In unique pudgy bottle, mahogany-hued Vienna lager-styled Mexican never overpowers, remaining politely creamy and sweet. Soft-hopped grains and distant chocolate abjure fervent alcohol-soaped mocha-spiced finish. Unlike most dark beers, it lacks (but never misses) mocha richness and instead relies on mineral water crispness and slightest agave hint.
All posts by John Fortunato
MODELO ESPECIAL
Clear yellow appearance, light Scotch aromatics, and soft corn-sugared sweetness reminiscent of Miller High Life. White breaded yeast, fizzy carbonation, pleasant hop crispness, and agave hints round out fragile malt liquor-like South of the Border beer. Not as spicy as most Mexicans.
MOBJACK PALE ALE
Light amber-bodied fluffy white-headed Virginian provides aromatic soda bread delicacy to tangy sweet ‘n sour orange ripeness and musty floral punctuation. Doughy yeast longevity and soft hop temperance supplement dry citric finish well.
MISSISSIPPI MUD LAGER
Dim maple aroma matches brown sugar-influenced malt sweetness of this slow brewed bayou lager. Gentle hops melt mocha margin for subtle throat dryness. Richer than predictable grain-based competition and therefore more robust. Pliant chocolate finish lingers to mellow aftertaste.
MISSISSIPPI MUD BLACK & TAN
In jug-handled wide-mouth quart bottle, Mud seemingly combines robust English Porter with fine Continental pilsner. Dirty-grained caramel-maple entry, tart fig-date nucleus, and nutty molasses tweak surrender to fizzy metallic soaping. Perhaps the Delta Mud should be thicker, since this goes down too smooth for an otherwise acidic black & tan.
(MIRACLE) RED DEVIL ALE
Sampled directly after awful Drax Beer for real Halloween treat! Fetching red devil on label quite eye catching in its detail. As for ale inside, haunting chocolate residue and spooky yeast sediment strike first, but marauding mocha malt sweetness dies over time. Brewed as traditional English Ale, witchy tonic needs more ghoulish spicing. Serve with fangs. Brewery defunct: 2006.
(MIRACLE) ARK ANGEL ALE
While label claims Ark Angel is rich in taste and color, it will not scare away tidy pilsner lovers. Ale heads will quickly discover yummy chocolate-coated thickness and spiced-hop bottom. Not as heavy as a porter, allowing it to go down light and easy. Brewery defunct: 2006.
MINOTT’S BLACK STAR DOUBLE HOPPED GOLDEN LAGER
Soft barley undercurrent runs through well-hopped white-headed pale lager. Ample carbonation brings out creamy mocha malt luster, but lack of thick grain assertion hurts its ‘double hopped’ classification.
MINOTT’S BLACK STAR DOUBLE HOPPED AMBER LAGER
Silken foamy-headed amber-yellowed lager unites buttery mocha and sweet barley with lingered hop-fueled nuttiness. Soft creaminess envelops crisp Montana water flow. Closer to a smooth brown ale taste-wise, especially since it’s more complex than most lagers.
MILLSTREAM SCHOKOLADE BOCK LAGER
Cocoa-soured pumpernickel breading surrounds premature green grape and sugared fig accents to oaken-dried quince finish, picking up mineral grain earthiness. But expectant prune-like bock luster hidden beneath sputtering chocolate-caramel malting.
MILLSTREAM SCHILD BRAU AMBER
Coppery-russet Vienna-styled Oktoberfest links honeyed wheat sweetness to tannic grape dryness, vinous green apple souring, tart orange backdrop, and mild ginger spicing, picking up fresh cut grass, horsehair, and leather adjuncts along the way.
MILLSTREAM COLONY OATMEAL STOUT
Resilient mahogany-hued ruby-highlighted mocha-chalked stout matches thick nutty resonance to faded black chocolate creaminess and rich molasses residue. At finish, grain-roasted cereal oats belie oaken cedar-burnt coffee bittering.