Hello Kitty beer. Because, I suppose, why not?

Hello Kitty beer, by Long Chaun Brewery in Taiwan

Kotaku has a detailed write-up on this new Chinese "endeavor". In short: six fruit-flavored varieties, 2.3% alcohol, and dangerously yummy and smooth to drink.

Doom, ever closer to you we slide. But at least it tastes good.

follow me on Untappd

At the insistence of several associates, I am now playing around with Untappd, a "mobile based social network for beer enthusiasts". Thus far, I find it both cute and amusing, and at the very least it's an easy way to record quick reactions to the brews I'm enjoying. Feel free to check me out there, and play along if interested!

Saint Patrick's Day 2011 beer brawl: Guinness 250th Anniversary Stout v. McSorley's Irish Black Lager

It is Saint Patrick's Day, and time for an Irish beer brawl. Let's get in on!

Guinness 250th  Anniversary Stout

Vitals:

• Brewery: Guinness and Company
  

• Style: Dry Stout (Category 13A, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 5%

• Serving: 12 ounce bottle, served with a single pour into a chilled pint

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 8 - A near opaque ruby-brown, with a well-carbonated brown sudsy head that fades into a thick lace.

• Nose: 4 - Teasingly faint, mainly bready and roasty malts.
  

• Taste: 5 - An unassuming bready malt upfront, fading into a faint roasty bitter finish.
  

• Mouthfeel: 4 - Thin and highly carbonated, with a bready, bitter aftertaste.
  

• Holistic: 4 - A perfectly acceptable beer overall, but a bloody disappointment as a 250th anniversary brew from one of the world's oldest, iconic breweries.
  

Overall: 25 - Really, Guinness? This is how you embody 250 years of brewing experience?! Come on.

McSorley's Irish Black Lager

Vitals:

• Brewery: Pabst Brewing Company
  

• Style: Dark Lager (Category 4, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 5.5%

• Serving: 12 ounce bottle, served with a single pour into a chilled pint

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 8 - Also a near opaque ruby-brown, with a well-carbonated brown sudsy head that fades more quickly into a thin lace.

• Nose: 4 - Again, similar to the Guinness with faint bready and roasty malts.
  

• Taste: 6 - A bready malt backbone with a hit of roast in the middle of the swallow, and again at the end, for a biphasic effect.
  

• Mouthfeel: 7 - Smooth, with moderate body and carbonation, and a pleasant roasty aftertaste.
  

• Holistic: 7 - Quite good and drinkable, and a much stronger overall creation than the Guinness.

Overall: 32 - I still can't wrap my head around the fact that Pabst makes this on behalf of the McSorley's name, and puts out something worth drinking. It's a damn solid brew that makes for an excellent session beer on this sacred day.

The Verdict

McSorley's wins. The 250 pound heavyweight Guinness just got knocked out by Pabst dressed as an angry Irish midget. That's crazy... I need a drink.

Big Boss Blanco Diablo

While we were at ReConStruction, we discovered a mostly wonderful gastro pub called the Oxford near the convention center. I had the Blanco Diablo with a rather amazing orange duck entree.

Big Boss Blanco Diablo, cc by-nc-sa image from John Cmar on Flickr

Vitals:

• Name: Blanco Diablo Wit Ale
  

• Brewery: Big Boss Brewing Company
  

• Style: Witbier (Category 16A, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 4.5%

• Serving: draft pint
  

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 5 - A deep, hazy golden-amber body, with a thin white head that fades quickly with no lace.

• Nose: 2 - Barely present - predominately wheat and bready malt notes, with a hint of spice.
  

• Taste: 7 - A bitter hit upfront, seeming to be a mix of spice, low-level hops, and a sourness it was hard to pinpoint. The wheat flavor comes out strongly in the middle and persists with the spice through the end, with some neutral fruity flavors, reminiscent of apple or pear.
  

• Mouthfeel: 7 - Smooth, with moderate body and low carbination.
  

• Holistic: 6 - A good and quite drinkable witbier, but a bit more bitter upfront than I was expecting from the style.
  

Overall: 27 - A solid, if not spectacular, example of the style. It certainly works well as a summer beer, and complimented my orange duck nicely. I wouldn't specifically seek this out, but would have it again if available.

