446. Scarlet Lane Brewing Company (McCordsville, IN) - The Slaughtered Lamb Stout

“Strong Stout with Toffee & Chocolate Notes.”

The Scarlet Lane Gastropub has been operating as The Slaughtered Lamb this month, and this is the namesake brew for their pop-up homage to An American Werewolf in London. It’s got a sweet-ish component up front, but the flavors get lost in the bitter finish and the high alcohol (11%); I don’t know that I would have guessed toffee if the menu had not pointed me there. Not bad for sippin’, but not a great accompaniment for a meal.

443. Black Acre Brewing Company (Indianapolis, IN) - Spicy Saucy

“Rye India Pale Ale w. Jalapeno and Habanero.”

Irvington’s own venerable Black Acre Brewing Company is in the midst of their 10th Anniversary celebration, and they are tapping all kinds of funky-cool stuff this week. This one is their flagship Saucy Intruder rye IPA infused with jalapeño and habañero. Most of the hoppy, malty backbone of the standard Saucy is obscured by the fresh pepper flavors, but you do actually get some pepper flavor in addition to the spice; and the spice seems to be at just the right level. I don’t know that I would want to drink more than a couple of these, but since they’re only doing 8-ounce pours of their funky-cool 10th Anniversary variants, it wasn’t a problem.

441. Fat Head’s Brewery (Middleburg Heights, OH) - Alpha Ambush

“Our newest seasonal IPA is a West-Coast warrior for Hop Heads who truly love those little green cones. Bright and lively, it encircles the senses with dank notes of pine and citrus until the only option is surrendering to its juicy deliciousness. A stealth attack of hops!”

That pine up front is, indeed, quite bright, and it slides seamlessly into a resiny, bitter finish—especially when it’s very cold. It’s quite a bit smoother when it warms up, and I start to taste some tropical fruit and melon. The tastes of fruit and pine complement each other very well, and the 7.5% ABV feels just right—heavy, but not overbearing. Absolutely excellent.