With the weather cooling down a little bit, I think it’s a good time to discuss a little heartier beer than the lagers we like to drink in the summer. This time, I’m going with a local brew, the Hollywood Brewing company Bushka Stout.
As usual with these reviews, I’ll talk about the beer generally a little bit. Then, I’ll go over my tasting procedures to get the most out of it, before making some recommendations on food pairings and my overall impressions.
Based in Hollywood, Florida, the Hollywood Brewing company has been making beer in the sunshine state since 2011. Their brewpub, which is on the beach, is an absolute must if you find yourself visiting South Florida anytime soon.
The Buskha Stout is a seasonal beer of theirs, which finally makes sense now that it’s about fifty-five over this weekend in Miami. It’s an unfiltered, unpasteurized stout that takes zero prisoners whatsoever at 9.4% ABV. For most people, one of these sipped on a cool evening will have you feeling nice and warm inside and out.
Stouts tend to be among the darkest of beers, with a lot of great flavors that can be lost if you’re not careful. For this beer, I recommend drinking it slightly cool as opposed to cold. I keep my beverage fridge at 46 degrees and let it warm up for a few minutes before drinking it. As always, I drink the beers I review from a glass at an appropriate temperature, giving it a good smell before drinking the entire thing in the process of reflecting on the day and doing some writing.
Drinking this beer out of the can is a darn shame, and you’ll miss most of the flavors and smells. Instead, pour it into a pint glass and let it settle. Once there’s very little head left, it’s time to enjoy.
One of the things I noticed first here is the color. This is a seriously dark beer, but, unlike its more common brethren Guinness, there’s almost a little red color in the beer, giving it a cool look in the glass.
On the nose, I get a slightly spicy note, something along the lines of a nutmeg though it is very subtle.
If the smelling notes are subtle, the flavors are a lot bolder. The lack of pasteurization and filtering makes this beer thicker than most in terms of mouthfeel, and there are big notes of both grains and a caramel finish. There’s something almost cola-like about the sweetness of it, which makes it a complex beer that I very much enjoy sipping.
If you’re staring down the barrel of political conversations with your relatives over the holidays, picking up a few four packs of this beer will give you something else to think about and the stout alcohol content will keep you sane.
Overall, I’m surprised at how good a stout brewed in Florida came out: warm-weather brewers seldom get stouts and other dark beers right, but Hollywood Brewing COmpany knocked this one out of the park.
As usual with these reviews, I’ll talk about the beer generally a little bit. Then, I’ll go over my tasting procedures to get the most out of it, before making some recommendations on food pairings and my overall impressions.
Based in Hollywood, Florida, the Hollywood Brewing company has been making beer in the sunshine state since 2011. Their brewpub, which is on the beach, is an absolute must if you find yourself visiting South Florida anytime soon.
The Buskha Stout is a seasonal beer of theirs, which finally makes sense now that it’s about fifty-five over this weekend in Miami. It’s an unfiltered, unpasteurized stout that takes zero prisoners whatsoever at 9.4% ABV. For most people, one of these sipped on a cool evening will have you feeling nice and warm inside and out.
Stouts tend to be among the darkest of beers, with a lot of great flavors that can be lost if you’re not careful. For this beer, I recommend drinking it slightly cool as opposed to cold. I keep my beverage fridge at 46 degrees and let it warm up for a few minutes before drinking it. As always, I drink the beers I review from a glass at an appropriate temperature, giving it a good smell before drinking the entire thing in the process of reflecting on the day and doing some writing.
Drinking this beer out of the can is a darn shame, and you’ll miss most of the flavors and smells. Instead, pour it into a pint glass and let it settle. Once there’s very little head left, it’s time to enjoy.
One of the things I noticed first here is the color. This is a seriously dark beer, but, unlike its more common brethren Guinness, there’s almost a little red color in the beer, giving it a cool look in the glass.
On the nose, I get a slightly spicy note, something along the lines of a nutmeg though it is very subtle.
If the smelling notes are subtle, the flavors are a lot bolder. The lack of pasteurization and filtering makes this beer thicker than most in terms of mouthfeel, and there are big notes of both grains and a caramel finish. There’s something almost cola-like about the sweetness of it, which makes it a complex beer that I very much enjoy sipping.
If you’re staring down the barrel of political conversations with your relatives over the holidays, picking up a few four packs of this beer will give you something else to think about and the stout alcohol content will keep you sane.
Overall, I’m surprised at how good a stout brewed in Florida came out: warm-weather brewers seldom get stouts and other dark beers right, but Hollywood Brewing COmpany knocked this one out of the park.