Dogfish Head Sah'tea, and a specifically raised glass

I cracked this open tonight in order to raise a glass, in spirit, with Tee.

*raises glass*

Vitals:

• Name: Dogfish Head Sah'Tea
  

• Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales
  

• Style: Specialty Beer (Sahti) (Category 23, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 9%

• Serving: 25.4-ounce bottle, chilled, served in a freezer-stored Harpoon IPA pint glass
  

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 5 - A deep, hazy golden body, with a sudsy white head that fades to a thin lace.

• Nose: 8 - Quite complex, with fruity juniper components, a mix of spices (predominantly chai related, & ginger seemed particularly apparent), and a honey-sugary sweetness.
  

• Taste: 8 - Very similar to the scent profile. Honey and sugar notes predominate upfront, with a mixed spicy and juniper-fruity kick through the middle to the finish, which has a hint of clove. The alcohol is well-concealed.
  

• Mouthfeel: 7 - Moderate body with low to medium level of carbonation that works very well. Sweetly cloying, leading to a slight sticky aftertaste.
  

• Holistic: 8 - Very smooth and drinkable for its ABV, and an incredibly interesting mix of flavors. The aftertaste and strong flavor profile do limit how much I'd be interested in enjoying in one sitting.
  

Overall: 36 - Tee recently mentioned that this was his new favorite Dogfish Head beer, and while it doesn't eclipse my ridiculous fandom of the as-yet-unreviewed 120 Minute IPA, it comes close. I've never had a brew in the Sahti style before, and Dogfish's take on it is certainly makes it unique. I'll be definitely seeking this out as a beer for special occasions, working best with a fruit-based dessert pairing or alone. For more on the Sahti style and Dogfish's take on it, I refer you to the following:

Clipper City Gold Ale

Laura and I went out for ribs yesterday, which is as close to a mandate for beer as any meal can be. I was pleased to find that Clipper City Gold was on tap to compliment our repast.

Vitals:

• Name: Clipper City Gold Ale
  

• Brewery: Clipper City Brewery
  

• Style: Blonde Ale (Category 6B, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 4.9%

• Serving: 23-ounce draft
  

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 7 - A deep gold body, with a thick white head that fades to a clingy lace.

• Nose: 2 - Malty and barely present.
  

• Taste: 6 - Bready malt predominates up front, with grassy hop flavor asserting itself in the middle and end.
  

• Mouthfeel: 8 - Lighter in body with moderate and balanced carbonation. No aftertaste.
  

• Holistic: 8 - Incredibly drinkable, and very well-balanced. This struck me as great for sessioning, be it alone or with a meal.
  

Overall: 31 - The blonde ale is a tamer style than what I usually seek out to drink, but this impressed me quite a bit with it's balance of unexaggerated flavors and mouthfeel. This is an excellent choice not only as a session beer, but also as a great brew to introduce those used to the American light lager style to the broader realm of beer reality.

Clipper City Yule Tide

Clipper City is an excellent local brewery, and their limited edition Mutiny Fleet line of 22-ounce beers is something I haven't kept up with as much as I'd like. In any case, 'tis the season, so I was compelled to pick this up when I saw it.

Vitals:

• Name: Clipper City Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet Yule Tide Belgian Tripel Ale
  

• Brewery: Clipper City Brewery
  

• Style: Belgian Tripel (Categories 18C, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 10.0%

• Serving: 22-ounce bottle, chilled, served in a freezer-stored Guinness historic-style pint glass

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 4 - Pours a cloudy amber, with a white head foamy head that fades quickly to minimal lace.

• Nose: 6 - Spices, cloves, and a bit of fruit. A bit tamer than expected.
  

• Taste: 6 - Hit of spices, estery-fruits, and sweetness upfront, with the aforementioned sweetness and a booziness asserting themselves more in the middle. Sour notes and alcohol in the finish.
  

• Mouthfeel: 5 - Light to moderate-bodied with minimal carbonation, but with a cloying, syrupy quality. Moderate spicy aftertaste.
  

• Holistic: 4 - Somewhat disappointing. This seemed a bit unfocused compared with other Belgian Tripels. The flavors involved weren't distinct, and the persistent sticky-sweetness with the sour notes was a bit of a turn-off.
  

