Backmasking - Three Floyds Brewing Co.

    Backmasking is an Oatmeal Stout brewed by Three Floyds Brewing Co. in Munster, Indiana. This beer's name comes from many parents' worst fears when their children bring home a new album. Sure, little Johnny is a sweet boy now, but just wait until he listens to that rock music! It won't be long before your sweet little child is sacrificing goats to the dark lord! Named after the process of recording messages onto a track that can only be heard when playing the audio backwards, Backmasking just might be hiding a few secrets of its own.

    Gniksamkcab is a deep, black color. The tiny bit of light allowed through the dark liquid reveals a dark ruby tint. Upon pouring, a massive brown head forms, but quickly recedes into a thin, lacing leaving layer of bubbles.

    The aromas of dark, roasty malts, especially oats and chocolate, make up the majority of the beer's smell. This mix makes me think of the sweet, chocolate breakfast cereals little Johnny used to eat before switching to a diet consisting only of virgin's blood.

    Three Floyd's Oatmeal Stout is medium in body as well as in level of carbonation. Surprisingly, with an alcohol content of only 5.9% ABV, there is a slight bit of alcohol warmth on the tongue and back of the throat after swallowing. The beer finishes dry, but leaves a bit of stickiness on the lips.

Oh Johnny, you never should have been allowed to listen
to that One Direction album...

    Backmasking is surprisingly sweet, with a huge hit of chocolate malt and sweet oats. This brew reminds me of chocolate milk, only in beer form. There is a bit of roasted, smokey malt character to the ale, as well as a bit of piney hops. Overall the ale balances the super sweet flavors with the roastier, bitter flavors. Even with the sweetness, there is still a small amount of ethanol flavor that shows its head.

    It has always amused me that many bands labeled by the media as "evil" actually have better messages in their music than most of the songs on the radio. Other than the immature, angry minority making bad music in the first place, a good number of bands promote messages of peace, tolerance, and self-empowerment. The only major difference is that these messages are coming from performers who prefer a counter-culture style of theatrics for their performances. Think on that the next time your child is listening to music glamorizing getting drunk at the club and making regrettable decisions!

    While I found no hidden messages in Backmasking, I did find an enticingly sweet Stout that I surprisingly enjoyed. I'm content with my findings, as I'm not willing to drink the beer backwards to check for anything I might have missed. I do, however, think that the beer's sweetness could cause it to be a bit much in large amounts. Check it out, if you aren't afraid of any subconscious manipulation!

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Pride & Joy Mild Ale - Three Floyds Brewing Co.

    Pride & Joy Mild Ale is an American Pale Ale brewed by Three Floyds Brewing Co. in Munster, Indiana. The beer's label describes it as a mild, session ale with a hit of hops familiar to fans of Three Floyds' beers.

    The ale pours a golden-orange color with a finger of off-white head. The foam fades, but leaves a thin film on top of the liquid that laces the glass as the ale is enjoyed.

    Pride & Joy smells equally of malts and hops. The hops scent is reminiscent of pine and fruit. The malt scent is sweet and biscuity.

    The Pale Ale feels light to medium bodied with a medium level of carbonation. The beer has an alcohol content of 5% ABV.

    The ale's flavor is mild, yet complex. The signature Three Floyds hops blend hits your tongue up front, but without its usual bitterness and strength. Light pine and grapefruit flavors lead the way for the sweeter bready and caramel malts.

    Pride & Joy is somewhat confusing to the palette in that its flavors are big, but subtle at the same time. With your first sip you find yourself waiting for the hit of bitterness, but it never comes. This is likely the mildest, yet full flavor beer that I have ever tried. With its mildness, I'd recommend this as a transition beer between the common macro-brews into craft ales, especially pale ales. I could easily see how this would be a session beer, as it would never build up a bad flavor, or be too overwhelming after having a few bottles. The only bad thing I can think of about the brew is that it gets the song "Pride and Joy" stuck in my head--annoying, but I can't hold it against the ale.

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Blackheart - Three Floyds Brewing Co.

    Blackheart is an English Style India Pale Ale created by Three Floyds which is located in Munster, Indiana. The ale is brewed using all English ingredients, and is aged on toasted oak. The label artwork is a collaboration with the Black Heart Tattoo shop in San Francisco.

    Blackheart pours a slightly hazy golden orange with a thick, off-white head. The foam leaves a thick lacing on the glass as well as creates a thin layer between the ale and the air.

    Pouring the English IPA releases an aroma of sweet orange peel and piney hops. Once in the cup, one can note the sweet, bready notes of the English malts.

