Your Father Smelt Of Elderberries

This one stumped me. Earthy, a bit of spice, musty, dark, and a sweetness I can only attribute to rotting forest floor. Stone Brewing Company has offered up this medieval ale brewed with elderberries as the latest in their Stochasticity Project series. If this beer was just a year round effort brewed for the masses I would probably slam it. It is just not a beer that most folks would consider “good”, however when I think of what Stone was doing, I think I really like it. You see this beer is exactly what craft beer is all about. The adventure of brewing, and what better way than to pay homage to the ales of year’s past.

To be fair I have never had a medieval ale so I don’t have anything to judge it against. However, what I do know is that this beer tastes exactly what I can imagine was filling a wooden stein with a luke warm ale to be enjoyed over a feast of roasted mutton after a day of battle in medieval times! Thick and almost syrupy this ale is a force to be reckoned with. The laughter and debate surrounding the table, the buxom women and unruly behavior falling about the hall would create such a chaotic atmosphere you could barely pay attention to the flavor. This was a time of big flavors, big beers, and big life!

This ale pours a light red and a delicate white head that quickly disappears caps this big 10.3% ABV (yet another clue this beer was brewed to last)! I just took another draw from my cup and instantly thought of strength, pride, honor, and courage, no doubt this is exactly why this beer exists. I love the fact that Stone is keeping the craft alive and allowing us to take a trip through history through their beers.

I encourage you, if you’re adventurous, to go buy this limited release beer. Take the trip, open up your tastebuds to the history and enjoy! Also check out the rest of the Stochasticity project and see what else Stone has in the works for us all. This is a warrior’s beer. A beer that makes you want to wield a sword and do great battle. A beer fit for a man that loves strong women and raw meat. This is a beer for men that eat the still beating heart of their prey. You drink the blood and laugh at the misery you have beset on your foes. This is Valhalla!