"Always Be Drunken..." --Charles Baudelaire
So this week's extraneous purchase was a musty looking box of beer at Glenn Miller's in Lemoyne, (the best beer store ever). I had heard of Dixie Brewery in New Orleans and think I even sampled the Crimson lager before...but I had $30 to spend, so I grabbed the case.
Upon first glance, the beer was everything I wanted in life: dark, sweet, strong....oh wait, that was my personal ad. Kidding y'all. Anyways, the beer is very dark and has a semi sweet taste on the back of the palate. It tastes reminiscent of Dogfish head, or perhaps even one of Young's stouts. It definitely gets points for a cool label and wicked name. Feelings on this beer are a bit mixed, but here is the lowdown.
Drink it cold. really cold. The dark color may lead you to believe that the beer would be tasty like a hand pulled porter or stout, but I have tried a few different temperatures and found that back of the fridge beer in a frosty pint glass seems to be the best mix. The flavor is good as I mentioned, but fairly simple unilke some microbrews that are infused with raisins or apricots. This makes it easier to drink more of, but after two or three you will taste that alcoholic bite on the back of your tounge. Though I am no expert, I would also venture a guess that the sugar content is pretty high which might lead to a nasty hangover. It isn't a very hoppy beer if you like Victory Hop Devil, shy away from this one.
The short and long is this: if you see this one in a six pack and you like the dark sweets, then buy a sixer. Don't spring for a case until you have tried it as it does have a fairly simple taste. It may be kind of hard to get up north, but I would still like to try it off the tap for a flavor comparison. If anyone lives in New Orleans and would like to invite the DG down for a few pints...give me a call!
Price: Reasonable. I paid around $30 for a case in PA.
Taste: Good and simple dark sweet lager.
Tips: Imbibe cu-hold ones.
DG Rating: 7 out of 10
