Black Friday at Goose Island

I never really saw the point of Black Friday shopping. Why get up and out to a store extra early on a balls out cold day just to save a few hundred on some stuff you don't really need? People even get into fights and sometimes even get killed. It's ridiculous. Well, today I changed. I went Black Friday shopping. At Binny's.

Today Goose Island sold through the Binny's across the street from their Clybourn Brewpub a limited number of Rare Bourbon County, a version of Bourbon County Stout that has been aged in bourbon barrels for two years. On top of this, it was the last chance to buy Bourbon County Vanilla and Bourbon County Coffee.

This was taken after I was leaving. I had to stand in an even longer line.

I arrived at around 8:15 AM, and proceeded to freeze my ass off in line for an hour and a half. It was about 18°F, and windy. I was pretty sure my toenails had cracked off - it sure felt like it. It was worth it though. the first 220 or so people were given tickets that both guaranteed them access to a limited amount of bottles and designated their spot in line. I was #185. Each person was allowed to buy 5 bottles of Rare Bourbon County, 1 bottle of Bourbon County Vanilla, 1 bottle of Bourbon County Coffee, and 1 bottle of Nightstalker. I still can't figure out WHY Nightstalker was a limited item - the only reason I can think of is that they were trying to make it appear limited in order to drum up sales. I only walked out of there with a bottle of Vanilla BC and Coffee BC at $13 a piece, and my friend Dan bought 2 Rares, one Vanilla, and one Coffee. Rare Bourbon County was $43 a bottle. I decided I'd rather buy a new turntable stylus than buy 1 bottle of beer.

After warming my numb ass back up in the car, I headed over to the Goose Island Brew Pub to try the Rare Bourbon County on tap. I got one of these for $11:

A tasty tasty rip off.

The best way to describe it is a smooth and less boozy tasting version of Bourbon County. I really can't say it was worth the price. Don't get me wrong - it was good, but it was not worth $43 for a 22oz bottle and $11 for a 5oz pour.

A loving family, gathered together for the holiday season.

Overall this was a great first Black Friday experience. Still waiting to find out when Madame Rose, Juliet, and Lolita are released though.

The Rally To Restore Sanity Gains Some Gonzo Supporting

 At the October 30th Rally to Restore Sanity, hosted by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, Flying Dog Brewery teamed up with Rock the Vote and Campus Progress and brought forth the "Good People Vote, Then Drink Good Beer" campaign. Tasty.

Goose Island's Newest Belgian Style Ales

Goose Island has created two more Belgian-Style Ales this year - Madame Rose and Lolita.

Madame Rose is a Belgian Style Brown Ale brewed with cherries and aged in wine barrels. According to their beer calendar, it was available at the Goose Island Brewpub back in July. Strange, because I never saw it there the couple times I went in July.

Lolita is a rose colored Belgian Style Pale Ale fermented with wild yeasts and aged with raspberries in wine barrels. This beer is an October only release, so there should hopefully still be some left at the brewpub (unfortunately, the only place to get it). Also, Lolita is a silver medal winner in the Fruit Beer category at the 2010 World Beer Cup.

Hoping to get my hands on some Lolita this month - if I do, a review will follow soon!

Jinxed Again

Three Floyd's Jinx Proof has a very interesting backstory. It may be the only beer to be brewed in collaboration with a tattoo studio - it was created to celebrate Jinx Proof Tattoo Studio's 13th anniversary.

Jinx Proof is described as a "refreshing continental-style pils [that] has a light body combined with a pronounced noble hop aroma and a crisp dry finish". (from the 3 Floyds Blog)

Unfortunately, it is now impossible to find another bottle of Jinx Proof for three reasons: It was only released as a seasonal bomber (22 oz bottle), only sold in June, and only sold at the Three Floyds Brewpub in Munster, Indiana. Hopefully there will be more next June, but it is very  doubtful.

Jinx Proof
Brewery: Three Floyds
Country: USA (Indiana)
Style: Dortmunder / Export Lager
ABV: 5.1%
IBUs: 35
Serving Type: 22oz Bottle
Cost: N/A

Appearance: Unfiltered. Bright amber color with mild carbonation. Not a lot of head, maybe a half finger tops. Left a small amount of lacing.

