{beer diary}: Stone Mint Chocolate Imperial Stout

Ken Schmidt / Iron Fist / Stone Collaboration 
MINT CHOCOLATE IMPERIAL STOUT

Appearance: Dark brown-black in color, as expected with dark tan/khaki colored head. Head is actually a really incredible color- I can't remember any other beers I've had with foam like that. Retention of head is fair, condensing into a thick layer that leaves lovely spotty lacing around the glass.

Aroma: Dominant aroma is of sweet chocolate syrup and caramel malt- mint is present but subtle on the nose. Roasty character detected as well; no hops bouquet to speak of.

Taste: First and foremost, chocolate. Reminiscent of milk chocolate; not overly sweet but with plenty of dynamic chocolate flavor. Faint notes of roasty & toasty grain are present, as is a grounding, balanced bitterness. The mint is light in the background, but increases in intensity as the beer warms. It is the perfect counterpoint to the chocolate. This beer is a thin mint cookie in a glass!

Mouthfeel: Medium- to full-bodied with suitably light carbonation for the style. Overall quite creamy and rich. Slightly boozy, and entirely pleasing. Really an amazing mouthfeel.

Overall: This was hands down the most amazing stout I have ever had. I have never in my life liked the mint & chocolate flavor pairing. I would even go so far as to say that I have essentially hated mint chocolate things my whole life. This beer though- this beer was the perfect marriage of the flavors. No element was out of balance. This will sound cheesy, but this beer was not just a beverage- it was truly a work of art. Job well done, Stone, Ken Schmidt & Iron Fist! Please make more of this! :-)

Winter Trip 2012 Part I: Santa Fe, NM & Winslow, AZ

Our Christmas vacation this past year was probably one of my favorite vacations to date. Jason and I don't typically "plan" our trips- we usually have a general direction we want to go and we just hit the road, making our way from camp spot to camp spot. This year was a little different in that we had a "final destination" (Sedona, AZ), and we had to be there at a certain time/date because we were meeting other people there who were flying in. So anyone who lives in Texas, or has been to Texas, or has even seen Texas on a map knows that Texas is one big mother- from where we live it takes at least a day just to get to the other side of Texas. Anyway, we left a week before we had to be in Sedona so that we could take our time and enjoy our trip out there (and give ourselves some cushion in the event of unforeseen/adverse circumstances). 

Camp spot in Buffalo Springs, outside of Lubbock, TX

We managed to get up to Lubbock to camp on the first night. We had planned on camping in Big Spring, but we arrived 15 minutes after the gate had been closed/locked, so we had to figure something else out. Buffalo Springs outside of Lubbock turned out to be our best bet. The campground we stayed at was different from any other I have ever stayed at- it was in the middle of a residential neighborhood located in a canyon/gorge. What we didn't know when we pulled in to the campground at 11pm was that on top of the gorge was a sewage treatment plant. Long story short, the tent campground was absolutely the smelliest place I have ever been in my entire life. It was so awful we drove to the other side of the lake that was in the middle of this neighborhood and camped in the RV area- where strangely enough it did not smell at all. Anyway, it was awful. We woke up in the morning and got back on the road headed to Santa Fe. 

Crazy icicle on a building in Santa Fe, NM

Me and Sweet Man in Santa Fe, NM

Izzie's first time camping in snow- she was not amused. 

We got to Santa Fe in good time and had dinner at the Blue Corn Cafe and Brewery. All in all it was a pleasant experience; the food was good, the beer was great, and we were no longer in Lubbock. :-) After dinner we went searching for a camp spot in the national forest to the northeast of the city. We set up our gear, made some spiked egg nog and hunkered down for the night. The dogs had mixed feelings about the snow-- Izzie didn't want anything to do with it, but Obi seemed to really love it. :-P The morning after was Christmas Eve and we had a bit of difficulty finding a place to have breakfast, but eventually we came upon Zia Diner and stopped to enjoy some hot coffee and food. 

