Name: Sound Brewery

Location: Poulsbo, WA

Website: www.soundbrewery.com

Type: Production brewery

Available in DC Market: Rarely

Sponsorship

What you need to know: Located just across the eponymous sound from Seattle, Sound Brewery lives by its slogan “Tradition Liberated," so expect to see classic styles reimagined.  For SAVOR, they’re doing a one-two Belgian punch, but the beers couldn’t be less alike.

Beer #1:  Dubbel Entendre (Belgian style ale, 8% ABV)

In Their Own Words: “Comforting aromas of chocolate malt and dark toffee, with a hint of banana and stone fruits. A dark abbey style ale with a subtle rich maltiness and a dry, spicy finish.”

Food Pairing: Turkey braised in mole (Turkey breast braised in a fragrant mole of dried chiles, tomato, almonds, Mexican chocolate and toasted pumpkin seeds.)

Our Thoughts: Pretty much what you’d expect in the dubbel territory: chewy dark fruits, caramel, and moderate graininess.  This is a rather restrained take on the style in terms of koo-koo aromas, but all the dark malts add up to a fairly rich beer.  Rich enough for turkey in mole?  We shall see.  

Beer #2:  Monk’s Indiscretion (Belgian style ale, 10% ABV)

In Their Own Words: “Dry hopped, and fermented with an aromatic Belgian yeast strain, Monk's Indiscretion has an intense tropical hoppy aroma and flavor, with balanced bitterness, and is scarily drinkable for such a strong beer.”

Food Pairing: Charred masala cauliflower with dates (Cauliflower florets seasoned with masala and charred. Served with dates and Greek yogurt.)

Our Thoughts: Don’t let the mere 24 IBUs fool you, Monk’s Indiscretion borders on Belgian IPA territory, at least as far as aroma goes.  As for taste, it’s fruit on top of fruit: the Belgian yeast is working hard here, producing tons of banana and tropical fruit notes, while the late hops contribute citrus and mango.  IPAs often pair well with curry, and the addition of Belgian yeast only helps things.  A complex beer that will sneak up on you.

This profile is a part of the DCBeer.com SAVOR Brewery Profile series. For more information, follow the link to see profiles of all 2014 SAVOR participants.