Boulevard / Three Floyds Deep Flux Barley-wine Aged in Rye Whiskey and Medeira Wine Casks

Boulevard / Three Floyds Deep Flux Barley-wine Aged in Rye Whiskey and Medeira Wine Casks.

14.3 % ABV. 20 IBU. Boulevard Brewing, Kansas City, MO, in collaboration with Three Floyds Brewing. 

Clear-is, rich, reddish hue, slim white head above. 

In the nose: Cherries. Dates. Oak. Red, red wine. Whiskey. Massive malt. Caramel. Vanilla. And the threat of big alcohol on the horizon. Whoa. 

In the mouth: Woo! More of that miss-mash invades the palate. Caramel, toffee, wine, whiskey, intense sweetness, immense malt flavors, vanilla, fruit, barrels, sweet, but deadly. Slightly bitter. Overblown, and surprisingly balanced. This beer is kind of crazy, but it works. It's big and busy, brash and outlandish, and  damn if it doesn't do the job. 

The doom of incoming alcohol starts its slough. Time to surrender to the onslaught. 

A while back, we took the brewers from 3 Floyds on a long walk past thousands of our bourbon, rum, tequila, and red wine barrels. We stopped to rest next to a collection of rye whiskey and Madeira wine casks. After a few beers we agreed that yes, these were the chosen ones. A couple more beers and we heard them tell us they wanted to be filled with barleywine – and when barrels speak, we listen. But when collaborating with 3 Floyds, predictable just won’t do, so we made this barleywine different, lighter in color than you might expect. It’s a rich, malty brew that beautifully complements the resplendent flavors of rye, Madeira, and oak lurking in the barrels.

AROMA: Vanilla, butterscotch, whiskey

MALT: Roast, caramel

Ommegang Wine Barrel Three Philosophers

Ommegang Wine Barrel Three Philosophers. A blend of Quadrupel Ale and Belgian Kriek Ale with cherries aged in red wine barrels. 

9.3 % ABV. Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY. 

Dark crimson coloring, beautiful Burgundy hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Softly tannic, rosy, slightly sweet, barrel effects covering up the quad, malt forward.

In the mouth: rich, sweet, slightly tart, wine barrel working it's way on the palate. the kriek/quad lives just below, masked by the red. Vinous. Delicious. Medium bodied, long, malty, fruity finish. The other aspects of Three Philosopher slowly emerge from beneath the barrels. And with it the alcohol, smothering all in it's embrace. Sharp, sweet, tasty, luxurious. Lovely. Now, it's coming together, all the parts are showing off, the quad is showing it's Belgian side, the cherry is peeking through, and the wine is still there. 

Three Philosophers was always lovely, but this is even lovelier. 

It's even...yum a dum dum.

Aromas of roasted malt, dark fruit, molasses and oak accompany flavors of figs, currants and chocolate.

Three Philosophers, our iconic blend of quadrupel and Belgian kriek, is a tour de force whose malty depth and gentle sweetness are the perfect companions for deep contemplation. In 2019, reach new realms of rumination with this limited release of our iconic beer. Searching for the meaning of life? Even if you don’t quite get there, this beer is sure to sweeten the journey.

Town Hall Double Oak Bruin

Town Hall Double Oak Bruin.
8.6 % ABV. Belgian Strong Dark Ale aged in bourbon and wine barrels.
Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

It was (still is) Barrel Aged Week again at Town Hall, and things went a little differently this time. Sure, there's still great new barrel-aged offerings along with the favorites of years past, but I'm thinking of the way growlers were sold. The tickets for growlers went on sale on the Sunday one week before the event began, not the morning of the day before. I'm not sure why that was, but when I stopped in on the Monday that the event began, this week, not a single beer had sold out. I went in on Friday, and only one had been completely spoken for. In all, I took home four growlers, probably the most I've ever bought in one week, all completely new beers to the Nib. Maybe I'll return for a few more, while we're at it? Why not, indeed.

