Worst Episode Ever - Revisited

I can't say something nice about Three Floyd's without also panning them an instant later. About a year ago I made the effort to buy tickets to their 15 year anniversary celebration and was less than pleased about the experience. However, I did walk away with a very limited Baller Stout, a blend of Three Floyd's Dark Lord, Surly Darkness, De Struise Black Albert, and Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch, the beer to end all beers. Ok, maybe not.

If you feel like revisiting that day, you can find the exploits in the way back machine of this blog. The reason I bring it up today is because Three Floyd's is doing a second brewpub release of Baller Stout. Near the Munster, IN area? Walk into the brewery and pick one up.

Mutiny and the Mollusk

Mutiny and the Mollusk, the collaboration between Half Acre and Three Floyd's was my pick for International Stout Day. The reasoning of course, is that it is a rare breed and it happens to be an oyster stout. Now, my beer acumen is not nearly at the level of say a Nathan Compton or a Bob Ostrander, so I actually had to Google the term oyster stout to see what it was all about.

Don't let the name fool you, there may or may not have been oysters used in the brewing of this beer. I say this because I am hard pressed to find any information about the ingredients, what the brewers intended for it to taste like, or why they decided it would be a good idea. Oyster stouts are by design, stouts to be consumed while eating oysters. You'd think I would have done this research before drinking the beer. Alas, I had no food as a companion to my ale and had to taste the beer on its own merits.

The beer, as suspected, was very good. Rich, dark, and dare I say powerful, this stout slams you down with its coffee laden flavor if served chilled. As the room temperature catches up, the stout mellows and isn't nearly as bitter (bitter as far as a black coffee is concerned).

I have to commend Three Floyd's on this one. They simply announced the collaboration and released it at the brewpub so that their adoring public could line up to buy a bottle or two. Nothing particularly flashy and definitely not the hop heavy flavor most of their beers are notorious for, which may be the influence of Half Acre. I must admit, I've never had a beer from Half Acre, which is a shame because they are so gleefully close to my home.

Mutiny and the Mollusk was released in March. I don't really know why I let it age for so long, maybe just wasn't in the stout mood at the time. I do have another bottle, so maybe I'll actually get oysters for that one.

Beer is still good. It has been countless days since I put my thoughts about beer into this blog. My life of beer consumption reached a dramatic stand still. My wife and I have been blessed with a beautiful daughter and I was fortunate enough to land a new job closer to the homestead. I haven't made an appearance to any of my favorite breweries or pubs in a long time and I made a promise to my wife that I wouldn't buy any more beer because I had a stockpile in the cellar already. I haven't even been able to enjoy them!

My reporting on the Northwest Indiana brewery seen will commence shortly, but the spots hit will be a little far between. I would love to spend every night of the week at a different establishment, but that's just not happening. In the interim, my creative drive just can't stay under wraps, so I will be back to writing my usually snarky beer reviews spewing of negativity usually reserved for a certain establishment in Munster (whose beer I thoroughly enjoy!).

For this installment, I have to address quite possibly the worst beer I have ever consumed. Guinness Black Lager takes a close second to Kid Rock's Badass American Lager.

This was the sorriest excuse for beer I've ever had. Miller 64, Michelob Ultra, and Budweiser Select all had more color and flavor that resembled beer than the fluid poured from these bottles. I received a six pack as a gift and I was determined to finish it off while watching quite possibly the worst televised programs to date: the 2012 election results telecasts of CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, and Fox News.

Badass American Lager comes out of the bottle looking like Welch's Sparkling White Grape Juice. I know that my daughter will not be sampling New Year's Eve champagne this year, but she very well could have a sippy cup of Badass American Lager and probably be no worse off than if it were water.

If the transparent liquid in the glass isn't enough to turn you off, then the faint Asti Spumante taste of it will. Seriously, I was reminded of my childhood when I was allowed to sip little bits of champagne from my parents' flutes. I was pretty sure the ensuing morning headache was inevitable. Fortunately, Badass American Lager packs zero punch in the alcohol department.

For those of us living in Indiana, be thankful that this is not available on the shelves (at least not as far as I can tell). For our neighbors up in Michigan, my apologies that your state's grand tradition of craft beers has to compete with this latest offering. I would think the city of Detroit would disown Kid Rock by now for associating itself with whatever this is (I can't even bring myself to call it beer anymore).

My negativity will certainly subside as it is back to my own beer cellar and the wonderful offerings that lie within. I missed International Stout Day due to a class I'm taking (another challenge when drinking beer), but tonight I am sampling Three Floyd's Mutiny and the Mollusk, an oyster stout brewed in collaboration with Half Acre. Back to the good stuff!

