It was an epic comeback. Down 28-3 in the third quarter of Superbowl LI, all looked lost for the New England Patriots. Falcons fans were rejoicing the imminent arrival of their first ever Superbowl win, and well they should. Their team had played like champions all season long, and had played again like champions for most of the game. Against any other team and any other quarterback, a 25-point lead would have been enough.
Unfortunately for the Falcons, they were not playing just any other team or any other quarterback. They were playing Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. The Pats drove down the field and scored a touchdown, but missed the extra point. 28-9, but only about 17 minutes left in the game and three scores still needed-just to tie the game.
Holding the Falcons scoreless on the next drive, the Pats again moved the ball to the red zone but had to settle for a field goal. 28-12. Still, the hearts of Pats fans sank; 7 or 8 more points were needed to get back in the game. The clock only showed 9:44 left to score 16 more points, a seemingly impossible feat.
Then, a miracle! The defense stepped up and a charging Dont’a Hightower forced a Matt Ryan fumble. The Pats recovered, Brady hit Amendola for a touchdown, and a fake snap allowed James White to make the 2-point conversion. 28-20, with just under 6 minutes left to play. Suddenly there was hope! The Pats had pulled within one score!
Matt Ryan and the Falcons got the ball back, but it was the next three plays that sealed their fate. Ironically enough, the first two were impressive pass plays including a bomb by an under-pressure Ryan hauled down miraculously by Julio Jones. The Falcons were in field goal range and ready to put it away, but the next play, a run, resulted in a loss in yardage. The Falcons went back to the pass play which had just worked so well, but Trey Flowers was ready for them, and sacked Ryan for a 12-yard loss. The Pats defense continued to pour through the offensive line and holding a Pats defender cost the Dirty Birds another 11 yards. Now out of field goal range, they had to kick the ball away. Bring on Brady.
Another passing drive, a gravity-defying catch by Julian Edelman, a touchdown run by James White, and a passing two-point conversion to Danny Amendola, and the score was tied 28-28. The Patriots had done the impossible, and when the game went into overtime the coin toss was a mere formality. We, the Pats faithful, knew the game was won. The Pats did win the toss, and then they won the game with another Brady passing drive against a now nigh-exhausted Falcons defense, and another James White touchdown.
Tom Brady now had five Superbowl rings, more than any other quarterback in NFL history. There was no debating now he was the GOAT, the Greatest Of All Time. The Bruguru household, chock full of Patriots fans that worried but never gave up hope, erupted in celebration.
It was time to break out a special beer, and that beer had to be from New England. I had many such beers in my collection, but given the magnitude of the victory just described and that with the express intent of defining the importance of the beer selected, I chose Harpoon Czernobog Russian Imperial Stout.
Harpoon Czernobog Russian Imperial Stout was the last entry in Harpoon’s Leviathan series, but as you’ll see they later released it in 22-ounce bottles. My bottle has the maltage year 2014 on the neck and I bought it in early January of 2015 at Total Wine. I had been sitting on this one for about two years, then.
From the bottle label:
Named after the ancient god of darkness, Czernobog was the last beer we made in our Leviathan Series – and one of our favorites. So we stashed a few bottles in the cellar. As winter approached we noticed that our supply had dwindled and we knew it was time to go back to the brewhouse to resurrect the darkness. With powerful notes of unsweetened chocolate, dark fruit, and molasses, it’s our pleasure to reintroduce this Russian Imperial Stout.
From the neck label:
Harpoon Czernobog is our tribute to the hardy English stouts brewed to endure the journey across the frigid Baltic to the Russian Imperial Court. This Russian Imperial Stout will withstand the darkest of winters.
Harpoon Czernobog Russian Imperial Stout has an alcohol content of 10% by volume with 70 IBUs. What an amazing bargain it was at $5.99 for the bomber bottle. The beer was better than ever with age, as you’ll soon see.
Harpoon Czernobog Russian Imperial Stout pours to a jet-black color as dark as the lights out the Pats pulled on the Falcons in overtime. A thick creamy tan head formed on my pour and a luscious licorice nose wafted through the air, floating as it were like Julian Edelman’s miracle catch. Taking a sip, the beer is full and rich in mouthfeel, thick and oily and as powerful as a Patriots scoring drive. A huge depth of dark chocolate, powdered cocoa, coffee and roast are all punctuated with intense licorice. The finish is roasty, dry and warm with alcohol, an amazing finish to an amazing beer and an amazing game.
I was well-pleased with my choice of celebratory fine ale, and I hope that Harpoon decides to brew Czernobog yet again. I will, after all, need something with which to celebrate the next Pats Superbowl win.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft