Stone - Enjoy By 9.13.13

Stone's "Enjoy By" is a double IPA that they have released to alleviate a single problem: deteriorating hop quality.  As we all know some beers are able to be aged if kept properly and that aging can alter the flavor of the beer.  This can often yield some pleasing results and sometimes can do more harm than good.  Hoppy beers and those with high alcohol content are often good candidates for aging as both of those qualities were originally popularized thanks to their powers of preservation.  However, while hops may act as a preservative, the qualities that we all love that hops imbue to beer tend to fade rapidly as the hopped beer ages.  In rare instances, this can work out, but more often than not it is less desirable and a far cry from the original intent of the brewer.

The deterioration has implications in aging, but also on the shelves.  How do you know if your IPA or other hop dependent beers are fresh?  How do you know you're getting the best tasting, least decayed, brewer-intended flavors?  Stone provides an answer to this problem with their "Enjoy By" series.  Other brewers simply use "brewed on" dates on their bottles or cans, but Stone is definitely putting their dates front and center in an attempt to promise drinkers a fresh, tasty, hoppy experience.  If you were buying a hoppy beer, wouldn't one of the factors to consider be the freshness of the brew?  Stone hopes so.  Time to see what they're offering.  Though with an IPA from Stone, a consistent maker of hop heavy styles, one can generally count on high quality.  I wanted to drink one as close to the date as possible to have it at its "worst" and see how it holds up.  Let's pour!

Aroma 12/12

It's got almost every hoppy aroma that I can think of short of wood, pepper, and herb.  First sniffs are beautiful and sweet, full of pineapple, pine, sweet sticky caramel malts, and grape fruit.  As the drink warms more grassy and musty notes arrive and they grow more noticeable to tame the amazing initial aroma.  It only grows to a moderate intensity, blending with the sweetness for balance, but not covering or overtaking it.

Appearance 3/3

When first poured, the beer is capped with a peach pastel colored head that slowly fades to ivory shades as the beer trapped within is drawn to its brothers below.  That beer pours a golden orange shade that is screaming for fall to arrive.  It is a slightly hazed beer in an earthy tangerine hue.  The colored head won me over.

Flavor 17/20

Not what I was expecting.  Given the nose of this beer, I anticipated a nice sweet introduction full of those sugary caramel malts and a grove's worth of citrus.  In the words of the venerable Judge Smails, "You'll get nothing and like it!"  The malts at the beginning were neutral at best or completely destroyed by the mothership of hop bitterness that just landed on my tongue.  OK, so maybe it's not the mothership, but it's enough to destroy any other flavors and it looks like it's headed for the White House.  Maybe a splash of citrus survives this resin onslaught, but little else.  I wrote down earlier that I could find a semblance of the caramel, but I may have been drinking at the time.  All there is now is a distant citrus, plentiful black pepper, and lots of bitter of the back of my tongue.  Oddly, the finish shows some malt!  The beer's body clearly indicates that Stone didn't skimp on adding malt, but you're hard pressed to find much of it in the flavor.  The finish instantly ends the black pepper flavors and continues the bitter.  This doesn't even give the illusion of balance, even if the caramel and alcohol heat do become slightly more present as the beer warms.

Mouthfeel 5/5

Body is great for a DIPA, big without being a chore to drink.  Peppery tingles remain on the tongue for some time after swallowing and carbonation is spot on perfect for a beer of this size - it permits for texture while largely staying out of the picture.  This beer is 9.4% ABV and is camouflaged but can be detected in a few of the exhales when you take a break between sips.

Overall Impression 6/10

One dimensional beers just don't win me over.  Now, I will say that I have had other Stone "Enjoy By" dates both on draught and in bottles and I recall enjoying those more than I did this.  The aroma was incredible, the mouthfeel was spot on for a DIPA, the ABV well hidden, and the appearance was solid.  The flavor was the only thing that I felt was not on par for Stone's normally superior performance in the realm of Americanized IPAs.

Total 43/50

Of course my first thought is, "Did I let it get to close to the 'enjoy by' date?  Should I have drank it earlier?"  Maybe.  However, if Stone says it's good for another 2 days, then they'd know better that I would.  Besides, isn't that what this whole beer is about: making sure the beer is fresh and providing a date with which you shoul expect a lower quality?  In their defense, I suppose I drank it toward the tail end of its optimum freshness, but I also suppose that I still expected excellence inside of that date.  Granted, excellence was not far off.  In fact, in every category where flavor was not a factor this beer received perfect marks!  However, the hop bitterness seized control like an ambitious despot and cruelly subjugated its inferiors.  Do the hops play nicer in fresher batches?  Undoubtedly.  However, this beer just goes to show exactly what it sets out to: fresher is better.  If this is it close to its worst, you know it's worth picking up earlier from that date.  For those that like bitter beer, you could  even pick this up after the date on its bottle, otherwise don't expect a lot beyond the bitter of an otherwise fantastic DIPA.

Dogfish Head - Saison du Buff

Howdy everybody!  First off, allow me to apologize for writing so sporadically as of late.  Not only am I currently working retail during the holiday season, but I also went on vacation, attended 3 weddings, had an offer accepted on a house, and am a new uncle!  Needless to say, I've been kept a bit busy.

Today's beer is Dogfish Head's Saison du Buff.  Well, it's kinda Dogfish Head's.  This brew is actually a collaboration between Victory, Stone, and DFH.  It was brewed once before in 2010 and we're definitely glad to see it back.  It is brewed in each of the three breweries using the exact same recipe and then released in stages throughout the year.  Besides the collaboration of three powerhouse names in the craft beer world, the most notable attribute of this beer is its ingredients.  It's an ale, a saison to be specific, that is brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.  And yes, for those of you wondering, it probably sells very well at Scarborough Fair.  You can find the full story behind this beer by clicking this link to Dogfish Head's website.  I've had Victory's version on tap before and look to have a repeat of that great experience in a Dogfish Head bottle.  Let's pour!

Aroma 11/12

Not surprisingly, the beer starts out with strong herbal notes.  However somewhat surprisingly, you'd almost swear there was some mint added to their already long list of herbs.  Floral notes come forward and continues to waft from the glass.  In another twist, I'm finding more cloves in the aroma and not so much of the pepper for which saisons are known.  Overall, this aroma is fantastic and you'd be hard pressed to find another beer that smells like it.  Think of a flowery golden ale and now add a dash of Belgian spice and a hearty handful of herbs.  It's wonderful.

