Beer:30...Mt. Carmel Brewing Co. Stout.

Today is a special day. December 5th, a day that most people do not even recognize. Today is the day that beer was given back to the people just 78 years ago. If you still have no idea what I am talking about, today is the anniversary of the 21st amendment, the repeal of prohibition.

For my personal celebration, I pulled from the lineup of my favorite local company, Mt. Carmel. I had never had their stout before, and after searching around for it, yesterday it made the journey back to Milford with me. So without further ado:

I love stouts, absolutely one of my favorite types of beer. This beer is a solid representation of what a good stout should be. Dark appearance, a tan colored head, and a somewhat bitter chocolate flavor round out this beer. It is more carbonated that the stereotypical stout, like a creamy Guinness, but a great flavor overall. This is a solid beer that does everything well, but nothing superbly. A "Jack of all Trades" if you will. That is in no way a knock on the brew, it is good. My opinion could very well be a little altered due to the fact I have been drinking Imperial stouts of the Russian variety lately. Regardless of that, this is a good beer, which I am glad that I finally found. Once again, well done Mt. Carmel.

Hopefully this finds you drinking a finely crafted beer on this special day in beer history!

Cheers!

Beer:30... Mt. Carmel Winter Ale.

As I have stated before, I love winter beer season. It is the time of year where beers get darker, a little spice comes out to play, and the beers just warm the soul. I usually feel a little disappointment when the season is over, but how many of us would drink these darker specialties if they were available year round? I can't imagine drinking a winter ale in the heat of July. But that's me. This is a special time of year, so drink it up while it's still here!

That said, enter Mt. Carmel's Winter Ale:

This is, by far, my favorite winter/seasonal brew on the planet. Sure there are some tasty ones out there that I enjoy, but this beer is different.

For starters, just look at the label. While the mass majority of beers that hit the market have a plain label (ex. Bud, Miller, Yuengling, etc.) this beer has a beautiful winter scene gracing the bottle. It is simple, yet elegant. A nice winter scene depicting the brewery in the colder months. Their labels stand out nicely amongst the other random bottles. If you are familiar with their other seasonals, the brewery in the picture changes with the time of year. This is the only true way of telling time in my household. That's a lie, but you get the idea...

Next up, the flavor. This beer is what a winter beer should be. Best described from the label, "...Scents of Spruce and Ginger mingling with flavors of Orange Spiced bread..." You cannot argue with that description. The beer though pours nice and dark, the head has a stickiness to it, which in turn gives a creamy mouth feel. Reading that, it sounds a little dirty. But dirty this beer is not. The flavors do "mingle" nicely, giving you a taste of spice, a little hint of fruits, and the sweet malt taste that winter beers are known for. It is balanced so perfectly, you do not realize that the ABV is 8%. A true winter warmer.

Lastly, this beer is local. I really enjoy that fact. I know that the beer I am drinking is fresher than some of the others that are on the shelf/tap. This is also cutting down on my carbon footprint, just by supporting this local business. One of their shirt designs sums up this point quite nicely, "Keep your beer local, and make your conversations exotic." I like that.

If you have not checked out their site, click here to check it out.
Well done Mt. Carmel, this beer is a classic!

Cheers!

Now Drinking...

Mt. Carmel Blonde Ale.

My first introduction to Mt. Carmel was just 3 weeks ago, thanks to one of my coworkers. That beer was their Winter Ale, which by the way is the best winter beer that I have had this year. So after the Winter Ale, I moved on to their IPA, another fantastic choice. Very reminiscent of Sierra Nevada's Torpedo IPA. Anyway, tonight brought me the Blonde Ale. This is a very smooth beer, just like their other offerings. It seems like this is what Budweiser or Miller would taste like if they really wanted to make "good" beer. It starts off smooth, with a lager cleanness, then a taste of hops hits the palate, which finishes off this beer perfectly. I think this beer will be my go to beer in warmer times.

Another cool aspect of Mt. Carmel is that they are a local brewery here in the Cincinnati area. Started in 2005 in the basement of their house, they have now expanded and are producing more and more beer, which you are able to find a little easier nowadays. Here is a quick video from YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVINuoWRLRk

To find their products check out their website:
http://mtcarmelbrewingcompany.com

Next time you are strolling through your local grocery store and Mt. Carmel catches your eye, definitely pick some up and support your local brewery.