"He's no good to me dead..."

Who all loves Star Wars? I for one am a big fan. Who all loves beer? I mean... yeah... you're here reading this now aren't you? well, Monday Night Brewing peaked my mutual interest with their Han Brolo Pale Ale.

This unfiltered pale hits you very sweet upfront, and fades to a bitter hop towards the end of your journey. Not bad in any sense. I learned that they used milk sugars in this brew as well, which gives it a chewy feel on the palate. One of the side effects of having that lactose is a smooth silky feel over the tongue. I initially didn't notice the citrus tones in the brew, I was more focused on the maltiness, but i learned that Monday Night claims notes of grapefruit and tangerine. I guess the power of suggestion lends some meaning, cause i now find those notes. 

Overall, I enjoy this brew from one end to the other. I could do without the lingering bitter aftertaste, but it's not uncommon on these types of brews. Just keep that in mind if its not something you enjoy.

So, with disregard to Han saying, "Never tell me the odds",  Taylor gives this Rebel Scum 3.7 out of 5 parsecs.

What Are Friends For?

Really though, what are friends for if they don't share good beer? Fortunately, I have great friends! One of my best friends recently moved to his wife's homestate of Virginia. One of the craft brews he found in stores there was this Tumwater Porter put out by Washington's own Fish Brewing Company.

Now I know this isn't a Virginia brew, but I haven't seen them here locally to me in TN. I have to say, this is a pretty darn good porter. Medium body, yet full of flavor. It has seven different malt varieties, including cocoa. That explains why it has such a rich chocolatey, creamy profile. Also, pleasantly nutty without being too much. It is very balanced. It ends you off with a smooth, dry finish. 

It's a very drinkable and full of complexities. Even though I prefer a heavier porter, or even a stout, I'd drink this one again. I really enjoyed it and if you're a porter fan, you will too. If you have these at your local market, pick up a case before you leave.

Taylor gives this one a 3.5 out of 5.

For the Tennessee Natives

Those who know Nashville know that craft beer is taken in all seriousness. There are a few greats that people worldwide know all too well. Yet there is one great TN brewer who has escaped my radar, until now.

My father-in-law (owner/operator of popular Nashville food truck, Funk Seoul Brother) commandeered this locally longed for brew. It's so good, that the taproom supposedly had a line of 350+ people trying to snag a case of this limited release Double IPA. I guess my father-in-law likes me okay enough to gift me a can of this "Nashville Gold". Anyway... here it is.

Bearded Iris Brewing employs Old World fermentation techniques mixed with modern innovation to "bring you a beer that's as skillfully designed and delightfully unique as the flower for which it's named".

Their Mood Ring Double IPA definitely fits that bill!

It is brewed with raspberries, for which I owe the ruby red color to. Then it's accompanied by a hint of vanilla and some lactose, as well as some hops common to an IPA. It has an excellent fruity flavor profile, and is very smooth. Although the fruit flavor is somewhat upfront, it does not come close to "wine cooler status". It is a somewhat tart raspberry hint that compliments the bitter hop quite well. 

Overall it is an excellent Double IPA, and I can understand why the Tennessee locals desire it so much upon it's release. I do personally prefer some other IPA's due to my liking for less "fruit forward" brews. At any rate, however, if you ever have the means to get in line at the taproom, do it!

Oh, and don't worry, this beer is on their list of recurring releases.. so you'll have your chance.

All things considered, Taylor gives this flower a whopping 4 out of 5.

"Well Your Left Hands Free..."

The band Alt-J may talk about a left hand being free in one of their hits, but you will want to make sure yours has a bottle of Left Hand Brewing Co.'s Milk Stout firmly in grasp.

For those unacquainted with these brewers, they claim to have a sense of balance in their beer by saying, "A healthy dose of all things in a balanced way keeps your right brain feeling good and the left brain knowing it’s all good... ...Everyday we strive for that perfect balance between malt and hops..."

I'm not too sure about all this "balance" mumbo jumbo. Perhaps it is just my poorly educated palate? Or simply my preference to more "nutty" stouts? At any rate, this wasn't my favorite. Does this mean that I hate it? HA! Heck no. This sweet stout has a proper roasty-toasty coffee feel to it, with a good amount of bitters from the hops, just as any stout deserves. It has the creamy feel any reputable stout with milk sugars should have. It does seem a bit lighter in flavor as other stouts, mainly because I don't feel the requirement to almost chew it as I drink. You may, then, be wondering what warrants the reservations I have. Well, simply put, Left Hand kind of over-hyped this brew for me. They claim that "America’s great milk stout will change your perception about what a stout can be." That just doesn't sit well with me. I have had many other stouts that I would rate higher than this. Again, not to say this brew is BAD in any way, just doesn't stand up to the words that are behind it. 

All things considered, it is a beer that is worthy of purchase. Just don't get ahead of yourself and hope that it's the best stout you'll ever have.

Taylor rates this beer a 3 out of 5