Bison Chocolate Stout

Site

The Bison Chocolate Stout was something I picked up on a whim during a pilgrimage to the local BevMo. It came highly recommended by my cashier, who is starting to recognize me--an unsettling thought. Nonetheless, it was an intriguing prospect as it claims to be completely organic, which for a beer means ... well, actually I have no idea what forms of regulation are in place in the beer industry for such terms, so it could be completely meaningless.

The immediate taste is reminiscent of coffee; not quite to the espresso level, but certainly carrying a bit of bitterness, which I can only assume is due to the charring of the grains used in the brewing process. Not a lot of malt or hops present, leaving the grain flavors to stand on their own. The carbonation is medium-high, resulting in a slight burn on the tongue that is not due to alcohol (the alcohol burn itself is relatively low). For a stout, this is surprisingly refreshing; most stouts tend to be high-gravity thick beers that coat the mouth like cough syrup, but the Bison keeps the gravity low, which I certainly appreciate.

Pairing Suggestions
This would actually be a decent dessert beer, largely due to the coffee notes present. It would go well with vanilla ice cream or, if you're into chocolate-fruit pairings, raspberries and chocolate or something along those lines. It might work for cheesecake, but I'm not sure that it has enough acidity to cut through the richness of cream cheese.

Stone Ruination Ale

Site

At the risk of coming across as one of those people who sit around with fellow snobs talking about a particular drink's "mouthfeel" and "citrusy notes", this post marks a style that is new to my blog: a brief review of something I recently (or more often than not, not-so-recently) consumed. In most cases, this will involve beer or wine, but this could certainly change at my every whim. This is ostensibly in an attempt to keep track of the many varieties I end up trying, if for nothing else than to make sure I keep track of mistakes and don't end up repeating them. These posts will most likely come across as standard wine-tasting elitist jargon, but hell, it's my blog so shut up.


Stone's Ruination is a fitting first review post as it's one of my favorite beers for the time being. In my book, it is the India Pale Ale against which all other IPAs are judged, and as such, little that I end up drinking meets with its high standard. In my relatively limited home-brewing attempts, I've already tried to match its splendor twice, both times with inadequate (albeit still tasty) results. The only problem I have with this beer is that, much like most craft brews, it comes with a rather high price tag and must be enjoyed infrequently lest one's wallet protest too much.

After the inital pour, Ruination exudes a great deal of fruit in the smell alone, largely citrusy (ha! Told you!), but with some sweetness in the end. Its taste evokes a combination of pear, apple, and lemon flavors tempered with the IPA's signature high level of hops. The carbonation level is medium, balancing well with the crispness of the taste. The hops are not as bitter as one might expect, but this is probably due in part to the fruit helping to moderate the alpha acids present. As would be expected, there is little in the way of malt flavor, resulting in a low-gravity beer that is quite refreshing for a warm day.

Pairing Suggestions
Dishes designed to accentuate the beer's fruitiness (or rather, vice versa I suppose) would be best. It works well with fattier foods as the acid levels help cut through the richness present in the food itself. Fish, particularly catfish, works quite nicely. Tomatoes or cole slaw are also good ideas.