Beer club

[AbsintheFather]

Of course you've already vaped off some of the alcohol by bringing it to steam but sometimes you gotta sacrifice a bit on the road to perfection.

Honestly, though, it sounds pretty hideous to me. I'm the sort who might give it a try anyway but that does not sound appealing to me. Raisins and vodka? Cheap port wine and syrup? Lord, hon, I trust you when you say it's good, but it sounds like a recipe for a bad patent medicine.

No offense to your mother-in-law. I'm sure she's a wonderful woman.

If you try it, the one bit of additional advice I would provide is to make it a day or more in advance to let the flavors meld and mellow. You don't need to refrigerate it either. I leave the pan on the stove, with a lid, for up to a week or until it's gone. Just re-heating on low heat each evening that I decide to partake.

 

[AbsintheFather]

Going to Fat Heads Brewery tonight. They make some really tasty IPA's.

https://scontent-lax3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/08ee423248e2163e8f0e31a440c371af/5C79C659/t51.2885-15/e35/c70.0.179.179a/43913934_2156108671322687_4308588489435689898_n.jpg

 

[thør]

My preliminary tasting list for the GABBWF:

49th State Brewing Co.
Outlander Barleywine
Style: English Barleywine
OG: 35
ABV: 13.2
IBU: 50

Alaskan Brewing Company
Alaskan Barrel-Aged Barleywine
Style: Barleywine
OG: 1.100
ABV: 11.4
IBU: 35

Anchor
Old Foghorn
Style: Barley Wine
ABV: 8.8%

Arkose Brewery
’16 Barleywine (Connoisseur Session)
Style: American Barleywine
OG: 1124
ABV: 10.5%
IBU: 64

Big Sky Brewing
Barrel Aged Barleywine
Style: Barleywine
ABV: 12.0%
IBU: 73

Black Raven
Old Birdbrain
Style: American Barleywine
OG: 12.2
ABV: 11.5
IBU: 45

Boulevard Brewing
Bourbon Barrel Quad
Style: Barrel-Aged Ale
ABV: 11.2%
IBU: 26

Deschutes Brewery
Collage 2 Hair of the Dog Collaboration
Style: Strong Ale
OG:
ABV: 14.3
IBU: 19

Founders Brewing
Canadian Breakfast Stout
Style: Barrel Aged Stout
ABV: 11.6
IBU: 45
*
Backwoods Bastard
Style: Barrel Aged Scotch Ale
ABV: 11.0
IBU: 50

Fremont Brewing
Bouron Ba Coconut Bbomb Strong Ale
Style: Bourbon Barrel-Aged Winter Ale With Coconut
ABV: 14.0%
IBU 65
*
Brew 2000 Barleywine
Style: Barrel-Aged Barleywine
ABV: 12.8%
IBU: 55

Full Sail Brewing
2013 Barrel Aged Boardhead
Style: Barleywine
ABV: 9.0%
IBU: 91

Glacier Brewhouse
2017 Buffalo Trace Big Woody
Style: Barleywine
OG: 1.130
ABV: 11.4%

HooDoo Brewing
English Barleywine
Style: English Barleywine
OG: 23.2
ABV: 10.1%
IBU: 30
*
3:41
Style: Imperial Stout
OG: 24.1
ABV: 10.6%
IBU: 48

Kassik’s Brewery
Buffalo Head Barley
Style: Barleywine
OG: 1110
ABV: 12.3%
IBU: 65

Kodiak Island Brewing
Deadliest Batch
Style: Barrel-aged Barleywine w/ brett
OG: 22
ABV: 13%
IBU: 55

Lagunitas Brewing
Vintage Gnarleywine
Style: Barleywine
OG: 10.9
IBU: 70

Left Hand Brewing
1420 Rum Barrel Aged Barleywine
Style: Barleywine
OG:
ABV: 10.4
IBU: 53

Midnight Sun Brewing
Arctic Devil
Style: Barley Wine
ABV: 13.2
IBU: 20

Oskar Blues
Barrel Aged TenFidy
Style: Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
ABV: 12.9%
*
The Gentlemen Walrus
Style: Barrel Aged Barleywine
ABV: 10.6%

Rogue
Old Crustacean
OG: 1.101
ABV: 10.8%
IBU: 105

Scuttlebutt Brewing
Old No. 1
Style: Barleywine
OG: 1.135
ABV: 11.65
IBU: 78

Sierra Nevada Brewing
Bigfoot
Style: Barleywine
OG: 1.096
ABV: 9.6%
IBU: 90

St. Elias Brewing
Moose Juice
Style: Barley Wine
OG: 1.114
ABV: 13.6
IBU: 78

Stone Brewing
Mikhail
Style: Winter Warmer
ABV: 13.1%
IBU: 43
*
Liberty Station Old Knightmare
Style: Barleywine
ABV: 13.5%
IBU: 38

 

[AbsintheFather]

My preliminary tasting list for the GABBWF:

That's one hell of a list . . . you going both days?

