Ymm, Beer

[devildeac]

Maine Brewing Company

MBC holds a special place in my heart, as few breweries do.

MBC Lunch is one of those perfect beers.

Great frothy head, deep brassy gold in colour.

Piney nose, and while being bitter, there is still a harmonious balance of malty sweetness.

This is a desert island beer.

Being hard to get hold of, even with MBC now distributing to NC, a tip of the cap with a great flourish, to devildeac. Thank you, kind sir.

Cheers!

Lunch-Maine Beer Company

Another disappointment for me. My fault as this is another beer I likely should have sipped 6 weeks ago.

A shared 500 ml bottle tonight ($10ish) with our son poured a hazy, straw-amber color with a foamy head. Stone fruits and pine at first sniff, followed by some resin, peach and grapefruit on the palate. I'll guess IBUs about 60 based on the style (IPA) with ABV at 7%. Their recommendations on the label of "hoppy beers do not age well" and "best enjoyed within 90 days of date stamped on label (5/8/18)" should have been heeded better. This is their flagship beer and I remember better on draft from the brewery visit and transported/smuggled/imported case of 500 ml bottles 4 years ago.

[fuse]

devildeac, re MBC, you are breaking my heart.

My memory says some of the best most delicate beer I have ever had.

Subtle, nuanced, delightful.

[devildeac]

devildeac, re MBC, you are breaking my heart.

My memory says some of the best most delicate beer I have ever had.

Subtle, nuanced, delightful.

I remember my flight at the brewery and subsequent purchases of 12-500 ml bottles and delivery to you from August, 2014 and have the same wonderful memories. I have 2 more 500 ml bottles (not Lunch or A Tiny Little Something) that have July bottling dates on them, IIRC, so I may consume them this weekend while fresh and hopefully have better reports.

[Tripping William]

In the same vein, I believe I saw that Unknown is releasing this year’s edition of Bright [Wanker] Tank Top soon. Ymmmmm ...

Stella Brew posted that it has cans of Bright [Wanker] Tank Top, aged in rum barrels. I might not be taking the shortest route home . . . . .

[devildeac]

Stella Brew posted that it has cans of Bright [Wanker] Tank Top, aged in rum barrels. I might not be taking the shortest route home . . . . .

Beer detour .

[fuse]

Stella Brew posted that it has cans of Bright [Wanker] Tank Top, aged in rum barrels. I might not be taking the shortest route home . . . . .

I could swear I’ve had this beer, but thread search only turned up your references to it.

Reads like an amazing beverage.

[devildeac]

Peach Tripel-Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

Hardywood spotting and purchase in NC! Thanks fuse!

(No worries to/for accfanfrom 1970-I'm still good for the Curieux-Hardywood trades next month or any other other Hardywood Pilot or Barrel Series that you might bring. .)

500 ml bottles x2 from a recent trading session.

Pour was a cloudy peach hue (D'oh!) into my cute, little Allagash tulip and my small Gouden Carolus chalice shared with our son last PM. Fairly generous and fizzy head with a thin coating of Belgian lace last through most of the sipping. Expected aromas of peaches (added) and maybe some oranges (not added). Mildly sweet, peachy tastes with a pinch of white pepper from the Belgian yeasts and some light brown sugar. The label claims apricots are added but I'm not sure I'd have claimed that. Very pleasing on the palate at 25 IBUs and dangerously sippable at 8.2% ABV which is a bit "thin" for the style. It's not a "cobbler" like Mamaw's Mean Cobbler but still a very refreshing dessert beer that would also pair with soft cheeses, sweet and sour chicken or shrimp or a fruit tart.

[Tripping William]

I could swear I’ve had this beer, but thread search only turned up your references to it.

Reads like an amazing beverage.

Well, this edition is delicious. It’s not margarita-like, as the Junkyard (Moorhead, MN) version is. It’s sour, but in a different way. Less lime, and perhaps a bit more boozy due to the rum-barrel aging. It’s hard to describe — like trying to describe the taste of salt to someone who hasn’t tasted it before — but it is definitely worth tracking down. In the running for the best sour/gose I have tasted. Glad I have seven more 16-ounce cans ...

[devildeac]

Well, this edition is delicious. It’s not margarita-like, as the Junkyard (Moorhead, MN) version is. It’s sour, but in a different way. Less lime, and perhaps a bit more boozy due to the rum-barrel aging. It’s hard to describe — like trying to describe the taste of salt to someone who hasn’t tasted it before — but it is definitely worth tracking down. In the running for the best sour/gose I have tasted. Glad I have seven more 16-ounce cans ...

Hmm, attending any Duke FB tailgates this fall?

[Tripping William]

Hmm, attending any Duke FB tailgates this fall?

Wish I knew. Given the way the fall calendar is looking, it may literally be a "game-time" decision.

In a similar vein, though, yesterday I also picked up a six-pack of Unknown's Pre-Game pilsner (not the session ale by the same name, which I have had before). Will be interested to try it.

