Dark Lord Day (2019)

I find all the different strategies for navigating and surviving DLD very interesting. Just goes to show there is no right way to skin a cat but, there are plenty of wrong ways.

What we've done in the past is the following:

The morning of consume a large breakfast composed of heavy amounts of protein. Arrive to the fest around 7:30, find our spot in the holding pen and start cracking beers around 8am. Get a lot of the "big" bottles down early while your palate and memory are still really fresh. This will include "whales" or beers we haven't had before. Once gates open we usually hit taps right away and the find a nice spot along one of the fences to form a home base. From here members of the group will head to allotment pick up (we end up with a lot of group A's usually) and wander around the fest 2-3 at a time while others hang back and guard the stash / home base. Once a majority of us get our allotments, we will send 2-3 people back to the hotel with all the DL. This ensures we won't have to worry about bottles for the rest of the day and provides a nice break from the action for 45mins or so. Upon return, pure debauchery. Taps, share tent, shares between just our group, etc. This takes us to around the first band or two in time at which point we will move the group over to the stage area. What happens after this is anyones guess but we usually hang in this area for the rest of the evening while group members interchange wandering the fest.

The buddy system is important, never let a member of your group wander off on their own past noon. This happened @TimboSlice00 and it was not a pretty ending. Groups of 2 - 3 at a time and make sure one of you still has some wits about them!

Having a large group has its advantages at DLD for sure. For you first timers navigating the fest solo, good luck and god speed.

 

Is anyone going to take advantage of the "Concierge Tent" offerings? Check it out.

 

This is excellent advice - I neglected to point out that we often send a few people out with all allotments to safely stash them. Last year it was a car that got nearby parking, this year some friends got a room at the hotel across the street - either way, finding a secure location for the allotments is probably the best tip I can give to newcomers, aside from constant hydration. Lugging around an extra five bombers (or more, if you get the coffee) and constantly watching for thieves is a recipe for disaster as you get progressively more drunk.

 

Find the dude wearing the WuTang cape, aka @midmichmatt, and we will take your coconuts.

 

I've only seen Modern Times share their tapping details, I can't really say there are many guest breweries on the list I'm really all that interested in seeking out though, besides maybe Cycle, Side Project, and Bottle Logic, odds are I won't be in the right spot at the right time.

As for which tent these are at, who the hell knows, by the time you circle and find the right one, these could very well kick.

5/18
Dark Lord Day at 3 Floyds Brewing Co. 9AM

• Chaos Grid: The Final Course (barrel-aged imperial dessert stout w/ coconut, coffee, almonds, cocoa, & vanilla) 1PM
• Monster Tones (barrel-aged imperial dessert stout) 3PM

 

I'm hesitant on Loadstar. When I see "Sauternes whiskey barrels" I think that means scotch or Irish whisky finished in sauternes barrels.

 

Is it odd that Keith Jorgenson only appears around Dark Lord Day? At this point I'm pretty confident he is the Dark Lord....

 

I'm hesitant on both of the coconut ones as well. In order for me to be excited about them, I'd need to taste them, or get a better understanding of "Sauternes whiskey barrels" and "port whiskey barrels". I was thinking like you...were these barrels initially holding the wine and then they held whiskey? And what kind of whiskey??? It'd be a bummer if they screwed up the coconut variants.

Call me basic, but I'm hoping for Handjee.

 

i'd be pretty excited if the port whiskey barrels were the ones used to finish angel's envy.

the dessert/sweet wine barrel finish on dark lord's in the past i thought worked well. dries out the finish.

 

My immediate thought was angels envy when I ready "port whiskey barrels".

 

What

 

Is Brosure basically the same thing as Brozerker?

 

Nah Bro. Different names Bro. Bro...

 

How exactly are they aging DL in their own whiskey barrels when all they've released is white whiskey? I'm really not looking forward to them aging DL in their own barrels. Most "craft" distilleries aren't anywhere near having as old or good of barrels for aging as even low end barrels from Heaven Hill, etc.

 

I see it more as High west American Prairie Sauternes or others that lean towards fruit or vanilla notes.

 

@Dactrius Doesn't like coconut. We like coconut. #math.

 

Dumb question here for a first timer - do you bring your own glasses for DLD? Or are you given a glass upon arrival?

 

Own glass for shares. Preferably taster size (3-5oz taster). People generally pour 1-2oz during shares. When you get draft pours, they’ll serve them in cups.

 

Definitely one you won’t miss if it breaks. I also bring small plastic cups to give to others. Inevitably someone will show up “I’ve got this beer I want to share but don’t have a glass...”

 

You do realize they put the distilling sign up like 4 or 5 years ago and haven't been heard from since. That's plenty of time to age.