But, let's kick it off with this beer, which I have not even sampled before.

Dark ebony shade, full opacity, short-lived whitish head.

In the nose: Bold, brash, funky and fruity. Wine barrel spilling out everywhere, with bourbon limping behind. Oak and vanilla touches. The Belgian brown hides in the background.

In the mouth: Red wine tannins blast the palate and splatter all about with tart fruity flavors. In time, other flavors emerge from beneath the fruit, chocolate and caramel come crawling from under. A little vanilla, a bit more oak. Getting stronger and sharper as go further. Cherries and maple are also popping up. The Belgian brown beneath holds it down with aplomb, but it's individual flavors are outshone by the barrel's contributions. At turns sweet, sharp, and tart, this effort from the barrel-aging masters keeps the palate twisting and turning. The alcohol rises, the feeling of well-being grows. Flavors of wine and bourbon take turns providing interplay. Cherry and grape, oak and whiskey, deep and sweet, rich and delicious. Nice one.

Inspired by the many wine cask finished bourbons in the market today, this is the perfect blend of both bourbon and wine barrel aged beers. Using two very different oak barrels creates a beer that offers aromas that may resemble fudge, chocolate, red berries, vanilla, buttery caramel, and maple sugar.

Town Hall Vine's Eye 2019

Town Hall Vine's Eye 2019. American Honey Ale (Eye Of The Storm) aged in red wine barrels. 9.7% ABV. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

This beer has been made since last year, and it's my first time reviewing it. Growlers were sold out before I could get them last year, as is often the case with Barrel Aged Week offerings. There was one in 2017 called Eye Wine Red, and I'm not sure what, if anything sets them apart. Perhaps it was because that year there was Eye Wine Red, as well as White. And the base beer, Eye of the Storm? I can find no evidence that I've ever taken notes on it. This seems terribly, terribly wrong. I just don't understand it.

Wait. Looking at my review of Eye Wine Red, it looks like I shared my notes on Eye of the Storm from 2007. So, I either I didn't search correctly, or once again, a review got lost on BeerAdvocate. Sigh....

Anyway, here we go, into the growler:

Clear, bold gold coloration, slim whitish head.

In the nose: Sharp, sweet, strong. Honey meets wine this time. Brash expressions.

In the mouth: More sweet, more sharp, more big and boozy. Complexities abound in this. Red wine tannins bump against buzzing honey sweetness, a tasty tug of war. Mead-like, wine-ish, and boom, boom, boom, boom.  The remainder of the glass unfinished at the table went with my to the nightstand, as companion into my surrender to slumber.

Sisyphus Barrel-aged Dubbel Trubbel

Sisyphus Barrel-aged Dubbel Trubbel. 8% ABV, 40 IBU. Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Deeply crimson colored, utterly opaque, slim, short-lived, beige-ish head.

In the nose: all kinds of big and rich, major doses of dark fruit, plums aplenty, and more from raisins, dates, and let's not forget grapes. Wow, this one has it all, true believers. Depth and complexity all in a row.

In the mouth: Massive malt flavors, rich wine barrel additions. Long lasting flavors, full bodied. So many flavors. Take all those notes from aroma and plop them on the palate. Beautiful blend of red wine barrels and one of my favorite Belgian styles, the abbey triple. This is flat-out tasty. As heck.

I am digging this big-time. Yummy. Delicious. And intoxicating. Oh, yeah.

So, sorry. Don't go looking for this now. It was part of the 4th anniversary line-up. Not on tap now, or ever again. Or, at least, not for a long time. Who knows?


Aged 10 months in Red Wine Barrels.

Minneapolis Breweries Day by Day #2: Lakes and Legends & White Earth IPA

Lakes & Legends Brewing in Loring Park appeared here for the first time in April of 2016, their entry in Minnesota Breweries One by One, based on a visit in late March. I'd been there twice before that I can confirm, but hadn't written about their beers yet. I'd put them in the "eh, they're alright" pile, although other reviewers had less kind remarks to make. When sample bottles came my way (I never bought any that I saw in the store, sorry to say.), I was less impressed. My sales rep informed me that they'd gotten better, and based on the newer samples, he was right. Time to revisit the taproom.

