Dark Lord (2018)

Just realized I was stout-focused on the Illinois stuff. Not sure if there's one "haze whale" answer. The Mikerphone I brought last year disappeared pretty fast, but that was also like a month or two after the brewery opened.

 

Agreed on those. Angry Chair seems to have kicked up releases, should be a good few bottles floating around. Plus tons of crowlers of Great Notion are easily accessible for locals and have been trading well, who knows if enough will make it to Indiana though. Fun beers, to be sure.

 

Most people I was around were mainly looking for who had what rare stout all day. Although, there were some IPAs that were able to draw the attention away from those, such as:

King Sue
Pliny
Konkey Dong
Julius
Heady
etc.

A lot of people I saw were also very open to trying whatever was offered to them, but the majority were not seeking out IPAs unless they were very well-known.

 

I forgot a big one: Bottle Logic. It seems like they do a bunch of BA stuff now, but there's still plenty of demand.

 

I always bring a bottle of Darkstar November for DarkLord day, it’s one of my all time favorite beers and criminally underrated. I’ll probably bring some Fruited Speciation stuff to share, and a 4 pack of M43 to sip on while waiting in lines...

 

Agreed--for me, it is easily better than Ground State, Leche Borracho, Space Trace, and even Redeye November. Fundamental series is tough competition though.

 

Line beer is important. I brought a growler of Forbidden Root’s Stay Lit last year for the entry line and it was the perfect early day orange juice treat.

 

They had it on draft last year...

 

Yeah! But not outside the gates!

Also, did they publish draft list beforehand?

 

True.

They didn't publish a draft list, but it was a recent 3FFF (like what I did there) collab so it was reasonably expected they would have it at DLD.

 

It's Drie Floyds, thank you very much!

 

Update, we were at post #261 at this date last year, and were at #452 this year. We’re doing great work I’m the early stages.

And props to @Quilentro for already bringing up the topic of what beers will be shared! That’s always a good discussion topic. I’m guessing there will be a big More stout that comes out between now and DLD that will be a hot item. Perhaps even something barrel aged? I was discussing the other day about whether he had stuff in barrel when he left Ram, and if that stuff had to stay with Ram, or if he got to take it with him to More.

I could make a guess as of now what I’ll bring, but my list always changes about 5 times before I finally settle on it a few days beforehand.

 

How early did you get there and how did that go? We probably arrived around 7:30 and there was barely any line. Several people chugging bombers so they could get in the holding pen. I can't imagine doing that with a growler...

 

Mid-morning? Between 11 and noon? I think we were group D. There was a long, but fast moving line. Shared it with all the folks in my large group, and the folks in front of and behind us. It went quickly, and people enjoyed it!

 

With the success of randomizing the variants in 2017, 3 Floyds will expand the process one step further. In 2018, not only will the variants be randomized, but so will lines, Only when you reach the end will you find out whether you were waiting in the entrance line, porta-potty line, merchandise line, or just standing behind a bunch of people in what you thought was a line.

 

Jokes on you - portapotty line and merchandise line have always been the same!

 

I always bring too much beer to DLD. Last few years I’ve been increasing the amount of IPAs and reducing the amount of stouts, and it’s still not optimal. It doesn’t help that I’ve also been attacking the taps more agressively each year. I think this year I’ll bring two stout bombers and rest even more out-of-distro IPAs/DIPAs. Those are always refreshing after a dozen stout tasters.

 

Beers I’m planning on bring to share: Atrial Rubicite from Jester King; a few bottle from Side Project (no, not BBT, don’t get to excited); some hazy juice from Narrow Guage; Artie from 2nd Shift; something from Pererrenial; I might make it to Texas prior to Darklord day and bring some Temptress or other Texas brews I can get my hands on that are decent.

 

Too early!

(Though I am saving a few things if I can trust my discipline).

 

I also brought way too much both years I have gone. I have a giant backpack that I can barely close. It's just too heavy and awkward.

I'm going to try to cap myself at 2 bombers and a few smaller format bottles/cans. I'll probably fail.