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Spanish beer

eternal depths

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Life can be a complicated thing. You think a decision is simple, but then you realize there are many factors at play. This applies not only to your own decisions, but understanding the decisions that others make. There are reasons within reasons within reasons, everything fitting together like a finely made toy. Another thing that fits together finely is a well-made beer, and Basqueland is a brewery that has a history of making beers well. To be honest, I have come across more ales than stouts from them, but everything is top of the line and a delight to have in the glass. I don’t suppose Matryoshka is going to be any different.

It’s weirdly slow-pouring, but sits nicely in the glass, without an abundance of head. There’s a slightly green plant-y aroma, like freshly pulled carrots or zucchinis. It smells a lot like a standard well-made beer, with a nod to the earth that produced the ingredients. While other stouts have had enticing scents and more subdued flavors, this one goes the other way. The taste is full and earthy, hinting at bitter but sticking with slightly savory. It’s a pretty classic Russian Imperial Stout, heavy and slightly bristly, but pleasing in the end.

Supplier: Más Que Cervezas
Price: €5.65

another heavyweight

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Coincidentally, there’s another Jumbo in the list, Mumbo Jumbo India Stout to be precise. This is a hopped stout, with Chinook, calling itself a classic stout with a hoppy punch. I wonder if this is going to be something of a black IPA. While it’s enjoyable to wallow in the depths of a pastry or barrel aged stout, there’s something about a hoppy beer that clears your head and lets the world in. The clash of expectations with the dark beer and the hop brightness also promotes focus. It’s not quite freezing cold, although the days get dark early at this time, and the spice of a hoppy beer can be like sitting next to a cozy fireplace. Of course, that’s also true of an extra flavorful stout. Well, let’s see how Mumbo Jumbo measures up.

There’s a very vegetal aroma with the pop of the tab, a little bit floral but not fruity. It has a more savory character than even a black IPA might. The beer itself is a good dark color with just an off-white head. Once in the glass it gives off many more spiced wafts of scent. There’s grainy bread, maybe rye, caraway, a little bit of catnip sharpness and muskiness. The taste is very toasty but also with a good garnishing of hops. It has a warmth that many black IPAs did not quite reach, with their shining citrus hops taking center stage, so it does deserve the title of India stout.

Supplier: La Buena Pinta
Price: €5.50

choice memory

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If you’re not in the mood for something specific, just a general category, it can be hard to choose. You get FOMO or even buyer’s remorse, thinking there could have been something better if you had just paid a little more attention or were willing to throw down that extra euro. Stout and porter might not be such a broad category. Besides, it’s hard to find bad ones out there. So really, La Pirata’s Hard Decision wasn’t much of one at all, especially since this is a trusted brewery. Sadly, their taproom in Madrid closed earlier this year, after having filled the spot once held by Irreale. Change is always afoot.

Heavy looking, befitting the label, thin but resistant head of dark beige foam on top, slightly rum/whisky aroma. I’m guessing that’s the oatmeal, really. The taste is slow to slide out and the first sensation is the smooth texture that many oatmeal stouts have. A kind of syrupy bitterness builds up from mid- to aftertaste, with a touch of smoky licorice to boot. It might just be something an elephant would enjoy, when it’s time to relax after a day of being gawked at in the zoo. I recently saw the David Attenborough documentary of Jumbo, and he was given not just beer but also whisky to help him travel calmly. So Victorian. Also Victorian and beyond are the attitudes towards social needs, both of animals and people. Just suck it up and do your job, whether it was a job you chose or not. Anyway, big fan of stouts are not, this is a beer that’s worth a try as something smooth and not overwhelming, although with a hint of its power shining through. Pick it up, it shouldn’t be a hard decision.

Supplier: La Buena Pinta
Price: €4.50

don’t get washed away

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There are some very interesting labels on a can of craft beer, artistic, surreal, eye-catching to say the least. When choosing for Beermas you have to throw a little imagination at it, but Calenbeer only has to be pleasing. The mechanical fish on Althaia’s Batiscafo has an odd connection to the current weather and the season, being a toy that somebody might hope to see under the tree in the not too distant future. Of course it’s an imperial stout, souped up with cocoa and toffee, maybe to weigh down that fish in the depths of the ocean.