Barrel Aged Naked Evil BBW

Brewer: Hoppin' Frog Brewery, Akron, Ohio
Alcohol Content: 11.3%

Official Description from Brewer:
"Aging in oak barrels added a memorable richness, that we seek to achieve with this barrel aged Belgian-style barley wine-style ale. Being the ideal celebration beer to release on our 5-year anniversary, Barrel Aged Naked Evil is fermented with both British and Belgian yeasts and aged in whiskey barrels for a lightly spicy twist on this old-world beer style. Sweet malt flavors will become smoother and rich dark fruit characters will build with time, to add a wonderful complexity and depth of flavor."

Wilk's Take:
I procured Naked Evil during WiseGuy's "Rare" beer sale.  I am not particularly sure why I let the bottle fester in the depths of my refrigerator as long as it did, but last night I cracked it open.  Naked Evil by far is unlike any other beer I have ever tried.  This does not mean it's the best, nor does it mean it's the worst, just very unique.

The label is an unassuming black and white description of the beer itself and the impetus behind why it was even brewed in the first place.  The abbreviation in the name stands for Belgian-style Barley Wine.  A word of caution: if and when you decide to investigate this beer further, do not Google the word naked and BBW in the same line without being very specific.

Naked Evil poured a rusty orange color and the smell was reminiscent of the English style barleywine I previously encountered by Heavy Seas: sweet, richly sweet.  The difference here is that Naked Evil was aged in whiskey barrels and much like with any bourbon beer brewed today the sweetness of the whiskey is pronounced in every way.

At 11.3% this beer knocked me around quickly.  My last beer, Black Sun by Three Floyd's, was a stout with 50 IBU and reminded me of a black IPA.  This beer labels 48 IBU and I wasn't able to tell if hops had been included at all.  Any bitterness that was added in the process disappeared over time.  I never found a beer that tasted nothing like beer until I met Naked Evil.

Suggestion: Not sure if you can find Naked Evil any more because it was a 5 year anniversary release.  I was fortunate to snag a bottle and am thankful that I did.  If you are lucky enough to find it, grab it and drink it near a fire, because that's what it feels like you should do.

Value: I purchased the bottle for $25 at the rare beer sale and if you read this blog regularly you might know that I have another two bottles in the beer cellar.  Maybe they'll be worth more some day.  But letting them age could also alter the taste, so maybe we'll run that experiment later.

Michelle Factor: Michelle is a little under the weather and is opting out of a lot of great beer.  I even mentioned Naked Evil's lack of "beerness" and she still said no.  Maybe next time.

Black Sun

Brewer: Three Floyd's Brewing Company, Munster, Indiana
Alcohol Content: 6.5%

Official Description from Brewer:
"Black Sun has a nose of coffee, roasted malts and piney hops. This medium bodied stout has a broad depth of maltiness and a clean dry finish. "

Wilk's Take:
Here I am doing something I vowed never to do: write a full review of a Three Floyd's beer.  Sure I dabbled in little paragraphs here or there, but to take the approach on a full bomber?  The rationale behind never doing a full review came from the fact that there are far too many Three Floyd's apologists in the world.  Believe it or not, these guys can make mistakes.  Sure they have the best beer in America, but that doesn't mean all their beers are the best beers in America.

As is well documented on this blog I love stouts.  I can't seem to get enough of them and would drink a bomber everyday if my liver would let me.  Black Sun is no exception.  When I pulled back the cap and heard the carbonation escaping the bottle, I could detect the coffee and roasted malts before the cap could clink on the counter.  The undercurrent of hops was oh so subtle that upon first whiff you never would know they existed.

Black Sun did not pour thick.  Three Floyd's labels it a medium bodied stout, but on shear liquidity alone you could almost use the word light instead.  Curiously though, there was significant lacing on the glass as I drank so there is some staying power here.  The aroma was in full effect in the glass and the hops were more noticeable.  At 50 IBUs Black Sun is not the most bitter beer in the world, but the hops definitely kick you in the teeth.  If I didn't know any better I would say that Black Sun resembled more of a black IPA than a stout, but no IPA has had the flavor as this.

Black Sun is a great stout in its own right and with its hop character can certainly over power any other stout you may consider drinking in the same night.  Its uniqueness certainly requires admiration but no admiration reserved for Dark Lord or even current brewery favorite Zombie Dust.  Although, if you were to line this bottle up next to an oatmeal, chocolate, or imperial stout I'm not sure which would be more intimidating.

