Resurrection ale

by Joel Perry
(Beer Delegate, MD, USA)

Resurrection ale (7% ABV)
Brewers Art, MD, USA
Visit the UNOB's Maryland Beer Guide

Baltimore is famous for a few things: steamed crabs, Natty Boh, Edgar Allen Poe, the Baltimore Orioles and an outrageous homicide rate.

The newest kid on the block to join this gang is Resurrection ale, crafted at the Brewers Art in Mount Vernon. It can be found in nearly every bar in Canton, Fells Point and Federal Hill (I have to warn you though, it can’t be purchased outside of Baltimore and you have to order it on draft. Hell, just one more reason to come here!). It has won numerous local awards and is an 85 on beer advocate. This is a perfect Abbey-style dubbel.

On its website, the Brewers Art gives us the following insight into the origins of this particular Resurrection: "During the fermentation of the first batch of this Abbey-style dubbel, the yeast 'died' and was 'resurrected' by brewer Chris Cashell. Made with five types of barley malt and lots of sugar, this beer is quite strong and flavorful, without being too sweet." This might just be the best accident ever. Truly, Lazarus himself would be proud!

It arrives in front of you with a lush mahogany colored body. Its wobbling, finger-wide head is an off white. As it settles, thin lacing runs into the bubbles underneath. All beer should strive to look this good.

Lift it to your nose and you’ll notice a slight citrus smell (hops maybe), followed by roasted malt and maraschino cherry.

In your mouth it's medium-bodied, carbonation lightly dancing across your tongue. Typically you'd expect a beer with this much coloring and fragrance to explode onto your palette, but Resurrection presents itself with calm, collected poise.

It builds in your mouth then swells with roasted malt, cherry, plum and currant. Lingering at the end is a hint of citrus hops. Its frothy head stays put till the very end. Pint after pint, you'll never tire of this truly fabulous abbey.

I would highly recommend Resurrection ale to anyone who has an appreciation for good beer. Hell, even Bud Light drinkers would enjoy this (just not for the same reasons as the rest of us: at 7.0% abv there is a huge "bang-for-your-buck" factor here). While it may not be as exciting as dodging bullets in east Baltimore, or hold the same historical significance as Edgar Allen Poe, Resurrection ale definitely has made its mark on the beer world.