Me and my friends Evan, Scott & John decided to start 2017 off right with a huge share on New Year's Day. We popped some bottles we had been saving for a special occasion, played Camel Up, and attempted to watch some Week 17 football (sorry about those Lions, Evan & Scott). Here's a ranking, in my opinion, of the beers we had that day.
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| Graveyard |
Just missed:
16. Sand City Brewing - One
I was very glad to acquire one of these cans as an extra in a trade, as I really wanted to try it. However, this double IPA which was brewed to commemorate Sand City's one year anniversary, was released sometime in October (making it in the 2-3 month range). Definitely fell off as this beer seems to be massively dry-hopped with citra and galaxy. Still quite good for being that old.
16. Sand City Brewing - One
I was very glad to acquire one of these cans as an extra in a trade, as I really wanted to try it. However, this double IPA which was brewed to commemorate Sand City's one year anniversary, was released sometime in October (making it in the 2-3 month range). Definitely fell off as this beer seems to be massively dry-hopped with citra and galaxy. Still quite good for being that old.
15. Aslin Brewing - DDH Neutrino
I complained about Aslin enough in my last post. First criticism, 750 mL of a double dry-hopped IPA is way, way too much (even at ~6% ABV). Four of us splitting it thought it was too much. Second criticism, it's really sweet.
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| Although not a picture from the share, I still challenge someone to tell me that murky brown looks like an appetizing DDH IPA. |
14. New Glarus Brewing - R&D Wild Barrel
I haven't tried much of New Glarus, thanks to their Wisconsin-only distribution (and I'm not making a trip to the Badger state anytime soon). The R&D series is something I've been wanting to try thanks to a really rad label. This version, also known as the Bramble Berry Bourbon Barrel, is a spontaneously fermented wild brown ale (aged in bourbon barrels). It was quite an interesting beer with some dark fruit jam notes, some mild tartness, a touch of vanilla & some oak on the finish. Not too many bourbon or barrel notes but it was nice. Very similar to de Garde's Poppy Van Ambre which I also liked but was noticeably more tart.
13. Tree House Brewing - Super Sap
Whoa I almost left this beer off my ranking which could probably be considered blasphemy in many beer circles. This is a different sort of TH IPA, with a lot of piney notes and sticky hops.
12. Sand City Brewing - Infinity + One
I honestly can't believe this beer is on the just missed list. This is a fantastic, fresh double IPA from Long Island kings Sand City. Juicy and soft, this is probably the best Sand City offering I've had.
I honestly can't believe this beer is on the just missed list. This is a fantastic, fresh double IPA from Long Island kings Sand City. Juicy and soft, this is probably the best Sand City offering I've had.
11. Tree House Brewing - Alter Ego
A Tree House IPA missing a top ten list must be against some sort of beer nerd law. Alter Ego, while not my favorite regular TH offering (Haze? Green? It's too difficult to choose...) is still a fantastic beer with that signature juiciness and softness. Always a pleasure to drink something from Monson.
A Tree House IPA missing a top ten list must be against some sort of beer nerd law. Alter Ego, while not my favorite regular TH offering (Haze? Green? It's too difficult to choose...) is still a fantastic beer with that signature juiciness and softness. Always a pleasure to drink something from Monson.
Top Ten!
10. Jester King Brewing - CRU 55
RU55 is a farmhouse red ale aged in oak barrels with souring bacteria and wild yeast. CRU55, is a special version of RU55 aged in a huge puncheon for three years. This was essentially a classic flanders red ale, dark burgundy with touch of tartness/acidity with tons of oak. Quite a treat.
RU55 is a farmhouse red ale aged in oak barrels with souring bacteria and wild yeast. CRU55, is a special version of RU55 aged in a huge puncheon for three years. This was essentially a classic flanders red ale, dark burgundy with touch of tartness/acidity with tons of oak. Quite a treat.
9. Tree House Brewing - Native Four
As I prepared myself to try my first "sour" from Tree House, I was expecting to be underwhelmed. I thought there was no way they could make the best IPAs on the planet and excellent stouts AND nice wild ales. Well, damn. Pouring straw yellow, this bottle-fermented was first aged in oak barrels for 8 months with brettanomyces and lactobacillus. The age on this showed nicely, refreshingly tart without being over sour from the lacto.
As I prepared myself to try my first "sour" from Tree House, I was expecting to be underwhelmed. I thought there was no way they could make the best IPAs on the planet and excellent stouts AND nice wild ales. Well, damn. Pouring straw yellow, this bottle-fermented was first aged in oak barrels for 8 months with brettanomyces and lactobacillus. The age on this showed nicely, refreshingly tart without being over sour from the lacto.
8. de Garde Brewing - Grand Blanc
Some oak with lots of riesling grape notes (must, juice, etc). As tart and pleasant as any de Garde.
Some oak with lots of riesling grape notes (must, juice, etc). As tart and pleasant as any de Garde.
7. Odd Side Ales - Rye Hipster Brunch Stout
The last beer we had at the share, and we definitely went out with a bang and not a whimper. I didn't know what to expect from this barrel-aged stout packed with adjuncts. Essentially an imitation MBCP, this rye stout is brewed with maple syrup and then aged in rye whiskey barrels with coffee and bacon. This blew me away. Great coffee and maple sweetness with smooth whiskey. Note to self: seek out Odd Side.
The last beer we had at the share, and we definitely went out with a bang and not a whimper. I didn't know what to expect from this barrel-aged stout packed with adjuncts. Essentially an imitation MBCP, this rye stout is brewed with maple syrup and then aged in rye whiskey barrels with coffee and bacon. This blew me away. Great coffee and maple sweetness with smooth whiskey. Note to self: seek out Odd Side.
