Ymm, Beer

[devildeac]

From 8/8/17:

Doom (bottled on 4/25/17)-Founders Brewing Company

From the weekend.

A tip of the snifter to dpslaw if he's still reading here for this suggestion.

Pour was a 12 ounce bottle into a Founders snifter. Darn near perfect I might add . Two-fingered head and a slightly hazy golden-yellow color. Smells like a barleywine with some orange, zest, leather and a bit of tobacco. Tastes a bit like a barleywine, too, but it's not. There's grapefruit, more orange, oil, and wait, what else is coming through now? Is that vanilla and oak and bourbon? Why, yes, it is! It's not a barleywine. This is a bourbon barrel-aged imperial IPA. In fact, according to the Founder's rep last month at a Bottle Rev tasting, it's the old Double Trouble recipe, which I haven't had since 1/18/10, that's been sitting in booze barrels for a year or so. I'll guess 80 IBUs, superbly balanced with an ABV of 12.4%. Not cheap at about $4/12 ounce bottle but reasonably priced. I've got 3 more from my 4 pack awaiting decisions: aging? trading? tailgating? Hmmm...

From last PM:

Doom (bottled on 4/25/17)-Founders Brewing Company

Last of the litter as I believe I traded the other two. I think it became a bit softer and more mellow than the review above from 16 months ago seems to indicate with a lot more wood, vanilla, perhaps some toasted coconut and a bit smoother bourbon flavors. Very happy to have tasted but also very happy to move on to the other members of Founders' Barrel Series that they've released since early 2017.

[devildeac]

From 4/28/16:

The Abyss (released 12/17/15) -Deschutes Brewery

Fuse mentioned a while ago that he felt intimidated by reviewing a legendary beer and that's how I feel about this one. I've heard about it for 5 years, maybe more, but never had the chance to purchase until this month, getting a nice shipment from a store in the midwest and I divided a bomber over the last 3 nights and sipped each sampling at cellar temperatures over 30-45 minutes each, thereby allowing them to warm a bit more during the tasting.

It's an imperial stout that is 21% aged in oak bourbon barrels, 8% in oak barrels and 21% in oak wine (pinot noir) barrels. Poured almost pitch black into an Allagash 250 ml tulip with a creamy, tan head that lingered longer than I would have expected. Rich aromas of heavily roasted malts, espresso, dark chocolate, dried dark fruits, red wine and a whiff of whiskey. Tastes as complex as the aromas, if not more so, with oak/wood, less espresso than expected (none added), black strap molasses (added), black licorice (added), blackberries, tannins, prominent vinous notes with a very subtle bourbon finish. Vanilla is also an ingredient but I missed that taste. No way I'd have thought 86 IBUs but their website states this and the ABV is a dangerous 12.2%. I'm not a licorice fan but this was extremely well done and balanced and not over-powering as I recall Uinta's Labyrinth was 2-3 years ago. Another very decadent concoction. The stamp on the label states "Best After: 12/08/16" but I couldn't wait another 7-8 months on this one. Luckily, I still have 11 more bombers...

From 4/28/16:



From 1/3/18:

From tonight:

The Abyss (released 12/17/15)-Deschutes Brewing Company

See above.

Bottle count down to four now.

Even more complex at 2+ years after release. I think there's a bit more molasses and bourbon now, perhaps a bit more red wine and dark chocolate with a tolerable amount of licorice. This is a really, really big beer, so much so that I'm dividing my 750 ml bottle over 3 nights this week. Dessert? Yes! Pairing with a six ounce filet or a ribeye steak? That'd work well, too.

Really looking forward to that exchange with Tripping William sometime to experience what this tastes like with some tequila barrel aging.

From 11/24/18 at tailgate:

The Abyss (released 12/17/15 with "best after 12/17/16" stamped on label)-Deschutes Brewing Company

Three bottles remain.

I'm very glad 3 of us were sharing this () before the Duke football collapse on the field .

More molasses, oak/wood and red wine, almost like port, than the first two tastings with less licorice and bourbon were the general impressions this weekend. I still like the idea above of a pairing with a ribeye or filet, or perhaps a mini-vertical with the 2017 bottle I think I have, too.

[Tripping William]

From 4/28/16:





From 11/24/18 at tailgate:

The Abyss (released 12/17/15 with "best after 12/17/16" stamped on label)-Deschutes Brewing Company

Three bottles remain.

I'm very glad 3 of us were sharing this () before the Duke football collapse on the field .

More molasses, oak/wood and red wine, almost like port, than the first two tastings with less licorice and bourbon were the general impressions this weekend. I still like the idea above of a pairing with a ribeye or filet, or perhaps a mini-vertical with the 2017 bottle I think I have, too.

"Head-first into the Abyss" . . . . .

