Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery Acadian Groove Imperial Porter at 10% ABV (C$14.13 at NLC Stavanger, 750 ml, bottle date 15-Mar-2015, acquired 14-Jun-2015, reviewed 16-Jun-2016)
Appearance: clear amber-brown to brown, one finger of medium dense light beige head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: huge maple, woody cedar, earthy, herbal, nutty. (7/10) Taste: high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Medium slick body, moderate carbonation, sticky warming and bitter finish. (3/5)
Woof… that’s a bit of a hot mess. Big and boozy, and I’d like to say complex, but the maple and woody cedar notes overwhelm everything else. To be fair, it’s not as sweet as it smells, which is frankly a relief: I have a good friend who sends me a gallon or two of the Lanark Highlands’ finest maple syrup every year, and the last thing I need is to drink more of it. However, even after a year’s cellaring, it’s hot – which, I guess, is hardly surprising for a 10% ABV, but it would be nice if things were a bit more, I dunno, “settled”? “Mellow”? “Balanced”? Fun quotes on the box, though: “There are some sappy lines here.” (groan!), “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.”, “Be happy while you’re living, for you’re a long time dead.” Words of wisdom! (13/20)
6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
