Glassware: Rich porters and stouts have a lot to offer with aroma. Glassware that traps that aroma is a must. Darker beers are best served at slightly warmer temperatures so a glass that will allow the beer to warm slowly is crucial. A snifter glass is a great first choice and many breweries, including Terrapin, offer them to their customers. A tulip glass or the Spiegelau stout glass are also good choices for Liquid Bliss.
Description: Liquid Bliss pours an extremely dark brown with black and amber highlights throughout. It has a firm tan head that leaves behind a light layer of lacing on the glass. The aroma is full of dark roasted malts intermingling with chocolate and peanut butter backed with slight hints of caramel. The sweetness is immediately apparent. The taste backs up the nose with sweet milk chocolate notes washing over the palate and are backed by a hint of bitterness from the roasted malts and hops. Then the soothing taste of peanut cascades over the taste buds and leaves behind a calming coat on the palate. The medium body gives this beer a smooth mouthfeel and the moderate carbonation creates a beer that does not weigh too heavily on the palate. A must try beer for fans of porters, chocolate and peanut butter.
Food Pairing: The obvious choice with Liquid Bliss is to pair with desserts, but there are also some great main course flavors that will pair up nicely. Try pairing Liquid Bliss with sesame peanut noodles, the flavors will enhance both the beer and the dish and the heft of the beer will cleanse the palate each time. This beer goes great with pork, specifically pork ribs glazed with ginger. The spice from the ginger will cut through the beer while the pork will melt into the malts and the peanut butter and chocolate will enhance the sweetness of the dish. Now on to desserts. Try pairing with a rich and decadent black Russian cake and if you are making your own from scratch try filling it with a peanut butter ganache for an added treat! For some contrasting flavors with dessert try pairing with a raspberry filled torte. Liquid Bliss is a beer to experiment with, especially desserts, so find your favorite one and try it with this beer; you just may find yourself in a state of bliss.
The Final Word: Terrapin Beer Company is not afraid to experiment with its beers and has a dedicated line of beers that it releases frequently. Liquid Bliss is a beer that was released under the side project line a few years ago and it is now available year round in 12oz. bottles. The idea of adding peanut butter and/or chocolate to beer is not a new concept, but when it is done right it is a delicious concept. Terrapin nailed it with the right balance of flavor and sweetness to create a beer that is not overly sweet and whose flavors are in perfect harmony with one another.