I have at least one bottle of some Abyss variant remaining from our bowling-alley trade. Maybe I'll go head-first soon.

[devildeac]

"Head-first into the Abyss" . . . . .

I have at least one bottle of some Abyss variant remaining from our bowling-alley trade. Maybe I'll go head-first soon.

I've still got a couple brandy, Scotch and plain variants in the garage. Head-first indeed.

[fuse]

Funny...not funny:

https://massivepotions.com/

[Tripping William]

May go home from Raleigh tomorrow with a Trophy Wife. But more likely a can or four of Milky Way.

[devildeac]

May go home from Raleigh tomorrow with a Trophy Wife. But more likely a can or four of Milky Way.

Sounds like you could/should be a Heavyweight Champ.

[Tripping William]

Sounds like you could/should be a Heavyweight Champ.

Yeah, them too. But you’re not the Boss of Me.

[devildeac]

Yeah, them too. But you’re not the Boss of Me.

And, If Looks Could Kill, you'd likely have Knife Skillz.

[Tripping William]

And, If Looks Could Kill, you'd likely have Knife Skillz.

That’s A Good Call. You’re quite the Participant in this thread. And Most Fashionable.

[fuse]

May go home from Raleigh tomorrow with a Trophy Wife. But more likely a can or four of Milky Way.

If applicable, might be better to convince your wife you are a Trophy Husband...

[Tripping William]

If applicable, might be better to convince your wife you are a Trophy Husband...

Been trying that for 16 years, to absolutely no avail....

[fuse]

That’s A Good Call. You’re quite the Participant in this thread. And Most Fashionable.

While I certainly suspected, I didn’t realize how many Trophy beer names I did not know.

[devildeac]

If applicable, might be better to convince your wife you are a Trophy Husband...

Sorry, no Trophy Husbands available at this location, but Mrs. dd was satisfied (barely) with her Peasant's Fare.

[devildeac]

While I certainly suspected, I didn’t realize how many Trophy beer names I did not know.

I check their draft/to-go lists about once a month and I swear they have about 50% new names each time I check.

[fuse]

https://www.sierranevada.com/resilie...unty-proud-ipa

Pretty amazing spirit of collabeeration.

[fuse]

Southern Pines Drunken Vigils

Bourbon Barrel Aged Breakfast Stout
12.4% ABV
73 IBU

First, a hearty cheers (yargh?) for an inspired name

Poured thick as motor oil, no head.

The nose alone is boozy enough to get you in trouble.
Bourbon and vanilla tantalize.

The taste does not disappoint. Super viscous, thick mouthfeel.
Layers of caramel, bourbon, vanilla, and chocolate.
Mid palate the 73 IBUs show up as a flash of bitterness.

There are notes of cinnamon interwoven throughout.

I can’t pull out any direct coffee flavour, and Drunken Vigils is just shy of being cloying sweet.

Another surprise from Southern Pines.
There are BBA Imperial Stouts far better than this, and yet I would suggest its worth a try if you see it.

[accfanfrom1970]

Impulse purchase, Southern Tier Old Fashioned. Part of their barrel house series. On sale at Wegman’s, I think I was swayed by how much I like their Cinnamon Roll. It’s an ale, poured a copper hue, maybe mahogany. Little head. I haven’t had a real old fashioned in decades, so hard to compare. Tastes like a mixed drink though. Taste little of the maple syrup or tart cherry juice. Do taste the orange peel, coriander and cardamom. It’s aged in bourbon barrels, which adds to the alcohol content - 16% abv. I would recommend it to the old fashion fan. I’ll stick to the cinnamon roll.

[devildeac]

Impulse purchase, Southern Tier Old Fashioned. Part of their barrel house series. On sale at Wegman’s, I think I was swayed by how much I like their Cinnamon Roll. It’s an ale, poured a copper hue, maybe mahogany. Little head. I haven’t had a real old fashioned in decades, so hard to compare. Tastes like a mixed drink though. Taste little of the maple syrup or tart cherry juice. Do taste the orange peel, coriander and cardamom. It’s aged in bourbon barrels, which adds to the alcohol content - 16% abv. I would recommend it to the old fashion fan. I’ll stick to the cinnamon roll.

LOL. Coincidence? Great minds? No will power? I visited Total Wine last PM looking for some extra GBS our son had requested that I purchase after he saw cases of it on display at Stella, his favorite bottle shop in Winston-Salem before they moved in 2016. I saw several bottles of this with its 16% ABV on the label (NC limit is 15% so I don't know how this got by the ABC board) and added 2 bottles of the Southern Tier Old Fashioned to my purchase, one for fuse and one for our family to sip during the holiday season.

[fuse]

https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nati...ate-in-america

Burial takes the NC top spot.