NBO - 12 Days of Summer BIF

@bevoduz
I head to the garage, wondering if there was going to be a day in the next two weeks I didn't wake up with some degree of head ache. As I near the chest freezer I think of the early morning wake-ups, and late-stays, I woefully signed up for weeks ago and regret the decision immediately. Day four. Seems like such a simple and innocent statement. I remember the morning of laying on my floor at 4:30 AM trying to remember if I had any sick days left after "catching up" on extras the night before. The unfortunate decision to use my favorite drinking glass after clearly moving beyond "just intoxicated." The same glasses' shattered remains staring guiltily back at me as if to say, "why? I trusted you..."
I arrive at the freezer that had so carefully been set up to store some of my favorite brews and to move me into the lagering process once and for all (though never entirely successfully). My hand shakes as I slowly lift the lid feeling the momentary stick from long ago used cleaning agents followed by a gentle release and a rush of cold air that seeps into the bones of my hands. As my eyes adjust to the darkness I see the familiar orange packing envelopes crumpled and secured around an ambiguously shaped container. "4 *" clearly written on the envelope tells me that tonight, this will be my poison.
Carried carefully to the kitchen I know that a beer, or perhaps a cider/mead, has been carefully placed inside this wrapper. That someone, somewhere, had sat and spent time looking through my wants, hads, and trying to piece together what I would enjoy on a Tuesday evening. I am once again in awe of the amazing people I have had the pleasure of meeting, and exchanging beer with, met through the love of sharing, and enjoying, craft beer. Yet I am afraid. The unknown can be scary but it must be embraced so that new pleasures can be experienced. So I carefully cut away the top of the package. I immediately notice a dull, black wax over the cap. My interest is peaked. The wax is thick, too thick for a standard bottle opener to pierce. I pull out my trustee back-up. It looks likes something from the dark ages, but it works. And it works well. Cap removed and I do not exaggerate when I say the room was filled with an intense sweetness with roasty chocolate notes.

I pour and a beautiful ebony liquid slowly fills my new taster. But no head!?! A few bubbles initially but gone almost immediately? Is this due to some bizarre adjunct? Residual Cleaning Residue? High ABV? An initial smell shows it is most likely the latter.

So I go for a taste. Intense sweetness followed by a complex alcohol notes reminiscent of a fine bourbon and sherry. Notes of candied fruits with prune and grape esters prominent. A ever present light roast with chocolate and subtle espresso flavors. The warmth in the finish tells me that yes, this beer is definitely high ABV.
Now.... The Reveal...






Super Want! Great day choice (name and all fits) and great personal choice!
Sorry for the wordy post but hope some have some with it.
Cheers!

 

Looks like tonight it's me, @UcDru and @Mipper gonna open 12 days bottles with @ninjembro and a couple other fellas.

 

Absolutely great narrative! I liked reading that. SRS.

 

I know what in drinking tonight and it's a super want. Can't wait! 7% w/ one of my favorite fruits.

 

BA version of a circle jerk?

 

This is awesome!

 

Day 4 and the turtle finally comes out of the Georgia box.

 

Crazy 24 hours: Foo Fighters Concert last night, all day meeting today, fought shore traffic coming home, 1 employee quit, and another called out, just barely found coverage so my wife and I could maybe have one last day off together, before I work every night shift and she works ever morning shift for the next 10 weeks.

@Clarkson sent me this for today:



At least our dinner is BYOB, so they are going with. Ive been dying to try the Apple Brandy Noir.

 

I've got tickets for Foo Fighters in August at Wrigley Field. Can't wait! Did Dave Grohl sit on an iron throne for the show last night?

 

10/10.

 

That was like poetry! I kept waiting for something terrible to happen though..

What are your thoughts on it? I haven't tried it yet

 

Day 4 - I rushed back home from work being excited to find out what the two bottles @whyteboy003 had ready for me were. I opened the first one and as luck would have it is a Funky Buddha brew! My last glass will be put to use tonight! Here is the damage:



Holy s$&@!!! This can't be right!!! I had wanted to try these two really bad but missed out on them when they got released. This is insane. Not sure what else to say besides a major thank you Matt!
These bottles will be shared later tonight with an unsuspecting lucky bastard!

