Snowman: I am evil.
Sea Devil: Me, too.

Sea based Silurians and or over caffeinated snowmen? Which is more evil? Which will be our future overlords? Masters of the winter or the secret lizard army of the deep? These beers from Beau's beg these questions. Soon, you will have to choose. Soon, you will beg for mercy from one or the other. Which one?

The good people at Beau's - and specifically my local rep Dave - have been good enough to drop these special release beers, not to mention Norway bound other treats, off from time to time. Through these surreptitious deliveries I have been able to keep a tab on what they are up to. For a 5% beer and an 8% one, they have a lot in common. Each uses a strongly set traditional untraditional ingredient to set the stage. Each is a brown ale with a similarly attractive softish water profile. They taste like cousins. Which, now that I think of it, is about the creepiest thing I may have ever written.

Winter Brewed is a 5% brown ale with masses of superb coffee flavour. The coffee is a Nicaraguan from Ottawa rosters Bridgehead. Troy had some on tap last weekend and praised. I think I am going past him, however, as there is something about this beer that is all Terry's Chocolate Orange without either the chocolate or the orange... let alone anyone called Terry. I get cherry and apple in the malt, a heavy overlay of coffee grounds with some dark chocolate as well as twiggy hopping, I would buy a six of this a week if it wasn't a limited release seasonal. It is big but not extreme. Relatively light with nothing limpid about it. I want a side of roast salmon with roasted root vegetables with it. Zero BAer reviews so far.

Bog Father goes in another direction. You will recall, exactly 35 months ago, that I wrote about how I liked Beau's Bog Water. The bog myrtle reminded me of quietly canoing solo out upon the Canadian Shield deep in the woods on an afternoon. This amped up version is not quite like that. It's like a quad meets the Laurentian forest. Have this beer with a bacon and egg sandwich on a camping trip with pals, after dragging your butt out of the tent half-hung, listening to the loons as horsetails of mist slips past out there. Late May. It needs the bite of cold air but the promise of the summer to come as well. BAer respect. Mr. B over at Facebook, the children's table of blogging, has asked whether the finish had to be so strong and I get what he means. Yet. It does not taste like other beers. And it tastes good.

Beau's has been growing successfully at an amazing pace. Under three years ago, I helped owner Steve deliver their beers on their first trip to my city. Things change. Now they asks you to choose your future master - Satan's chosen snowmen or the Sea Devils. Which will it be?