Day 302 / October 29, 2011
Flying Dog Brewing Company / Frederick, MD
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Actually, not too afraid….
From the label of Flying Dog’s The Fear Imperial Pumpkin Ale:
Why is there only one time of year – as goblins,
ghouls, and ghosts frolic on front lawns – when we embrace THE FEAR? At all
other times, THE FEAR dominates us, controls us, and prevents us from
greatness. What is there to THE FEAR? Disagreement? Criticism? Humiliation?
Whatever THE FEAR is that consumes you, embrace it, along with this Imperial
Pumpkin Ale. Only then will the true artist in you rise up.
The Fear is new for 2011, and is a much fuller bodied beer than most
pumpkin ales, with a dark color, roasty taste, and a thick khaki colored head. The pumpkin flavor comes from a pumpkin puree
from a local farm. This was an
interesting beer, but again, I don’t think I’ll be having another one.
BACKUP BEER: Earlier in the night, I had another
new beer, just in case I didn’t get home in time for a pumpkin beer. On tap at Zaytinya
in Washington DC, they had Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat Ale from Chicago. This was a filtered, light wheat beer, which
I’d heard about but hadn’t seen in this area.
It was very refreshing, and its lighter flavor went well with the Mediterranean
tapas dishes at Zaytinya.