Beer # 196 Aporkalypse Now

Aporkalypse Now

HogsBack Brewing Company

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Flavoured Oatmeal Stout 5.4% ABV 
Brown Glass Bottle 660 ml.
$8.95 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @HogsBackBrewing

Finally. I have found a pork infused beer. I had been hoping to get my hands on one long before this, but at last, here it is. HogsBack Brewing and it's flagship beer the Vintage Lager were conceived (as most good ideas are) in a brew pub in Ottawa. The name was an off-handed suggestion but it was well received and as the friends looked into the history of their area HogsBack took on special meaning as it had ties to one of the founding settlers of Ottawa. Philemon Wright, who was Ottawa's first brewer and a builder who constructed a dam that aided in the building of the Rideau Canal, and the dam created what is now know as the HogsBack Falls.


Tonight's beer, one I have been waiting to try, is Aporkalypse Now. Of course you will immediately get the reference to the great Francis Ford Coppola epic war drama starring Marlon (STELLLLLA!) Brando and Ramon Estevez... (Better known as Martin Sheen... Charlie (Tiger-blood) Sheen's Dad). It also stars Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, A young Laurence Fishburne, and fresh off of the Millennium Falcon... Harrison Ford. The label also bears a striking reference to that of the Miss Saigon musicals poster. As you can see, they both depict helicopters that appear to be painted with a brush and ink. However, on further examination... you can see that the helicopter on the beer label has been made to resemble a pig's head, with a snub nose, arching brow and one floppy ear.

Enough art appreciation... onto the beer.... I love the smell of bacon in the morning.



Pours a very dark brown with an off tan head made of of tiny bubbles. Nose is smoky, with notes of bacon and oats sweet malt and a bit of molasses. first sip is crispy bacon, rich oat malt some molasses and caramel some smoke and wood. As the beer warms the bacon flavour is enhanced. Very effervescent with a slight cola note. Aeration brings out tangy citrus and caramel along with the meaty goodness.



 Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL 
Experience:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL


Final Thoughts:

This is just what I expected in a bacon flavoured beer... Yet another reason to drink in the morning. Great flavour, well rounded, smoky, meaty, filling. Just fantastic by itself, or even better with some food... if you can work a way to get some nice maple syrup in there... better still.

Oh no... The bottle is empty... the horror... the horror.
Cheers


CJT


Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.