Beer

[PSUMike]

Rauchbiers are interesting but not my thing. Subtle smoke is fine but smoke is the main flavor profile of them which doesn't appeal to me. A local brewery did a stout with a small portion of the grist being smoked and it was glorious. They also split the batch into 3s and did a third is freshly emptied bourbon barrels, another third in bourbon barrels that housed maple syrup, and the last third in bourbon barrels that housed honey. It is a top 3 all time beer for me. Incredibly complex and delicious.

 

[Napes21]

Had a New Holland Brewing Dragon's Milk (Bourbon Barrell Stout) last night (can't find an image that isn't super large so not pasting) - was real good but put me into a world of trouble - watch out for the ABV - definitely had a nice complexion of flavors going on though and would recommend. Other ones I enjoyed that I would also add to the list:

Lagunitas Lucky 13:

Also enjoyed a Captain Lawrence Liquid Gold:

 

[Educ8d Degener8]

Any of you guys into barrel aged stouts? I'm not a liquor drinker but there is something about a bourbon barrel that is magical in stouts. I'm putting together a really nice collection of highly sought after stouts for a share that I do regularly with 2 of my friends.

What you puttin' together? TG stuff / FO / etc?

 

[PSUMike]

KBBS (I have)
Assassin (my buddy Mark has)
SR-71 (my buddy James has)
Mornin' Delight (James again)
Derivation #4 (Me)
Pappy Van Winkle Black Magick (Mark)
Laird's Brandy Black Magick (Mark)
Buffalo Trace Black Magick (Mark)

We are all pretty big traders but these took a while to get. We'll have to break it up into a couple different shares because it's just too much to do in one night.

 

[Educ8d Degener8]

That is a righteous list.

 

[PSUMike]

Yes it is. I don't know if any of us will throw in a ManBearPig as well since we all have it but we've also all had it before. James has every Bourbon County variant from 13 and 14 (both props, VR, and the other fruited rye one...forget the name) and all the ANTEADs except DB ANTEAD (which I have). Mark has all the Black Magicks except 09 which is a ghost anyway, OG Rare, and a few others. If we wanted to blow the doors down and put together the most absurd stout tasting possible, we could. Problem it's a bitch for the 3 of us to get together with our schedules and geography getting in the way. My list can't compare to what they have but I have a few gems that I can contribute.

 

[Educ8d Degener8]

Dang just three of you hammering thru those... yeah, I probably wouldn't add!

Have had quite a few biggies (FO, VR, Rare, DB Huna, CFH, etc) but never TG stuff. DB Huna was so, so, so disappointing relative to the acquisition troubles my friend went through to get it.

 

[PSUMike]

I loved DBH when I had it ~18 months ago. I've heard it's fallen off a ton since. The only other one on your list I've had is Rare (both 10 and 15). 15 was disappointing. OG Rare is the best stout I've ever had. It's incredible. Another guy I know got an FO b2 allotment and was out in Cali this week picking it up (he went out for vacation and just so happened to get an allotment). He told me he'd open one with me so I am looking forward to that. Right now, VBDL/MH and BAA are my 2 big wants that I don't either have or have a friend who has one. Can easily get either if I want to put up my MBP but I'm not willing to do that at the moment.

Living in Western PA, I have Voodoo access so I can get most anything I want with their bigger stouts.

 

[Educ8d Degener8]

Nice, I'll try to get in on FO next year. I didn't even bother this year (save for a walk-in draft pour). Busy working and CA beer scene is crazier than Luca Fury.

 

[PSUMike]

Some of my bigger bottles.

 

[Napes21]

After the class of beer being thrown around on here I feel bad even posting about some low grade shit but had a Double Blonde from Blue Point tonight and thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

[PSUMike]

You like what you like. One of my favorite beers is Victory Prima Pils. Many beer nerds hate pilsners but I think it's fucking delicious. I usually have at least a few on hand. Obviously, not every time I drink, I'm drinking shit like the above. In fact, I only get together with that group maybe 3 times a year. The rest of the year is Fat Head's Head Hunter, Prima Pils, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and whatever other local releases I can get my hands on. Currently, I've been drinking the shit out of Troegs Nimble Giant. I bought a case of it and I couldn't tell you the last time I bought a case of anything. Great DIPA. I'm partial to hoppy stuff so that's like 80% of what I drink.

 

[Napes21]

Funny because I used to be into the ipas and now I'm not as much of a fan. Prefer Belgian style ales or ambers/reds over something super hoppy.

 

[Educ8d Degener8]

Yeah man, nothing wrong with drinking 'regular' stuff. Sierra Nevada is usually a solid go-to that can be had at major establishments, at least out west anyway.

But nowadays, places are getting all crafty n shit to boot, so there's options.

+1 on a good Pils or Helles Lager for putz'n around.

 

[Perra]

Some of my bigger bottles.

Lol ManBearPig has to be the best name ever for a beer. Where can I get ahold of those?

 

[PSUMike]

Lol ManBearPig has to be the best name ever for a beer. Where can I get ahold of those?

It'd take your kidney. It was a one-time release that likely won't ever be duplicated. If my numbers are right, there were 694 bottles. I've seen it sell for as high as $910 for the bottle on black market sites.

Basically what it is is they took 2 freshly emptied bourbon barrels and filled one up with honey and the other with maple syrup. They let that age for around a year. They brewed up a 14.1% stout (small portion of the grain bill being smoked) and dumped and sold the contents of those barrels then filled those 2 plus a 3rd fresh bourbon barrel with the beer, aged it for around a year, then blended it all together. So essentially, it's a bourbon barrel aged honey maple smoked stout. 2nd best stout I've ever had.

 

[PSUMike]

Drinking a Foothills Barrel Aged Sexual Chocolate right now. Like chocolate milk with a small hint of bourbon. A little thin but really nice otherwise.

 

[Educ8d Degener8]

Drinking a Foothills Barrel Aged Sexual Chocolate right now. Like chocolate milk with a small hint of bourbon. A little thin but really nice otherwise.

Nice, got one that I haven't opened. Non-BA version didn't do it for me, so haven't been minding it too much attention...

 

[PSUMike]

I did a 7+ hour round trip cannonball run out to Athens, OH to Jackie Os today. Spent almost $300 on 22 barrel aged beers. Drinking a Bourbon Barrel Oil of Aphrodite at the moment and it's pretty damn good.

 

[PSUMike]

Did a bunch of trades in the past week. Got a J. Wakefield stout called Brunch on This, 6 Focal Banger, 1 HF Arthur, 1 Dry Hopped HF Arthur, a bunch of assorted New Glarus bottles, and some Parish IPAs. I have a lot of drinking to do.

Focal and Arthur are 2 of my favorite beers so I was pumped to get more.