"That's great, it starts with an earthquake..."


Brewery and Country of Origin: Stevens Point Brewery of 2617 Water Street, Stevens Point, WI, 54481, USA

Date Reviewed: 10-11-12

Hide ya kids, hide ya wife, because in less than a month and a half, the world is coming to an end. Or at least that's what is happening if the Ancient Mayans get their way. On December 21st, 2012, the fifth 5,125 year long cycle of the world will commence, rendering everything before that date to the pages of history of worlds past... literally worlds. When the Mayans' Mesoamerican long count calendar began, it was widely accepted that the world had gone through three completely different cycles, and they (along with us in 2012) were living in a fourth revival of the world. The restart of the cycle was a momentus occasion in Mayan culture, a cause for wonderous celebration. To them, the calendar's end was a source of joy, a monumental event to mark the rebirth of the world, but thanks to a wide set of popularity generated doomsday theories, the date has been transformed into the last day of Earth as we know it. Unfortunately, there are too many people out there that will essentially believe whatever anyone who has written a book says, and the internet is an awesome petri dish which cultures conspiracies and provides a shelter where trolls and overly religious mentalists thrive. Some of these theories involve the sun exploding or releasing a massive solar flare which would either destroy our electricity infrastructure or reverse the planet's magnetic poles, both of which would make finding the nearest Pizza Hut very inconvenient. Others include massive asteroids or other planets disobeying our right of way and causing a crash in our orbit. And some involve us humans going to war and killing ourselves, or getting sick from some massive pandemic (Herpes, perhaps?). Either way, very few people have any good theories, and the thought of the world as we know it essentially coming to an end has spread to pop culture, mainstream media, and even industry, where companies have begun the process of selling out real estate in underground bunkers for rich people to survive in once the "global event" has taken place aka, if something does happen, at least no one will have to dig the hole to bury you. For us, if there is a doomsday event planned for this December, we're stocking up on 4.00 + beers. If the world's really going to end, you might as well enjoy it while you can.
Date Sampled: 9-14-12 At: 7 Prescott Place, Allston, Boston, MA, 02134, USA
Beer Style: American Dark Ale
Alcohol by Volume: 5.20%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle, 20 oz Mug Glass
Rating: 2.90

Look

This is a very dark, almost opaque beer with a dark reddish brown color. The beer's dark appearance gives it a black color when not held up to the light. The 2012 pours very smoothly with a very low amount of carbonation action, causing a thinner, quarter inch foam head, a small amount of lacing, and lower retention.

Aroma

This beer's aroma is faint with a sweeter, roasted malty character overall. There is a noticeable amount of alcohol smell present, with absolutely no hops detectable. A lower amount of carbonation action and an inadequate foam head contributes to a weaker aroma.

Feel

The 2012 is a medium bodied brew with an above average viscosity, a lower amount of carbonation, and a smooth feel overall. This beer has a fairly drinkable property considering the perceived appearance. The finish is relatively dry and non lingering. This beer gives off a very subtle warming effect.

Taste

This beer is flavored like a typical dark brew, full of roasted malt and coffee like notes, some dark chocolate present, and a small amount of alcohol noticeable as well. There is no hoppy character until the finish, where this beer closes with a very bitter, short lived aftertaste.

Our Take

If you're worried about a global catastrophe destroying everything on this planet, then sadly, you should concentrate your beer drinking with something else. Though this liquid, alcoholic, fermented Oracle of a beverage has accurately predicted a world changing shift in December, it's nothing terribly special. This beer's color is as dark as its outlook on 2013, and as far as its taste goes, there isn't anything world changing about it. Yes, this is a solid beer for cold weather (unless it's nuclear winter), but we're not really recommending you choose this over a more robust, slightly heavier beer with more flavor. There is only a modest amount of alcohol in this beer and unfortunately, you can certainly still detect it, though if you're into a small warming effect for the colder fall nights, then perhaps this is a welcomed characteristic. What matters most here is that this is a slightly above average brew with a hugely above average brand. Sometimes in the world of selling, timing is everything. So how fitting is it now that the infamous date looms ever nearer, we're beginning to decide what we should spend the rest of our short lives drinking. A beer which tries to shrug off imminent doom and dispair by acting like it's not happening, or one that takes on the issue, straight up? And with the world supposedly coming to a close in a matter of weeks, we gotta start thinking, how are we going to overcome this, and what else can we do but grab a pint, and face whatever the theorists can throw our way, head on...