    Blackheart has a medium body which is heightened by a moderate level of carbonation. The ale has an extremely nice creaminess to it which makes it go down easy. The dangers of being fooled by the ale's drinkability are forewarned by a nice alcohol warmth. At 8.5% ABV, one wouldn't want to drink too much of this too quickly!

Blackheart and artwork by Tim Lehi of Black Heart Tattoo. For some reason
this is how I imagine Charlie Sheen will die.

    The English IPA's flavor starts out with a nice bouquet of hops flavors, mainly orange and piney resin. These bitter flavors are quickly balanced by sweet malts which bring to mind brown sugar and caramel. Bringing up the rear is the subtle flavor of toasted oak, really making this beer unique and interesting.

    I find the collaboration between Three Floyds and Black Heart Tattoo interesting as alcohol and tattoos have an long history together. In fact, it's become a common joke whenever someone has a new tattoo to ask if the wearer remembers getting it. As I looked around Tim Lehi's website, I noticed that he has done two other labels for Three Floyds beers. I guess I know who to go to if I ever decide to get some ink!

    Blackheart is a very interesting IPA as the English malts make for a much sweeter experience than some. I have to say that the aging on toasted oak is what really makes this beer special. It's so interesting to me how such an subtle, almost imperceptible flavor can make such a huge difference in a beer. Definitely pick up this May release if you spot it on the shelf!

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In The Name Of Suffering - Three Floyds Brewing Co.

    In The Name Of Suffering is a Black India Pale Ale brewed by Three Floyds Brewing Co. located in Munster, Indiana. This ale is brewed as a collaboration between the brewery and the band "EYEHATEGOD". According to the bottle, this is brewed in a New Orleans style. I picked up this bomber on a recent trip up to the Three Floyds brewpub.

    The beer pours a dark black with a large khaki head. Some lacing is left by the foam as it falls down the glass.

    In The Name Of Suffering smells mainly like the trademark Three Floyds hops aroma. There is also a slight sweetness of roasty malts that is subtly perceptible underneath the sharp hops scents.

    The Black IPA is medium bodied with a medium level of carbonation. The beer feels like it almost takes over your entire mouth when you take a sip.

Black Metal Beer.

    In The Name Of Suffering blends the pretty common hops flavors of Three Floyds' beers with a surprising roasty and cocoa malt base. There is a nutty flavor at the end of the taste before the beer's dry finish leaves you ready for more. I really expected this beer to be much more bitter than it is. Instead, the beer leaves a sweet cocoa aftertaste. The balanced, yet contrasting flavors mask any alcohol harshness that may be present in a beer with an ABV of 7.1%.

    If the skulls, snakes, and monster on the bottle didn't clue you in at first, this is a pretty metal beer. The dark black color of the ale allows no light to penetrate the glass it is poured in, just as the dark souls of those who play heavy metal. I wouldn't be surprised if you drank this ale and were suddenly able to shred  on guitar with the best of them. In fact, I might just go pick up the old guitar as soon as I finish this post! HAHA! Nobody can stop me now. Before long, I'll be tearing it up just like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZspGWM-aWs!

    Yeah, maybe not. At least I got to enjoy a good beer. In The Name Of Suffering is another quality beer from Three Floyds Brewing Co. While it isn't my favorite beer from the brewery, it still manages to impress with an amazing balance of hops and malts which only the finest breweries seem to be able to achieve. This Black IPA is a good mix of dark beers and pale ales which could be a very nice compromise for fans of either style attempting to get into the other one.

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Stack N Stabb - Three Floyds Brewing Co.

    Stack N Stabb is a Belgian Strong Pale Ale created by Three Floyds Brewing Co. which is located in Munster, Indiana. I picked up this 22oz bomber on my birthday visit to the Three Floyds brewpub. As of now, there has only been one release of Stack N Stabb, making this bottle a special treat.

    The Belgian Strong Pale Ale pours a transparent orange with very little head.

    Stack N Stabb's aroma is very light. The normally powerful hop aroma that is Three Floyds' signature is extremely subdued in this brew. Instead, sweet malts and the spicy, banana scent common to Belgian yeast predominate the aroma. There is also a scent similar to that of stone fruits.

    Three Floyds' ale is light bodied with a medium-low carbonation level. The beer is quite creamy but finishes dry. There is a very slight alcohol warmth which you would expect from a Strong Ale

Warning: Beer and sharp objects may be dangerous
when used in conjunction!

    Much like the ale's aroma, Stack N Stabb's flavor is dominated by flavors from the Belgian yeast. Sweet banana and apricot can be tasted along with spices such as clove. There is more hops citrus flavor in this Belgian Strong Ale than other beers of the style which I have tried, though that isn't surprising considering it's a Three Floyds ale. Even with an alcohol content of 8.5% ABV, there is no flavor of alcohol that is noticeable. Instead, the ale is sweet at first, and finishes extremely dry.

