What beer are you drinking now? #434

From last night. Cheers

 

Crappy hotel glassware - couple bucks. Bringing my own beer to Vegas - priceless. I will say the craft beer is being better rep'd near the strip. Bout time.

 

I'm in charge of cleaning the carpets and preparing the house for our New Year's Eve gathering...it would be dangerous not to have some FBS this morning.

 

Letting the dog out to do her thing and decided it's never to early to get Surly.

 

Mornin' espresso...

 

This is the lavender pearl wax edition of Eclipse.

A beautiful-looking Imperial stout aged in oak barrels.

The wax color indicates this is the Java Coffee edition.

*first sip* (room temp )

...Wow...

Not sure about what was in the oak barrels first, but this is full of rich coffee and dark roasty chocolate, and barrel aged woodsy accents. Silk-smooth and mellow with a bittersweet and drying finish.

This is right there with all the big boys - some of the richest and most exquisite flavors I've tasted.

Here's some of what's been accompanying this incredible drinking experience...


Coffee and barrel-aged stout fans, if you can grab a bottle of this, be sure to do so. Just bring your checkbook - it was a $33 bottle here on LI, which seems to be about the going rate.

Cheers!

 

I think it's either Folger's or Maxwell House. Dunno. I am not an alky! I do not drink before noon! Well, sometimes.

 

Good Lord, man. That looks mighty tasty. But 33 bucks a bottle? My gawd, I'd have to pawn a grandkid or two to buy that!

 

Do it.

 

well in honor of surviving a trip to the hospital.

I figure its never too early to have a DFH PSM. cheers!

 

Glad you survived. Too much sun?

 

Down to my last 4 pk.

 

Okay, just might. But when it comes time to renew the pawnshop loan, I'm hittin' you up.

 

Drinking some water, hungover and possibly still somewhat intoxicated at the moment, so a recap from last night.

Started with a Greenbush Brother Benjamin and a New Holland Poet Oatmeal Stout.
Then a Griffin Claw Grind Line Pale Ale with a burger at the bar, and a few Labatt Blues on the way to the hockey game.

Watched some outdoor Michigan vs Western Michigan college hockey at Comerica Park

the craft beer stand was up and running (and a far shorter line compared to Tigers games), so had a Bell's Double Cream Stout and a Two Hearted.

Headed over to Kuhnhenn afterwards

D.R.I.P.A.


Simcoe Silly (a very good Belgian IPA)


Memory gets a bit hazy here, but I remember this being a very tasty flight. Forbidden IPA was especially good.


Picked up this guy as well, which is on deck for later today.

 

Fans of huge and complex stouts or porters will love this. Really impressed!

 

Just a little follow-up to my earlier post, 'cuz that's how I do (time on hands = too much)...

Reviewed: Imperial Eclipse Stout - Java Coffee

This was the best beer-to-start-to-the-day... ever? Talk about your morning coffee!

Yeah, so, seriously, I hope I've done a respectable enough share of drinking and reviewing over the past few years to tell you that this was an elite beer. I'm surprised I don't hear/see more about it. Probably the price. Hard to shell out that kinda dough, I know. But I'm a guy that'll buy those annual Bruery releases (Bois, Cuir, et. al.), knowing it's the only time I'm ever gonna do it - so fuck it, y'know?
Ready?
For my tastes, I'd take this over BCBS Coffee, Peche Mortel, Speedway Stout, Yeti Oak Aged Espresso, and Beer Geek Brunch Weasel (...whaaaat?? ), just to name a few (off the top of my head)...
Now, of course you're not all gonna agree, but it oughtta give ya something to think about... lol



Mellowing out with my final pour...


Cheers, all!

P.S.: how the hell am I gonna follow this beer up?

...


Nah. Too soon, right?

Note: my beer cellar = 1 bottle of beer in the closet by my desk... lol

Anyway, this has also been happening...

 

Stone Brewing Co. Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean

 

Roasting a 10 pound pork crown roast with crown sauce