Reblog if you’d like 3 messages from a curious anon.
Review: Evil Twin Yin & Yang (Bottles)
This is one of the coolest concepts I’ve come across in craft beer: two beers that can be tried separately, but are intended to be mixed to create an entirely new concoction. Yang is an Imperial IPA and Yin an Imperial Stout. Upon mixing they create what some call a black IPA, or perhaps a hoppy stout. Anyway I’ll review each beer separately than the combo.
Yang
Very sweet honey aroma. The flavors are more reminiscent of a golden barleywine/strong ale with tons of caramel, honey, some peach/apricot, and finally a grapefruit finish with some rum heat.
8.75/10
Yin
This stout is pretty fantastic: a complex and unique palate of molasses, oak, dark chocolate, vanilla, dark fruit, and a rich cake butter dessert character.
9.5/10
Yin & Yang
Mixing the two beers creates a black beer the same color as Yin. Though I mixed them both equally, the flavors of Yin are more apparent. Dark chocolate is emphasized and some coffee notes suddenly become noticeable. These are mixed by tons of honey and caramel from the IPA, creating a sticky sweet stout. Tons of flavor, though the balance is a bit off. Still really good.
9.25/10
Review: Duchesse de Bourgogne (Tap)
Went to Maduro’s Cigar Bar in Madison last night in the middle of a huge thunderstorm, which made for a pretty cool environment. If you’re ever in the Wisco capital on a weeknight I would definitely recommend it for a good list of about 20 taps and of course lots of cigars if that’s your thing. Anyway Duchesse de Bourgogne is a very old and pretty famous Sour Ale from Brouwerij Verhaeghe in Belgium, and for good reason. Aged in oak casks as many sour ales are, this is a relatively complex beer. The aroma is mostly olive, red wine, and cherries, with those following through on the taste buds where they are accompanied by raspberry, wood, and some rich sugary malts. It’s a little sweet and perhaps not quite sour enough, but for an affordable sour ale, you won’t do too much better than this.
Niko (FF) Score = 9/10
