A rainy day with an open itinerary is almost a form of divine intervention which beckons one to enjoy indoor activities... While many breweries offer outdoor seating, I have never seen one that is entirely outdoor, thus it makes it pretty safe to assume any brewery one chooses to attend will be able to accommodate on a rainy day... This particular day brought my companion and I to Solemn Oath Brewery in Naperville, Illinois, a desirable destination after thoroughly enjoying their "Kidnapped By Vikings" nearly a year prior... It's somewhat tucked away in an industrial parking lot, but the giant roll up door with their logo is a dead giveaway as to the location...
Upon entering the brewery, it left much to be desired as far as a "welcoming" setting is concerned, as it's again, very industrial in its' look and feel, and lacks homeyness... The bar-top was fairly standard, but the "lounging" area was quite compact and the only table tops offered were overturned barrels... Which was a nice touch, but a few spots to sit would have been a nice option for us patrons... The wall opposite the bar contained the "BFF Blackboard," which hosted a slew of names accompanied by a number... It's purpose was that when you attend the bar without your favorite drinking buddy, you can kindly show them they were dearly missed by buying them a beer for the next time they show up!! Adjacent to both the BFF board and the bar was the brewing room, accommodating many stainless steel fermentors, as well as an oak cask which presumably hid a tasty concoction that's picking up many desirable flavor elements... Once we had completed the short tour that we had helped ourselves to, it was time to indulge in a few cold ones...
I'd decided to go with their black farmhouse ale "None More Black," and my companion chose their Belgo-American blonde ale "Punk Rock For Rich Kids..." The Punk Rock beer was not to my liking, but was thoroughly enjoyed by my companion, but my None More Black was extremely delicious... I found a bomber a couple days after this trip and have included a full detailed review of it below, as well as a detailed review of their American milk stout "Nourri Au Fourrage..." The Kidnapped By Vikings I had hoped would also be on tap was not available, thus wasn't enjoyed that afternoon, but I shall still keep a watchful eye for it!!Having had other destinations on our journey, our beer limit had been reached... Though not the most inviting of breweries I'd ever been to, the product it produces is one that will undoubtably have me planning a return trip in the near future... Hopefully though, there will be a few barstools available as standing and drinking is a style usually reserved for drinking cheap beer at house parties... But nevertheless I must commend them, as they manage to maintain a business WITHOUT a phone, and also seem to share the same affinity for music and beer that I do... So make sure to eat beforehand, bring a debit/credit card, and to raise a glass and say "Cheers!!" to Solemn Oath Brewery!! "Aut viam inveniam aut faciam!!" - I shall find a way, or make one!! (Their motto, not mine...)
Solemn Oath Brewery - None More Black [Black Farmhouse Ale] (22oz ---> Dogfish Head Curved Pint Glass : 7.5% ABV : 80 IBU)Of course I can't simply crack open a beer and enjoy it for what it is... I have to critique the label before I can even think about indulging in the contents hidden behind it!! This label's artwork is minimal, with some sort of speaker looking rings in the center, black on black in a fashion reminiscent of Metallica's Black Album... It's accompanied by a guitar that's set up for five strings but drawn with only four, as well as an amplifier knob with the numbers "0,2,*,4,6,8,10,11" around it... The knob's layout roughly making as much sense as the questionably strung guitar... The highlight of the graphics being the title, "NONE MORE BLACK," that's stamped in a new age metal font - Comparable to Cattle Decapitation, Job For A Cowboy, White Chapel, etc... Alright, now that I've given this beer an extra half hour to age while describing it's intriguing label, it's finally time to enjoy..... Again... I poured it gently, but the beer had plans of its' own, as a nice two inch head made of decently large bubbles composed itself atop this extremely dark beer... It'd be a hard sell telling someone a farmhouse style ale is black as night and as opaque as a brick wall, but it's no lie as this beer easily lives up to its' name... The retentive cap on this beer is going NOWHERE, and the lacing left behind is quite notable... On the nose is a fair amount of roasted char, as well as a distinct aroma comparable to that of original corn-nuts... There are hints of citrus in there, along with even fainter notes of the yeast, but the roastiness is quick to overpower those small nuances... A delightful bitter, earthy, hoppyness is the first flavor I notice, as it's extremely crisp and nutty, with the slightest traces of lemon or orange... Not a complaint, but it's worth noting that it's somewhat hard to detect many other flavors when they're fighting against these powerful roasty elements... Midway through, some very faint coffee notes show up, as well as light yeast flavors, but the roasted malt and char elements are still a very prominent fixture... It finishes much "lighter" than it starts, allowing for a little more of those fruit notes to shine a touch brighter, as well as giving the small amount of cracked pepper a moment or two of the spotlight... It's the same story on the back end though, these earthy hops and roasty malts are the focal point of this beer, and I enjoy every moment of it... The mouthfeel is fantastic, as it's crisp and dry, but the fair amount of carbonation gives it a decent amount of body... Overall I couldn't be more pleased with this beer!! It's far from the traditional farmhouse ale I often choose to enjoy, but it's a great change of pace!! Earthy, spicy hops aren't typically my cup of tea, but they fell right into place with this beer and I was extremely pleased... Another great brew - Cheers!!
Solemn Oath Brewery - Nourri Au Fourrage [American Milk Stout] (22oz ---> Left Hand Pint Glass : 6% ABV : 60 IBU)
This beer's label is far less intriguing than it's predecessor's, but being a midwest boy with a (recently sold) family farm, a closeup of a cow enjoying a few blades hits close to home... The title graphic had to be researched though, as "Nourri Au Fourrage" is somewhat poorly scribbled near the bottom... Which is actually pretty telling, as I could probably decipher 95% of graffiti handstyles placed in front of me, but it could just be that it's written in cursive and I don't really fucks with that shit... The only thing I can't figure out is the smile/frown faces on either side of the cow... The frown depicted beneath a "hobo-esque" stick and bandana suitcase, and the smile beneath a cow bell, but neither offering reference to their significance... Oh well, enough about graphics, time to begin drinking!! It poured fairly light, and much like None More Black, even though I poured quite gently, a nice two inch, khaki colored head was formed... The head cascaded somewhat like a Guinness, as you could see the bubbles racing toward the bottom of the glass... The retention was of note as the small bubbles sat atop an extremely dark and opaque beer for quite a while, with almost no traces of lacing occurring... Some piney hop notes immediately hit the nose, which is fairly odd for the style, but hey, that's what brewing beer's all about - Pushing limits!! Beneath the hoppy freshness are notes of coffee and also small traces of chocolate as well... The coffee notes are the first on my taste buds, but they're extremely smooth and subtle, leaving room for the touch of piney bitterness it has to liven up my palate... Mid palate the creaminess shows up and brings with it a fair amount of roasted flavor elements also... The finish is delightful, as the chocolate notes show themselves more and more, whilst the other flavor elements fade gracefully away... The mouthfeel on this milk stout is nice, but is a little light for my preference in this style... While the creamy notes that are found in there do give it a nice boost in body, it still falls short in that department... Overall it's an excellent beer, with many great qualities, especially the traits that set it apart from the more "standard" representations of this style... If you'd like a lighter, brighter beer when looking for a milk stout, this could be the brew you're looking for... Another great brew - Cheers!!
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