What Did Our Forefathers Do?

When it was cold...this damn cold...what did my forefathers do? How did they stay warm? How did they find nourishment?

They drank beer.

In honor of those of us with brave, seafaring ancestors, who braved the coldest of voyages and ports, who had the stomach for huge beers, I offer this week:

Victory Storm King Stout!

This is a fine example of a Russian Imperial Stout, known for being able to survive the voyage from England to St. Petersberg and Moscow; known for keeping the bellies of sailors on arctic expeditions warm and fed on the coldest of nights.

It pours a deep tar-pitch black, crowned with a thick coffee-colored foam head, like storm clouds in the North Atlantic. As the head settled, it formed thick patches of head and lace, like whorls whipped-up in those severe storms. It pours with a viscosity; not quite like oil, but with a visible thickness like the coldest parts of the ocean.

The aroma is subdued, like the calm before a storm. It's there...you smell it...it just hasn't hit yet. But the anticipation is there. Some citric hops, big eathy nose, some mustiness and a roasted character...like the cabin of your ship.

Then the beer hits like the gales and wild, roaring storms that have dashed many ships in the Atlantic. Big roasted, molasses, coffee, dark chocolate, Cajun chicory and earth. Sharp hops break through and sworls with a heavy roasted coffee. Flashes of citrus and a tight carbonation spark like lightning on the open sea, balancing out the heavy dark malt characters, like the huge, black clouds of a heavy storm.

The alcohol is warming, like the pot-bellied stove, and complements the raging storm with a blended spice feel. It finally finishes dry with roasted notes; the sun comes out after the storm.

The mouthfeel is thick, viscous, but smooth as silk.

This is one lovely, heavy beer. Safer to watch the storm from the comfort of your home than be tossed about in high seas, for then you can truly appreciate the Storm King for its true beauty.