The Swill: Lost Abbey Serpent's Stout
The Still: Port Brewing Company
San Marcos, California
http://www.lostabbey.com
The Drill: Imperial Stout, 25.4oz bottle, 11.0% ABV, available early winter
The Spill: This is a monster. It pours black, with a maple head. The malts are prevalent in the nose, but not as a burnt offering as many bold, roasty stouts are. Rather, the notes that come out in the aroma are mainly of grape and chocolate. The mouthfeel is highly carbonated, and not extremely dense as a result, but it does leave a lingering film on the roof of the mouth. The flavors start with black licorice, an all-too-brief visit of chocolate and dark-roasted coffee, followed by alcohol and a winey, dark fruit finish. Further down the bottle, by the second glass or so, the chocolate and coffee begin to emerge more prominently, allowing for more enjoyment as the beer truly begins to open up down the stretch.
Says Bill: The definition of a session beer is one that is drunk repeatedly over an extended period of time. However, this beer is a session in itself, as you can't drink it down in one fell swoop. In fact, I spent two hours enjoying this behemoth. Taking your time on a quality beer allows several things: the beer is allowed to warm closer to room temperature, which often brings more flavors out; it also becomes aerated, like a wine that "breathes," which can also enhance the beer's defining characteristics. Lastly, it keeps you from getting so hammered off of an 11% beer that you wind up tasting your last meal more than what you're drinking now. All of these things are crucial to maximum enjoyment, but perhaps none moreso than being cognizant of the fact that you can't truly experience a beer and reexperience macaroni salad at the same time.
Refill?: Come to think of it, I can't think of any beer that's best served with macaroni salad: 4 taps out of 5.