Beer 135: Butternuts Beer and Ale and WTF

Day 1 of the biggest week ever is done.  All I could think of one the way home is a cold refreshing beer.  Long story short, I find myself walking around the house demanding to know why the fuck would you print farmhouse ale on a can of stout?  Why?  Why would you do that to me? Why Butternuts, why?

So now you know I’m having a stout tonight.  It is the Butternuts Beer and Ale stout to be exact.  Seriously.  It says farmhouse ale on the front of the can.  And no, the fun cow on the label wasn’t a tip off.  And Gary assures me all the damn cans read farmhouse ale.  I’m shaking my fist at you, Butternuts.

The Moo Thunder stout poured a deep, dark and rich shade of brown with a cocoa color head.  It smells great.  Strong roasted aromas of coffee.  It drinks thin but with lots of character.  Flavors of cola and coffee dominating up front and finishing with burnt coffee.  The burnt taste is a bit much every once in awhile and it can morph into bitter pretty quickly -- not what I expect from a milk stout.  Beer Advocate rates it as exceptional.  I’d give it a surprisingly good.  If it were a bit creamier and a little sweeter, I could definitely get onboard with exceptional.  Cheers!

No Bacon Was Harmed in the Writing of this Post

Beer #38 Pork Slap Ale / Butternuts Beer & Ale, Garrattsville, NY
Yes, it's a short week, but I absolutely positively could not get myself in gear today.  My only accomplishment was adding things to my to-do list; nothing was crossed off.  Maybe it was the rain this morning.  I did get compliments from three different people on the new beard, which was nice.  The people who think I look like an idiot were also kind enough to keep their opinions private.  There you have it, the highlight of my day: not being insulted.

One of the beers from yesterday's trip to Shangy's was a variety pack from Butternuts Beer & Ale.  Case came with a stout, an IPA, a hefeweizen, and a pale ale.  Porkslap Pale Ale, to be specific.  This amber hued beer has a floral aroma, with a bread taste and some malt flavor.  Maybe a slight chalk aftertaste, too.  Per the website, it's brewed with a touch of ginger.

In all, a pretty average offering.  I'd drink it again, and I think the rest of the beers in the variety pack sound decent too.  But the highlight?  How can you not love a brewery that doesn't take itself too seriously?  I mean, if you needed proof of this beyond the website, check the can to see this lighthearted approach in action - two pigs gearing up for a chest bump.  In a world rapidly filling with new craft beers, I defy you to walk past this can on a shelf and not stop to look twice.

In a world where I'm paying closer to $25 for a 750ml bottle of some rare find, it's refreshing to get 24 12oz beers for $25.  Was this the best beer in the world?  Not really.  But for $1 per can, I can support what they do at Butternuts.  Stop by some time and I'll offer you one.  At $1 each, I can afford it.

Ah, the bare belly stomach slap.  Classic.

Thing to Think About Today:
Before you ask, there's no bacon in this beer.  But, if we're talking about pork products, I'll turn it over to some guys who take cooking to a whole new and potentially dangerous place.  Epic Food is an online cooking show that takes your average meal and multiplies it (or at least the calories) by 1,000.  Looking for some ideas on how to infuse booze, bacon, and brunch together?  Look no further:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZDv9pgHp8Q

Made a breakfast fortress.... to keep the haters out!