Beer of the Weekend #692: Uranus–The Magician
In honor of New Horizons’ flyby of Pluto yesterday, I drank one of the latest releases in Bell’s Planets Series: Uranus–The Magician, brewed by the Bell’s Brewing, Inc. of Galesburg, Michigan.
The color is black and it seems to be opaque. (I don’t have a useful lamp nearby, so I decided to forgo the lamp test.) Two fingers of dense, tan, meringue-like, bubble-spotted head dissipates slowly and leaves trails of lacing along the glass. The aroma is dark but citrusy and tinged with arboreal spice. There are scents of roasted malt, dark chocolate, a touch of coffee, and maybe molasses. The citrus seems to fade into the background, but grapefruit and orange are noticeable. Pine is also present. The flavor is dark, citrusy goodness. Roasted and toasted malt, dark chocolate, orange, pine, and a little zest. It leaves a lasting bitterness on the tongue and tonsils. The alcohol is completely masked.
Fun facts about Uranus–The Magician:
• Style: Black Double IPA.
• Price: $1.99/bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
• Alcohol content: 9.5 percent ABV.
• Prophetically, and ironically for tonight’s review, the series’ namesake orchestral suite does not include Pluto.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
The color is black and it seems to be opaque. (I don’t have a useful lamp nearby, so I decided to forgo the lamp test.) Two fingers of dense, tan, meringue-like, bubble-spotted head dissipates slowly and leaves trails of lacing along the glass. The aroma is dark but citrusy and tinged with arboreal spice. There are scents of roasted malt, dark chocolate, a touch of coffee, and maybe molasses. The citrus seems to fade into the background, but grapefruit and orange are noticeable. Pine is also present. The flavor is dark, citrusy goodness. Roasted and toasted malt, dark chocolate, orange, pine, and a little zest. It leaves a lasting bitterness on the tongue and tonsils. The alcohol is completely masked.
Fun facts about Uranus–The Magician:
• Style: Black Double IPA.
• Price: $1.99/bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
• Alcohol content: 9.5 percent ABV.
• Prophetically, and ironically for tonight’s review, the series’ namesake orchestral suite does not include Pluto.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
