T(welve)-11

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

Eleven whales blowing

10 lords a-robbing?

Nine night owls hooting

Eight maids not for cleaning

Seven avian vampire teasers

Six plans a-hatching

Five collaborations

Four miles of nowhere

Three tropical tree eggs

Two staring wings

And an icy raven looking needy

I almost pushed this one into number seven, for the swimming animal on the label, but those neck-like tubes could not be denied.  So, what to do with Mala Gissona's Shackeltown IPA?  There's definitely a connection to the sea; they brew their beers with the fortitude and solemnity of the old Basque whalers, or something like that.  Well, at least some sailors like to have a little music, a little wind instrument accompaniment.  Also, whales do a bit of blowing themselves.  There we go, our representation of pipes!  Less literal than some other years, but that's the fun.

It's a stunningly dark IPA, maybe more in line with older varieties.  Very typical IPA aroma, though, bright, herbal, grabs the nose hard.  The taste is juicy and modern, a very fruity kind of ale, like a fruit cocktail.  There's that citrus of course, but also a little pineapple and mango.  Although the fruit feels like it should be sharp, the beer is very smooth and slides right down the throat.  It's actually very festive feeling, like a nice holiday punch.  The bright and shiny IPAness of it would also make it palatable to those summer people who prefer their beer sunny and cheerful instead of dark and blankety like my best stout buddies.

wake up

Oh yes, there had to be at least one more!  Guineu and Mala Gissona give us a porter now, Txoko.  I'm hoping that that's a hint of chocolate or cacao, but a regular, rich porter would hit the spot really well right now.  The November rain has been delayed until winter's door, so it feels like a good time to sit with good dark beer and unwind.

A little thin looking, coffee smelling.  Nice head at first, but it fizzles away quickly.  The taste is much bigger than expected based on the color and aroma:  it's an extra chocolate and vanilla syrup shot in the morning brew.  While slick, it does have a bit of a sticky feel.  It's a little strange for a mid-week beer for some reason, it feels like something you should be having on Friday night before going out for some real fun, or Saturday afternoon to wake up completely.