still mad

Beermad is back to its regular schedule it looks like, and this time they’re making the most of a local holiday weekend to have four days instead of the normal three. It’s still at Casa de Campo, still somewhat limited entry, although there are morning and afternoon passes, plus all-day passes this time around. Unsociable person that I am, I go in the morning, when fewer people are looking to really drink down some beers, and of they’re there it’s really to enjoy the experience.

I always start on the dark side; just that kind of girl I guess. There are more to choose from than in other editions, but the first one I lay eyes on is a real licker too: Toccalmatto’s 28 Imperial Stout. They specialize in making low-carb beers and this one is also no added sugars, just the natural malts. That sounds like a pretty normal stout, but it also has some chipotle that you might think needs a but of balancing. Happy to try it out! It smells a little winey, but there’s a good thick head. The color is slightly lighter than I expect from stout. The taste is woody, malty, leafy, very nature-focused. I would even call it a healthy flavor. As promised, there’s a touch of chili. It’s a 12%-er, so the lightness in the mouth is surprising, and the alcohol does catch up to you if you’re not careful. It’s a chili-chocolate sensation, only slightly bitter, and could be hard to beat today.

Next I ask for Vandalia’s Azabache Porter. This one isn’t on tap, the lack of head is probably my own poor pouring skills. It’s fizzy and with a nice porter color, with a kind of root beery, vaguely sour fruit smell. This porter also has a woody flavor, but a different kind, more robust. It’s drier than the stout and not very fruity for a porter. While solid and mouth filling, it doesn’t make you think of road tar (“azabache”), it’s quite easy on the palate and would even be a good accompaniment to a meal.

My quest for the darkness continues with La Charanga’s 28850 Stout. Also little head (and I didn’t pour this time), but otherwise good appearance. No strong aromas off this one. It’s very malty and slightly smoky, with an underlying bitter just lurking. It has more body than the previous beers, a little sticky and moderately heavy. Notes of licorice and coffee surface over time. It is a nice beer, more imposing than Vandalia’s porter but simpler in presentation than Toccalmatto.

It turns out I’m not impervious to a good invitation. While I could have stuck to black beers, From Lost to the River offered a taste of all three of their beers before making a decision (none were stouts) and I couldn’t resist. There was an English bitter style – very nice – a light and normal IPA, and a very hop forward dry hopped version. I had to have something to equal those powerful black beers from before, so that was Lost IPA, with some more hops behind it. It’s very golden, little head, and sports a bubbly hop aroma. It’s not actually super bitter but very modern hoppy, juicy, with a little bit of peach. You get a good mouthful of beer rather than a poof of overwhelming hops that claw their way down your throat. It’s a bright and blinky beer, styled more as a West Coast IPA than other types, and I would call it fairly standard for IPAs today. I would also say there’s a reason for that being standard.

I only have a morning ticket, so I can’t stay forever. I do have plenty of time for one more, though, and I usually feel like I should leave on a light note. I was intrigued by Cervecería La Política and thought that might be a good closer. I was hoping for a big story about one party or another, but it seems like they’re just playing off the current feeling of dissociation. Anyway, another IPA, fitting aroma and good strong head. Faintly opaque. It’s very much a normal IPA, hoppy, biting-bitter, floral soft and clean. A finishing beer, really, although it does have a hint of dust in it. It feels like a quick gulp and a soft swallow, very easy on the tongue and yet it still has a certain amount of personality to put forward. I only wonder what kind of politics might be represented by the color on the label…