Using Mrs. Adventures’ Washington University alumni status, she set us up for a virtual beer tasting. Brewmaster and Wash U alum, Jared Rouben, talked us through 5 Moody Tongue beers.

Moody Tongue does culinary brewing in Chicago, Il. Jared Rouben, the brewmaster, has an extensive education and work history in the culinary, wine and beer fields. His impressive resume includes the New York’s prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Siebel Institute of Technology, Goose Island Brewing Company, plus restaurant experience at Par Se (NYC) and Martini House (Napa Valley). Now, he not only is the Moody Tongue Brewmaster and President, but also the Examiner for the Master Cicerone program at Siebel Institute.

Like all of us during these pandemic days, Moody Tongue has had to make adjustments – like the virtual tours. Pre-COVID, Moody Tongue held 12-course beer pairing dinners. BTW, Moody Tongue means discerning pallet. Also, Moody Tongue is not found in Maryland stores at this time.

A few days before our virtual beer tasting, 5 bottles of beer, a bottle opener and a fancy beer glass arrived. The beers were:

• Apertif Pilsner,
• Steeped Emperor’s Lemon Saison,
• Juiced Lychee IPA,
• Bourbon Barrel Aged Gingerbread Imperial Stout, and
• Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Cake Imperial Stout.

Moody Tongue uses a simple beer name systems: method, flavor, style. For example:

• Method: Steeped,
• Flavor: Emperor’s Lemon,
• Style: Saison.

I need another glass like I need a hole in the head, but this unique hollow stemmed beer glass works well in producing a nice head while the wide flanged mouth helps push the aromatics to the nose. So, maybe I’ll keep this one.

The Beers

Before we opened our first beer, Jared walked us through the process of pouring and tasting. After opening a beer, pour at a 45-degree angle then spin the bottle as you finish pouring to prevent spillage. You have probably seen wine poured this way. Then give your beer a good look, then a good smell. When Jared says give it a smell, he means stick you nose deep into the glass and give it a hearty sniff. Then take a small sip. Think of your first taste as a pallet cleanse with a little swish in the mouth. Finally, take a taste of your beer, letting it linger in your mouth to enjoy all the flavors.

Our first beer to taste was Apertif Pilsner. It was surprisingly good and crisp but fruity with a toasty flavor and a nice golden color. A great start to this virtual tasting. Jared noted that this is their most popular beer.

Our next bottle was Steeped Emperor’s Lemon Saison. The star of this ale was the lemon; our host, Jared, called it lemon candy flavor. I love a good saison and those subtle saison esters came through at the finish.

The Juiced Lychee IPA was a big surprise. Even just opening the bottle gave us a very aromatic whiff of Chinese lychee. The lychee compliments the hops well. Oddly enough, no lychee was actually included in this IPA. All that wonderful lychee aroma and flavor comes from the hops combo.

For me, the star of the show was the very big Bourbon Barrel Aged Gingerbread Imperial Stout. My untappd comments say it all: “Wow…explosive flavors! Vanilla, bourbon, chocolate, molasses, & oak. 15% abv look out!” Very yummy!!

It is difficult to follow up a great beer. The Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Cake Imperial Stout tried but it had too much espresso for my taste. I stay away from coffee beers so my critique is a bit unfair. I would be curious what a coffee lover thinks of this one, especially if they tried it earlier in the evening.

In closing, a question was posed, asking for beer brewing book recommendations. Jared Rouben reached behind him and pulled out American Sour Beers by Michael Tonsmeire. Mr. Tonsmeire is co-owner of Sapwood Cellars, the brewery that I frequently walk to. I couldn’t help but wonder what a Moody Tongue/Sapwood Cellar collab beer would taste like.

Cheers!

Warren