Thursday Night Games and Tasting

In our second edition of this series (sorry, my wife had a baby 2 Saturdays ago), we are choosing a fine beer from our neighbors to the north.

Unibroue is a Canadian brewer that makes a fine line of beers based on age old Beligian Trappist methods. They have many great choices, but for tonight I’m going with one of my favorites – Trois Pistoles. (The name comes from a town in Quebec meaning "Three Pistols")

So dark its almost...evil.

The style is Belgian Strong Dark Ale, with a 9% alcohol by volume. The beer rates an “A-“ on Beeradvocate.com with the following description by one of their tasters -

Bone dry, soft mealy mouthfeel. Alcohol is high, but very hidden, very spooky, lending a nice spicy character to the flavour and blending with a chocolate malt flavour (brownie-like). Soft cherry flavours. Sweet caramel, bready flavour holds things up. Hops are grassy, but not overpowering. Alcohol comes back for a second haunt, this time warming the gullet and head. Mineral towards the finish with dry baked chocolate residuals, some spice and faded esters.

Use a chalice if available, a red wine glass if not.

And remember – 9% ABV, so sip to enjoy, or guzzle to forget.

Tonight’s Game

(21) West Virginia at Colorado on ESPN.

Unlike one of my favorite beers in Trois Pistoles, I have absolutely no idea what to make of this matchup. Is Pat White a running QB or passing QB? What are the Mountaineer’s this year under their new coach? I still can’t fathom how they were so dominated by ECU.

As for Colorado, sure they are 2-0, but that was against lean opposition. I have no feel for the Buffs at all, but my instinct is that they are not very good.

West Virginia is a 3 point favorite, and the over/under comes in at 56.5. With a gun to my head I’d take the Mountaineers to cover, and the under.