Big Bottle Day

After Friday's Brewers Fest, I took a booze-free day before feeling recovered enough for Sunday brunch at Bukowski's. We met up a few hours before the Mug Club Party when they closed the bar to everyone else - Since we can't drink 25 beers in one afternoon, especially not those we have left, we'll have to wait for the next one. We figured this rainy Sunday would be ideal for powering through some tougher ones on the list.

Beer: Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout
ABV: 8.10%
Home: Healdsburg, California, USA

Thick imperial black stout with a bubbly tan head right after the pour. Roasted earthy flavor with some sweetness. A strong brew in a big bottle - don't plan on a long session if this one's in the mix! A weekend bar visit is ideal for taking this one down.

Beer: Mönchshof Kellerbier
ABV: 5.40%
Home: Kulmbach, Germany

Mönchshof = monk's yard, Kellerbier = cellar beer. After a bit of reading, a cellar beer is an unfiltered German beer that ferments at cool lagering temperatures. The beer is matured in wooden casks with active yeasts and a loosened bung that allows CO2 to escape, reducing the amount of carbonation in the finished product. It's supposedly based on traditional recipes in which the beers are made in farmhouse cellars. The Mönchshof pours a hazy orange color with a finger head. I like the dimpled glass! The taste is malty and sweet. Not bad, but it's a little too sweet. It might be better paired with some good cheese!