Year of New Beer: Hydra Cuvée, Firestone Walker/Flying Dog (CA/MD)

Written By: Dion on 05/18/2014

Brewed as the commemorative beer/souvenir for the participants of SAVOR in Washington, DC, this is a beer that I feel privileged to review. The nose is a delicate blend of roasted coffee, bitter chocolate, and cherries, with no hints of the bourbon barrel influence. On the tongue, the stout and porter influences are obvious with the rich roasted bean and cocoa powder bitterness. Candied dark fruits, roasted nuts, oak, and at last...bourbon greet the tongue in layers. As the dark fruit fades, an earthy hop kicks in, with a nice rye spice that rides through the finish. Still can't figure out how they hid the alcohol in this 10% beast.