Official FOBAB Countdown Thread

Lost Abbey track 11 bottle for those curious:
http://twitter.com/saBEERmetrics/status/270275205379792897/photo/1

 

Peach humidor ipa and Mayan gold were probably the two I did not try that I most wanted to try. Crossovert decided to pour his stinky Firestone red ale in my cup of Mayan gold and it was gone by then

 

Straight from the program:

Perennial Barrel Aged Abraxas - Imperial Stout aged 11 months in Rittenhouse rye whiskey barrels with cacao nibs, ancho chiles, vanilla beans and cinnamon.

This was the exact beer that was tapped at Fountainhead say my taste buds. Though there was never much vanilla flavor at all at either tapping. All cinnamon.

EDIT: I do see that BA lists a Barrel Aged Abraxas with that exact description, and a separate entry for Vanilla Bean Abraxas. Not sure on the difference? Vanilla Bean Abraxas has no information listed but perhaps its just not barrel aged?

 

Never. I assume you are referring to the Three Aces event? Where on the first night they had Vanilla on tap. I went back a few days later, I called before and was told Vanilla was on tap. I brought friends and we were definitely poured regular BCBS (which replaced Vanilla on tap) but the bartender insisted it was still Vanilla. The following day their menu was updated to show regular BCBS and the bartender that day told me that Vanilla had tapped out a couple days previous. That's a case of bartenders not knowing what they are serving.

There is an unmistakable difference in regular and Vanilla BCBS. Before Friday I had never had any form of Abraxas. My girlfriend and I had "Vanilla Bean Abraxas" at Fountainhead and then "BA Abraxas" at FOBAB. We agreed that both tasted the exact same (mostly cinnamon, little vanilla). I suspect they were the same beers and the BA Abraxas at Fountainhead was listed as vanilla bean because it is in the description.

 

Straight from the horses mouth (or Facebook page).

CHICAGO! Don't miss the great Perennial events this weekend:
Friday night we are releasing Abraxas at West Lakeview Liquors 6-9pm. We also have a tap takeover at Fountainhead beginning at 7pm featuring the rare Vanilla Bean Abraxas.
Saturday we'll be pouring at FOBAB so stop by for some BA Abraxas and Flanders.
Sunday we are having a beer brunch at Small Bar Division in Wicker Park. No reservations needed and there is not a set time. Just show up for brunch and enjoy some Hommel, Saison de Lis, Peace Offering, & Abraxas with your delicious food. Show your FOBAB ticket and receive 25% off your bill!

Perennial made the point of calling the beers two different things, so I would assume they were different beers. If they both tasted the same that is another story.

 

Yeah I doubled checked their FB. I assume they know what they sent out so I cannot argue that. I will just stick to what I know I tasted. The guys I were talking to at the bar, and my girlfriend were blown away by the beer but cinnamon is what came up in the conversation. We don't remember any/much vanilla.

 

Nah I figured it would end as it did, my taste buds vs. the word of Perennial. : )

I am curious if anyone else here had both and what they think.

 

From the brewer's mouth on Friday, all Abraxas has vanilla (and cocoa nibs, and ancho chiles, and cinnamon). The Vanilla Abraxas has extra vanilla and extra ancho chiles. The BA Abraxas is regular Abraxas barrel aged.

 

Sounds like a double listing for the same beer then

 

Best in show for me was a 5-way tie: mayan gold, hansel and gretel, abraxas, pappy fog, and apple brandy bcs (admittedly didn't get to cherry rye or the blueberry flanders as they kicked before i got to them). Just wanted to thank chicago ba's (and not only the ones on this site) for making my 4 days here incredible. Great beers, great people. This was my maiden voyage, and there's no question I'll be back from Los Angeles again next year.

 

Thank you for straightening that out.

 

Thoroughly enjoyed my first FOBAB last night and am kicking myself (as I knew I would) looking at the beers I missed! I thought the venue was cool. We staked out a place over by the stage and just ran back and forth with little issue. Yes it was hot but the sign at the coat check said 'current temp upstairs 92 so I guess I knew it was going to be a hot box up there. Highlights:
Sex Syrup was my Best in Show followed closely by Track 8
Apple Brandy BCS was superb, BB Batch 9000 was excellent as was GI Thanksgiving
Sun King Pappy's Fog was delicious, probably 3rd or 4th best of the night
Acrimonious was very solid, loved the sweetness (at least thats what I scribbled last night)
Track 9 was delicious and .357 Brett a cool change up from the original .357
Lowlights:
Missed KH, Cherry Rye BCS, Raspberry Wild One and Blueberry Flanders
Gnag Reflex was an instant drain pour for me...tasted smokey?!?
Rufus tasted like pure alcohol
Fertile Crescent won Gold over KH so I expected much more
Responsibility tasted like wood (literally straight oak)
BA Behemoth tasted sourish...not sure if this was palate fatigue but I swear it tasted much much better at DLD
Dashing Moustache smelled and tasted like soap! Worse than Gnag Reflex and the worst of the night. Still love Solemn Oath though!

 

Interesting, as I thought Rufus was decent and Sticky Monkey tasted like someone dropped a shot of EverClear into my glass!

 

Could have been Sticky Monkey that tasted like pure alcohol...didn't particularly enjoy either but can't read my notes too well. Note to self for next year, hire a scribe to take notes!!!

 

Not at all... Definitely three different beers:

Regular Abraxas (cocoa nibs, vanilla, ancho chiles, and cinnamon)
Vanilla Abraxas (regular with extra vanilla and extra ancho chiles)
BA Abraxas (regular aged in whiskey barrels)

 

Where are you looking? I only see two entries for Perennial in my booklet.

 

Ugh. Tell me about it! FW has such an excellent barrel program in my experience, so these 2 were quite a disappointment

 

Here's a beer I loved that no one is talking about: Imperial Brown Goose (Eagles Rare aged Extremely Naughty Goose). I love eagles rare, and the bourbon presence was very "forward" -- and complemented the malty build of the base beer well.

 

Did anyone here also go to FOBAB 2011? It seems like Sticky Monkey tasted much better last year.

 

I loved this beer, but mostly because I love Eagle Rare. It wasn't very complex beyond that although you pouring yours into my glass seriously furthered my buzz.