It looks as if I haven't been back since April '16, at least not by the evidence of any public records. Or private, for that matter. (I went once at the end of April when they were showing "Purple Rain" in the taproom on the Monday after Prince died, with Nate Beck selling his Natedogs inside. That's probably when I got my second growler fill from them.)Why not? Well, the reasons listed above, and the fact that if I'm in this neighborhood, I'm usually going to Sisyphus. Sorry, I do have favorites. But it's near the top of the list for this project, and it's on the way to work. I don't have to start until 6 today, plenty of time. Also, it's a block away from a gaming and comic book store I wanted to check out. I was told that it was either awesome or the bomb, can't remember which. I jumped off the bus at at Lyndale and Oak Grove, walked through Loring Park and stepped into Mead Hall on Lasalle Avenue.

I didn't spend much time at that store because they didn't have that first issue of Marvel Two-in-One (Volume Two) that came out last week. In fact, the clerk hadn't heard of it. "Maybe it's in the back issues already, could be sorted with the Fantastic Fours?" Well, at least he knew what team Benjamin J. Grimm used to belong to, but when I asked if they had the latest Silver Surfer? Blank stare. What? You don't know who the Silver Surfer is?!? Go back to your 15-sided dice, nerd! I'm going to get a beer. (I know that some might think that a comic book nerd is no different from an RPG nerd, but I beg to differ.)

Year Two

So, down the block I go to 1368 LaSalle, and it's time to step into Lakes & Legends on a Wednesday afternoon, it's abuzz with activity, and still bedecked in holiday style. Took a seat at the far end of the bar, and perused the chalkboard, which is much more professionally lettered and illustrated than before. My eye caught the Year Two, Old Forester bourbon barrel-aged Winter Warmer, aged for one year. 11.9% ABV. Can't pass this one up. And it didn't disappoint: rich, full, roasty, chocolate and vanilla, cherries and molasses and everything nice. Maybe I'll go back and get a bottle, but I didn't feel like spending the money just then. I sipped this one slowly.

Barrel-aged saison.

I looked back at the chalkboard. The top tier held only two beers new to me, the Winter Warmer, and the White Earth IPA. In the Farm Series, I hadn't had the Sweet Corn Summer Ale (in Winter?), but it didn't appeal to me. And at the bottom, those other two in the barrel aged series, why not try one of those? I picked the Red Wine Barrel-aged Harmony Farm Saison. And I wished it had more red wine barrel parts in it. There was some, but not enough to make a difference. I had no problem drinking it, but wouldn't have another, nor would recommend it, really. Not bad, just...eh. Here's what they say: Our classic saison flavored with mild tannic notes pulled from California red wine barrels.
I feel it would benefit with more, and less mild. Just me.

I took in the surroundings, enjoyed what they've done with the place since the past year and eight months since I've been in. It looks great. Feels great. And the beers are alright. Not perfect, not amazing, but alright. I wish them well, and will continue to  try them out from time to time.

And, hey guess what, I brought my growler with me and got it filled with this:

White Earth IPA. 6% ABV.

Lightly hazy, bright golden color, slim white head.

In the nose: not a typical IPA aromatic profile in this one, some Belgian funk, some fruit, just a little bit of hop flavors. Not sure what I'm getting. I'm looking for more info, and finding nothing, not on Untappd, and their website seems very out of date. Okay, I finally found this: A clean, juicy, and citrusy IPA made with mosaic hops.

In the mouth: Here comes a nice, little spank of hop bitterness that plays on the palate then becomes nothing but smooth. Bright juicy tropical, citric hop flavors are bouncing out. Lemon-y, berry-ish. Orange and pineapple. Lean bodied, light and easy-enough drinking.

