vroom, vroom

It's not a black beer, but it is pretty dark, and strong besides.  Attik Brewing offers Hot Rod American Strong Ale for another rainy December day, with a label that ought to warm the table.  It looks exciting, and vaguely dark and dangerous.

It has the dark color of a strong beer, with a light beige and resistant head.  There's a little bit of apple floating around in the air, again hitting the notes of strong beers in memory.  For some reason I expected a thicker and sweeter entrance, something like a barleywine, but it is not like that at all.  It's strongly bitter, playing up the ale part of its build, with a bit appley sweetness wandering in only when most of the sip is already down your throat.  The bitter never goes away either.  Although it's not a heavy or sticky beer, echoes of sharp bitterness remain much longer than you expect.  Good to keep you from chugging it down too fast, I would imagine.

thirdly

On the first day of Beermas I went and bought for me
A bird dropping beads on the street
Two turtledoves
Three Belgian roosters

Yes, not French and not hens, but something along those lines.  Next door, as it were.  There might be only one bird on the branch, but at 8% we might imagine the other two on the ground.  This is Arabier, a Belgian Strong Pale Ale, elsewhere called a Golden Ale.  And, not just a Belgian style, but a genuine product of Belgium, De Dolle Brouwers to be precise.

It's a very unassuming beer, with no oddness or eye catching anything about the color or aroma.  It's a little bit sour, as one might expect from Belgian beers.  I let the head go down a bit, since it's like whipped cream on there, and I take a first sip.  WOW.  It's a sour beer.  It's not abrasive, though, which is something some NEIPAs have had trouble with.  It's also not clingy or covered in graininess, which I have experienced with other sour beers.  Although not my favorite style, it's a sharp, clean flavor and something that would really pick you up on a summer evening.  Even in the winter, some overheated pubs might serve a good number of Arabiers, especially if they rely on saltier snacks.  It has the kind of flavor that would cut right through anything else, and with that tiny hint of sweetness be a welcome interruption.  Although, it does develop a bitter side the more it rests, so if that's more your preference you can probably just let it sit for a couple of minutes.

Supplier: Be Hoppy
Price: €3.50