The Beer Thread

[i am gay and i like cats]

got four four packs this year.  had two bottles.  taste good.  will keep rest for awhile.  me happy. 

[brennser]

Broad Branch Market in Chevy Chase has some and is tasting it tomorrow from 5-7 (along with Founders Breakfast Stout, Hennepin and Port City Porter)

https://twitter.com/broadbranchbeer

any word on when brown shugga is available in the area?

Now. Total Wine in McLean had two cases left this past weekend. $9.99 a sixer.

[sweetcell]

dammit, i already have plans on sunday...

Sunday 11/18 at 3PM
Founders 15th Anniversary Party Featuring an Exclusive Keg of Bolt Cutter 15th Anniversary Ale!
ChurchKey

other interesting events at churchkey:

Monday 11/19 at 6PM
Ales from the Dark Side: Volume Two - 20 Strong Dark Rarities on Tap

Saturday 12/1 at 3 PM
Cantillon Zwanze Day 2012, Doors open at noon

Wednesday, 12/12 at 12:12 PM
Stone Vertical Epic Draft Extravaganza: Vintage 2003 through 2012 + Barrel-Aged Vertical Epics on Draft

Wednesday 12/12 at 6PM
Bluejacket & Dogfish Head Collaboration ?L?Interimaire? Debut + A Slew of Rarities from DFH & Bluejacket

[James Ford]

wow, quite a lineup Monday if you're into stouts and porters.


Ales from the Dark Side: Volume Two - 20 Strong Dark Rarities on Tap
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Monday - November 19, 2012 @ 06:00PM / ends @ 11:00PM
Beer Tasting / Release @ Birch & Barley / ChurchKey
Washington, District of Columbia
grege@churchkeydc.com  (202) 567-2576

Not Attending   I'm Attending    Maybe

 Email your friends.



ChurchKey
Monday, November 19th
6 PM

Ales from the Dark Side: Volume Two - 20 Strong Dark Rarities on Tap

We held our very first review of deliciously dark brews back in February of this year, and Beer Director Greg Engert has been recently busy collecting more of these alluring ales for a second installment...

With the weather turning once again, and a Holiday weekend upcoming, he figured now was the perfect time to unleash this collection...

On Monday, November 19th darkness once again descends on ChurchKey.

And it promises to be an eventful evening with no fewer than 20 scarce and salient selections from the dark side on hand. Starting at 6 PM, you'll have the opportunity to taste some fresh kegs of Great Lakes Christmas Ale and Great Lakes Blackout Stout, 4 different roasty treats from De Molen (including the uber-rare Kopi Loewak, an Imperial Stout brewed w/ Vietnamese Civet cat coffee), Norwegian strong ales (like Nogne-O & Terrapin Imperial Rye Porter and Ægir Natt Imperial Porter), 2012 Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, Finnish specialties from Huvila (X-Porter!), Ballast Point Indra Kunindra (with madras curry, caynne pepper, cumin, toasted coconut, and kaffir lime leaf), and some tasty from Denmark (Djævlebryg Pride of Nekron & Mikkeller Beer Hop Breakfast)....don't miss it!

There is no admission for this event and all Ales from the Dark Side will be priced individually by the glass and in 4 oz. tasting pours.

The Ales from the Dark Side: Volume Two Draft List:
Great Lakes Christmas Ale
Great Lakes Blackout Stout
De Molen Kopi Loewak
De Molen Hel & Verdoemenis
De Molen Hemel & Aarde
De Molen Cease & Desist Imperial Stout
Ballast Point Indra Kunindra
Nogne-O & Terrapin Imperial Rye Porter
Ægir Natt Imperial Porter
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
Huvila X-Porter
Huvila Artic Circle
Djævlebryg Pride of Nekron
Mikkeller Beer Hop Breakfast
Sierra Nevada Narwhal Imperial Stout
Freigeist Hoppeditz
High & Mighty Fumata Nera
Trois Mousquestaires Porter Baltique
Haandbryggeriet Dark Force Stout
Epic Big Bad Baptist

[stevewizzle]

late request... but heading to NYC for the weekend, and will have some freetime.  any good reccomendations for beer bars? will be around LES most of the time, but will be venturing to BK for brooklyn brewery sometime Saturday.

[James Ford]

The Blind Tiger in the West Village is cool, but maybe out of the way from the Lower East Side.

There's a Whole Foods in the LES area that has a great selection of bottles.

late request... but heading to NYC for the weekend, and will have some freetime.  any good reccomendations for beer bars? will be around LES most of the time, but will be venturing to BK for brooklyn brewery sometime Saturday.

[sweetcell]

i know mostly of places on the upper east side, but nothing mind-blowing.  for a city of the size of NYC, i haven't had much luck finding really great beer bars.  around LES, http://thespringlounge.com/ has decent tap selection.  they have more than what's listed on their website (seasonals, one-offs, etc).  or they used to.

completely jealous that you're hitting the brooklyn brewery.  if you can, be sure to taste their chocolate stout, ale monster and blast!  looks like their brewmaster's reserve at the moment is a black IPA... not a style i'm crazy about, but i'd still give it a try.

