Ymm, Beer

[devildeac]

And, of course, one can't get from the Triangle to Asheville without passing through the Triad. Just sayin'.

Plus, you're very conveniently located off I-40, seedy bowling alleys not withstanding...

And mattman's vehicle could certainly accommodate an extra case or 3 of fine Vermont/Maine liquids...

[Indoor66]

And, of course, one can't get from the Triangle to Asheville without passing through the Triad. Just sayin'.

Beg to differ: US1 to US74 to I26 to Ashville. 😎

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Beg to differ: US1 to US74 to I26 to Ashville. 😎

Again, can't spork...

This man knows what he is talking about.

[davec]

Shout out to davec for an Indiana brewery recommendation last year, Taxman Brewing Company. Split a bomber last PM with family and brought home several 4 packs to share/trade. Would have liked to have connected with him but I never warned him we were coming to town over the weekend.

Glad you made it to Taxman! Hope you enjoyed. We'll have to connect the next time you make it up here.

[devildeac]

Glad you made it to Taxman! Hope you enjoyed. We'll have to connect the next time you make it up here.

Well, we really didn't make it to Taxman. Got to Columbus around noon and spent the entire afternoon and evening eating, touring, listening, eating and listening some more to the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic perform Saturday night. I got the bomber of Qualified at Cork Liquors at Indiana 46 and I-65, a block away from the La Quinta where we all stayed. Also picked up several 4 packs of Taxman cans at the same store and will enjoy/trade this month. Sorry never to have contacted you this trip.

[davec]

Well, we really didn't make it to Taxman. Got to Columbus around noon and spent the entire afternoon and evening eating, touring, listening, eating and listening some more to the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic perform Saturday night. I got the bomber of Qualified at Cork Liquors at Indiana 46 and I-65, a block away from the La Quinta where we all stayed. Also picked up several 4 packs of Taxman cans at the same store and will enjoy/trade this month. Sorry never to have contacted you this trip.

No worries. Our weekend was a bit crazy anyway with various kid activities. Definitely should put a visit to Taxman on the agenda for next time.

[devildeac]

No worries. Our weekend was a bit crazy anyway with various kid activities. Definitely should put a visit to Taxman on the agenda for next time.

Well, if the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic (henceforth CIP or The Phil) has another outdoor event at the winery in Bargersville (?), we are very likely to attend. We missed the last one as we were in the middle of reconstruction after some flood damage in our house and that was the hardwood floors refinishing week. We are very sorry we missed that one.

[devildeac]

Qualified-Taxman Brewing Company

Continued kudos to davec for his Taxman suggestion last year.

Style: Belgian quad
Package: 22 ounces
Hops: not named
Malts: not named
Appearance: dark brown
Head: foamy; light mocha-colored
Nose: brown sugar (how come you taste so good); dark, dried fruits
Mouthfeel: mildly syrup-y; minimal bitterness
Tastes: raisins, dates, figs, dark rum, brown sugar (still tasting good), plums and dark/toasted wheat bread
IBU: 28
ABV: 9.5%

Additional comments: Bomber shared 3 ways but not exactly equally . The high ABV is seductively and dangerously hidden. Liquid dessert. Makes me wish I had bought the last BA Qualified on the shelf, too, for about $5 more. Not sure what that ABV was. Also, makes me long for their Death and Taxes and/or Tax Holiday. Seeing a trend here ? I've got four 4 packs waiting to be divided and conquered .

[fuse]

Never heard of Oxbow.

You'll have to list the others and edjumacate mattman and we might be able to convince him to drive up to the Northeast and return to NC through the Triangle area with some hard-to-find NE brews.

Allagash
Baxter
Grittys
Maine Beer Company
Oxbow
Peak Organic
Rising Tide
Sebago

Would be ones I vouch for.

Ones to avoid:
Gearys
Shipyard

Bars in Portland:
Novare Res
Infiniti

There's lots on the Maine beer guild web page I've never tried or heard of. If you use twitter, the "beerbabe" is a Maine beer blogger.

[devildeac]

Beg to differ: US1 to US74 to I26 to Ashville. 😎

Scenic? Yes.

Longer and out of the way? Yes and yes.

But, you do get to drive through Raleigh/Cary/Apex that way and sample some Triangle brews. Then, down to Southern Pines and Southern Pines Brewing. I'm not sure what you'll find on US 74 to Charlotte but there's a lot of breweries in Charlotte, especially in/around and north of the NODA area.

[devildeac]

Allagash
Baxter
Grittys
Maine Beer Company
Oxbow
Peak Organic
Rising Tide
Sebago

Would be ones I vouch for.

Ones to avoid:
Gearys
Shipyard

Bars in Portland:
Novare Res
Infiniti

There's lots on the Maine beer guild web page I've never tried or heard of. If you use twitter, the "beerbabe" is a Maine beer blogger.

Certainly some new ones to me. I'd add Sea Dog in Bangor to the avoid list. Not bad but there are far brighter lights. I have no idea about Portland bars.

[devildeac]

Zombie Dust-3 Floyds Brewing Company

Another legendary FFF beer. (Yes, I only typed 3Fs and not 9Fs, but I did consider it. )

It's a pale ale but, by the "advanced stats," it's almost an IPA at 50 IBUs and 6.2% ABV. Pour was an orange-amber and a bit cloudy. Foam was moderate and meringue-like. Scents were citrusy with a bit of conifer. Taste was amazingly juicey with bursts of orange, rind and pineapple, light caramel lacing with a bit of an oily, piney finish. This was a 6er bought for about $10 + tax by our daughter and her husband on their return to NC from Chicago and shared with fuse, so I'll be curious to read his thoughts. I'd be pretty happy with a grilled chicken or pulled pork sammich in one hand and another pint of Zombie Dust in the other. An outstanding American pale ale (APA).

