Best Fiends
Cellarmaker Brewing Co.

Pours a rich brown with a tall tan head, settling gradually with plenty of lacing on the glass. The nose is malty and sweet. Taste is the same - I wouldn't say there's much going on beyond your standard dark-toasted (almost burnt, but not unpleasantly so) grain, toffee, a light coffee bitterness, maybe a light banana. It's on the sweet side for a porter, and the moderate hops do little to hold back the gravity. The thick mouthfeel compounds the sweetness.

Had the second half of the can alongside a carrot cake, and the added sweetness plays very well with this beer - opening up notes of stone fruit and cherry from the hops that wasn't detectable without having your palate adjusted to sugar.

Overall: if you're craving something you can sink your teeth into but not quite so sweet as barrel-aged stouts with two-digit ABV, you wouldn't regret a Best Fiends.

 

 

 

Every now and then back in the sad scamdemic days where nerds worshiped the government, I would order alcohol to my doorstep from this brewery, mostly hoppy stuff but these type of outliers would sometimes make their way into the order.

Pours black. Brown head, 1/4". The aroma is quite roasty like that Mortal Kombat dude jacking into the screen saying "ROASTY" much like your mom when she went through that recreational use only period after her divorce. All the scorched earth maltiness.

The taste displays the same just absolutely torched barley. Yeast seems neutral compared with say a RIS. Hopping combined with the scorch gives it a degree of bitterness that is still well received. There is a light chocolate remnant spilled into an ashtray with a hint of Backwoods guts in it. The mouthfeel is exceptional in terms of its ability to keep this relatively easy drinking for all the taste and abv heft to it. Its not a pounder porter, but its also not a thick viscosity barrel aged humongous Chicago pour beer either. I'd say the perfect scenario for this beer is the time of year when its dark at 5pm and someone to split the beer with, 8oz a piece, but you can do 16 of this without much problem.

16oz can from Tavour. Near black pour, skin of silky beige head. Light, full roasty aroma, chocolate. Taste brings more chocolate, faint sweetness, mellow roast, light roast. Full mouthfeel with some lingering bitterness. Smooth and super tasty.

 

It’s not plain because it doesn’t have adjuncts or hasn’t been in a barrel or something. It’s plain because it’s the monopoly piece that no one wants. What? The iron? I mean, Monopoly was cool when I was ten, but things change. And I think Best Fiends would do an amateur beer drinker well, but it just doesn’t hit Raul like Chase Utley sliding into second.


Play clean, my minions.

 

 

Can poured into a Founders Brewing Co snifter

A: Pours basically black with a cocoa powdery brown head that settles to a light layer and laces nicely.

S: Roasty, a touch smoky, char, bittersweet chocolate, coffee, earthy, subtle herbal notes, molasses, and a little of toffee sweetness.

T: Roasty, char, bittersweet chocolate, and coffee, earthy, hints of dark fruit and licorice, a touch of molasses, a little toffee sweetness, and some graham cracker on the finish.

M: Medium to full body, moderate carbonation, chewy, creamy smooth finish.

O: Rock solid imperial porter, no adjuncts needed. Perfect beer on a cold rainy day.