Night Shift Barrel Society 2015

since piccasso was close to the wild red ale my guess is this might be close to the double barreled stout?

 

@BRYeleJR We plan to keg more beer this time. With Picasso we totally underestimated the demand for it in on draft from members. This time we hope to keg way more what we did last time. Our goal is to have it last a few weeks so members get to enjoy some without having to open their bottles.

We still plan to have an imperial stout for this year's barrel society. We were hoping that would be out in April but it didn't have enough barrel character and is still maturing in oak. Hogarth is sort of the Wheatwine on that list of beers.

 

Figured I'd bump this thread. Stopped by Night Shift for the first time yesterday and picked up my barrel society stuff (minus the glassware). While I was there I sampled everything they had and really enjoyed Santilli, Whirlpool, and the 87. Hogarth was good, but a bit heavy for this time of year.

One thing I forgot was to ask for an ETA for more sours and the next barrel society release, does anyone have any more info?

 

Night Shift said that they'd be ready when they'll be ready however I do know that they tend to backload the second part of the year so expect them to come out pretty close together, later this year in September-October-ish is my guess

 

Yeh, we have a number of sour beers lined up for the barrel society that just need more time. Some are getting fruit next week and some just need patience. The beers tend to come out later in the year due to not knowing how many members we will have so we can't brew them till the final count was in.

In 2016 we are planning on capping the club at its current membership count and will begin brewing those beers this fall so that we can better stagger the release throughout the year.

We will have a couple sours coming out this summer including a return of Harborside and Ever weisse as well as some small batch barrel aged treats for the general public.

 

I hope a few people decide not to renew, because after visiting the brewery for the first time this week, I definitely want to join the barrel society next year! I'd join this year if it weren't sold out

 

I agree!

Hey I second the guy above me!! Please allow some new members next year. Just moved to Boston but have been a big fan of this concept and have been looking forward to joining for a good while now!

 

I mean, a bunch of people are not going to re-join next year...so there you go.

 

Fair enough. Just wanted to put it out there.

 

I believe our renewal rate is around 60% from year to year but the society membership has grown by 2-300% every year (200 members, to 600 member to now 1,200). A lot of people buy it as gifts and we often notice those are the non-renewals. Those people usually aren't familiar with sours and don't enjoy them. Their lost? So while members have first right to renew I would guess there to be around 400-500 open slots.

There is a chance we could up membership higher but we want the society to be special and limited. It's also a lot to manage on our end and as we add more people its more work. We have a full time employee who spends half her time doing barrel society stuff. But that's the boring side of things and the more exciting side its hard to use exotic fruits at a large scale, its hard to process large quantity of specialty ingredients and its hard to source the best barrels for all the beers. At the end of the day its all worth the extra effort though!

 

mmmmmm... that ever weisse!!! Can't wait. Still looking like end of July, beginning of August?

 

Disappointed in the two beers so far. Piccasso had an oily mouthfeel and the smell and taste was riddled with buttery notes. The most recent bottle was just mediocre. Very little barrel presence imparted from either barrel. The base beer seemed watery and bland. At the abv I don't imagine age making it any better at all. Not happy so far.

 

I agree, I'm very, very, very underwhelmed. I don't feel like these beers are worth it and the fact that only two are out so far and it's already mid-June is also kind of annoying

 

I will for sure be renewing next year, love most of what i've had from NS. I just hope that with your expanded facility...maybe someday we get to see some NS down philly way, maybe even just for philly beer week?

 

Don't get the hate. I thought Picasso was very good. A lot of fruit and almost a wine like taste to it. Haven't tried Hogarth yet as I am letting it sit a little while. And as far as being upset that there are only 2 beers, I do not understand this. People say their is not enough barrel presence but they want the beer faster? Huh?! If they give me all my allotted beers in November and they have matured the way the brewer intended I am happy with that. Can't wait to see what's own the road.

 

You took what I said and what someone else said and mixed them. I want more barrel and a solid base beer. Don't care if the rest of the beer comes at me on December 31st. Glad you liked Picasso, mine was all butter.

 

@masterob8 any word on plans for the "Brown" I saw in the Barrel Room? Very curious if it's for the Barrel Society on general public. Thanks

 

I wasn't blown away by Hogarth, but I thought it had a great barrel character on the nose. The taste didn't quite live up to the nose, but it was not a bad beer by any means. I have yet to open my Picasso, though I have reservations due to the fact that everyone has said it was a gusher, but I might pop one soon to see for myself.

I was a big fan of the first 2 years of the barrel society and I plan on signing up in future years if they can continue to produce quality beers. And as previously mentioned, I do not care when the beers are released, as long as they are matured and that is how the brewer wants you to have the product!

 

Taste is so subjective. I had my Picasso last night and I thought it was awesome. Big strawberry jam and tart flavors, very jammy red wine like.

 

I thought Picasso was fantastic. No off flavors in mine.