Appearance 3/3

The glass is filled with a hazy, pale straw color and topped with an off-white head.  The head shows good retention and is constantly being rejuvenated by pillars of bubbles that can be seen ascending from the bottom of the glass.  Not a ton of shades present, but its on the mark for the style.

Flavor 19/20

Whoa!  This beer went through about 4 major flavor changes in the first 3 seconds of tasting.  Let's see if we can nail those down.  Initially, it's a dark sweetness that quickly morphs into what appears to be a citrus, but is really just some of the saison's sour coming to the forefront.  The herbs also make their presence known as do some dry, bitter notes.  Which of these flavors stick around when held in the mouth?  Actually, the light sour assumes the throne as the beer's primary flavor, but it is not without assistance from the floral notes giving the beer a very light, sweet taste.  This lighter, sweeter flavor makes it easier to see the hints of pepper in the brew as they clash well with the sweetness and keep the beer true to its style.  The finish is given some brief foreshadowing when held in the mouth, but still remains quite a surprise when it finally reveals its full bitter.  The finish may have some lingerings of the floral sour that preceded it, but it is largely dry and with a long-lasting bitter.

Mouthfeel 4/5

This beer exhibits a medium mouthfeel that feels lighter thanks to the delicate sweetnesses within it.  Its sour never comes close to taking over the beer as a whole and while the carbonation isn't as aggressive as the style usually demands, that's OK by me.  It's abundant in its muted state and still allows the beer to feel like something more substantial and full-bodied.  Almost any prickly sensations could be initially considered carbonation, but upon holding the beer in the mouth it can be quickly determined to be the spices.

Overall Impression 9/10

This tastes like a saison should, but includes some of its own twists.  Saison lovers should definitely seek this out, but might be out of luck as the most recent batch (as of this writing) was released by Stone in late May 2012.  The herbs go remarkably well with the style, yet are far from overwhelming.  The sour/floral taste was impressive as was the incorporation of Belgian yeast's spicy flavors in a more subdued manner.  This is a complex beer with varied flavors coming at you from every angle and with a finish bitter enough to keep you coming back for more.

Total 46/50

Even though I emphasize talking about the sour/sweet/floral primary note of this brew, please do not categorize this with the genre of beers that one might generally avoid for being "too sweet."  There is so much going on here!  The herbs, the sour, the floral, the spices, the bitter... it all comes together for a remarkably balanced and well-assembled beer.  This is one of the best versions of the style that I've had thus far.  Granted, my familiarity with the style is less than others, but I stand by that statement.  This is one collaboration that we can all hope is reconvened very soon.

For those not understanding the "Scarborough Fair" reference.

Stone - 16th Anniversary IPA

In the interest of drinking beers before their hop profile has deteriorated, I have decided to crack open my bottle of Stone's 16th Anniversary IPA.  This beer promises to be a doozey with Stone stating right on the bottle that they're brewing this one with lemon verbena & lemon oil.  Now I had a pretty good idea of what lemon oil was, but I had not heard of lemon verbena, so if you need to look it up like I did, then click here.  Whether you know or you don't, new ingredients get me excited and I'm always ready to try one out.  So let's pour!

Aroma 12/12

Starting off, things were pretty impressive.  Excellent lemon and pineapple notes from the hops as well as a lesser herbal quality and a dash of pepper.  The warmth arrived calmly and easily, while the malts provided a dark bread (almost earthy) & roasted qualities.  Very nice all around!  I then sat down to do some typing and the like and came back to it after it had warmed and let me say this... LET THIS BEER WARM!  I know that it's fairly common knowledge in the craft beer universe that beers open up as they warm, but rarely can I recall a beer that so aptly provides such an example to that lesson.  This beer became infinitely richer and nearly succulent with hoppy goodness.  This is what world class IPAs should smell like!  The original flavors intensified greatly, but also brought in a great resin aroma, a surprising floral essence(!), some reminders of the hops' Cannabaceae relatives, gooey caramel malts, and upped the booziness just a little bit.  Fantastic!

Appearance 3/3

This is a beautiful beer.  It pours a color that nearly matches the shade on the bottle and is bright and clear as a crisp fall day.  When I poured it, the head overcame the top of the glass, but was so sticky that it continued to ascend in the shape it left the glass.  Almost like a Play-Dough Fun Factory, but for head.  I'm very impressed.

Flavor 19/20

As difficult as it was to stop sniffing this beer, my mouth wouldn't stop watering and I finally gave in and tasted it.  I was given a smooth salutation from some silky caramel malts, but before long the other flavors begin to slide their way in as well:  pepper, resin, very subdued apple/mango notes, and an undying caramel.  An unusual citrus is present as well presumably from the lemon verbana and/or lemon oil used in the brewing process.  It's definitely a more candied, sugary lemon flavor, but its appearance is not unwelcome.  In fact, this particular type of sweetness goes remarkably well with the caramel sweetness from the malts.  What a fan-freakin'-tastic balance of an intense sweetness and a big, strong bitter.  If held long enough in the mouth the sugary lemon can be easily detected on the tip of the tongue, but eventually transforms into a peppery, resin-laden concoction.  This type of complexity is SO satisfying.  The last two flavors in the mouth (pepper and resin) are a Stone's ridiculously talented way of foreshadowing the finish before it actually happens.  The finish removes 90% of the sweetness that was experienced in the backbone of the beer and instead gives the drinker a bitter, very peppery, resin-dripping, bitter affair that quickly leaves a moderate dryness.  The aftertaste is largely remnants of the bitter, but eventually the entire mouth is salivating for the next gulp.

Mouthfeel 5/5

This beer is a little more than medium-bodied, but made to feel like much more thanks to the buried carbonation and the ridiculous amounts of smoothness that provides.  It is insanely silk relative to its body.  The gads of peppery spice give the illusion of carbonation but make no mistake, any carbonation involved in this bad boy is far beneath the surface.  Warmth is used appropriately and also contributes to the big beer feel of this brew.

Overall Impression 10/10

What's not to like about this?  The balance of sweetness and bitter is fantastic, the mouthfeel is to die for yet avoids being a chore to drink, complexity abounds, and my mouth and nose are left extremely happy.  Some folks could argue that their DIPA has been made too sweet.  I understand that.  Some folks want their IPAs and DIPAs a little more one-sided than others.  For me, this really hit the spot with big flavors on both sides just slugging it out.

