Machu Picchu
Midnight Sun Brewing Co.

This beer clearly has something going on that was not intended. This beer has a serious sour twang to it - not in a bad way, but not as intended. Was warned this would be a gusher, but it was not. So the bottle we had a mild strain of whatever is going on. The sourness actually worked for this beer. Chocolaty flanders red. Very enjoyable - whatever was going on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chilled bottle into a glass. Thanks, Steve!

A: Pours a dark chestnut body with a finger of tan head. The foam retains for about 30 seconds, leaving a little lace down the sides as it recedes.

S: Coffee, mild cocoa, some spice (reminds me of Black Butte XXI -- is this from the coffee oils?). A mellow, buttery oak presence.

T: A balance of coffee and cocoa nibs, with the former being a little stronger. As in the aroma, there is some spice to this one; I can't tell if that's from the coffee (try an aged Black Butte XXI to see what I mean) or if something else caused it. Either way, I find it an interesting contrast to bittersweet cocoa. A mellow, buttery oak presence.

M: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. No off flavors, nothing sticky; a clean finish.

O: Overall a nice beer. One of the better ones at the tasting.

Bottle provided by my buddy Andy after getting back from Alaska. Thanks buddy! Split with some friends and poured into pint glasses:

A - A deep black with hues of dark brown. Light thick foam head that is dirty white and creamy lacing that doesn't stick around too long.

S - Iced coffee with roasted chocolate chip cookies and vanilla. Creamy brown sugar and slight lacto and oak.

T - Decent amounts of roast malts and coffee in the beginning followed by chocolate chip cookies, brown sugar and bakers fudge in the middle and vanilla, oak and lacto at the end. Really well balanced and delicious.

M - Creamy and smooth. Tingle from the roast malts but overall a really nice treat.

O - I really enjoyed this brew. It reminded me of Coffee Bender x 2. Very well made and a nice after dinner treat. Really worth a try.

The second release in the 2011 World Tour. I picked this bottle up in Anchorage.

22oz bottle poured into my Duvel Tulip glass.

A - Pours a medium to dark brown with a one finger dark tan head. Good retention and lacing is left on the glass.

S - Lots of coffee, some nuts, and followed by chocolate.

T - Lots going on here. Silky smooth coffee, chocolate, oaky, earthy.

D - Very smooth, good carbonation, medium body.

O - Another MS winner in my book.

Thanks for sharing this, Rich.

A: The beer pours a very dark brown, pretty much black, with a finger of tan head.

S: Really heavy on the coffee, which isn't all that shocking. Lots of roasted malts are also present. There's a slight spice to the aroma, too. Very earthy with just a light floral note to it.

T: This tastes more like coffee than anything. There is a touch of molasses and chocolate along with some strange fruity notes (citrus, mostly). The same intense earthiness is also present. Though it's made with corn, there isn't much evidence of that.

M: Medium bodied with a medium level of carbonation.

O: A very strange beer. I'm not entirely sure what to think of it. I liked some things about it (the aroma was good), for what that's worth.