Greetings beer aficionados, Brandon here with another edition of the Saturday Night Sixer! As always the Sixer is here to help you at those times where you just seem to be staring at coolers of beer, unsure of which is going to best please your palate. Well, look no further than our weekly recommendation found right here, as we are here to steer you towards the best of the best. Remember that all the brews here can be found at your local fine packaged liquor store, or ask them how you can get your hands on this week’s offering. Now, onward to beer!

Iceland is an absolutely beautiful country. Granted, I make this assertion based on photos and such, but I refuse to believe that all of the pictures I see of the natural beauty of this country can be Photoshopped; millions and millions of people can’t be that proficient with a computer program! At least I hope not, anyway, but that’s besides the point.

I’ve personally always wanted to visit Iceland, and I just came across another reason. Looking at the Facebook page for my local neighborhood packaged alcoholic beverage establishment (thanks, Jubilation Beer Wine & Spirits!), I came across a picture of Lava, a smoked imperial stout from Ölvisholt Brugghús, a little brewery from far away in the southwest part of Iceland. At that point I was sold, as I am always eager to try a good brew from across the pond. According to website, Ölvisholt is located in an old dairy farm in south Iceland and “was founded in the year 2007 by two neighboring farmers who had a true passion for beer.” They currently export their beers to several other surrounding European countries, as well as here in the good ol’ U.S.A. As for the name of the beer, there is apparently an active volcano nearby, one that has occasional eruptions that can be seen from the brewery; after reading this, I uttered (in the standard deep voice) the word “metal.” You didn’t have to tell me twice before I got my hands on some of this wondrous brew from the norther regions of the world.

To say one is in for a treat with this beer is really an understatement. First off, it is easy for a smoked beer to be either overpowering with its flavors, or underwhelming and lacking; that is not the case at all with Lava. This beast pours black, and I mean BLACK. Once in my pint glass, no light passed through at all; there were some deep red hints at the top, though, with a fizzy brown head that dissipated quickly and gave way to a rich, tan film with swirling on top. The aromatics on this were complex, as lots of smoke is present, with slight charcoal, roasted malt, and very subtle coffee hints as well. There was a slightly earthy hop aroma as well, with a hint of alcohol; a great medley of aromas to accompany this stout. The flavors are some of the best I’ve had with a smoked beer. The smoke doesn’t overwhelm the other flavors, it is just the vessel that carries all of them here, and there are a lot of different malts and flavors at play here.

There are different chocolate malts present right away at first sip, mainly dark chocolate and hints of biscuit as well, with a tiny bit of coffee and caramel. There is a subtle sweetness as well, which plays surprisingly well with the smoke and complements the chocolate malts. There are hints of licorice around the middle of the palate, but they are subtle, so don’t worry if you don’t care for those flavors. Some nutty flavors along with oak hints hit around the middle and back of the palate. I also detected a hint of star anise in there, a very slight taste that fades quickly, but a pleasant surprise. There’s more wood and slight fruit hints on the finish, along with a touch more chocolate and slight alcohol, and all through the smoke mingles beautifully with all of these flavors. The mouthfeel on Lava is quite velvety, with a slightly rough touch in the middle from the spice and smoke, but it finishes full and rich with tiny bite.

Overall, I think Lava is a perfect example of what a smoked beer should be, especially being a smoked imperial stout. The big flavors you would expect from the style are there and are delicious. They are all balanced and play well off of the smoke flavors. At 9.4-percent ABV it is big, but the way it drinks would have you believing that it’s more potent. I would recommend this as a dessert beer or around the fireplace. Imperial stouts and smoked beers alone are not always the flavors that everyone likes, but for those of you who like their flavors big and bold, and want something amazing from a far away land, then Lava Smoked Imperial Stout from Ölvisholt Brugghús is sure to please your palate.

Lava is certainly a beer that might take some work to find, as it is imported from quite a ways out, but believe me, it will be worth the effort. Again, for readers here in the Albuquerque area, your friends at Jubilation Wine & Spirits have it in stock, so get it while it lasts. And for our readers elsewhere, take a trip to your local fine packaged liquor store and see what they can do to get you your Lava fix!

Until next time …

Prost!

— Brandon Daniel