Total 49/50

I'm not sure why this beer is rated as low as it is by so many people.  Maybe there are more hopheads out there, who don't like any stupid malts sweetening up their beers, than I had originally assumed.  For me, I dig it.  Not only that, but I didn't find out until much later how much rye Stone used in brewing this beer.  That makes perfect sense!  The pepper spiciness and the earthy bitter now come clearly into focus.  Though admittedly, the bitter was easy to confuse as hops due to... well, the abundance of hops.  This is the second Stone beer in a row that I review that has received a 49/50.  The first was their 10th Aniversary Ruination and while this beer is much less intense than the 10th Anniv Ruination, it should not be overlooked.  ESPECIALLY because of its $7.99 price tag.  This beer is a steal and I can't believe I can still find it on shelves.  Do yourself a favor and take advantage of its wide and plentiful distribution.  You shan't be disappointed.  Good on ya Stone for another variation of the IPA style!!  Happy anniversary and many, MANY more.

Stone - Ruination 10th Anniversary

As if Stone's regular version of Ruination wasn't aggressive enough, for their tenth anniversary of the brew they really upped the ante.  The ABV jumps from 7.7% to 10.8% and they used TWICE an much hops in the brewing process (5 lbs/bbl).  That number doesn't even include the pound each of Citra and Centennial used in the drop hopping!  This brings it up to a sadomasochistic 110 IBUs and undoubtedly intoxicating aroma.  I figured this would be a good choice to review today as it should have no issues blasting through to my allergy laden sinuses.  I also selected this brew as Stone is not the only one celebrating an anniversary.  This week was my third wedding anniversary and like Stone's, it will be bitter (just kidding, wife).  My wife may have left town to go to Boston to see her sister and I will be giving her crap about that for the next 50 years even though she is well aware how flexible I am with dates typically reserved for celebration.  All joking aside, I'm very excited to be cracking open this beer (and to be married to such a patient woman).  Let's pour!

Aroma 12/12

On a day where my sinuses seem bent on revolution and forming their own sovereign state, this beer speaks as sweetly to them as any ambassador.  Immediately detectable are pineapple, lemon zest, grapefruit, and pine.  Traveling behind those, in an appropriately viscous manner, is a slow-moving, dank resin and a gooey caramel/toffee combination.  Awesome.  Awesome.  Awesome.  As the beer warms, mandarin oranges show up for the anniversary celebration as well as a hint of alcohol warmth.

Appearance 3/3

What an appropriate color for the newly-arrived fall months.  A cloudy glowing gourd shade of orange fills the glass and exhibits a wonderfully-sized cream colored head.  There's a fair bit of lacing, even if it seems that the weight of the beer would prefer to pull it right back into the glass.

Flavor 20/20

Whoa!  Where to start with this?!  After a gentle wash of caramel sweetness on the tip of the tongue and a playful citrus preview, this beer becomes more bitter than a custody battle.  Over septuplets.  This beer while not defining unbalanced, definitely spoils the hops and lets them get away with murder.  The bitter taste in the backbone of this beer is unlike anything I've ever drank.  It simply permeates everything.  I can't say that the beer is unbalanced, since there are other malt elements at work here.  However, the hops put their own tint on everything as if they were imitating Picasso's Blue Period.  What's especially neat is that the other flavors DO remain detectable, but they are now a "bitter" version of themselves.  Bitter caramel.  Bitter oranges.  Bitter pineapple.  You name the flavor and this beer has transmutated it into something completely different.  The finish is rather like a Wile. E Coyote cartoon, where it experiences an unusual hovering of sweetness before falling promptly into a unrelenting bitter (minus the tiny umbrellas and exclamatory signs).  I should also mention that the bitter involved in all phases of this beer is akin to chewing on an ibuprofen tablet, though much more muted.  It is sharp and commands attention.  The aftertaste is equally unrelenting and the sticky nature of this beer allows it to linger longer than in-laws during the holidays.  I mean, the bitter just goes on.  And on.  It dries the mouth insanely well and one's common sense is challenged when taking another sip, knowing that it was the beer that caused the problem in the first place!

Mouthfeel 5/5

This beer will absolutely coat every surface your mouth like fresh stucco.  You can't get rid of it!  This thick and sticky brew traps the bitter flavors in on your tongue and holds it hostage.  The carbonation is wisely left in the shadows for this brew.  It can be confused with alcohol heat and hop spice in initial sips, but ultimately it serves to add to a silky quality.

Overall Impression 9/10

I am only halfway through this brew and am already aware that this is going to be a battle.  It is just such  a strong brew!  The aroma is powerful, the taste is Herculean, and the body is titanic.  That said, this beer accepts no excuses, but I find myself wishing it were a bit more forgiving.  There are some really beautiful flavors present in this beer, but they are shoved violently into the lockers as the hop bitter and alcohol make their way down the high school hallway of your palate.  I certainly cannot fault this beer for not being flavorful enough.  This beer is intense and only for those experienced in the ways of hops and craft beer.

Overall Impression 49/50

For what it is, this beer earns an appropriately high score.  You want DIPA?  You got DIPA.  In fact, this supersedes DIPA and you could probably give it some new, confusing nomenclature (DIPA+, TRIPA?).  However, when it comes down to it there are other factors at play in this beer and they definitely deserve their time in the spotlight.  Yes, DIPAs and IIPAs need to be somewhat abrasive.  After all, isn't that why we buy them?  While the answer should be yes, this beer makes that decision almost punitive.  This brew is certainly a sipper and is sure to please even the most staunch of hop heads.  It's good for what it is, but I could use a intermission from all its unabashedness.  This beer is a monster and I hate to say it, but it kicked my ass.  Consider my palate ruined, Stone.  You've done your job well.

Sources:

http://www.stonebrew.com/ruintenth/

Double Dead Guy vs. Double Bastard

I've had this review idea in my mind for sometime now and today it finally comes to fruition!  This is a battle of the big boys and I hope my palate is ready for it!  In this corrrnneeerrrr....

Double Dead Guy Ale

Brewer: Rogue Ales

Hometown: Newport, OR

Vintage: 2011 Release (May 2011)

Style: Strong Ale (evolved from Dead Guy Ale, a maibock)

IBU: 72

ABV: 9.0%

Plato: 19.8

SRM: 25

Pedigree: 

2010 Australian International Beer Awards - Gold
2010 World Beer Championships - Gold (Best of 2010)
2010 BrewNZ - Silver
2009 Australian International Beer Awards - Silver
2009 World Beer Championships - Gold (Best of 2009)
2008 World Beer Championships - Silver

Aaaand in the opposite corner...

Double Bastard Ale

Brewer: Stone Brewing Co.

