Midnight Sun Brewing Co.: XXX Black Double IPA

I don't really know anything about Alsaka's brewing tradition. I don't even know if it has a brewing tradition. But apparently there is at least one beer from Alaska in addition to Alaskan Amber--Midnight Sun Brewing Co.'s Black IPA. And I have to say, it kicks Alaskan Amber's ass.

I am very hit and miss with IPAs. I like the big bold hop flavors, but too often, I think, brewers are content to rest on a tastebud-obliterating dose of the stuff and give the other flavors short shrift. Not so here. Midnight Sun's Black IPA is actually very reminiscent of a traditional porter--a sweet/smoky malt flavor that maybe has some sort of dark fruit flavors in there. But whereas porters are generally not all that hoppy, this Black IPA follows on with a wallop of hops. Fortunately, the hops do not approach Ruination levels, leaving your tastebuds alive to enjoy the next sip.

It's always a pleasure to try a new brewery and be impressed with their very first offering that you sample. Based on first impressions, I'm expecting a lot more good stuff from Midnight Sun.

Alaskan Brewing Co: Stout

Happy New Years to all beer drinkers out there. If you celebrated 2009 with some drinks I hope you are feeling refreshed and recovered. This past NYE, I somehow mixed in a variety of beverages including tequila and champagne: which I immediately regretted the next morning. Despite some poor alcohol choices, I did manage to enjoy a couple fine beers before the festivities spun out of control.

One of the beers I sampled was Alaskan's Oatmeal Stout. I had this beverage really early in the night (with dinner actually) and thus I was able to sneak in a photo and I can remember enough to give you a solid review.

The first point of note is that the head on this stout is very dark. A heavy tan color with hints of brown. The foam is an indicator of a rich flavor to come. The drink hits the pallate with a sharp coffee and dark chocolate bitterness. The mouthfeel smooths out with some dark malty flavors. Overall I was quite surprised as a lot of oatmeal stouts have a light sweetness and oat flavor. This oatmeal stout reminded me of a traditional or export stout more than the oaty cousin. Maybe that's the reason Alaskan Brew Co. puts 'oatmeal stout' in small letters at the bottom of the label and the singular word 'stout' covers the center of the trade dress. Despite my surprise, it's a pretty tasty stout. It wasn't too thick and I was able to enjoy a couple before moving on to some other less worthy drink choices. Definitely a fine way to prepare for the new year. Cheers.

Alaskan Brewing Co: Amber Alt Style Beer

This may be the first beer I ever drank. While I don't have a specific memory of my first experience with beer (tragic I know), Alaskan Amber Alt Style Beer was always in my house growing up. Now the label and bottle cap have changed from a yellowy-orange to a bright red, but it's still the same beer that I remember from the refrigerator in my family's garage.

While the word 'amber' is prominently displayed on the bottom of the label, make sure to read the fine print as this is not an American style amber ale. Rather it's an altbier of German origin.

This alt style beer reminds me more of a subtle bock than anything else. The brew has basically no hop bitterness or bite at all. The hops are basically undetectable. The aftertaste has the German bock flavor with a faint sweet malty taste right at the very end. Add in a thin body and it's a very drinkable beer with not a ton kick. It's easy to enjoy a couple in a row but don't expect anything to overwhelm your taste buds.

While it's fun to think of a younger version of myself sneaking a few Alaskan Ambers from the family fridge, today I rarely commemorate the experience with the actual altbier. Generally I prefer Alaskan Brewing Company's other brews. Cheers.