Skunkworks by Moon Dog is a very smooth, almost soft double IPA that was aged in cognac barrels and will lovingly take your face off if you let it. Which is tempting, I must say.
From their site:
“Skunkworks” (def.) noun /skəNGkwərks/
1. (Project) Unhindered by the shackles of bureaucracy and conventional wisdom, a project that is developed by a small, loosely structured group of people primarily for the sake of radical innovation.
2. (Double IPA) A mysterious elixir of stupefying potency.
Born from the original Raindrops on Roses double IPA released for Good Beer Week 2011, we have taken the idea of a crazy IPA, and injected a liquified crack-cocaine enema into the very bowels of what is considered reasonable.
Cracking open the cap gives a light hiss as the first hopped-up aroma fills, nay, invades your nostrils. The first pour reveals a clear and dark golden amber liquid, sticking to the sides of the glass and forming a soft, almost wistful head.
Upon consuming the Skunkworks, you will be hit over the head repeatedly with the massive hop bitterness, big malty body, cognac warmth, fruity hop aroma, and lasting earthy hop characters.
At 9.1%, this big-bodied beer will be best enjoyed poured into a tall glass. Or a short glass. Or a beaker. Or out of the bottle. Hell, pour it into your hands and lap it up. It’ll taste great either way.
Beer/Food Match: The early fruity, then later earthy/grassy hop palate life-cycle of this beer will be best matched to Smith’s Crinkle Cut Salt and Vinegar chips. Or Capricciosa pizza (extra anchovies).
I’ve had a few other Moon Dog brews over the past while as well, and I can tell you they’re universally hugely recommended. The Black Lung is a porter of unrivalled smokeyness that deserves to be enjoyed thoughtfully and slowly, and the Henry Ford’s Girthsome Fjord is worth buying on the strength of its label alone. Handily that label happens to be stuck to a bottle that contains an amazingly good bourbon barrel aged brew that needs to be drank to be believed. If you see them anywhere, grab em. Then for the love of god, invite me around to share em. Please!