Aroma: Smelled a lot like cereal grains and floral hops.

Taste: Jinx Proof had a very malty bread taste to it. I did also notice a slight hoppiness, but it wasn't as strong as I expected from a Three Floyds beer. The aftertaste had very little bitterness, making this beer smooth and refreshing.

Drinkability: Very smooth, refreshing, and easy to drink - perfect on a warm day.

Verdict: A very good lager! I'm usually more partial to ales over lagers, but this one would be a repeat - that is, if it is ever sold again.

I Think Its Time For An Update

Or, more accurately, a few hundred updates and reviews. A lot has happened in the last two months that I haven't posted anything about, and after starting up a new job I ended up putting INMT on hold for awhile. Then kinda just forgot about it. I've tried plenty of new beers since then, been to a Dogfish Head beer dinner, and found out about a few new and interesting things in brewing - all of which will hopefully be posted about (very late, unfortunately). This blog has had a very slow start and a few temporary abandonments, but I don't want to let it just die off right now. I could always use a few contributing writers and reviewers, if anyone is interested.

Coming up soon: Three Floyd's Jinx Proof, Stone's version of the Saison Du Buff collaboration, and a look at the Finnegan's Dogfish Head beer dinner.

Belgian Week Day Five: Juliet

Sadly, we draw to a close on a wonderful week of Goose Island Belgian-Style Ales. Tonight we have a Belgian Style Sour Ale that goes by the name of Juliet.
I have to give a special thanks to Dale over at Finnegan's Irish Pub for helping me out with getting a bottle. I had not been able to find a 2010 bottle anywhere - I even asked the manager at the South Loop Binny's, and he said their computers had no record of it for over a year. Apparently, this year it was a June only release and was only available at their brewpub. Lame!

Juliet is Goose Island's take on a Belgian Sour Ale. And what a unique take it is. This beer is fermented with wild yeasts, which greatly contributes to its unique flavor. On top of that, each batch is aged in Cabernet barrels infused with blackberries. Ends up with a very sweet, wine-like taste. This beer is amazing. I guarantee that if you are a wine person, you will enjoy this beer just as well as most wines.

I did encounter a small problem with pouring this beer. There is so much carbonation that upon opening the bottle it started overflowing, not only soaking the label but also my shelf. And the carpet. So, two photos instead of a single messy one should be fine I guess.

Juliet
Brewery: Goose Island
Country: USA (Illinois)
Style: Belgian Sour Ale
ABV: 6.7%
IBUs: 15
Serving Size: 22oz Bottle
Cost: $15

Appearance: Saturated dark rose color. Opaque haze from the high amount of yeast. Very, very high levels of carbonation. I should have read the many warning about this. Glad I did not get the same effects as what people wrote about - some were reporting that their beer gushed out around 4-6 inches upwards. Yeesh. Poured a high head that wasn't creamy at all, but had an interesting pinkish tint. be prepared for sediment. Don't worry, it is safe to drink, but not too many people find chunky bits in their beer to be appetizing. If you want to avoid getting any in your glass, let the bottle settle before opening, pour very slowly, and leave a few ounces in the bottle.

Aroma: wine grapes and blackberries. Reminded me a lot of a sparkling wine. You can also smell the presence of the wild yeasts. Besides the blackberries, there is a smell of other berry fruits including raspberries and strawberries.

Taste: Like a sparkling wine with malt and yeast. The high levels of carbonation give it a crisp and light taste. The middle of it is very yeasty with a small amount of spices. Aftertaste is a bit sour with a little dryness.

Drinkability: Juliet is very crisp, light, and refreshing. I could drink it all day and night, if it wasn't for the high cost and rarity of a bottle.

Verdict: Buy immediately it if you can find it. You might have to do a beer trade on BeerAdvocate to procure a bottle, but I can imagine that at this point is will be impossible to get a hold of. Even if you are more of a wine person, you will fall in love with Juliet.

And this brings me to the end of Goose Island's Belgian-Style Ales Week. It was fun while it lasted. I think I need to do more themed weeks to get into the habit of writing, reviewing, and drinking more! Until next time - cheers.

