Cellador (2020)

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by Dansac, Mar 7, 2020.

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  1. Dansac

    Dansac Pundit (912) Dec 6, 2014 California
    Trader

    Hey guys,
    I didn't see an open thread for Cellador, but if there is one already, my apologies.

    Anyhow, they have been nuking it lately. Confuzzled was absolutely delicious, with luscious pineapple and tart guava mango finish. Eve was beautiful, less fizzy than Chapeux, a bit yeastier and tarter, with green apple coming through beautifully. Naraka is a variation on Cinque, and a gorgeousl luscious beer: boysenberry and vanilla, more balanced than cinque, but jammy as all mighty Hell. Gosesque Nectarine might be my favorite in the series yet. And they just released Ample Pits, which should be delicious. Soon to come, Fig Fumee; if you guys haven't tried their smoked beers before... you should. Murex was also quite delicious.

    A few other releases come to mind: Jie, their stonefruit pimped version of Famille, and Anitya, their latest beer wine hybrid. I think that last one drinks better closed to room temp, at 55 degrees, where the grape and wine character really shines. The latest batch of Chapeaux was also stupendous. And I enjoyed Moshi Mosh quite a bit as well.

    Their latest Syndicate member opening party was fantastic, and I'm super excited to see them keep improving their game. Last year's Slide Down My Cellar Door was my favorite beer of the year, and one of the greatest beers I've ever had. I had it next to Westly and it blew it out of the water imo.

    I think Kevin and the gang are killing it, making the best sours in Cali alongside Homage these days imo.

    I really hope they start experimenting a bit with aged hops more and also trying a few more unfruited beers.
     
  2. thuey

    thuey Pooh-Bah (1,705) Nov 13, 2015 California
    Pooh-Bah

    Curious your thoughts about this. I joined as a 2019 Tier 2 and dropped my membership to Tier 1 for 2020 for a particular reason:

    - Too acidic

    Yes, they have always been that, but I felt like in 2018, they had beers that were acidic, and beers that were much less so.

    In 2019, everything I tried (other than regular Famille, which I think is fantastic!) was overly sour. My standout for 2019 was Samsara, which was dripping with delicious guava goodness, albeit also being too tart for my tastes. And frankly, I preferred SARA's A Thousand Summers more than any Cellador Masumoto-sourced beer. (I am not a fan of Westly either, though. It's not bad, I just prefer regular West Ashley.)

    The other minor thing that is starting to get to me about Cellador beers is they generally have the same back-end / aftertaste that I am not a fan of. I think it's coming from their honey-fermentation, but I don't get that flavor with other breweries using honey to condition.
     
  3. grilledsquid

    grilledsquid Initiate (0) Jul 10, 2009 California
    Trader

    Hey @thuey, we agree on something! I was a member for the first two years but dropped out last year due to the acidity. I know folks love that paint-stripping stuff, but I can't hang.
     
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  4. annakarina

    annakarina Savant (1,003) Jul 29, 2016 California

    I haven’t had much from them in the past year due to similar reasons and my body rejecting sours in general lately, which is a shame.

    Cinque was one of my favorite beers I tried last year though and I always look forward to Sour Friends Fest.
     
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  5. Fermented-nate

    Fermented-nate Zealot (649) Sep 15, 2013 California
    Trader

    I too dropped out this year because of how acidic their beers tend to be. The beers are fantastic in so many regards and I love the brewer's creativity, but my old man belly cant take beers this acidic anymore.
     
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  6. Dansac

    Dansac Pundit (912) Dec 6, 2014 California
    Trader

    I think Kevin dialed down the acidity a fair bit im 2019. They used to be far tarter.

    Take Slide Down My Cellar Door: 2018 is extremely tart, but 2019 is basically perfect. Gosesque Nectarine is also much less tart that previous iterations. Anitya and Naraka are not too tart. Cinque was also not very tart, and on the sweeter edge. Murex is also not particularly tart. And Jie was also surpisingly balanced, clean and crisp. Petalum was pretty dialed down on the tartness too. Chirimoya Saison was also balanced, and the latest batch of Saison du Rossier has a nice bitter backbone that balances it out. It's very bright and straw forward. I love that beer. Chapeaux is one of my favorite beers in the world probably, and though tart it isnt particularly puckering. Samsara is tart, but just astonishing.

