Ymm, Beer

[devildeac]

I was getting excited that I was going to be 100% until I hit Dark Lord. 22/25 missing Dark Lord, Pliny the Younger, and Julius.

I missed Pliny the Younger, Julius and I'm not sure I've ever had that Narraganset (I've had The Unnamable) or the Widmer Hefe, even though we visited my parents and brother in Oregon ever year from 1989 to 2000.

[Tripping William]

A nice golden, refreshing sour from Carrboro. Tart and delicious on a spring afternoon. 6.0% ABV is juuuuuuussst right.

[devildeac]

From 7/7/15:

Pinot Aged Brett beer? Yes, please!

Smells sugary sweet, a little vinous/ red fruit with some mild straw funkiness.

Wonderfully complex as wild ales tend to be.
Definitely some nice Pinot smoothness and cherry like fruit mid palate, with a dry, musty delightful finish.

It's a shame there's so much good beer to choose from in the Triangle.

Huge hit- thanks devildeac!

From 8/31/15:

Pretty Polly-Steel String Brewing

More local drinking!

I divided this 500 ml bottle designated as an American wild ale over a couple nights last week, found I had little to add to fuse's notes and forgot about it until this AM and thought I'd echo his tasting review to remind folks how appetizing this was. Reminded me of a "blend" of the Catawba Sour Zombie (blonde ale) I had during our Asheville visit in May and a pink Zinfandel perhaps. I'll guess IBUs around 30 and the ABV was listed at 7%. It was tantalizing by itself and would be delectable with a plate of melon slices and berries.

A nice golden, refreshing sour from Carrboro. Tart and delicious on a spring afternoon. 6.0% ABV is juuuuuuussst right.

Sounds like they re-formulated that product from when fuse and I tasted it about 3.5 years ago.

[fuse]

https://medium.com/s/story/how-the-w...z-e205a28ff632

A long and important read.

Clearly, from a nugget in the article, Wicked Weed is not missing my business.

Seems like big beer is playing the long game smartly and successfully.

[devildeac]

https://medium.com/s/story/how-the-w...z-e205a28ff632

A long and important read.

Clearly, from a nugget in the article, Wicked Weed is not missing my business.

Seems like big beer is playing the long game smartly and successfully.

Great find. Very educational. No surprise about WW. They don't miss me either. They may have "sacrificed" the Asheville market (I'll let our Asheville residents comment more about that) but have likely achieved regional, maybe even national, distribution now so WTH do they care.

[devildeac]

From 12/18/16:

Event Horizon (2015)-Olde Hickory Brewery

Mattman's short/concise summary upthread is a good one.

This'll be an Olde Hickory Night with a bomber of Event Horizon divided over the last couple nights (all for me!) and looking forward to a snifter of Irish Walker shortly.

Pour of the EH was a dark mahogany with a thin, mocha head that was even smaller the second night. Dark chocolate and a bit of coffee first, followed by more semi-sweet chocolate, some dark fruits and a bit of bourbon the first night which was a bit more noticeable with the second serving, especially as I let it warm over 30-45 minutes. I'll guess the IBUs about 60 with more roastiness than hop bitterness. The ABV was a bit lacking for the style (imperial stout) at 8.5%. Round up the usual suspects for pairings: a snifter and a slice of triple chocolate cake or, as I nibbled the last 2 nights, some chocolate-cherry-covered dark cherries.

From last PM:

The Event Horizon-Olde Hickory Brewery

Imperial stout brewed with honey and aged in bourbon barrels.

Bottled on 12/19/18 and purchased about a month ago for about $5 for a 12 ounce bottle after a 15% case discount on my 30 beers for 30 years gift to our younger daughter with a few traders for our son and a few keepers .

Pretty similar visual and olfactory observations/impressions comparing the 2016 and 2018 versions. I think the biggest difference is that it's now a big beer, clocking in at 11.75% ABV and it was indeed boozy on the palate and once absorbed into the blood stream 30-45 minutes after imbibing. The honey does tone down/smooth out the heaviness of the dark, dark roasting of the grains and the alcohol burn. Thankfully, it was the final (only) beverage of the evening. Highly recommended.

[fuse]

From 12/18/16:



From last PM:

The Event Horizon-Olde Hickory Brewery

Imperial stout brewed with honey and aged in bourbon barrels.

Bottled on 12/19/18 and purchased about a month ago for about $5 for a 12 ounce bottle after a 15% case discount on my 30 beers for 30 years gift to our younger daughter with a few traders for our son and a few keepers .

Pretty similar visual and olfactory observations/impressions comparing the 2016 and 2018 versions. I think the biggest difference is that it's now a big beer, clocking in at 11.75% ABV and it was indeed boozy on the palate and once absorbed into the blood stream 30-45 minutes after imbibing. The honey does tone down/smooth out the heaviness of the dark, dark roasting of the grains and the alcohol burn. Thankfully, it was the final (only) beverage of the evening. Highly recommended.

I’ve never had a good Event Horizon.
Always been a soy bomb.
Pretty sure its me 🍻

[Tripping William]

From Fuquay-Varina. I hadn’t seen or tasted anything from this brewery. Luchador is their Mexican lager style offering. Pours a golden brown. Medium-sized white head. Nice yeastiness, and good body. Better than Dos Equis Amber, IMO. 5.0% ABV. I’ll gladly seek out their other lager offerings.

[devildeac]

From Fuquay-Varina. I hadn’t seen or tasted anything from this brewery. Luchador is their Mexican lager style offering. Pours a golden brown. Medium-sized white head. Nice yeastiness, and good body. Better than Dos Equis Amber, IMO. 5.0% ABV. I’ll gladly seek out their other lager offerings.

I've always been hesitant to try anything from this brewery. You may change my mind.