Belgian Week Day Four: Sofie

Sofie is Goose Island's take on a Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale.



It's a shame about the bottle in the following picture, but that's what humidity does to things. A wonderful beer deserves a wonderful picture, and unfortunately it did not get what it deserves.

Sofie
Brewery: Goose Island
Country: USA (Illinois)
Style: Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale / Saison
ABV: 6.5
IBUs: 25
Serving Size: 22oz bottle
Cost: $7

Appearance: Bright golden yellow color. Pours a nice creamy head that lasts for a good amount of time. Very hazy and opaque. Plenty of carbonation as well.

Aroma: Very pleasing sour smell of citrus fruits and spices. Light smell of the hops are noticeable too, but with such a low IBU it is hard to taste.

Taste: This is a very tasty saison. Wonderful crisp citrus tastes that turn into a very malty aftertaste, with a slight sour pinch at the end. You can taste the alcohol in this one as well, but it isn't as detectable as it is in some of the other Belgian-Style Ales.

Drinkability: Sofie is a very light and refreshing Belgian-Style Ale. With its crisp citrus flavors and light body, I could easily drink a few on a warm summer evening. Just like this one!

Verdict: If you like saisons - or any refeshing ale - I recommend trying Sofie. It is really good.

Belgian Week Day Three: Matilda

3rd beer of the week - half way there! Tonight's brew is the delectable Matilda.

From the Goose Island website:
"Wild in character, with a slightly fruity aroma and a spicy yeast flavor that is as unique as it is satisfying – Matilda is an intriguing choice for beer and wine lovers alike. Dry and quenching, it’s the perfect accompaniment at the dining table or for casually socializing at the bar."

This beer also has a video about it from the brewmaster:



The first time I ever had Goose Island's Matilda was early summer last year. Since then, it has become one of my favorites. This beer is very, very versatile when it comes to food - it can go well with just about any meal. I have yet to find something that doesn't jive with it at all. Even foods that normally would not go well with the style (Belgian Strong Pale Ale) seem to do alright next to Matilda.

For a beer that can go well with just about any dish, and is also both an apéritif and a digestive, one would expect it to be a rather bland tasting beer. While I do admit that it does have a smoother and more mellow taste to it, I would never say it is bland by any means. There are a lot of flavors and aromas in there, a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy.

This is one of the beers that brought me into the craft beer world, and to it I raise my glass. Is it strange to toast something by using a glass full of itself? Hmm.

WARNING! Goose Island has issued a recall on certain bottles made between April and May of 2010. A wild yeast entered the batches and caused souring. Read more about it here, which includes which bottle date codes were affected. Check your codes, and if you find one that is affected bring it back to your liquor store.

Matilda
Brewery: Goose Island
Country: USA (Illinois)
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
ABV: 7.0
IBUs: 32
Serving Type: 22oz Bottle
Cost: $7

Appearance: Orange / dark golden color. 2 finger head on this one. good carbonation that settles down after pouring. Very nice lacing, but I was not able to get it to hold long due to improperly cleaned glassware.

Aroma: Very malty, it is the first thing you will notice when you take a sniff. Alcohol smell shows a nice presence here, without being overpowering. Subtle smells of fruits and spices as well - subtle enough that it can take awhile to pinpoint each of the distinct aromas.

Taste: Distinct taste of the yeast and malts. There is a lot going on in the flavor department - subtle hints of fruits such as cherry and pear as well as various spices (some from the yeast used) and a hint of brown sugar throughout the beer. There is a slight floral characteristic, but it is hard to pin down.

Drinkability: The brewmaster sums it up nicely: "Dry and quenching, it’s the perfect accompaniment at the dining table or for casually socializing at the bar." This is something I could drink very often and not get tired of it.

Verdict: You know what I am going to say: buy it and drink it whenever you can. I recommend finding it on tap where you can, it is certainly a step up from the bottle conditioned form.

Belgian Week Day Two: Pere Jacques

I need to remember to eat something before starting a review.

I made the mistake of sitting down to review this beer right after work - and on an empty stomach. Naturally, this has made it a bit harder to write about. Oh well, on with it!