Me about to make my first snow angel!

Camp spot in National Forest outside of Santa Fe, NM

Breaking our fast at Zia Diner after camping in the snow

Santa Fe Street Art

We managed to make it to Winslow, AZ a bit before dusk and thought it best to find a place to stay there. The state park located right outside of of the town was underwhelming, and after sleeping in the snow the night before, we decided to look at the hotels in the area. La Posada Historic Hotel is pretty much the only worthwhile attraction in Winslow. Thankfully for us they were dog-friendly and had a room with a huge whirlpool tub- it was Christmas Eve after all so we chose to stay there for the night. We ate dinner at the amazing restaurant in the hotel, and we ate the most incredible tamales I have ever had in my life. The tamales were filled with smoked chicken and topped with a mushroom-chestnut cream sauce garnished with pomegranate seeds. They were seriously to die for. I would absolutely recommend a stay at this beautiful hotel (or at least a visit to their incredible restaurant) if you are ever in the area. 

Standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ

La Posada Historic Hotel in Winslow, AZ 

 The Harry Goldwater Room at La Posada

Like I mentioned above, there is really not a whole lot to do in Winslow. We woke up Christmas morning and took the best bubble bath ever before gathering up our stuff to get back on the road. Flagstaff was not far from where we were, so the ride over was pretty relaxing. I think Arizona may be one of my favorite states- so many different types of terrain in such close proximity to one another. Beautiful! :-) 

Full Sail Imperial Stout

Full Sail Imperial Stout, Brewmaster Reserve 2012

Appearance: Dark ruby-brown in color, almost black. Virtually no head to speak of, even after a semi-aggressive pour. Light lacing. 

Aroma: Dominant smells of coffee bitter chocolate and some roastiness. Faint hints of juicy dark fruits as well. 

Taste: The taste of this brew follows the nose perfectly- I taste roasted coffee and a little bit of chocolate. Maybe even a little brown sugar in there somewhere. Overall pretty dry and earthy- lingering bitterness in the finish. 

Mouthfeel: Medium-full in body with low to medium carbonation. No noticeable booziness despite 7.2%ABV. Slick and smooth and dry in the finish. 

Overall: This was a tasty stout. Not the best stout I have ever had, but not the worst either. I prefer my stouts a bit fuller in body than this one was, and I kind of feel like the flavor could have stood to be a bit more complex. Overall this was pretty easy to drink, and at only about $4 a bomber, a reasonable good deal. 

recipe + Tortellini & Veggie Salad

Tortellini & Veggie Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 Package Fresh Whole Wheat Tortellini (12-16oz)

1 Bag Frozen Broccoli

1-2 Red Bell Pepper, chopped

2-4 Carrots, diced

1/2 Red Onion, or 1 Shallot, diced

Dressing:

3 tbsp White Wine Vinegar

2 tbsp EV Olive Oil

2-3 clove Garlic, minced/pressed

Herbs such as Oregano, Basil, etc. 

Shredded parmesan to garnish 

Instructions:

1. Cook both tortellini and broccoli according to package directions and allow to cool.

2. While cooling, chop up veggies-- I use a food processor for the carrots & onions, it makes everything go faster. Chop red bell pepper as well. 

3. Toss tortellini, broccoli, and chopped veggies together.

4. Make dressing-- mix white wine vinegar & olive oil and add garlic and herbs. Drizzle over salad and toss again. Top with shredded parmesan and enjoy! 

Notes: This pasta salad was awesome! I pretty much just threw it together with things that I already had in the fridge. You can use pretty much any vegetables you'd like (I think asparagus would be very tasty in this!), as well as any herbs. I typically will always prefer fresh herbs to dried herbs, but a teaspoon or two of dried oregano or parsley would be perfect. I was able to make this dish on a Monday afternoon and enjoy it for lunches for several days- it keeps well in the fridge and is pretty easy to transport. Also, you can use bottled dressing (balsamic, italian, etc.) instead of making your own for another convenient modification.