Sam Adams Black & Brew Coffee Stout

Okay, I broke into the Sam Adams Winter Classics variety pack and few days before my self-imposed cutoff date of November 1st...but I think you'll forgive me. Black & Brew is a 5.8% ABV coffee stout. It pours with a one finger head, and is a dark brown with reddish highlights. The coffee taste from the Sumatran beans dominates the taste, but there are hints of vanilla and a little caramel as well. I suspect this may be based on their cream stout; it has its thick, creamy richness and the understated hoppiness. I think this will be one of my go-to beers for the holidays

Autumn is on the way out...winter sneaking in

Partly due to my adherence to Celtic/Northern European notions of when the seasons change and partly due to when the seasonal beers actually arrive, I view the start of the seasons on November 1 for Winter, February 1 for Spring, May 1 for Summer and August 1 for Autumn. This is usually the switch-over point when I start drinking the new seasonals.

Right now, in recognition of October winding down I am working my way through a Sam Adams Harvest Collection. Today, I had the last two Irish Reds, which is a year-round beer, but fits in well with the Oktoberfests and Autumn Ales. I have a black lager left as well, and two Oktoberfests that will in all likelihood go down the hatch on October 31st. The Pumpkin Ales will probably cross over through Thanksgiving.

With the immanence of Winter, look for plenty of reviews on stouts and porters, as well as Christmas Ales, Winter Warmers and Spiced beers. 

Sam Adams Winter Classics is Here!

• Boston Lager (of course!)
• Old Fezziwig Ale
• Holiday Porter
• Winter Lager
• Chocolate Bock
• Black & Brew Coffee Stout (new this year)

Watch for reviews! Ill-Gotten Booty's Official Winter Beer Season Kicks off in 12 days! 

Slow Elk Oatmeal Stout

I usually don't hit the stouts and winter warmers until after the Celtic Winter season begins on November 1st, but I wanted to get an advance taste of things to come...and the local spirits superstore has a few in stock already. I admit that the label caught my eye first, but I've had previous good luck with Big Sky Brewing Company (Missoula Montana). Slow Elk was a dark dark color, which I thought was black until I shone my high intensity reading lamp through it and saw that it was actually an incredibly deep ruby red, almost like a Dr. Pepper. It poured pretty thick, almost, but not quite in the "beer shake" category. The head stayed in place for quite a while, about four fingers worth that oh-so-slowly dissipated. Lots of typical stout tastes: chocolate, coffee and roasted malt. Pretty good introduction to the season of darkness.

Woodchuck Hard Cider - Pumpkin

Not really a beer, but I saw some at The Still's seasonal end and wanted to get in as many Fall seasonals as I could before November first: my version of the beginning of Winter and the dark and spiced beer season. The apple is the predominant taste, but you catch the pumpkin and spices (nutmeg, cinnamon) at the back of the tongue going down. I recommend this for Halloween parties, or even for Thanksgiving dinner.