Beer of the Month: Second Conversation Belgian Stout from Discretion Brewing

I swiped this photo of Second Conversation off the
Discretion website, since the picture I tool of my
glass of it was so bad

 

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A light crisp stout?  Well, not exactly but our Beer of the Month nearly attains this oxymoronic achievement in a good way.  I found Second Conversation Belgian Stout from Soquel's Discretion Brewing is both excellent for was it is, and for what is isn't.  It's this great dry, crisp tasting stout with a light dose of bitter chocolate from Ecuadorian cocao nibs, Belgian Saison yeast aromatics and a little bit of dried fruit.  There's a well balanced and unique combination of flavors working together, unlike some stouts which can be heavy, syrupy sweet or full of harsh roastiness.  Second Conversation is very drinkable yet interestingly complex.  I'd almost say it's sessionable, except at 7.7% abv, it certainly isn't.

Discretion Brewing is a new comer to the vibrant Santa Cruz brewing scene, which is quietly producing some of the more innovative beers in Northern California.  And there seems to be plenty of good conversations down at Discretion.  Discretion's First Conversation Saison won Silver Medal at this year's California State Fair, and their Third Conversation is a nifty session amber Saison (4.3% abv) you should also check out if you make to their tap room in Soquel.

I've gotten rather tired of all the attention hogging beers, you know, the one's that scream "Look at me!  I have 179 ibu's and I'm aged in used oaken soy sauce barrels!"  Beer is a social lubricant and you got to like beers such as those from Discretion which seem designed to facilitate just that.

Discretion's Tap Room and Brewery (I took this picture
myself rather than steal it from someplace)