Year of New Beer: Cyanator, Blue Stallion Brewing/Monnik Beer Company (Lex/Lou)

Written By: Dion on 06/07/2017

Everything about the description on this label screams train wreck. Initially, the aroma does little to dissuade that notion. Doughy, slightly sour, raisin-filled jam cake. With smoke and cured tobacco. Only with warmth does the oak and rum begin to come forward. On the tongue, the same unusual melange of flavors presents...tart fruits, caramelized sugars, earth tones...leather, smoke. Patience is rewarded, however, at about the three hour mark. Extended aeration and warmth allows the rum spice to tame some of the rough edges. Still sour, still smoky, but much more integrated. This is sure to be a polarizing beer for those who try it. Not my favorite offering from either brewery, but an interesting one that I'm glad I took a chance on nonetheless.