An acceptable IPA, but not an especially compelling version. From the start, this brewery wanted to dig their heels deep in the Belgian-style approach, but relented in the face of this particular community's desire for nothing but a good ol' IPA. Hey, I love 'em, but some people won't give a brewery the time of day if they don't have an IPA. Or something like it. Maybe this beer makes them happy. It's not going to win a prize from me, but there's plenty of other things I can drink.

Indeed Mango Helio

Indeed Wooden Soul Mango Helio Brett Saison. Wood barrel aged beer brewed with mango. Bottle Conditioned. 8% Alc. by Vol. Brewed and bottled by Indeed Brewing Company, Minneapolis, MN.

Highly hazed, bright orange, short-lived ivory head.

In the nose: sweet mango notes butt heads with the sour. Wild funk emerges from the fruit.

In the mouth: More sour than sweet now, but not as puckering as some would wish. Me, I'm fine with it. Quite fine. We don't need our palates attacked with fierce acidity all the time, do we? Medium bodied, quite consumable.



Whenever some folks hear "mango" they ask: "it's not too sweet, is it?" No one wants "too sweet", but they forget that brewers know what they're doing, and will rarely produced that "too sweet" that they're so afraid of, and in this case, have got it quite right. Not too sour, not too sweet, not too fruity, neither.

I like it. One thoroughly complex and intriguing barrel-aged fruit sour saison. A lot going on there, and a lot to like.

Town Hall Eye Wine Red

This year, for Town Hall's Barrel Aged Week, I took 2 growlers home. This first one was written up here, and the second was acquired on the Thursday of that week. Alas, I was only able to enjoy 2 days of BA Week, due to closing the bar I work at 4 of those nights. I considered getting there before my shift began on Saturday, but I wisely chose not to. Tuesday night brought us Manhattan Reserve, and with Wednesday came Twisted Trace and E.T. Wee (Wee Heavy in Elmer T. Lee barrels), all beers they've released before (though I'm still in need of a growler of the latter).

Thursday was the Eye Wine Series night with two new ones, Eye Wine Red and Eye Wine White, as well as the previously released Le Baltique Baltic Porter aged in red wine barrels. Here' what the menu had to say: "These beers being with out GABF award-winning Eye of the Storm Honey Ale inspired by mead makers. Eye of the Storm incorporates copious amounts of honey, personally selected by our Brewmaster at a small Minnesota apiary. We aged this beer in both red and white wine barrels, requiring a very different maturation schedule than our whiskey barrel-aged beers. The distinct characteristics of the two resulting beers illustrate the importance of the barrel as an ingredient in all of our barrel-aged releases."

I chose to take home the red wine version  in a growler because they are $18 apiece and I just didn't have the scratch on hand to buy everything I wanted. Isn't that just how it goes?

Eye of the Storm, eh? Sounds familiar. I'm looking it up on BeerAdvocate. Added to their database by me on 10-30-2007, nearly 10 years ago. What do you think of that?
10.5% ABV. Just for kicks, I'm going to share those notes on the base beer from then: Eye of the Storm, 10th Anniversary Beer, 2007

10% alcohol, 10 varieties of honey.

Slightly hazed orange coloring, slimmed white head.

Aroma is sweetness and citrus, honey and orange...which blossoms were harvested here? 10 of them, we know, but what kinds are a mystery. Flowery, almost, but not quite perfumey...with a solid malt base behind. Quite intriquing and utterly unique.

Taste: slick, and sweet, with a bold, big flavor. One of the fullest bodied of any honey ales I've ever had. There's a tidy hop buzz going on on top, and just the right malt ballast below, but this tasty honey base makes this ever-so delicious.
Supposedly 10% alcohol, for the 10 years of Town Hall, but I'm not feelin' it...yet...no, wait...it's starting to blaze!

