Breakfast Granola for 3/24/10

At last -- at long, long last -- I have acquired a bottle of 2009 Samuel Adams Utopias. Alternate title: Wherein I write a paean to Jim Koch...

The color is a dark, amber-brown; quite like tawny port. Or root beer, but it's uncarbonated. The scent is fruity and pungently-sweet, reminiscent of nigorizake. On the tongue, the first impression is also sweet, like a brandy but without the burn. The flavor is a rich, complex melange of several liquors: the aforementioned brandy for sweetness; the related sherry and other sweet wines for grape and vanilla flavors; scotches, whiskies, and bourbons for woods, florals, and spices; and all of it backed by the prickly hops taste of dark beer. Mouthfeel is smooth and full-bodied; this stuff is pretty thick, not quite a syrup. After a moment, most of the flavor tapers off and leaves behind a chocolate, coffee, and smoky toast tail of stout, which lasts for longer than expected, but is far from unpleasant. In all, this is some beautiful drink.

So, thanks Jim Koch for making this possible. Now, if you'll just send me my Riedel glass so we can complete this transaction...