Hometown: Escondido, CA

Vintage: 2011 Release (Oct 17, 2011)

Style: American Strong Ale (evolved from Arrogant Bastard, another ASA)

IBU: Listed as "Classified"

ABV: 10.5% ABV

Plato: N/A

SRM: N/A (but 40-42 based on observation)

Pedigree:

For guys that are so "arrogant," I had a hard time finding many awards for this one.  Of course, the truly arrogant sense their own importance and do not rely on that bestowed by others. :)

2005 Great American Beer Festival - Silver

As much as I wanted to utilize branded glassware in this write-up, I did not have glassware of each brand that would have kept this as fair a review as possible. Thus, I'll be using the tasting glasses that I bought when out visiting Port City Brewing in Alexandria, VA. I am insanely anxious for this slugfest to begin. Let's pour! First up...

Double Dead Guy

Aroma 9/12

The beer shows promises of authenticity by beginning with notes of straw, sweet caramel, and a bit of booze.  Roasted notes evolve slowly and eventually lead to stronger versions of the previously mentioned scents.  The caramel becomes richer and brings the complementary booziness right along with it.  All the malts even let some brighter hop notes to peek out in the forms of green apples, a lesser resin, and some citrus.  There may even be a hint of spice, but it is too faint to say definitively.  This all translates into a rather bittersweet medley with an interesting fruit/citrus overtone.

Appearance 3/3

Superior size and retention in the head, which has a nice bisque color that sits handsomely on top of a beer with any number of hues.  Those that come to mind quickly are: reddish-copper, canned beets, sunset orange, and some deceptive dark purple shades.  The beer is translucent which enables both the great colors yet still lets the light in to play with them.  It even has some nice lacing!

Flavor /20

What a neat citrus splash on the tip of the tongue before the drinker was given more of the "bitter" from the "bittersweet" from the aroma!  Soon, the roast and graininess of the malts kicks in to dull the sweetness a bit, but it is quickly overruled by the lighter caramel and the strong fruity esters.  I was a bit hesitant writing "apples" in the aroma, but after tasting it I stand by that 100%.  The backbone is largely a slightly darkened caramel and the sweet fruit, but has a great boozy quality that, much like the aroma, always complements and never oversteps its bounds.  The finish is a reprisal of the grainy malt with a strengthened bitter that still manages to show off the roast and some alcohol heat.  In case that last sentence didn't give you a hint, there's a lot going on here.  The aftertaste lingers with the warming effect of alcohol, but also with the graininess from the finish. Eventually, it simply becomes bitter and urges the next mouthful.

Mouthfeel 5/5

This beer is a "double" that ups the ante on flavor, but doesn't make the beer too heavy in that endeavor.  On the contrary, this beer enjoys a moderate-full body, ample carbonation to keep things refreshing, but a silky smooth mouthfeel.  Once this beer sits in the mouth, it practically glides over your tongue.  A swish or two might yield a little foam, but for the most part you can count on this beer being both pleasantly bubbly early on, as well as very silky for the style.  A very nice contrast to have within the same bottle.

Overall Impression 9/10

I'm impressed at the various levels of complexity in this beer.  The aroma has 3 nice scents going on, the appearance features a wide range of colors, the flavor has at least 5 different components, the alcohol is used remarkably well, and even the mouthfeel changes in the course of one sip to be different things at different times.  Is it as robust as most brewers make their doubles?  Not really, but there's so much brewing prowess in this bottle it's hard to hold that against it.  In other words, with this much control exhibited over so many minute details, do you really believe that this beer isn't exactly the way that Rogue wanted it?  If they wanted it stronger, they'd have made it that way.

Total 44/50

The score seems a bit low for how much I enjoy this beer, but the lower score in the aroma seemed to hurt it the most.  Not that the aroma is bad, but it is seemingly simple compared to the complexity inherent in the rest of this brew.  I have a feeling that in the battle between this two beers, that Double Dead Guy is going to be the smaller, more agile, more technical fighter whose sheer study of the art, talent, and skill are going to make this fight go the distance.

And now...

Double Bastard

Aroma 11/12

Now THIS smells like a double!  It is so rich and dark smelling with gobs of molasses just wafting out to shake your hand with the sometimes uncomfortable assumed familiarity of a "How the hell are ya?!"  Even with that strong malt aroma, the hops are still easily detectable and only get stronger as the beer warms.  They start out clean and fresh with a light citrus, which teams up oddly well with a little booze that's present.  A moderate roast makes a cameo and then things truly begins to come together.  The bouquet as a whole is boozy, rich with a molasses that is made brighter by the citrus hops that will not be subdued.  As this was their 2011 release, I can only imagine what it would be like fresh.

Appearance 3/3

Another great looking brew!  This beer pours darker than the Double Dead Guy with shades light brown, magenta, ruby, some rather indescribable red/purple combinations.  This is very striking in color!  The head is beige, moderate in longevity, leaves little lacing, and is supplemented around the edges of the glass by tiny columns of carbonation.  The beer appears living and moving with this constant ascension.

Flavor 19/20

This is not a beer that tiptoes around with nuance and subtlety.  Immediately, your taste buds are being bludgeoned by big heavy malts!  Brown sugars abound, caramel flows freely, a suggestion of raisins & dark fruits is hard to ignore, alcohol is camouflaged yet present, and a diminished resin shows up from time to time.  There are no rising and falling flavors to detect.  This is a bull rush and you're in the way.  The finish is more of the resin, but with a fully revealed alcohol heat and a sticky feeling thanks to the sweet fruits that refuse to go away without a fight.  The aftertaste allows all the other flavors to fall away save for a medicinal bitter that lingers long after the beer has been swallowed.  This is a slap of flavors on the tongue!

Mouthfeel 4/5

In case, the last paragraph left any doubt this is a big, big beer.  The mouthfeel is full bodied and smooth even though Stone makes a feint at lightening it with a fairly aggressive carbonation.  Thankfully, that prickly carbonation dies before the halfway point in the 1 Pt. 6 oz. bottle, and we're left with a big beer that's still light on its feet.  This is just about the perfect amount of carbonation to have in a big beer.  The alcohol warmth is a tad more aggressive than I would prefer.  It's not out of line by any means, in fact big beers often carry a strong warmth with them, but that doesn't mean that the alcohol couldn't have been incorporated more into the beer instead of contributing on its own.

Overall Impression 10/10

I love it!  This is big beer and everything about it is designed as such.  The aroma is strong (albeit fairly simple), the flavor is a monster, the appearance is gorgeous, and the mouthfeel means some serious business.    If you enjoy doubles or imperials, this beer is right up your alley.  It's robust nature carries it in every category

Total 47/50

This is truly an annual release to be sought out and celebrated.  It defies most other beers on the shelf and is a really nice surprise.  Yes, even though you expect big, full flavored beers when you drink a Stone, be prepared to be surprised.  It's big, sweet, warm, and smooth, but still drinks easier than I'd expect and leaves a great lingering bitter.  This was definitely the bruiser out of the two beers evaluated.  Its fight stratagem is clearly brute strength and a relentless attack.  Thankfully, that strength is also remarkably tasty.

