A Cloud that Burps (and beer at MacNivens)

We went out last night for my early birthday present to see Eddie Izzard at the Murat. (A Cloud that burps is a line from his show last night). We stopped by MacNivens on Mass Ave before the show for dinner and drinks. I still can't put my finger on exactly why I like MacNivens, but I think it is a combination of good food, good service, and a quality beer lineup that I can be assured has been turned properly and the prices are usually fair.

If you have never been to MacNivens it is a Scottish themed restaurant that pays homage to Sean Connery, rugby, soccer, scotch whiskey, and good beer. That is right up my alley.

They have Founders Red Rye on tap right now, and I started off the night with that. As you well know Founders is one of my favorites, and Red Rye is one of their best I think. I've had Red Rye out of a bottle, but this was my first time on tap before. Out of the tap the beer has a much more pronounced pine hop presence and caramel malt scent. The flavor profile is a little more heavy in the hop department, but is by no means a "hop bomb." This is better on-tap than in the bottle, but I will always take either way I can get this beer.

My second beer though didn't stack up very well. I ordered a snifter of Brooklyn Brewery's Blast Pale Ale. It is supposed to be a DIPA, but I didn't think it was by any means. There were some floral hops in the nose, but also a lemony earthiness coming in as well. The alcohol isn't well hidden in the beer and it tasted of sour citrus fruit, and not the good kind that I like. Is this oxidized keg beer? I know other people have said the same thing of the Blast here in Indiana at other Indianapolis beer bars, but it gets high marks in other states. My buddy Nate who was with me had the same thoughts as me, but at 7.25 we made sure we finished our beers. What is up with Indiana's shipment of Brooklyn Blast? I've enjoyed Brooklyn's other offerings I've had, but this one was not good.

Cheers!
Matt

Dark Horse Scotty Karate

Beer: Dark Horse Scotty Karate
Brewery Location: Marshall, MI
Beer Style: Scotch Ale
Serving Style: On-Tap
ABV: 9.25%


I was at MacNivens the other night for some dinner and a pint. They have had this on tap before, but I never tried it out. I've only had a few offerings from Dark Horse, and I honestly don't know that much about them. I am a big fan of scotch ales though, so I thought this would be a good choice for the meal.


It is served in a snifter and pours a deep chocolate hue with slight ruby highlights and a minimal off-white head. The nose is a combination of sweet malt, caramel, dark fruits, and more than a touch of alcohol with no hops to speak of. The flavor profile is very sweet, almost cloying, combining flavors of caramel, toffee, dark fruit, and toasted malt. The sweetness is really overdone for my liking here. It is medium bodied and almost a little chewy on the palate. The alcohol warmth on this is not well hidden and is what I would consider "boozy," but the alcohol is quite high on this beer.

I love scotch ales, but this just didn't live up to what I was after. The sweetness and the booziness of this beer just didn't sit well with me. Scotch ales are usually on the sweeter side, but this one just took it further than I wanted.

Cheers!
Matt