Umami
Against The Grain Brewery

 

 

 

Really interesting brew: the soy sauce flavor really comes through as it warms up. Not bad by any means, but very interesting; so much so that perhaps a full pint was a bit too much, could have done with just a sampler

 

 

 

 

Draught beer into a snifter glass.

Beautiful dark brown color with a slight head at the top.

The umami essence of soy sauce hit my nose while it was still a few feet away from the glass. As I took in the smells more closely, the soy-sauce scent powered through but once my nose grew accustomed, a nice, chocolate-y, malty, bourbon smell arrived. Somehow it all worked. I never thought I would be so ready to start drinking a dark beverage that so strongly smacked of soy sauce.

The front notes of the taste were mostly as expected given the smell, although the soy sauce featured a much more prominent role in the nose than in the taste (probably a good thing). Once the initial tastes of chocolate / bourbon / espresso faded, the woody, meaty mushroom tastes hit and lingered in my mouth. Incredibly interesting and tasty.

Poured from my growler into a Stone IRS snifter. Nice dark, viscous fluid with a thin lacing of brown head on top. Rich nose with big hits of toffee, roasted malt, vanilla, baker's chocolate, toasted oak, and bourbon. I think I get just a little of that soy sauce aroma as well and it is not unpleasant.

Full body, luscious, creamy feel, and a sweet, yet complex flavor. Massive sweet notes of toffee, molasses, and fudge hit you up front. As the beer creeps across your palate, a little of that umami woody, earthy, smoky brininess comes through, but it is quickly overcome by black coffee, espresso, and bourbon notes. The sweet toasted oak and vanilla notes from the bourbon balance the bitter roasty notes almost perfectly, and just as the bitter flavors starts to fade, you get a rich, boozy alcohol warmth that lingers behind with some leftover fudge-like sweetness.

Complain all you want about Against the Grain selling over-priced bombers of brown ales and IPAs. These guys certainly know how to make a good bourbon-barrel-aged imperial stout. I tried this beer at Friday Night Flights Christmas Bash at Party Town (Florence, KY) and I must admit I was a bit apprehensive about trying it when I read the description. The concern was not necessary and I eagerly waited until the event was over so I could take a growler of it home with me. AtG made a beautiful beer here and I really enjoyed it. Like their other bourbon-barrel-aged stouts, it tends to be very sweet with plenty of bourbon bite, a little boozy warmth, and some very interesting additional flavors that complement, but do not dominate. It's not as complex as a beer like BCBS, but it is definitely a top-shelf beer. Recognize, chump!!!