“Now that’s an adult beverage,” said my colleague.
I just sat there, stunned. “Holy shit. Wow.” was all I could muster. Several smiles and nods of the heads followed, as if what we were experiencing was some miraculous parting of the clouds, and a bright ray of sunshine from God himself had been poured into our tasting cups.
The sample that brought about this exchange was an impressive effort from one of the marquis breweries in the Northeast, Allagash. They call this seasonal their Grand Cru. Grand indeed. This beer is citrusy, spicy, refreshing, and just delightful. Its complexity far outshone its siblings, although Allagash White is the reason I started exploring beer. The Grand Cru is not excessively hoppy, but its malty presence gives it depth and a full body. This is just a great brew; certainly awesome on its own but I imagine a spectacular pairing for nutty cheeses and spicy cuisines.
Thanks to P-Bro for pointing out my flaws in geography.