Beer of the Weekend #873: Fire, Skulls & Money
In anticipation of an early spring snow storm this weekend, I stocked up on Toppling Goliath brews, including the beer of the weekend: Fire, Skulls & Money, brewed by Toppling Goliath Brewing of Decorah, Iowa.
The color is very cloudy, basically opaque, and looks like pineapple juice. A finger or so of beige, thin, bubbly, buttery head dissipates quickly and laves a skim and thin but bubbly and buttery ring around the edge. Frankly, the head is unimpressive.
The aroma is tropical goodness. Pineapple and mango are prominent, and it is also very citrusy with scents of grapefruit and orange. It is a pleasing and inviting mix, akin to a something served at a beach resort—not that I know, since I’ve never been to a tropical resort. Regardless, it conjures images of an island cove with a white sand beach, a cloudless sky, and warm, turquoise water. Hops provide an earthy, body odor–like aroma.
The flavor is a letdown compared to the aroma; it is not as tropical or citrusy. It is a pleasant mélange, but nothing stands out. The mélange has notes of pineapple, grapefruit, orange, and earthy hops. The tropical and citrus notes emerge as the beer warms to room temperature. Spice lingers on the taste buds and the back of the tongue. The warmer it gets, though, the spicier it gets and the more I want to dump it out. There is quite a bit of sedimentation at the bottom of the bottle, and as it loosens, the beer becomes offensive. Yuck! This beer has reached the championship game of the IPA/pale ale tournament on the Iowa Beer Blog, and I don’t understand why. It must be much better on tap. This beer was bottled last month, so it can’t be too old.
Fun facts about FS&M:
• Style: IPA.
• Price: $7.99 for a 22-ounce bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
• Alcohol content: 6.8 percent ABV.
• Along with the bottle of FS&M, I bought a four-pack of Pompeii in cans. When I tried it two years ago, Pompeii was one of the best beers I have ever had. Not so much this time. The last quarter of the can was also became offensive.
The Quiet Man’s grade: C.
The color is very cloudy, basically opaque, and looks like pineapple juice. A finger or so of beige, thin, bubbly, buttery head dissipates quickly and laves a skim and thin but bubbly and buttery ring around the edge. Frankly, the head is unimpressive.
The aroma is tropical goodness. Pineapple and mango are prominent, and it is also very citrusy with scents of grapefruit and orange. It is a pleasing and inviting mix, akin to a something served at a beach resort—not that I know, since I’ve never been to a tropical resort. Regardless, it conjures images of an island cove with a white sand beach, a cloudless sky, and warm, turquoise water. Hops provide an earthy, body odor–like aroma.
The flavor is a letdown compared to the aroma; it is not as tropical or citrusy. It is a pleasant mélange, but nothing stands out. The mélange has notes of pineapple, grapefruit, orange, and earthy hops. The tropical and citrus notes emerge as the beer warms to room temperature. Spice lingers on the taste buds and the back of the tongue. The warmer it gets, though, the spicier it gets and the more I want to dump it out. There is quite a bit of sedimentation at the bottom of the bottle, and as it loosens, the beer becomes offensive. Yuck! This beer has reached the championship game of the IPA/pale ale tournament on the Iowa Beer Blog, and I don’t understand why. It must be much better on tap. This beer was bottled last month, so it can’t be too old.
Fun facts about FS&M:
• Style: IPA.
• Price: $7.99 for a 22-ounce bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
• Alcohol content: 6.8 percent ABV.
• Along with the bottle of FS&M, I bought a four-pack of Pompeii in cans. When I tried it two years ago, Pompeii was one of the best beers I have ever had. Not so much this time. The last quarter of the can was also became offensive.
The Quiet Man’s grade: C.
