Diesel

Beer Name: Diesel
Brewery: Sixpoint
ABV: 6.3%
Serving method: 16-oz can in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Best by June 23, 2012

Storing beer in a can makes it last longer since there is no way it can be exposed to light. I don't think these cans are going to make it to June though. By the way, this beer is a stout, which isn't readily apparent from the name.

Diesel is a very dark beer, practically black. It's sort of a transparent black, which isn't a great description, but I'm not sure how else to put it. Some stouts look very solid and thick, but this one looks... thinner, maybe. There isn't a lot of head, but it lasts for a while and sticks around for a heavy lacing. The aroma is not typical for a stout. It doesn't really have much coffee or chocolate at all, but there's definitely some maltiness and, surprisingly, hops. This might be an interesting beer.

This is a very different kind of stout from the majority of stouts out there. There's a much larger hop presence than others tend to have. It's also a little bit harsh at the beginning. There are light roasted flavors in there, but they aren't as big and bold as other stouts. The piney hop flavors seem to be running the show. The beer is pretty highly carbonated, but the drinkability does not suffer.

Final thought - Diesel is an intriguing beer. All of Sixpoint's beers (that I've tried) have a similar hop presence, which is kind of odd in a stout. However, it still works on a different level if you don't try to enjoy it as a stout. I also find it more enjoyable when it's not super-cold out of the fridge. I think the flavors mellow out a little after it warms up a bit.

-Jon