Twin Cities Bottle Hunt - 2016 Edition

At least the variants are landing some places so now we can stop getting the employees saying that they sold out two weeks ago!

 

Just TW so far though, right? Any other sightings?

 

You're saying they shouldn't care about it?

 

Eclipse bottles used to be the same. could easily go to a Total Wine or Bevmo and snag them. also, Bevmo and Total Wine pretty much run the scene down there, so not like theres many other shops to allocate it to.

 

Not yet. Roseville total wine didn't sell out. They still haven't gotten it in yet. Maple Grove only got rye. Only place I've heard that got both was tw Bloomington.

I got a lead on it somewhere up north, saying its coming in today. I'll post if I find it.

 

majority of stores seem to be getting it tomorrow or thursday.

 

Anyone try the Rye variant of Abyss yet to see if it's worth grabbing?

 

two of my friends had it on tap and they said easily worth the snag and that rye beats out cognac.

 

I've never been a fan of Abyss, just not my thing...but it does seem like the "fear of missing out" or "what if this years version is better" is causing even the average seasonal or limited release beer to turn the masses into rabid beer chasing zombies.

Either that or some of these breweries just might be using very intelligent marketing strategies to make you think you'll be the only one missing out...

Disclaimer: No offense to zombies as I've done my fair share of chasing at times.

 

Speaking of this...I still have a little bit more at G-Will Brooklyn Park!

 

Totally agree! CW Brewer's Reserve Stout, Barleywine & Peruvian Morning (returns!) are always great every year. I usually pass up on Abyss, but I heard about the variants this year and people say it ages well. Going to test that theory out with a 14' vs. 15'.

 

Gotta keep my Abyss vertical going. Someday, I'll open them all and probably wonder why I bothered.

 

France 44 just got the variants in. They didn't even get a case of each, so you have to chose one or the other. It was $19 and change for a bottle.

 

Abyss is good, but I agree that there is much better beers that sit on shelves. No too long ago I compared an '11 to '14, and there the faintest difference. I was hoping the '11 was going to be a noticeable change, but that just didn't happen.

 

Translation: They are only selling less than a case. I'm sure they are holding some back for their cellar sale.

 

So are the variants the regular Abyss (which is already aged in different barrels and blended) barrel aged again in the rye/cognac? Or did they forego the earlier barrel aging and just age it in the rye/cognac barrels?

 

We all keep paying for the Deschutes name, but I agree that there are tons of better beers. I have been growing more and more disappointed in their products, not just Abyss, and the trend of being so late with their releases is just getting infuriating. Come next year I may just spend the money on a beer that's actually worth it.

 

I don't think so. They may hold a bottle or two, but the guy I spoke to sounded really upset that they didn't get more. He wouldn't say an exact amount, but he said that it comes 12 bottles per case and they didn't even get a case of each.

 

If it goes back past '09 you won't have to wonder. The first years were blissfully good, & still are (though I haven't had the '07 back in quite some time).