Hot or Cold 

• Mike Riedel

Epic - Capt'n Ron: No, this is not a tribute to the 1992 film featuring Kurt Russell and Martin Short. This is a raisin stout that was made with rum-soaked raisins, and is an imperial stout at its base. My detective skills are quite weak, but I'm going to make the assumption that the "Ron" part of the name was inspired from the use of Ron Bacardi rum to pickle the raisins featured in this brew. If you've got a better theory, I'd love to hear it.

This raisin stout pours a dense and murky dark brown, as if raw cocoa powder had been mixed within. As its patient mocha head builds, it reveals long retention, before falling still near the end. With random specks of lace, the ale prefers brandy-like stillness. Enticing aromas of chocolate stand tall against malty elements of brown sugar, coffee and toast. Its alignment is somewhere between coffee cake and spiced rum, but then comes the fruit-obvious raisins, along with a dose of dried apples and nuts. A fruit cake medley arises.

Its rich and malt-forward flavor shows dominant sweetness that ranges from burnt toffee and molasses to chocolate, mocha latte and walnuts. Once the dark, dried and pitted fruits fold in, the sweet taste is further exacerbated. A tepid balance from "Christmas" alcohol offers some semblance of offsetting the malt, but make no mistake about it—this ale appeases the sweet tooth. Full-bodied early and often, the larger-than-life ale is creamy and sweet to texture, just the same as in taste. Rich and bready, the carbonation seems to thicken the beer; even once it fades, the ale rests weightily on the tongue, finishing spicy and warm. There's a mild prickling action that occurs, as this is the ale's only signal for closure. Its malty-sweet aftertaste satisfies the palate like a fine dessert.

Overall: At 9.0 percent ABV, this won't completely obliterate your cool. However, the rum booziness does rear its head as it warms, so be aware of that while enjoying this chocolate-covered raisin beast.

Squatters - 147 West IPA (Broadway Cold Hazy): Are "cold IPAs" a thing? Apparently so; we had one hit last week, and another has popped-up as part of Squatters' 147 West Series. This is a combo of two IPA sub-categories—a hazy and cold IPA which is basically a lager. It pours nearly two fingers of white head, which leaves a nice film on top of the body as well. Initial lacing looks quite nice. Body is a very standard yellow, surprisingly a little cloudy, with a few bubbles coming up—looks very good so far.

The nose is citrus rind, lemongrass and tropical fruits like mango and papaya. A touch of dankness creeps in, but generally it's a very lovely nose—pretty juicy, but not over the top, and balanced nicely by some of the more savory aromas.

Definitely not a pushover IPA, this one includes some noticeable bitterness right off the bat. Citrus is present in the beginning as well, and it adds to the medium/light mouthfeel. Not a lot in the way of those tropical flavors appears, just some briefly in the finish. A little dank, perhaps some pine as well; carbonation is medium. The body is a little light, but has some weight to it. It's not really sweet nor dry, simply pretty neutral and balanced. Though the bitterness is elevated, once the palate adapts to it, this is quite nice.

Overall: At the very least, this is a refreshing change, in a world of fruit-cup ales. This 5.0 percent IPA will not put hair on your chest, but it's tasty and it has character either way. A nice brew.

As of this writing, the 147 West IPA was only available in 12-packs. I imagine by now, you can pick up singles at the UBC's Beer Store and at all Squatters and Wasatch locations. Capt'n Ron is in 16-ounce cans, and is available at Epic to enjoy there or take home. As always, cheers!