the name says it all

So many of the beer stores also offer beer on tap now, as you might have noticed.  A lot just have a couple of taps, others have more than some regular bars.  Be Hoppy (c/Almaden 18) only has two taps, but man, the selection!  The shelves are covered in things I want to drink right now!  They are on the pricey side, being so excellently special, but there are plenty of things on par with the rest of the shops and bars in town.  I had me a pint there today, Magic Rock Micromachine session IPA.  It's hot, OK?  The other choice was a fruity sour, and I thought the session would be a bit lighter.  It is lighter in alcohol, coming in at only 2.8%. 

It starts with a nice citrusy aroma, coming up from a dark yellowy orange liquid.  The head fizzes off pretty fast, though.  It's lightly bitter, only very slight citrus taste, so a mild flavor overall.  It's very easy drinking, good for a thirsty afternoon without a lot of extra sweetness or sharp hops.  The beer has a very smooth feel to it, soft and rounded in the mouth, slips right down the gullet.  However, don't get too comfortable with it; a big drink will bring out the sour, and letting it stand and warm up for too long will make it thicken up and be a little more feisty being swallowed.

A little atmosphere

That, uh...isn't the atmosphere I was thinking of

The store is a nice little place with attentive keepers.  Today it was just the gentleman, who brought me the tap menu when I came in!  Such service!  It's like he knew what I was thinking.  It's also cute that they have a menu, rather than the blackboard, although the board is there but blank right now.  I think I even slipped in just before they closed on a Sunday once, so hours are quite accessible.  Good beers and easy to get 'em, that's all anybody wants, right?

And a shady street too

danger red

I take all beers with good will, despite being leery of some.  If I can avoid the typical Belgian beer, I will.  Still, I've had some very nice ones, and you always have to keep yourself open to something new.  La Maison Belge on Santa María de la Cabeza specializes in Low Country beers, mostly Belgian with a few Dutch brews thrown in.  If there's a safe place to get a Belgian beer, I guess that'd be it.  They also have a selection from La Virgen now, which I don't remember seeing the first time I went.  Gotta support local industry, even if it has some (ahem) international support.  Actually, AB InBev is based in Belgium I think, so it all fits together.  After a bit of browsing, I picked up Corsendonk Rouge, thinking a red beer would be a nice compromise between my beloved black beers and the oppression of the seasonal temperatures.

The aroma is appley, crisp, and sweet, and the head is lively and robust.  I guess the beer is redd-ish, sort of a coppery color.  It does fit more closely with "amber".  If you get your nose down in it the aroma goes a little sour.  The taste is Belgian; hits with sweet, tails off with sour.  While other Belgian beers do have some bitter in the middle or even the beginning, Corsendonk Rouge covers it up pretty well.  There might be just the slightest hint of it at the top of the swallow.  But, mostly it's a cidery sweet, a bit thick in the mouth. It is a nice smooth beer, and doesn't get all syrupy or develop some weird tangy aftertaste.  It is, perhaps, a wee bit heavy for the sunny afternoon.  Not too much though, not by a long shot.  And the light fruity sweetness of the flavor keeps it refreshing and a reasonable choice even for a summer drink.  Well done this time, Belgium.

Supplier: La Maison Belge
Price: €2.90

great expectations

I just have to have my stout every once in a while, I simply cannot help myself.  No, that's not quite true.  It's definitely more often than once in a while.  While picking up light and fruity beers, I also had the good fortune to see Sori Brewing's Hot Chocolate, an imperial stout in their Dark Humor Club line.  It was the last one on the shelf, too.  That's for me!  I notice that "humor" is spelled without the superfluous "u".  Ha!

It pours smoothly and oh-so-nicely, producing a thick beige head over a solid, nearly black beer.  It's not terribly strong odored, but there is a good kick of cocoa.  It's sweet but veering a little towards licorice.  The taste starts out much like the aroma, but then goes a little sour in the middle, finishing with a mellower chocolate touch.  Letting it sit and warm a little bit gives it a creamier texture and doesn't seem to increase the sweetness.  It does develop a bit of an appley aftertaste, which is unexpected.  I feel like some nice chocolate ice cream would be great with this, something to complement the cocoa, but a little more sugary.  Actually, ice cream in general would be great right now.  Damn you, summer!

Supplier: La Tienda De La Cerveza
Price: €4.20

it's be crazy not to try

I had my drink at the store last week, but I took some souvenirs home with me too.  You know how it is, just can't stop yourself from picking up something good.  3 Mono's American PsychoPie has the look of a twisted experiment, one that might never be repeated, so you better try it while you can.  It's a hoppy fruit sour ale, so there's more heat-fighting drinks to be had here.  Actually, evenings aren't so bad now, but they might be getting worse again soon.  Makes me miss February.

Face of a winner, that's for sure

Well, look who else is here

There's that old IPA smell, bitterly citrus-like.  The color is very light, however, just shade of yellow more than clear practically.  The fruity sweetness also bubbles up easily in the aroma, although it's alarmingly similar to some cleaning products.  The taste is quite the contrast with the smell, being much more sour and ending with a bitter rumble down the throat.  I can't put my finger on what fruit is involved in this beer, and it's not specified on the label.  Based on the name, sour cherry?  Maybe sour apple?  It might be apple, since even sour cherries might have a bigger sweet kick to them.  It has a pretty nice clean taste, not leaving much behind to fiddle with the palate. 

Supplier: La Tienda De La Cerveza
Price: €3.15

of beer and nations

On this 4th of July, which is also Wednesday, which is Mug Club Night, I wondered if there would be something going on at Roll.  There sort of is; the American Club is having a bit of a get-together.  I can sit quietly in the corner, though.  I think.  I don’t have my passport if anybody asks (gasp).

Anyway, tonight it’s Founders Dirty Bastard.  I haven’t had it for a while, and I thought I should have something from the homeland for such an illustrious day.  It’s a bit different than I remember.  I remember it being sweeter, almost to the point of cloying, but it’s not that bad this time.  It is sweet, with a good bit of licorice undertaste, but there’s also a rough bitterness that I don’t think was there before.  It’s kind of an oaky flavor, making the beer seem more like its barrel-aged brethren.  The alcohol weight of Backwoods Bastard isn’t there, however.  I’m glad the temperatures have gone down in the past couple of days, because it is still a pretty sticky beer.  Would’ve been uncomfortable on a 90º evening, I think.

As much as I have eschewed my national connections, I kind of enjoy the idea of 4th of July now.  Especially because its a shining example of national identity compared to where I am now.  There’s a lot of confusion about ethnic and political nationhood, at least in terms of who gets to be what and what everyone should aspire to be.  Despite the current exclusionary rhetoric, I think our ideal is still a nation of culture and values rather than a nation of birthplace.  Those who want to belong can choose to belong, and a majority is willing to accept them if they play the game.  I hope I’m still speaking with an understanding of the national mind, and not with the cloud of nostalgia that comes with being an expat, sometimes.