Greetings brew fanatics!  Brandon, a.k.a. Cryptogrind here with this week’s installment of Saturday Night Sixer!  Is a weekend bonfire in the works?  Need something to calm the rage from that Monday Night Football match-up this past week??  Planning on spending a weekend in the mountains before the cool fall weather and wanting that perfect brew to complement your surroundings?  Look no further than this week’s seasonal picks that you can find in fine package liquor stores in your local area.  Enjoy!

This week found yours truly browsing the shelves for something new for the autumn season.  I didn’t have to look long before settling on my first choice, Mole Stout, the latest fall offering from Durango’s Ska Brewing Company.  You may already be acquainted with some of their other brews, such as Modus Hoperandi IPA and the delicious Steel Toe Stout, and if you aren’t … well, consider this your notice to check out their fine collection of beers.  Mole Stout is a great addition to their stable; the can alone should be enough to entice and possibly intimidate when one sees the words “peppers, cocoa, and spices” on the can.  Don’t be scared, though, as you are in for a treat.  The aromas are everything one could want from a fall seasonal — cinnamon, nutmeg, and espresso makes for something I want to smell in my house year round.  This stout has a very smooth and silky mouth feel, with light carbonation and subtle cocoa and vanilla hints throughout to give just a bit of sweetness.  The star of this beer is the spices, though, as they are sure to keep you guessing with every drink.  Made with Mulato, Ancho, and Hatch green chiles (the very kind from our home base in New Mexico), the heat is extremely subtle and mixes great with the other spice package.  Perhaps I just can’t taste the heat, given my penchant for ultra hot Bhut Jolokia peppers; no matter, this is a delicious beer that had me spouting obscenities about its awesomeness.  Interestingly, this is the first in a series of four seasonal stouts set to be released by Ska on a solstice or equinox (this one being released on Sept. 21); one can only hope for more good things to come from the next three beers.  Mole Stout is by far part of the high class of seasonals for this fall, so grab a six pack while it lasts!

For our next tasting, we have Shipyard Brewing Co.’s latest signature seasonal, Smashed Pumpkin.  Ah yes, the music nerd in me couldn’t resist trying this one!  Not familiar with Shipyard, you say?  Don’t feel bad, for this microbrewery hails from Portland, Maine, all the way across the country.  Still, they have made a name for themselves with a lineup of consistently great beers for over 20 years now.  This fall they have done a great service to themselves and beer drinkers everywhere. Available in large bomber bottles, this ale has a big body but does not drink like the 9.0-percent ABV shown on the label, so proceed with caution.  The pumpkin is plentiful in this ale, something that sometimes is lacking in seasonal pumpkin brews.  Looking for that pumpkin pie flavor? Grab a bottle and pour!  The malt blend plays together very well in this one, and the spices coupled with the orange hints make this a very full, but oh-so-drinkable beer.  The spices and slightly toasted citrus notes create a wonderful aroma that fits like that first hoodie you slip on when the first cool fall day arrives.  For everything put into this brew, it has a surprisingly light color, almost bordering on an orange-hued pilsner.  But don’t let that deceive you; as I mentioned, this is a strong lad.  Two bombers of  this would give the fuzzies to even the most established beer connoisseur, so go easy on this one.  But enjoy, for this is a wonderful choice among the sea of pumpkin beers you will find this season.

Remember, you can find any of these beers reviewed at your local package liquor stores, or maybe even at your local neighborhood watering hole.  So seek out the Mole Stout from Ska Brewing Co. or Shipyard Brewing’s Smashed Pumpkin, and enjoy with your friends!  Until next time…

Prost!

— Brandon (Cryptogrind)