Wonderful World of Trading

Received my package today; the aftermath of the Cuvee de Castleton release. I can't wait to have some Dark Lord to consume right now and some to age. I've always loved the Kuhnhenn Rasperry Eisbock -- what a unique beer. It's so satisfying to have a successful trade. I really recommend it to anybody that ever thought about getting their feet wet.

Allagash night

Another good night at Barcade, never a bad one...really. But for the Belgian-lover Allagash makes some very unique and delicious brews. Interlude for example - their saison aged in wine barrels is just so well integrated and complex. Beautiful dark berry notes with distinct Belgiany-ness. Hugh Malone is a good buddy of mine, probably the best Belgian-IPA I've ever had, and a pretty damn good IPA at that. Also notables was the Musette with its bold bourbony flavors, and Black on cask which is my jam. It's like marshmallow graham crackers and pepper; and that is a pretty damn good sounding beer.

Epic Beer Haul!

Yesterday I went to Philly with the purpose of buying beer. I didn't mean to have the most insane weekend in personal beer history, but sometimes you have to make the investment if for the long haul, and when scarcity is a problem. It usually takes two, maybe three set-aside cases to convince me to drive down. It only took two big ones this time, and they were both beers that I specifically wanted from the West Coast but were procured in Philly, how's that for distribution? Papier with its fairly small production (4777) seemed like a long shot, but Bella Vista beer distributors had it (by the case of course) and with a seemingly low price tag. Now $12 a bottle isn't cheap. But we are talking about a beautiful wax dipped, individually numbered and foil embossed label. A beer that is 14.5%, aged in a variety of different barrels and will supposedly "age for decades." To put this in perspective, the 500ml North Coast Old Rasputin cost $23 vs. the 750ml $12 Papier. Ah, beer pricing. Not that either one is a particularly better brew (haven't had the Papier yet), just find it kind of odd. The other big gun, well that of course had to be the Ballast Point Sculpin, and talk about living up to the hype. Like Nugget Nectar times 20 is my best descriptor. So crisp and fruity, such beautiful fruit flavors, best IPA ever?
And then bonus cases!
You go with the intention of picking up two, while you are there already, might as well pick up some more? Saw an interesting case at the Beer Yard, where I picked up the Sculpin. Founder's variety pack case: 6x Imperial Stout, 6x Double Trouble, 6x Curmudgeon, and what? 6x KBS? like real KBS? Had to make sure... "is that the real KBS in there?" "yup," immediately.. "I'm getting that." Uh yea, hadn't had KBS, another quintessential beer to pick up, seemingly way past its release date. Lastly, A mix pack of Pretty Things beers from MA rounded out the haul, providing a nice balancing effect to the already explosive selections. Epic...

Weekend o' Beer

The tasting was fun, looks like to no surprise that Doggie Claws 2007 was everyones favorite. The hops had integrated nicely underneath layers and layers of dark sugar complexity. Decadence was interesting in how it was alittle sour, but not too much; just enough to lend itself to some intense plumy like dark fruit notes. Other notable barleywines included the cellar-needing Arctic Devil and the ready to drink Mirror Mirror.
Also attended the Captain Lawrence Cuvee de Castleton release yesterday. My first release at NY's award winning brewery. The tasting table was quite impressive and left me shameful of not bringing a glass or anything to taste. There was alittle bit of a scare that they might run out of a beer that they only produced 1,704 bottles of, but thankfully I got my six bottle limit. Some quality brews to consume, cellar and trade with.

Barleywine Tasting Today

So here's the list (and look for pics and reviews to follow):

• Alesmith Decadence 2008
• Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws 2007
• Midnight Sun Arctic Devil
• Troegs Flying Mouflan
• Lost Abbey Angel's Share
• Deschutes Mirror Mirror
• Third Coast Old Ale
• Nogne-O Sunturnbrew

WORD

Beer Beer Beer Beer

Another day, another package from the west coast. This time from CA and filled with particular treats that usually never make it further west than the west coast. What wondrous treats abound?
I had previously mentioned Alesmith Decadence 2008, which will be an incredible ager. I also picked up a good amount of Old Rasputin XII. Which I sampled last night, and let me tell you was quite the bourbon-barrel aged stout. beautiful notes of everything you want with a harsh edge that will mellow and integrate beautifully with some age; glad I got a lot. Last but not least, Pliny the Elder filled out the remaining package. This pinnacle west coast DIPA is everything you'd imagine it would be and quite earning of its top 10 status across most beer websites. I was slightly heartbroken to miss out on the Bruery Papier, which is a 14.5% barrel-aged old ale. But hey, I'll find a way.