And the winner, by a judge's score of 44 to 47 is...

In the end the tasty flavors, complexity, and high technical brewing of Rogue's Double Dead Guy weren't enough to defeat the huge/delicious flavors and "big beer" feel of Stone's Double Bastard.  Each one definitely has their place and respective bragging rights.  Rogue's aroma was more complex, but Stone's was much richer.  Rogue's head was superior overall and laced better, but Stone's carbonation in the glass made the beer seem alive.  And these type of comparisons go on and on.  Which makes me think that the victory could go to either beer depending on how your mood strikes you.  Perhaps another day, I might've found the Double Bastard overpowering and clumsy.  Perhaps, like today, I found that the Double Dead Guy just didn't have enough "oomph" to really knock me out.  Overall, Rogue provides a sweeter, more drinkable, less boozy experience that is easier to let beginners sample because each flavor can be more easily detected.  Stone, on the other hand, provides a darker, boozier, stronger, richer, more lingering brew that might be too abrasive to those you're to proselytize into the world of craft beer.  They're both excellent beers, but like Highlanders... there can be only one.  Now if you'll excuse me, I have two bottles to finish.

Stone - Vertical Epic Ale 11.11.11

For those that do not know the history of Stone's Vertical Epic project, here's the scoop:  Stone has been releasing a new beer on each day where the month, day, and year are all the same number.  It began on February 2nd, 2002 (02.02.02) and will end this year on 12.12.12 (though the release dates are slightly different than the actual date of the bottle).  They are designed to be enjoyed in a vertical tasting (a progressive, side-by-side type format) when 12.12.12 is released or slightly thereafter.  Needless to say, it requires a lot of patience to hold out that long and it requires a long time dedication to craft beer.  It's a very cool idea and it has waited a long time to come to fruition.  Since I have another bottle of the 11.11.11, I'll still have one for a little vertical tasting session of my own.  But that's later, let's taste now!  Let's pour!

Aroma 10/12 

Fairly simple, but enjoyable nonetheless.  The chiles are first and foremost, but far from overbearing.  In a pleasant twist, they not only give the beer a spiciness and heat, but also the aroma of the actual vegetable.  I like that a lot!  There is a dull sweetness behind the chiles, like a rich, sweet bread made with brown sugar.  Also, there is a brighter sweetness even behind that.  It is somewhat fruitlike, but extremely difficult to discern.  Perhaps it is the Belgian yeast used in the brewing process?

Appearance 3/3

The head was right around one finger and a lighter color of the beer beneath.  The brew itself is mahogany and dirty copper with some very attractive red and magenta shades when held to light.

Flavor 18/20

This is a most unusual brew!  Things start off very salty in the mouth.  It's nowhere close to seawater, but the shock was just about the same.  A cinnamon splash follows immediately after along with a bit of the vegetable chile flavor, and then things simmer down a bit into a more mellow, sweet backbone.  The blend of caramel, cinnamon, and spice is almost like a Hispanic dessert of sorts.  There is also an unusual, brighter sweetness on the tip of the tongue, like grapes or honey.  The chiles are adding a lot of flavor at this point, but not much heat or spice as of yet.  The finish is a resurgance of the chiles in all of its characteristics: vegetable flavor, spice, and a smidge of heat.  It also refuses to let go of that cinnamon laden sweetness and so the combination of malts and chiles continues through to the end, but not without a dash of boozy goodness.  Holding this beer in the mouth really lets the cinnamon and darker malt flavors come out, but a quicker swallow yields a tangier, sweetness.  Very interesting.  The aftertaste is fairly clean despite all the spices and heat, but the beer does leave the mouth sticky.

Mouthfeel 4/5
Even the very end of this bottle has adequate carbonation to prevent the bigger flavors from becoming a chore to imbibe.  The carbonation is plentiful and tiny, but never intrudes on the palate and lets those bigger flavors do their thing.  It is simply there as a balancing act; never intruding as a main character nor attempting to steal the show.  The touch of warmth in the finish was the only time the 9.4% ABV showed itself and it was a welcome addition.

Overall Impression 9/10
This is definitely one of the better chile beers that I have had.  And yes, I call it a chile beer even though it is technically categorized as a Belgian Strong Dark Ale (even if it does lack the aggressive carbonation to be considered such).  It does not back down from the chile flavors, like so many others.  Other beers seem to just barely add the roasted pepper notes and an amount of heat that only a gringo could detect.  Stone adds more than an average amount of heat (though still far from aggressive) and does not back down from the authentic, vegetable flavors of the chile pepper.  Also, while it incorporates the "boilerplate" ingredient of Hispanic themed beers, cinnamon, it also chooses to shake things up by putting the cinnamon and chiles in with a Belgian Flanders Golden Ale yeast.  It's very creative, very unique, and very tasty.

Total 44/50
I wish that this were not a one time release by Stone.  Or at the very least that it gives them the confidence to brew a seasonal (or dare I say, year round) chile beer.  This is very well done and better than almost any other chile beer I've had to date (that crown still belongs to a local brewery, Bent River).  The heavier body is nice, the carbonation is present but unobtrusive, the sweetness is present to balance the chiles, and the chiles are *gasp* actually present in more than just a wisp of a roasted note buried deep in the beer.  I love the authentic chile flavor in this!  It gives this beer a definite leg up.  If you have a extra bottle, go ahead and give it a try.  If not, I hope that 12.12.12 comes quickly for ya!  Good on you Stone!  I'm already looking forward to December to crack open the rest of these.  Cheers.

Stone - Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout

I was way overdue for a beer from Stone.  The fact that I can't remember the last one I had is not a good indicator.  Today I resolve this dilemma by cracking open a bottle of their 2011 "Odd Year" Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout.  As the name suggests it's a big ol' imperial stout to which Stone has added a Belgian yeast strain and, according to the bottle, "liberal amounts of star anise."  If that doesn't sound delicious enough, they then "oak" the beer using oak chips!  It sounds like a whole heap of delicious, but when it was released there were some mixed reviews.  Shall we find out for ourselves?  Let's pour!

