Beer of the Day thread (and ci-derp)
10-30-2015, 11:33 PM
#1901
They were the only two bottles they had in the store. I think I will look at the Bevmo stores near me (eastbay) for some more. They must have just started distributing out here recently because I have never even seen them until Erat posted that, and I make it a point to see/try ever imperial stout available.
I have no willpower when it comes to barrel aged goods. The only way I can pull it off is if I keep finding new and exciting ones that make me forget about the ones I've already got in the basement. Is this how alcoholism starts?
I have no willpower when it comes to barrel aged goods. The only way I can pull it off is if I keep finding new and exciting ones that make me forget about the ones I've already got in the basement. Is this how alcoholism starts?
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11-02-2015, 09:29 PM
#1904
Stopped my my favorite local local liquor store today to see what they had cookin, now that it's getting back into stout season. I got to talking with the guy and low and behold, he was sitting on a bunch of stuff in the back. Not a bad bad haul considering:
The amazing thing about those Stone selections is that they have all been aged. Apparently, they have had cases and cases of Stone stuff crammed in the back of their enormous walk-in cooler for years. He said there's old Vertical Epic and IPA as well. I just care about the stouts. Notice that Stone RIS is a 2008 (!!), as is the Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal too. The Expresso RIS is a 2013.
I just bought one of each because I was skeptical about whether they might be skunked, but after trying it tonight, I'll be damned if it wasn't phenomenal for a 7 buck bomber. I'm going back tomorrow and getting a case of the RIS. The cool thing is that they're selling them at current pricing; seems they can't mark them up further simply due to aging (although they are night and day from the "fresh" product). For me the best part is they are ready to drink NOW, so I don't have to suffer the whole delayed gratification aging conundrum.
Case in point on that conundrum is that Fifty/Fifty Eclipse, which is supposed to be out of this world, but apparently needs more cellaring to reach it's "full" potential. This also marks the first time I've ever found the KBS here in Cali too, so like I said, not a bad haul.
The amazing thing about those Stone selections is that they have all been aged. Apparently, they have had cases and cases of Stone stuff crammed in the back of their enormous walk-in cooler for years. He said there's old Vertical Epic and IPA as well. I just care about the stouts. Notice that Stone RIS is a 2008 (!!), as is the Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal too. The Expresso RIS is a 2013.
I just bought one of each because I was skeptical about whether they might be skunked, but after trying it tonight, I'll be damned if it wasn't phenomenal for a 7 buck bomber. I'm going back tomorrow and getting a case of the RIS. The cool thing is that they're selling them at current pricing; seems they can't mark them up further simply due to aging (although they are night and day from the "fresh" product). For me the best part is they are ready to drink NOW, so I don't have to suffer the whole delayed gratification aging conundrum.
Case in point on that conundrum is that Fifty/Fifty Eclipse, which is supposed to be out of this world, but apparently needs more cellaring to reach it's "full" potential. This also marks the first time I've ever found the KBS here in Cali too, so like I said, not a bad haul.
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11-03-2015, 11:48 AM
#1905
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: TAMPA, FL
Posts: 817
Total Cats: 20
A beer kept in bottle in a cold dark place is not going to age much.
Most of beer "aging" is just oxidation and it's mostly bad. It can de-harshen an overly strong beer (I made a molasses stout that tasted nasty when fresh but was quite drinkable after 8 years sitting in a shed), but your average beer, especially one that tastes good new is not going to become noticeably better with time. That 8 year stout also had quite a bit of yeast in the keg to help with the aging.
To put this in perspective, my 2 week old belgian strong dark that I finished off earlier this month (12.5% abv) tasted every bit as finished and smooth as a nearly 10 year old barley wine that I had a while back.
Most of beer "aging" is just oxidation and it's mostly bad. It can de-harshen an overly strong beer (I made a molasses stout that tasted nasty when fresh but was quite drinkable after 8 years sitting in a shed), but your average beer, especially one that tastes good new is not going to become noticeably better with time. That 8 year stout also had quite a bit of yeast in the keg to help with the aging.
To put this in perspective, my 2 week old belgian strong dark that I finished off earlier this month (12.5% abv) tasted every bit as finished and smooth as a nearly 10 year old barley wine that I had a while back.
