Beer from here: Smokehouse ess

About a month ago, Smokehouse Brewing released a bottled beer, something they’ve only done once before in 17 years. And because they pretty much never bottle beer, you know that this beer — named “Ess” — isn’t going to be something run-of-the-mill. Oh no, they went crazy. So crazy, that it took two years to even get this beer into bottles, and most of that time was probably spent trying to ward off the ancient Egyptian demons that were summoned when the original beer was brewed. Oh yeah, this brew is hardcore.

On the nose, Ess is about eleven kinds of madness. Starting off with a noticeable barrel presence of vanilla, oak, and spices, a sour tartness arrives next alongside hints of tropical and citrus fruits. Next up, a wild butterscotch note appears, followed by a touch of chocolate, because why not. As each breath diminishes, slight traces of brown sugar, toffee, and caramel add a slightly sweet, mildly buttery linger that will make your brow arch like you’re Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. (Google his eyebrow if you don’t believe me!)

This jacked up ride doesn’t relent on the tongue. Up front tartness kicks things off with a one-two punch of sour and barrel notes, accentuating spices of cinnamon and vanilla. Butterscotch notes return, (because Brett is a hell of a bug), allowing the beer to slide across the tongue despite its dryness. Up next, hints of dusty earth compete with jam-like tropical fruits before slipping beneath the ever-present sour oak, which seems to coat the mouth with a subtle-yet-lingering sour bitterness. Citrus peel brings this journey to an end, sweeping the flavors from your tongue and allowing you to begin again.

If you’re thinking to yourself, “Holy shit, this beer is simply too crazy for my mouth hole,” you may be correct. This beer is not for the faint of heart. It’s a sour beer that was forced into an inoculated barrel for two years, before being blended with a completely different sour beer, and then aged a bit more. It’s basically Robert Downey Jr.’s character from Tropic Thunder, in beer form. That alone is reason enough to drink it. But, if you need more provocation, drink it because it’s a tasty complexity bomb that needs to be experienced.

Lucky for you, there are still a few cases of Ess remaining – stop by the Smokehouse and claim a bottle before they’re gone for good.

full disclosure: Smokehouse is editor Cheryl’s client