I've been to a lot of private beer tastings lately. It's one of the most encouraging signs I've seen that we're really going to have a proper beer culture here in South Florida after all. I know that I've made Miami a much better place to drink, but it's not as easy as it might sound. That's why I love these get-togethers so much. It's great to see that there are people out there who are easily as passionate about beer as I am, if not more, and last night was no exception. It's always exciting to do these because you really never know what you're going to try with some of my friends, it's like Christmas only better. Everyone brings a few bottles (about a cooler or so) and everyone wants to have the rarest beer of the party. Jonathan and Dakine are probably the biggest traders I know here. Take a look through their cellars and you'll find quite a few bottles that you simply cannot get. Just don't ask them how much they paid to get some of them in front of their wives, I might not get to drink many more if you do. We drank at least one such bottle last night. Actually, we drank a lot of really nice ones last night.
Some of the Highlights:
Brew Dog Zephyr - A 12.5% Imperial Ale matured in 1965 Invergordon whisky casks for 21 months stuffed with 30kgs of fresh strawberries. Oh, wow, only 8 ratings? Yeah, that's because, for all intents and purposes, it doesn't exist. It's also not your mother's fruit beer. The fruit is definitely there, but so is vanilla and whiskey. Very interesting. Very, very delicious.
Russian River Consecration - Aged for 6 months inside used cabernet sauvignon barrels with currants added. This is my type of Sour. At the Weekend of Spontaneous Fermentation I got to try a lot of beers that were too sour for me, but this one is just right. Nice dark fruit flavors, cherries, currants, and that tartness. It makes my mouth tingle now just thinking about it.
Westvleteren 12 - I brought a few bottles of this back from my trip to Belgium and Jonathan had an old one that still had a label on it from who knows when. The young one, an '08 or '09, was amazing. Very rich and complex with coffee and lots of dark fruit. The older one, probably an '04 or '05, was really amazing. I want to horde my other ones away forever and ever now. This amazing chocolate flavor comes out of it, I swear you'd think that they are two completely different beers.
De Molen Eiken Hel & Verdoemenis - Bottle No. 30. A big, dry, roasty, Russian Imperial Stout brewed with oak chips that have been soaked in 40 year old cognac. They say that "[they] are convinced that not trying this ale will be a mortal sin to your taste buds and beer experience." and after last night, I agree.
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1 comment:
Just crazy. You know, I think I have some pretty nice bottles in my collection....and I didn't skimp out, either, I brought 6 of them. Yet much of what we had was just on another level entirely. Hell, we're not going to break out a nice crisp, nuanced, hoppy 7% saison after we just had Zephyr, and followed that up with a bad-ass wormwood beer, two Westy 12 vintages, and the other ridiculous bottles that got opened. ROFL - ah well, at least Consecration and the Rogue cheese seemed to go over well. I think I'm going to make everyone start off with at least one of my saisons next time ;)
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