Dark Lord Day (2019)

It was excellent for it last year. Brought that nutty nougat out quite well and actually reduced sweetness. It was drier. I find apple brandy to both be sweeter and so much boozier, including aging beer in their barrels.

 

What is the longest variant streak people have had? I got FVM the last two years and have shuttered to think of the possibility of getting the hat trick....

Longest streaks would probably involve Handjee or BADL since those have been produced most consistently.

 

Sherry is sweet as fuck compared to apple brandy. It may be good on its own, but it is terrible for barrel aging an already sweet stout.

 

Same. You didn’t have swarms of people camped out for two hours for one pour back then. You either got lucky with a tapping or you didn’t. Fairest and most fun way to do it, IMO.

 

That might be true up front, but on the finish, it's quite the opposite, which is how DL seems to have benefited from that treatment.

I mean if you haven't had last year's Cavaleiro why make the assertion though?

The Cigar City + Cycle collab for last year's El Catador, Not a Single Feeling, also exhibited similar qualities. Much more complexity than anything I've ever had aged in any kind of apple brandy barrels.

Unless the actual result somehow came out the same, I honestly think they should have used a different name, couldn't have used two more different barrels.

 

My friend gets hanjee every year and it pisses me the fuck off. He doesn't drink or sell them either. They just sit in his basement with 400 other oxidizing bottles. It's ridiculous.

 

There are plenty of not sweet sherrys out there, it's just not what most people in the states seem to drink (I mainly cook with it).

Plenty of people used to camp out before there were timed tappings, they just hung around and waited to run into the line once something good came on the board. I found it obnoxious because it was hard to get through the horde to the actual line if you wanted a "regular" beer.

 

Marshmallow Handjee, 3 years (2016-2018). In 2017 both my mule/fiancé and I got Marshmallow Handjee variants. Only other variant I got was in 2015 with scratch off ticket was Coffee Cognac BA Dark Lord. Every bit as good as any Marshmallow Handjee I’ve had.

 

It's starting to sound like we should have a showdown/duel to the death/dance-off between the "we want random tappings" camp and the "we want posted tap times" camp. Ideally, @Quilentro and @Jmorey would have differing opinions and they could be the captains.

 

I just assumed that most people going to Dark Lord Day dressed as GWAR already

 

They work great for grocery shopping but I’m with you, would love bottle totes this year.

 

What the hell is up with the weather. One day it’s 80 and Sunday and the next it’s 67 and cloudy. Really hoping for the latter.

 

Anyone hit him with a tracking tag yet?

 

Only the best RFID chip money can buy. Best. Hobby. Ever.

 

Give me his address and a list of his greatest fears.

 

I got the Cognac Coffee one as well, and my brother got a Handjee that same year. We cracked them both at a tasting party and just about everyone thought the Cognac Coffee was equally as good as the Handjee. We cuvéed the last few ounces of them. I totally wish they’d do the Cognac Coffee again.

 

And to comment on the other topics...

Don't announce tap times. Maybe I just picked the wrong lines, but none of them seemed to move. I swear the afternoon HDNQ line went backwards. At least I have a chance in anarchy.

My personal variant preferences...

1) Handjee

2) Lounge (skeptical, but word of mouth is good)
3) Chemtrailmix (would be 2 but I tried both years)
4-7) Rye/Bourbon/Rxx/Bxx

8/9) Loadstar/Rarri (could be good but I'm skeptical of the barrels)
10) Calveiro of Varnov
11) FVM (really wish they would put this back in Armagnac/Brandy, 2016 fucked hard)
12) Brosure

13) Reptilefund (fuck mezcal)

 

So what’s the word on variant tappings? Pre announced times shit fest like last year or random like the good ole days?

 

Tap times were announced Monday 5/14 last year, along with the menu and variants. All of that is out already, so hopefully they’ve reverted.