[James Ford]

Brooklyn Lager is brewed in Utica.
Sixpoint is brewed in PA.


http://brewyorknewyork.com/post/1058444257/when-the-beer-you-drink-isnt-brewed-where-you-think

[stevewizzle]

thanks for the recommendations, you guys.

[StoneTheCrow]

Drank these all weekend in Florida. Two thumbs up.

good stuff

[stevewizzle]

if you can, be sure to taste their chocolate stout, ale monster and blast!  looks like their brewmaster's reserve at the moment is a black IPA... not a style i'm crazy about, but i'd still give it a try.

well, the blast was terrific, sorachi ace terrific as always, and the black IPA was solid as well.  they had 'dial m for mild' on draft for there brewmaster's reserve, which was probably their most interesting selection on draft.  not too many beers these days get me confused at what i'm drinking, but i enjoyed trying to figure out what on earth flavor i was tasting at any given moment.  one of the best lightly-hopped sessions i've ever had.

the brewery itself was a great time.  their indoor biergarten-style pub is great.  cheap drafts ($4) and ample space, it made me forget for a second i was in NYC.

didn't check any other beer spots, instead went the whiskey route. meant to swing by spring lounge for a liquid lunch on sunday, but ran out of time.

[sweetcell]

steve, glad to hear your trip to the Blyn brewery was a success.  session beers are the new cool thing it seems, but i've never come across one that has really impressed me.  i'd rather slowly sip a thick syrup that down gallons of lighter stuff... then again, ask me that in august and i might change my mind

definitely need to make my way there next time i'm in NYC.

[stevewizzle]

steve, glad to hear your trip to the Blyn brewery was a success.  session beers are the new cool thing it seems, but i've never come across one that has really impressed me.  i'd rather slowly sip a thick syrup that down gallons of lighter stuff... then again, ask me that in august and i might change my mind

definitely need to make my way there next time i'm in NYC.

highly recommend it. middle of williamsburg, lots of space, can order pizza and bring cards/games/etc. 

and yeah, session beers. the new hop bomb.

[James Ford]

http://beerpulse.com/2012/11/westvleteren-xii-hits-stores-in-mid-december-exclusive-through-twm-in-some-states/


Westvleteren XII hits stores in mid-December, exclusive through TW&M in some states
 Posted on November 19, 2012 at 7:26 pm by Adam Nason   

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



(Belchertown, MA) ? Months of rumors and speculation have finally come to a head with the first report on the Westvleteren XII nationwide release coming out on Monday afternoon.

According to Jacksonville.com:

Total Wine & More at St. Johns Town Center is getting some, and will put it on sale ? first-come, first-served ? on Dec. 12 for $84.99 a six-pack, including two glasses. There?s a limit of one six-pack per customer. Reservations won?t be taken, you have to show up to purchase the beer. The store opens at 9 a.m. Dec. 12.

BeerPulse has also learned that December 12th is the launch date for all Total Wine & More locations nationwide. Total Wine & More will be the exclusive carrier in states in which that chain has locations established.

Total Wine & More operates in the following states: New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, California and Washington. BeerPulse has not yet confirmed availability in all of these states.

As for other states, details are still murky.

Whole Foods Louisiana tweeted on Monday that it expects to release the beer in mid-December. Meanwhile, it appears that Craft Beer Cellar in Massachusetts will also be selling it via lottery.

In May June, Shelton Brothers held The Festival in Worcester, Massachusetts, and conducted an exclusive limited release through a nearby shop, Julio?s Liquors. It also sold for the suggested retail price of $84.99 there.

A lot has change since news about the U.S. originally broke last year. The original target for a nationwide release was this past April. Manneken Brussels Imports was also supposed to be handling importing duties along with Shelton Brothers but is no longer part of the arrangement.

The brewers at the Sint-Sixtus Abbey in Westvleteren have taken on extra shifts in order to produce more of the beer for this one-time offering. The additional production and first-time exportation are being used as a way to raise money for restoration of the abbey.

Shelton Brothers and Total Wine & More did not reply to a request for comment by Monday night when this story was published.

[sweetcell]

Monday 11/19 at 6PM
Ales from the Dark Side: Volume Two - 20 Strong Dark Rarities on Tap

tried making it out to this last night, but got stuck with workmates at the big hunt.  on the upside, the BH had on tap one of the beers i was most excited to try at the churchkey event: goose island's bourbon street stout.  woa.  that stuff was intense, not something you can have 2 of.  the taste of alcohol is quite pronounced (to be expected at 15% abv).  DC Brau "Ghoul?s Night Out" is to be avoided - too sweet, not sure how they can call that a quad.  deal of the day: a pint of Brown Shugga for $7.  really enjoyed that.