Happy Valentine's Day!

Yes, that's right Beerjanglers, Valentine's Day has fallen on February 14th this year! A holiday instituted by the union of card, candy and flower companies (the jewelry companies just kinda latched on) to exploit your love for that special someone. And sometimes there's even two special someones out there. I like to call that the jackpot. So what does this have to do with beer you ask? I mean after all this is neither Lovejanglin', although that'd not be such a bad name for a blog, nor Madeupholidayjanglin'. So what gives? Well for some, there isn't a special someone to be had on this holiest of days. Now we're not saying that there's anything wrong with that. We're not saying get depressed about it and go straight for the nearest bottle, but we thought we'd throw out what might be a perfect brew for you, and possibly even that special someone(s) as well. So we give to you, Willie Moe's 2008 Valentine Beer: Middle Ages Blackheart Stout. And look we also were able to combine the heart of Valentine's Day with black history month. Bullseye!

The Blackheart stout hath both a black heart and a stoutness to it. And done. Oh, did you want a more in-depth analysis? Okay, fine. If I could, for a moment, go all hyperbolic like a real journalist on y'all, this is maybe the blackest beer ever made. I mean the blackness is very stout indeed. Don't look for any light to pass through, or refract for that matter, cause it ain't happenin', my friends. Of course the head is not black, I don't even know how they would do that? The head is in fact more of a light brown, chocolate milk color if you would. Trust me if you want a dark beer, this is for you. Alright, let's send in the nose....

Your nose will not be overpowered, overwhelmed or even overtaken by the aromas in this stout. Now don't get me wrong here you're also not gonna be underpowered, underwhelmed or undertaken by it's scent. No, no, it's actually a fairly rich roasted, toasted, burnt, braised, well perhaps not braised, that wouldn't make sense, malt air emanating from it. Also there's a hint of coffee in there as well, naturally. Alright, made sense of the scents? Good, let's get drinking.

Upon first taste you get lambasted (I think that's a word, and possibly even used correctly) with a strong coffee, roasted malt flavor. You know, like a nice maltaccino. The roasted stoutness leads the way here in the old flavor category. The second heat of flavor brings about a dark chocolate with a mild yeast. It's a regular cornucopia of flavors in there! And once this bad boy warms up the flavors are brought even more to the forefront, and they're deliciously strong! But what is really going in the mouth?

This concoction is and thick and smooth, much like yours truly. It will leave a thick coating, but it contains a very good balance. It seems to thicken as it warms. I put some in the microwave and now it's as thick as mo-lasses. Just kidding. It's not that thick. You can feel the alcohol and it's worth a go, but I don't know if I could take down more than two in a sitting. Overall this one is aces! Almost as good a feeling as when cupid slings his arrow into a sublime buttock. I'm just not looking forward to March when we have to go back to calling it African-Americanheart Stout. It just doesn't roll off the tongue quite as well, ya know?

Happy V-Day and Bottoms Up!