Aroma 11/12

Dark, almost burnt roast and loads of oak are abundant as soon as the cap is pried off the bottle.  It's so darkly roasted and woody that one can easily imagine a campfire.  To drink this around a campfire on a fall evening would be a true prefect pairing.  The anise is also there - a fruit with which I am not completely familiar.  It does have a "black licorice" scent to it, but more in a more slightly saltier"Good N Plenty" type way and not like a rope of black licorice. It is also less intense in the same way a shallot is more subtle than an onion.  Dark fruits remain behind it as does a well camouflaged warmth.

Appearance 3/3

This pours dark!  The only time I was able to get any light through this nearly opaque beer was when holding it up to a ceiling light.  Only then could I see a dark, deep brown from underneath the surface.  The head is dark tan, dense with tiny bubbles and appears almost solid from the top.  It takes its time to form (I love that), and its longevity is most pleasing.

Flavor 19/20

This is a unique and tasty beer!  Initial flavors waste no time in bull-rushing the palate with plenty of the wondrous, dark roasted malts, the woody oak, and bits of bitter.  After holding the beer in the mouth, the anise and dark fruits take on more of the heavy lifting.  Belgian yeasts add a sweetness, but not any of the banana flavors for which they are typically known.  The flavors are widely varied, but not contrasting.  It takes a lot of brewing prowess to blend so many different flavors together so well and to be able to taste each one.  The anise and a very nice warmth are apparently holding hands as the beer slides down the throat... and what a nice partnership it is!  Oddly, it's pretty much only those two flavors in the finish (a moderate bitter pops in to say good-bye), but the warmth isn't just the flavor of alcohol.  It actually seems to warm the way fine liquor/spirit would, as it were spreading across the chest.  Also, an exhale after the finish can bring the anise right back into the nose!  Very neat!  The aftertaste is still warm, and leaves a quiet, round bitter to remember this beer.

Mouthfeel 5/5

Carbonation is spread thin, but not buried.  The few bubbles one does come across add the vivacious quality expected of them, but they are spaced well apart from one another.  The abundance of malts give the full body expected of them, but are balanced appropriately and never become syrupy or slick.  The carbonation even foams up ever so slightly to make this beer more drinkable than perhaps its ABV (10.5%) and full body would otherwise allow. 

Overall Impression 10/10

Big aroma, big, complex flavor that remains nuanced, fantastic warming quality, and a very appropriate body are all details that make this beer a uniquely flavored winner.  When this beer was fresh, reviews would claim a lot of strong flavors, especially from the anise, but currently I find them wonderfully participatory while not becoming overbearing.  Good heavens the roast in this is tasty!  It's a big beer, but I could easily do with another bottle.

Total 48/50

This beer is insanely tasty!  I appreciated it more an more throughout the bottle and it did everything short of make me use expletives whenever I drank it.  The dark roast, oak, and dark fruit are a trifecta that is not to be trifled with.  Add warmth to the mix and you've got a beer that I'll be talking about when people bring up unusual and interesting stouts!  Dammit Stone, you do good work!  My only complaint is that I wish I had enough foresight to buy an additional bottle for cellaring purposes.  If the beer has changed this much already (according and contrasting to reviews from when it was fresh), I'd love to see it in a year or so!  If you can find this, buy a case.  Drink some now and save some for later.  You will not be disappointed!

Brewdog & Stone - bashah

In the interest of full disclosure, I'd like to first say that I am the proud owner of some Equity for Punks!  If you don't know what that is yet, check it out here.  After finally taking the plunge last week after a near immediate blessing from my surprisingly understanding and slightly dismissive wife (quoth her email, "Just go do it"), I find myself doing something new, exciting, and a bit helpful to the craft beer community.  With my new investment in mind, I figured it was time to break out this bottle that had been sitting in my beer fridge for quite some time.  This bottle is called "bashah" and is the collaborative effort betwixt our friends at Stone and Brewdog.  I know!  It DOES sound good.  My only concern was that the bottle might be a little too old considering this is supposed to be a black Belgian DIPA.  To be specific, this bottle is from batch 352 and was bottled on 12/19/2010.  Under a year should be fine for a beer this steeped in hops and darkness, right?  Is that not the story behind imperials and IPAs?  That their strong flavors preserved them?  One way to find out if that legend holds true.  Let's pour!

Aroma 7/12
Granted, this is an older bottle, so it should come as no surprise that the majority of the aroma is cocoa with no detectable hop character.  There is some Belgian yeast sweetness that makes a faint appearance, as does some coffee and some roast, but the IPA goodness (let alone the Double IPA goodness) has died out a long time ago.  At this point, it smells like a pretty tasty stout.  I find that the roasted malt appears as the beer continues to warm.

Appearance 2/3
Not pitch black, but very very dark. The traces of mahogany are only visible along the edges when held to light.  The khaki-colored head was small and lasted as long as it had to, but where it touched my glass it left a rather impressive lacing that indicated lots of good pitting.

Look at that lace!

Flavor 19/20
For a beer with a less than impressive smell, this beer still has what it takes to knock your socks clean off!  Initial flavors are the sweetness of malt, raw sugar, and caramel.  Then the backbone begins to rush in and this beer gets big in a hurry!  Lots of coffee, hop bitter, dark caramel, roasted chocolate malts, and a light saltiness that I have had in other dark beers (notably Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch), but can never seem to place.  This is big and complex - a great combination.  The finish is very bitter, hints at the former sweetness, and drys the mouth quickly.  Maybe those hops did not disappear completely after all!  This beer leaves a great inky, hoppy bitter aftertaste way on the back of the tongue that seems to skulk about like some sort of great, black predator crouched in the back of its lair.  It lives back there.  It belongs there.

Mouthfeel 4/5
Its carbonation is barely present without feeling flat; I love that in a dark beer.  The body is not as heavy as one would expect from a beer this dark and with this much flavor, which is a nice surprise when you're finished and not weighed down.

Overall Impression 9/10
This is a damn good beer, but I felt I had to dock a point for not being at all what is on the label.  It claims to be "The Black Belgian Style Double India Pale Ale."  Granted, that's a pretty tall order to fill, but it can (and has) been done.  The black is definitely present, but the rest gets lost.  Any Belgian characteristics are slight at best.  The hops offer no flavor nor aroma (in a bottle this aged), even if they certainly have their say in the finish.  Those DIPA hops really come out in the aftertaste, too.  The beer that was present was a delightful, hoppy stout that was good enough to score a nine here.  Big, complex, bitter, and not heavy.  What more do you want?

Total 41/50
I thought this was going to be a brief review. I respect Stone and Brewdog a LOT and when I first smelled this beer I was ready to be disappointed by the rest. It smelled simple and weak. I didn't even really want to post a crappy review about two breweries I like so much, but figured I might be able to get away with it if I screamed loud enough that this was an old bottle.

