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Beer review: High and Mighty Two Headed Beast

By Bethany Sherwin on Mon, Feb 1, 2010 at 2:43 pm

Two-Headed Beast is High and Mighty’s darkest beer. The label proclaims it “a luscious chocolate stout.” And luscious it is; a sexy heap o’ chocolatey beer, succulent and voluptuous, dripping with rich cocoa goodness.

Currently, Two-Headed Beast is only bottled in bombers. For the reluctant, 22 ounces might sound like too much brew, but with only 4.5% alcohol by volume, it’s an entirely manageable feat for a solo stout enthusiast.

As soon as the cap comes off, the chocolate inundation begins with the intense aroma of sugary cocoa and creamy coffee.

On the palate, the mild earthy bite of German Perle and Czech Saaz hops permeates the creamy smooth American pale malt, English chocolate and brown malts, and roasted barley – resulting in an opaque, deep brown pint of baker's chocolate milk for adults. All these roasty, dark, and subtly sweet flavors are contained within a deceptively light-tasting brew; this combined with the mild ABV qualifies Two-Headed Beast as the session stout paragon.

To take the lusciousness to another level, top vanilla ice cream with chilled Two-Headed Beast and fresh berries (or vice-versa for a beer float), or get extra fancy and make an uber-chocolaty warm sauce by melting dark chocolate, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips with Two-Headed Beast over low heat.

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With a few short sentences on their website, High and Mighty Beer Co. captures the full attention of anyone interested in beer and clever writing. “We're not just brewers - we're beer-evangelists. We're the Clergy of Zymurgy, the Priests of Yeasts, the Joyful Congregation of High Fermentation.” Amen, man.

High and Mighty Beer Co. begins with Will Shelton – of Shelton Brothers, a much-admired beverage importer known for getting the good overseas shit. In 2006, Will relocated to another tier in the distribution system by brewing the first batches of High and Mighty beer at Paper City Brewery in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Beer of the Gods, a German-style ale, was the first release, followed by the India pale lager Purity of Essence, St Hubbins Abbey Dubbel, and Two-Headed Beast, which have been added as year-round offerings, with a holiday seasonal called Home for the Holidays.

Unfiltered and unpasteurized with a temperate ABV, High and Mighty beers embody the time-honored production spirit and sessionability of European brews. Yet, the brewing philosophy is decidedly American, with adventurous concoctions that elude the rigid categorization of conventional style guidelines.