Day 304: Spine Tingler

Name: Spine Tingler

Brewer: MacTarnhan's Brewery (Portland, OR)

Classification: Tripel

Alcohol: 8.5%

Thoughts: Sometimes beers have very confusing back stories. Sometimes it is because of weird stories or a shady past and other times, like with Spine Tingler, it is because of licensing and distribution. I may be wrong but it sounds like this is Brewed by MacTarnhan's Taproom in Portland, but bottle and distributed by Pyramid Brewing Co. in Seattle. Either way it comes from the Northwest. This Tripel has a light, fizzy head that floats on top of a bright, crystalline golden colored brew. The aroma bursts at the seems of this beer and radiates right into your olfactory nerves. The aroma and the taste are quite similar. Both have a malt forefront, which is crisp and light. Then the fruity hops show up. They are a bit acidic like apple juice, but complement the malts extremely well. Next, the Belgian yeast comes home to roost with pops of clove and pepper. The weight of the spice is Goldie Locks-esque, just right. To finish this brew off you get a warming, tingling, alcoholic run down down your throat. It is actually a throat tingler, but I assume Spine Tingler is just a cooler name. This is a decedent brew with lots of class and stigma. I really enjoyed it. 

Rating: 88/100