[devildeac]

From 12/11/16:

From 1/16/16:

Bourbon Barrel Aged Midnight Brue 2016-Brueprint Brewing Company

Guess who got this bottle for me last month ?

Excellent summary/description, as usual. I didn't think it was so thick and thought the head was a bit thin as was the body and perhaps tasted a bit of dark chocolate, too. Whiskey notes are very smooth, maybe with a bit of vanilla, too. I'll guess IBUs of about 50 and the ABV is 8.5%, drinking a bit more boozey than that but on the low end for the imperial stout style. I think this was $12 for the capped bomber that I sipped over 2 nights. Likely their first effort at barrel-aging for their Bruetopian Series and a very high quality one, too. So much so that I can't wait for ricks68 to return to the area and slip the BBA cherry version of this back into my clutches where it rightfully belongs .

Thanks again to fuse.

From last PM:

BBA Midnight Brue 2016-Brueprint Brewing

After darn near a year in the fuse not-so-overloaded-anymore beer fridge.

Batting in the 5th spot. Same appearance as above but more whiskey-ish aromas and boozier on the palate, along with the expected dark fruits, a bit of coffee and a dollop of molasses. A bit thinner than Silent Night but still highly enjoyable.

And yes, there was a cornucopia of snacks, treats, desserts to accompany the tastings. They included a thick apple-berry relish, candied/spiced almonds, various cheeses and crackers, pistachio bars, salted caramel/chocolate Moravian cookies along with milk chocolate iced and dark chocolate brownies. I know I missed a few other items-those were just the ones I tasted .

From Sunday and Monday nights:

Midnight Brue (2015)-Brueprint Brewing

Part 3 (or 4? or 5?). With yet another twist.

This is their annual/seasonal Russian imperial stout but this variant has been aged in oak barrels for a year (no mention of bourbon/rum/etc) and released late 2016, or thereabouts. And with Brettanomyces yeast. And blackberries. Oh, my!

Pour was midnight (d'oh). One inch mocha head that disappeared fairly. Aromas of blackberries, wine, coffee and wood. Tastes of dark berries (double d'oh), fruited vinegar (moderately sour), interwoven with espresso, unsweetened chocolate, vanilla, dates, figs, and, I'll swear, finishing with a hint of bourbon. Estimated IBUs of 30-40 and the ABV on the label is 9.5%, so I divided the 500 ml portion over the last 2 night.

Humble and copious amounts of appreciation to fuse for procuring this at the brewery this winter for $8 for each bottle, IIRC. (Yes, I typed each.) A steal, given the ASSumption that if Wicked Weed had concocted this, it would have likely been $15+ for the 16.9 ounce bottle.

[fuse]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...300450379.html

Argh.

Guess the Asheville crew was right, perhaps Wicked Weed was built to be sold.

[devildeac]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...300450379.html

Argh.

Guess the Asheville crew was right, perhaps Wicked Weed was built to be sold.

I guess. However, I'll guess they made several truckloads of $$$ as a result of 5 years of their arduous labors, so good for them.

Didn't realize AB also owned Breckenridge and Devil's Backbone.

[davec]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...300450379.html

Argh.

Guess the Asheville crew was right, perhaps Wicked Weed was built to be sold.

As a resident of IN, I guess I consider this a good news/bad news situation. On the bright side, I may actually have access to their beers more than once a year. On the other hand, well, A-B.

[mattman91]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...300450379.html

Argh.

Guess the Asheville crew was right, perhaps Wicked Weed was built to be sold.

I hate it, but can't say I'm surprised. As long as they keep brewing good beer I'll still drink it. Occasionally.

[Tripping William]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...300450379.html

Argh.

Guess the Asheville crew was right, perhaps Wicked Weed was built to be sold.

And here I was, about to review their Devilwood BBA Belgian Golden Ale (which, for me, rivals MEB's BBA Tripel Overhead, FWIW. 10% ABV, nice cloudy gold. Wonderful boozy notes from the aging). May as well have been a Bud Light now . . . . .

[devildeac]

And here I was, about to review their Devilwood BBA Belgian Golden Ale (which, for me, rivals MEB's BBA Tripel Overhead, FWIW. 10% ABV, nice cloudy gold. Wonderful boozy notes from the aging). May as well have been a Bud Light now . . . . .

LOL. Hardly. (But point well taken .)

[Tripping William]

Secured during my trip to Barrel Chest in Roanoke last month, this beer is part of Hardywood's "Barrel Series." From the brewer:

An assertive Imperial Stout aged 12 weeks in bourbon barrels and conditioned on custom roasted Sidamo coffee from Lamplighter Roasting Company, Bourbon Sidamo showcases the signature flavors of whiskey, roasted malt and Ethiopian coffee. This robust stout displays a midnight hue with a caramel head and offers a dark chocolate character laced with hints of blueberry from this unique coffee bean, rounded out by charred White Oak infused by an angel’s share of Kentucky goodness

Poured with a thicker head than I would have guessed, and it lingered a while. (I confess, though, that I probably opened it a tad on the warm side.) I also think the listed IBU of 55 seems low; it tasted more bitter than that. I didn't get any blueberry hints, either, but the coffee and whiskey flavors blended really well. Use caution, though: At 10.3% ABV, it'll hit ya!

Another really good beer from Hardywood.

And, speaking of, I saw that they are entering into some kind of collaboration with Funky Buddha. Ah, yes, there it is. Nice!