I have to say, I support Avery Brewing Co.’s making these small batch, uber-specialty beers that are stronger than wine and have theological names/labels. It really elevates the brewcraft into an art form, and allows their brewers to have some fun. The name “Mephistopheles” comes from the Greeks, translated meaning “not a lover of light”. However, the character comes from Faust. Clever name for a stout, if you ask me. This stout smells tasty – sweet, dark, heavy, slightly smoky – all the things that make a stout great. The first taste is rough. This beer is 15.92% ABV! The high alcohol content is readily apparent in that first gulp. I could feel the alcohol descending to my stomach, and the strength of it made it’s way back up to my esophagus and warmed the whole way. This is not a beer for the casual beer drinker – you gotta be a pro to drink this stuff! One quarter of the way through, and the bite has softened just a little. It now just tastes like a sour stout, which I can’t say is any better than it sounds. Delving deeper into the abyss of the glass, there are more roasty, coffee notes, but still on the sour side. Was this one worth $10? I’ve got to say no. In my world, expensive specialty beer is supposed to taste awesome and make you want to get another. Mephistopheles’ Stout does not fit into this category. Kudos to Avery for experimenting, but I can’t recommend this one for anything beyond the novelty.

Specs:
Batch 4, bottled Nov 2008
12 oz. Bottle
15.92% ABV

I was at the grocery store, just for salad. To be fair, I had had an inkling. A premonition. I knew it was getting to be that time of year. I wasn’t shocked when lo and behold! it was waiting for me in the microbrew section of the beer aisle. Oh, Late Harvest Autumn Ale from Red Hook. You are so beautiful. You are the one for me. I don’t understand why they don’t sell this beer in 18 or 24 packs standard. It’s never worth it to only buy a six pack of these. Never. The first time I bought it, in fact, I wanted to buy just a sixer. “Autumn Ale?”, I said. “Well, I love Autumn, and Ale, so this sounds like just my speed!” They were out of six packs, but they had twelves. “Well, it’s beer. Even if it’s terrible, it’s still seasonal microbrew. I don’t know that there’s a seasonal microbrew that exists that I would feel awful about drinking a twelve pack of alone.” So I took the plunge, and the rest is history. This is my “oh @&%# I’m in big trouble!” beer. Why? It’s so good. It’s smooth, with a spot on seesaw balance of malt and hops. It’s a little on the sweet side at first, but flips to a great semi-bitter palette-cleansing finish. It even tastes a little bit woody, like a forest or leaves. Or Autumn. I don’t know how they do it! The fateful night that I first cracked into that twelve pack, I said that’s damn good beer! When I was finishing the third one that hour and considering getting a fourth, I realized I had better stop as it was a work night! I can’t recommend this one hard enough. And since Red Hook has nationwide distribution, you should be able to find this everywhere!

Specs:
12 oz Bottle
5.9% ABV