Wait, I thought you drank almost nothing but Heady Toppers? :rolleyes:
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Went back to Hardywood to pickup my pre-ordered bourbon barrel aged raspberry stout. Had another flight including the bourbon barrel aged gbs, the port barrel aged gbs and the Caliente gbs. Wondering if anyone from the gbs set group has tried any of the set. The BBA GBs is still my favorite. The Port barrel aged tasted better and sweeter, a bit more complex. But the Caliente really blew me away, cinnamon up front, heat in the back. Really interesting, so much so I picked up 4 more. Never been much for pepper or heat beers, but I keep going back to this. They still have done for sale if anyone is interested in trading.
I haven't had any from my set yet except an extra original GBS that I picked up a Total Wine. We're traveling to Ohio and Chicago 2/28 to 3/4 and I'll deliver our son's set that he shared with a friend and I'll likely take a Caliente and one other that he didn't get, most likely the Rye Barrel variant.
I know you’ll let us know what you think. But the Caliente is one of the most interesting beers I’ve had. Maybe because I’ve never tried a pepper/heat related beer before. Just very drinkable but very different. Sweet but hot.
Blueberry Obsession - from Lickinghole Creek brewery here, drinking local. An actual farm/brewery in Goochland VA. An American double stout, 11.5%abv. Pours dark almost black...little foam. Dark roasted malt forward. Advertises hundreds of pounds of blueberries used, the sweetness is more chocolate. I didn’t get much blueberry flavor. A good stout, just not much blueberry flavor to me.
Enjoying a Raspberry Tart from New Glarus as my celebratory brew after a delicious victory over the Hoos. Incredible flavor that's borderline syruppy. As was our win!!
Hoos play Holes Monday!! GO HOOS!!! Could put us in sole 1st place. Think we'll be ranked #1 come Monday, but hope we stay 2.
Enjoying the newly released Bourbon Barrel Aged Rasberry Stout from Hardywood. So it’s a rasberry night in Virginia for Duke fans!
Glad you two are consuming celebratory beverages for me as I'm on call and had a Diet Pepsi and a flute of sparkling grape juice to celebrate a patient's 50th wedding anniversary and the Duke win. Watch out Monday night!
Just returned from T-Town, and watched the Duke-UVA game from the Black Warrior Tao Room.
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First up, One & Only Mosaic Pale Ale:
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Smooth, flavorful and snappy. A full swallow and a nice nose. Next, Lock 17 IPA:
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Solid IPA, good hops blend and a good bitter balance with the tip-of-tongue malt.
Obviously, though, I was pretty drunk and lying on the bar. Like I do.
Last week was a little crazy, so a delayed recap of Winterfest 2019.
The highlights:
Sack Lunch - Fountain Square Brewing Company - A peanut butter lager? This caught me by surprise. Normally something I would associate with a stout. Peanut butter flavor was present, but not overpowering. Smooth.
Hole-In-One - Sour - 4.5% ABV - Brew Link Brewing - Brew Link is based out of Plainfield (suburb of Indianapolis) and known for some exotic concoctions. This beer was brewed in collaboration with a local donut shop and resembles a jelly-filled donut. Sweet and delicious.
Iridescent - Sour - 6% ABV- Upland Brewing Company - I'm typically willing to try more sours at beer festivals, because I'm not committed to an entire glass. Upland has really focused on their Sours the last few years, so it seemed logical to go for one. Small taste of ginger, definitely more tart.
Peanut Butter Pieces - Milk Stout - 8% ABV - 450 North Brewing Company - This tastes identical to Reese's Pieces in liquid form. A tad bit sweet, so better for a smaller pour.
Big Figgin Tripel - Belgian Tripel - 9.8% ABV Redemption Aleworks - Aged in a cask. Possibly the best beer I had all day. Just everything you want out of a tripel. Need to make a trip to Redemption and see what else they have to offer.
Lyrical Poet - Stout - 12.2% ABV - Sun King Brewing Company - Stout aged with chocolate and raspberries in whiskey barrels. Lighter than I anticipated it would be for that strong of a stout. Chocolate compliments the raspberry well. Sun King with another wonderful creation.
Vanilla Bean Milk Stout - Milk Stout - 5% ABV - Cedar Creek Brewing Company - My first beer of the event was an excellent selection. Vanilla is subtle and not overly sweet. Well done.
Overall it was a well executed festival. Always enjoy these because some of the smaller breweries get exposure that they wouldn't otherwise.
who is your visiting emissary? I could arrange a visa and proper papers for him or her...
Since the emergence of Heady Topper, there are several relatively new and similar products on the market which I enjoy, besides Sip of Sunshine:
Lush Double IPA from Frost Beer Works, Hinesburg, VT
Green Mountain Haze, Long Trail Brewing, Bridgewaer Corners, VT
Second Fiddle Double IPA, Fiddlehead Brewing, Shelburne, VT
Lawson's Double Sunshine
There is also a Lawson's Triple Sunshine (10.3%, get back, Loretta) which I have no found...but the year is young.
Always rewarding/educational to read your reviews as we have family in Bloomington and NW In The Annapolis and we will be in Columbus, IN in April for a concert so 450 North Brewing might have to be a stop/tasting. Plus, I think Taxman will be about 7 miles "out of the way" (:rolleyes:) when we journey from Columbus, IN to Columbus, OH on Sunday. ;)