"The Muddy" Imperial Stout from Goose Island

Brewed with molasses and brewer's licorice says the Goose Island website, as well as dark rock and candy sugar. Sweeeeet! They say it's inspired by Chicago Blues (Muddy Waters - get it?) with "amplified sweetness", and yes, it is sweet - very much so. Not as heavy as your vtypical imperial stout, more like a dark quad in mouthfeel. The licorice is very subdued, but all of the other stuff contributes to a brew that is like drinking candy. There are some other flavors and aromas as well: dark fruits and some apricot, and, as expected, some chocolate and coffee. A very complex beer by some of Americ's craft beer masters.

Odell's Fifty-Niner Golden Ale

Fifty-Niner is a limited edition ale by Odell Brewing. Classified as an American Wild Ale aged on oak staves. At 10% ABV, there's a little bit of alcohol heat, but not at all distracting from the crisp, clean flavor. Apples predominate, with a little pear, and a small bit of sourness as well. A nice finish to any meal.

New Belgium Lips of Faith Series: Salted Belgian Chocolate Stout

Part of the Joyce Christmas gathering for 2014, my son John brought a bottle of the New Belgium Lips of Faith Series, Salted Belgian Chocolate Stout. It was a nice combination: the sweet smoothness of a typical Belgian, balanced by the silky body brought on by the chocolate. A little lighter than you might expect from a stout, more like a porter; but what's in a name? There's also some coffee notes in the mix, as well as some dark fruit, especially black cherries.

Delerium Noël Belgian Ale

From the Brouwerij Huyghe (I have no idea how to pronounce that, but I think it's Flemish) in Belgium, most famous for their trippel, Delerium Tremens and Delerium Nocturmum, a Belgian dark ale, Delerium Noël, is their seasonal offering. Very smooth and sweet, with dark fruits: figs, black cherries and dates, as well as some apricot, apple and pear. A little bit of lemon zest as well. I'd characterize it as a quadrupel, although they don't use that term on their website. Definitely a sippin' beer even if there's not much alcohol heat despite the 10% ABV. A great addition to holiday gatherings.

Scotch Ale - Newcastle/Caledonia Brewery

This scotch ale is a collaboration between Newcastle, famous for their brown ale and Caledonia Brewing Company out of Edinburgh.

The ale poured a dark amber with a quickly receding three-finger head. There's a little smokiness, but not as much as one might expect from a scotch ale. Not too bad if you set the bar low.

Zipline Black IPA

Limited edition; get 'em while they last. This beer is a prime example of my adage: "Dark is just a color". Although Zipline Black IPA pours a black blacker than the blackest black, it isn't heavy, it's nothing that all of you dark beer haters out there think of when you think "dark beer". It's an India Pale Ale that forgot to use its sunscreen is what it is. I'm not detecting any coffee or chocolate or roasted malts or any of that dark beer stuff. Just some nice piney hops, a little bit of grapefruit, a hint of heat from the 8% ABV and just a damn good IPA that will put hair on your chest...or maybe take it off for the more hirsute among us. Slainte!

Goose Island Festivity Ale

Called Christmas Ale in year's past and Sixth Day Ale last year, Goose Island's holiday offering is usually a brown ale with some spices, and this year is no exception. I'll provide links to previous year's reviews below. Festivity Ale pours the color of dark brown sugar, and indeed there is some brown sugar and maple in the mix, along with cinnamon and nutmeg and some fig, raisin and black cerry as well. I believe that the recipe vcame out just right this year. The perfect winter warmer in my not-so-humble opinion.

2013:
http://ill-gottenbooty.blogspot.com/2013/11/goose-island-sixth-day-festive-brown-ale.html

2012:
http://ill-gottenbooty.blogspot.com/2012/11/goose-island-2012-christmas-ale.html

2011:
http://ill-gottenbooty.blogspot.com/2011/12/goose-island-christmas-ale-2011.html

Deschutes Obsidian Stout

Found this little beauty in the orphaned beer section of The Still yesterday. I've tried a few Deschutes beer this year, including their Black Butte Porter. Obsidian pours a deep, deep chocolate, almost, but not quite, black, with a frothy three-finger head. Chocolate/coffee aroma right off the bat, and a bit of black pepper on the backbeat. Roasted malt and some milky sweetness round it all out. This is an A-1 stout...an 8.5 out of 10 on the IGB scale.