TROY'S WORK TABLE

Second Hand Smoke Stout, an Imperial Stout, by Midnight Sun Brewing.

22 ounce bottle served in a tulip.

8.4% abv.

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With "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" emergency measures in place throughout the state of Washington, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, many small businesses are hurting. When a local bar, CaskCades, posted a few bottled beers new to their refrigerated cases, I decided that I needed to go and provide them some business.

I've been without an independent beer bottle store that I can claim as "home base" since the closure of 99 Bottles. But COVID-19, as well as causing a bunch of trouble for everyone, has also provided me an opportunity to rethink things and reimagine how I can operate within the world. I'm declaring CaskCades as my new bottle store.

They had to reimagine how they served beer, since people cannot visit them in the manner of a bar. But they can stop by and purchase canned and bottled beer, as well as purchase 32-ounce crowlers and 64-ounce growlers of beers on tap. I likewise reimagined what I need a bottle store to look like. I realized I don't need hundreds of options. Rather, I'm good with a smaller selection of available beers, knowing that those I can purchase are "curated" by fellow beer lovers. With thirty taps and easily another thirty or so beers in cans or bottles, I have plenty of choices. And CaskCades is within walking distance of my home.

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The first beer that attracted my attention, and helped to get me into CaskCades this afternoon, was Second Hand Smoke. I like smoked beers, as long as they are done well. This one is done well!

The pour is a black body with a thin tan head.

The nose is chocolate and smoke and a bit of grass.

The tongue is campfire, dark chocolate, vanilla cream, dark fruits (dates/plum), and maltiness. The mouthfeel is a bit thinner than I expected, but I was fine with it. The finish isn't too long, but the campfire smokiness mellows out into more complex flavors.

This is an enjoyable beer. It is well-balanced, with a punch of smoke at the beginning of each drink that allows for the other flavors to shine as it ebbs. Highly recommended.