The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 3: Midnight Kissed My Cow Big Rig Brewery and Kitchen

Beer # 302 Midnight Kissed my cow

Brewery: Big Rig Brewery and Kitchen

Type: Independent Microbrewery and Brewpub     Est.: 2012

Location: Ottawa/Kanata, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Flavoured Milk Stout

ABV: 5.6%      IBU: 14

Format: Aluminium Can  Size: 473 ml

Cost: $2.95 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

Twitter: @BigRigBrewery


Haven't had a Big Rig beer for quite some time and this one looked like a lot of fun in the store. I really do enjoy good labelling and beer is supposed to be about fun, so why have boring packaging? I love stouts especially complex ones. I really do enjoy sitting and letting a deep flavourful beer wash over my tongue and tell me a story through its flavours. Milk stouts a wonderful in the fact that they add another dimension to the brew. By the addition of lactose or milk sugar the brewer can achieve a roundness, a creaminess, a subtle sweetness, that complements the darker malts, roasted coffee, and chocolate notes. Needless to say I drink all of these I can while they are around.

Let's try one now...

Pours an inky dark brown with a fluffy tan head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is fresh roasted coffee and chocolate and some minute hints of wood. First sip is very creamy, tastes like a milk chocolate bar. Body is quite light even with the creamy mouthfeel. Hints of fruity hops and some dried berries underlie the main coffee/chocolate extravaganza. The texture is soft and inviting like a good milk stout should be. Finish is coffee and chocolate with lingering notes of milk sugars and cream. Aeration brings out some raisin, some whiskey, tangy hops and touches of sour cream. The lips are left a little sticky. The final notes remind me of Vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


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

Final Thoughts:

This beer was almost a perfect score. I loved this beer. there was only one thing I felt detracted from the final tally. As the beer warmed I got a touch of sour cream, it snapped me out of my reverie and took away from the flavours. Other than that this beer is amazing, lovely mix of flavours, judicious use of cocoa and lactose. A good all around product that is perfect for a winter's night. Definitely a must have for this Christmas season, put one in your stocking while you still can.
Cheers

CJT

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The 2-4 Days of Christmas Day 16: Hornbeer's Viking Chili Stout

Beer # 264 Viking Chili Stout (Megagrisk)
Hornbeer

Valby, Køpbenhaven, Denmark
Independent Microbrewery
Flavoured Stout 10.0 % ABV 
Brown Glass Bottle 500 ml
$8.20 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: N/A



Tonight's offering is another beer from Denmark. This Chili Stout, that was awarded Best new beer of 2013, is produced by a small brewery in a suburb of Copenhagen. Formed in 2008, Hornbeer... (I kid you not!) was the brainchild of Gunhild and Jorgen Fogh Rasmussen (I think they are married... not sure). Jorgen was a farmer and a home brewer and decided to take his hobby to a commercial level. Only able to brew 300 L at a time the brewery did very well at first. Their Caribbean Rum Stout won best new beer in Denmark in 2008. However before that first year let out the brewery burnt to the ground. Undaunted, Gunhild and Jorgen rebuilt a much larger space able to produce 2000 HL per year. And more importantly... They made a commitment to brew a greener beer. The new brewery is powered by solar panels and the beer is cooled using geothermal power. They are committed to brewing a CO2 neutral beer. 

So how does a greener beer taste? Let's find out...

Pours a deep dark brown with a perfect tan coloured head made up of small bubbles. The  beer is the same colouration of a Doberman Pinscher. The aroma is heavily roasted barley malt with hints of cocoa, chili powder, and vanilla. First sip gives us the last ingredient of the beer, the licorice. while not overpowering the licorice flavour lends a sweet sharp spike to the beginning of the beer. Very smooth and sweet, slightly creamy on the mouthfeel. The licorice gives way to a slightly sugary vanilla cocoa taste, and the peppers hit you on the finish. never more than a mild warming and a tingle on the tongue and the back of the throat. Aeration ramps up the chilis and makes the smoky malt pop. Finish is a nice lingering warmth.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


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

Final Thoughts:



Of all the beers I have tried this Christmas, This is one of my favourites. It is well balanced, and the additives are balanced and used to achieve an excellent overall product. This beer is smooth silky and delicious and if you can still find a bottle snap it up. I personally would LOVE to make a creme brûlée with this beer; the sweet chocolate and chili heat would pair wonderfully with a creamy custard.


Cheers 

CJT

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