Avery Brewing Co. - Mephistopheles' Stout
There are some beers that are insane. There is only one that I'd consider to be truly evil. Mephistopheles' Stout from Avery is known to even make women cringe! When I first saw the beer I was shocked by what I read on the bottle. I'm not sure there's a person out there who doesn't agree. Mephistopheles' Stout has a whopping 15.92% ABV. To put that alcohol content into context, your average wine is around 14% ABV. I mean...WTF Mephistopheles?! One fact that should be noted is that the beer that I drank was bottled on November of 2008. That's right, the Mephistopheles I'm reviewing is almost two years old! Basically, everything about this beer screams, "Insane!" But little did I know the beer would be true to its name...
Mephistopheles pours out a velvety blackness like depths of Hell. It's as if you're pouring midnight into your glass. Actually, it is not pitch black. It looks very much like a black coffee, with the edges being a dark brown. The head is toffee-colored, bubbly, a fizzles out much quicker than I expected it to. When you swirl Mephistopheles around in the glass you can see a clear line where it was, like swirling wine, as evidence of the beer's sweetness. The aroma is rich and complex. To say it smells like coffee is an understatement. It's as if the beer was brewed along with roasted coffee. Sweet molasses and dark cherry and sweet/bitter raisin lay underneath with dark chocolate and smooth maltiness. It has an overall aroma of an aged beer too. As if the smell isn't strong enough, the taste certainly took me by surprise.
When you take your first sip of Mephistopheles' Stout you are not prepared for it. Sure, it is full of flavor but it will kick your ass whether you're a rookie or legendary beer drinker. Immediately your taste buds are bombarded with the rich and roasty coffee flavors mixed with dark cherry and raisin bitterness. The alcohol hits you early and hard too. It makes the beer "hot" and warms all the way down. On my first few sips I coughed from the alcohol until I was used to it. It's not like I expected anything less from a beer named after Mephistopheles! The cherry/raisin and molasses sweetness bring more flavor, enjoyment, and complexity to it while dark chocolate/cocoa notes add more richness. Trust me that it takes some time to get used to this beer. My favorite characteristic was that the dominant roasted coffee and sweetness flavors lingered in the finish for a very long time after the beer had already gone into my stomach. Mephistopheles' evil goodness stays with you by sticking to your tongue, mouth, and throat after every gulp. This uniqueness makes the drinking experience more enjoyable. I'll be honest here, Mephistopheles' Stout is a great beer but it is not something I'd want to have repeated drinks of. The flavors are crazily good but strong and the alcohol is harsh yet balanced with it all. When you buy a beer called Mephistopheles' Stout, you know what you're getting into.
4/5
Re: The Beer Thread
Reply With Quote
)
Originally Posted by René Artois
