Following recent discussions within the Order regarding our personal storehouses, I thought it was just about time to pull something from the "cellar". Three selections from New Glarus's Unplugged Series have been lurking in those shadows (quite literally) for the last two years; it seemed only right to let them see the light of day this weekend.
The first to be sampled was the Cherry Stout; my recollection from the summer of 2010 was that there wasn't a lot of "stout" to this beer. My recollection did not lie.
Date - 19 May 2012
Venue - My house
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Appearance - Dark brown, nearly black on first glance; held to the light, however, it's shot through with clear ruby highlights. The small light tan head falls back quickly.
Smell - Sweet cherry front and center, jumping right out of the glass. Really that's the overriding aroma; maybe a little barrel quality hiding behind it, but the cherry really dominates.
Taste - Tons of cherry here from start to finish; notes of oak, bourbon, and vanilla at the end. Very full and sweet without being cloying. Complete and utter lack of stout roastiness.
Mouthfeel - Solid, sparkly carbonation. Especially given the sweetness of the cherry here, it could very well come across as soda-like with much more; keeping it under that threshold reminds you you're still drinking beer.
Overall - Up front, I'll admit I have a ridiculous sweet tooth. In no way does this come across as a stout, but I love the hell out of it. The huge cherry aroma and flavour are great, but the complexity of the oak qualities really enhance this beer; it's getting the wheels spinning in my head for what to brew come fall. DeAunn's summation was "Yumtastic!!!"; I have to agree.
- Br. Absalom
I got the same overwhelming cherry when I tried mine back in December. Really, really good if you like cherry, though! (And I do)
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