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| Drunk me didn't care about the lighting on this one. |
6. OEC Brewing - Vindemia Blanc
Another incredible blended wild ale from OEC. This blend of year old ale aged in oak barrels on vidal blanc grapes and champagne currants was (as you can guess) a fusion of white wine, champagne and wild ale - lots of funk and tartness with subtle white grape must. Some of their blends may seem really out there but these CT blenders are consistently releasing fantastic and interesting ales.
Another incredible blended wild ale from OEC. This blend of year old ale aged in oak barrels on vidal blanc grapes and champagne currants was (as you can guess) a fusion of white wine, champagne and wild ale - lots of funk and tartness with subtle white grape must. Some of their blends may seem really out there but these CT blenders are consistently releasing fantastic and interesting ales.
5. de Garde Brewing - Petit Peche
In my last post I was blown away by how much I liked Petit Nectarine compared to Nectarine Premiere. Unable to compare this to another dG peach beer (I.E. The Peach, Peach Bu, etc.) I thought back to Imperial Stone Bu which I really liked on my birthday share. I was blown away by Petit Peche's aroma of fresh juicy peaches. While I was distracted from playing Camel Up, I remembered a lot of peach juice and tartness from this wild ale. de Garde is just unfair.
4. O'so Brewing / Funk Factory Geuzeria - Bosbes
Bosbes is a true American lambic, a blend of "lambic style" beer aged in French oak wine barrels for 18-24 months then re-fermented on (2 lbs/gallon of) blueberries for 6 weeks. Firstly, the color is incredible and the best I've seen from a blueberry beer. Mashing those blueberries down in the lambic blend must have been therapeutic. Secondly, it was a mistake to have this after Frampaars.
Comparing fruits is hard, since there are so many inherent biases and taste preferences and differences between two different berries, especially between two as different as the blueberry and raspberry. As I've noted before, I think blueberry is a soft fruit that doesn't bring too much to the table. However, in Bosbes, the blueberry flavor is overwhelming when combined with the funky, tannic, and dry lambic blend. It finishes with a lot of oak and was excellent. I wish I had another bottle to see how this would taste with a bit more age.
Bosbes is a true American lambic, a blend of "lambic style" beer aged in French oak wine barrels for 18-24 months then re-fermented on (2 lbs/gallon of) blueberries for 6 weeks. Firstly, the color is incredible and the best I've seen from a blueberry beer. Mashing those blueberries down in the lambic blend must have been therapeutic. Secondly, it was a mistake to have this after Frampaars.
Comparing fruits is hard, since there are so many inherent biases and taste preferences and differences between two different berries, especially between two as different as the blueberry and raspberry. As I've noted before, I think blueberry is a soft fruit that doesn't bring too much to the table. However, in Bosbes, the blueberry flavor is overwhelming when combined with the funky, tannic, and dry lambic blend. It finishes with a lot of oak and was excellent. I wish I had another bottle to see how this would taste with a bit more age.
3. Hardywood Brewing - Kentucky Christmas Morning (2016)
On Christmas day, I had Hardywood's Christmas Morning and really enjoyed it. I'm not a big fan of the base GBS thinking it's too sweet, but the coffee beans in CM add a nice level of roast and bitterness that was really pleasant (I found CM to be better than BA GBS too). I came in to KCM with very high expectations thanks to how much I liked CM and I was blown away. Hardywood ages GBS in bourbon barrels and then filters it through roasted coffee beans, leaving a lot of fresh roasted coffee with the impressive bourbon character. Glad I have a second bottle of this.
On Christmas day, I had Hardywood's Christmas Morning and really enjoyed it. I'm not a big fan of the base GBS thinking it's too sweet, but the coffee beans in CM add a nice level of roast and bitterness that was really pleasant (I found CM to be better than BA GBS too). I came in to KCM with very high expectations thanks to how much I liked CM and I was blown away. Hardywood ages GBS in bourbon barrels and then filters it through roasted coffee beans, leaving a lot of fresh roasted coffee with the impressive bourbon character. Glad I have a second bottle of this.
2. O'So Brewing / Funk Factory Geuzeria - Frampaars
Levi Funk knows what he's doing. Essentially the same formula as Bosbes, this blend of lambic beer which was aged in French oak wine barrels for 18-24 months was then re-fermented on (again 2 lbs /gallon) of fresh raspberries. Frampaars was like drinking sweet and tart raspberry jam - very funky, it got better as it warmed and the fruit opened up.
Levi Funk knows what he's doing. Essentially the same formula as Bosbes, this blend of lambic beer which was aged in French oak wine barrels for 18-24 months was then re-fermented on (again 2 lbs /gallon) of fresh raspberries. Frampaars was like drinking sweet and tart raspberry jam - very funky, it got better as it warmed and the fruit opened up.
1. Bottle Logic Brewing - Fundamental Observation (B2, 2016)
The beast of the 2016 beer trading world, FO probably deserves the hype. I came into the night expecting Frampaars to be the best beer of the night given my preference for fruited wild ales over barrel-aged stouts. I was so, so wrong. Though I haven't had the pleasure of trying many vanilla stouts, I knew something was special about FO's vanilla character. Comparing it to the (quite good) Grimm Sumi Ink, the vanilla and bourbon flavors in this blew that away. While drinking it, I compared it to tasting Breyer's basic vanilla ice cream to a high-quality vanilla bean ice cream. There's just another layer there without added sweetness. The barrel and bourbon in this was also great, with a smooth and thick mouthfeel.
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