I agree I feel like I have to make a pilgrimage there every year, but when I get there I am shocked by the prices $10 for 4 oz of an Imperial stout The bartender warned me and apologized
Agreed that’s an expensive small bottle. That said, it is a double barrel aged beer that was in oak for over 4 years and then conditioned for an additional year and a half in the bottle before release. As expensive as this may be, I think pricing is in line with other high end barleywines. Definitely not for everyone, but it’s an excellent beer. They also have reasonably priced bottles and draft pours if the pricy barrel aged beers are too much. Genealogy, their coffee stout is $10 a bottle, which I feel is not a bad price at all. And their base saisons are also very reasonably priced imo at $12. Not everyone wants to spend a lot of money on beer and considering that HF is one of the best breweries in the country, I feel like they do a good job of offering both high end specialty beers as well as more reasonably priced/approachable beers.
If you are looking for value at HF, buy Arthur, Anna, or Florence. You won’t find better mixed fermentation beers than these anywhere for the price.
Agreed. Or the cans are standard market value for those styles. It you want a real mixed fermentation beer that possible sat on barrels and got blended you’re gonna have to pay for it. Why do you think so many breweries have completely done away with their mixed ferm programs or have diminished it greatly.
I will agree that the very expensive BA imperial stouts I had the last times I was there were excellent..
not all expensive barrel aged beers is good, but most good barrel aged beers are expensive. loss through evaporation, lots of labor, climate controlled storage costs, inconsistent production, risk of spoilage... no way around it. And at the end of the day, it's a beer that most people (the great macro drinking masses) don't really like or want! These beers so many of us here love are a bad value proposition for breweries.
Yes It’s unfortunate Many of the local breweries seem to be making Imperial Stouts and particularly barrel aged ones les and less often. For many, these are the only reason I visit, which seems unfair. I should support them more gen7.
Nice! I also got a ticket. Was easier this year than last for me. But seems like that wasn’t the experience most had. Regardless there will be plenty of tickets available closer to the event when people realize they can’t make it or can’t figure out logistics.
Me too! After 10+ years of trying, I finally get to go. Funny how I was always able to get their other events except FOFA. Can't wait..
Was looking over my Vermont itinerary today. Not going until August but just revising some notes to dial in the plans. Does anyone know if you can visit jasper hill cheese in Greensboro now? Their website and google reviews are a bit unclear. Their website says the creamery is “on-site” and Google shows some images that make you think you could visit, but I read a recent review that says otherwise. I know I could buy the cheese at a local store, but it would be cool to visit the place if they allow that. My wife is a big cheese head.
I just checked, and it still says no visits, but you can buy the cheese at Wiley’s in Greensboro. it’s really good cheese. I bought my wife cheese of the month the last two years
Anyone have experience with older/old-ish Wunderkammer bottles? I have a magnum of Fig. 3, which was bottled in August 2021. Only reason I haven’t had it is the size of it. I bought it on a whim a couple of summers ago, and I’m definitely gonna open it soon. Hopefully, it will be I good condition.
I'm optimistic - Wunderkammer I've had already present some (good) oxidative notes, courtesy of time in barrels (mmm...sherry casks...). Large bottles mature slower than smaller, so I bet you're in for a treat.
I've had mixed experience with old WK bottles. He doesn't use the good caps with the plastic insert, so oxidation is definitely a concern. But like @brettanomyces420 said, it works for some of the beers and larger format is gonna age a bit slower. That said, I don't think Fig 3 had any adjuncts, which again works in its favor. Some of the bottles with weird ingredients do not age that well. For some they get much more pronounced/intense while others fade with time, which can both help or hurt the beer. Regardless, open that sucker! And let us know how it was.
Thanks. I really, REALLY enjoyed the one I had aged in a sherry pipe. The name escapes me. It was excellent.