Is it an ale? Or a mead? Or a honeywine? Or...???
Not that I care, it's just super-delicious in my book. Any time a brewer takes chances and comes up with some incredible new wrinkle in the folds of the beer style catalog, I'm on the cheering squad...but, only if it tastes as good as this!

Big carbonation in the mouthfeel with this one, bristling along the tongue, who knows what hops are at use, but the honey is larger in the profile of this guy. Full-bodied, with a big, thick, nearly viscous mouthfeel.

Dang, it's good! Wish their bottling lines were ready in time for this one, it's one to keep, and share, and have around for the good times and celebrations!

Damn! Wow! Cool! Other! One! Word! Exhortations!

So, clearly I was a fan of the original incarnation of this ale before the barrel effects took over. How's it once plunged into the red wine staves?

Town Hall Eye Wine Red. 10.4% ABV. American Strong Honey Ale aged in oak red wine barrels.

Clear, amber-hued, negligible head.

In the nose: Boom, boom, boom. Man, I'm not trying to cop John Lee Hooker, but whenever I catch whiff a powerful aroma, it just hits me like: boom, boom, boom, boom. Red wine meets honey in a fresh and fierce combination. Bold and expressive.

In the mouth: Sharp, sweet, boozy. Slick, sleek, tasty. Medium, light-ish bodied, long, sweet finish. Honey and grapes make a terrific tandem. Decadent. Indulgent. Yum, is another word I use. Luxurious. Did I say that one? It's almost as good as whiskey.

Surly Misanthrope

Surly Misanthrope.
Barrel-aged Saison.
6.8 % ABV.
Surly Brewing Company,
Brooklyn Center, MN.


Hazy, pale golden hued, slimmest white head.

In the nose: big-time funkification. Wild and sour, barnyard, citrus notes, sauvignon blanc. Very nice.

In the mouth: Bright and fruity, with a heavy dose of oak climbing on the palate. Sweet, then sour, then dry. Cleans the mouth, scrubs it out, gets it nice and dry for the next sip and swallow. Flavor is nice and juicy, a little bubble-gummy...what have we got here? Stone fruits, apricots, peach, wrapped up in brett and oak.

So, what's the story of this? Cynic gets soured, then barrel-aged? I'm going to go check the website. "Misanthrope is a Belgian-style Saison, aged with Brett in used white wine barrels.
MALT
Pilsner, Aromatic, Oats
HOPS
Columbus, Slovenian Styrian Goldings
YEAST
Belgian Ale finished on Brettanomyces Claussenii
OG
14º Plato
COLOR
9.6 ºSRM"

Okay, guess I had that right. I first had this over three years ago at the original brewery taproom. So glad the bottles have finally come out, but I'm not sure if I need to get more too many more. At $24 apiece, it's just a little outside my budget. The only problem with that plan, is that it's too, too delicious.

Is there more gobbledygook, maybe from the back of the bottle? Why, yes, a quote from Moliere's The Misanthrope: "Betrayed and wronged in everything, I'll flee this bitter world where vice is king, and seek some spot unpeopled and apart, where I'll be free to have an honest heart."

Three cheers for Surly, for giving us poetry with our beer!

And more, of course. I feel obligated to repeat the rest of the label: "This Belgian-style Saison ale is aged in oak barrels with Brettanomyces. Golden in color, it has notes of tropical fruit wrapped in an oaky horse blanket, and you know, other stuff that continue to produce a blah, blah, blah to create blah, and etc. It is best served cool and enjoyed alone or with a tolerated companion."

Okay, that's maybe a little bit clever, but I hope no one got paid to write that. Come on!

Here's how it currently appears on the website (in 2020): A Belgian-style saison, fermented on Brett, then aged in white wine barrels for 6-36 months. Really. The complexity pays off with a torrent of sour/oak character and funky, tropical aromatics.

Indeed Heliotropic

Full confessional: This is a re-review, for I've had this one before when it was called Wooden Soul #1. No matter, it's a new name, a new bottle, and I'm going to re-review it, just for kicks. And away we go....

