Honey Brown drowns McDuff's Black Fly

Your Weekend Starter with Carter: Stone Coast knuckles under

Knuckleball?($8.29 for a six-pack at Uncle Tom's) This interesting looking beer caught my attention from the start. Classified as a Bock beer, Knuckleball is brewed in Portland by the Stone Coast Brewing Company and delivers a powerful punch as most bock beers do. The smell of this dark brew is malty and thick. This implied a heavier-than-average beer.

Your Weekend Starter with Carter: Dogfish 60 Minute has taste that lasts

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA?($7.99 for a six-pack at Warming's) This beer was recommended to me by numerous sources, many of whom touted bodies nearly as impressive as that of this Delaware-based IPA. Though I do not usually go for IPAs, I decided that the hype was enough to push me toward a purchase.

Your Weekend Starter with Carter

Honey Brown drowns McDuff's Black Fly

This piece represents the opinion of the author:

Carter Thomas

Columnist

March 3, 2006

J.W. Dundee's Original Honey Brown ($6.49 for a six-pack at Hannaford)

This beer is one of the standards in the endless racks of beer in Northeastern supermarkets, joining the ranks of Rolling Rock and Pete's Wicked Ale. As an amber ale, Honey Brown emanates a solid, deep red when poured, showcasing what is one of the best looking beers I have enjoyed in hours. It smells like a regular American lager with robust hops and malt tones, though there is an undercurrent of honey-like sweetness that reminds me of a treasured sixth grade visit to a bee keepers' abode. The taste can be conveyed as a full, yet sweet lager, utilizing the complex sugars of the honey to stretch the smoothness of each tender sip.

This makes me curious as to how honey would affect many other beers and consumables such as a oney Guinness Stout or honey grilled haddock. I fear, however, that these tastes would not complement themselves the way J.W. Dundee's technique magically has. The label is rather boring as it attempts to give an old west feel through the name Dundee and a yellow, red, and brown color scheme. It makes me unexcited to drink what I consider to be a great choice for mid-priced beer. A suggestion would be to include a massive brown bee, possibly holding a keg or mug, touting a massive smile from antenna to antenna. My scores: Taste: 4.0 Label: 2.3 Benefit/Cost: 4.4 (all ratings out of 5).

Gritty McDuff's Black Fly Stout ($7.69 for a six-pack at Uncle Tom's)

Though I am not an avid stout drinker, I recognize a good one when I taste it. Gritty's has been known for its powerful taste and does not let us down with this black beer. It pours to a thick, dark liquid, buoying a massive head on top of the charcoal-colored brew. When held to a light, the glass was nearly opaque, much the way coffee is, a virtual curtain to the viewer's eyes. It smells nuttier than other stouts and packs a hint of chocolate that drove my curiosity to a new high. Could it be? A stout with a truly full-bodied flavor instead of the thin coffee flavor I am so used to? Unfortunately, Gritty's was pretty much what I expected, only packing a bit more punch than its counterparts. Luckily, this beer's label is terrific. Not only does it stay true to the name, it takes a step further by illustrating a swarm of black flies funneling through a beautiful meadow where I am sure cute animals were frolicking at some point. Overhead looms the massive cloud of insects, ready to strike like an unstoppable rebel force. Wow, quite the statement to be making for a beer. Though I am not crazy about this brew, I would recommend it to all those who enjoy stouts or have an unhealthy interest in swarming parasites. My scores: Taste: 3.2 Label: 4.9 Benefit/Cost: 2.9. (all ratings out of 5).

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