Beer of the Week

The beer: A Pleasant Country

The brewery: Brookeville Beer Farm, Brookeville, Maryland

Description (from Untappd and the can): "Sagamore rye barrel aged Belgian double with Marciano cherries added in the ferment. ... Bourbon and cherry ride an oaken vanilla swirl. Notes of raisin and fig compote."

Would I buy it again? This is a very good beer, and I do enjoy it quite a lot. You can taste the cherry and definitely taste the vanilla. But these barrel-aged beers are rarely easy to drink, and this is no exception. I would buy this again, but it's too heavy and thick to be anything more than an occasional treat.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Single Digit Dubbel

Brewed by: Smuttynose Brewing Company, Hampton, New Hampshire

Description (from the website): "Smuttynose Single Digit Dubbel (formerly known as Winter Ale) is a full-bodied, amber beer brewed with a special Trappist ale yeast. Stylistically reminiscent of a Belgian Abbey Double, it features fruity aromas and flavor, balanced by spicy Sterling hops. Warming, mellow & pleasantly complex, Smuttynose Single Digit Dubbel is your perfect cold weather companion."

Would I buy it again?: Probably not. Sorry, this beer just didn't really grab me. It didn't really have much going on, I expected a bit more from a dubbel. Definitely not bad, just not enough to distinguish itself from other, better beers.