Overall: 25 - Clipper City makes several quite enjoyable Belgian-style beers, and I went in with the assumption that this higher-ABV, limited edition would be more of the same... and it just didn't quite work for me. This isn't a bad beverage by any stretch, but clearly did not attain a level of complexity and balance I'd expect from a high end "flagship" holiday brew. Worth seeking out only if you are a Clipper City fan or a completest.

Troegs Mad Elf Ale

This is one of my favorite seasonal beers, and I picked some up as per my annual compulsion. I'll admit a special fondness for this beverage, as it plays an important role in the genesis of my online handle of "Cmaaarrr!!!" But that is a tale for another time...

Vitals:

• Name: Troegs Mad Elf Ale
  

• Brewery: Troegs Brewing Company
  

• Style: Fruit Beer, based on Belgian Strong Dark Ale (Categories 20 and 18E, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 11.0%

• Serving: 12-ounce bottle, chilled, served in a freezer-stored Samuel Adams Boston Lager Pint Glass

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 6 - Pours a deep reddish-brown, with a minimal white head that fades quickly to nothing.

• Nose: 7 - Dominant cherry aroma with a strong undercurrent of malt.
  

• Taste: 8 - Bready malts and cherries upfront, moving to a strong hit of sweet and spicy cherries in the middle, which fades to a slight alcoholic bitterness in the end. Honey and other spice flavors are subtle throughout.
  

• Mouthfeel: 5 - Moderate-bodied with minimal carbonation, and a mild spice aftertaste.
  

• Holistic: 7 - A well-crafted brew that manages to centerpiece the cherry and honey components, yet keeps them well-balanced in the overall style. I suspect that a bit more carbonation, as well as drinking this at a slightly warmer temperature, would inspire an even higher rating.
  

Overall: 33 - This is a great, strong holiday beer that carries a truly unique character, and doesn't fall into the "holiday brew trap" over over-spicing. While certainly one of the more balanced fruit beers I've had, the strength of the cherry flavor can be a bit much if consuming several in a short timespan. Recommended as a necessary, but occasional, winter beverage.

Oh, and a very Happy Thanksgiving to all whom it applies to. :)

Dogfish Head Lawnmower

During a recent dinner at the Dogfish Head Alehouse in Gaithersburg, MD, I elected to try the Lawnmower, which is billed as their "starter" beer for people who are used to drinking the standard American lager. I figured that I needed to try it once, and that it couldn't be that bad...

Vitals:

• Name: Dogfish Head Lawnmower
  

• Brewery: Dogfish Head
  

• Style: American pale ale (Category 10A, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 4.0%

• Serving: draft pint
  

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 3 - Hazy straw yellow with a scant white head that faded to a faint lace.

• Nose: 1 - A hint of bready malt, but barely present.
  

• Taste: 4 - A gentle hit of grassy hop bitterness upfront, with grainy malts predominating through the middle to the finish.
  

• Mouthfeel: 4 - Light-bodied throughout, with a small amount of carbonation. No aftertaste.
  

• Holistic: 4 - Clearly better than any American lager, but not something I'd seek out in most circumstances, especially given that it's only served at Dogfish Head alehouses where every other beer available is far more interesting.
  

Overall: 16 - In the interest of full disclosure, both stronger beer and rich food were had before trying the Lawnmower, which very likely downplayed my appreciation. Other reviews I've seen have scored it significantly higher in the nose and taste departments, which may also have been a keg factor as well. In any case, not something I'll seek out again, but definitely recommended for those not used to the strength and richness of Dogfish Head's other brews.

Dogfish Head Theobroma

To say that I have been anticipating this beer for quite awhile now is understatement most pure. After giving up actively looking for it, due to scarcity of supply, I finally stumbled on a few bottles at the King's Contrivance Liquors and Smoke Shop last weekend. The hype of this brew's ingredients and origin were nigh-legendary - but did it live up to my expectations?

Vitals:

• Name: Dogfish Head Theobroma
  

• Brewery: Dogfish Head
  

• Style: Spice/herb/vegetable beer (Category 21A, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 9.0%

• Serving: 25.4-ounce bottle, chilled, served in a freezer-stored Samuel Adams Boston Lager Pint Glass

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 6 - Pours a peach-amber color, that resides clear in the glass, and is a deep gold towards the bottom. The head is foamy and white, fading slowly to a moderate lace.

