CALIFORNIA BATTLE OF THE BREWERIES SEMI-FINALS:
ALE SMITH VS FIRESTONE WALKER
It's time for the second round! Only four breweries remain: Ale Smith, Firestone Walker, The Bruery, and Russian River, with a spot in the finals on the line. We knew we wanted this battle to feature stouts, so the obvious choice from Ale Smith is their legendary Speedway Stout. From Firestone Walker I really really wanted to find Parabola. However, scavenging the liquor stores from La Jolla, Encinitas, and downtown San Diego, the beer was no where to be found. Instead we opted for their Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout, which is no pushover with a reputable 97 from ratebeer. Still, it looks like going in to this battle, it may be a case of David vs Goliath. Credit Ale Smith for making their best beer so widely available at every store we went to.
Alright, eyes closed, beers poured, and let the battle begin! The had a simple toasty aroma of malt and chocolate. The mouthful that followed was silky smooth, creamy with milk chocolate, nut and oat, some banana and biscuit. Not super complex but well balanced and delicious. A good stout for sure.
Niko I (FF) Score = 9.25/10
I didn't even have to bring the second beer all the way to my nose to smell the waves of roasted coffee, banana, malt, vanilla - great aroma. Flooding my tongue with immense flavor, the liquid glory flowed through my palate in two stages: first sweet malt, wheat, banana, honey, vanilla, dark sugary fruit like raison. Next, the dark roasted espresso knocked everything out of the way with bitter dark chocolate and some nut finishing nice and dry. What can I say this beer is simply amazing. It is the best stout I have had as of yet. SO COMPLEX, SO BALANCED.
Niko I (FF) Score = 10/10
So what brewery crafted the masterpiece that is stout number two? Not surprisingly, it was Ale Smith Speedway Stout
Bottom Line, buy this beer! It is amazing. And Ale Smith... see you in the finals.