Pere Jacques is Goose Island's take on a Dubbel. A few of the Belgian-Styles have videos on their pages on the Goose Island website, Pere Jacques being one of them:

Pere Jacques
Brewery: Goose Island
Country: USA (Illinois)
Style: Belgian Dubbel
ABV: 8.0
IBUs: 26

Serving Type: 22oz Bottle
Cost: $7


Appearance: Dark reddish brown color. Poured with a nice one finger head again, but this one was quick to disappear. Very light carbination.

Aroma: Had a very present caramel smell. There were also some notes of malt as well as fig.

Taste: This beer does not disguise the taste of alcohol well. It wasn't overpowering, but it was immediately detectable. Slightly spiced, with an overall taste of dried fruits, malt, and candied sugar. Also, don't let this beer get too far above it's recommended serving temperature (40°F) because its taste changes rapidly. By my second glass, it had warmed up too much and tasted more like alcohol and bread.

Drinkability: Goes down smooth despite the very present taste of alcohol. Definitely a good sipper.

Verdict: Worth trying if you can get it on tap or in the 4 pack, but I wouldn't buy the 22oz bomber again. Chimay Premiere (red) costs a little bit more for a bomber but is a much better Dubbel.

Belgian Week Day One: Fleur

Kicking off the Goose Island Belgian Style week with the only one I have not tried yet - Fleur, a Belgian Pale Ale.

Fleur is the newest Belgian Style Ale, having begun brewing this summer. According to the brew calendar, Fleur will be brewed for the rest of this year so it is safe to say this is going to be one of their regular brews that you will see on shelves next to Matilda, Sofie, and Pere Jacques.

Fleur
Brewery: Goose Island
Country: USA (Illinois)
Style: Belgian Pale ale
ABV: 7.0
IBUs: 32
Serving Type: 22oz Bottle
Cost: $8 - $9

Appearance: Hazy amber. Good amount of carbonation, and a nice one finger head.

Aroma: Malty smell, with a hint of fruit, spices, and a barely noticeable floral scent.

Taste: Very present malt taste, very little hoppiness in this beer. Although Goose Island's website said there was a distinct taste of strawberry, my first impression of the fruit taste was actually apple. Also present was a hibiscus tea flavor, which is not too surprising considering the hibiscus flower on the bottle's label. The aftertaste did have a slight tartness, just enough to have an impact without making the beer taste sour.

Drinkability: Although the flavors are a bit lackluster, this is a very easy to drink beer. Reminded me slightly of a chilled tea.

Verdict: Good, but not something I would probably enjoy regularly. Nice to enjoy with a small snack or on its own. Definitely worth a try but don't expect this to blow you away.

Goose Island Belgian Week

I decided that because I haven't been updating very regularly, I would start making a larger effort to work on this blog whenever I had a chance to. To help kick myself towards doing this, I made the decision that I would review all five of Goose Island's Belgian-Style Ales this week, one each work day.

Goose Island makes a variety of Belgian-Style Ales, each with a nifty label design. So far there are five available in 22 oz bombers - This year's Juliet was only brewed in June. I cannot remember if that is how it was last year, but all I know is that it is impossible to find this year's batch outside of the brewpub. Also, yes I know that Demolition is a Belgian Pale Ale, but I did not know that when I decided upon doing this... and also it doesn't have the fancy labeling so it will have to wait for another review!

This is the schedule as planned:

Monday - 2010 Fleur
Tuesday - 2010 Pere Jacques
Wednesday - 2010 Matilda
Thursday - 2009 Sofie
Friday - 2009 Juliet

Cheers!

Turbo Shandy: Not To Be Confused With Spoiler Shandy

 During the summer, a shandy is always a great fruit beer choice. For awhile now I have been a fan of Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy, but now I might have a new favorite of that type: Hoppin' Frog's Turbo Shandy.

I was rather surprised to find out that this beer has an ABV of 7.0%. Shandys (shandies?) tend to be light on the alcohol content, mostly between 0.9% and 4.2%. What's even more surprising is that you really cannot taste the higher alcohol content in Turbo Shandy.