It’s a thinner looking beer than some recent ones, fine head of tiny, tiny bubbles, dark chocolatey color. The sweeter ingredients are very forward in the aroma, with a sugary high note and a rich caramelly base. The flavor has more of a jungle essence than I expected. It’s very leafy and green, and actually quite easy to drink. It doesn’t have an overwhelming amount of body although there is a certain amount of bulk to the aftertaste. Like a jaguar, it’s lying in wait for you to stop paying attention. The greenness makes me think of horchata, which isn’t quite the drink you reach for in December, but it does offer a light balance that might make it a good drink with some heavier desserts of the season.

Supplier: Labirratorium
Price: €6.50

measured by minutes

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Back to my stouts again, and now with a design that is also after my own heart. Matter Of Time was tucked away on a lower shelf, but the will of the universe was such that I patiently scanned until I saw it. I have Espiga in my mind as more of a traditional beer maker, but with Resident Culture they have put out this pastry imperial stout. There might be deviations from the path, there might be unexpected obstacles, but everything that has to come comes in its own time.

It’s one of those rich, thick looking stouts, generating a pretty good head without going overbroad. It has a strong chocolate aroma, pudding rather than cacao powder, promising a heavy but enjoyable mouthful. Indeed, the chocolate comes through in a powerful way, although there is plenty of stouty toast to lay foundations for it. It’s like the most gourmet Nutella sandwich. Even the breadiness has something extra, with notes of sunflower seed and a good dollop of banana. The mix makes it seem more like an afternoon beer, a busy drink that bounces off a snack (or two), more than a calm and quiet evening sipper.

Supplier: Labirratorium
Price: €5.75

one moment

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I’m still on my quest for shade and shadows, and Hop Hop Hurrah…does not have a whole lot of that actually. They have much more bright and saucy stuff, and a good selection of sodas and non-alcoholic beers, for the family oriented gathering I would guess. It’s not completely devoid of stouts and porters, though, Drunken Bros was in the fridge and a couple of super special barrel aged bottles were on high shelves. They were a little too special for my solo Calenbeer journey. In the end, Dougall’s fit the bill with their lovely Session Stout. At about half the alcohol of Bocq’s Christmas beer, it’s a good step back for a little breather before plunging deeper into the dark.

Warm dark brown color and fluffy beige head, along with a slightly smoky stout aroma. There’s also a tiny bit of musky hops. Or is that something they managed to pull out of the highlighted malt? It has a grungy flavor, earthy, bitter, a little bit salty. It’s a pretty standard stout on the face of it. The bitterness gives it strength, but it’s a light liquidy example of its type. It’s one of those especially clean stouts, the ones you can drink without paying attention if you feel like it. Very appropriate for a session beer. At the same time, it has character and subtle pride in itself that comes through over the tongue. The simplicity almost makes it a palate cleanser, but it doesn’t have the snap or astringency that you might want for that particular job; instead, it’s a pleasant interlude, a quiet moment of reflection. Who doesn’t need one of those once in a while?

Supplier: Hop Hop Hurrah
Price: €2.75

no black outs

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The veritable god of Spanish stouts is Laugar. They have a whole line of them, with variations of barrel aging and other special ingredients that put most stouts of the world to shame. Sure, there are delicious pastry and chocolate stouts, but when those are excellent they are exceptionally excellent, while Laugar’s stouts are each and every one a delight. Black Tundra is a “simple” Russian imperial stout, so no super extra added processes, but I am confident that it will be absolutely satisfying.

It has the tactile, almost visible scent that Laugar’s extra-heavy stouts often have. It smells a little plummy, a little like medicinal alcohol. It’s a fruit cake giving off all the vapors of its liquor. It’s a much earthier flavor than you might think from a sniff, more whisky than rum in there. It has a definite body, leaning into melted Jello, but in spite of the obvious ABV it’s smooth and not hard to swallow at all. It’s a very stable and resistant beer, holding onto the same feeling and taste from start to finish. There’s no weird aftertaste or texture build-up, as long as it’s the feel that you enjoy it’s an enjoyable beer all the way to the bottom of the bottle. And for me, that’s exactly what it is. Can’t go wrong with a Laugar stout!

