Session # 105 | Dark Horse | Reserve Special | 7.5% ABV
American Strong Ale | Marshall, MI | Rating: 90/100

Here we are wrapping up another week of craft beer where we focus on a specific brewery. This week was Dark Horse and I chose to focus on a few of their stouts. Though you will notice this beer today is not classified a stout, it is virtually stout-like in every way. This is the brewery’s American Strong Ale called Reserve Special Black Bier. I first became aware of it a couple years ago when Draft Magazine listed it as one of their Top 25 Beers of 2008. Of course I had to purchase a few and enjoyed one last year and held on to the other two until now. Reserve Special is a very interesting beer because it really is a Stout or Porter in my mind. It pours black, has a light tan head, and smells every bit as dark and molasses-y as you’d expect from these two styles. The nose is much more elegant than the other two beers from this week. In fact, I could really smell this beer for a long time. Even though I pull out things like dank leather shoes, smoky malts, caramel, and molasses it tastes better than it sounds. Ultimately it has that signature Dark Horse taste that I’ve come to learn over the last week, but it’s clearly the winner for me and the only one I would recommend going out of your way for. Up Next: Pretty Things Jack D’Or

Others: Dark Horse Fore, Surly Smoke, ØlfabrikkenPorter

Check out all sessions of The Hopry here.
This beer can be found in these states.
On the iPod: Arcade Fire “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)”



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It should be common knowledge by now that the mighty little craft brewery from Milton, Delaware called Dogfish Head brews some of the most experimental beers on the market. It should also be common knowledge by now that many of these beers are very extreme in their alcohol levels. Raison D’extra is a prime example of both. It’s considered to be an American Strong Ale, and I’m not going to argue with that one bit. While not necessarily experimental with flavors (brown sugar and raisins), Raison D’extra does reach a heightened level of intrigue based solely on the viscosity and size of the beer. That’s because this version (which is the bigger brother of the Raison D’être), is like drinking a rum or style of wine like Sauternes. I have to say, though, that I’m just not fully on board with this beer. I like it quite well in terms of its taste, but it tends to move a little too far away from “normal” beer territory for me to feel a full connection to it. Not to mention that it actually took me two sittings to drink this small 12 ounce bottle. You really do taste the “boat loads of raisins” and brown sugar that make up a good portion of the recipe. However, I will definitely make sure I have a friend over the next time I venture down the extreme avenue of Dogfish Head. 120-Minute IPA…you’re next. Who wants to stop by and split it with me?

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This beer can be found in these states.
On the iPod: Dan Auerbach

Brewery: Dogfish Head
Beer: Raison D’extra
Style: American Strong Ale
Location: Milton, Delaware
ABV: 18.5%
Rating: 86/100

FINALLY, a friend who is courageous enough to do a beer review with me on camera. Andy Hagen of happywineguy.com stopped over to share a couple beers and good conversation. I have to say it was a great deal of fun having another beer enthusiast in the room for these reviews because it gives me an opportunity to speak less and listen (ahem…drink) more. Anyway, Dragon’s Milk from New Holland Brewing Company (ANOTHER GREAT BREWERY FROM MICHIGAN!) gets its name from a 17th century expression that describes a very strong beer reserved for royalty. Well that’s exactly what Andy and I are so it was suitable for this session. SCORE! With this one in particular, Andy smelled vanilla and I smelled coconut? I tend to believe it was just a mistake on my ear’s part – as I also smelled and tasted vanilla. Ultimately, we both agreed that the flavor was positively full of oak barrel greatness, which is primarily due to the fact that Dragon’s Milk is aged in oak barrels for over four months. It’s also part of New Holland’s high gravity series which highlights some of their higher alcohol beers and a few other greats I’ve had the joy of drinking (Imperial Hatter, Black Tulip, etc). Maybe a 12 ounce bottle wasn’t enough for its two admirers this evening, but we always have next time. And Dragon’s Milk is available in a 22 ounce bottle, so bring a friend and bust a cap.

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This beer can be found in these states.
On the iPod: Vic Chesnutt

Brewery: New Holland
Beer: Dragon’s Milk
Style: American Strong Ale
Location: Holland, Michigan
ABV: 9%
Rating: 93/100

Oh how I love the hops. Just look at the name of this site. But I also love me a good stout. So what if you could combine the two into one beer? Sign me up, please! Beer Here, a very small brewery from Denmark, is already cranking out some pretty fantastic beers. Besides the Dark Hops, the Morke (Pumpernickel Porter) is another phenomenal variation on the stout. The true winner of the two, however, is the Dark Hops. I mean I don’t think I’ve ever had a beer that spoke to me the way this one does. Every time I drink it the people around me start to leave the room because they know I’m about to geek out in a severe way. But you know what? This truly is an ingenious beer that combines two of my favorite styles. As the beer warms it really starts to take on a heavy hop aroma and taste, but it’s supported with the good old love of roasted malts that take on an espresso-like character. If you’re unable to find this one in your market, try looking for a beer called Dogzilla by Laughing Dog Brewery. It is very similar in style. I’ll just go on record to say I hope more breweries play with this style because it’s the friggin’ B-O-M-B!!! Nuff said.

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This beer can be found in these states.
On the iPod: Ariel Pink

Brewery: Beer Here
Beer: Dark Hops
Style: India Black Ale
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
ABV: 8.5%
Rating: 99/100

This beer can be found in these states.

Brewery: Dogfish Head
Beer: Palo Santo Marron
Style: American Strong Ale
Location: Milton, Delaware
ABV: 12%
Rating: 96/100