Turbo Shandy Citrus Ale
Brewery: Hoppin' Frog
Country: USA (Ohio)
Style: Shandy
ABV: 7.0
IBUs: 7.3
Serving Type: 22oz Bottle
Cost: n/a

Appearance: Pale golden yellow color. Light fizzy head that dissipated rapidly , very little carbonation.

Aroma: Smelled a lot like a citrus fruit cocktail. No noticeable smell of the alcohol.

Taste: Initially a sweetened lemonade taste, with a light malty aftertaste. Just a slight tartness to it, but not enough to make it sour. Very refreshing. Although Turbo Shandy is 7.0%, the alcohol is not very detectable on the tongue. Extremely drinkable, no doubts about that - which can be something to watch out for, given it's high ABV!

Overall, I would not say this is a spectacular beer. However, as far as a shandy goes, Hoppin' Frog Turbo Shandy is high up on the list.

You Got a Purdy Beer There, Boy

I recently stumbled upon this video one evening, and I must say I really want to try some of the beers this company makes.


Atlanta Brewing Company from 22squared on Vimeo.

According to their website, in the spring of 2010 Atlanta Brewing Co. was rebranded as Red Brick Brewing Co. to match the name on their main beers and to avoid confusion in the market. A rather small market, to be precise - their beer is only distributed in the southern states of Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. This is rather unfortunate, as there seems to be growing interest across the US.

So anyone who is planning a trip down south, let me know - I have a few things for you to pick up while you are down there!

Cali-Belwhat

Since they started distribution in the Chicagoland area a few months ago, Stone Brewing has really grown on me. Finnegan's Irish Pub used to have 30 different beers by Stone on tap, so I got to try a rather large selection of their line-up, including rare beers that have been cellared for the past few years. Plenty of them stood out, like their Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean, El Camino (Un)Real Black Ale, and the Cali-Belgique Belgian-Style IPA.

One great quality of IPA's are their ability to balance out rich, creamy, fatty, and greasy foods with their crisp refreshing bitterness. That is what helps to make them a great choice for a summer drink. Back when it was on tap at Finnegan's, I had a glass of Cali-Belgique with a plate of onion rings. By themselves, the two has really opposing tastes - Cali-Belgique with its floral and citrus bitterness, and the onion rings with their greasy and saltiness. However after a few rings, the beer seemed different - not as bitter, but instead creamy and drinkable, while still retaining a light citrus flavor. A very good pairing I think.

Cali-Belgique India Pale Ale
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Country: USA (California)
Style: Belgian-Style IPA
ABV: 6.90
IBUs: 77
Serving Type: 22oz Bottle
Cost: (unknown at the moment, bottle was a gift. Will edit as soon as I know)

Apperance: Hazy golden orange. Creamy and lasting head that leaves a nice lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Very fragrant and floral with a nice citrus hoppiness.

Taste: Strong notes of orange citrus and pine bitterness, as well as spices. Decent carbonation, and a nice hint of sweetness in the aftertaste that was not expected with an IPA but helps to balance out the hoppy bitterness. Leaves a smooth coated feeling in your mouth.

This is another fine brew by Stone that I would recommend to anyone that likes bitter beers. Cali-Belgique also currently stands as one of my favorite IPAs to have with a meal. It balances very well with anything that has a nice creamy or rich taste to it.

You can still find Cali-Belgique at Binny's I believe - it has been awhile since I looked for it though.

An Ice-Cold Bitch

It's summer, and not much is better than sitting on your deck after a long day of work and enjoying a nice India Pale Ale. Flying Dog's Raging Bitch, a Belgian-Style IPA, is perfect for this activity. Not only is this a strong, crisp, and refreshing IPA, but it is also Flying Dog's 20th Anniversary brew. According to Flying Dog's website:

"Bitches come in a variety of forms, but there's never been something as sassy as Flying Dog's Raging Bitch Belgian IPA. An American IPA augmented with Belgian yeast, our 20th anniversary beer jumps out of the glass and nips at your taste buds with its delicate hop bitterness. At 8.3% ABV, this bitch is dangerously drinkable."