 

[thør]

That's one hell of a list . . . you going both days?

A single session, the Connoisseur Session only. Otherwise, there's too many kids in there who are just there to get drunk. I go with my kids and we're known to sip each other's tasting sample.

Still, the list needs to be pared down.

 

[deathbypickle]

Tree House - Haze - 8.2%.

Wow. So fucking good. One of the best breweries in the country. For sure.

https://untappd.com/b/tree-house-brewing-company-haze/718853

So nice to live close to tree house!!!

 

[thør]

So nice to live close to tree house!!!

Great to see you about, Ms. Pickle. I hope all is well.

 

[deathbypickle]

Great to see you about, Ms. Pickle. I hope all is well.

All is good.

Work gets boring sometimes.
So I peek around.

And I love beer

 

[With_David_Bowie]

All is good.

Work gets boring sometimes.
So I peek around.

And I love beer

except for a certain team.

 

[deathbypickle]

except for a certain team.

???????????

 

[thør]

Report!

49th State Brewing Co. - Excellent
Outlander Barleywine
Style: English Barleywine
OG: 35
ABV: 13.2
IBU: 50

Anchor - Yummmm, an old friend
Old Foghorn
Style: Barley Wine
ABV: 8.8%

Big Sky Brewing - Decent, but needs to age.
Barrel Aged Barleywine
Style: Barleywine
ABV: 12.0%
IBU: 73

Black Raven - Very good
Old Birdbrain
Style: American Barleywine
OG: 12.2
ABV: 11.5
IBU: 45

Deschutes Brewery - Exceptional!
Collage 2 Hair of the Dog Collaboration
Style: Strong Ale
OG:
ABV: 14.3
IBU: 19

Founders Brewing - Exceptional!
Canadian Breakfast Stout
Style: Barrel Aged Stout
ABV: 11.6
IBU: 45
*
Backwoods Bastard - Nasty.
Style: Barrel Aged Scotch Ale
ABV: 11.0
IBU: 50

Fremont Brewing - Yummmmmmm
Brew 2000 Barleywine
Style: Barrel-Aged Barleywine
ABV: 12.8%
IBU: 55

Glacier Brewhouse - Awesome
2017 Buffalo Trace Big Woody
Style: Barleywine
OG: 1.130
ABV: 11.4%

HooDoo Brewing - Damn good!
English Barleywine
Style: English Barleywine
OG: 23.2
ABV: 10.1%
IBU: 30
*
3:41 - Extremely smoky and tasty
Style: Imperial Stout
OG: 24.1
ABV: 10.6%
IBU: 48

Kassik’s Brewery - okay
Buffalo Head Barley
Style: Barleywine
OG: 1110
ABV: 12.3%
IBU: 65

Kodiak Island Brewing - The Brett yeast taste in this is just too damn strong. Not good.
Deadliest Batch
Style: Barrel-aged Barleywine w/ brett
OG: 22
ABV: 13%
IBU: 55

Lagunitas Brewing -yummmmmmmm
Vintage Gnarleywine
Style: Barleywine
OG: 10.9
IBU: 70

Oskar Blues - Damn, this is good. And from a can!
The Gentlemen Walrus
Style: Barrel Aged Barleywine
ABV: 10.6%

Rogue - An old friend and damn tasty
Old Crustacean
OG: 1.101
ABV: 10.8%
IBU: 105

Sierra Nevada Brewing - Very good!
Bigfoot
Style: Barleywine
OG: 1.096
ABV: 9.6%
IBU: 90

St. Elias Brewing - Excellent!
Moose Juice
Style: Barley Wine
OG: 1.114
ABV: 13.6
IBU: 78

Stone Brewing - Quite good but not exceptional
Liberty Station Old Knightmare
Style: Barleywine
ABV: 13.5%
IBU: 38

 

[AbsintheFather]

49th State Brewing Co. - Excellent
Outlander Barleywine
Style: English Barleywine
OG: 35
ABV: 13.2
IBU: 50

. . . .

That was an excellent report. I'd say you deserve an A+

Nice job making notes

https://media1.giphy.com/media/8vpeyWA3OWOhG/giphy.gif




PS - I'm gonna look for the Oskar Blues . . .

