Cornstalker or Freddy Krueger?

Have you ever wondered what would have happened if Freddy Kreuger grew up on a farm in Nebraska? Would he have been a maniacal serial killer or would he have brewed a beer that embodied his secret twisted emotions? And if he brewed a beer would he pose as some menacing cowboy figure on the can? Would this cowboy figure look like he could murder you with an ear of corn and dispose of your body in a wood chipper? All of these answers lie in a single can of Thunderhead Brewing Company’s Cornstalker Dark Wheat.

A new brewery has made landfall in KC, at least on the Kansas side, and that brewery is Thunderhead Brewing. I was first introduced to this brewery at the Omaha Brew Fest a couple of years ago and the Cornstalker has been on my brain ever since.  My only option for further enjoying this horror movie in a can was to jump on I-35 north for about 3 hours.  Needless to say I haven’t imbibed in Cornstalker since that fateful day in Omaha.  That is until the other day (well like a month ago sorry for the delay) when I was wandering aimlessly in the aisles of my favorite liquor store and there it was.  There, newly perched on the cooler shelf, the can I had yearned to see locally.  The manager confirmed Thunderhead Brewing Company had landed that day and was so new in fact he had to put it in the system for me to purchase it.  I snatched up my prize and raced home to face off against that ominous Freddy Krueger-esque figure on the can.  Would it live up to my fond memories? 

The Cornstalker starts with a soft grainy character accompanied by a hint of roasty aroma.  The mouthfeel is thinner than it would appear by looking at it in the glass but was eloquently smooth.  When the Cornstalker hits your palate you initially get a bit of soft malt character (dull sweetness) up front and then some breadier grain character sneaks in.  The breadiness is almost immediately replaced by a wonderfully blended roast character about mid-palate.  There are even faint hints of bittersweet chocolate playing around in the background.  The brew finishes with a slight wheat “twang” giving this brew several levels of complexity.  The key to enjoying the Cornstalker is to let the brew warm up.  If you exercise some patience, the roasted character begins to blend with the finishing wheat character.  The entire brew coats your mouth with a unique “soft flavor”.  I don’t know how to explain this “soft flavor” other than it is very unique and delicious.  To sum it up the Cornstalker is outstanding.

If that is indeed Freddy Krueger on the can he is a hell of a brewer.  If you are looking for a lightly stouted, wheatified, soft flavor coating, pleasantly complex Freddy Krueger brew, pick up some Cornstalker.

Cheers!