• Nose: 5 - Subtle, with notes of citrus, honey, cocoa, and a spicy background.
  

• Taste: 7 - A solid mix of equal parts fruity base and honey, with a hint of cocoa in the background. The chili flavor builds up strong in the middle and through the end, where it leaves a pleasant burn in the aftertaste, mixed with a residual sweetness.
  

• Mouthfeel: 8 - The body and carbonation are medium and well-balanced, and consistant throughout each drink. Beyond the chili spice, there's little aftertaste to speak of.
  

• Holistic: 6 - The varying tastes and ingredients are so well balanced that beyond the chili flavor, none of them stand out. The cocoa in particular seems to be barely present, and lost in the shuffle.
  

Overall: 32 - A good beer, but not at all what I was expecting. From the initial descriptions of ingredients, I was looking for a cocoa/chocolate punch that never came, but was pleasantly surprised by the chili intensity. All in all, far more balanced than I anticipated, and quite quaffable. It strikes me as been good for an occasional glass, but not quite unique enough to seek out on a regular basis.

Fordham Doppelbock

Much to my pleasure, I discovered a solitary remaining bottle of this in my fridge from a purchase several months ago. I've had this on draft at the Ram's Head Tavern at Savage Mill, and is my favorite of their seasonal selections.

Vitals:

• Name: Fordham Doppelbock

• Brewery: Fordham Brewing Company

• Style: Doppelbock (Category 5C, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 8.0%

• Serving: 12-ounce bottle, chilled, served in a freezer-stored Harpoon IPA pint glass

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 8 - Pours a rich brown color, that resides as a deep brown-ruby in the glass. The head is a thick sudsy brown, that fades to no lace.

• Nose: 6 - More subtle in intensity than expected. A bready and sweet maltiness predominates, with fig notes in the backround.

• Taste: 7 - A sweet, dark fruitiness is strong up front, akin to fig or plum. The middle sees some smokey and spicy flavors come out, but they don't overwhelm the other flavors. There is an alcohol burn in the finish, along with a gentle bitterness.

• Mouthfeel: 6 - The body starts out full, but fades quickly to a surprising thinness, and no aftertaste.

• Holistic: 7 - This works well for me overall, although several aspects, such as the mouthfeel, don't fully jive with the strength of the style.

Overall: 34 - Despite having a lesser opinion of the lager style as a whole, doppelbocks are something I find quite appealing. This offering is a local seasonal favorite of mine, despite being somewhat uneven in terms of representing doppelbocks as a whole. It complements a hearty meal well, and it even lends itself to sessioning for those of stronger constitutions.

Southern Tier Creme Brulee Imperial Milk Stout

I was recently turned on to a new local beverage store, the Perfect Pour, and I am insanely happy to have found it - they have the single best beer selection I have yet seen in my area. This particular brew came highly recommended from the staff, and I was not disappointed.

Vitals:

• Name: Creme Brulee Imperial Milk Stout
  

• Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company
  

• Style: Sweet Stout (Category 13B, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 10.0%

• Serving: 22-ounce bottle, chilled, served in a freezer-stored Rifts pint glass
  

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 9 - Pours a totally opaque brown-black, with no light penetration. The head is brown and foamy, fading slowly to a thin lace.

• Aroma: 10 - Simply amazing. A powerful slug of vanilla, with butterscotch-caramel notes and a slight alcoholic undercurrent.
  

• Taste: 9 - Very sweet, with a strong mix of vanilla and chocolate notes upfront. Roasty butterscotch and coffee flavors come out in the middle, with a pleasant bitter roastiness in the finish that persists. Little evidence of its high alcohol content.
  

• Mouthfeel: 9 - Thick and rich, with little carbonation evident. Very smooth and silky.
  

• Holistic: 9 - This mad hybrid of a dessert, a coffee drink, and a beer just blew me away. Wow.
  

Overall: 46 - Very impressive. While not for swift consumption or for all occasions, this is a serious treat that seems best at home complimenting dessert after a large meal. I definitely intend to pick this up again, perhaps to go along with a holiday dinner or two.

