You won't say Nevermore to Raven's Eye
Organically brewed beers have become more and more common in recent years. And I had the chance to try two outstanding offerings recently.
Eel River Raven’s Eye Imperial Stout; Eel River Brewing Co.; Fortuna, CA; Russian Imperial Stout; ABV: 9.5. I shared a bottle with the gang at Mr. Beery’s this past Monday night, and was pleasantly surprised at how good this stout was. It pours a dark chocolate color, with big notes of sweet chocolate and expresso complimented by dark fruit such as cherries and roasted malt. Raven’s Eye has a rich, full-bodied taste to it, and the alcohol content is very well hidden, which is rare for a Russian Imperial Stout. This beer would make an excellent dessert beer, especially if paired with something chocolate.
Samuel Smith’s Organic Ale; Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery; Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom; English Pale Ale; ABV: 5.0. I had this exceptional ale at Shakespeare’s over the weekend, and it was even better than expected. Organic Ale pours a golden amber color, with notes of caramel malt and citrusy fruit balanced by breaded yeast and light earthy hops. This ale is crisp and clean, and is well balanced from start to finish. This EPA is a crisp, clean well balanced ale from start to finish. Needless to say, Organic Ale makes an excellent session beer.
I consider each of these organic brews to be among the best in their beer style, and highly recommend them.
