31 - Victory Hop Wallop

Okay so I decided to complete my recent Victory trilogy. I recently had the Storm King and another one that I forget, but enjoyed both, even if I can't remember the name.

So, despite me burying the lead, just like the other Victory beers, I liked the Hop Wallop. Not as much as I anticipated, but I am not sure whether I had hyped myself up or whether it is just an above average IPA. I recently became a hop lover so my standards for hop are a bit more stringent than they used to be.

But I like it and I will get another three Victory beers for the next round and review them as prequels that I will consider not as good as the first three because I gave it enough time to become nostalgic and jaded from digital effects.

Victory: A New Hop

I give it 5 out of 8 lame cryptic references.

29 - Victory Donnybrook Stout

An Irish Dry Stout. We had this at D's Six Pax and Hot Dogz. I am not sure if this is something I am just noticing or if the price of beer has ballooned in the past two weeks. I find myself doing double-takes at price lists more in the past two weeks for the first time in years when I lived in the "big city." Am I just suddenly price sensitive because of the economic panic? I personally get sort of wigged out when a beer costs more than 4.50, regardless of the economic or social climate. And if it isn't being transported accross an ocean, and isn't even crossing state lines, it is stupid to have such high prices....I am going to make a special "Overpriced Watering Holes" post where I cant ramble...but not now.

This beer was expensive, but it was good. It was dry and had a great smooth taste. Great head. Good flavor. It was dark but not sweet but it was extremely thick. It was possibly the thickest beer I have ever drank. More of a solid than a liquid.

I haven't had a Guinness in years but I will have to get some on tap soon to compare to this, cause this beer was good and I can't really remember a Guinness tasting as good as this Donnybrook.

Donnybrook, Dublin, Ireland, site of the original Donnybrook Fair, which earned a reputation for drunkenness and disorder. But this beer is not very strong and getting wasted and starting a fight was probably the last thing this beer inspired me to do at D's Six Pax. It did inspire me to start rationing my beer money for awhile. I can't afford to drink out for awhile. Luckily we just restocked our supply.

I give this beer 4.2 out of 5 shelalees. Or 8 out of 10 screaming banshees. Or 18 out of 20 Portaits of Artists and Young Men.

27 - Victory Storm King Imperial Stout

I drank two Storm Kings. The first one I loved and then the second one, I liked. Not sure how much longer this beers diminishing returns will continue. It is an Imperial Stout, which I believe is a Russian style. It is dark as hell and strong...9%. It is sweet but doesn't taste carmelized or sugary sweet some of that chocolate coffee thing...but maybe that is from the dark smoothness. It is dark and black as the night....Dark as the abyss ...of the soul...But unlike souls you can probably only drink two before you done with it.

I give it 3.635 tortured souls writhing in eternal punishment...just kidding there is no such thing as a soul. I give it 3.6 evil owls out of 4.