Bell's Brewery (2020)

Drank my first bottle of 35th over the past hour and I’m quite impressed! Great mouthfeel for a stout without lactose (good to be reminded of what that’s like) and well balanced - could easily pass for a 7-8% stout! Will be difficult to age.

 

It's also good to be reminded what a stout without lactose costs. Super reasonable 4 pack for sure!

 

Yeah, it’s fantastic out of the gate. I can’t imagine that aging can do much to improve it outside of mellowing out the roast a bit.

 

I completely failed on my plan to age a bottle or two...it tasted so good out of the gate that they are all mem'ries now.

 

Bell's newsletter had this exciting tidbit of information today:



Make it an Old Fashioned Holiday
Introducing a special beer, for a special time of year.

Old Fashioned Holiday Ale is a bourbon barrel-aged version of our Christmas Ale with a dash of dried cherry and orange peel added that will remind you of your Great Aunt Linda's expert cocktail-making skills.
Originally brewed by our barrel specialist for our Roll Out the Barrel celebration, this winter warmer takes you back to classic flavors of the season. This new classic is best enjoyed sipping by the fireplace, dancing around the kitchen to old holiday jazz standards, or listening to yet another story from Aunt Linda.

And the text (and excitement) continues:


Maybe, just maybe, you'll luck out and she'll tell you the story about the night Uncle Rick ended up wearing a Lampshade.

Yes, Lampshade Party Ale is coming back in November. Stay tuned for more details!

 

My pet beer peeve #867: making beers that mimic an Old Fashioned cocktail.

If I want an Old Fashioned, I'll have an Old Fashioned. I like them. However, a beer will never, in my opinion, be a good substitute for the real thing.

I respect Bells, and if I'm able to grab a single bottle I will, just because of that respect. But I wish they had used their energy to do just about ANYTHING else.

 

Bigger fan of last year's tagline. Bring your own Lampshade,somewhere there's a party. Here it's never ending, can't remember when it started. Pass around the Lampshade, there'll be plenty enough room in jail.

 

Not sure why this would get you so up in arms when we have breweries mimicking every flavor of dessert with pastry stouts and nobody bats an eye.

 

Think there is a substantial difference between copying food vs another beverage. I'm in complete agreement with GFawkes that if you can drink alcohol and you want something with bourbon, orange and cherry flavor just drink a damn old fashioned, don't buy into the gimmicky beers that fall short.

 

It just seems weird for beer to mimic another alcoholic beverage. I get why they do it with desserts, though.

As others have said, if I want an old fashioned, I'll make myself an old fashioned. A beer that tries to mimic the flavors of that will always fall short to the actual drink.

 

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY THEM

 

But will you make it sour or sweet (i.e., Wisconsin)?

 

If it were true to 'sconnie they would use brandy barrels.

 

Easy for a NoFOMO to say...

 

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know we weren't allowed to discuss good or bad beer ideas on a beer forum.

 

I really don't look at this beer as a mimic of an old fashioned but rather a BBA Scotch Ale with a couple of minor flavors that might make the beer a bit more festive for the season.

 

I wasn't speaking specifically to this beer. Just to some of the beers that are done like that, in general, since someone else had brought it up.

 

Why do people drink BA stouts? I mean if you want bourbon pour yourself some bourbon amirite?

 

This is silly logic IMO.

Most people drink BA stouts because of the different flavors imparted to the BEER from the barrel.

Most people drink BA beers, in general, for this reason. It's not just stouts, either. I drank a cabernet sauvignon BA saison the other day. Did I drink it because I like CS? No. Even though cabs are my favorite wine. I drank it to see the kind of flavors that barrel imparted on the beer, because I like beer. When I want a glass of cab, I'll crack a bottle and have some...

In conclusion, they drink these beers... because they like beer...

When I want bourbon, or scotch, or rye, I pour myself one. When I want a screwdriver, I pour myself one. When I want an old fashioned, I pour myself one.

People don't drink these beers so they can have something that tastes like another alcoholic drink... that's not really the point of them, or the purpose of them.

Do you drink BA stouts just because you like bourbon? I know people who don't like bourbon at all... but love BA stouts... so...

 

Oof. You took that bait and swallowed the hook.