T(welve)-3

On the third day of Beermas I went and bought for me

Three tropical tree eggs

Two staring wings

And an icy raven looking needy

Getting creative again!  Is it because I ran out of time and had to make do with what I grabbed off the shelves?  Is it a true challenge propelled from within?  Is it just the cussedness of refusing to not have a stout?  All three?  Let's say all three.  It's true, I really really wanted to fit Gran Cacao in somehow, just by virtue of it being an imperial stout with cacao nibs.  So instead of French hens imagine French Polynesia or the French Caribbean.  It's not quite the temperature up here right now, but there's an almost tropical humidity the past couple of days.  Weird, but could be worse.  I guess the people at centrally Spanish Península and Caleya also wanted to enjoy a warm weather fantasy.

It pours smooth and creamy, with almost a nitro like consistency in building the head, although with much bigger bubbles.  It looks delicious and doesn't smell like sunblock at all.  There is just a tantalizing whiff of cacao, but it's mostly a sturdy, earthy stout.  The cacao is present in the taste, but very...natural.  Meaning, it's not overly sweet or sticky, there's kind of an earthy sensation to it, like dusty nibs grabbed off the ground for the brew.  Also, it's impressive how smooth and slick the beer is for it's mouthfeel; it's a weighty one, and at almost 10% to boot.  It's a really pleasant stout, with a delightfully easy balance.  It might even be acceptable for the squeamish in the summer, with it's tropical hints, especially going along with a cold dessert.  And for me and those of my tastes, it's a beer for every day of the year.

yelling in your head!

On the fourth day of Beermas I went and bought for me

Four avian hallucinations

Three French magicians

Two love ya dearlies

And the simplest answer there could be  

Caleya has appeared more than once in these pages, pretty much always in lighter styles.  Hostia is a nice Dubbel with a psychodelic label that makes you imagine wails coming from it.  That's a calling bird of some kind, and you might even think you see more than one. 

It's a toasty warm brown dubbel, with a touch of banana aroma.  Not too much head, but it's resistant.  The flavor is very Belgiany, although without the aftertaste that stifles my fondness for that particular set of beers.  There's a little tang and sour in there, but it's a soft and round feeling beer, with a tiny bit of banana wrapped around it.  That fruitiness builds over time, and it's a more syrupy drink than many of my recent ones.  It has a nice holiday kind of flavor, something of a fruit cake in fact.  The weight of the alcohol just makes it like a worthwhile fruitcake instead of a cheap sanitized industrial one.

sunrise coming

There's always the danger of not having many places to go to stock up on beer in August, although I think this year there aren't quite as many vacations as other years.  Sure, some places have taken a break, well-deserved no doubt, but for the most part there has been a variety that other cities can envy.  La Mundial, however, did take quite a breather this month.  It's only now at the end that they're back, and I wanted to visit them again after their performance for Beermas.  I asked about a strong IPA, hoppy and bitter, and they were quick to point out a number of possibilities, the usual suspects all, Basqueland's Imparable in particular, but it goes without saying that I'm looking for new things.  Caleya has made its way to my glass before, but Goma 2 is something different.  Will it be the liquid refreshment that perks me up from August-end doldrums?

It's on the darker side of gold, but there's no cloudiness at all to the beer.  The head is thick and pretty resistant.  A number of aromas combine, giving it a complex but very IPA-y smell, with hops being prominent, but pine and toast are mixed in too.  The taste is hops-heavy, but it does have a little touch of brightness.  There isn't a whole lot of citrus poking out, but I wouldn't call it a bitter beer.  Interestingly, it's barely bitter at all to my taste.  It's a bit smoother than Naparbier's Aker, but it has heft and body, while sliding down the throat in a way that reminds me of melted jello.  As I said, smooth.

Supplier: La Mundial

Price: €3.30

Door #5

At least it's getting crisp outside, seems more like December.  Of course there's no snow in the forecast, as usual around these parts.  Probably won't be until February at least, and even then it'll be shitty slushy snow, or it will melt before it even hits the ground.  I've seen snowflakes disappear about a foot off the sidewalk before.  At least there will be plenty of snow-capped beers to keep us cool-headed.  The bird on Caleya's Asturies Pale Ale almost made me save it for Beermas, but I have to keep Calenbeer moving too, so I'll figure something else out.  I think I used another beer of theirs anyway last year.

It gives off the slightly orangey ale smell right away, maybe not as tropical as an IPA often is.  It's still quite sweet and fruity in aroma.  The head is a little over-exuberant, very thick and white, and not prone to fizzing away very quickly.  It's a clear sun-yellow, what one might hope to see in a pale ale.  It's not as sweet to the taste as to the nose, but still has a touch of orange to it.  More the pith part than the fruit, though.  Eventually an odd kind of grassy aftertaste starts to build up, but this pale ale is mostly a clean and refreshing sort.  Probably better suited to a summer evening after working out in the fields all day than a quiet December long weekend, it must be said.

I love how the label is all in Asturian.  There isn't even English in case of export, as sometimes you can find.  These kinds of flourishes are things to bring up when discussing culture and beer making/development, wouldn't you say?

where are those matchmakers now?

I had to be contented with a merely acceptable stout yesterday.  What kind of asshole would complain about that?  I'm so spoiled in terms of black beers.  I've been pretty sniffly lately anyway, with a little spring cold, so I wouldn't appreciate the finer points of a more elegant brew.  Possibly.  I don't know.  I have faith in my beer sense.  So, I have something else from La Buena Cerveza that's a little sharper and more penetrating, almost as if I knew I was going to need it.   That's not true.  I like IPAs too, and it's good to change things up every once in a while.  It's A Match comes from a collaboration of Naparbier, who I know, and Caleya, who I don't.  I feel confident putting my trust in Naparbier, they've done some very nice things in the past.  Caleya's just along for the ride.

Considering what we imagine large birds to do with faces...

...this could be legitimately terrifying

There is a strong hoppy ale aroma, cutting right through any leftover cold funk.  It's also a happy golden orange, leading one to think optimistically about the drink.  The first sip is heavily bitter, although it gradually subsides into a more citrusy flavor.  There's still plenty of bitter in the aftertaste.  It takes a while for some sweetness to develop, making the beer more grapefruity than orangey for the first few sips.  Even with the lingering congestion, the taste comes through strongly, and leaves no citrus note unplayed.  I'm finding this IPA a bit on the sticky side, not as clean as regular IPAs.  I know it's double, but syrupy beer can be distracting.  Overall, though, it's a very nice ale, probably more the speed of transitional seasons when you get cold and hot on the same day.  Or even the same hour.  It might be too heavy for a summer beer for some tastes, and too bright for winter for others.  I am not disappointed by this match-up on a cloudy spring evening.

Supplier: La Buena Cerveza
Price: €4.10