Bottle conditioned. 7.3% ABV. Belgian-style Brett Saison Ale aged in white wine barrels. Bottled by Indeed Brewing Company, Minneapolis, MN. Bottle 539/750. Bottled 06/2016.

Lightly hazy appearance, bright golden hue, slim, but lasting ivory head.

Aroma: Sauvignon Blanc drops in first, followed by slight hints of vinegar, cat pee, all that. Wicked, twisted, sour and beautiful. Beautiful, weird, and wonderful.

In the mouth: slight sweetness at first, lush malt, then comes the bracing tart from the yeast and the wild bugs at play. It's a brettanomyces fermented saison aged in white wine barrels, and it's complex, delicious, and ultimately refreshing. (Wish I had a few more. Wish I could save some for a year or so, but I'm terrible at that.) (Note to self: new project: buy more of these, save them, stash them, keep them for years.)

If you're you're looking for a palate-gripping, tongue-torturing "sour", this might not be sour enough for you. But it's plenty delicious.

By the way, what's "heliotropic"? The movement of an organism, specifically plants, towards the light of the sun. Not sure what that has to do with this beer. Maybe nothing. Just a cool word.

Boom Island Oude Funk

Boom Island Oude Funk, The Spontaneous Series, 2015. "Brewed with aged hops and is a blend of 1 year , 2 year, and 2 year old vintages, and fermented in oak wine barrels. 4.8% ABV. Best before 2025."
Well, I couldn't wait that long. Five months was all I could do. (Note: I bought the bottle in December, finally opened it in early June, publishing those notes now.)

Still white head, bright golden straw color, high carbonation.

Screaming wild & funky & sour right from the start. Very gueuze-like. All the horses' blankets and everything under and around them.

In the mouth: Funky-see, funky-do. The oak comes through the wine character evident. Fresh sour splash with each new sip. Light-bodied, extra-consumable. Smooth, refreshing, funky, wild and delicious.

A great achievement from Boom Island. Quite a piece of work. These guys are on the right track.

Town Hall Cuvee of Consequence

Town Hall Cuvee of Consequence. Belgian style Strong Saison aged in California Chardonnay barrels, then finished with a touch of bitter orange peel.

9% ABV. 

Clear, bright golden color, small white head, slims down and disappears.

It's got the funk in the nose, plenty of the white wine barrel, a little sweet and fruity, highly likable.

In the mouth, it's a nicely carbonated thing, brisk and lively, with the sweet, fruity wine barrel character holding court over it all. Sourness takes over the palate. Right in the middle, not too much, not too little, just right. Sweet, sour, funky, fresh. I love it.

Not sure what the consequences are, exactly, but it matters very little. This is my kind of cuvee'.

Minnesota Breweries One by One, #10: Lupine Brewing Company, Delano, with Uncayndness Oatmeal Stout-Wine Barrel-aged

Continuing from the last stop in Delano, MN, to the next, Lupine Brewing,  #4 on our tour of the breweries of Wright County, was just a few blocks away, from 2nd St. North to  N. River Street, and the one that Jason had visited before. Their logo combines an image of wolf's paw print (Lupine means anything relating to wolves) with the hop plant, whose Latin name, humulus lupulus,  is derived from an association with wolves. I've tried to find the exact connection, and have discovered many theories. The "bite" of the hop's bitterness was one, and the resemblance of the leaves to a wolf's teeth was another. We have to go back to the man who gave it the name, Pliny the Elder and the original phrase he used "wolf of the willows", referring to how the plants grew wild in the forest, much like the wildness of the wolf.

And we love our wolves. Much as we love our hops. They all come together at Lupine. As I said, J. had been there before, so he didn't need to investigate the selection, and could repair himself for the drive home. So, it was up to me to take in as much as I could of this brewery and taproom, taste the beers, and take the notes. And herein lies a problem with our approach. The last brewery of the day might just be the best brewery of the day, and after a number of beers, my focus starts to slip. It's inevitable. The notes aren't as good, the pictures are crappy, I forget to ask for a clean coaster for my collection. Maybe I forget to ask a few questions. I get fast and loose with my growler purchases. I ain't saying I was drunk, I was just drinking.