    One thing that I love about Three Floyds is their nerdy, comic book-like inspiration for many of their beers. It feels as though, finally, people who are creating new beers are people whom are much like me. Stack N Stabb obviously follows the Three Floyds norm as is illustrated (literally) by the label and name of the ale. I realize that naming and marketing have very little to do with the quality of the actual product, but I definitely feel that Three Floyds backs up their bold labels with very good beer, so it's a win-win for me.

   As someone who does not enjoy Belgian style beers, Stack N Stabb is not something that I would drink regularly. I can, however, see that it is a very decent example of a Belgian Strong Pale Ale with a little bit of Three Floyds' personality added in. Fans of the Belgian flavors should definitely check Stack N Stabb out if they find it in stores, as it is a unique take on the Belgian Strong Pale Ale.

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Rye'da Tiger - Three Floyds Brewing Co.

    Rye'da Tiger is a Double Rye India Pale Ale created by Three Floyds Brewing Co. in Munster, Indiana. I picked up this 22oz. bomber on a special birthday visit to the 3Floyds Brewpub. The menu at the brewpub explains that this new December release is dedicated to the late Ronnie James Dio. The beer's name likely refers to a phrase in the song Holy Diver.

    The beer pours a  hazy amber color with a tall white head. It smells slightly malty with a strong presence of citrusy hops. As expected, there is a faint, peppery rye scent to the beer as well.

    The ale is medium bodied and smooth with a moderate level of carbonation.

Rye'da Tiger pours like a rainbow in the dark.

    Rye'da Tiger's ABV is not listed online, nor is it listed on the bottle. If I had to chance a guess based on flavor and style however, I'd say that the ABV is likely around 7.5-8%. Surprisingly, the higher than normal ABV is not noticeable in the beer's flavor. As for the beer's flavor, sweet caramel malts and citrus fruits prevail with a tiny hint of the rye's spiciness at the end. I find Double IPAs to be sweeter than their single batch counterparts, and this one is no different.

    I have heard rumors that Rye'da Tiger is actually a double batch of Rye'da Lightning, a Rye Beer created by Three Floyds for Record Store Day 2012. I have not tried that limited release beer though, so I'm not sure how credible the rumor may be. Either way, I love the two beers' names. I'm hoping that Three Floyds's next creation will be Rye'da Dragon or Mead'a Dragon, but then maybe that's because I've been playing too much Skyrim.

    Overall, Rye'da Tiger features lots of great hop flavor while balancing the bitterness with its sweet malt backbone. I have found that Three Floyds Brewing Co. tends to balance their beers well in this manner, with a few exceptions. I expected there to be more rye flavor in the ale than was present however. This Double Rye IPA is definitely a decent ale, but may not be the best representation of a rye beer.

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Zombie Dust - Three Floyds Brewing Co.

    The American Pale Ale, Zombie Dust, by Three Floyds Brewing Co., located in Munster, Indiana, has experienced a huge rise in popularity in the past year or two. The beer has received extremely high ratings on many beer websites and has won many prestigious awards in the beer makers contest circuit. In addition to these rewards, Zombie Dust holds the coveted position of being my favorite beer that I have ever tried.

    Zombie Dust pours a light, hazy amber with a small off-white head. The beer's scent is amazing. As soon as the lid is popped open, the smell of flowery hops and grapefruit peel surround you. Pouring the beer into a glass just allows more of this seductive scent to waft to your nose. The light scent of sugar and fruits can be perceived once the initial hop bouquet fades. There is also an herbal quality to the smell though I can't place it specifically.

The beer is light bodied with a medium level of carbonation. The bubbles help to foam the beer onto the pallet making the scent and taste into one experience. At 6.4% ABV, the alcohol content is just slightly higher than a typical pale ale.

    Zombie Dust tastes much as it smells. There is an extremely prevalent flavor of citrus thanks to the Citra hops used in the brew by Three Floyds. The main citrus flavor is grapefruit with a bit of a tangerine flavor as well. All the hops in the beer give it a nice bitterness that is balanced by a strong malt backing, keeping the bitterness from becoming overwhelming. In addition to the citrus, mango can be tasted in the brew as well.

    I first tried Zombie Dust before I was a major beer lover. Even then, in my unfamiliarity with beer, I could tell that this beer was a great one. In fact, I would go so far as to say that this beer is responsible for my growing interest in beer tasting and, as such, holds a special place in my beer heart.

    Overall, Zombie Dust makes for a great beer drinking experience. The large amount of hops in the brew might turn off newer beer drinkers due to their bitterness, but it is definitely worth trying. If you ever get a chance to try Zombie Dust I highly recommend it!

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