Frambozen

While trying to write a semi-decent short story of a first person view of being a zombie, and doing a crappy job of it, I decided I needed 12-ounce inspiration. This seasonal comes from the lads at New Belgium Brewery. Personally, beer mixed with fruit tends to annoy me. Call me a cynic, but I like the bitterness of hops, and the sweetness of malt. I don't need any apple, orange, or for the love of God, pumpkin, to spice my beer up. Having said this, I'm going to be a complete hypocrite. I was very intrigued by the combination of raspberry and brown ale that NBB puts out every year at this time.

The first thing that is very apparent after pouring this brew, is raspberries are present. The sweet fruity aroma flies out of the mug as if it were a fly stuck in a plastic container. Along with the dark ruby color, I was very concerned that this beer was going to be raspberry overload. Lucky for me, the taste was predominately a true brown ale nuttiness, with a slight tweak of raspberry at the end. Quite pleasant, I must admit. The combination between the two actually comes out tasting a bit like dark chocolate. A rugged, dare I say, Chuck Norris sweetness, rather than a Richard Simmons over the top fruity sweetness. Well done gentlemen, well done. As long as we're on the topic of Sir Norris, did you know that he destroyed the periodic table, because he recognizes only the element of surprise? That's scary stuff.

PROUST!