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20 | SignatureMT A Theme to Remember Urban Affairs BEER MAN Text by Mark Baune • Photography by Jim Wells MT S 411 Central Ave., Great Falls, MT 406-761-5010 kaufmansmenswear.com FIND US ON FACEBOOK Rugged & Stylish LEATHER COMING SOON! COMING SOON! ometimes I need a little inspiration to get me going and what better motivation than a visit to my beer room. As I browsed the multitude of selections, an AVERY Brewing Company stout caught my eye. Mephistopheles' Stout, now there's a name that gives everything away for this 12 oz tangled and intricate labyrinth of bittersweet rapture. Everything about this stout screams DARKL! Heck, even the label states, "he who does not love light". BUT BEWARE – this one is not for the faint of heart packing a powerful alcohol by volume content of 17.1%. This devil of a beer pours a thick, dark, tan head… so thick you can bounce a dime off it, figuratively, of course. Mephistopheles' Stout is a definite head turner. Once the top is popped, everyone around knows it. Smells of rich spices and nutty coffee with hints of buttery toffee and caramel fill the air. I picked up a subtle hint of hops but nothing overly pronounced. It has a smooth, creamy mouth feel but watch out, the alcohol content, 14.6%, has a bite that creeps up on you. There are strong notes of whiskey which might explain why it takes a long time to drink this beer. If you enjoy stouts, this is a good sipping beer on cold winter nights. A little history lesson, Mephistopheles Stout was named after a demon of German folk lore and is part of the "Demons of Ales" series by Avery Brewing. When matched with its brothers, The Beast, meaning devil, and Samael, Jewish for devil, the three make for a truly wicked lineup. Avery killed off the demonic theme in 2016. The only one left is White Rascal, Belgian-style white ale with a white and red accented demon on the label. Sticking with themed brews, some of Montana's craft brewers have created a handful of beers that honor different locations and the abundant history of their area, a novel idea for tourism and a boost to the local economy. Belt, Montana brewer, Harvest Moon, ties into the areas rich agricultural history as well as iconic symbols of central Montana with brews such as Charlie Russell Red, Great Falls Select Pale Ale, Broken Bale Nut Brown, and Elevator IPA. The Mighty Mo, a Great Falls brewery, tips it's hat to the mystique of the Missouri River with year-round keepers such as Lip Ripper India Pale Ale, Rising Trout Pale Ale, Pelican Point Porter and of course it's flagship beer, Dam Fog, a brew referring to the fog like mist rising from the Missouri River as it pours from the Dam in Great Falls. They also have a selection they call Catch and Release, beer brewed once a year if you are lucky. Pelican Point Porter gives a nod to a local hot spot on the Missouri where pelicans gather in vast numbers and Undertow IPA represents the power of the Missouri River and the danger that lurks below the surface. The Front Public House represents the states majestic beauty with a nod to the Rocky Mountain Front with microbrews such as Mountain Man, its iconic Scottish Ale, Keep Cool Creek Blonde Ale and River Water IPA. Black Eagle Brewery taps into the area's history and pays homage to some iconic symbols that once graced the landscape, including Smoke Stack Scottish Ale, Smelter Men Blonde Ale and Roe River Pale Ale. Montanan's wear their beer status like a badge of honor and rightly so, with fifty plus microbreweries calling the Treasure State home, the craft beer hype doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon. So, dawn your badge, raise a pint and salute your local brewer for an undying respect of history and lust for exploration. — CHEERS Beer Man S