Robin Shepard
“There are always people who like big, dark beers even in summer,” says Tyranena Brewing’s owner, Rob Larson. His latest creation, Carnal Knowledge in the Morn, is a double oatmeal stout, aged in bourbon barrels with cocoa nibs, coffee and vanilla beans. It’s bold, flavorful, and with its signature coffee aroma could even work at breakfast.
What is it? Carnal Knowledge in the Morn from Tyranena Brewing Company.
Style: The American double stout is medium- to full-bodied and very dark in color, with lots of malty flavor and alcoholic warmth. In the case of Carnal Knowledge in the Morn, oats are added to the grist for additional body. Double stouts will often offer more robust flavors of hops and malts. While bold, it is somewhat cleaner and smoother than the Russian imperial stout, which has more roasted maltiness. Double stouts will commonly range in strength from 7 to 12 percent ABV.
Background: Carnal Knowledge in the Morn is being released on August 11 in the brewery’s tasting room, to coincide with Madison’s Great Taste of the Midwest. Four-packs should start appearing in local stores within a week or two. The beer is a riff off Tyranena’s double stout, Carnal Knowledge. Another riff off that beer, a rye barrel-aged version called Carnal Knowledge in the Wood, made my best of list for 2014. (Carnal Knowledge is also the beer behind the brewery’s limited Kissers’ Monday Night Special, aged in bourbon barrels. That beer should be appearing on local store shelves soon.)
Carnal Knowledge is made with lots of dark chocolate malt, roasted barley and oats. Carnal Knowledge in the Morn is aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels along with cocoa nibs, coffee beans and vanilla beans. The coffee beans, which give it a rich coffee aroma, are from Berres Brothers Coffee Roasters of Watertown, a Costa Rican variety that lend mellow, yet solid coffee character to the beer.
Tyranena has also recently expanded its beer garden, with lots of plantings and green space, seating for about 150 persons, an expanded sound system with video projection capabilities, and a partial roof to allow activities to continue when the weather doesn’t cooperate. The actual garden space itself is nearly four times larger than before, making Tyranena’s outside seating among the largest in the area.
Carnal Knowledge in the Morn ends up around 8.5 percent ABV and an estimated 37 IBUs (International Bitterness Units). In the brewery’s tasting room, it sells for $5.50/glass. Four-packs go for approximately $10-11.
Tasting notes:
Aroma: Smooth, inviting coffee.
Appearance: Dark, jet-black color with a tan head. Additional Note: My sample of this beer came right from the tank prior to carbonation, so its head retention was somewhat low.
Texture: Full-bodied with roundness.
Taste: A smooth sweet blend of roasted chocolate malt, coffee, cocoa and vanilla.
Finish/Aftertaste: Mild, hints of coffee with vanilla blended with bourbon sweetness and warmth.
Glassware: Put this one in a snifter or a glass that will focus the coffee nose and allow it to slowly warm. This is an ideal beer to slowly sip and appreciate the layers of coffee, cocoa, vanilla and boozy bourbon warmth.
Pairs well with: desserts like chocolate cake. It’s best with German chocolate, with its sweet accent of coconut, that melts into notes of coffee, cocoa and vanilla. When pairing with cheese, look for well-aged cheddars.
The Verdict: Fans of this Lake Mills brewery know just how good Larson’s barrel-aged beers can be. Carnal Knowledge in the Morn is one of those gems. I like how it blends roasted chocolate malts with the coffee, cocoa, vanilla, and the spirit sweetness and warmth of oaky bourbon. All those flavors work really well together, so well that it’s hard to tell where one stops and another ingredient takes over. I’m not a huge fan of coffee beers; however, this one is pleasing with just the right level of coffee. There’s a lot of flavor, but with no harsh coffee bitterness. This is a smooth, sweet, flavorful, robust and strong beer. It’s also one that will age well. Enjoy it now while it’s fresh, but don’t be afraid to cellar a few bottles for cold weather.