I liked the bar, enjoyed the atmosphere, got into the vibe of the place. Past the restrooms, another bar waits for when they need to expand the room. On the other side of the taps sits the brewing equipment, and the manufacturing side of the operation. We were there late-ish on a Sunday, but there was still a feeling in the air that this was where the beer loving crowd of Delano comes to celebrate life.

I couldn't tell for sure, but...

...there seemed to be....

....a disco in the brewery.

Three Bandits Coffee Porter.

There were eight beers on, and I started with the 3 Bandits Coffee Porter. 5.5% ABV. Medium-bodied, full dark malt flavor, with a rich coffee taste. Intense earthy, roast-y character,with notes of cherries and other dark fruits. I liked this. I could have kept on drinking it, long after the glass was emptied.

Next up, the IPA, (5.8% ABV, 60 IBU), floral, fruity and fresh. Medium-bodied, refreshing, bursting with hoppy flavor. Flat-out delicious. This one, too, I could drink and drink. Mmmm.

India Pale Ale. 

Nitro Oatmeal Stout

A third? Why not? This time, the Oatmeal Stout, on Nitro. Smooth. 5.5 % ABV. 35 IBU. Malty. Roasty. Creamy. That's all it says in my notes. That's all that needed to be said. Good ol' beer.

I enjoyed my time at Lupine, and would definitely like to return. There were a few beers I didn't try, but if these were right on the money, they probably did a good job with the Brown Ale and the Wheat.

Now, I mentioned that I'd never been to the brewery, but I have had the beers, some months ago, a surprise sales call. I recalled this in the review of the Murder of Cranberries review, just a few days ago.  The samples did no good, but word kept coming that this was a fine operation. Many raved about Murder of Cranberries, so I was glad to see it available and instead of ordering a pint, I took home a mini-growleretterino. They were so reasonably priced that I took home two. Here are my notes on the second.

Barrel-aged Uncayndness Oatmeal Stout. 6.3% ABV. 32 IBU. The odd spelling of this beer refers to cayenne peppers tossed into the mix.
Solid blackness, slim brown head gone in a second.
Aroma is a blend of red wine, dark malt, cocoa, and light spice.
 In the mouth, the wine barrel comes in and grows and grows, with the pepper heat following fast. Growing fast. Taking over...no, keeping time. Strong dark malt foundation. Low hops. Minor bitterness. Nice blend of sweet, tart, rich, ....yum. Undying peppery heat.
This is a nice little experiment, a fun diversion, but I can't see doing it twice.

I like this brewery, and I'm damn glad I checked it out at last. I'll be checking them out again and again. If not at the brewery, from time on tap elsewhere, such as ....the bar I order beer for....? Yeah, probably.

What's next, in installment 11? I have some ideas. You, though, will have to wait and see.

Surly Pentagram (bottle)

Surly Pentagram Flanders Red Ale, I mean, American wild ale, 6.66% ABV (naturally) was first released in kegs and bottles in February of this year. My earlier posting on a Beer called Pentagram was the unblended version from 2 years earlier. I bought a few bottles and opened one up finally last night. Here are the notes I took:


Surly Pentagram, bottle, aged, what? 10 months, nine? Not sure. I wrote about a beer with this name when we tapped it in 2011, as part of the Surly 5th anniversary celebration, when it was one of the threads that would later become Surly Five. IS this the same beer, or a new one? Whatever it is, it's called Pentagram.
I bought a bunch of these when it was released in, again I ask, what? January, February? I forgot. But I haven't opened one since. Until tonight…

Deep magenta hue, with ruby-tinged highlights. Small brown-tinted head rests above.

