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Book & Brew Review: Black Science & Unearthly

This is the third in a new series by shop regular, Chris Haas, The Book & Brew Review.

>>> Book: Black Science #4

nw_beer book black scienceFor $3.50, you are getting one crazy comic. And on top of that, it is insanely good. Despite this being a review for the cover, I just want to point out how great the writer is month after month. Rick Remender is a powerhouse and DC would kill to have someone this talented on their team. His indie work with Image has been nothing short of spectacular and there is a whole lot more coming with different projects.

Ok, enough Remender love. The two people we should be thanking for such a detailed cover are Dean White and Matteo Scalera. The painted style is perfect as usual. I will never be able to get over how they highlight the colors in such a way. The words that come to mind are vibrant and stunning.

I also enjoy the imagery. Even on what seems to be a completely alien world, this man appears to look like he’s the king of kings. Relaxing in bed, a beautiful woman before him, and a bottle (of what I assume to be some form of alcohol) in her hand. What more can one ask for in life? It comes off very James Bond to me.
The work is so consistent; I’d wager you will be seeing future issues popping up on this site. I can’t help loving a great artist who delivers every time.

>>> Brew: Southern Tier Brewing Company’s Unearthly
nw_beer book unearthlyFirst off, aren’t I clever? Black Science involves breaching other dimensions, exploring new environments, and pushing science to the edge. So how appropriate is that this week’s beer goes by the name Unearthly.

This week’s entry is an American Double / Imperial IPA. IPA stands for India Pale Ale and refers to a hoppy style of brew within the pale ale family. The ABV is 9.5%; strong for the typical alcoholic drink, but the higher alcohol content is one of the factors in making this beer an Imperial. The typical bottle is 22 oz.

I’ll be honest. On first taste, I wasn’t totally won over. But never judge a drink on its first sip. After a few more tastes, I began to warm up to this one. For IPA lovers, you will not be disappointed as long as you don’t mind a sweet style. I don’t feel like I run into the sweet IPAs often so it was a welcome difference in flavor.

As a brewery, Southern Tier’s selection of craft beers shows their dedication to quality and flavor. I’ve had a majority of their stock (thanks to Wegmans) and I look forward to finding a new one whenever that may be. Cheers.