Ymm, Beer

[accfanfrom1970]

As the resident BrewDevil Dark Lord Day corespondent, I took it upon myself to have a few beers last night (Crowler of Dragons Milk Stroopwafel and a 2019 regular Dark Lord for inspiration) and put together a rough ranking system for the potential DL variants we should be hoping to see in our totes in a couple of weeks... That being said, as my kids have heard as much as GTHC in our household; you get what you get and you don't throw a fit

Included are the overall scores (out of 5) from Untappd, along with any insider info I've come across in my DL travels.

The "Russian Roulette" Class
34. Turtledogg (2018) 2.87 - Aged in scotch barrels. As legend has it, a rookie Dark Lord Day attendee traded a top 3 beer in the world for this unfortunate entry in the DL collection. It now sits in his cellar and will be opened to celebrate title #6. Considered the "Kobe for Vlade Divac" or "Babe Ruth for No, No Nanette" of the beer trading universe.
33. ReptileFund (2019) 3.33 – Aged in bourbon barrels and finished in mescal barrels
32. Greatest Teachable Moments (2018) 3.37 - Aged in apple brandy barrels with verbena, ginger and orange peel
31. French Vanilla Militia (2017) 4.15 – Aged in Sauternes barrels with vanilla, cocoa nibs and coffee. A true hit or miss in the DL world; a large number of the '17 FVM were infected, so it's unclear at this point if the ones cellared at 3F may have suffered the same fate and will be drain pours.

The "Acquired Taste" Class
30. Brosure (2019) 4.15 – Aged in ruby red port barrels
29. Trump and Pump (2016) 4.19 – Aged in Sauternes wine barrels
28. Cavaliero of Varnov (2018) 4.24 – Aged in Oloroso sherry barrels
27. Legio Gemina (2016) 4.27 – Aged in Pineau de Charentes barrels
26. Brotilla (2018) 4.29 – Aged in Carcavelos wine barrles
25. Cavaliero of Varnov (2019) 4.30 – Aged in Calvados brandy barrels
24. Brozerker (2018) 4.32 – Aged in ruby port barrels

The "Solid If Unspectacular" Class
23. French Vanilla Militia (2018) 4.33
22. Conquistador De Muerte (2017) 4.33 – Aged in bourbon barrels with guajillo peppers
21. 2-year Portuguese Brandy BA (2015) 4.37

The "3F Heat Check" Class
As you'll see in the scores, the regular 2019 BBA and Rye DLs were more highly regarded, meaning 3F utilizing their new Divine Rite barrels was at a detriment to the tastebuds.
20. BA Bourbon x DVR (2019) 4.36 - Aged in bourbon barrels then finished in their Divine Rite malt whiskey barrels
19. BA Rye x DVR (2019) 4.39 – Aged in rye barrels then finished in their Divine Rite malt whiskey barrels
18. Aquavit BA (2015) 4.46 - Aged in Aquavit barrels, which 98% of people will need to Google
17. Brandy BA (2011) 4.51 - One of their first Brandy aged DLs, well received at the time. Unclear if the flavors will still be as delectable 9 years later.

The "Bread and Butter at a 5* Italian Restaurant" Class
16. Rye BA (2019) 4.44
15. Bourbon BA (2019) 4.45
14. Hung Drawn and Quartered (2018) 4.48 – Fancy name for the 2018 Rye BA
13. Bourbon BA (2012) 4.61

The "Untappd Rankings Are Wrong" Class
I've had both of these within the past 6 months, and both were better than the 2019 Handjee IMO
12. French Vanilla Militia (2019) 4.32
11. Lounge Against the Macromachine (2019) 4.38

The "Coinflip" Class
10. Bourbon BA (2013) 4.68 – 2 styles of BBA DL were released in 2013, one with vanilla beans (later known as the first Marshmallow Handjee) and one with guajillo peppers. If this is the Handjee it jumps up into the Top 5.

