Great Taste Pre-Party Events Thread

How does everyone think the recent fire at Three Floyds will impact which Dark Lord variants are poured?

 

Go to Maduro and get multiple pours of BB Expo and Raspberry Wild One. Fuck SR-71 and it's bullshit hype.

 

False

 

It's not the last keg ever.

 

when Mike Seigel was in Minneapolis for Migration week I thought he said the great taste would be getting 2 year barleywine..but I don't see it on either day...oh well here is Madison's lineup for the eve since it isn't on the great taste website. Starts at 3pm

Summer Ale – 5.0% ABV – As summer heats up, this light-bodied session ale with fresh orange aroma is crisp, easy drinking and endlessly refreshing. Brewed with hops from Elk Mountain Farms, Goose Summer Ale will be a stape at backyard BBQs and outdoor adventures for the whole summer.

Goose Island IPA – 5.9% ABV – Our India Pale Ale recalls a time when ales shipped from England to India were highly hopped to preserve their distinct taste during the long journey. The result is a hop lover’s dream with a fruity aroma, set off by a dry malt middle, and long hop finish

The Ogden – 9% ABV – William Ogden opened Chicago’s first brewery. He was the city’s first mayor. And he added the North Brand channel to the Chicago River that created the island from which we take our name. Three good reasons why we gave our first-ever Belgian Style Tripel his name. We dry hopped The Ogden with American Citra and Brewer’s Gold hops to add spicy, tropical flavors. Then we fermented it with a unique Belgian yeast to give it a bold, complex palate

St. Genevieve – 5.5% ABV – Brewed in collaboration with Crown Valley Winery, this homage to the flavors found in sangria is perfect for sipping on summer patios. Over 50 pounds of fruit, including pears, oranges, limes, blueberries, pineapple, and mangoes, were added to both wine and brandy barrels from Crown Valley and aged with out Belgian-style wit over 6 weeks. The result is a juicy, full-bodied crimson ale with a bouquet of citrus and fruit, subtle peppery spice, and a crisp, slightly tannic finish

Sofie – 6.5% ABV – Our sparkling Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale is wine barrel-aged with an abundance of hand-zested orange peel. Spicy white pepper notes contrast the citrus tartness. The light, refreshing, creamy vanilla finish will excite those fond of Champagne.

Originally brewed by Belgian farmers to attract the best farm hands, we were inspired to brew an exceptional ale as inviting as the original Belgian Farmhouse ales. Light and effervescent, we named it for our founder’s granddaughter Sofie

Matilda – 7.0% ABV – Wild in character, with a slightly fruity aroma and a spicy yeast flavor that is as unique as it is satisfying – Matilda is an intriguing choice for beer and wine lovers alike. Dry and quenching, it’s the perfect accompaniment at the dining table or for casually socializing at the bar

Halia – 7.5% ABV – Halia is a farmhouse ale aged in wine barrels with whole peaches, resulting in bright, effervescent fruit notes in a soft, hazy body that finishes slightly tart and sweet with the pleasant character of ripe, juicy peaches. Literally meaning “remembrance of a loved one” in Hawaiian, Halia was brewed in memory of the dear friend of one of our brewers who loved peaches.

Gillian – 9.5% ABV – Inspired by an amuse bouche often prepared by the wife of one of our brewers, Gillian brings white pepper, strawberry, and honey to a harmonious blend. Partially aged in wine barrels, this Belgian style farmhouse ale is slightly tart and pleasantly sweet in a refreshingly effervescent body.

Class of 88 – 11.2% ABV – The Class of ‘88 Belgian Style Ale was brewed in collaboration with Deschutes Brewery to celebrate both of our silver anniversary this year. Our Class of ‘88 beer is brewed with whole flower Mt Hood hops, which were first introduced in 1988, then transferred to Muscat casks and aged with Michigan Riesling Grape juice and Oregon Pinot Noir grape must. The result is a golden Belgian strong ale with a pleasant aroma of semi-sweet Riesling grapes and fresh green hops, complemented by a touch of tartness that is quickly cut by a bright, dry finish reminiscent of a refreshing white wine. Enjoy this tribute to the Class of 88.

A quarter century ago a passion for craft brewing ignited across the country. Today, the founding breweries of 1988 have united to commemorate that seminal year with a special selection of beers. Every bottle is a portal to the renaissance of craft brewing. Each steeped in heritage and expert craftsmanship.

Bourbon County Barleywine – 12.1% ABV – Aged in the third-use barrels that were once home to Kentucky bourbon and then our renowned Bourbon County Stout, this traditional English-style barleywine possesses the subtlety of flavor that only comes from a barrel that’s gone through many seasons of ritual care. The intricacies of the previous barrel denizens – oak, charcoal, hints of tobacco and vanilla, and that signature bourbon heat – are all present in this beer. Hearty and complex, Bourbon County Brand Barleywine is a titan and a timeline; a bold, flavorful journey through the craft of barrel aging

Bourbon County Coffee Stout – 12.6% ABV – Everyday Goose Island smells the wonderful coffee roasting next to our brewery at Chicago’s Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea. This world class roaster puts the same passion and skill into their coffee as Goose Island does with its beer. This excellent stout is made with a different coffee from our friends next door each year. With the change in coffee comes a change in the flavor profile, making each release truly unique from the previous years

Bourbon County Stout – 15% ABV – Brewed in honor of the 1000th batch at our original Clybourn brewpub. A liquid as dark and dense as a black hole with thick foam the color of a bourbon barrel. The nose is an intense mix of charred oak, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and smoke. One sip has more flavor than your average case of beer

 

According to toppling goliath (They make the beer) it is

 

BB Expo? Did I miss that announcement? Shit, I'd take that any day over BN.

