Nothing says Happy Chanukah and Merry Christmas like… Frankenstein? Actually I’m sure Frankenstein may have spun a dreidl or two in his day. If you’re like me, you’ve got to work a few times this week – random days, in no particular order. And Kole has been puttering around the house in a bathrobe all week, he’s not even sure what day of the week it is. It’s that glorious zombie-like state between Christmas and New Year’s that encompasses ALL of Chanukah. It’s epic. It’s everything I wanted as a kid, except now I’m a disgruntled 30-something.

I am of course, babbling about Frankenstout Session Stout by Block Three Brewing from St. Jacob’s, an entirely respectable stout for your franken-week of day drinking during Chanukah. I can almost picture the horse-drawn buggies now…

A 500 ml bottle will set you back only $4 from the LCBO. At 5% ABV, it’s stretching the boundaries of sessionable for my taste, but it doesn’t take much to get me lightheaded anymore. This is a really solid option from Block Three Brewing, and the first time I’ve had them in a bottle. I’m used to sampling them on draught at finer beer bars around the city or at better beer festivals. The name really appealed to my festive spirit.

Appearance: Dark brown bordering on black. Lingering mocha coloured head.

Aroma: Roasted coffee, dark chocolate. Underlying pine notes from the hops. Vanilla.

Taste: Heavy malt and dark chocolate on the palate, slight vanilla notes.

Aftertaste: Bitter finish that is more reminiscent of baker’s chocolate than hops.

Food pairing: Pair with a nice brisket. Or leftover brisket sandwich, I don’t mind. Make sure there’s some sweet onions in there.

Overall: A solid effort, when you’ve lost all track of your nights of Chanukah, let alone what day of the week it is. Whose pants are these?

Shawna O'Flaherty

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