[Tripping William]

I've always been hesitant to try anything from this brewery. You may change my mind.

Small sample size (a single can), but I quite liked it.

[fuse]

From Fuquay-Varina. I hadn’t seen or tasted anything from this brewery. Luchador is their Mexican lager style offering. Pours a golden brown. Medium-sized white head. Nice yeastiness, and good body. Better than Dos Equis Amber, IMO. 5.0% ABV. I’ll gladly seek out their other lager offerings.

Scratch, the hottest (sorta new) restaurant in Apex is a Mason Jar property.

I’ve had this beer, its decent.
I’ve never had a bad Mason Jar beer, just not sure I’ve had a standout.

[devildeac]

Almost not enough beer for that siht-show.

[accfanfrom1970]

Almost not enough beer for that siht-show.

I take full blame. I felt so good at half time I opened my vanilla variant of the Goose Island BBA Stout. The beer was great, our 2nd half performance - not so much. It was smooth, boozy, more chocolate than vanilla, really good. Not sure it was worth the money and the wait in line compared to other local beers...but an exceptional beer none the less.

[devildeac]

I take full blame. I felt so good at half time I opened my vanilla variant of the Goose Island BBA Stout. The beer was great, our 2nd half performance - not so much. It was smooth, boozy, more chocolate than vanilla, really good. Not sure it was worth the money and the wait in line compared to other local beers...but an exceptional beer none the less.

I've got the regular and the orange variant. Waiting...

[accfanfrom1970]

I've got the regular and the orange variant. Waiting...

I have the orange also, but will not be opening it until well after a victory.

[devildeac]

I have the orange also, but will not be opening it until well after a victory.

That is my plan, too. I hope I don't have to wait for years...

[devildeac]

Milk Stout Nitro-Left Hand Brewing Company

016:20:26 5369
Best by 09/13/18

A bit dated , but still a good sipper tonight.

This was a 13.65 FL. OZ. can (Don't ask me, I just read the stuff off the can/label ) that was beer #2 from my March beer club 4 pack.

Poured aggressively and it all actually fit into my standard pint glass but just barely with its nitro head which was voluminous, tan and frothy. Burnt grain nose with a splash of coffee (not added). Tastes were more burnt grain along with burnt caramel and milk chocolate. Lots of roasty goodness with a smooth, creamy mouth feel from the added oats, plus some hints of semi-sweet chocolate from the added lactose. I'll guess IBUs about 50 and the ABV was declared at 6%. Classic stout that would be tasty with a beef roast/steak or with a couple brownies.

[thedukelamere]

I take full blame. I felt so good at half time I opened my vanilla variant of the Goose Island BBA Stout. The beer was great, our 2nd half performance - not so much. It was smooth, boozy, more chocolate than vanilla, really good. Not sure it was worth the money and the wait in line compared to other local beers...but an exceptional beer none the less.

I had a similar situation with my Bourbon County Wheatwine in the first half of the Louisville game prior to The Comeback... Maybe Goose Island is cursed? Better not risk it the rest of the tourney just to be safe.

Also, my buddy and I each snagged 2 tickets to this year's Dark Lord Day at 3 Floyds... We are bringing the wives to either a) let them have a great time and enjoy some amazing beers or b) get an additional 10 bottles of rare beer and sell them immediately and turn a profit on the day, then send the ladies to the nearest spa for a relaxing afternoon. Looking forward to giving you all a play by play like last year!

[devildeac]

I had a similar situation with my Bourbon County Wheatwine in the first half of the Louisville game prior to The Comeback... Maybe Goose Island is cursed? Better not risk it the rest of the tourney just to be safe.

Also, my buddy and I each snagged 2 tickets to this year's Dark Lord Day at 3 Floyds... We are bringing the wives to either a) let them have a great time and enjoy some amazing beers or b) get an additional 10 bottles of rare beer and sell them immediately and turn a profit on the day, then send the ladies to the nearest spa for a relaxing afternoon. Looking forward to giving you all a play by play like last year!

1. Who owns Goose Island now? Just sayin'

2. Congrats on the Dark Lord Day tix. Look forward to your reports.

[devildeac]

From 10/31/12:

Tank 7-Boulevard Brewing

Their story first:

Most breweries have at least one piece of equipment that’s just a bit persnickity. Here at Boulevard we have fermenter number seven, the black sheep of our cellar family. Ironically, when our brewers were experimenting with variations on a traditional Belgian-style farmhouse ale, the perfect combination of elements came together in that very vessel. You could call it fate, but they called it Tank 7, and so it is. Beginning with a big surge of fruity aromatics and grapefruit-hoppy notes, the flavor of this complex, straw-colored ale tapers off to a peppery, dry finish.

My story:

We/I beg to differ. It's labeled as a farmhouse ale but seems more of hybrid between a Belgian IPA and a farmhouse ale. Color and low bitterness with an IBU of 38 makes me think farmhouse but the grapefruitiness with hints of papaya and mango with a bit of Belgian yeast funk and pepper accompanied by an ABV of 8% makes me think IPA. Not sure whether I'd serve this with a fruity salsa and chicken or fish or with a hot/spicy dish like a curry or General Tso's chicken. Either way, I did enjoy this 12 ounce single from a $10 four pack. One for me, one for...

Attachment 2925

From last PM:

Tank 7-Boulevard Brewing (a division of Duvel Moorgat)

Beer #3 from my March beer club 4 pack. A very nice selection.

I think the only thing that has changed is the ABV which is 8.5% now making it an imperial saison . There may be a bit less citrus/tropical fruity flavors and some more tastes of apples and pears (neither added). I think I saw this for about $2.75/12 ounce bottle on the shelf and that would be a high quality purchase.