Then I tasted it.

Wow! What a complete 180! While it's not the style on the label this is still a damn good dark beer that I keep wanting to call a stout. I don't want to rehash the beer description, but I can't reiterate how much this beer redeemed itself. To reward such a redemption, I'll stop calling it a stout and begin calling it my "bête noire." Cheers and kudos to the boys at Brew Dog & at Stone!! You boys can get together for a playdate any time you like!

The legend held true.

Midwest Brewers Fest 2011

Quality ticket!  Even moreso than most minor league sports teams.
This is like NFL-grade tickets!

I don't how else to start out except saying that this beer fest was amazing.  It seems like everything was planned for, thought of, and somehow miraculously executed.  The devil is in the details after all...  Since it has been almost a week  since this happened all my short term memories have worn off as has the exact order of the day. All I have to go on are pictures, impressions, and notes from my complimentary beer tasting book.  It should be more than enough.

The first thing you see when you walk in are tents.  Huge, white, nicer-looking tents and they're lined up probably a good quarter mile.  These are not just tents that the brewers are under, these are tents that the brewers are centered underneath and that the samplers also get to go under to escape the ridiculously gorgeous weather.

The flow from the entrance puts you right into the tents and the day starts immediately.  My day happened to start with Stone 15th Anniversary Imperial BIPA.  It was a sign of things to come.

I had to stop and try it (despite my best judgement about not stopping at the first tent) and it did not let me down.  However, I could not dawdle.  There were amazing craft beers to be drank and I was just the man for the job.  Before I go into a ton of different beers though, allow me to talk about the different aspects of the festival and how fantastic they were.

The Grounds
This was basically set in a forest preserve.  I know it wasn't really, but you could've fooled me if it were not for its close proximity to some train tracks and the rest of the Chicago burbs.  It was a massive grassy clearing with the aforementioned white tents down the middle.

This looks toward the entrance. VIP tent on the right.  Could this
weather have been any more gorgeous?!

Enjoying the grounds with accessorized hops.

Lining the right hand border of the grounds were porta-potties about every 40 yards, each "station" even had its own hand washing station.  Sure, that seems like common sense, but I have been to events/concerts/etc that do not have them and I always appreciate them when they are there.  The left border of the grounds is a river with picnic tables stationed here and there.  Not only did they have seating, but I didn't have to bring it myself, nor pay extra for it, it was scenic and (except during midday) shaded!  I am pleased beyond words at this.

Taking full advantage of the free seating.

The Facilities
I have already discussed the abundance of porta-potties, hand-washing stations, and shade-giving white tents so I won't rehash them here even if it would have been more appropriate to list them in this section.  On thing I have not mentioned are the kegs of water.  Yes, that's what I said.  There were four kegs of water located near the corners of each tent for rinsing of tasting glasses, palates, and for hydrating on this sunny day (jokes about Miller Lite kegs were abundant).  The food tent also had plenty of room for seating and navigating.  Halfway down the river side of the festival was also a cigar tent/area manned by Burning Leaf Cigars (www.burningleafcigarsonline.com).  They were selling some really good cigars, providing all the classic cigar stores services (cuts, lights, etc), and had roped off seating for the smoking the cigars you just purchased.  Even though you were only supposed to smoke cigars in that area, people were walking around with them outside of the disgnated area (its outside, so no big deal), but the smokers never seemed to wander in the tents where others might be effected.  This theme of common courtesy and mutual amicability seemed to rule the day.  I smoked a Pinar del Rio on their recommendation and did not regret it.

There was even had a Homebrewers tent which featured tutorials on brewing and some people's actual homebrews.  This tent was packed throughout the day and it was only toward the end of the day that I fought through the crowd so I wouldn't miss out on this neat opportunity for homebrewers and future homebrewers alike.

Remember how I mentioned the tents were plenty spacious inside, so as to give shade to the brewers AND the fest-goers?  Check it out.

Stone Brewing was in one of the very first tents.

Limestone was in a tent with TONS of other local
Chicago microbrewers.  An awesome tent!!

Some folks from Mendocino.  Frank (white polo) of Mendocino was one
of the friendliest folks manning a booth that day.

Chi-town folks were plenty chatty too!  Good work.

This booth got a TONS of buzz (pun not intended) as the
fest went continued.  They had some amazing varieties of
mead and it was EXTREMELY well made.

5 Rabbit, another Chicago microbrewer, had a very neat
passionfruit beer.  Trust me.

Head Brewer of Big Muddy Chuck Stuhrenberg manning
his own booth.  They had $10 shirts and free temporary tattoos!

Yet another Chicago microbrewery.  Awesome.

Headbrewer Pete/Pedro (beard) at the Haymarket Brewing
table.  Probably my favorite brewery at the fest!

Food
The food tent was just as spacious as the rest of the fest and had more than enough seating both in the shade of the tent itself or by the river.  Whole Foods showed up and donated a bunch of food!  They were handing it out to everyone that entered the food tent.  What were they handing out?

Just chocolate covered bacon is all.  Eventually, the chocolate must have been running low and they started just drizzling it.  Also, eventually they ran out of bacon and switched to hot dogs.  I know it sounds gross, but keep in mind the following 1) This is Whole Foods.  They don't have $0.99 hotdogs.  These are like big ol' ballpark hot dogs.  2)  How is it that different from bacon?  Either way it is sweet and salty and smoky meat.  Needless to say, we walked past a few times.  Overall, food was not expensive by any stretch but was amazing.  My vote for best food booth goes to the folks at Gilbert's Craft Sausages who were serving up sausages with clever names like "Oui-sconsin" (beef smoked sausage with bleu cheese), the Shebeergan (beer brat), and the Catalana (pork, mozzarella,chipotle, & lime).  I know the last one doesn't have a clever name, but look at all that stuff in the brat.  Not "on the brat" or "served on the side."  All those flavors were inside the sausage and it was fantastic.

The Beer
What a friggin' lineup!  For an established beer festival this would have been a great selection.  As a first-year foray into the burgeoning world of festivals, this was nothing short of spectacular.  56 different brewers and many were from the Chicago area and its surrounding suburbs.  Here is what I can testify to:

1.  5 Rabbit Cerveceria - 5 Lizard:  Aroma like a pink starburst.  Flavor is sour passionfruit with a bit of citrus.  Lots of carbonation and a sweet finish

2.  5 Rabbit Cereveceria - Golden Ale:  About as I expected.  Light.  Though I did try it much later in the day.  After a lot of bigger beers, its subtleties may have been lost on me.