Black Butte XXI in the house

Wow, picking up a package at UPS is not really a fun process. When I showed up to get my package in the 7-8 window, ended up staying til 8:30. But I probably walked away with the most bad ass package of all, you know the one that specifically states not to deliver to an intoxicated person? Yea that one. Can't wait to try this beer, Deschutes really impressed me last time with the Mirror Mirror. Also got a Midnight Sun Maitresse du Monde....should be interesting. The tasting is on for Friday: Barleywines my friends.

Tasting

OK, looks like the tasting will happen next Saturday, a week from today, and I'm leaning towards.....Barleywines. This could be a big cellar depleter as a lot of these barleywines are my last and have been saving them for a special occasion. I consider a tasting a special occasion. It's a good time to drink critically, and with good people. Let's see if I can acquire a few more special barleywines before then.

Ithaca Night @ Barcade

Just came back from my tasting at Barcade. Ordered a flight of: Eleven, Ten, Alphalpha, Flower Power (cask), and Brute. The Eleven is a coffee bomb if there ever was one. This imperial milk stout aged over whole coffee beans is quite good, but if you don't like coffee then shy away. Ten is like a barleywine now it seems, I remember being almost like hop juice last time I tried it, a lot like an American barleywine now. Alphalpha was odd, I actually expected more from this brew having read about and not tried it before. Flower Power on cask was so good, really exemplifies what a cask does to an IPA if you've ever had this beer on tap. And then there was the Brute. Now you all probably know that I'm not a huge sour fan, can't handle overpowering Brettamyoces flavor. But this beer had a good balance, and much like the Russian River Consecration I actually might have enjoyed it. The funk is not too powerful, the beer is sour, but in a fruity sort of vinous like way. The funk is there, but it adds to the flavor and sort of spices up the whole thing. The Victory Wild Devil on tap as well really does not do that.

Upcoming Tasting?

So I've been thinking about having another tasting. I got a lot of great beers coming through and a lot in the cellar, and what better reason is there to sit around comparing great beers? So I'm thinking of two possible tastings: Both of which (I guess) are inappropriate for the season.

Barleywines: Would be a mix of both English and American styles; perhaps Arctic Devil, Angel's Share, Mirror Mirror, my last? Doggie Claws 07?, Big Bad Worse etc?

OR

Barrel-Aged (dark ales?) stouts: Black Ops, Bourbon County, BBVD, Rasputin XXI....

Or perhaps just another Barrel-aged fest....but this time just barleywines and stouts?

Any ideas?

DBA redemption and Decadence!

DBA was able to redeem their Monday night tasting with the excellent choice of Whiskey. It started at 8 despite the 7 posting, but I knew it would and left accordingly. So just keep that in mind if you are ever going to go to their Monday night tastings. They are fun and you really have to speak up to get your tasting notes out there.
I also placed an order with South Bay Drugs in SD, California. Some things are just too hard to resist. Alesmith Decadence being one of them. This year's style being an English-Style Barleywine at 11% I can hardly wait to put this into the cellar. Alesmith consistently makes some of the best and age-worthy ales out there. They are a very small brewery but I've seen them (sporadically) in NYC and before that I used to drive to MA to purchase it. Anyways, the Alesmith Decadence 2006 I had opened at my first tasting back in Dec 08 was when of the best results of aging I ever had, and that was an Imperial Red Ale! Just wait (seriously!) for this bad boy in a couple of years.

"I think there's a little sumpin' in the fridge"

Here comes my shout out to Lagunitas; they just make some of the best hoppiest beers out there. These guys excel at hops. Hop Stoopid is amazing and at roughly $5 a bottle you won't find a better hoppy meal. And then they go ahead and blow me away again. Lil Sumpin, their new summer seasonal is well alittle something awesome. They just create such fruity and floral hop flavors, and seeing Lagunitas come out with something like this as their summer seasonal just makes it that much better for me. See, summer is personally my least favorite beer season. Wheat beer this, wit bier that, sunshine this, lager that. It's always the same, any breweries' lightest offering will always be their summer, and for me I just tend to think that is sometimes a little weak. I love a refreshing summer brew like the next guy and can't quaff an imperial stout on a hot summer day, ok I lie, but I will more likely than usual opt for a lighter body beer during summer. It's great to see Lagunitas not just make a 'summer time pilsner' or something like that but a beautiful west coast ipa with a wheaty twang, now that's what I'm talking about

Night Stalker on tap at Barcade

Barcade has some good stuff on tap recently. Goose Island Night Stalker is so serious. I honestly think it is more intense then the Bourbon County Stout. You will know that the BCS is already one of my favorite beers, so its pretty exciting to try its unbarreled twin brother. But the barrel aging kind of helps this beer calm down abit and develop a much more rounded taste profile. Whoa is all I can say, definitely delicious, just really really intense. Hard to drink 14ozs of, but damn....