beer. I wanted to try something with the beer order that I had thought about a couple of times that is going from light to dark. Not a big deal, but it is something that I have though about doing, so I did it, and I have to say it worked out pretty well!

Femme Fatale Yuzu Pale by Evil Twin Brewing

The first beer order was for a Femme Fatale Yuzu Pale by Evil Twin Brewing Company. (The head office is Evil Twin Brewing, 446 Kent Avenue, apt 14A Brooklyn, NY 11249 USA but the web address is eviltwin.dk.)  Hoppy! A bit hoppier than normal, but actually pretty pleasing. These are not the real strong bitter hops we have come to expect but a softer version that really compliment the food. The hop flavor stays around and then fades. Nice golden color. It is great. It is brewed in cooperation with Westbrook Brewing Company. Alcohol is 6% ABV and it lists no IBU. The web lists it as follows: 

To take up the challenge and make a 100% true Brett IPA with Yuzu fruit can very easily become a fatal attraction for the Brewmaster. Once you get acquainted with the Yuzu fruits irresistible and seductive personality, along with Bretts overpowering, alluring and very charming nature, it will ensnare you and drive you mad obsessing over how exactly you can create the perfect desirable tangy, funky, crisp, tart flavor in ya mouth.  

Its Untappd score is 4.25.

 Daily Brett by Smuttynose Brewing

Dinner came and the next order went in to the bar.  Smuttlabs: Daily Brett by Smuttynose Brewing Company. (www.smuttynose.com, 105 Towle Farm Road, in Hampton, NH.) Its very serene and then it sneaks up on you to provide a nice bitter taste. You go from drinking plain beer to a bitter beer in the blink of an eye. Not too bitter, but just enough that you recognize it. It is really a great shift in its flavor! Alcohol is 5.9% ABV and it has 10 IBUs. The web lists it as follows:   

Daily Brett is meant to be just what its name implies, a simple, golden, daily drinker with enough barnyard funk from our saison yeast and lots of juicy tropical fruit highlights from a unique strain of brettanomyces known as “Brett Drei.” This is our first beer fermented with two yeast strains in primary fermentation and we’re thrilled with the results.

I gave it a 4.5 on Untappd.

Breakfast Stout by Founders Brewing

Dinner was over and I ordered dessert, which of course, is pumpkin pie. Normally I ask the server for their suggestion of what to get, and when I asked Stephanie the reply was immediate. Breakfast Stout was the perfect pairing with pumpkin pie. Boy, I could not have picked a better one. (Three shouts for Stephanie!) Breakfast Stout by Founders Brewing Company (www.foundersbrewing.com 235 Grandville Ave. SW Grand Rapids, MI 49503 V: (616) 776-2182 Taproom: (616) 776-1195)

Stephanie was right, it came out tasting like chocolate - deep, rich, dark chocolate with coffee out the sides. It just oozes the flavor, like a chocolate chip cookie being dunked in coffee. It is really great beer. The alcohol is 8.3% ABV and it has 60 IBUs. The web lists it as follows:

The coffee lover’s consummate beer. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and imported chocolates, and two types of coffee, this stout has an intense fresh-roasted java nose topped with a frothy, cinnamon-colored head that goes forever.

I gave it a 4.75 on Untappd.

I gathered up my stuff and quietly slipped out, feeling comfortable with my choices for dinner and drinks. Stephanie had disappeared, but the Tuesday night belong in part to her rapid responses. I also think that the escalating potentates of the drinks also had something to do with it. I will try that again! In any case, I slipped onto the train for the ride home feeling that despite the dark, dank, and dreary ride home and I had a rather a perfect Tuesday night.