Anchor Steam Porter begins a good old fashioned night of drinkin' the good stuff

I'm at The Other Room with Karl and we're killing time until David and Nick G are able to join us to kill a growler of Iron Fist and hopefully some ice cream, which if they don't eat, will eventually turn my inner fat kid into an outie. In the meantime, I'm surprised to discover I've unfortunately covered a good portion of The Other Room's beer menu, and I'm settling down on the fairly easy to find Anchor Steam Porter.

Anchor Steam's brewing process, is called steam brewing, and during the first half of last century, it was pretty common on the West Coast, but now Anchor steam is the only company which still brews in this manner. The result, if you've ever had an Anchor Steam, is a creation similar to a fruity Sierra Nevada.

Accordingly, the Anchor Steam Porter has very dark fruit notes that are unique to the porter style. Porters are known for their roasted and toasted malts - chocolate, nutty flavor notes. The steam process has really differentiated this porter from others in the style. While unusual, I like it. It's a drinking porter and perfect for summer. TRANSFORMERS rating.

Back at the homestead, we open Iron Fist's Velvet Glove, which I've had before as the beer of the day and scooped some ice cream (Velvet Glove is pretty heavy). This beer is just phenomenal, and with ice cream it's like chocolate alcohol syrup. It's so good I had seconds of both, just to enjoy the pairing.

Nick G also brought over some Gunga Galunga, one of David's favorite beers, made with ginger and named after a Bill Murry line from Caddyshack. Could it get any better? Only by sharing it with great friends like Karl and Nick G. Freaking great guys night of drinking and non stop laughter.

With Goose Island Pepe Nero and Blue Bell Vanilla Ice Cream, it's an oreo kind of night

I've been looking forward to watching this Office episode, where Dwight takes over as acting manager of the Scranton Branch. Chaos is sure to ensue. I'm also hot on trying the Pepe Nero, not only because it's from famed Chicago brewery Goose Island but because it has a great label and a name I don't understand. Apparently I'm a sucker for exotic, vague beer titles.

Also joining the party is a half-gallon of Blue Bell Ice Cream, a Texas made creation which my mom sent for my birthday in a Styrofoam box filled with dry ice. It's by far the best ice cream I've had in my life and I miss it dearly. It's the shit. Let's see if this beer is.

Oreo, get it?

This beer is real dark, like looking in Satan's Butthole dark. Pepe Nero is a Belgian-style ale and it has that sweet Belgian smell. The body is a mix of Belgian characteristics and dark porter roast. The roast is not chocolate or nut, but actual roast - like a mild coffee.

The surprise ingredient, written in letter so small on the bottle I didn't catch it, is peppercorn. You're reading this and you might be thinking, Walker, you write like someone who's brain been on drugs for the past 10 years, aka, you write like eggs over easy on one of those PSA commercials --> Why didn't you talk about peppercorn when you're talking about the other flavors above? Well, I might respond, because they don't taste like Peppercorns, you ignorant slut. The peppercorns add a very distinct but unsual taste, something along the lines of jerky or leather. It's hard to put my tongue on it (that's what she said).


This beer is well made, crisp, but it's not really tickling my belly. It's not very complex, even with the peppercorn. The bottle looks great though. ARMAGEDDON rating.

Bruery Provisions Salt of the Earth made with Truffle Salt is Savory as Scheisse

What the Scheisse is Gose beer? Apparently it’s made with some intriguing ingredients - coriander and truffle salt.

"Gose is a top-fermented beer style of Leipzig, Germany that are brewed with at least 50% of the grain bill being malted wheat. Because of the use of coriander and salt, Gose does not comply to the Reinheitsgebot (German purity law). It is allowed an exemption from the rules on the grounds of being a regional specialty."

I have a case of Bronchitus so my sore throat remedy is ice cream and beer. I’m mature like that. David picked up this up from The Bruery Provisions store yesterday during its limited production run.
The Salt of the Earth is at 5%, which is true to the style but low for a typical Bruery beer. The malt is savory thanks to the prominent truffle salt. The complexity reminds me of this fantastic chocolate they sell in wine stores and whole foods, which is a dark chocolate shell around caramel with sea salt on top. There is an explosion of flavor, and this beer packs the same punch. The salt in both beer and chocolate brings out tongue bursting flavors.

This is a really interesting beer. How many U.S. craft brewers brew with salt, let alone truffle salt. It’s an experimental beer that hits it out of the park. THE ROCK rating.