Ymm, Beer

[ricks68]

My business partner who frequents 12 Bones says he feels it is small portions and pricey, but I am always willing to try a new BBQ joint.

I also recommend Bonfire BBQ - new place on Patton Ave. Worth checking out.

It's not really a BBQ joint. It's actually a gourmet restaurant that uses mostly ingredients involving parts of a whole roasted pig. They do usually have a chicken dish or two, but the emphasis is on the whole pig. A BBQ joint it is not. We had no problems with the size of the portions, as the food is very rich. I have previously heard about Bonfire, I think, from Mattman.

Just to keep this in line with the thread, we just got back from dinner and a new release of a beer at Burial in collaboration with a local winery that grows a very rare grape variety. Very interesting concept on this one. They said it was a thick-skinned grape that is only grown in 4 states in the U.S. and has tropical flavors like star fruit, papaya, guava, etc. I tried some, and it wasn't my style. It's a little like a sour. It did have an interesting bouquet, however. They went into this long explanation about how they added the grapes; how they added everything else; how they transferred it to age for two months in some wine barrels from the Biltmore Estate winery, etc. We didn't quite grasp the concept, and it appeared that maybe they were having some trouble explaining it all as they had obviously been sampling quite a bit of the beer prior to the presentation.

The owner and some of the crew at Burial asked about when we were opening and said that the more breweries, the more everyone benefits. I told them that I had just found out that the date has been pushed back again to later December. Mrs. Ricks and I had just come from our brewhouse after meeting the head brewer of AVL Brewing over there. He had come to talk shop, as our chef had come up with the formula for the first Ninjabread Man when he worked at AVL Brewing, and had just finished helping him on the recent new Ninjabread Man release. I told our chef that the initial release last year was better. Right after that, we were informed that there was more that needed to be done that would further delay the opening.

While we were at our brewery, the bar manager over at Hi-Wire also came by to deliver some of the table tops that he has been making for us. We had just seen him at Hi-Wire the night before we left for Durham this past weekend. We all agreed that we were more than ready for the Hi-Wire Barleywine release on Friday. So far, my favorite non-barrel aged Barleywine.

Before trucking on home, we stopped at Tasty to scout out some of the premium Dragon's Milk that someone on the thread said was out there----maybe it was TW. I found a 12 oz. of the double chocolate coffee and will try it when I can. While there, the manager said that our "lead" partner had stopped by a little while before to pick out some beer for our crew. He also asked when we were opening. In addition, he said that Olde Hickory was taking over most of his taps tomorrow, with a rep bringing some premium stuff. I am sure Mattman will be there.

All of the above interactions are very typical of what goes on around here on a regular basis. The beer people pitch-in pretty much to help each other on an ongoing basis.

ricks

I think I may need a countdown signature keeping track of my progress in drinking-down my overloaded beer fridge. So far, I have "eliminated" 2 bombers and 2 12 oz. bottles since coming back from Durham on Sunday night-----but bought one 12 oz. bottle of the Dragon's Milk. So that's 170 - 4 + 1 = 167 to go. (Maybe I am really just trying to make room for the HI-Wire Barleywine and the Vortex II that will be both coming out in a few days)

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

(Sidebar)

Attn: ricks68
re: BBQ


Tried Bonfire's brisket today - best I have had in AVL. Moist and tender and smokey. Falls apart with a fork. Definitely worth a try for a Texan.

[fuse]

Tylers in Raleigh (Seaboard Station) closed.

Never made it once in the 5 years (can it be that long?) it was there.

[Bob Green]

I'm presently drinking the Lagunitas Night Time DevilDeac gave me at Tailgate before the Pitt game. I approve. The aftertaste reminds me of strong brewed coffee.

[fuse]

I'm not asking is it possible to over indulge in a single session.


At what point do you have too much beer in your cellar?
Purely a philosophical question.

[Bob Green]

Can you ever have too much beer?

No! One never knows when a rainy day may come.

[ricks68]

I'm not asking is it possible to over indulge in a single session.


At what point do you have too much beer in your cellar?
Purely a philosophical question.

Right now.

And, we missed out on the Chocolatized today. The last bottles were bought by the guy in line in front of my wife, who was our designated buyer today.

ricks

Let's see: 167 + 1 - 1 = 167. (Found a bottle of the Warlock yesterday and then had a bottle of a Chocolatized that I had saved from last year in anticipation of replacing it today.)
Interesting thing about the Warlock was that it is 10%, while the one I was able to procure in Raleigh last weekend was 8.3% and dated from 8/14. Very strange.

[ricks68]

I am learning that there is a real problem with having too much beer in the "cellar" because there is way too much great beer coming out now. For every beer I seem to consume from my full beer fridge, I end up buying more than one to replace it. The result is that I have nowhere to put my new purchases. (I have already begun to invade our non-beer refrigerator.)

ricks

[mattman91]

I am learning that there is a real problem with having too much beer in the "cellar" because there is way too much great beer coming out now. For every beer I seem to consume from my full beer fridge, I end up buying more than one to replace it. The result is that I have nowhere to put my new purchases. (I have already begun to invade our non-beer refrigerator.)

ricks

Simple solution...

