Mokah

Brewer: Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, New York
Alcohol Content: 11.2%

Official Description from Brewer:
"When empirical and creative impulses collide, the result is often timeless. The classic utility-art aesthetic of the coffee maker is an example of design and engineering working in concert.

It is through similar cooperation that the simple bitter cocoa bean is transformed into a sweet treat. As scientists, our brewers utilize their materials to exacting standards. As artists, they couldn’t resist the temptation to combine two of our highly acclaimed Blackwater Series Imperial Stouts: Jahva and Choklat. Alone each is perfect, but together as Mokah they are an inimitable expression of two of the world’s most sought after flavors. Enjoy Mokah stout with – or as – your favorite dessert!"

Wilk's Take:
I was sitting at Beer Geeks one night with my good friend Brett and I noticed Southern Tier's Mokah on the menu and decided that would be my last beer of a great evening.  Alas, Beer Geeks was out and I immediately made it a point to ask my brother to pick up a bomber during his annual trek to Lake Chautauqua.  After our trifecta on Father's Day and the Porter he handed me for free I figure I could ride the free beer train as far as he's willing to let me.

There are two things that I did for the first time while drinking this brew.  Presently, a half full glass of Mokah still sits in front of me as I type this.  Southern Tier recommends serving Mokah at 48 degrees in a snifter.  I have no snifters in the house so I'm letting the brew ascend to ambient temperature in my trusty pint glass.  There really is no difference in the taste.  I'll mention the second experience later.

Mokah pours beautifully.  There is a great caramel color tone to the liquid as it escapes the bottle.  You can easily confuse Mokah for either cola, black coffee, or motor oil, all of which make a stout appetizing.  The aroma of Mokah is a perfect blend of the malts and gems used to make this brew, chocolate and coffee.  You could not escape the scent and the potency truly makes it a dessert beer.

When you bring the glass to your lips, the cold (yes, I drank it cold) beer shocks your system because the chocolate and coffee you were anticipating are lost to the bitterness of the four hops employed in the brewing process.  Ok, not entirely lost but you know that it is beer and not mocha.  Something beautiful occurs in the process however.  As you lose beer to your stomach you gain an even stronger smell resting inside your favorite beer drinking vessel.  If you've ever had the pleasure of smelling a chocolate factory (or if you live in Chicago catch the whiff of ever present chocolate in the air) you get that sensation over and over and over every time you take another drink.

Suggestion: Good stout, great beer, dessert watch out!  Mokah is a mid-spring seasonal with an April release.  I'm sure it comes and goes quickly, with the exception of the bomber my brother grabbed.  Even if you don't like dark beers, grab Mokah at 10pm, turn on the news, and melt away into dream land (or Left Hand's Milk Stout, either one a winner).

Value: FREE!!  Ok, I'll ask my brother how much he paid, but if it is like other Southern Tier bombers I've found at Wise Guy's or Nick's I'm going to guess around $8, maybe $9 because it is seasonal.  At 11.2% and a great dessert beer, well worth it.

Michelle Factor: "I want to take a huge bite!"  Michelle really loved the chocolate aroma and after taking a couple of pulls announced that she would definitely drink this beer.  Her only complaint was the bitterness.  Can't win 'em all.

Endnote:
I actually grabbed a dark chocolate truffle to see how well it paired with the beer.  I thought that either the truffle would enhance the beer or the beer would enhance the truffle.  I should have listened to Alton Brown (Food Network food guru).  Taste buds have limited use and cannot handle sensory overload.  The reason some sweet foods taste better with salt is because the contrast enhances the sweet receptors of the tongue.  When I took a bite of the truffle, my sweet receptors were at capacity so that when I took a drink of Mokah all I could taste was the bitterness of the hops.  The truffle certainly enhanced the flavor of the beer but in the wrong direction.  Needless to say, I doubt I'll bring food back to a beer critique.

