Deep Ellum Festivus:
Greetings one and all and welcome to a Festivus for the rest of us! Yes, that classic “Seinfeld” episode (“The Strike”) has spawned probably one of the best made up holidays, ever.  That episode, from start to finish, is how comedy gold is written, acted, and paced but the break down of the episodes of the mid to late years of “Seinfeld” is for another day because today we are here to talk about beer and how about this, a beer named Festivus.  Yes that little growing brewery in Dallas, Deep Ellum Brewery, has spawned a black IPA beer that not only breaks the mold of holiday beer but shatters it and kicks the pieces all over the factory floor.  The beer was poured from the tap (the only way its available) an inky black liquid with a decent head of tan foam that leaves great lacing and a nose of pine and citrus. The beer’s initial taste is of roasted malts with slight pine hints that roll into a strong tart citrus that gives a slight skunk back end to the beer and dry sour after taste.  Think of this beer as the Frank Costanza (played expertly by Jerry Stiller, who is the one of the most underrated actors out there right now) of winter beers, different, funny, and a guilty pleasure.  Worth drinking if you’re local and can find it, it’s a rarity and worth the effort.