3. Brickstone Brewery - Hop Sinner:  Aroma of caramel & citrus hop.  Flavor is complex and has brown sugar, rye, and a pine citrus hop.  This is nicely balanced, has a defined hop profile, a moderate bitter, and is a bit on the sweet side.  Very nice!  This beer was so tasty I felt compelled to buy one of their moderately priced glasswares.

4.  Big Muddy Brewing - Big Muddy Monster:  According to Head Brewer Chuck Stuhrenberg this beer sells so well that they're not able to distribute it like they are their other beers.  Lots of red malts and a sudden, almost coffee-ish bitter.  India Brown Ale?  Good work IL craft brewer!

5.  Chicago Beer Company - Windy City Wheat:  A lighter version of the style.  It's plenty crisp, coriander notes, and a little banana in the finish.

6.  Clown Shoes - Clementine Witbier:  Light, crisp, not overly done or syrupy in the least.  A wonderful blend of a bright tangerine and the creaminess of the witbier.

7.  Finch's Beer Co. - Sapsucker:  Another up and coming Chicago microbrewery!  This was red with a nice hop bitter.  There was no real distinct rye flavors, but this was another bright, crisp, refreshing beer on a day that suited it perfectly.

8.  Flossmoor Station - Hopfenweizen:  Aroma of banana and pine (wow!).  Flavors of dark banana, bitter notes.  Great head retention!  Really need blend of flavors that don't usually get put together.  Well done!  Of course, they're from IL.

9.  Emmett's Brewing Co. - Pale Ale:  Classic.  Bitter.  Refreshing.  Flavorful. Representing IL.

10.  Goose Island - Marisol:  Previously only available at the Frontera Grill (despite rumors of future bottling).  This smells of Belgian yeast, strong florals, and vanilla.  Body is lighter than expected and beer is well-carbonated.  Flavor is citrus, apples, and Belgian yeast with a finish of lemon and oak.

11.  Haymarket - Mathias Imperial IPA:  This brewery has been open 7-8 months after their Brewmaster Pete started his own brewery after working at another.  If these beers are any indication, these guys are going to be huge.  This beer was argued by many to be the "Best of Show."  This beer was amazingly rich, with caramel malt and a hoppy pine that flowed seamlessly back and forth between each other.  They were perfect compliments and this was a superior beer. IL owned and operated

12.  Haymarket - BUK:  This is a black rye bock full of dark cocoa, dark roast malt (with a slightly lighter body than expected for the color), and a lite rye that wasn't tangy, but a neat bitter/sweet blend.

13. Limestone Brewing Co. - Springbrook Honey Heather Ale: Honey & floral flavors (duh), but with woody notes and fairly crisp.  A heavier body contrasting the lighter flavors, but not in an unpleasant way.  More IL goodness.

14.  Mendocino Brewing - Imperial IPA:  Not too big with a nice balance.

Frank broke this out for us from behind the table.
I was glad that he did.

15.  Mendocino Brewing - White Hawk IPA:  Apples, soapy head, cracker malt, and citrus.

16.  Brewery Ommegang - BPA:  Very interesting.  Maybe not my cup of tea, but classic elements of each are easily discernible.

17.  Revolution Brewing Co. - Eugene:  Helluva porter.  Not a heavy version of the style, but lots of muddy chocolate and a drying finish.  Extra brownie points for bad ass tap handles and being from Chicago.

18.  Stone Brewing Co. - 15th Anniversary BIPA:  Grapefruit, bitter, coffee, and a delicious dark brown head.  This was easily a top 5 beer of the fest.  These guys were also cool enough to take out a growler of BPA from underneath the table, but I neglected to take notes on it because I was geeking out with some fellow bloggers about it.

19.  Two Brothers Brewing Co. - Robust Porter:  Chocolate, smokey, and smooth.  A suburban favorite brewer.

20.  Uinta Brewing Co. - Punk'n:  Not as sweet as other pumpkin varieties.  Lots of balance and carbonation.  Lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.

21.  Wild Onion Brewing Co. - Jack Stout:  Brownie points for being distributed in cans.  Lots of sweet malt, chocolate, toffee with a molasses finish and a lighter bitter for the style.  Finally distributing on the west side of IL.

22.  B. Nektar Meadery - Barrel Aged Dry Cyser:  I don't get much experience with meads, but after this I may have to seriously rethink that.  This drink was mature, honey, light tannins, and a finish of vanilla oak.  My brief notes, literally say "WOW!"  Plus the selection that they brough along was ridiculous!  He had no less than 8 varieties of his wares.  Please see the picture of this guy pouring it up in the "Facilities" section of this post.  He was talking it up, educating drinkers (including myself), and I'm pretty sure soaking up the excitement that his product was generating.  Toward the end you could barely approach this table because of the crowd!

The People
I saved the best for last.  Thankfully, I was able to attend with good friends and fortunate to make some new ones.  In an impromptu fashion, a meeting was arranged in the Twitterverse between several bloggers.  Around 3:30 we all agreed to meet up with Jason of TGBOAT at the Craft Beer 101 tent to meet in real life for the first time.  What a cool sensation to finally meet some of the people behind the avatars and website banners!  Lots of warm greetings, introductions, hand shaking, and laughs were shared.  It was like meeting old friends despite them being only the newest kind.  I don't know how I didn't cross paths with some (I'm looking at you theperfectlyhappyman, and Lance!), but the ones I did have the pleasure of meeting made the last half the fest truly memorable.  Nik of Chicago Beer Geeks,Wes from TGBOAT, and I definitely made the most of the last few hours of the fest laughing like idiots, trying to use up copious amounts of drink tickets, sharing beer opinions, and soaking up the last few drops of a beautiful day.

My l337 craft beer drinking crew for the day.

Craft Beer 101 tent

People meeting more people IRL.

Wes from TGBOAT manning the tent.

More of the l33t crew and the one who has to tolerate
me the most.

Having a great time toward the end of the day with
friends and extraneous hand gestures.

These two random dudes came up and gave me all their
tickets as they were leaving.  Their exact words, "Well, you're
smoking a cigar and wearing a New Glarus shirt.  We
figure they're in good hands."

In case you couldn't tell, I enjoyed myself immensely at this fest and cannot wait to return in any number of subsequent years.  The organizers put on one helluva good time and if you missed it, be ready for next year.  This thing can only get bigger and better.

I'd like to make a joke about blurry vision and leaving
a beer festival, but I in no way like to joke about drunk
driving.  Sorry to pee on your corn flakes.