Okay, this post combines a few things that regular readers will be somewhat familiar with: Great Lakes Project X (the epic monthly beer drinking event featuring experimental brews by Mike Lackey and often in collaboration with others on Great Lakes pilot system), and the partnership of Jordan St. John and Mike Lackey for said events. Project X brews are often available in very limited numbers of 650ml bombers at the brewery during and after the event in question. So while I had to take a pass on this month’s PX, I was able, through the kindness of Mike, to procure a bottle of Imperial Element, the Double IPA Jordan and Mike brewed. I also did have it on cask at Volo the next night, so I’ve actually already been through this, but was in a crowded bar, with only standing room, and on my way to play hockey. I certianly gave it a good once over, but made no notes, etc. So with only further photographic ado, Imperial Element:
Imperial Element - Great Lakes Brewing & Saint John's Wort
From a Project X bomber with a neck label (no freshness date, but I have the freedom to just ask Jordan…), the beer pours this crazy beautiful deep coppery red. If I were a lingerie maker, all the sexy underware I sold would be this colour, or the colour of Christoffel Nobel. It’s that sexy. 2″ foamy head settles to a dense layer of foam, like a little duvet to keep the beer comfortable while it waits for me to sip it. And speaking of lingerie, the lace it leaves (while not the right colour, it’s slightly off-white), is pretty gorgeous. Aroma is wet sticky piney hops, a bit of lemon peel, and a big dose of sweet malts. A little touch of booze too. Woah, the hops slap you in the mouth like Rick James in a Dave Chappell sketch. Very American, the hops are thick with pine and herbs, and a bit less citrus than in the aroma. Still kind of green and wet, but less sticky than I expected. Hops move from pretty juicy to a nice dry mineral finish that I think I’ll still have going when I wake up tomorrow (yeah, it’s only 2:30pm….). After the initial hop explosion, you’re free to notice a lovely sweet foundation of bready caramelly malts. Actually much sweeter than you would notice, if you didn’t specifically look for it. The sweetness doesn’t quite keep the hops in check, much like rodeo clowns don’t keep the bull in check, but serves to prevent them from doing serious damage. Much like a rodeo clown. This beer is certainly not highly drinkable, to the average beer consumer, but if you like your beers big and aggressive, this would suit you well, and maybe push your limits a little. I won’t have trouble finishing the bomber, but I won’t be glugging it. It will accompany me through an afternoon of more work. Trying to think of what I would suggest eating with this, it’s a challenging problem. I think something fatty and fairly savoury would work well. Perhaps some bacon, or maybe fois gras. But I don’t eat bacon or organs. So I’m still thinking….. Normally I like a good musty farmhouse cheddar with a hoppy brew, but this one is just too big. I don’t think the cheese could keep up. Perhaps some nice heavy cream cheese, on a really grainy bagel or slice of bread. A bit of grains and a subtle fatty creamy base to reset your mouth for the next onslaught. But forget that, I just want to drink it. I’d eat KD with it, if it meant I got more.
Cheers Mike and Jordan, I think you guys are really on to something here. Let’s have some more please!
