Bruery Hoarder Blending Session

I've been trying to get some different odd fruits to see if I think they would part a good flavor. Maybe like a sour blend revolving around rambutans, or dragon fruit, or mangosteens, or persimmons. I'm excited nonetheless.

 

It never hurts to be unoriginal and just make a straight BT variant. Banana Black Tuesday, Vanilla Bean Black Tuesday, Mint Black Tuesday, etc. I know they've been done before on draft, but never bottled I believe...

 

Something tells me that they will not let folks do a bottle that would cost $40 (which BT variants have all been priced at), based on the fact that they added these onto the HS for 2014 after there was some rumblings about value for the club. My guess is they let folks know a certain percent that has to be fresh beer; my guess is any where from 40-75%.

/buzzkill

 

Rugbrod could probably be used in that role, although it's a seasonal so they may or may not want it used as a component of the blend.

 

Sounds like a good idea. I was thinking of strawberry, kiwi, lime to use for a Berliner, sour , saison blend !

 

Excellent idea, but maybe no dragon fruit. The flavor is quite mild so you would need a lot of fruit, and it is quite expensive(retail $5.99/lb).

 

So these are the beers:

Black Tuesday
Anniversary
White Oak Sap
Smoking Wood
Oude Tart
Rueuze
Tart of Darkness
Sour in the Rye

 

Jealousy just kicked in - so many possibilities!

 

If one of you uses White Oak Sap, I punch you in the nuts.

 

They said that if you have someone you want to be in a group with to email them.....anyone interested in aiming for a sour blend with fruit? If so, BM me and I'll contact then with the names. I love their strong ale Melanges, but I'd love to try and create a kick ass sour!

 

Wow that list seems limited, I guess they stuck to beers they make crazy big batches of. Home additions, you are up. In my head I would go something like Black Tuesday (50% if they allow it) for sweet, Tart of Darkness (50%) and either licorice (still a little afraid of sour+licorice) or black currant and call it "Void".

 

Fun list. Wish I was attending. But since I'm not, here's what I would do if I got to play PMR for a day.

Base of Reuze - maybe 50%, maybe even a bit more. OT and/or SitR to get to 90-95% of the total blend (think I prefer entirely OT, but I doubt there's a wrong answer). Anniversary beer for the last 5-10%.

Time/Bruery permitting, I'd put the whole thing in white wine barrels that formerly housed a drier white wine (not a wine guy, but a stone-fruit/peachy sauvignon blanc would be ideal). If barrels aren't an option, then put the blend in stainless over grapefruit rinds... or even a small quantity of a citrusy hop.

In my head, I'm trying to create a sour beer with a fairly light body, but with some distinct tannins from OT/SitR, some modest sweetness, barrel character, and oxidation from the anniversary, and just a little oak/citrus/vinous/bitter character from the wine barrel/grapefruit rinds/hops.

Basically, a Bruery-ized Cantillon Iris.

 

Smoking Wood. God no.

 

White Oak Sap does not equal White Oak. Sap is a really good beer and is part of Melange 3.

 

Yes, I know. I was referring to the fact that this year's White Oak Sap is overly sweet and a bit tart and has done some bad things to several of this year's releases (White Chocolate, Or Xata, and Cacaonut in particular).

 

Oh yeah? I didn't realize that. I haven't had Cacaonut or this years White Chocolate yet. Was that in Or Xata?

 

I don't think it was in Or Xata. Definitely ruined White Chocolate and Cacaonut.

 

Hmm, maybe it wasn't in Or Xata. The ABV might be a bit low to have it in it. But yeah, lots of people thought White Chocolate and Cacaonut were infected due to White Oak Sap's tartness.

 

I dunno if the White Oak Sap is a problem but I was thinking you guys should try to recreate Dirty Beaver Juice Weekend.

Very jealous of those who got in. When I'm not drinking beer I make cocktails and greatly enjoy the process of blending ingredients to find something tasty. I'll be a Hoarder next year so hopefully we get to do this again. I did send a few ideas to a friend who's going so hopefully one of those makes it.

 

You raise an interesting point. Are barrel treatments part of the blending game? I had assumed it was strictly blending like the Melange 1 and 3.