Beer pick of the week: The Dark Side
The ninth installment of Terrapin’s Side Project Series, just may be its best effort yet.
Terrapin Beer Company
Athens, GA
8.5% ABV
The ninth installment of Terrapin’s Side Project Series, just may be its best effort yet. The Dark Side is a Belgian-style Imperial Stout, a style that is rarely found in Belgium, but is proving popular with American brewers looking to explore new styles. One would expect a melding of Belgian yeasty esters and fruity character with roasted malt flavors and warming alcohol.
The Dark Side pours completely black with some caramel brown around the very edges. The nose is full of fresh roasted coffee, malts, and sugar (molasses). The head is a bit anemic and there is not much lacing to speak of, which seems to be a problem with a number of Side Projects. A bit more of the luxurious carbonation of the best Belgians would have lifted this one even higher.