    I never found Famille to be overly tart, tbh.

    Their stonefruit sours, particularly nectarine stuff, tend to be very tart still, like Bibliophile and NAP was. But they're much more controlled these days than Synchronicity was, for instance, or Berlinerish Nectarine. From their most recent offerings, Eve is quite tart, green apple forward (more than Chapeaux), as is Confuzzled, mostly in the finish, where you get some of that guava green acidity. Moshi Mosh was also quite tart, though very succulent. I love these three beers.

    The only beer I genuinely thought was a wholesome failure last year was Jackson Ranch, which was confused, and overpriced. A few others were meh, like Clockworks, which I didn't care for. Oh, and there is another one with Meyer lemons and kaffir leaf I think I didn't enjoy too much. Melona too boozy. And Carrot King was too tart. Other than that they have been consciously dialing the tartness down.

    I like the honey bottle conditioning, and they have been working with maple lately more. I hope they use more aged hops in the future.
     
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  7. Dansac

    Dansac Pundit (912) Dec 6, 2014 California
    Trader

    The Gutless Wonder from 2018 was way too tart, I thought. Berlinerish Raspberry was tart, and simple, but lovely. I talked to Alex about the acidity thing and he mentioned that Kevin was trying to bring it down a notch. I think they have mostly hit the spot.

    Again, Slide Down 2019 was my beer of the year. I didn't try A Thousand Summers, but was a bit let down with Ashley and Westly, alas. Sante's forte remains their saisons, imo.
     
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  8. thuey

    thuey Pooh-Bah (1,705) Nov 13, 2015 California
    Pooh-Bah

    No, I meant Famille was NOT tart (just a hint). So we're in agreement. That's why I find it their most drinkable beer - well, other than that amazing slow poured Pilsner.

    Slide Down My Cellar Door B2 is less tart than B1, but still too much so for my preference. I think that's true for most of what you're talking about. The sour stuff in 2018 was aggressively sour. 2019 stuff was definitely less so, but for my palate, I wish it were toned down more.

    But I appreciate your commentary. I didn't try a lot of the more recent stuff you're referencing, so it's good to have a preview. (Shame to hear Eve is a bit sour). I've got a shipment coming in Monday from them, and will drop by their taproom in May to pick up everything else they're holding for me.
     
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  9. Dansac

    Dansac Pundit (912) Dec 6, 2014 California
    Trader

    Gotcha.

    I do have a bit of a high tolerance to tartness, since I grew up in Peru and we eat a lot of very acidic dishes, like ceviche obvs, routinely. I had some stuff from Sour Cellars the other day and I couldn't finish it because it was so tart. I still remember back when The Rare Barrel was extremely acidic. I think Kevin is progressively dialing down his acidity, but they have hit a balanced spot by now, excepting some puckering ones.

    What are you getting?
     
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  10. thuey

    thuey Pooh-Bah (1,705) Nov 13, 2015 California
    Pooh-Bah

    Cuvée de Fleur 2019
    Fleur de Masumoto 2019 (Tried at the Syndicate 2019 party)
    Bibliophile
    Restik
    Saison du Rosier B2
    Ellipses
    Jeremy Bearimy
    Murex B2

    I may be most interested in the Cuvée de Fleur as I generally enjoy non-fruited sours more than fruited. Your commentary on Saison du Rosier B2 is also intriguing, as I've only tried B1.

    Edit: They're also holding these for me, but I won't get to them until May:

    N.A.P.
    Jackson Ranch Knob Creek
    Jackson Ranch High West
    Jia
    Moshi Mosh
    Eve
    Naraka
    Anitya
     
    #10 thuey, Mar 7, 2020
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2020
  11. Dansac

    Dansac Pundit (912) Dec 6, 2014 California
    Trader

    Cuvee is delicious. It has some of that lambic aged hop character you get from Homage and funk from their house culture, with that sweeter straw finish from the honey from Cellador. It's more fizzy than Cellador usually is, which is usual for Homage.