Kells Irish Style Lager

I bid you a happy St. Patrick's Day! My previous musings from last year can be found here. I stopped by Calvert to pick up something appropriate to celebrate the day with, and chose this brew, which I have not sampled before. I may have chosen poorly...

Vitals:

• Name: Kells Irish Style Lager
  

• Brewery: Rogue Ales
  

• Style: Premium American Lager (Category 1C, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 5.0%

• Serving: 22-ounce bottle, chilled, served in a freezer-stored "Playing for Keeps" pint glass

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 3 - Pours a dark straw color, mostly clear, but with a slight precipitate haze towards the bottom. The frothy white head slowly fades to a clumpy film.

• Aroma: 3 - Very low, with grainy malts and the barest hint of apple.

• Taste: 3 - Fairly crisp and dry upfront, with mild grainy flavor balanced with hop bitterness. The latter persists in the center as the malt fades. No other notable flavors detected. A slight bitter remainder in the finish that fades swiftly.

• Mouthfeel: 3 - Light, but not overly watery. Well-carbonated with a slight bite.
  

• Holistic: 2 - Just didn't do it for me. This style is low down on my list, and my expectations of something described as an "Irish Style Lager" were quite disappointed.
  

• Overall: 14 - Post-drink research demonstrates that the intent of this libation was to create an "American beer that would float Guinness," done so by the owners of the Kells Irish Pubs of the west coast. In that, it seems they've succeeded - hence my disappointment in looking for a classically "Irish" beverage. Their website claims that this beer has a "green apple bite flavor," which would have made it far more interesting had I detected it. This would make a good session beer, however, if better choices were not available.
  

Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine, 2008 Release

I happened across this brew the other night at Calvert, which had just been released by Stone as their current seasonal offering.

Vitals:

• Name: Old Guardian Barley Wine, 2008 Release
  

• Brewery: Stone Brewing Company

• Style: American Barleywine (Category 19C, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 11.26%

• Serving: 22-ounce bottle, chilled, served in a freezer-stored "Playing for Keeps" pint glass

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 6 - Pours a strong copper that is initially hazy, but gains clarity as it warms. Topped with a white effervescent head that slowly fades to a lacy sheet.

• Aroma: 5 - Predominantly malty, with a hint of fruit and spice. More subdued than expected.

• Taste: 7 - Strong malt flavor upfront, accompanied by fruity and spicy notes. Hop bitterness becomes more assertive in the center. Alcohol notable, but not overwhelming. Lingering bitterness and bready notes in the finish.

• Mouthfeel: 7 - Moderate but not quite full-bodied, with notable alcohol warmth. Slight dryness to the finish.

• Holistic: 7 - Tasty, but "less extreme" of a take on this style than I was expecting from Stone. The nose was slightly disappointing.

• Overall: 32 - A great offering. Beats many barleywines I've tried, but doesn't unseat the Dogfish Head Olde School as my favorite of the style.

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron

Through fortuitous circumstances, two cases arrived at Calvert (one of my three local Beer Meccas) the day before I stopped by. As I've been looking forward to this new release from Dogfish Head, as previously described, I walked away with a nice supply.

Vitals:

• Name: Santo Palo Marron ("Holy Tree Brown")
• Brewery: Dogfish Head
• Style: Wood-Aged Beer (Category 22C, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines) - aged in 10,000-gallon Paraguayan Palo Santo wood brewing vessels
  
• Alcohol: 12%
• Serving: 12-ounce bottle, chilled, served in freezer-stored "Celebrating 25 Years of Palladium Books" pint glass

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 9 - Pours a completely opaque dark brown that is nearly black, and impenetrable to light. Topped with a thick, sudsy brown head that fades slowly to a thin lace. Looks beautiful!
• Aroma: 7 - Malty, with caramel notes, and a surprising lack of alcohol for its ABV. Tempting, but relatively mild.
• Taste: 8 - Sweet and malty, with predominant caramel and vanilla notes, with a slight hint of coffee. Notable but mild smokiness appears midway. No lingering aftertaste.
• Mouthfeel: 8 - Moderate to slightly heavy, but not cloying. Very smooth.
• Holistic: 8 - Tasty, very well-balanced, and more subtle than expected. If it's possible for a brew of this strength to be smooth and balanced enough to be a session beer, then this is it.
• Overall: 40 - I am very impressed. Dogfish Head has pulled off subtle artistry where I was expecting something more pronounced, and in a beer style that's not my first choice. I'll definitely be seeking out the Palo Santo Marron when it's available.

