Beer of the Week

The beer: Framinghammer

The brewery: Jack's Abby Craft Lagers, Framingham, Massachusetts

Description (from Beer Advocate): "Savor the decadence of 'Gingerbread Framinghammer,' an imperial Baltic Porter that's pure dessert indulgence. This lager is a luxurious blend of cozy spices and sweetness, recreating a holiday favorite in liquid form. Immerse yourself in the opulence of flavors and elevate your lager experience."

Would I buy it again? This is a really good beer. It's got some really good sweet and spicy flavor to it, so it does come off as quite sugar cookie-like. And since it's a Baltic porter, it's still got a lot of strong beer flavor as well. So not too sweet. It would be a great beer for the winter. Too bad I'm drinking it in July. If I can find it again in November, then I'll definitely buy this again. For now, probably not.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Öö XO

The brewery: Põhjala Brewery, Tallinn, Estonia

Description (from Untappd): "A special version of the Öö, aged for months in Cognac barrels. Taste: A silky smooth texture of dark malts, red fruits, cognac, liquorice, and honey. Hints of molasses mix with those of rich dark chocolate, all balanced with elegant tannins cleansing the palate. Appearance: Pitch black - as dark as the night sky, with an opaque brown head. Nose: Dark fruits, plums, raisins, cranberries, and grapes - a rich forest fruit jamminess hits the nose first with some espresso notes and dark sugar. Cherries, cognac, tannins and hints of spice linger in the background."

Would I buy it again? What an incredible beer this is. So many tastes, yet you never forget that you're drinking a beer. It tastes like a beer. But you can taste the various other things. The honey, the fruit, the cognac. It's all there. If I ever see it again, I will buy it again, but Estonia isn't exactly right next door.