Raging Bitch
Brewery: Flying Dog
Country: USA (Maryland) 
Style: Belgian-Style IPA
ABV: 8.3%
IBUs: 60
Cost: $10 / 6pk (12oz bottles)

Appearance: Raging Bitch has a nice light golden copper color, and holds a thick head when poured well. Left a nice lacing that lasted even after I finished the beer, and persisted to stick for awhile as a constant reminder that I should clean out my glassware in a more timely fashion.

Aroma: Hoppy and slightly fruity. The high amount of hops give it a strong and fragrant aroma.

Taste: Crisp and refreshing. A nice mix of hoppy bitterness with noticeable fruits. I couldn't quite pick them all out, but I did notice hints of pear, grapefruit, and orange.

Drinkability: Even at a strong 8.3%, their website tells it like it is - this is a dangerously drinkable bitch. I was honestly surprised by the ABV, as it is hard to taste the alcohol in this beer. I expected it to be somewhere between 4 and 5 percent. Raging Bitch goes down smooth, and is very refreshing on a hot summer day.

I highly recommend trying Flying Dog's Raging Bitch. Right now it stands as one of my top IPAs, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. I'm curious to see what foods this would pair well with.

Hey an Anniversary or Something

One year ago today, I stepped into a local pub and ordered my first real craft beer.

 It was Kwak, which admittedly I ordered simply because of the glass it is served in. I wasn't a huge fan of the flavor at the time - as it was much more intense than the coors lite, guiness, and blue moon I was used to having. However, over time my taste for more flavorful beers grew and I began trying more and more unique brews.

What have I done since then? Tried many different beers from many different American and European craft breweries, discovered great beer and food pairings, learned proper pouring methods, found out which glassware enhances which types of beer, attended a few beer tastings, became interested in home brewing, and much much more. It really is an interesting culture that is growing and becoming more and more popular with my generation. Now, I know not everyone knows that there is more to beer than light lager, and can actually stand up against wine when it comes to flavors, aromas, and types. If you want to break past that light lager stereotype, and educate yourself on the world of beer, there are a few links you should take a look at on BeerAdvocate.

Beer Styles
Of course, you should read this one. Learn more about what you are drinking. Each link leads to a list of all reviewed beers that fall under that style.

Proper Glassware
Guess what - beer shouldn't always get poured into a pint glass or mug. Different styles become enhanced with different glassware. (I should probably post a picture of my glass collection sometime in the future to show how varied each type can be)

Perfect Pouring
Yes, there is a correct method to pouring beer into a glass from a bottle or can.

Freshness
Beer may last for a long time, and can even be cellared for a few years - under correct conditions, that is. Make sure the beer you are buying is kept at its freshest.

Skunking
Going along with freshness is knowing when your beer has become "skunked". Learn more at that link.

History of American Beer
A timeline showing the evolution of the beer market in America. Not the most in depth, but it gives a good overview of the history of brewing in the states.

I am still learning a lot myself, even a year in to this culture. Now that you newbies out there have some reading material, why not pop open a beer and learn a bit?

Bourbon County Coffee Stout

 This picture is about as blurry as I felt after drinking it

Let me start by saying I'm not a huge fan of Bourbon County Stout.

Now, I know some of you might be thinking such outrageous things like "heresy!" or "blasphemy!" or even "I kinda agree I guess". Don't get me wrong, it is enjoyable, but lets just say its not the first thing on my shopping list. If I am going to drink some, I can't have more than a few ounces before I lose my taste for it. It just doesn't have much drinkability.

Bourbon County Coffee Stout, on the contrary, was phenominal.

To be honest, it wasn't much like a Bourbon County, it was more like a coffee stout with a touch of Bourbon County Stout thrown in it. There were hints of the BCS taste, but overall it was a different beer. First off, it smelled a lot like coffee beans. The aroma was really pleasing. No noticeable bitterness to it, so I can only assume it was really low in IBUs. It had a very creamy, malty, coffee taste.

I really can't think of anything else to really say about it. Try it, if you can. It is a specialty from Goose Island, and is pretty hard to find. You can buy a 22oz bottle from the Goose Island Brewpub for the low low price of $30. Or, you can just go to Binny's and buy it for $12.99(reportedly, at least). Assuming you can find it, that is. The Plainfield Binny's sold out on Dark Lord Day. I guess you could call this Goose Island's Dark Lord. It sure seemed to be just about as popular.

