The Bruery (2024)

@johnInLA & @AyeDogg - Sad to see you both go. I really am curious how many of long-time members are still out there. I'm already 10+ and sometimes feel like I might be less than a handful of people left. Will miss seeing all your posts throughout the years. Cheers!

 

I started buying Bruery at Whole Foods and Bevmo in Norcal around 2010, joined Preservation in 2015 and Hoarder in 17. So I guess this year was my 10th as a member. Wow, time flies.

I'm in for '25. The beers that hit are still spectacular and I don't mind trying experimentations along the way. Now that I've got kids I don't get out much (not complaining) so I'm not lusting after other breweries. I'm sure there's other cool stuff out there, but fomo is a powerful drug I'm happy to avoid.

 

So are September beers coming next week because of the holiday?

 

Thank You, Mrs Goodfellow is much smoother and less sour than anticipated, but all in a good way. I still haven’t received much of the 2024 offerings due to the shipping issue to Michigan but this one is quite good.

 

Second bottle in a row of Agave Amigos is infected. Bummer, I really liked that one

 

Catching up with recent releases:

One & Dunn Imperial Grand Reserve - This series is the gift that just keeps on giving, rich, creamy, with a distinctive rye spice note, hugely boozy in the best way. I’ve only had a couple quadruple barrel aged beers before, but as ridiculous as this may seem, this is balanced perfectly. I have not had this side by side with regular Grand Reserve, but I don't get the impression that the 4th barrel added as much as the 3rd. But whatever, this is still perfect and my favorite release of the year so far (and it's been a pretty damn good year).

Aoûtien - Took a flier on this because I'm a fan of non-sour wild saisons and you don't see them as much anymore. Moderately funky, earthy, but no sourness, some spicy Belgian notes, pleasantly dry, but a little funky bitterness to it. Decent and pretty much what I was expecting, but not a classic of the style or anything.

Shoot Out the Sun - The rare s’more patterned beer that actually works well, cacao and vanilla are present but not overpowering, on the sticky sweet side, but well done... Not something I'd go out of my way for again, but it's a perfectly cromulent society offering.

Port of Naples - Unexpected visible sediment, relatively dry, featuring an unexpected bitter note, cacao more than vanilla, but not a cacao bomb like a few recent offerings either. I don't get any real Port barrel character out of this at all (previous experience with Bruery port-barrel-aged beers yielded very nice jammy notes, but none of that here.) Decent, none of this really sinks the beer, but nothing really stands out either, and I was hoping for much more...

Still to come sometime in the next few weeks: Cherry Chocolate Reign and 2econd...

 

Recently opened an oldish bottle of BirneSnap and it was spectacular. Strong ginger paired well with the wheatwine base. Wouldn’t mind seeing this show up again at some point. Also really enjoyed a bottle of Fignotize with a homemade fig tart.

I considered dropping the membership but I split the bottles with a friend and he was gung ho about renewing, so in for 2025! The DC experience has been… lacking… for a while now, but at least customer service is excellent and the beers are consistently good to great.

 

I had a glass of Peter Veeder last night and it was outstanding. Enjoyed it very much.

 

Good looking releases this month! It's interesting how few reviews go up on untappd now.

I want so bad for Heavenly Blis to be amazing, but am tempering expectations.

I'm a little leery of Smooth Criminal being branded from Terreux. The original batch was not at all sour to my taste, even though I know the saison was technically sour. I really hope the same is true this time.

 

They do have a video review on the bottom of the Smooth Criminal description page

 

I’ve chosen to gamble on that one, Bangkok Noir, and particularly All The Leaves. ATL sounds like a can’t-miss seasonal option, and I just hope Michigan shipping returns in time for me to enjoy one before 2025.

 

As we cancelled membership for 2025, they still don’t have a 2025 plan in place for Michigan shipping, they did promise that our cellar would be delivered to us

 

Did I miss an email about a delayed arrival or is dear great pumpkin actually sold out?

 

Dunno, but I feel like every month or two some beer will disappear for a few days and then return. No idea why. Fingers crossed for you.

 

Finishing my last bottle of American Copper. Great beer. Probably wouldn't gain much from further age, but oh so smooth and flavorful Belgiany goodness.

 

Probably not, since we never received our Hoarders gift from this year.