Rye Strong Ale
Finkel & Garf Brewing Company

Poured from a can into a regular pint glass at home. Paired with Italian sausages done in a "cacciatora" style with sauteed tomatoes, peppers, and onion.

Look: A warm metallic amber color; quite cloudy, but not fully opaque; Medium sized head that holds well; moderate carbonation; fine sediment collects at the bottom if left at rest.

Smell: For anyone who has had a Vin Santo style Tuscan dessert wine, this is fairly similar in scent. The aroma is strong, sweet, and of dried fruit-- mostly dates, figs, and apricots-- with hints of wood, whiskey, and a bit of vanilla. Easily one of the best smelling beers I have encountered!

Taste: The taste follows up the aroma nicely, continuing with the notes of apricots, figs, dates, and vanilla, but definitely has more of a whiskey character. Here the rye whiskey barrel aging process really comes through and works perfectly with the dried fruit flavors. Because of the high ABV of this one, the alcohol flavor is fairly noticeable, but not really a bother, really just adding to the whiskey character I mentioned before.

Mouth Feel: You really feel this beer all the way from your lips to your stomach. Though the alcohol content and overall spice of the rye give it a certain sharpness, it somehow remains incredibly smooth. It's bold, syrupy body bursts into your mouth and slips down the throat like silk with a satisfying warmth and substance. This is by no means a beer one drinks quickly, but for those with a bit of patience it certainly brings comfort.

Overall: I was extremely impressed by this beer to say the least. Usually rye beers of this sort are not my thing since I find them to be a bit overwhelming, however this one does a great job of balancing intense flavor with a comforting feel. I really cannot get over how this beer smells... so good! Drinking this with a hearty plate of homemade salsicce alla cacciatora on a cold, snowy night was really perfect. I would imagine this would taste good with several other central Italian dishes as well as stews, Southern barbecue, and pork chops. Because of its sweetness (and the fact it reminds me of Vin Santo) it definitely would be great with various dessert dishes, especially caramel, vanilla, and hazelnut based dishes (or just on its own!). Overall this is a really tasty beer that is certainly worth trying while it's still in stock!