DuClaw

So, as I may have noted on several occasions, I do live and breathe sometimes for a brewery in Maryland called DuClaw. The name is weird, but don't let it throw you off. Apart from some seriously tasty bar food (I recommend the buffalo dip), they have wonderful, amazing beers.

My favorites are definitely Alchemy, and Venom though.

Alchemy is DuClaw’s stout. Oh Gosh. Coffee and chocolate float through this hefty drink, sweetening it from the first sip to the last drop. A very sweet stout, some people are not big fans, but they can go suck it. I love this beer, and order it most any time I go to DuClaw. It goes well with most any food too, as the flavor doesn’t interfere, but doesn’t get overwhelmed by the food either. A very balanced, and tasty drink.

Venom on the other hand is their pale ale, kind of a polar opposite. A brief into: I hate pale ales. They are bitter. I find bitter gross. Cool?

With that in mind, I love this beer. I love it so much; I can’t even have it that often because I’m afraid I’ll spoil it for myself. It has all the flavor of complex pale ale, very refreshing and delicious, with none of the bitter after taste. The whole time, you’ll be expecting it to come like a roundhouse to the face, but it mercifully stays the pain that follows most of its brethren. I have tried many, many pale ales, and this is the only one I have ever enjoyed. It is a fantastic beer, and I wish I knew how they made it that way.

All of the below are beers I’ve tried at some time or other. They’re all pretty goof in their own ways, but I haven’t enjoyed them enough to have them repeatedly.

Hellraiser IPA – Wow. Very bitter. If you like bitter beers, this is your bag, but otherwise be warned. It’s a very clear taste, with a BITE for an aftertaste

Misfit Red – Oh so delicious. I don’t get this often, and I kick myself for that. It’s a fantastic Irish Red, flavorful without being bitter, sweet without losing body and flavor. Highly recommended

That Blonde Ale – Eh. I don’t even remember its name. It’s a more complex Budweiser. What else can I say?

Kangaroo Love – It tasted like soap. No, seriously. I don’t know why. It just wasn’t my kind of beer I suppose, very weak. It's supposed to be an Australian beer, but I just wasn't having any of their shenanigans.

Sawtooth – Their seasonal Wit Beer. Very impressive, somewhat spicy, and deliciously refreshing for summer time. Still, you really have to like Wheat beers to be into this bad boy. Enjoyed it but not desperate to try it again.

Celtic Fury – One of their spring beers, a delicious stout reminiscent of Guinness. I was actually very impressed by it, a nice coffee flavor without being bitter or tasting burnt, but others didn’t share my enthusiasm. Sadly, it has a somewhat abbreviated run, so I’m eagerly awaiting trying it again next year.