Taking a Break

My wife and I were at our favorite tap bar, Vintage Estates , last weekend doing what we do best, drinking beer. Let me describe Vintage first. 30 taps, always good brews. I believe, 25 mead's. 30 different whiskey's and about 1000 beers in bottles. I could easily live there. Almost forgot, a ton of wine. Alcohol Heaven. So, we were people watching, as we often do. When one of our favorite bartender's sit down at the table next to us, drinking something from a newly tapped keg. She had just gotten off work and instead of leaving she would rather drink awesome beer at the place she works. It got me thinking why I love Vintage so much. Everybody that works there, drinks there. The time before that they were doing a mead and cup cake tasting and one of the other bartender's, on his day off, was there eating and sneaking us cup cakes. A couple months ago when we first walked in, the bar keep we see all the time poured my wife a sour ale that was just tapped because he knows she is crazy about sours. All he said was "I got something for you".  I guess my point is, these are the places that keep you coming back, this is definitely our Cheers.

Getting back to that keg they tapped. It was Boris barrel aged Oatmeal Imperial Stout by Hoppin Frog. It's 9.4% ABV. In a snifter, pours a crazy dark black with a nice tan head. Aroma is of roasted dark malts and caramel. Can smell slight oak, very subtle. The taste is of roasted chocolate and creamy, with a subtle oakiness, which balances the alcohol level, not overwhelming at all. This brew is well worth the price. Just have to try and sip it, as I would love to just swig the first glass. Highly recommend this brew, probably one of my favorites out of Hoppin Frog.