Boc in Black
Pygmy Stallion Brewing

wasnt sure what to call this one, when i ordered it i didnt see any menu so i assumed the name meant it was a bock, but it doesnt drink real german to me or anything. their website calls it a porter but also says its lagered, which i think technically makes it a baltic porter. either way, its my first from this under new ownership operation brewing operation of el rancho, which was pretty neat years ago as it used to be, dont know anything about it now, but had never heard the pygmy stallion name before and was curious! the beer is solid, if not amazing, its clean and well execute, boats some mid palate sweetness which has me thinking bock a little bit, and then has a nice roasted back end with some balancing bitterness and a little bit of yeastiness too, so its relatively dynamic, kind of a style bender to me, light smoke, raisin, even meaty in the middle, perhaps a little more european as it warms, not necessarily quick finishing, but its not long lingering either for how malt driven it is. carbonation is fine, body is fuller medium, but there is a certain wintery drinkability to it. unique brew, not sure it fits neatly in any style, probably closes in my mouth to being just a porter, but nuanced enough to be intriguing. i will look forward to my next pint from these guys, this was a cool first impression, unexpected.