What beer are you drinking now? #1069

And now, to quote a certain @TheIPAHunter, this Throwback Thursday Throwdown is larrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrge for me. One of my favorite beers against the beer I hear people hyping as having a chance to dethrone my favorite. This is battle Bourbon Barrel Aged Wee Heavy, Founders Backwoods Bastard vs Thirsty Dog Wulver.


Hope the home-field advantage #properglassware for one of the competitors doesn't give it an unfair advantage . Prepped for this thing properly:


This shot is for @WesMantooth, who made this all possible. The BB is juuuust shy of a year old. The Wulver... I've been told is a year as well, maybe two.


Look:
The BB gained a little head on a moderate pour, which receded to a medium line around the edge. The Wulver looked like it wasn't gonna show me any head, but by the end of the pour, a nice tan head grew, and also receded to the edge a little thicker than the BB, with some surface head sticking around. The BB looks a little clearer, and the extra "dirtiness" makes the Wulver look a little more brown.



Smell:
First, the BB - ahhhh - so good!! Then the Wulver - ahhhh - so good!! Sweet pipe tobacco (maybe a little leather?), bourbon, some dark cherry in both. Wow, really almost impossible to smell a difference, but if I had to, the BB is maybe a tad cleaner in its scents, and the Wulver shows the wood notes a bit more.

Taste:
First, the BB with a dark cherry and raisin opening melding with the bourbon that come in early and lasts long. A little sweet note nearing the end that could be vanilla or coconut in nature, or a little of both.
The Wulver, on the other hand... starts almost the same, perhaps a little more dark fruity than cherry - maybe a little more date-like than raisin. The bourbon doesn't come on as early, or as strong. There is a little more dark fruit sweetness in the end - fig or date - than the vanilla or coconut from the BB.
The wood notes are barely perceptible in both (edit: with considerable warmth, light wood dryness entered the end feel).

Feel:
The BB is a little cleaner, and shows its alcohol a little more, adding a little more burn.
The Wulver is smoother, the slightest bit more muddled in its flavors, and ends its impression on the tongue a little sooner than the BB.


(as you see, I tried to level the playing field )

Wow!! Of course, the cliche is the winner is me, but that might have to be my final verdict. My first thoughts were I liked the Backwoods Bastard more. Then I started noticing the smoothness of the Wulver, and was swaying the other way. Then I like how the Bastard stayed on my palate for a while. I think the BB barely eeks out look, a wash in smell, and Wulver takes the lead in feel, which leaves taste. I can see me liking one today and the other tomorrow. So...

Do we have our first tie!?!? The "underdog" won last week for the first time, so I have to say officially it's a tie, as I can't say I would definitely want one over the other if asked on any day.

But what about today? You said, one today, another tomorrow; it's not tomorrow, so....???

...

Tonight, I ended up enjoying the Wulver just the slightest bit more . (The GF liked the Bastard a little more, and she wasn't referring to me)

So, I want to give credit yet again to @WesMantooth for allowing this to happen. This beer was the reason for the package I received, and he is a very generous BA to help a fellow BA out in his quest for a fine brew. If you've been following, I've had a couple of IPAs he included, both nice brews, and I have a want of mine I am saving for NBS.

If anyone is still awake after reading this, thanks for "listening."

 

Simply amazing.

 

Yo BA's! Coming up on 8 here in NOVA & I'm tired of the tackle box, time for this:


Tunes:




Almost gametime :-)

As always- Drink up & drink on, my fellow advocates!

 

I wasn't (awake), but I tossed you a 'like' for the effort ;-)

 

Opened the bridge 6 times today. Almost have half of that in Beer opened now.
Cheers!

 

Giants pre-game beer.

 

Aw man, I love the Birds, love the 'Skins & love Scoob & the gang! @PuppyClawz , you are truly a BA after my own heart :-)

 

Well done, my friend! Bonus points for quoting everyone's favorite IPA hunter :-)

 

Was going to buy this today, but it was already over 3 months old.

 

Arcadia Hopmouth

 

It's so great to see someone else love the O's and Skins! I am right with you man. That Double Duckpin looks great. Cheers. #HTTR

 

All those years I waited for a Moon Glow that never showed; this year I was shopping for O'fests and look what I found hanging out on the shelf-

Life's funny that way. And this is still one damn tasty beer!

I guess I'll only see the 'good' part of the Giants game tonight, because I have to hit the hay at halftime. I hope it's entertaining at least...
Let's get this thing started already! Cheers, everybody!

"And as strange as it seems
If you wish all your dreams
Will come true after all"

 

Next.....


Deep diving for these two. Cheers LNBA!

 

Aww so sweet . I'm super jealous of that Palo Santo right now. Had it back before I could appreciate it. Then had it again recently and realized what I was missing. Love the beer.

 

I haven't seen this around my parts in cans for a minute and, yep, canned on 9/10. Tastes fantastic. Thanks to his Holiness I'm banging in tomorrow. 3-day weekend.

I've had this song stuck in my head all day. Must be from my Police binge yesterday.

 

Evening BAs. Always a treat.





Cheers

 

Another excellent 3 Floyds beer!