Karl Strauss Brewing Co.
San Diego, CA
Available: CA
Two Tortugas is the 2nd addition to our less than literal “Twelve Days” series of holiday ales. This Belgian-inspired Quadruple Ale has a delicate union of toffee, dark fruits, and warming spices that will continue to develop with age.
ABV: 11
ABW: n/a
Color: n/a
Bitterness: 25
Original gravity: n/a
Strauss is building up by one non-12 Days of Christmas animal a year; kinda fun. The beer’s serious, though: big fruity nose—ripe apple, plum—with deep malt behind it, and a lusciously malty body behind it, twisted and layered with more fruit, delineated with spicy yeast notes. Plenty of fruit here—even light pineapple—and yet it’s a quad for the beach; well-attenuated. Save this for a broadly-menu’d holiday meal, and go a little crazy.
This russet-hued ale might have a benign enough appearance, but one whiff tells you that there’s considerable substance to the brew. A robust maltiness reveals itself in notes of candied apple and stewed plum, while a allspice-forward spiciness must surely come from the yeast. On the palate, it is sweet and ample-bodied, with lots of spicy toffee notes, suggestions of fruitcake—the kind you keep rather than regift—and even a hint of sweet coffee. A warming, still spicy finish completes this late-night tipple, best accompanied by a roaring fire and assorted truffles.
Lew Bryson writes about beer and whiskey from his home in southeast Pennsylvania. He has a family and two dogs. That's all you need to know.
Once described as “beerdom's Brillat-Savarin,” Stephen Beaumont is the author of five books and countless articles on beer, spirits, food, travel, and how it all goes together.