The "Experiments That Played Their Way Into Late Lottery Picks" Class
9. Loadstar (2019) 4.53 – Aged in Sauternas whiskey barrels with toasted coconuts
8. ‘Rrari Crochet (2019) 4.57 – Aged in port whiskey barrels with vanilla beans, strawberries, cocoa nibs and toasted coconuts
7. Lounge Against the Macromachine (2018) 4.61 – Aged in bourbon barrels then finished in tequila barrels with cinnamon, cocoa nibs, guajillo peppers and tangerine peels

The "Don't Hurt Yourself Celebrating Seeing This Bottle In Your Tote" Class
6. Chemtrailmix (2019) 4.64 - Aged in Rye barrels w/ cinnamon and pink peppercorns. Sounds iffy on paper, plays like a Stones brother.
5. Marshmallow Handjee (2019) 4.69
4. Chemtrailmix (2017) 4.70
3. Marshmallow Handjee (2017) 4.78 - Ranking was elevated by all the Beer Bros on the West Coast who couldn't get their hands on a 2018
2. Chemtrailmix (2018) 4.72

The "Zion" Class
1. Marshmallow Handjee (2018) 4.75

May the odds be ever in your favor!

Wow. I would have made this about 20 posts, but this is great info and makes me salivate at the prospect of enjoying some of them.

[devildeac]

Wow. I would have made this about 20 posts, but this is great info and makes me salivate at the prospect of enjoying some of them.

Must. Resist.

[accfanfrom1970]

2nd time around. Hardywood Brian’s Blend #10. Barelywine aged in Woodford Reserve double oaked bourbon barrels blended with their imperial milk stout aged in Copper Fox pot distilled single malt whiskey barrels. 11.4%. High cat 3, hint of booze and chocolate up front, a “smokeness” on the finish. The barleywine lightens the stout, a little sweeter maybe. Just a great creation and I’m out. No more available. Hardywood knows their barrel aging and this one of their best.

[devildeac]

Another beer list; this time "only" the 20 best summer beers:

https://hiconsumption.com/the-20-bes...summer-season/

[fuse]

Another beer list; this time "only" the 20 best summer beers:

https://hiconsumption.com/the-20-bes...summer-season/

Had 12/20. I’ve never seen most of the 8 I’ve not tried.

[Nrrrrvous]

Working my way through my Parkway Purchases...

Last night was the Mama Tired (I swore it said Mama Tried, like the country song, when I bought it) Blueberry Sour Ale
4.8%
Not much on the bitter side
From a Diamond Hill shaker glass.

Some folks try to do too much with their fruit beers, mixing 3 or 4 different fruits into one batch. This is nothing but lots and lots of blueberries. And its actually quite good, tart, but still with a nice hef-type wheat to it. I give it a solid 3, would drink again.

Tonight is the Majestic Mullet (Since I haven't had a haircut since early March, the name fits the drinker!) Krispy Kolsch.
5.6%
28IBU
From a Bacova Brewery shaker glass. (I'm at the lake, not much to choose from here!)

Kolsches can be a little bland to me at times, like drinking cheap domestic. But this one lives up to it's name. Krisp, refreshing, light but with great legs. A couple swigs and it's gone... What happened? Nothing too spectacular to make it a high 3 but definitely a "have a couple after kayaking" brew.

[Nrrrrvous]

Another beer list; this time "only" the 20 best summer beers:

https://hiconsumption.com/the-20-bes...summer-season/

Had 12/20. I’ve never seen most of the 8 I’ve not tried.

I'm way behind, Only tried 7/20. Looks like I've got some work to do this summer...

[fuse]

Gotta say (to be fair, straight from the can), Wicked Weed Pernicious does nothing for me.

It’s a decent enough beer, enjoyable.

[devildeac]

Another beer list; this time "only" the 20 best summer beers:

https://hiconsumption.com/the-20-bes...summer-season/

Had 12/20. I’ve never seen most of the 8 I’ve not tried.

I think I'm able to claim 10/20. Another WTH to some of the others and a couple or three I've heard of but never tasted.

[devildeac]

Working my way through my Parkway Purchases...

Last night was the Mama Tired (I swore it said Mama Tried, like the country song, when I bought it) Blueberry Sour Ale
4.8%
Not much on the bitter side
From a Diamond Hill shaker glass.

Some folks try to do too much with their fruit beers, mixing 3 or 4 different fruits into one batch. This is nothing but lots and lots of blueberries. And its actually quite good, tart, but still with a nice hef-type wheat to it. I give it a solid 3, would drink again.