Dogfish Head 2008 Beer Release Schedule and New Brew Preview

Dogfish Head has published its beer release schedule for the year. 2008 may now officially begin! (Well, I jest with that last bit. A little.)

I am an unabashed fan of Dogfish Head's brews. While I am enthusiastic about seeking out and trying different beers from any (and all, eventually) microbreweries, DFH continues to maintain a particular hold on my refrigerator. Their variety of offerings is amazing in terms of style and flavor, and their degree of quality is consistantly excellent. I have honestly only ever been disappointed in two of their beers - the Chicory Stout and the Festina Peche - and in both case, because I found them to be merely "good." A list of my preferred beverages would be solidly dominated by DFH selections, and topped with my all-time favorite, the ridiculously extreme 120 Minute IPA.

So, it is with great enthusiasm that I peruse the 2008 schedule. As usual, there is a core selection of Year-Round Beers, as well as Seasonal Releases. I am greatly pleased that the Midas Touch Golden Elixir (another personal favorite, and the beverage singlehandedly responsible for my last name being a vengeful cry in some circles: "Cmaaarrr!" - a story for another time) has been reinstated this year in a more year-round capacity.

Of greater note is the extensive list of Limited Releases, which are some the most creative, excellent, and downright bizarre brews in existence anywhere. These include the previously revered 120 Minute IPA, the awesome World Wide Stout, and the brilliant Burton Baton... the last of which I need to keep an eye out for next month, because it was quite teh skarce in 2007. That said, there are two all-new beverages on the list, and I am seriously excited.

The first of these is the Palo Santo Marron, or "Holy Tree Brown," which is new to bottled distribution. It was previously available once before, at the end of 2006, on-tap only in their Rehoboth Beach brewpub location. This one sounds quite interesting - from the website:

An unfiltered, unfettered, unprecedented brown ale aged in handmade wooden brewing vessels. The caramel and vanilla complexity unique to this beer comes from the exotic Paraguayan Palo Santo wood from which these tanks were crafted. Palo Santo means "holy tree" and it's wood has been used in South American wine-making communities.

This beer is a 12% abv, highly roasty, and malty brown ale aged on the Palo Santo wood. It was a huge hit at our Rehoboth Beach brewpub when first released in November of 2006, so it's coming back... into full production.

At 10,000 gallons each, these are the largest wooden brewing vessels built in America since before Prohibition. It's all very exciting. We have wood. Now you do too.

That said, the one I'm incredibly stoked for is the Theobroma - "Food of the Gods." Tee and I heard a vague bit about this a few weeks back at the Gaithersburg brewpub, and its great to have some more details. By way of background, DFH has a working relationship with the University of Pennsylvania archeology department. If drinking vessels are found at a dig site, they are subjected to molecular archaeological techniques to analyze the residue of the evaporated contents. If the findings seem to be of an unusual fermented beverage, then DFH has been able to get access to the deduced components of the drinks, and "resurrect" libations that may not have been brewed for thousands of years. Products thus far include the previously venerated Midas Touch (discovered in the tomb of a Phrygian ruler in ~700 B.C. who is believed to have inspired the tales of King Midas), the wonderful Chateau Jiahu (found in the 9,000 year-old Neolithic village of Jiahu in Hinan province, Northern China), and now... Theobroma. From the website:

This beer is based on chemical analysis of pottery fragments found in Honduras which revealed the earliest known alcoholic chocolate drink used by early civilizations to toast special occasions. The discovery of this beverage pushed back the earliest use of cocoa for human consumption more than 500 years to 1200 BC. As per the analysis, Dogfish Head’s Theobroma (food of the gods) is brewed with Aztec cocoa powder and cocoa nibs, honey, chilies, and annatto (fragrant tree seeds). Theobroma is 10% abv and will be available in Champagne bottles for an August 2008 release. Special kegs from our test batches may be available earlier in the year at Dogfish events around the country!

Yes, 2008 is shaping up to be an excellent year for libation enthusiasm!