DOMUS AUREA

a decent spanish india pale ale. "fresh, clear, and with a distinct flavor of aromatic hops [especially simcoe and amarillo]." domus, the beer of toledo. but we're not in ohio anymore. and the ohioans (not to mention the portalnders) might not appreciate it much, because the domus aurea isn't especially bitter or full bodied, but damn if it isn't nice to taste and breath those those aromatic hops again. as nero put it when he dedicated his domus aurea on palatine hill: at last i can begin to live like a human being. and it's not necessary to climb the entire hill of the old city of toledo to find an aurea (or a regina or a summa), because the city is proud of its local product and most of its bars have a line of domus bottles displayed in front of their taps. but, with the promise of an aurea around nearly every corner, i wasn't put out to keep walking up and down all the cobbled staircases in the morning rain thinking about how great a compliment the beer of toledo would be to a cyclocross roubaix through the alleys of the city. unfortunately, as much as the spanish might enjoy an early drink, the people of castilla and la mancha don't apparently seem to appreciate a super hoppy, stronger than average breakfast on a rainy weekend morning. i was definitely the malquerido at la malquerida when i ordered my first aurea at ten and then lingered over it as the breakfast crowd came and went. oh well. the city only had to put up with me for a day, and anyway, by the lunch hour the servers at the cervecería mayor were more than happy to let me linger at the bar while the dining room ate. it's also next to the cathedral. (there's some historical stuff in the city, too.) and it's worth the trip, even if you can get yourself an aurea elsewhere. and it was even a little sad to leave without having had the chance to visit the brewery -- although proprietary taprooms seem a long way from catching on, and the domus brewery is only open to the public on thursdays and fridays from six to...seven. but there's still aurea to be had in the capital, and...no...but it's true. the brewery named for the cibeles fountain makes an ipa too. and, oh my, an imperial... chueca is going to be missing its mayoress tonight. and this was supposed to have said something else. cheers.