Aroma is flush with wine-like flavors, which are swiftly subsumed with sour. Each new sniff (shout out to D L-H), the flavors widen, deepen, grow in complexity.
Deep malt, chocolate tones emerge just to be cover by the wine barrel's work. Just plain ol' gorgeous. I could drink it in deep all night long.

Now, to taste: Ah! Starts out bright, fresh, vibrant, bursting with bold flavors. Sourness isn't overbearing and is exquisitely balanced. Lush, juicy dark fruit flavors continue on the palate, some oaky/woody-ness, a bit of caramel malt, but mostly the sour cherry. All together it's a lot of mmmm, and a good dose of ahhhh.

Let's read the label, shall we? "Beware! This arcane seal guards an enigmatic brew that is FUNKY, DARK, and SOUR. If you choose to break the seal, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! 100% Brettanomyces Dark beer fermented in stainless and aged in used red wine barrels. "Brett" is a unique yeast strain that produces flavors that would be considered offensive if they were not intentional. Flavors of sour cherry, tobacco, oak, and classic "Brett" barnyard funk balanced by dark Munich malt chewiness. Enjoy immediately or age at cellar temperature for a couple years."

What it is, is rather remarkable and definitely delicious. I have two more bottles that I intend to age even longer. What will it be like at one and a half years? Two? But right now I can't wish for anything better.

Three Floyds Tiberian Inquisitor Barrel-aged Pale Ale

Three Floyds Tiberian Inquisitor, Pale Ale, Three Floyds Brewing Company, Munster, Indiana. MMXIII. Alc. by Vol: ???

The last bottle brought back from my Chicago trip over four months ago. (I really will finish the story, I swear.)

It's a hazy, dark crimson thing, with a slim head. Blood red, making me want to go off in Three Floyds menu/ pulp magazine style riff about …oh, you know, witches and satan, ominous gobbledygook, over-done sword and sorcery stuff…not feeling it right now. I'll quote the menu, from the 3F brewpub: "Want to have your most hidden secrets torn from the dark recesses of your soul? Tiberian Inquisitor will do just that." Etc., etc. Blah, blah.

Wild and weird aromatics. Sour, sweet and unearthly, with the red wine barrel character swings wide and hard. Beautiful, and wicked at once.

Taste: And it lands on the tongue hard and heavy. Some bitterness, some tannins. Fairly light bodied, if not for the barrel action. Delicious and refreshing. No alcohol given, and it doesn't feel high. What it does feel is tasty. Despite the sour-ing, it's surprisingly smooth. Mmmm. …yeah…I like it, it's good. Oh, wait, no, I meant to say, "though the evil minions of the warlock king may have conspire to vanquish me with their torture and poisons, my pure heart has triumphed over their insidious ploys, and I shall return with my armor and my steed to cast them into the Foul Pit of Varkon and they shall pay for their treachery as they are devoured by the radioactive weasels of Waorkenstein."

Mikkeller Funky E

Mikkeller Funky E, Belgian Wild Ale aged in Sauternes Wine Barrels. Brewed and bottled by Mikkeller, at DE Proef Brouwerij, Lochristi-Hijfte, Belgium. 9.4 % Alc/Vol.

Highly hazed and carbonated, deep amber/nearly crimson coloring, slim head, lacy and lasting.

Aroma screams out of the glass, crawling up to the nose. Lactic sourness is dominant, raw and real, wine-like, fruity & tart. Nice. Niiiiii-ce.

Taste: Brisk, fresh, and crazy. Sour turns to dry, then fades a bit. Cherries and berries with a sour twist. Medium bodied. Vastly complex, wine character matches with the barrel's work and the funky-fresh wild yeast. Really tasty stuff, and I really like it. But something seems missing, and incomplete. What is it? I think It gets about halfway there, and doesn't quite go all the way, the way it should. Misses some depth. Good for what it is, but, oh, it should be bigger, deeper, longer,

Ain't nothing wrong with it, just not what it could be.