At 4 pm on January 30th (Sunday), The J. Clyde will be hosting a reservations only, blind Imperial Stout tasting.
What does it mean to have a blind tasting? Basically, you will be given ten sample sized imperial stouts to taste, enjoy and rate as your personal favorites. When you are provided the samples you will not be notified what the names of the beers are or from what brewery. This ensures nothing (brands, breweries, hype, etc) gets in your way to truly distinguish which is the best beer to you and your palate. This type of tasting will also help you further train your palate to recognize different flavors and subtleties in the beers you drink.
Now, on to the beer. Imperial Stouts are a typically rich and complex beer style. These higher gravity and hopped Stouts were originally brewed in England for export to Baltic States and Russia. They were believed to be very popular with the Russian Imperial Court, and that is why they are also known as Russian Imperial Stouts. American breweries have really embraced this style over the years, adding American flare and ingredients to the style. You should expect higher alcohol content than most styles, and a bigger, thicker body when enjoying these Stouts. Imperial Stouts are typically malt forward with a medium to aggressive hop level. Examples that you may be familiar with around Birmingham may be Good People Brewing Company's Fatso Imperial Stout and North Coast Brewing Company's Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout.
Like I said, this blind tasting will consist of ten samples and cheese pairings will accompany them. The lineup for this tasting will not be released because it is a blind tasting, but I am sure you can count on The J. Clyde having a few special treats they have been saving to surprise you with at this event. Cost of this tasting will be $24 per reservation, and reservations can be made by stopping by The J. Clyde or calling (205) 939-1312.
If this is something that you find interesting, you will want to secure a reservation soon because The J. Clyde does not do too many of these blind tastings. I am sure this will be a fantastic experience for all who attend, so give the good folks at The J. Clyde a call. You won't regret it. Prost!
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