Boaks Monster Mash

Boaks Monster Mash found its way into my keezer thanks to a very generous person.  I was looking forward to trying it, since it's a Russian Imperial Stout, and I'm a huge fan of that style:

Vittles:
Russian Imperial Stout
10% abv
100 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 10/10
Aroma: 22/25
Taste: 37/40
Mouthfeel: 9/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 91/100

Impression:
The aroma drew me in, with all its roasty, nutty, sweet malty goodness.  I picked up some pretty clear coffee and chocolate notes and hints of dark fruits (mainly raisins and figs) and just the slightest hint of something smoky.  The flavors followed the nose very well, but I also tasted hints of vanilla, toffee, and some mild hop bitterness.  I was a little surprised that I didn't taste any smokiness, though.  The mouthfeel was medium-full with mild carbonation, and it's a nice, smooth drinking beer.  I'm very glad I got the chance to try this beer, and I'll definitely be picking some up for the chilly weather up ahead.  I'm also going to try cellaring this one for a year or two -- seems like the kind of beer that'll get tastier with a year or two on it.

Cheers!

Boaks Double BW

I picked up a 6 of Boaks Two Blink Monks a while back, and I enjoyed it quite a bit, so I decided to give another of their beers a try.  The one I settled on was their Double BW:

Vittles:
Witbier
4.5% abv

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 20/25
Taste: 32/40
Mouthfeel: 7/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 7/10
Overall: 78/100

Impression:
I had a bit of overcarbonation trouble with the first two bottles I opened out of this 6er.  I sent an email to the brewer to let them know there might be a problem, and they were very polite and responsive.  From what I've been reading online, others have had the opposite problem with their beer -- not enough carbonation.  The aroma is mild, grassy, wheaty, and lemony, with a bit of mustiness in the background.  The flavors largely follow, but there's also some fruitiness on the tongue that I didn't pick up on in the nose.  A slight spiciness comes out more and more as the beer warms.  This is a decent choice for a light and refreshing sessionable beer, but it's not going to knock your socks off.  It's a solid witbier, good for the hot and humid weather we've been having lately.

Cheers!

Boaks Two Blind Monks

There's a Weis grocery store in Lewisburg, PA that sells beer by the six-pack, so when I went a-visitin' for Easter, I stopped by to see if I could find something I hadn't tried before.  I did see several varieties of craft beers that looked interesting, and there were a few brewers I hadn't heard of before sitting on the shelves.  I wound up getting a Belgian style dubbel called Two Blind Monks, made by Boaks.  I had never heard of Boaks before, so I thought, what the heck, why not?  I was pretty satisfied with my choice:

Appearance: 8/10
It pours a medium amber brown with not much of a head and little head retention.  (I know, it's not the best background to see the color against, but I'm not going to carry around a sheet of white paper every time I think I might have a beer.)  I'm sure it would look more appealing in the "proper" glassware.

Aroma: 20/25
The aroma is very malty, almost bready.  There is a bit of fruitiness to the nose, maybe cherries and/or raisins?  It smells fairly sweet, too, a little like caramel.  My husband said he thought it smelled and tasted like wort, and I can see where he's coming from.

Taste: 33/40
The flavor, like the aroma, is predominantly malty.  There's a good roasted malt flavor on the back end that is very pleasing.  The fruitiness doesn't come through as well in the taste as it does in the nose, but the sweetness is still present.  It has a rich, almost-full flavor, and the combination of the roasted tones and the sweetness remind me a bit of molasses.  There is very little hoppiness, so if you like hop-heavy beers, this might not be your cuppa.

Mouthfeel: 8/10
This is almost a "chewable" beer.  It definitely does not have that watery thinness to it.  It feels silky on the tongue and finishes with a good alcohol-warmth that reflects the 7% abv.  There's a very slight dryness on the back end, as well.

Style: 4/5
The aroma and flavor aren't as complex or estery as I'd expect, and this beer doesn't have the dense and well-retained head expected in the Belgian dubbel style.  Aside from those two points, Two Blind Monks fits the rest of the style expectations nicely.

Drinkability: 8/10
I wouldn't put this beer in my top 10, but it is definitely the kind of beer I would readily recommend to people who enjoy maltier beers.  I found it to be very drinkable, since it's fairly smooth and mellow.  The flavors seem nicely balanced and well-blended.

Overall: 81/100
I was glad I picked up this beer to try.  Two Blind Monks did not disappoint, and it was a good beer to enjoy with Easter dinner.  This beer seems like it would pair well with any hearty kind of meal, but it would be too strong to have with something like fish.  I will certainly be looking for other beers from Boaks to try in the future.

Cheers!