Dark Lord Day 2010

Yesterday was Dark Lord Day over at the Three Floyds brewery in Munster, Indiana. For those who don't know - and if you like craft beer, I'd be surprised if you didn't - Dark Lord Day is the only day of the year that you can purchase Dark Lord, Three Floyds' take on a Russian Imperial Stout. The only way to purchase Dark Lord is if you have a golden ticket. Each ticket was $10 (proceeds going to charity), and grants you access to purchasing a limited quantity of bottles per ticket. 2 ticket limit per person, 4 per household. Unfortunately I was only able to snag a ticket for myself and a friend before they sold out (which was in under an hour) as the server was being bombarded by thousands of people trying to purchase tickets.

The golden ticket. Notice the 3floyds logo made of orthodox crosses in the top left. METAL

We ended up getting there at 12:30 PM - much later than planned, but my friend decided to sleep in. Although we had plenty of time to get the Dark Lord, by the time we got in to the brewery they had lowered their bottle limit from 4 to 3 per ticket due to them 'running low'. I really want to know how they ran low when they don't set the limit until they know how many bottles the batch is going to yield (by then knowing how many tickets they sold), but that's just me being pissed off and knowing how to do basic math I guess. They did have some bottles of 2009 Dark Lord for sale as well, so that made things a little better. I ended up with 2 bottles of 2010 and 1 bottle of 2009, all of which are now being cellared. Probably going to open a 2010 and the 2009 in a year, and the other 2010 in two years. That is, if I don't get too thirsty before then.

Apparently this year's Dark Lord is 15% ABV. Previous vintages are 13% ABV. Hoping that cellaring it will take away a bit of the taste of the alcohol and bring out more flavors. Some people who reviewed 2009's DL claimed that it tasted too sugary with a lot of soy, but after having some of my friend's 2009 this year I can say that the soy flavor is not as bold over time.

"It's like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black." 

(And now I sit here wondering if using my camera flash skunked all the bottles.)

This picture doesn't even begin to show the vast horde of people who were there.

This man put his arm around me in a loving manner and whispered a slurred message about giving away free beer to people and waiting for someone to return the favor. He smelled like an old cheeseburger.

So... close... so thirsty...

While standing in line I did get to try a sample of this year's Dark Lord. I can see why people come from all across the country for this stout, but at the same time the hype and rarity play a rather large role in that. It is very sweet - something I didn't expect for a stout (I tend to expect bitter when I have a stout beer). Definite notes of chocolate, molasses, prune, and some coffee. With each sip I noticed something new. It covers the mouth with a slick and sweet coating, and had the nasty surprise of staining my lips and a bit of my beard. This beer is also VERY thick, and swirling it around will turn your glass brown. It seriously looks like engine oil. Tasty, tasty oil. It is going to be hard to hold off drinking a bottle right away.

I can see where some of the critique about the event not being the best planned comes from. There were lines that started at random points that stretched long distances - but ultimately led nowhere. While standing in one of these lines - in which everyone said led to the spot where you could purchase Dark Lord - my friend went to look ahead and found that it led to a group of people just mingling around in the parking lot. There were at least 3 lines like this full of people.

I did not get to stay very long, as I had to leave for downtown Chicago to drop off some of my artwork that I am hanging in a gallery that premieres May 8th. Reception runs from 5-9pm at the Flat Iron Building (corner of Milwaukee and North) AND has an open bar. Shameless plug etc etc etc.

If you are looking to get a bottle, you can find some on ebay now for about $40 each. Blah.

And one last thing - at the time of writing this post, Dark Lord had 666 reviews on BeerAdvocate. How fitting!

Most. Metal. Beer. Ever.

Chicago Just Got Stoned

Finally, we are worthy.

Stone Brewing Co. - from San Diego, CA - began distribution to the Chicagoland area on April 1st. Stone Week, as the series of 34 planned events in Chicago and its suburbs has been called, will last until April 9th. Don't worry about the limited event dates - Stone beer will still be around for a long time!