Suggestion: In the end, if you are typical a hop head like my good friend Brett, and you are looking to stick a toe in the stout pool, Black Sun is the perfect entry.  If you're a stout head and you want a change of pace, you could do much worse.  This one certainly will be purchased again before the supply runs out (if it hasn't already).

Value: Three Floyd's is very easy to come by in my neck of the woods and for $8, I would say the value is there.  Then again, I bought it a while ago so I'm not exactly sure it was $8, but since that seems to be average price, I'll risk it.

Michelle Factor: Although Michelle was a champ at B.I.G. Winterfest and downed more beers than I could have ever imagined, she didn't want to give this a go.  She's sick, so her taste buds are skewed anyway

Jimmy Taps Another 1, or 2, or 3, or 4

Is there really ever a thing that can truthfully be labeled a healthy obsession? Health food nuts, exercise gurus, and PETA would certainly advocate there is. Readers of this blog are probably more familiar with the habits that are deemed not so healthy. In the midst of it all, Jimmy Jones straddles the fine line between healthy and unhealthy with an obsession for brewing great beer.

Jimmy is a Hoosier native, transplanted into the western suburbs of Chicago, with an eye for living in the city proper prize. His love of brewing has made him invest in a two bedroom apartment when a one would do. That second room however, filled with nothing but brew paraphernalia, can only be described as Jimmy's very own fortress of solitude.

I was privileged enough to be invited to a party where Jimmy was showcasing a sampling of his latest creations. Yes, creations. Jimmy does not brew one batch at a time (ok, he might I wasn't able to get that specific), but he had a variety on hand that could rival a tasting room. He designed his very own kegerator complete with check valves on every line, a drip pan under the taps, and four taps with a great collection of handles.

For our tasting pleasure we were provided Alicia's Sweet Ass, a cream ale; Red Amerika, naturally a red ale; Hairy Werewolf, which described by Jimmy was an attempt at a Zombie Dust clone; and The Hef, which was an English bitter ale attempt that mystically transformed itself into a hefeweizen.

Alicia's Sweet Ass was a good cream ale. Jimmy admitted he rushed the production in an effort to put it on the line, but you wouldn't be able to tell. I wasn't able to tell. The more refined craft beer palates out there may have been caught off guard by it, but all I tasted was a rich brew with a buttery finish that was a great way to start my evening.

From there I transitioned to The Hef. Wheat style beers are generally not my thing but I did enjoy the brew. My first reaction was a bit of sour and I conveyed that to my host. I was wrong in that notion however, for when I went to get a second pull it wasn't sour as much as it was tart. The beer had great flavor and was more potent than most of the other hefeweizens I've had, but I was not quick to get another glass (my second pull was a quick drink at most).

At halftime, as a thank you for bringing a bottle of Three Floyd's Baller Stout, Jimmy poured me a glass of Jolly Pumpkin's Baudelaire IO Saison. Do you like funk? Mr. Jones certainly liked his funk. A word like funk though brings to mind old gym socks, armpits without deodorant, or flaming cheese at your favorite Greek establishment. Baudelaire IO was infused with rose and hibiscus and with the beer under your nose you get both. Oh yeah, you get the funk too. It's almost like you opened a pack of SweetTarts, but not really SweetTarts. Before I lose you, imagine fresh fruit but in tangy form. It's bold on the first sip and then mellows to a fruity, yeasty blend that makes drinking a bottle an exercise in ease.

From here, I grabbed a shot of the Zombie Dust clone. As an aside, Zombie Dust is flying out of the Three Floyd's warehouse. Once they offer cases for sale, they are gone in short order. My host even mentioned that Zombie Dust is, "the best beer on the face of the earth." I didn't exactly share his sentiment, but it is a damn good beer. The clone however, reminded me more of Three Floyd's Pride and Joy, an equally hoppy experience but loaded with the taste of sliced grapefruit.

The last pour of the night was Red Amerika. The pride in Red Amerika was that it was a 9% beer that didn't taste like a 9% beer. Oh boy was that an understatement. With a long drive home ahead of me, I was very careful as to my beer intake. When I met Red Amerika though, I indulged a little. It was an amber, and I'll even go so far as to compare it to an Imperial Red (because you can put Imperial in front of anything these days) and I like the reds. It was bold, but smooth and akin to Southern Tier's Big Red, minus the hops.

Home brewers take immense pride in their beer and Jimmy is no exception. Given the means he will make a great brewmaster one day. It's unfortunate he took his skills to Illinois because the Hoosier beer scene would welcome his talents. Passion and pride are always a better ingredient to beer over barley and hops. As evident also at the B.I.G. Winterfest, home brewers are just like the bigger boys but with less capital. Brew on Jimmy, brew on.

