isn't there a song?

I think there is

It feels like it's been a while since I've had a nice German dark beer.  It's been a month and a half since the film fest, which is kind of a long time in drinking terms.  I stopped by La Tienda de la Cerveza this morning for a "coincidental" encounter with my old cervecero friend, and also to pick up some new stock.  I've said many times I can hardly resist the dark beers, your stouts, your porters and the like.  So, there's a classically named porter, just sitting on the shelf for me!  Othello Porter.  And what a label!

That's a crime scene if I've ever seen one...which I haven't

It's a lovely chocolatey brown, a bit light on the head.  The foam is slightly cream colored, and is resistant enough to not disappear completely, leaving a little cap on top.  The smell is also strongly chocolatey; I'm already salivating.  The taste is a little disappointing at first.  Mildly plummy and earthy, but with a kind of watered-down flavor, only to get a second wind of fruity smokiness as the beer goes down.  The fruit, and expected porterness, sharpens over time, becoming a little wilder and fiercer.  Unlike some porters, the fruit isn't heavy or cloying, but a little bitter and with a nod to the forest.

Supplier: La Tienda de la Cerveza
Price: €3.15

just right for pillaging

Although summer's winding down, I have a lingering hankering for cooler climes.  That label evokes the winds of the north, which we could use down here a little.  Clean up the atmosphere a bit.

Drive your car by this guy, I dare ya

Viking Gose is a collaboration (of "Teutonic" proportions - ha!) between the German Vormann Brauerei and the Danish The Monarchy, but it says "Product of Germany" so I'm labeling it German.  The description of the brew - smoky, salty and zingy - is enticing.  Let's see if it lives up to the curiosity it piques.

When you get your nose to it, there is a definite odor of smoke, but it's delicate and you have to search for it.  There are some sharper, fruitier notes too, but they come out behind the smoke.  It's lighter than I expect smoky beers to be, but it's a pleasant, inviting color, with a nice fluffy head.  Interestingly, the flavors appear in reverse order to the smell, there being a tangy orangey taste noticeable first, with a little campfire/barbecue sliding in after.  This is a good eating beer, something that would go well with a milder tasting dish.  Some simple grilled meat or an uncomplicated pasta seem like good bets, since the flavor of the beer isn't something that should be ignored or challenged.  The smokiness gets less noticeable as the glass empties, leaving the zesty sweet citrus taste dominant.  Another reason to stay away from strong tasting foods, unless you know they go with heavy, tangy beers. 

Supplier: The Beer Garden
Price: €3.50