Doggone great

Beer: Turbodog

Brewer: Abita Brewing Company

Style: Brown Ale

ABV: 5.60%

Description: Abita’s Turbodog pours dark amber brown with a cloud-like fluffy beige head that slowly disperses, leaving a wonderful lacing on the glass. In the nose, you will get strong scents of roasted and chocolate malt and subtle hints of caramel and coffee. As the first drink hits your taste buds, you will immediately taste the malt, a slight roasted quality blended with chocolate. Once you get through the malt, there is a slight nutty flavor that is followed up with a faint earthy taste from the hops to balance everything out. After swallowing, you will quickly realize that this beer finishes surprisingly dry due to the medium body and perfect carbonation. Turbodog is classified as a Brown Ale, but do not limit it to that category; it has a lot to offer fans of porters or stouts as well, and it almost seemingly defies categorization.

Food pairing: Just like most dogs, this one loves meat, whether a simple hamburger or a delectable hanger steak, Turbodog is a perfect match. This beer also has the ability to hold its own with more gamey meats such as venison or buffalo. Turbodog is also an absolute dream when paired with some wonderful homemade chili for any remaining cold winter nights. Abita Brewing Company is located near New Orleans, where Cajun food is king, so naturally Turbdog pairs absolutely perfectly with gumbo or a delicious Cajun blackened chicken. Also, feel free to have some Turbodog with your favorite dark chocolates – this beer is a real workhorse and is great with such a wide variety of dishes.

Is it worth trying? Yes! I must confess that Turbodog is a personal favorite of mine, and I believe that it is a great all-around beer regardless of personal beer preferences. Abita manages to check all of the right boxes with Turbodog and delivers a delicious and well-balanced beer. If you or a friend loves Newcastle Brown, than Turbodog is definitely a beer to try. Also, if you can find any around, Abita brewed an anniversary version of Turbodog called Doubledog, a stronger version with the added flavor of vanilla – simply breathtaking. So please, stop reading, go grab yourself some, and enjoy!

Rating: W W W W V

Where can I get it? Currently available in bottles at: Krugel’s Georgetown Deli & Beer, Wilkes-Barre; Exit 190 Beer & Deli, Dickson City; Goldstein’s Deli, Kingston; Wegmans, Dickson City and Wilkes-Barre.

Remember, enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

-Derek Warren is a beer expert, avid homebrewer, and beer historian. Derek can be reached at [email protected]