Rock Bottom Yorktown Demon Sweat

Lots of brewers have been turning out Tripels with heavy PNW hopping. Tim Marshall’s Demon Sweat is the first Dubbelthat I’ve had given a like treatment. And I like the looks of this brew, a bloody red body with a foamy ecru head. All kinds of lacing going on. There’s a very strong hop smell, plenty of pine, grapefruit, and lemon zest. But the malt fights back well with toffee and caramel sweetness. Then toss a sweet dark cherry into the mix, and you’ve got a complete feel for the nose. Very warm and spicy on the tongue, the flavor begins with a soothing sweetness, toffee, cherries, and plums. Then the hops jump in. Big Time. Plenty of bitterness that lasts long, long into the finish. Very satisfying to this hop-head.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=6780>Rock Bottom Yorktown, Lombard, IL<font size=-1>

Mug Club mug. Deep reddish brown, like the blood in a Frank Frazetta book cover painting. Light head on top crawling up the sides of the glass. Complex dark Belgian smell, lots of malts, but not quite "sugary." Amarilloa and Simcoe hops pounce on me at the first sip. Tapped yesterday, so it’s still a little yeasty. Nut-brown ale notes, with fresh apple cider and a bit of cherry later on. Smell gets hoppier further down the glass. Almost a granola and grain taste, bitter and citrusy, yet smooth. Next week, when the yeast settles, this’ll really be something!