Dale (left) and Pam Lewis (right) , owners of Finnegan's, with Greg Koch (center) from Stone Brewing Co.

Finnegan's Irish Pub, out here in wonderful Plainfield, IL, hosted an event on April 3rd boasting not only 30 different Stone beers on tap, but also a personal visit from the owner of Stone Brewing Co, Greg Koch. He is a pretty cool guy, and he signed an Arrogant Bastard pint glass for me - which can never be touched or even looked at, as that apparently will cause his signature to flake off. On top of the bookshelf you go, little glass!

 Russian Imperial Stout Flight. From Left to Right: '09, '08 Bourbon, '07, '06, '05

Having the largest selection of Stone beer on tap out of all 34 events is quite a feat. Here is the complete list of what was available - most of which still is, but only for a limited time:

• 07.07.07, 08.08.08, and 09.09.09 Vertical Epic
• 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Bourbon, and 2009 Imperial Russian Stout
• 2010, Oak Aged, and Dry Hopped Arrogant Bastard
• 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 Double Bastard Ale
• 13th Anniversary Ale
• 2009 Old Guardian Barley Wine
• Smoked Porter
• Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean
• Sublimely Self-Righteous
• El Camino (Un) Real Black Ale *(Of which only two kegs were shipped to Chicago.)
• Stone/BrewDog Bashah
• Double Dry Hopped IPA
• Cali-Begique IPA
• Pale Ale
• Levitation Ale
• IPA
• Ruination IPA

 Main level taps

 2nd section of the main level taps

 Upstairs tap selection

My two big favorites were the Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean, and the Cali-Begique IPA. The porter is a great dessert / finisher beer. Words can barely describe how wonderful it tastes. So far, it is the only one that Finnegan's is out of, and I can see why. Goes great in a float. The Cali-Begique is a very tasty Belgian style IPA, and pairs well with food. I was blown away by it. Both are definitely repeats.

And to finish things off, here was the menu from that night:

Flight and Food Pairing Menu

Cheers.

You Sunk Mein Battleship!

Why not kick off the blog with one of the most interesting beers out there?

About a week ago I had the opportunity to try BrewDog’s Sink The Bismarck!. For those playing the home game, it currently holds the record for the highest ABV beer in the world. Sink The Bismarck! was created to counter German brewer Schorschbräu’s 40% ABV Schorschbock, brewed in response to BrewDog’s earlier record holder for the world’s strongest beer—Tactical Nuclear Penguin, a stout weighing in at 32% ABV.

Promo Video from the BrewDog website:

There is such a high demand for this beer that the next batch, which will be ready on April 15th, will be filling orders that were placed early March.

Although I’d hate to review a beer from a week ago, as my memory of it is not as fresh, I doubt I will have a chance to try this again anytime soon.


Sink The Bismarck!
Brewery: BrewDog
Country: Scotland
Style: Quadruple IPA
ABV: 41%
IBUs: Unknown
Cost: £40.00 per 330ml bottle ($60 per 11.15 oz bottle)

Appearance: Filtered, clear copper color. I do not recall seeing any head after it was poured. No carbonation.

Taste: Initial taste is rather sweet. Then, the flavor became intensively hoppy, but not as bitter as you would think. You can taste the alcohol (after all, it is 41%), but it isn’t anything close to as strong as expected. I thought it would be like drinking whisky, but it was much smoother and had more of a noticeable taste than hard liquors.

Mouthfeel: Slightly oily.

Drinkability: Very drinkable, in very small quantities of course. Not recommended on an empty stomach, as you will feel it sitting in your belly, burning away at you.

BeerAdvocate Rating: A+
My Rating: A. Not something I would buy regularly, even if it was affordable, but it was very good and would be an occasional repeat.

Oh Hello There

Hello there, Internet! Welcome to It's Never Miller Time, a blog about beer for people who love beer by a man who loves beer.

Here you will find information about different beers from domestic and foreign craft breweries, personal reviews of craft beers, beer news, and any other beer-related topics. I am open to suggestions, so if you want to see something posted on here, or have some critique, please send it my way.

Cheers.