Think about the massive amount of performance pressure within an industry such as beer. Certain recipes mark milestones in the evolution of brewing, like Pilsner Urquell, which defined a new style of beer and took its name from the region where it originated. You've got experimental breweries like Dogfish Head, partnering with university archaeology departments to analyze residue found on ancient pottery, crafting a modern brew from these ingredients so that we can appreciate beer as it might have tasted in its more ancient forms. That's a hard act to follow. How about this — currently operating European commercial breweries date as far back as the year 1040. Serious beer intimidation.
And then there's Terrapin Beer Company from a tiny college town in Georgia. In 2002 their only beer, a Rye Pale Ale totally unknown except for the few places in the vicinity of Athens, GA where you could find it on tap, took first place in the American Pale Ale category at the Great American Beer Festival. I'd say that's strong performance in the face of pressure.
Today, Terrapin produces a great number of kick ass beers.
As a session beer, the Rye Pale Ale is a perpetual good call. The brewery's extreme seasonal collection, called the Monster Beer Tour, includes Rye Squared, Big Hoppy Monster, and one of the best beers on the face of the earth — Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout. But that is not why we are here today. Today we gather in celebration of the newest batch from an equally impressive collection that's been released in all of its limited production excellence.
Side Project is a series of one time release brews, hand bottled in 22 ounce bombers with gold foil wrapping on the cap that kind of looks like a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup. These efforts have all been major creative accomplishments in the art of exercising beer imagination. Previous Side Project installments include the 85 ibu Hop Shortage Ale, the smoky RoggenRauchBier, and Gamma Ray, a wheat wine brewed with honey. Number four in the series — Dos Cocoas Chocolate Porter — is brewed and wood conditioned with 120 pounds of Ecuadorian cocoa.
To expend that motherload of chocolaty goodness, 100% cocoa powder is added during the brewing process. After fermentation breathes life into the brew, it is wood aged for one month on a bed of cocoa nibs — roasted cocoa beans that have been shelled and split into smaller pieces. Another impressive show under pressure.
Dos Cocoas Porter pours dark chocolate brown into an English pint glass, creating a thin halo of white head that reduces to a psychedelic swirl of foamy film across the brew's murky top.
Aromas are of coffee beans and Nestle Quick powder, with slight traces of grassiness from mild, English style hopping.
In terms of flavor, this beer is chocolaty as hell, but without being sweet; it's more of a bitter, smoky chocolate with a slight dark fruitiness from the ale yeast. There's just enough chocolate intensity to carry through to the finish without overpowering all the dry, toasty flavors of roasted grain.
Body is complex. Creamy mouthfeel with low carbonation, still it's somewhat light-bodied for a porter. This brew is really incredible, with well-developed, yet mellow, flavors and a ton of drinkability. Terrapin hasn't released the alcohol content, but I wouldn't put it over 6.8%.
Looking forward, Part 5 of the Side Project series is Monks Revenge, a Belgian style Double IPA. Terrapin's promotional information claims it will have the malt bill of a Belgian Tripel and the hop bill of a Double IPA. Sounds like a party. Scheduled for Part 6, the 90 Shilling Scotch Ale, a notoriously malt-heavy style that will be a nice following move after the imperial hopping of Monks Revenge.
And even though I am excited for these new installations, there is something that keeps creeping into my thoughts — If one were to mix equal parts of Dos Cocoas Porter and Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout, magical things might happen inside your mouth. Sadly, my stash of Wake-n-Bake was gone weeks ago, so in order to experience this fantasy mixture, I'll have to put away a bottle of Dos Cocoas until next year. Who knows, maybe my dream concoction will be Part 7, an imperial oatmeal Dos Cocoas porter with dark roasted coffee beans mixed into the cocoa nibs. Oh my.
This article appears in Mar 4-10, 2009.