As you have figured out by now I have family in visiting. My son and his wife are here for a week and I am trying to maximize as much time with them as possible. One such night included freshman football, pizza, Flying Dog Raging Bitch, and Stone Suede. The football game was an exciting one. Down at the half 6 to 22 we fought back to win 34 to 28. This was also a big game because it was the first time my youngest played both offense and defense for the whole game. On the ride home with my oldest son and his wife we stopped to get pizza for everyone. What goes best with pizza? Yep you’re right beer. So we went over and picked up a couple varieties. They got Blue Moon and O’Fallon Weach. While I picked up the aforementioned Raging Bitch and Suede.

I have had Raging Bitch before but picked it up for others to try. This is a very sensory overload type flavored beer. Labeled as a Belgian IPA, it starts out bitter and bubbly. Then as you drink the cloves from the Belgian yeast hits your palate as well as your nose. Finished off with what I can only describe as a sweet bubble gum flavor. I enjoy this beer mainly because of this complexity and because all the differences are so bold that my novice taster can pick them up. I sent a glass around the table urging people to get a good smell and drink to get the full effect. I shook my head as sips were taken and noses curled, oh well I guess I can’t make them like every beer. In my opinion this beer washed down the pizza beautifully with a sweet flavored but overall dry finish to leave you wanting more. I didn’t mind that no one else liked it that just meant more for me.

The Stone Suede was my desert. I’m not much of a sweets guy so I like heavy rich beers for dessert. This beer is actually a collaboration between 10 Barrel, Blue Jacket, and Stone. The description from Stone’s website:

When Parisi and Stone brewmaster Mitch Steele decided to collaborate, it was essential that they tap a special individual to complete their triad of fermentation domination, and they found just that in Tonya Cornett, the brewmaster at Bend, Oregon’s 10 Barrel Brewing Company. Together, they decided on a sturdy yet velvety base of imperial porter and developed a plan to celebrate the bounty of the environs in which it was produced by harvesting avocado honey, jasmine and calendula flowers (some from our very own Stone Farms) and infusing them into the beer to create something complex and uniquely Southern Californian. Consider it craft cross-pollination at its finest.

Avocado honey? jasmine? calendula flower? (which I had to look up is in the marigold family) Well as with anything else I have had from Stone it works. This beer is rich and slightly thick bold flavor with a slight warming from the alcohol. Nothing to cloying though and the flavors swirl in your mouth. There is a definite sweetness and the aroma is very floral. I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good Imperial Stout.

Needless to say after a sixer of 8.3% Raging Bitch and a 22oz 9.6% Suede the conversation went on into the wee hours of the morning. The youngest boy only said 3 things when he got home: hungry, tired, and goodnight. I guess playing offense and defense for an entire game will do that to you. My wife left us she had to work in the morning, which left myself, my oldest and his wife to talk, reminisce, tell stories, and have a great night. There are just some things you can’t put in a bottle but if you could I would drink nights like this all the time.