Avery Brewing Releases Batch No. 9 Of Mephistopheles’ Stout
Boulder, CO – Mephistopheles’ Stout is back just in time for Christmas and though it is as black as a lump of coal, you’ll be merrier and more red-faced than old Saint Nick himself if you get a bottle of this 15.4% ABV monster in your stocking.
The first shipments of this year’s Mephistopheles, Batch No. 9, are leaving the Avery Brewing Company this week and should hit shelves and taps at select locations around the country by Friday (yeah Friday the 13th).
First brewed in 2005, Mephistopheles was the third installment of the Demons of Ale series. After creating The Beast Grand Cru and Samael’s Oak-Aged Ale, Adam Avery decided he wanted the third demon to be a massive stout unlike any other. One of the most distinguishing ingredients is the beer’s Westmalle Belgian yeast strain, which produces layers of esters and phenols that create much of the beer’s complex flavor. The grist bill is focused mainly on roasted and black malts making it dark and rich. There is also a small amount of Special B, a specialty malt, added for a touch of raisin-like sweetness. The result is a massive and complex stout with notes of vine-ripened grapes, anise, bitter chocolate and an espresso-like finish.
“For me this is one of the most diverse dessert beers out there,” said Adam Avery, the brewery’s president, CEO and brewmaster. “It can pair with almost any dessert. It’s perfect for the holidays- a time when we eat tons of food with rich, decadent, and excessive flavors and need a beer that can match up.”
The name Mephistopheles originally appeared in literature as the demon in the German Faust legend. According to the story, Faust was dissatisfied with his life and made a deal with the devil, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. Mephistopheles appears in this legend as a plain-clothed devil, mirroring the massive brew hiding within the 12oz bottle.
A release party for Mephistopheles will be held at the Avery Brewing Company Tap Room in Boulder on Friday, Dec. 13 at 5pm. The party will feature vintages dating back to 2005 available on tap and in bottles.
Established in 1993, Avery Brewing Company has developed a reputation as being one of the most daring and visionary breweries in the nation. They are the brewers of Avery IPA, The Maharaja Imperial IPA, White Rascal Belgian Wheat Ale, Mephistopheles’ Stout and eighteen other year-round and seasonal beers.
www.averybrewing.com – @AveryBrewingCo – facebook