    Bibliophile is delicious, and has that characteristic aromatic frenzy from Cellador stonefruit beers which I love. But if you thought Slide was too tart you'll probably think the same. Same goes with NAP.

    B2 of Saison du Rossier is wonderful, I think that will be your jam from this batch alongside Cuvee. It's effervescent, dry, with a nice bitterness in the back that cuts through the beer and makes it come super clean. I love that beer.

    Ellipses needs a little time in the cellar imo, it's fine but a tad one note. I don't remember Jeremy Bearimy very well, and I think I skipped Restik or wasn't impressed. Murex is drinking very well right now too.

    From the whole lot I'd say you're bound to particularly enjoy: Anitya, Cuvee, Saison, Naraka, Jia.
     
    #11 Dansac, Mar 7, 2020
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2020
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  12. ericdavidmorris

    ericdavidmorris Initiate (0) Jun 2, 2014 California

    Just realized that since I now live in CA, I can join/have beer shipped to me! I like Cellador a lot (unfortunately haven't seen too much in SF besides a draft here and there on at Toronado). Might have to check these membership/online shop options...

    Had Bibliophile at Toronado and was really impressed (even at such a high price, I think it as $12 for the smallest size, 6/8oz or so?)
     
  13. Frosty11161

    Frosty11161 Savant (1,076) May 2, 2016 California
    Trader

    Deadcrush was still available with no limit, me and a buddy just bought another 6. It reminded me of b1 Psalm Spite though less tart and more red wine.(b2 was decent but tad underperforming compared to b1).

    T1 just so you can get access to member beers (most allow extras to be purchased) as well as being able to wait the full year to decide when to ship (as opposed to default 3 months? I think).
     
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  14. ericdavidmorris

    ericdavidmorris Initiate (0) Jun 2, 2014 California

    Gonna have to wait until 2021 it looks like. I should have had that revelation a few months ago!
     
  15. thuey

    thuey Pooh-Bah (1,705) Nov 13, 2015 California
    Pooh-Bah

    I was a nonmember in 2018 with that 90 day hold period. It's a pretty good option for about 2/3 availability of their beer. Although shipping back then for 12 bottles was a bargain $10.
     
  16. thuey

    thuey Pooh-Bah (1,705) Nov 13, 2015 California
    Pooh-Bah

    @Dansac Just ordered that Goseque Nectarine and Fig Fumee based on your rec. Will try them in due time.

    That being said... blast from the past. Drinking the Deux Vallées from 2018, an accidental still beer collab from them.

    https://www.celladorales.com/product/deux-vallees-375ml-limit-3/

    With that Brandy & Wine barrel aging, it's got a really interesting layers of flavor. Really pleasantly surprised! I'd like to see them do more brown ale base beers for their sours, like a traditional or non-traditional Flanders.

    This is my first still beer, and I kinda like being able to recap the beer and enjoying at my leisure.
     
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  17. Frosty11161

    Frosty11161 Savant (1,076) May 2, 2016 California
    Trader

    still gotta be careful of oxidation, but my favorite from them (though deadcrush is very very close second) was Psalm Spite, a still red sour with black & red raspberries.
     
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  18. thuey

    thuey Pooh-Bah (1,705) Nov 13, 2015 California
    Pooh-Bah

    I have my 2019 member bottles (x2 for Tier2) for both beers. I wasn't really in a rush to try them, but now that I'm taking to this still beer concept, this shelter-in-place period isn't a bad time to crack them open.
     
  19. Frosty11161

    Frosty11161 Savant (1,076) May 2, 2016 California
    Trader

    Deadcrush is a fantastic beer, Psalm i feel like b1 was a little better, but only marginally.
     
  20. Dansac

    Dansac Pundit (912) Dec 6, 2014 California
    Trader

    So, I just popped a Fig Fumee and have to say I was very disappointed. It is quite tart, with some really lovely flavors and depth, but it is seriously under-carbonated. I don't know what happened there.
     
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