Double Dead Rise

Over the past several months, I spent a substantial amount of time writing and publishing my In Search of Orange Gold blogpost series.  The series explored the history of using spice mixes in Chesapeake cuisine generally, as well as the origin of the iconic Old Bay spice mix. I traced the travels of Gustav Brunn, who Jewish-German spice maker who escaped Nazi Germany and came to Baltimore, Maryland. He set up his spice shop. He developed an 18-ingredient spice mix, which he eventually sold to local seafood vendors. Only 15 of those ingredients are publicly known, but I tried to ascertain what could have been the final three ingredients. I ended the post series by trying to recreate Brunn's mix.

It would seem that the next logical step in the series is to explore the ways in which Old Bay is used. A local Maryland Brewery has taken the mix to produce what it calls the Dead Rise. A deadrise is a type of workboat used on the Chesapeake Bay used to catch crabs, oysters, fish and eels. It is also the angle that forms from a boat's bottom to a horizontal plane on either side of the keel. However, for Flying Dog, it is a blonde ale that is spiced with Old Bay.

I have to admit that I have used Flying Dog's Dead Rise more for steaming crabs than I have for drinking. I don't usually drink it, preferring Flying Dog's other offerings, such as the Truth or Raging B. 

However, I recently came across the Double Dead Rise, which Flying Dog describes as an Imperial Summer Ale. That beer caught my attention, which the brewery is very good at doing. The brewers describe the beer in the following way:

... double the spice and double the ABV. This Double Dead Rise will surely blow your taste buds away. Spicy and lemon-y you can almost skip the crabs ... almost.

This is pushing the envelope, as I cannot skip the opportunity to eat blue crabs. However, the words of the brewers did rope me in to try the beer.

The Double Dead Rise pours out a few shades of orange lighter than the Old Bay spice mix itself. A thin blond foam is also present, but it quickly recedes to the edges of the glass, leaving only cirrus-like whiffs floating across the center. 

The typical aromatic elements of this beer -- that is, those that would be produced by the hops, malts or yeast - have to contend with the aromas that come with the use of Old Bay. The aromas have a good hint of spice, but it is not the typical coriander or herbal notes that typically come with a summer ale.

As for the flavor, this beer is what the name implies. The presence of the Old Bay spice mix is definitely amped up over what it is in the Dead Rise.  The spice mix is so present that, in my humble opinion, the beer could probably have been marketed as an Imperial Spiced Ale, as opposed to an Imperial Summer Ale. That is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you are someone living in the Chesapeake Bay region who loves Old Bay.  However, the beer acts like a spiced beer, there is a sting in the back of the throat and a sharp finish. A finish reminiscent not so much of the claws of a crab, but its bite. Indeed, the Old Bay makes one forget about the other "bite," that is the 9% ABV of the beer. 

Overall, I liked this beer and I would buy it again. For those who don't like spices generally or in their beer, I would suggest you try it before you buy it. (Or, in the alternative, you can send me the remaining 3 bottles from the four pack.) Until next time ...

ENJOY!