Lavender Ginger Stout
Scratch Brewing Company

another one of my favorites from our visit here, a weird combination of ingredients in a dark beer, and im not sure i have seen lavender and ginger together in something like this before, but they nailed it. the base stout is good, bitter and earthy and dark roasted but not too heavy or full bodied to be drinkable, but it really is more a canvass for the added ingredients here than it is meant to stand up on its own, at least thats how it presents itself because the lavender and the ginger just make it so unique. i always worry about lavender in beer, it can easily be overdone and make the whole thing taste like potpourri, but here is nicely restrained in proportion, and balanced well by the bitter dark grains, a cool and unexpected combination of aromas and flavors that work super well together.the ginger is spicy and natural, tastes juiced and sort of concentrated, but its not over the top either, and seems to work in nicely with the lavender, adding a cool earthy and culinary and wild element to this, its mellow and intense at the same time, unmistakable, and almost chocolate covered tasting with the malt here. an odd cola note too, lots going on in this. good body to this, nice length too, and enough carbonation for what it is. this would be good with pistachio ice cream, i dont know why that comes to mind but it does. flavorful and interesting, well made of course, and entirely original. i love what these guys are doing!