Dark Lord Day (DLD) 2015

I'm cutting down on what I actually bring into the festival this year. Last year my backpack was loaded down with so
Many bombers that it weighed about 75 lbs. That got old quick. About 4-5 nice beers here and I will be focusing on the guest taps and all the 3 floyds stuff on tap I missed throughout the year. Also no more bourbon trades... @brother_kenneth

 

We'll be the guys playing Heady beer pong in the parking lot.

 

I'm going to do my best to pass by and try to get some eggs and sausage before they run out, or at least say hi and thank you for doing this. It's very kind of you and your guys. The world needs more good people like you. Of course I'll share some Chicago beer with you. I'll be the hispanic dude with a Half Acre cap and big orange backpack.

 

Much respect to anyone who can have that much beer in the same room as a little kid kitchen set!! Well done, I'd never get away with it at my place!!

 

Come on by man, look forward to meeting you!

 

I'll probably try to cross the street to meet you guys if nothing's going on at the Best Western Crossroad Inn.

 

Hope to see you there. I will likely be the other guy at the fest with a Carolina Panthers hat on.

 

I'm only bringing a couple of bottles to share. I usually find myself by the taps.

EDIT: Physically, I like to be hang out around the taps. I do not find myself religiously near the taps.

 

My pic is for the weekend and covers two backpacks between my girlfriend and I. We've got a share of 35 people at an apartment nearby on Friday night, so I'm trying to anchor the selections with the Alesmith & Bruery bottles). I plan to take 12-14 bottles between the both of us on Saturday, most of which are small format.

I am planning to bring some spinach and feta chicken sausages for the morning.

I'm hoping to get a picnic table (we've had luck in the past) to use as a base of operations. Otherwise, I'll bribe @JFMBearcat to keep an eye on my overflow bottles and just make provision runs and bribe him with meatsnacks.

IN - I miss beer pong so much. I will bribe you with something.

 

"Mommy, where's Daddy?"
"He's getting wasted with his virtual friends, sweetie"
"Oh, like my Little Pony?"
"Even worse"

 

Is it possible to cellar DL in the fridge around 37 degrees or does it need to be kept warmer?

 

At that temp you're not "cellaring" the beer, it's more that you're "cold storing" it. You're going to prevent it from evolving as it's too cold.

I've only ever had bottles of 2011 (the only time I've attended DLD) and at this point think I've tasted 5 bottles over the last 4 years. These bottles run the gamut of kept at room temp (~70 F), cellared properly (~58 F) and stuck in the back of a fridge (~40).

I can tell you emphatically that it made absolutely no difference. All bottles were sickeningly sweet and the older they got more Soy Sauce-y they became.

 

By contrast, I have had literally the opposite experience. For each vertical that we have done we have found that the older beers are vastly superior, with one exception. Every bottle of 2012 I have had has been brutal.

All bottles have been stored upright in dark places at room temperature until shortly before their opening, for reference.

 

And I've heard from multiple people that 2011 was an off year.

I know it's a running joke here on the Forums but am genuinely curious what the beer tastes like nowadays. I just couldn't understand the excitement, trouble of acquiring and cost of the day after downing all the 2011's we've had.

 

Haven't had one any more recently than 3 or 4 months ago, but DL '14 was still sweet as shit. I actually really like it, since I love sweet, thick stouts, but even for me it's borderline too sweet. I can definitely see why so many people can't stand the stuff.

 

I had a 2011 on draft last year at DLD, and it was like drinking pure dark brown sugar syrup with a very dry, sudden finish. The body was so sweet, I could barely finish the small pour I bought. Not sure how FFF cellars/cold stores their kegs.

 

Will the 18th Street and Flossmoor events be complete shit shows? Am I better off just participating in a hotel share? I also need to try to hunt down ZD etc and won't get in till 6pmish friday. Maybe I should start driving at 2am from Philly heh...

 

18th Street is ticket only til 7 pm. You should have no trouble at Flossmoor if you wanna stop there.

 

Flossmoor makes bad beer and 18th Street will be a shit show. Do a bottle share or check out one of the other breweries in the area. There are a lot of events going on.

 

The only word is WOW