How many recall the late 90’s movie Fallen?

Surely you remember.

It’s that creepy, supernatural thriller starring John Goodman, Denzel Washington, and Donald Sutherland.

No?

It’s that movie involving the prankster demon who can only survive for a few seconds outside of a human body once its host has expired.  It’s the movie where the possessed character reeks havoc on the community through all manner of criminal activity.  It’s notorious for a repeated Rolling Stones song “Time Is on My Side,” which is hummed and sung by the characters possessed by this hellion.  My purpose in highlighting this movie is not just that I once fervently enjoyed the film, but it feature a character of whom I hadn’t heard until that point.  Apparently this creature was a scantily mentioned demon/fallen angel named Azazel.

By pure coincidence, or possibly as an homage to the movie, one of my favorite breweries recently brewed a beast of a brew.  This concoction bears a playful similarity to traits of the Loki-like spirit in the movie, and not only by virtue of nomenclature.  This beer is….

Pizza Boy Azazel (guajillo peppers and cocoa nibs) – This monster of an imperial stout weighs in at a devilishly strong 13%.  But as the saying goes, “the greatest trick the devil pulled was convinced the world he doesn’t exist,” there is little to indicate the alcohol.  It’s sinfully dark and wickedly viscous.   There is no light getting through this black potation and when poured is topped with a dark-cocoa flecked, fluffy and fast dissipating, head.  It smells of rich sweet molasses, blackened barley, cocoa, and also subtle roast pepper.  The beer boasts a thick, chewy mouthfeel that coats the mouth with flavor.  The taste is a peppery tingling, rich, sweet, chocolate bomb reminiscent of a Hunapu or a Mexican Cake.  In the aforementioned movie, Denzel is one of the few humans that can resist the possession of Azazel by touch,  but when floating free of corporeal form, Azazel can enter anyone.  Similarly, once ingested, this brew takes over.  Instead of reeking havoc though, this makes me elated. Cheers.  9/10

Humbly yours,

J