Supplier: Labirratorium
Price: €5.45

shelved treasure

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Many months ago I searched, unsuccessfully, for a Baltic porter. In fact, I haven’t seen any around for quite some time. Finally, one came into my line of sight as I examined shelves for style, name, and visuals. Not only was it a Baltic porter, it was a whisky barrel aged porter! The appropriately named La Calavera puts Dead Barrel Island in somewhat dangerously colored bottles – maybe the strength of this beer will beat back any sunlight – and lets it tempt all who walk by. Will this be a treasure discovered?

It’s shockingly winey in the nose, given that it’s whisky barrel aged, it reminds me quite a bit of some of the wine barrel aged stouts I’ve had at beer fairs past. I don’t get much head to bubble up on it, but the liquid looks like something dangerous and magical. The first sip has kind of a grape juice jacket, but it quickly gets shed to reveal a rough and raw whisky crust, followed by the earthy black beer center. It has more of a stout feel than porter, but that is kind of the nature of the Baltic style. I feel like there’s a little bit of sweetness there, but I can’t tell if it comes in from the beer or the whisky. While easy enough to drink, it feels like there’s a ghost remaining behind, fuming alcohol or something. It’s almost strange how easy it is, since it is really not a light beer at all. Still, if this was all that was left behind in a pirate’s treasure chest, it would be more than worth the trouble.

Supplier: La Buena Pinta
Price: €6.50

taste of the season

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I could not leave this can behind, no way, even though it’s on the pricey side. It’s coming on Christmas, so I guess that’s my excuse. But really, marzipan chocolate stout? Who can resist?! I do have my doubts about the creaminess of Choco Cream with the use of almonds, but I’m happy to see where it takes me. La Grua and 28030 cooperate in its creation, so it’s a reliably made labor of love.

Another extra heady one, although this foam isn’t quite so luxurious and dies back quickly. It has kind of a green scent to it, foresty, slightly woody. I was expecting a little more sweet chocolate or vanilla, but if anything it tends toward chili. Some deeper breaths pull back the curtain on some cacao-ishness. Taking a sip it becomes clear that it was all hiding out and waiting for the tongue to come along. The taste is an explosion of rich choco-nilla, like a well-made slab of gourmet chocolate. It develops a little bit of powdery texture, not quite as smooth as most gourmet chocolates, but there are certain companies that insist that sort of thing is proof of natural ingredients. It’s not distracting from the overall experience anyway. The beer has a nice moderate weight and never gets overbearing, which seems like a great accomplishment. It could have gotten syrupy or sticky, too sweet or even sour, but it stays balanced and controlled, extremely pleasant and a good for an animated talk or a quiet read.

Supplier: La Buena Cerveza
Price: €7

punching up

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Advent begins, but no calenbeer for me this year. There are some available, but even the most exotic looking ones are full of pale ales and/or lagers! It’s Christmas for chrissake! Isn’t it time for strong, dark, warming beauties? This year I’m collecting my own calenbeer, to ensure I’m not disappointed with anything. Well, since I like to try new things I guess I could be disappointed by something, but at least it won’t be the style. So, despite that little whine, my first beer isn’t even a stout or porter, but a barleywine. Hey, it’s strong, it has a seasonal kind of feel to it, it’s not a pale damn ale! This particular barleywine is a Sanfrutos creation, in a can that reminds me quite a bit of Garage designs. Maybe they share an artist. Maybe there’s some cross-pollination. Hopefully nobody comes to blows over Puñales.

Well, I didn’t promise myself black beers for my personal calendar, but it’s a pretty dark and toasty beer. Sort of a seared honey color with a sweet aroma that drapes itself in your nostrils. It’s the smell of Christmas liquors, I’d say, split between apple cider and rum. The taste is surprisingly subdued, not nearly as sweet and appley as I was expecting, much more woody in fact. Is there some oak involved? I’m getting more similarities to whiskey than to rum now. It also has a creamy kind of mouthfeel that I don’t associate with barleywines, but that makes it pretty easy to swallow without any syrupiness. The first calenbeer feels like a good start. I’m looking forward to what I have coming, and they might be a little less demanding than Beermas. But, you never know, do you?

Supplier: La Mundial
Price: €5.10

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