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11-03-2015, 02:37 PM
#1906
I just picked up a bottle of the 2008 Vertical Epic a couple weeks ago at a BevMo in Phoenix. I was wondering what the story with it was. I wasn't really that deep down the craft beer rabbit hole at that time, and only had the 2010-2012 versions. I'll have to keep an eye out for the other reserve releases.
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11-05-2015, 11:27 AM
#1907
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Raleigh NC
Posts: 113
Total Cats: 2
Quite excited to head up to Hardywood Park Brewery in Richmond VA for the Gingerbread Stout release on Friday night. I've been to the last 4, and it's usually a great time. The Saturday party is Awesome, but plans are not allowing for it this year.
Hopefully they are allowing a full-case purchase this year. I usually buy 8. drink/gift/trade 7, and hold on to one for long term.
Hopefully they are allowing a full-case purchase this year. I usually buy 8. drink/gift/trade 7, and hold on to one for long term.
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11-09-2015, 06:42 PM
#1908
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,020
Total Cats: 6,588
Finally decided to open this one up, which I've been holding onto for a while. Someone, and forgive me as I can't remember which one you are, gave it to me a couple of years ago as payment for... something. (Car parts? Megasquirt work? Can't remember.)
Poured with very little head, but the aroma immediately met me from a foot away. Not terribly complex, just loads and loads of nutty, syrupy malt and just a teensy little hop finish. Interesting, different... Not bad at all, though I can't say I'd pick it over a Rasputin. Still, a very satisfying beer.
It's also dark. As in "light does not pass through it. This beer has an event horizon."
Poured with very little head, but the aroma immediately met me from a foot away. Not terribly complex, just loads and loads of nutty, syrupy malt and just a teensy little hop finish. Interesting, different... Not bad at all, though I can't say I'd pick it over a Rasputin. Still, a very satisfying beer.
It's also dark. As in "light does not pass through it. This beer has an event horizon."
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11-09-2015, 09:20 PM
#1910
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,020
Total Cats: 6,588
Ah, yeah- I forgot about the Forester. How the hell did you remember that?
End notes: the flavor lingered on the palate for quite some time, but without developing any of the bitterness often associated with such phenomenon. I'd call it an 8/10. Would drink again.
End notes: the flavor lingered on the palate for quite some time, but without developing any of the bitterness often associated with such phenomenon. I'd call it an 8/10. Would drink again.
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11-11-2015, 05:04 PM
#1914
Have You Seen This Beer?
It's tall, dark, and comes in a (19.2oz) can.
Ok, so I heard about these and I've desperately been trying to find one for over a week now; calling every decent bottle shop in the entire SF bay area and no one has even seen one. So, today I called the brewery in Colorado and spoke with a very nice lady who confirmed that, yes indeed, they did just have their sale of them this year, and they were positively "magical", but that they were entirely sold out in just 3 days, and that they were never distributed out of the state of Colorado.
So I ask, did any of you lucky folks living in Colorado have a chance to sample one of them? If so, please indulge me with your recount of this rarefied experience . . . and don't be stingy with the adjectives!
Ok, so I heard about these and I've desperately been trying to find one for over a week now; calling every decent bottle shop in the entire SF bay area and no one has even seen one. So, today I called the brewery in Colorado and spoke with a very nice lady who confirmed that, yes indeed, they did just have their sale of them this year, and they were positively "magical", but that they were entirely sold out in just 3 days, and that they were never distributed out of the state of Colorado.
So I ask, did any of you lucky folks living in Colorado have a chance to sample one of them? If so, please indulge me with your recount of this rarefied experience . . . and don't be stingy with the adjectives!
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11-12-2015, 12:22 PM
#1920
Elite Member
iTrader: (37)
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Very NorCal
Posts: 10,441
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IMO the only things that should spend any time in a barrel are big *** stouts (like a RIS) strong ale and Barleywine, and then only long enough to add some complexity. The exception to this rule is of course sours.
Adventures in Homebrewing sells 5g oak whiskey/bourbon barrels (Ballantines IIRC?) but they sell out pretty much instantly once they post them as available.
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