Ölbeat 164: Thornbridge Eldon

Brewery: Thornbridge Brewery
Country: England
Style: Imperial Stout
Abv: 8 %
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What about the beer?

Colour is black with a tiny beige crown. Aroma has heavy ashy roast, some black coffee and a malty scent. Taste begins with strong charcoal bitter roast. Roasted malts and bitter dark chocolate take over with hints of black coffee and dry oak. Near the finish dry bitterness and sweet roasted malts with bourbon oak and vanilla flavour rise. Aftertaste has roasty strong dryness, vanilla-covered bitterness and alcohol warmth.

Slowly starting ashy Imperial Stout that develops with every sip. First it's pure ash but slowly we get some malts, oak, coffee and vanilla out. Interesting beer, in a positive way. In the start pretty one-sided, in the end magnificent.

Ölbeat

The beer is named after Eldon Hole, a pothole in the Derbyshire Peak District. According the folklore, it was believed to be the refuge of the devil himself. Well, if the devil has had to hide underground we probably should feel compassion for him. "But what's puzzling you / Is the nature of my game." That surely fits the brew's style, too.

The Rolling Stones: Sympathy for the Devil (YouTube)

From the 1968 album Beggar's Banquet, the song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

Ölbeat 070: Ballast Point Victory At Sea

Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company
Country: United States
Style: Imperial Porter
Abv: 10 % 
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What about the beer?

Colour is dark brown to black with a small diminishing tan head. Aroma has quality black coffee, milk chocolate, brown sugar and some alcohol. Taste begins with a roasty hoppy coffeeish bite. Rich coffee, espresso and dark bitter chocolate take over with the flavours growing and expanding till the end. Some berries, raisins and vanilla are tasted, too. Aftertaste has bitter cocoa and some alcohol.

There are surprisingly many delicious layers of flavours in the taste: coffee with and without sugar turning to espresso and back. Aroma gives sweet milk chocolate but the taste is more like bitter dark cocoa powder. Just amazing Imperial Porter.

Ölbeat

Delicious and complex dark brew needs a complex and legendary song with the same shade. The greatness is shared, the theme isn't: although the beer is almost black it's affection was quite opposite to the song. I may later regret for reserving this track but then again it's not forbidden to link a great song to more than one beer, it?

The Rolling Stones: Paint It Black (YouTube)

From the 1966 album Aftermath (US version), the song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.