Archive for the 'Mad River' category
Mad River “Steelhead” Extra Stout
This is a looooong overdue review for a beer that was sent to us months ago from the folks at the Beer of the Month Club. Although they have sadly stopped sending us our monthly allotment, they often treated us well, and we received a number of great beers here at SevenPack Central that would have been difficult to otherwise come by. While this beer has been around the fridge for a while, it’s a pretty strong stout, so I have a feeling is had only improved with this bit of age.
The Steelhead pours a dark and murky black color with a meager caramel head that begins substantial but settles to a paper thin covering over the beer. The aroma of this is very nutty with some light toffee undertones. In the mouth, this beer is a bit spicier than expected. It actually tingles a little bit at the front of the mouth, opening the tastebuds and preparing them for the rich flavor to come. After that first tingle, we’re hit with a big blast of sweet peanut that also carries a bit of caramel and a sort of gamey, rootsy flavor. Around the back of the mouth, we actually get some substantial bitterness, too. This must be a contribution from hop, although it is so drowned by the sweet nuttiness that it almost can’t be pinpointed as a hop bitterness – either way, it’s right tasty. In the aftertaste, this beer leaves us with lots of nut and some bitterness that lingers in the mouth and wafts up to the nose. While this is only the second Mad River beer we’ve had here at SevenPack, it’s an excellent contribution and a killer stout. This may be the last from our folks at BOMC, and we’ve enjoyed ‘em. Thanks!
Mad River “John Barleycorn” Barleywine Ale
I haven’t had a good barleywine ale in a while. It’s not because they’re not out there – it’s more about the fact that barleywine ale’s are much less at home during a sweltering NC summer than during the corresponding icey winters. Nevertheless, this brew has been sitting in the fridge for months on end now, and it’s time to clean house. Matty said something about planning to review this back in February – but after 6 months, I think you lose review dibs. So, Matt – take THAT…
This beer, as barleywines do, pours a dark brown/amber with some dense debris. The aroma of this isn’t terribly pungent, but it’s worth getting your nose into it, because it smells delicious. The aroma is very sweet and full with light hints of dark cherry and licorice. In the mouth, this beer first hits with sweet flavors of dark fruit like dark cherry with hints of grape. On through the mouth, this sweet swirls around until the back of the tongue where a sharp hop bitterness strikes. The bitterness hits solidly for a brief moment until it subsides into a lasting hoppy bitterness that remains into the aftertaste. The aftertaste complicates itself a little bit by tossing in some warm licorice tones and spiciness, and it sticks around for many seconds. Overall, I’d say this is one of the best American barleywine ales that I’ve yet had. It is rich and full without being cloying, and it is sharp and complex without having any particular flavor that overpowers the beer. Hats off to Mad River for this. I don’t know about any other Mad River beers out there, but I’m sure hoping I can find some others to try, ’cause this one is excellent.