 

Well written sir!!! Loved it. My pr0n is coming soon.

 

Glad to see all the Wicked Weed popping up on here. We are taking our first trip to Asheville in a few weeks here, and WW is number one on my list of places to stop. I've been doing some research in the forums, but does anyone have recommendations on things to do while in town?

 

Very soon I guess. Figured no reason to wait.

So cracked the enigma last night. Not as complex as some of the famous flanders reds, but it was soooo tasty. It will stay on my wants list.



Pardon the messy table.

And here is tonight. One of the only 2 days with one bottle. It is a very tasty APA. The citra hops are coming through. One of my favorite hops.

@richkrull continues to give me solid beers. I am upset its already 1/3 finished. I will be doing 12 days of xmas for sure.

 

Day 4 of 12..........

A BBA Coffee Stout! One of my top styles and this one is very nice. Really enjoying the coffee shining through, but admittedly not getting a lot of barrel from it. Still very enjoyable and hits the spot right now.

Hardywood - BB Sidamo




Thanks again Drew! (@SportsandJorts)

 

@treznor and @FATC1TY..... care to weigh in?

 

#VBS days 3 and 4. I'll be cracking these this evening.
Thanks @Littlelotte88

 

I am 100% sure the above two gentlemen can give you better answers I just came back from a trip there recently and I have a couple reccomendations. Green Man was a bit over rated had a very negative customer service experience with the employees getting off work there and hanging out at the bar. On the other hand Wicked Weed had great food and I will literally not go anywhere except the Funkatorium for beer if I ever go there again. I can not repeat how awesome the Funkatorium is. I bought bottles from the restaurant/main brewery and they came in some weird, but sweet, three bottle carriers. They were not cheap. But there was also no limits. I went to Appalachian Vintner and blew a serious wad of cash. That place is EPIC. The Biltmore Estates were fun but not a must see. I would skip the house tour and just hang out in the grounds/gardens around the house if I went back. The little town there had a nice pub and a winery tour (wine was sub par in my opinion). The absolute highlight of the trip was Biscuit Head. It is hard to believe that a breakfast joint could be the highlight of a trip in which Wicked Weed Funkatorium was also a stop but I can not stress how freakin' awesome that place is.
Cheers and have fun!

 

Beer. Lots and lots of beer. Also, I'll warn you, if you can get past the hippy vibe, once you go to Asheville you may not want to leave... Definitely check out the Southeast forum, we answer the question every couple of weeks (and you'll see my name and @FATC1TY 's name pop up fairly frequently).

For beer, my personal favorite (i.e. this opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it...):
1) WW Funkatorium
2) WW Brewery (yes, different locations, and different beer. Funkatorium focuses on sours, though Brewery is the original and has sours as well, just not as many)
3) Burial
4) Green Man
5) Tasty Beverage
6) Wedge (the beer is pretty decent, especially Iron Rail IPA and the Barleywine or Stout if they have them on, but mainly this is a 'cool to hang out place')
7) Pisgah
8) Thirsty Monk
9) Appalachian Vintner

There's certainly more (Asheville Brewing Company, especially if you want pizza, One World, Twin Leaf, Hi-Wire, Highland, Altamont, LAB, Brusin' Ales), I've been to all of them and the above is what I keep coming back to. Especially #1-5 as you can start at #2 and go to each places and have only walked .6 miles when you get to #4 (yes, I've put it on Google Maps before, #2, #1, #5, #3, #4 is the shortest walk).

When will you be there? I'll be in town 6/18, though I'm there for Asheville Funk so probably won't have a huge amount of hanging out time (though we are planning to get there a bit early and hit a place or two at the moment).

No idea if it matters to you or not, but almost everywhere is dog friendly (the beer stores are the only place on that list I'd be a bit leary on taking my dog into, but I've taken her into Tasty Beverage before) and kid friendly.

Feel free to BM me if you have any specific questions.