The Persistence of Memory

In a discussion with my brother I discovered a friend of ours had a disagreement with a critique of a beer.  I took offense immediately!  How dare someone question my almighty judgment?  Realistically, we are all beer judges in our own right so no offense was really taken.  It has probably been stated several times over these posts that your own individual taste will dictate which direction you will steer your beer buying mechanism.

The reason this particular incident is being shared is because the beer in question is a porter.  When it comes to a beer style I really enjoy and take my time admiring I have to wonder why a difference of opinion really exists.  I made the claim that the brew was average and our friend really believes it is a damn fine beer.  I cannot deny that, but I am wondering why I cannot recall the taste of the beer without referring to my own notes.

This is where my title comes in.  I have to agree with myself (shocking I know!) that it is an average beer simply because I cannot recall how it tastes.  The sense of smell has the strongest memory of our five and with its close association to taste I have to believe taste to be second in command when it comes to recall.  I can review Miller Lite, Bud Light, Coors Light, Corona, Summer Shandy, Michelob Golden Draft, etc. without ever having to have a bottle or can in front of me because I've consumed it so many times that the smell, taste, and even look are programmed into my brain.  Some beers that I've tried only once still tickle my taste buds by invoking their name because they were that damn good.

The title of Dali's painting really has nothing to do with the subject matter, his or mine.  However, it is my favorite piece of art and by name alone I can picture the painter's subject matter and every detail behind it.  The same should go with beer.  Of course, when you name your beer "Porter" you almost are asking for it to be average.

Matilda

Brewer: Goose Island Beer Company, Chicago, Illinois
Alcohol Content: 7%

Official Description from Brewer:
"Wild in character, with a slightly fruity aroma and a spicy yeast flavor that is as unique as it is satisfying – Matilda is an intriguing choice for beer and wine lovers alike. Dry and quenching, it’s the perfect accompaniment at the dining table or for casually socializing at the bar."

Wilk's Take:
I've been away from the game for a while and I forgot how to take a decent picture of a poured beer.  Shame on me for not adjusting the lighting to capture the true essence of Matilda in all her glory.  The fact is we had just finished a nice meal and I was pouring a little dessert beer for my brother and me, hence the two for one above, that I just decided on a whim to fly back to my creation and revive it.

Matilda is a wonderful beer.  After the cap comes off the bottle and the beer goes in the glass you can smell a beer that reminds you of Blue Moon.  Matilda is a Belgian Style Pale Ale so this scent is to be expected.  The color on the other hand was a little surprising.  Blue Moon is truly pale yellow and so cloudy you couldn't see your fingers on the other side of the glass.  Matilda is deep and rich and looks like a drop of red food coloring was let in to emanate throughout the bottle to give Matilda character.

The taste is definitely spicy.  Not overwhelming, but the coriander is evident from first sip and resonates throughout the glass.  Matilda goes down smoothly and the brew can disappear as soon as it is poured.  "Dry and quenching"?  Maybe, but I don't really see it.  As you move further down the glass there is a metallic after taste, almost as if you just put a penny in your mouth for five seconds.  It disappears and doesn't make the beer unappealing, but it can be a little off putting.

Realistically, Matilda is a Blue Moon that tastes better.  No need for the orange or lemon slice here as Matilda stands on its own.  Now, I can neither confirm nor deny the rumor that Matilda is going the way of the dodo.  Since ImBev took over Goose Island there is some suspicion that the whole of Goose's vintage ales are going to leave us.  Let's hope not for the craft beer sake.  Just because a brewery is big doesn't mean the beer has to suffer.

Suggestion: Find Matilda and drink it up.  It's a great summer time brew and can easily be enjoyed in its Belgian style glory.

Value:  I bought a four pack for $12.  I certainly feel it was worth it, especially when you enjoy it in good company.  If you want to splurge on beer, this is a good one to do it.

Michelle Factor: No Michelle factor to speak of here.  Her and the sister-in-law were gabbing so the beer melted in the background.  More for me I suppose.