Wednesday Double NC Beer Review

Joe’s Review – Burial Beer Co. “Spectacle of Martyrdom”

Style: Mild Ale
ABV: 3.9%

This week Nick and I are checking the fridge for a couple of great NC beers. My choice is “Spectacle of Martyrdom” by Burial Beer Co. in Asheville, NC. This mild ale has been calling my name every time I’ve opened the fridge over the past week and now it’s time to answer.

I chose my nonic pint glass to be the vessel in which I consumed the brew and in the glass the beer looked rather formidable. It was a deep brown/black color that sported a bit of tan foamy head that settled into a thin film on the beer. Not much light passed through the beer and when it did, it gave off a faint ruby hue. You could see the beer had a bit of haze to it but this was hardly noticeable with the dark color of the beverage.

The aroma was nice and strong in this mild ale and filled my nostrils with a rich roasted malt aroma. There were hints of roasted coffee mixed with burnt sugar, rich biscuit, and a slight nuttiness. The burnt sugar and caramel-like aromas of the beer made it quite balanced and delicious smelling.

The mouthfeel of “Spectacle of Martyrdom” was pleasant and relatively smooth. It was on the lighter side for body and finished with a nice hit of carbonation and a slight drying bitterness.

The flavor of this beer is all but mild, but in an oh-so delicious way. It had deep character of roasted malts, biscuit, and caramel. On retronasal olfaction, it tastes/smells like you just finished a warm slice of fresh homemade bread. I could drink this beer all day. Thanks to the mild ABV that comes with the mild ale style, this is even more possible (without waking up on the floor). The bountiful bready and full flavored malt character of this brew would pair extremely well with savory and hearty foods, and this is what I will drink with dinner tonight.

Overall, this was one delicious brew and if you have had it or want to try it let us know in the comments! Cheers!

Nick’s Review – Highland Brewing Co. “Midnight Summit” (2021)

Style: Milk Stout
ABV: 6%
IBU: 40

Coincidentally, my NC beer review this week also hails from Asheville, NC. “Midnight Summit” from Highland Brewing Co. is a vanilla milk stout that is a seasonal offering, meaning it may be difficult to find at this point (as we move towards the cervezas, goses, and lagers of summer).

After transferring the beer into one of my tulip glasses, I was not terribly surprised at the rich, dark brown color that appeared before me. There was a prominent blonde-colored pile of foam (as you can see from my photo) that stuck around for a few minutes, though didn’t stick much to the inner walls of the glass as it dissipated. After some time for settling, I noticed some light brown sediment near the bottom portion of my glass, but since this was a milk stout, there was no cause for alarm.

There was a lot to enjoy on the nose as far as the rich, complex aromas that were easily detected. Some char/roast, not unlike a campfire, as well as sweet vanilla and some cocoa. There was a level of sugary-goodness, which is certainly an expected product of the added lactose. I was very eager and hopeful that this beer would be creamy, sweet, and a little roasty.

My first sip confirmed that “Midnight Summit” is creamy and smooth. There is only a faint amount of carbonation that I noticed, but through and through this milk stout was as smooth as velvet. It was a bit light-bodied but carried a bit of viscosity that was quickly washed away. Going back to the sediment – you also don’t notice in when drinking.

Following this up, I got to check off the other two boxes: sweet (check) and roasty (double check). The flavors were individually recognizable – vanilla, chocolate, burnt sugar, toast, coffee – but in unison, they created something that I’d imagine as a s’mores but with mocha, or coffee-flavored chocolate as a substitute. It was also an easy sipper, being that it was only 6% ABV and not over-whelming dark or roasty.

I could easily session a couple of these milk stouts while sitting around the fire or just as a night cap (if I was in the mood for something sweet). It’s a shame that I am just now figuring out that “Midnight Summit” is a great milk stout, as I will have to wait until ~ January 2022 for Highland to release the next batch. Being that I won’t be able to drink this again for a while, I savored the flavor, but I think next winter I will be looking for this in bulk. Hope you are able to get your hands on the 2022 release, too!