Image by Flickr user Bernt Rostad

The power of CBX compels you to come out for Rare Beer Tuesday at 5 p.m., where a keg of Avery Brewing's Mephistopheles' Stout is getting tapped for 32oz growler fills.

Avery began crafting excellent ales in Boulder, CO in 1993, an relatively early entrant in the industry that survived the craft beer wane of the mid-90's with kindred spirits like Stone. While famous for their generally hoppy offerings, they are altogether INfamous for their Demons of Ale series, a trio of brews whose weakest member boasts 14.5% ABV.

Mephistopheles (15.95% ABV, 90, 100) is an imperial stout on imperial steroids. There is so much content crammed into so little liquid that it's frankly intimidating. There's dark roast, dark coffee, dark fruit, and pretty much every other complex dark flavor note you could want in this thing, all of which rides on waves of alcohol heat. The draft version is relatively rare, so go get your sin on.

Charleston Beer Exchange lives at 14 Exchange Street downtown.