Beer of the Weekend #866: Chocolate-covered Cherry Oja
It's Valentine's Day, so I thought I would do a special, midweek tasting. It's not that Valentine's Day is special to me in any way. It is just a good excuse to drink beer—especially during an insane week at work.
The VD-themed beer is something I mentioned in my previous tasting: Chocolate-covered Cherry Oja, brewed by the Iowa Brewing Company of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The color is opaque black with a ruddy tint, probably an effect of the cherry ingredient, whatever it is (I assume it is syrup instead of real cherries). A finger of bubbly, tan-colored head dissipates quickly, leaving a center of skim and a thin ring around the edge. The head is pathetic, especially for a dark beer.
True to the beer's name, it smells like chocolate-covered cherries—or at least chocolate candies filled with cherry syrup. It has a light roasted character, too, and there is a hint of smoke.
The first couple sips make me wonder why I bought this bottle, especially since it's base, companion beer was so unimpressive. The flavor is weird: a mélange of cherry syrup, melted Hershey's Kisses, butterscotch, roasted malt, and a hint of smoke. Actually, the smoke is reminiscent of cocoa nibs. It is not a pleasant experience. The smell is decent and enticing, but the taste is off—very off. It tastes unfinished. The only reason not to dump it down the drain is because it is so expensive. However, I think I'm going to do it, especially since I have a can of Confluence's Long Ride Pale Ale sitting in the fridge.
Fun facts about Chocolate-covered Oja:
o Style: Chocolate cherry Baltic porter.
• Price: $9.99 for a 22-ounce bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
• Alcohol content: 8.9 percent ABV.
• In my tasting of Oja over the weekend, I wrote that the other version of the beer is vanilla flavored. It is actually blueberry vanilla. I won't be buying it.
The Quiet Man's grade: D.
The VD-themed beer is something I mentioned in my previous tasting: Chocolate-covered Cherry Oja, brewed by the Iowa Brewing Company of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The color is opaque black with a ruddy tint, probably an effect of the cherry ingredient, whatever it is (I assume it is syrup instead of real cherries). A finger of bubbly, tan-colored head dissipates quickly, leaving a center of skim and a thin ring around the edge. The head is pathetic, especially for a dark beer.
True to the beer's name, it smells like chocolate-covered cherries—or at least chocolate candies filled with cherry syrup. It has a light roasted character, too, and there is a hint of smoke.
The first couple sips make me wonder why I bought this bottle, especially since it's base, companion beer was so unimpressive. The flavor is weird: a mélange of cherry syrup, melted Hershey's Kisses, butterscotch, roasted malt, and a hint of smoke. Actually, the smoke is reminiscent of cocoa nibs. It is not a pleasant experience. The smell is decent and enticing, but the taste is off—very off. It tastes unfinished. The only reason not to dump it down the drain is because it is so expensive. However, I think I'm going to do it, especially since I have a can of Confluence's Long Ride Pale Ale sitting in the fridge.
Fun facts about Chocolate-covered Oja:
o Style: Chocolate cherry Baltic porter.
• Price: $9.99 for a 22-ounce bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
• Alcohol content: 8.9 percent ABV.
• In my tasting of Oja over the weekend, I wrote that the other version of the beer is vanilla flavored. It is actually blueberry vanilla. I won't be buying it.
The Quiet Man's grade: D.
