Dad's Birthday and Sunset Bar&Grill

So about two weeks ago was pop's birthday, horrible day to celebrate though...9/11..  but I believe that those events shouldn't just be remembered and respected on one day..that aside, we had been talking about microbrews for a while and he had been interested in exploring the world beyond Bud heavy, ie the world of GOOD beer!  So I took him to Sunser Bar&Grill in Allston..if you haven't been there and even remotely have an interest in beer.. GO!  It's gotta have like 300 beers if not more.. with an insane amount just on tap!

I started off with an Ommegang Hennepin.  Had seen this one in a 22oz at work and wanted to try it for a lonnnnng time, never in a 12oz bottle!  Let's do this.  7.7%abv and 26.6 IBU's.  Named for the Belgian priest, Father Hennepin, who 'discovered' Niagra Falls.  Cool.  Poured a hazy golden with a rich head, didn't quickly fade.  Saison style, but definitely smelled like a traditional Hefe weizen, sweetness/banana aroma, hinting at a similar taste to a the hefe weizen...not too far off!  Bit more crisp than expected, but similar clove, banana, bread-y sweetness to the taste.  smooth, sweet finish, slightly hoppy and hints of the alcohol that would be expected from an almost 8% beer but not too distinct.  Overall a great beer, perfect on a an autumn's eve ( in my not flamboyant opinion....)










Dad started off with a Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale..sampled it but I have that one in my Samuel Smith's 3-pack sampler, so I'll save that review for later...

Dad's beer #2 was a Dogfish Head Burton Baton  10% abv and 70 IBU's...ohhhh boy!  An American Double/Imperial IPA..only a few tastes, but wow!  Thicker than the usual beer, but obviously due to being a double/imperial IPA at 10%, but only slightly hoppy, got very earthy/oaky notes, malts..very very very smooth and pleasant..  I NEED to try this again...all to myself!




Beer #2 for me..  Victory Storm King Imperial Stout..9.1% abv, can't find any IBU's..   Holy Motor Oil, Batman...this beast poured about as black as my soul!  Thick, for a beer..almost no head, kinda like a dark, dark roast coffee/espresso, and thats exactly what the aroma was, as well as hoppy, heavy roasted malts.  Surprisingly this beer had a very thin mouth-feel..not at all what I expected from such an extremely dark beer. Again, coffee, espresso, high cacao% dark chocolate taste, no hint of the hops or anything to suggest 9% abv, slightly bitter.  WAY too easy to drink for a high abv beer, pleasantly sweet aftertaste, very very warming.  When I really wanna get tanked, fast..gimme 2 or 3 of these and blast-off!!!

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