Cheers in Boulders – 10 Days into Stout Month 2013

The Southern Sun (or So Sun) is sort of like my Cheers. I might not quite be Norm, but I do drag my wife over to this brew-pub more than usual during this glorious month when the taps “fade to black”. My wife and I live about a 10-minute walk from the So Sun so we often eat at home and just head over to sample a stout (or two).  

 

I have always liked the Sun Brewpubs for the sense of community that they foster. We have been in Boulder long enough that we almost always run into someone we know when we show up. So far this month we have had spontaneous double and triple dates with couples we happened to run into. One time we had just been seated and we flagged down two friends who just showed up and wandered by. Thus a 20-minute walk to sample the Girl Scout Stout turned into two hours of what the Irish would call “good craic”. We have also whiled away one long wait for tables with a grad friends from CU that happened to be across from us. We have never wanted for good friends to go along with our good brews.

 

While I hope to make it “one or two” more times in the next 18 days, here is a smattering of my favorites black pints (so far).

 

Girl Scout Stout – this continues to be one of my favorites. This year’s batch has a good balance of mint and bitter chocolate. Grab it when you see it because this one always taps out fast.

 

 

Stoked Oak- this is another beer that you need to get when you see. The oak is in great balance with this very smooth and drinkable Stout.

 

Brett Stout – nice tan head. Thin body with low carbonation. Nice orange fruit flavor with just enough roast in the background to still call itself a stout. Good brett sourness to balance the sweetness.

 

Thunderhead Stout – good medium-hopped American stout. Citrusy orange on the aroma. Thin head. Nice blend of orange citrus and chocolate in the flavor.

 

Oatimus Prime –  The name alone should make even non-Transformer fans give this one a look. This is a beauty of an imperial stout. Thin tan head with a medium to heavy body. All the great dark fruits and alcohol flavor that you expect from a rich stout.

 

Dark Harvest Pumpkin Stout – persistent half inch of light tan head. Pumpkin flavor and pumpkin spices (ginger, nutmeg, etc.) come through nicely but at a balanced level.

 

Land Shark Foreign Extra Stout – less sweet than Guiness’ Foreign Extra Stout. Nice chocolate notes come out when it warms up. Opaque dark body. Medium to high carbonation. I really wish that the Southern Sun would serve their stouts warmer. I always taste so much more in the last two inches of the pint (not just because I drank the first three quarters of the pint).