branching out

It's time for another field trip!  The boys at La Tienda de la Cerveza have opened a bar, with craft beer taps of course.  They still have the store and the in-store taps, but now there's Craft Against The Machine, on c/ Embajadores 31.  It's a small place, so it's not implausible that you find it uncomfortably popular at a given moment, but it's not far from Mercado San Fernando and La Buena Pinta, so if you absolutely must have a beer at that time, all is not lost.  The place was a hairdresser's and they kept the tiles outside, so if you're not careful you might walk right by it.  Inside, there are more bar seats than tables, so you're best off in a small group.  Unless you're lucky enough to snag the back table.

Don't be fooled, there's beer inside

Cheers, explorers!

Interesting tapas here

I was hoping for a dark beer, but everything was pretty yellow on the menu.  There was a barleywine, but I wasn't especially in the mood for the heavy sweet beer that barleywines tend to be.  In the end, I chose Freaks Tropical Explorer APA.  It appeared as a slightly cloudy orange with a very moderate head.  There was the typical citrus aroma, but the taste has a bitter and sweet punch at the same time, while still being separate flavors.  Interesting.  I found it had a slightly dusty feel, thirst quenching, but still leaving a tickle.  In spite of the surprising combination, the taste is very mild, making this a good chat beer.  There is only a slight bitterness, and in this case that's pretty well tamed by the garbanzos.  When I got some pomegranate before taking a sip, I found a stronger orange citrus flavor to be pulled out.  Based on the name, I expected more fruitiness to be honest.  Still, Tropical Explorer is a nice beer, a good drink, and pleasant bar companion.

Price: €6/pint

sneak preview

I got a special treat this holiday!  A beer that hasn’t been released yet!  Pays to have connections, doesn’t it?  This beer will be a limited edition brew from St. Francis Brewing in Wisconsin, so if you’re in the area this year, you might stop by to inquire.  It’s a bourbon barrel aged imperial stout with orange blossom and cocoa nibs, and much lighter than you might expect.  Snuggle Bunny was considered for a Valentine’s Day release, but last I heard that date has been changed.  Keep and eye out!

It has all the markings of a stout in color and consistency.  Poured right, the head is frothy and of good color as well.  The barrel aging is evident in the aroma, and there is a clear smooth, sweet taste as well.  I’m pleased, personally, to find that the orange blossom is extremely subtle in the flavor while the dark shadow of the cocoa nibs come through easily.  It’s recommended to be consumed at about 55ºF, and it is certainly more flavorful at a warmer temperature.  While a chill in the beginning can be refreshing, be sure to save some for a somewhat sugary mouthful after a little time out of the fridge.  For us beer lovers, Snuggle Bunny will be better than a box of chocolates on...well, any day really.  Who am I kidding?  Although chocolate is nice too, don’t get me wrong!

Curious about who would make such a beer?  Take a look!

two birds, one glass

I did find a local beer, and one that the cashier was impressed with.  Rio Bravo Brewing makes a porter that isn’t just a coffee porter, it’s New Mexico Piñon Coffee Porter.  Two great tastes in one, I assume.  They say they’re trying to blend the flavors so that one doesn’t mask the other, not the easiest thing to do with coffee and black beer.  There is quite a number of different malts used, mostly to bring out some heavy sweet flavors, so we’ll see if this doesn’t get sticky at the end.

Not an especially strong scent, a little bit tingley.  More dedicated sniffing reveals the coffee.  It’s a nice dark brown color, with a respectable light beige head.  Practically opaque, which is a good sign. The taste is much smoother than the aroma would suggest, in fact, with a smooth milk-coffee entrance.  It is very much like a slightly carbonated ice coffee.  The bitterness is present, but slight, giving way to a touch of sweetened coffee.  I’m not finding the caramel, but I could be persuaded that dark chocolate is present.  A little smokiness starts to develop, but for the most part the taste stays constant and pleasant, as long as coffee is your thing.

peachy keen

On the road it’s always nice to sample the local delicacies, and beer has definitely become one of those.  I kind of cheated though, since Stone Brewing is from California.  Not quite where I am, but close enough.  Being the festive season it is, a “tropically inspired” beer felt like just the thing.  It’s Stone Vengeful Spirit, an IPA that is supposed to include pineapple and mandarin.  The can is eyecatching at least, with the bright yellow sky behind the signature gargoyle.

It’s a golden yellow beer, with a lightly fruity scent.  The head is good, after several instances of weak heads.  Maybe it’s my refrigerator.  The beer is also a little cloudy, but it doesn’t look like there’s much left over at the bottom.  There’s a clear taste of mandarin, with a moderately bitter aftertaste.  It takes a while to sift out the pineapple, but after a few sips it can be identified.  The beer is sweet, but not overly so.  It keeps its character as an IPA, with a bitter base, but the lightness of the fruit makes it seem like a much softer drink.  The bitterness lessens over time, leaving a heavier sweetness, and since the beer is a hefty 7.3%, there is a slight danger of lightheadedness.