A “Map of The World” According to the Disney Imagineers

As I had noted in prior posts, for Jersey Week, we hit Disney. During the trip we made our way to Epcot. For you novices out there, Epcot has two sections: Future World and World Showcase. World Showcase is broken down into a series of countries situated around the World Showcase Lagoon, and while you stroll around the “world”, you can keep your kids occupied by grabbing them a paint stirrer which they will carry to collect stamps from each country that they visit. While the kids are occupied with this scavenger hunt of sorts, we parents get to venture from kiosk to kiosk trying the international fare, and if we’re very lucky, an adult beverage or two.

photo courtesy of eatingwdw.com

On the first leg of the “World” tour, I picked up the Innis & Gunn Original in Scotland and drank it in Canada. The second leg involved a stop in Florida for sliders and a Sunshade Pale Ale from Orlando Brewing Partners. The final leg ended where all beer should … Germany. Well, actually, we stopped over in America for lobster rolls and New England clam chowder, Italy for a little pasta (Ravioli de formaggio all’emiliana) and a Cannoli al Cioccolato or two and then headed to Germany. Bratwursts in a pretzel rolls with spicy mustard, Apple Strudel with Werther’s Original Karamel and Vanilla Sauce and beer! Could there be a better blend of food and beverage? Maybe a bit healthier but better? I’m not so sure. Anyway, while I loaded up on brats and pretzels, I nabbed a Darkon from BraufactuM – Die Internationale Brau-Manufacturen GmbH. Sadly, the website is in German. As I barely speak English, my ability to navigate the site was limited to say the least. I was able to discern that BraufactuM produces at least nine beers. Besides the Darkon (a Schwarbier), they make The Clan (a Wee Heavy), the Colonia (a Kölsch), the Indra (sort of a hybrid between a wheat beer and an American IPA), the Marzus (a Märzen), the Oscur (an English Porter), the Palor (an English Pale Ale), the Progusta (an American IPA) and the Roog (a Rauchbier).

Here is what BraufactuM has to say about their Darkon:

The classic black beer originated in Thuringia and Braunschweig. An exceptionally dark, bottom-fermented beer with a distinctive bitter chocolate taste. It also served as inspiration for the black beers produced in Japan. Darkon recollects the traditional recipes. So dark, we have used only malt to generate the typical mild roasted flavors of dark chocolate and toffee.

And now for my impressions of this beer…

• Appearance: Mahogany with tan foam.
• Aroma: A Muted aroma; slight malt and hops.
• Taste: The taste is a bit muted as well. Not overly sweet with some chocolate notes. The flavor is crisp and refreshing.
• ABV: 5.4%

This may not have the best black beer and, as I was already three beers in (besides the Innis & Gunn Original and the Orlando Brewing Sunshade, I had a Rogue Chocolate Stout in America), my palette may have been a bit reduced, but I found this beer to be a great complement to the smoky bratwurst, the salty pretzel and the sweet strudel. And, it went down really fast. This could be one of those beers that you drink with a big meal and find that you had a few too many when you try to leave the table.