Inaugural Beer Me Wilk! NYE Beer and Wine Event

So I decided in the beginning of December that I would send out an exclusive invite to a select group of friends for my attempt to host my very own beer festival.  With the blessing of my wife Michelle (of "The Michelle Factor") I embarked upon my journey.  Before I relay the outcome, I want to give a special thank you to Michelle for her continuing support of this adventure and for decorating the house in a style befitting of New Year's Eve.  I would also like to thank Melanie Johnson (a frequent victim of my beer experimentation as well) for acting as our resident sommelier and making the wine selections for the evening as well as aiding with the decor.  Without these women the night would not have been nearly as successful as it was.

My handy guide for the evening was provided by CraftBeer.com.  If you ever have any question as to the proper food to serve with your craft beer, this guide is your best place to start.  I thought my plan was a simple one.  I picked out three cheeses I wanted to serve, the dish I wanted to make, and the dessert I wanted to eat.  From there pair the beer and wine.

The first course of the evening was a Wisconsin butterkase paired with Hoosier Honey Wheat from Bee Creek Brewery in Brazil, Indiana and Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon.  The cheese is a very mild, soft cheese that is amazingly smooth.  It paired perfectly with the Hoosier Honey Wheat.  Made with Martinsville honey, the sweetness is very prevalent when drinking this brew and only on the tail end of the swallow do you know that it is a wheat beer.  Although wheat beers tend to be perfect summertime treats, this honey infused version seemed to fit New Year's Eve wonderfully as a first pour of the night.  This was by far the best paired beer and cheese of the evening.

Second course was cheddar cheese paired with Alpha King from Three Floyd's in Munster, Indiana and Bogle Zinfandel.  The pairing here was an utter disaster.  Unbeknownst to me, the cheddar was very sharp.  Where was that on the packaging?  As a pale ale, Alpha King should have matched well with a mild cheddar.  Oops!  No complaints about the beer however.  I've had several Alpha Kings before and with this pale ale you get a hop explosion with every sip.  There is nothing pale about this beer either as it is a rich amber color and the citrus content behind the hops makes this a great beer for any occasion.

Course three was Gruyere paired with Snake Pit Porter from Oaken Barrel Brewing Company in Greenwood, Indiana and Yalumba viognier.  Gruyere is a very potent, nutty cheese and would have paired very well with a nutty porter.  The taste combination here was what I would describe as merely ok.  Snake Pit is not a bad beer, it just didn't go with the cheese.  This porter is very sweet and certainly has the coffee and chocolate notes that you find in Baltic porters and imperial stouts.  I would recommend grabbing the beer but leaving the cheese in the fridge.

Our main dish featured two pork tenderloins.  The one on the left was marinaded in beer, the one on the right in wine.  Although the recipe originally calls for venison, it went perfectly with pork tenderloin.  The brown ale used was Crown Brown from Crown Brewing in Crown Point, Indiana and the wine is Kendall Jackson chardonnay.  For the chardonnay recipe go here.  What can I say about Crown Brown?  I love it.  It is certainly my favorite out of my hometown brewery.  The roasted malts of Crown Brown are not over-powering and the smoothness of the mouthfeel make it so easy to drink.  It's lighter on the alcohol than some of the other darker beers but I certainly appreciate it because I like drinking more than two at a time.  The growler didn't make it passed the night because I went to it after all the tastings were done.


Not pictured: Brass Knuckles Oatmeal Stout from Barley Island Brewing Company in Noblesville, Indiana and Chateau St. Michelle Riesling paired with cream puffs and chocolate truffles.

The reason this picture doesn't exist is because no one was interested in dessert.  Bellies full of beer, wine, cheese, and pork were not ready to accommodate dessert and the midnight champagne toast.  But do not fret!  Of course I had some Brass Knuckles!  Oatmeal stout being one of my favorites I could not pass up the opportunity and decided to have a bottle.  It was good.  It would be rare for me to be disappointed by an oatmeal stout.  The usual suspects of coffee and chocolate were very noticeable and the roasted malts made the beer thick enough to eat.  Yes, there is some exaggeration there, but the smooth, thick brew is a perfect dessert companion.

If you want reviews of the wine, buy them and drink them.  I don't drink wine so I have no idea how they went.  I only have one bottle left so I'm guessing they were good.  As far as suggestions for the beers, buy them all.  Not only do they taste good, you would be supporting Indiana brewing.

Overall a very successful event and very much looking forward to the second annual on 12/31/12.  Thanks for reading and drink craft beer!