Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Beer gone to the dogs

Every now and then I find it's fun to attach a theme to my beer purchases. For example from one of my earlier posts you could infer a summer/winter seasonal theme.

So I found myself examining the brews at Wegman's a few weeks ago and looking for something that would catch my eye. And with thoughts of my 9 month old chesapeake bay retriever I was drawn to two 6-packs that prominently featured dogs in the name or artwork. Heck, there are worse themes to go with, especially considering on my favorite beers of late is Smuttynose's Brown Dog Ale.

First up, is Ellie's Brown Ale from Avery Brewing Company. Now it's not just that the dog on the label looks exactly like my Chessie but I'll definitely be heading back to pick up more of this. Fresh from the Rocky Mountains, this dark ale features a nice chocolate taste that is more reminiscent of a porter than what you usually think of as a typical ale. Smooth and fulfilling as an after dinner drink it's been the perfect brew to chill after a hard day's work and enjoy.

Now if one beer label looks like my Chessie, of course I also had to reach for the beer that reminded me of my 12 year old Black Lab - Black Dog Ale from Spanish Peaks Brewing.  And just like my Lab, this beer was smooth and calming on the soul like that big dog head resting on my lap.  There's a very nice malty flavor to it that makes a pleasant and smooth drinking experience.

So the lesson I learned was what?  That beers that remind me of my dogs can't go wrong? No, not quite.  But it did point out that putting together a "beer theme" can be a fun way to pair up beers you may not have thought of before.  Or at least it adds some joy to the shopping experience.

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