 

[thør]

That was an excellent report. I'd say you deserve an A+

Nice job making notes

PS - I'm gonna look for the Oskar Blues . . .

They served it too cold at the fest. We had to let it warm up in order to enjoy it fully. Luckily, we can adapt.

 

[AbsintheFather]

They served it too cold at the fest. We had to let it warm up in order to enjoy it fully. Luckily, we can adapt.

I've had a few of the ones on your list. I agree with your Canadian Breakfast Stout comment. I had some on tap last winter and loved it. I saw some in the store recently, it was priced at $25 for a 22 oz. bottle. It's good, but I easily passed it up at that price.

 

[thør]

I've had a few of the ones on your list. I agree with your Canadian Breakfast Stout comment. I had some on tap last winter and loved it. I saw some in the store recently, it was priced at $25 for a 22 oz. bottle. It's good, but I easily passed it up at that price.

I'll have to see if it's on the shelf at La Bodega. High gravity beers do tend to get a bit better, the longer they've been in the bottle. I might pick up a bomber bottle if it's not too much, just to age for a few years.

 

[AbsintheFather]

I'll have to see if it's on the shelf at La Bodega. High gravity beers do tend to get a bit better, the longer they've been in the bottle. I might pick up a bomber bottle if it's not too much, just to age for a few years.

Oh, yes they do . . . . The flavors meld and the alcohol bite mellows.

I often hang on to really good Imperial Stouts for a year or more. I still have a couple bottles left of '12 DFH Worldwide Stout left from the case I bought, a few from the '17 batch too. One of these days I'm going to open a bottle of each and compare them side by side.

 

[thør]

Current tap list at Girdwood Brewing.

 

[FloridaBob]

Just love those craft beers, especially a nice hoppy IPA. Nice that a lot of the ladies enjoy it too !🏖Bob

 

[AbsintheFather]

So, I volunteer at various local beer fests and events from time to time. I enjoy the social aspects of it and you get to drink for free the entire time. Last night was day 1 of our winter beerfest and somehow I managed to get myself stationed at the table serving Canadian Breakfast Stout. I was also pouring Alaskan Smoked Porter, Spruce IPA and their Amber. I drank a lot of the CBS through the night.

https://66.media.tumblr.com/22275ea9a607796943dc4dff8c77e74f/tumblr_plpot8oDSN1s754npo2_r1_540.jpg

 

[thør]

So, I volunteer at various local beer fests and events from time to time. I enjoy the social aspects of it and you get to drink for free the entire time. Last night was day 1 of our winter beerfest and somehow I managed to get myself stationed at the table serving Canadian Breakfast Stout. I was also pouring Alaskan Smoked Porter, Spruce IPA and their Amber. I drank a lot of the CBS through the night.

They let you serve AND drink?

 

[AbsintheFather]

They let you serve AND drink?

Serve, drink, talk beer with the beer reps and guests, check out the girls, maybe even flirt with some ladies a bit I have a blast.

Some members of my homebrew club are also volunteers so there are always friends and acquaintances there too. Sometimes, they even let us take left-over beer home. Membership has its rewards

 

[thør]

Serve, drink, talk beer with the beer reps and guests, check out the girls, maybe even flirt with some ladies a bit I have a blast.

Some members of my homebrew club are also volunteers so there are always friends and acquaintances there too. Sometimes, they even let us take left-over beer home. Membership has its rewards

Event servers here need a TAMS (I think it's TAP now) card and can flirt but not drink.

 

[AbsintheFather]

Event servers here need a TAMS (I think it's TAP now) card and can flirt but not drink.

I wonder if your event servers are paid then?

We are volunteers. The organizers give us a little tasting glass just like the attendees get. We also get off from our posts to walk around and taste at the other booths. They also give us food, and a t-shirt. They do warn that excessive drinking can get you thrown out. That's happened, so I hear, but I've never seen it. Most of us are older, and not prone to overdoing it.

 

[thør]

I wonder if your event servers are paid then?

We are volunteers. The organizers give us a little tasting glass just like the attendees get. We also get off from our posts to walk around and taste at the other booths. They also give us food, and a t-shirt. They do warn that excessive drinking can get you thrown out. That's happened, so I hear, but I've never seen it. Most of us are older, and not prone to overdoing it.

Yup, they are paid, unless they own a brewery. Then, they are paid last.

 

[Miles Long]

Recently spent an evening working my way through the offerings at Hopewell Brewing. If any Beer Club folks find themselves in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, I highly recommend it. Revolution has a brewpub nearby and Maplewood brewery and distillery is nearby too, if you want to make a day of it. Slainte!