[Tripping William]

An interesting Winston-Salem Journal article from this past Sunday about the W-S craft beer scene, its symbiotic relationship with the food-truck scene, and what the future might hold. Asheville gets a shout-out (even if its number of breweries is likely underestimated), and I suspect similar things are happening in other parts of NC.

A good read.

[devildeac]

An interesting Winston-Salem Journal article from this past Sunday about the W-S craft beer scene, its symbiotic relationship with the food-truck scene, and what the future might hold. Asheville gets a shout-out (even if its number of breweries is likely underestimated), and I suspect similar things are happening in other parts of NC.

A good read.

I'll guess Asheville has >30 breweries in the "downtown" area but I'll let one of the residents clarify that.

Durham is probably a good comparison to W-S with about 6 breweries in the downtown area and I'll guess an "active" food truck market. The breweries in the Raleigh area are scattered about town more but also with a burgeoning food truck scene.

I've got some stats from end 2017 (IIRC) at home with # of breweries in the top 10-12 states with NC #8, just behind Oregon ().

[fuse]

An interesting Winston-Salem Journal article from this past Sunday about the W-S craft beer scene, its symbiotic relationship with the food-truck scene, and what the future might hold. Asheville gets a shout-out (even if its number of breweries is likely underestimated), and I suspect similar things are happening in other parts of NC.

A good read.

It is a good read, thanks for sharing.

I’d say the article is flawed with respect to fact checking.

Highland and Foothills the #1 and #2 breweries by volume in the state?

Even if I throw out Sierra Nevada, Oskar Blues, and New Belgium, I suspect Big Boss, Lone Rider and maybe even Aviator are cranking out way more beer than Foothills and Highland.

I tried finding NC craft breweries by volume online to no avail.

I also find it intriguing that Apex with 3 breweries has half as many as Winston-Salem. I would have guessed W-S would have easily had a dozen or more.

[devildeac]

It is a good read, thanks for sharing.

I’d say the article is flawed with respect to fact checking.

Highland and Foothills the #1 and #2 breweries by volume in the state?

Even if I throw out Sierra Nevada, Oskar Blues, and New Belgium, I suspect Big Boss, Lone Rider and maybe even Aviator are cranking out way more beer than Foothills and Highland.

I tried finding NC craft breweries by volume online to no avail.

I also find it intriguing that Apex with 3 breweries has half as many as Winston-Salem. I would have guessed W-S would have easily had a dozen or more.

I'd think RBC and NoDa might be top 5, too. I've also tried searches like the bolded above w/o success.

[mattman91]

I'll guess Asheville has >30 breweries in the "downtown" area but I'll let one of the residents clarify that.

Durham is probably a good comparison to W-S with about 6 breweries in the downtown area and I'll guess an "active" food truck market. The breweries in the Raleigh area are scattered about town more but also with a burgeoning food truck scene.

I've got some stats from end 2017 (IIRC) at home with # of breweries in the top 10-12 states with NC #8, just behind Oregon ().

I've lost count. Went to a local favorite bar a coupe weeks ago to learn that they are brewing their own beer too, and it wasn't good. I prefer quality over quantity. I'm beginning to think that everyone here thinks they can be a brewer here. Sad.

[devildeac]

I've lost count. Went to a local favorite bar a coupe weeks ago to learn that they are brewing their own beer too, and it wasn't good. I prefer quality over quantity. I'm beginning to think that everyone here thinks they can be a brewer here. Sad.

Have any closed in the last 6-12 months?

[mattman91]

Have any closed in the last 6-12 months?

I don't think so, but I could name a few that I wish would. Tourists that don't know any better will keep them open.

[accfanfrom1970]

[QUOTE=devildeac;1083763]Peach Tripel-Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

Hardywood spotting and purchase in NC! Thanks fuse!

(No worries to/for accfanfrom 1970-I'm still good for the Curieux-Hardywood trades next month or any other other Hardywood Pilot or Barrel Series that you might bring. .)

Oh I am bringing it. I have a grisette? Aged in gin barrels. Their imperial milk stout aged in brandy barrels. And their black berry cobbler. Plus, Ardent tells me they should their barrel aged honey ginger by the October uva game

[devildeac]

[QUOTE=accfanfrom1970;1083942]

Peach Tripel-Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

Hardywood spotting and purchase in NC! Thanks fuse!

(No worries to/for accfanfrom 1970-I'm still good for the Curieux-Hardywood trades next month or any other other Hardywood Pilot or Barrel Series that you might bring. .)

Oh I am bringing it. I have a grisette? Aged in gin barrels. Their imperial milk stout aged in brandy barrels. And their black berry cobbler. Plus, Ardent tells me they should their barrel aged honey ginger by the October uva game

Ymm, (Hardywood) Beer.

Thanks! They all sound great!

I'm printing some extra $20 notes now. Just in case.

[accfanfrom1970]

With their expansion/west creek brewery they are planning on delivering from Virginia to Atlanta. Should see a lot more from them your way.