it wasn't the black army, though

In spite of days becoming noticeably longer every week, we still have some pretty black nights.  I, for one, can't get enough of black beers to go with that lack of direct sunlight, so I tracked down a new one to try.  I hope nobody will be offended if I call Aupa Tovarisch a Spanish beer, being produced by a Basque brewery...

The red army

Red zombie army

The beer pours out as black as a politician's heart and gets only a light fuzz on top.  The meager head is almost milk-chocolate colored, and the smell isn't nearly as earthy as some stouts.  The taste is complex, perhaps overpowering for those who aren't big fans of stouts.  While the beginning is mellow and almost milky, it's quickly overcome by a mouthfilling bitterness and chased down the throat by some growling earthiness.  There's kind of a struggle as it seeks to fill all corners of the mouth space before being sucked down the throat.  There's something almost feline in the way it stretches out and takes over.  It's one of the more powerful beers, being a stout and all, so a little something in the way of snacks is not a bad idea.  Still, the beer itself is definitely something to savor.

To unnecessarily dark nights!