Tonight is the Majestic Mullet (Since I haven't had a haircut since early March, the name fits the drinker!) Krispy Kolsch.
5.6%
28IBU
From a Bacova Brewery shaker glass. (I'm at the lake, not much to choose from here!)

Kolsches can be a little bland to me at times, like drinking cheap domestic. But this one lives up to it's name. Krisp, refreshing, light but with great legs. A couple swigs and it's gone... What happened? Nothing too spectacular to make it a high 3 but definitely a "have a couple after kayaking" brew.

Great name with the Majestic Mullet. Don't think I tried that at the brewery a few years ago and pretty certain I brought none home for sharing/trading.

[devildeac]

I'm way behind, Only tried 7/20. Looks like I've got some work to do this summer...

Porch-pounding!!

[devildeac]

Gotta say (to be fair, straight from the can), Wicked Weed Pernicious does nothing for me.

It’s a decent enough beer, enjoyable.

Found an old review from almost 5 years ago and I really liked it (11.2 ounce bottle poured into something glass). Not sure I'd have the same opinion in 2020 given the IPA/IIPA/NEIPA/NEDIPA explosion since then.

[devildeac]

Cerize - Zebulon Artisan Ales - American Wild Ale - 7.3 % - 25 IBU - From the bottle - "special blend of one-,two-, and 3- year old barrels of sour beer aged on sour cherries. Fermented with 100% coolship sourced wild culture from the Asheville air. Primary fermentation - wild culture in oak barrels. Secondary fermentation - wild culture and fruit in stainless. Tertiary - wild culture in bottles"

This sour has a beautiful red pour like ruby cherry 7-Up.

It's a gorgeous nose with lots of complexity - sour, cherries, some cinnamon

The taste is amazing. Saying it's tart, sour, or cherry flavored doesn't do it justice. It's comparable to something great from Allagash. I can't wait to see soon how it compares to Belgium. Zebulon makes a seriously good sour. It's quite complex and super refreshing. You taste wild yeast, pie-worthy cherry (ultimate compliment), great balance with sour (not-over the top and the heavy cherry is fresh, not medicinal), earthy, pleasant, funk, and some light cinnamon on the finish.

I guess the only complaint/question is the beer did have some of that chalky sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Is that a flaw or something that is supposed to happen with the wild yeast? The first pour had none of that, just when I emptied the bottle. But this beer was special so no big deal.

Category 3

This was highly recommended by Matt at Stella. Yes, Tripping, the super nice guy there with the beard's name is Matt (I asked though I should have known). He actually had a Zebulon shirt on. So I got a couple extra bottles of this for trading/sharing.

Cerize-Zebulon Artisan Ales

Local from Weaverville, NC

Credit-RJ199; many thanks for sharing/trading!!
Format-500 ml bottle, shared with our son minutes ago
Stemware-small Gouden Carolus chalices

I got nothing to add to the above review except the small amount of chunk in the last 5 ml is not surprising given the cherries and three fermentations, one of which was in oak barrels. This was an outstanding fruited sour and the Allagash and Belgian comparisons are in the same zip code.

[devildeac]

A Wise Man told me tonight that the forecast is for High Clouds and Haze...

[Tripping William]

A Wise Man told me tonight that the forecast is for High Clouds and Haze...

Next thing you know, that Conceited Genius will be Dancing in the Sun.

[devildeac]

Next thing you know, that Conceited Genius will be Dancing in the Sun.

Will have to find a Conceited Genius; none at this residence though Mrs. dd is pretty smart. The Dance in the Sun will be tomorrow.

[thedukelamere]

"21 Summer Beers to Cool You Off On a Hot Day"

https://blog.cheapism.com/summer-beers/#slide=11

Don't drink them all tonight.

What? I thought this was America?!

[Tripping William]

Will have to find a Conceited Genius; none at this residence though Mrs. dd is pretty smart. The Dance in the Sun will be tomorrow.

In a Tropical Shirt, I’m certain.

[devildeac]

What? I thought this was America?!

Wait, somebody is making that cartoon character wear underwear or is that a face mask he's wearing below his waist?

[devildeac]

In a Tropical Shirt, I’m certain.

That'd be the appropriate attire as we don't hear the Mountain Calling.