Post a pic of your "Tasting" events

Where's the Big John?

 

VaTechHopHead hadn't brought it yet. It arrived shortly thereafter.

 

Any notes on favorites/disappointments?

 

BCBS:
The standout BCBS vintages were 09, 11, and 12, in no particular order. I personally really loved the fresh 2012. The 05 and 06 were fairly oxidized and simply tasted dulled and old. The 07 was strangely smoky. Some people really enjoyed it.
Variants:
The Bramble was sweeter and less drinkable than I remembered.
The Vanilla was the hottest, booziest bottle of the evening. Still quite tasty.
Rare was as good as ever, though I think some of the regular BCBS bottles (2009, in particular) are nearly as good.
The Coffee variations were the standouts for most in attendance. The incredibly powerful, high quality blast of coffee aroma from the 2012 is simply exceptional, while the 2011 has an incredible balance between coffee/chocolate/bourbon/roast. The 2010 was delicious but isn't improving. I personally prefer these fresher.
Cherry Rye is quite a departure, in the direction of Bramble, but done incredibly well. It tastes like what would happen if regular BCBS and grandma's cherry pie had a love child. Everyone really enjoyed it.
All in all, a very fun evening with wonderful people. Also, fried chicken and waffles for dinner.

 

Grand Rapids, MI - 11/15/12

 

The bottle of '09 we opened at Church together is still my favorite vintage; and to think I gave it to you because I didn't like -bal stouts

 

Oops? lulz.
That was a terrific bottle. Nathan actually mentioned it the other night as one of his favorite beers/vintages of all-time. Wonderful little share that evening at Churchill's.

 

Also we learned, no need to age.

'12 was up high on the list as well

 

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Last night with bstyle and DrinkinViking

 

How was the Oak Bretta? I've got one I've been giving some elevator eyes.

 

Outstanding. Just behind Juicy as the best of the night in my opinion.

 

(Mostly) Stout tasting with Psychotia, Cardern, Jawneyt. For future reference don’t open the BB DL first, it was hard for any other stout to follow that one.

Java Head, PtE, Blind Pig, Vampire Slayer 11 & 12, Victory @ Sea Coffee Vanilla, Bourbon Dark Lord 12, Black Ops, FBS 11, Town Hall Coconut Milk Stout, Damnation, NG R&D Sour Ale, Kujo Stout, Darkness, FBS (draft) 11.

 

Last nights tasting

 

Went to a Whale Slaying yesterday. Big thanks to speedwayjim, capra12, grumpyoldtroll,
jbuddle, afksports for a great day/night of beer. the only thing better than the beer
we drank was the company.

Full lineup:
Surly - Coffee Bender (not pictured)
De Molen - Hel & Verdoemenis Misto B.A. (not pictured)
Captain Lawrence - Cuvee De Castleton [batch 5]
Flossmoor Station - BA Hi Fi [batch 1]
Cantillon - Blabaer [2009]
Cantillon - Blabaer [2010]
Cantillon - Blabaer [2011]
Cantillon - Blabaer [2012]
Block 15 - Figgy Pudding [growler]
Cantillon - Don Quijote
Drie Fonteinen - Oude Geuze 1998 (50th Anniversary)
Drie Fonteinen - Oude Geuze 1999
Drie Fonteinen - Millennium Geuze 2000
Block 15 - Super Nebula
Goose Island - Bourbon County Rare Stout
Drie Fonteinen - 1959 Geuze
Cantillon - Brabantiae
Hill Farmstead - Mimosa
Hill Farmstead - Juicy
Anheuser-Busch - Bud Light Platinum
Fifty Fifty - Iced Eclipse
Bruery - Black Tuesday [2009]
Cantillon - Gueuze [1996]
Sam Adams - Utopias (10th Anniversary) [2012]
Sam Adams - Utopias [2003]

we didn't get through everything, sadly...but it was a valiant effort.

 

Glad my bud light platinum made it in there behind the iced eclipse!

 

Picture quality isn't great, but opened up a couple nice beers with a friend last night.

From left to right
2010 Ivan
Beatification B5
Ghoulship
Bolt Cutter

 

Here's our Barleywine Tasting from yesterday...

All of the Brews...


The Barleywines...

J.W. Lee's 2002
J.W. Lee's 1997
Before the Dawn
Hammerhead
King Henry
Arctic Devil 2011
Lunker
Our Finest Regards
Abacus 2011
The Perfect Storm
Twisted Jim
Cockeyed Cooper (Not Shown)

The Palate Cleansers...

Mucho Aloha IPA
Backwoods Bastard
Bitches Brew 2012
Moloko
The Abyss 2012
Cascade Noyoux
Hunahpu's 2011
Barrel Aged Smoked Porter
Cascade Kriek
Jubel 2010
Syx
Hop-15 Ale
Ace of Spades
Positive Contact
Growler of Adam

Good People, Good Times...

Cheers!

 

Northville, MI - 12/10/12
Winner was a tie between the Plead and Petrus. We expected the Plead the Fifth to be amazing, but the Petrus Old Bruin was a total surprise!