Funky boozer

This beer is a BOOZER.  But it tastes so good you won't realize it is a boozer until you're already running your mouth about something you have no business running your mouth about.  Hence the name.

Deceit won a gold medal at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival in the Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale category.  I like it when beers win medals.  Especially when they are beers that I can get my hands on and enjoy.  But when I think of a beer winning a medal, I often imagine a cartoon version of a bomber of beer hopping up onto the stage to accept their medal, which is awkwardly draped around the neck of the bottle, and then the bottle stepping behind the microphone to give a speech, in which they inevitably thank the Brewmaster who made them, all the creative directors (by name, of course) and finally, their mother.

According to the brewer, this brew was made with a "high percentage of Pilsner malt and a unique Belgian yeast strain to present a sweet lemon character in the aroma." This citrus quality carries into the flavor and finishes with a slight tartness. The brewer instructs to serve at 50 degrees in a tulip glass...which we did.

Deceit Belgian-Style Golden Ale (9.4% ABV)
Funkwerks
Fort Collins, Colorado

Recommendations:  be prepared for this sneaky boozer

Ratings:  4.5 out of 5 pint glasses on the unofficial Suburban Suds rating system

Homebrew 4: Experimental Porter (ExPo)

My goal was to have first porter ready to drink in time for St. Patrick's Day.  I'm not Irish, but I celebrate and appreciate a good beer-based holiday just like everyone else.

I had been planning this one for a while.  It started off with a crazy idea from my sister but then morphed into something slightly different, but equally as experimental.  I started off with a slightly unusual porter that featured a chocolate grain and then added some French dark chocolate (85% cacao) and Reese's Peanut Butter chips.  Interestingly enough, despite being submerged in 155 degree liquid, the peanut butter chips never fully dissolved.  They melted a bit but still remained in chip shape.  Now that I've seen that, it makes me a bit uncertain of what is really in them...but I'm sure that I will continue to eat them by the handful.

It smelled so good that I thought twice before tossing my experimental ingredients in the pot.

Three and a half weeks later...I'll admit, I was nervous to try it.  The chocolate flavor is obvious, but not overpowering.  The beer finishes clean and dry.  The creamy peanut butter flavor is no where to be found, which was slightly disappointing, but I was also somewhat relieved because I wasn't sure what that would taste like...other than a milkshake.  I think it came out quite nice and have overall, I have received positive feedback from my group of volunteer taste testers.  Thank you loyal taste testers!!

Experimental Porter (5.1% ABV)
Suburban Suds Brewery
Chandler, Arizona

Rating:  4 out of 5 pint glasses on the unofficial Suburban Suds rating system.