Surly Darkness 2008 (pictured, in my souvenir tasting glass): Very possibly the best stout I’ve ever had. Only Three Floyds’ Dark Lord can compare, and that’s a bit apples-and-oranges. Dark Lord is richer and heavier (though Darkness is hardly light–we’re talking grades of motor oil here), but on the other hand I feel like I could drink more than four ounces of the Surly without needing to lie down and rest.
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Viking Mjod: Please pretend there’s a Scandinavian-style slash through that “o.” This is a honey brackett from Viking Brewing in Dallas, Wisconsin. Similar to mead but with added malt, it’s lighter, drier, and more complex.
Overall the Taste experience was surprisingly trouble-free for an event explicitly dedicated to public drinking–the only thing I could really complain about would be the high incidence of big dudes going “Wooo!” late in the day. I’d like to compliment the Taste organizers on their smarts–even if this weren’t the 22nd annual festival, it’d be clear they’ve been at it for a while.
