Big Slick Stout (Ale Asylum, Madison, WI)

Big Slick Oatmeal Stout by Ale Asylum

Thanks to beery friend Kat, I'm drinking from a growler of  Ale Asylum's Big Slick Stout tonight without a trip to Madison.  Oatmeal Stout according to the Ale Asylum website, this beer is not your average smooth drinking, light oaty stout.  Big and bold, I somehow forgot that I really like this beer.

Cap of the growler was on super tight with a slight hiss upon opening: nice job.  Head bubbles up only with effort and creates a dark tan to brown streaked head that falls to a thin lace.  Well named, it is the color of dirty motor oil.  Coffee and clean roast in the nose plus a hint of spice from the hops and maybe a little bit of the 7% alcohol.  Full bodied mouthfeel supports a light fresh coffee and roast malt that's complimented by a light dark cherry, chocolate and spice hidden in the background .  Smooth and creamy from the oatmeal.  Dry, slightly bitter finish lingers pleasantly.

Satisfaction Jacksin (Ale Asylum, Madison, WI)

Hazy burnt orange beer in a shaker pint. White tightly bubbled head that lingers for a long while before falling to a full lace around the full glass. Big citrus nose--grapefruit, orange, lemon. First sniff with a head was very strong, but then more subtle as it settled. Slight earthiness in nose as well. Sweet malt for the front of the taste followed by a solid hop bite with more fruit, pine and resin underneaths--coats the tongue with a slightly oily bitterness that builds to the bottom of the glass. Wanted to take this one home, but no bottle sales after 9 pm, evidently.

Serving type: on-tap
10-26-2011

Happy Ending (Ale Asylum, Madison, WI)

Blood red beer in a footed goblet with a thin white head. Burnt cherry pie in the nose, dark chocolate, sourdough bread and a light spice. Not heavy, but nice as it soaks in. Caramel, toffee and a fair amount of sweetness in the mouth which drops clean off the back. Mouthfeel is a little thin, but adequate. Nose is more intriguing than the taste. Perfectly nice beer, but not the top of my list from AA.

Serving type: on-tap
10-26-2011

Ale Asylum (Madison, WI)

I've been to Ale Asylum several times over the years, usually the morning after Great Taste on the way out of town to pick up some beers to drink at home. This time I was meeting a friend and had some time to spend for a change. They've really grown over the years, improving food offerings and expanding their beer selection. Still a fan of Ambergeddon and the new (to me, anyway) Bedlam was a fun addition. Had the veggie burger for dinner and it was better than average, more than good enough, especially the very fresh bread. Great stop right off the freeway.

10/19/11 addition
Made another pit stop at the Ale Ayslum. Stayed in Madison for the night heading to Chicago and Purdue the next day, so stopped in for a night cap. Satisfaction Jacksin was on tap, which is my new clear favorite in the AA line up. Very nice Double IPA that is worth the trip out to the freeway.

Reviewed on: 07-28-2011 22:13:36

Bedlam (Ale Asylum, Madison, WI)

Burnt orange and cloudy in the glass with a slightly off white head that falls into a nice lace. Overripe grapefruit in the nose and some pepper and spice on top of some funky, yeasty smells as well. Good but convoluted. Bite is fairly strong from the hops in the initial taste that's followed by the funky, yeasty spice. Citra hops in the website description are apparent in both. More funk than hop in the taste. Nice Belgian IPA (note how easy it is to talk about it like it's a singular style already), but the marriage of the yeast and hop on this one is not a comfortable pairing. It seems to fight a bit, but just fine for the six pack I bought of it.

Contorter (Ale Asylum, Madison, WI)

Pours a deep black with ruby highlights around the lighted edges. Tan head lingers nicely on top for quite a while. Light chocolate and roast in the nose without much else, maybe a light hop note in the middle of the bready base. Smooth is the selling point on the bottle and the website description, and it is very smooth with little to stop it from going dryly off the back of the tongue. Roast is light and lingers a bit on the tongue, but the thin body detracts from the overall taste. While a decent porter, it lacks enough depth to keep me interested beyond a bottle or two. Had the same beer on tap recently and it seemed to have a bit more too it then.