Mikkeller Geek Breakfast Beer

It was in my hand, and then it was taken away from me. And then, I got it back. The Mikkeller was a beer that evaded me for months on end. But, we finally got it and now it is going to go into my belly. Omnomnom.

This beer pours very black with a very full, dark tan head and it produced a nice lacing swirled around in my snifter. The smell was of chocolate and a lot of coffee - expected of this Breakfast Brew. The taste followed in the same suit being mostly coffee. This beer also didn't taste that alcoholic and had slight chocolate notes. The Mikkeller was also quite frothy - very smooth and satisfying. The texture had no bite from the alcohol content and it was very smooth and had a nice bit of carbonation as well.

This beer goes great with chocolate dishes - probably best as a dessert beer but we had it in the morning with chocolate-based dishes. I had chocolate chip French toast and Fonnie had chocolate chip pancakes. A great way to start the day off - we suggest you try it.

Appearance - 4.2
Smell - 4.1
Taste - 4.2
Texture - 4.0
Overall - 4.13/5

Brew Tasting the Thirty-Fourth

Today we are having a very special morning review, you'll know why soon enough, stand by.

Stone Brewing Co. Double Bastard Ale

This is just a souped-up version of the regular ol' arrogant bastard ale from Stone. Hopefully this will make it better, but you never know.

This bastard pours brown with slight red tint and a small tan head, very good lacing and overall it looks very similar to the normal arrogant bastard ale. The aroma is very well balanced and includes hints of raisins, plums, yeast, hops, and flowers. Almost smells as if someone mixed in sugar with a bed of flowers. The taste isn't nearly as sweet as the smell would have hinted to and overall its just a well balanced ale. There is a slight sweet maleness in the beginning which leads into a bitter hop finish. Good beer, and pretty much right on par with its weaker (ABV wise) cousin.

Appearance - 3.8

Smell - 4.0

Taste - 3.9

Texture - 3.9

Overall - 3.9/5

Stone Brewing Co. Double Bastard Ale

How can you be a Double Bastard? Wouldn't that be an orphan? I'm not feeling very PC today, so deal with it. Stone Brewing Co. would get along with me quite nicely.

The beer pours out a dark, amber color with minimal, tan head. The lacing was very nice and the body was a little cloudy. The smell was very sweet with bits of light fruits and floral hints. Overall, it was a very "balanced smell", as Fonnie put it. Basically, it didn't lean to any side on the spectrum but it had an identity - very refreshing. The taste was hoppy and bitter and not nearly as sweet as it smelled. It warmed the cockle of my heart...maybe the subcockles. It was also very woody and had the feeling of whiskey. The texture was rather smooth and warm the whole way down. It had a bit of notable carbonation, although it was kind of rough in the middle of the test.

Overall, this followed in the footsteps of the Bastard Ale in being a beastly brew that you shouldn't try unless you're looking to be surprised and tested as to the ability of yourself to take a rough beer. But, it's a good rough...pending you have a palate a little more mature than one that's only seen Coors Light.

Appearance - 4
Smell - 4.1
Taste - 4.1
Texture - 3.8
Overall - 4.0/5

Brew Tasting the Thirty-Third

We've already had the Bastard, why not try the Double Bastard? Two must be better than one, I would hope.

1. Stone Brewing Co. Double Bastard Ale