Just give them to me. I only live about 25 minutes from you

[devildeac]

I'm presently drinking the Lagunitas Night Time DevilDeac gave me at Tailgate before the Pitt game. I approve. The aftertaste reminds me of strong brewed coffee.

Glad you liked it. I haven't had the Great Dismal Black IPA yet but will work it "into the rotation" next week. No adult beverages this weekend as I'm on call.

[fuse]

Nose of Belgian yeast and candi sugar.

From the pour I know the dregs are chunky.

While there is a very mild strawberry flavour, it is mostly comparable to about any mild Belgian style ale.

Might be comparable to something like Triangle Belgian.
Alcohol pretty hidden at 8%, unlike Aviator Devils Tramping Ground.

Enjoyable- thanks ricks68!

[fuse]

Nose is fruity apricot and mown grass.

I am not a fan of apricots (I don't drink aprihop).

This is a nice balance of dried fruit, oakiness from the barrel aging, and just good saison funk.
Big deal for me to give praise to an apricot beer.

Really tasty. Thanks ricks68!

[fuse]

Ecliptic Spica Pilsner

Decent pilsner style beer- not sure I can add more beyond that.

[fuse]

Perceived vs real flavour

Some high alcohol beer, particularly dark high alcohol beer hit my palate with a soy (off) flavour.

I noticed this with 1994 Sam Adams Triple Bock initially.
2010(?) Olde Hickory Event Horizon is another beer where I taste soy.

Olde Hickory Lindley Park seems to be hitting me with soy notes also.

Anyone else ever taste soy in their beer?
Desirable to you or not?

Very offputting to me.

[mattman91]

Carolina Cinema in South Asheville is great. New movies and local food and beer, about 15 taps. $8 for a 22 oz Ninja Porter... Not bad considering a soda the same size is $6. They also show The Walking Dead on Sunday nights

[mattman91]

Perceived vs real flavour

Some high alcohol beer, particularly dark high alcohol beer hit my palate with a soy (off) flavour.

I noticed this with 1994 Sam Adams Triple Bock initially.
2010(?) Olde Hickory Event Horizon is another beer where I taste soy.

Olde Hickory Lindley Park seems to be hitting me with soy notes also.

Anyone else ever taste soy in their beer?
Desirable to you or not?

Very offputting to me.

As soon as I read the word "soy", I though Event Horizon. I haven't had it in a while, but have heard people describe it as having a soy sauce taste.

Interesting that you had the same experience with Lindley Park, I've never tasted soy in that beer. As a matter of fact, I have one waiting for me in the fridge that I can't wait to open!

[devildeac]

Perceived vs real flavour

Some high alcohol beer, particularly dark high alcohol beer hit my palate with a soy (off) flavour.

I noticed this with 1994 Sam Adams Triple Bock initially.
2010(?) Olde Hickory Event Horizon is another beer where I taste soy.

Olde Hickory Lindley Park seems to be hitting me with soy notes also.

Anyone else ever taste soy in their beer?
Desirable to you or not?

Very offputting to me.

You're not the first to sense/taste that. In occasional stout/RIS reviews, I've read that before and can understand how that might be perceived. I'm going to have to pay a bit more attention to that.

[fuse]

Stone 24 Carrot Golden Ale

Another of Stone's homebrewer collaboration beers.

Loveninja like carrot cake (a lot) so this was a must try.

I can't place the nose- almost like a stale keg beer.

I guess I have had too many carrot cakes in my lifetime, as this beer evokes none of what I had hoped.

There is a spice to the finish- not cinnamon, maybe something vaguely carrot cake-y.

Blind tasted, would I have said this was a good beer?
Likely.

Given the aspirational target, I can't really recommend.
Hoping the second bottle we picked up is better.

[fuse]

Alpine Pure Hoppiness DIPA

Lemon, grapefruit, vanilla nose.

Rich.
I thought it would be hoppier honestly.
Perhaps better said, I expected it to be more bitter.

Citrus, fruity.

Worth seeking out.

[ricks68]

Right now.

And, we missed out on the Chocolatized today. The last bottles were bought by the guy in line in front of my wife, who was our designated buyer today.

ricks

Let's see: 167 + 1 - 1 = 167. (Found a bottle of the Warlock yesterday and then had a bottle of a Chocolatized that I had saved from last year in anticipation of replacing it today.)
Interesting thing about the Warlock was that it is 10%, while the one I was able to procure in Raleigh last weekend was 8.3% and dated from 8/14. Very strange.

My wife surprised me later with the Chocolatized! She tricked me. She also returned and picked up 2 more Warlocks for aging. So, then we bought a bottle of a Chocolate Hazelnut Porter from Heretic today along with six packs of the Bell's Expedition (Yummmmmmmmmm..) and the only beer that we think may be really enjoyable from Natty Green's---the Red Nose Winter Ale.

ricks

So let's see now: 167 + 4 + 2 + 1 + 12 = 186 since declaring that I had to drink down my stash from 170. (I know that I am now officially out of control-----I even added another large hand crafted ceramic beer mug to our collection-----but sure am lucky that it's finally getting cold around here and that my garage is not heated.)

One last note: We were misled by the bartender at HiWire last week, as their fantastic barleywine is not out yet. Can't wait for that one.