 

Agreed don't see that on the list...but black note at 10am...I can dig that

I don't know how to add pics on here but its an event page on Maduro's Facebook page

 

I suppose we shouldn't get hung up on this small point, because it's probably just a miscommunication. My guess is TG told Dexter's, "this is our last SR-71 keg" (which is probably true--I don't know), and Dexter's assumed it was the last keg in existence. Again, I'm just guessing there. But I'm not guessing when I say that as a matter of fact, it is not the last SR-71 keg in existence.

 

@TgBC

 

I'm going with the assumption that @12tb is sitting on a keg at this very moment. Even GI was wrong about their last keg of Rare iirc. However, 12tb could also be sitting on a mislabelled keg.

 

Before the festival begins, we will be pouring these beers at Maduro on Friday, August 7:

- Special Double Cream Stout
- Venus
- Uranus
- Black Note
- Bourbon Barrel Aged Expedition Stout
- Raspberry Wild One
- Mango Habanero Oberon
- Cherry Stout
- Mars
- Kalamazoo IPA
- Wedding Ale
- Sparkleberry
- Two Hearted
- Hopsoulution DIPA
- Oarsman
- Traverse City Whiskey Barrel Aged Porter
- Bell's Lager Beer


TCW Porter is amazing as well

 

And at 10am too...this years pre taste is impressive..I remember last year nothing was really happening until 3pm! I like this trend

 

I wish.

 

This. This right here makes me very happy. And Mango Habanero Oberon is also on point for those who haven't had it.

 

kind of off-topic here, but I am thinking about having dinner with 3 adults and 4 kids in Madison tomorrow. Do any of these good beer locations have good food and allow for wee ones?

 

Dexter's is normally fine for kids, but with TG being there it's a sure no-go because it'll be a complete zoo. I would recommend Brocach of what is going to be going on. Irish pub vibe, but in more of a restaurant sort of way, and they'll have the most Surly I've ever seen outside the taproom. Plus the rotating bangers and mash and the fish and chips are awesome.

Brickhouse BBQ would be a good drink option with all the great CW on, but I think the vibe is more barlike and less kid-friendly, plus the food is just okay.

 

By tomorrow - I'm guessing you mean Wednesday or Thursday... Any of the beer locations lists in this thread are kid-friendly by Wisconsin standards, even after 8 years I was amazed by the number of kids that would be in bars but never bothered me. Dexter's is a neighborhood bar w. good bar food. Brickhouse is BBQ and has a very nice atmosphere - another option around the square would be Coopers Tavern. Hopcat is open now also - so that could be an option.

To make your life easier - pick the style of food you want, w. acceptable price point and if you don't mind your kids in a bar setting, just go...

 

I misread your post! Sorry!

Tomorrow, anywhere you want will be fine. Not sure what's on at most of these places right now, but you may be able to find out on social media. For best beer with best food, generally I would say to go to the Old Fashioned, Dexter's, or Brasserie V. Brocach and Tipsy Cow are in that conversation as well.

Of those five, Brasserie V is the most upscale and therefore least kid friendly (depending on their ages), but they usually have a phenomenal selection of both on-premise bottles and taps. Also, Belgian frites.

Old Fashioned has WI-ONLY taps and good, supper club, Wisconsin sorta food. They have like 50 taps or so.

Tipsy has a smaller yet more varied selection state-wise and tasty, classic bar food.

Dexter's is classic pub fare (fish fry is killer) and usually has very good taps as well. Probably one of the most known Madison taprooms.

Brocach we talked about.

A bit on the lesser side is Blue Moon. They do good burgers and usually have a solid taplist, but it's hit-or-miss, sometimes amazing, sometimes bland.

Craftsman is good and has a well-curated taplist, but it's on the high end price-wise, and it tends to lean to the "hipster" sorta "upper-class" joint. I don't think it's super kid-friendly.

A final option could be Glass Nickel on the East Side. They're a pizza joint that usually has some very good taps to boot. The Atwood location is the best for beer.

A bit of a different recommendation would be to just go to Karben4, the brewery. Their taproom is definitely a bar setting, but I wouldn't say it's any less kid-friendly than other bars. It is not a dive. They're supposed to have good food (can't speak to it personally), and their beer is very, very good. It is mostly hoppy stuff, usually, so if that isn't your bag or you want variety, avoid. I just thought it was worth consideration.

 

Thanks for all of your help folks. Your notes will come in very handy.