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.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
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.
Friday, November 9, 2012
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!
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!
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