You Are Hermannated!

Seasonals sure are swell, aren't they?  They give breweries a green light to do all sorts of crazy nonsense that they wouldn't otherwise try.  And as it turns out, Vancouver Island Brewery is no stranger to crazy nonsense.

Ah the Hermannator, an old favourite.  Yes, I will freely admit that this beer is not new to me; I've actually been looking forward to its glorious and triumphant return in order to review it.  And lo and behold it has done as much.  I swiftly responded by purchasing not one, but two cases of the magical brew.  Unlike our friend Ah-nold, I can self-Hermannate.

The Hermannator is an ice bock, a very flavourful variant on VIB's regularly produced Herman's Dark Lager (hence the name, in case you spent one too many semesters in that remedial class of yours).  It's somewhat similar to Lighthouse's Navigator, but has its own flair.  And if that wasn't enough, it's even more powerful, coming in at a staggering 9.5%.  9.5%!  This is a beer that comes in 355 ml bottles!  It's a tad more expensive than your usual 6 bottle case, but the price of admission is more than worth it.  Since this is a seasonal, if you value this sort of intense flavour and savage alcoholic content, I would highly recommend stockpiling.  Kind of like a bear preparing for hibernation, only you'll be preparing for many winter nights being kept warm by Christmas cheer and a blood-alcohol level far exceeding 0.08.

But the most important question of all drifts ominously above our collective heads; how does this bock function as a cruising chap's beer of choice?  Well, quite frankly, it does so perfectly.  It is, in fact, probably one of the best cruising beers available.  Why?  Let me count the ways.  First, it's available in the convenient 355 ml format, making transportation much more convenient than the larger, premium beers.  Second, it's a bock, a dark lager, so the temperature should be just right by the time you decide to crack it.  Third...well, it's the elephant in the room; the alcohol content.  There's no point in drinking a weak and pathetic beer on a beer cruise, so it's only fitting that this beer boasts the power of two lesser malt beverages packed into the same size of bottle.  And that, friends, is a recipe for many happy cruises.

I must admit that I find myself at a bit of an impasse giving yet another glowing review.  True, I had anticipated giving as much to the Hermannator, since it's a repeat customer in the realm of my mouth, but I've come to realize that I've yet to review a bad beer, and only a handful have received lukewarm receptions.  Believe me when I say that the bad beer is out there, but also believe me when I say I find it harder to be passionate in writing a review for a beer that either bores me or disgusts me, rather than a beer I find surprising, unique or outright amazing.  I think a bad beer review is something that needs to happen, but the beer in question will have to be bad, and I'm not talking about reviewing mainstream schlock either; that would be cheating.  I would love to hear suggestions on what bad beers to try, whether they be breweries as a whole or perhaps a bad apple from a good tree (warning: not to be mistaken as a stab at Tree Brewing).

Well well well, without further adieu...

Taste:  A proper wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am, much like Lighthouse's dopplebock, but I find it to be slightly less intense, though sharper and somehow more acidic.  And then there's that alcohol content...

Aroma:  Eclipsed by the flavour, the aroma is not a huge selling point.  

Aftertaste:  Tapers off more quickly than a stout or porter, but still leaves a nice near-burning sensation afterwards.

Recommended?:  Yes.

Verdict:  The Hermannator is a classic.  It embodies the greatness of seasonal beer while being extremely good value.  It's the crown jewel of Vancouver Island Brewery, which is a touch sad, as it's only available for such a relatively short period of time.

Score:  9 mugs out of 10.