Mott the Lesser Fall 2023 Release

Did the recipe vary in the past, or was it always the same 12 malts on oak spires (or did the source of the oak spires vary year to year)?

 

Correct, and I had quite a few pours and bottles. At most one barrel.

Jesus I used to trade bottles and blindly send things through the mail to this dude I believe was in Minneapolis. Somehow we connected through a hardcore music blog and he became my beer pen pal. I remember his whole beer goal was to get a Kate. When I mailed him I think two bottles(one to enjoy/share one to age) I think he wasn’t expecting it and he said he couldn’t find a proper way to thank me. It was the old brown like paper labels if anyone remembers. My first beer I lined up for, and at like 9:30 am and had to literally go sit at a bagel shop after and sober up a few hours to be able to get home. Todd was always behind the bar and first to pour and taste. The Lapanza lounge and that brewery were something special then. Bottle rocket for life

 

What the fuck is a pen pal? Actually, what the fuck is a pen?

 

The only answer I have is that the recipe has “evolved” and has followed TM through Haverhill and Commonwealth and Quincy Ships (??) and then to PBrew. It’s had been constantly reworked as time passed.

 

My friend M*** (disguised to hide the guilty party) once puked in the alley behind PBrew on Kate Day. What a time to be alive!

What I think gets lost in all this is that a 10.5% beer was otherworldly strong at that time. Now we have so many beers that eclipse that ABV. It’s like the norm now.

 

I picked up my two bottles on Sunday and had one last night and quite honestly I can't say I liked it. For me it was undrinkable out of the gate so I let it warm, and despite that, I still just couldn't find the beauty. I capped it and will try the other half tonight just in case I wasn't in the mood for a stout... I noticed some warnings on Untapped such as "drink at room temperature" and here such as @Jbrews comments which suggest that it's not a release to judge Mott by, so I wanted to get others' opinions.

In updating the notes for BA's Mott entry which only went back to Version 16 (Fall 2021 - they should appear when the Mods wake up...!) - I noticed that the Spring 2022 version referenced "A new take on Mott the Lessor with three fortified wines as the base..." which I believe means the existing two wines - Port and Madeira, but now also a Ruby Port. So over the years, it looks like the base Mott has evolved largely as follows -

2015 - 2019 - apple brandy, port and Madeira
2020 - 2022 - port and Madeira
2023 - port, Madeira and Ruby

Mott The Lesser | Tributary Brewing Co. | BeerAdvocate

I missed the Spring release so I wasn't able to try this one as a barometer for the more recent base recipe change, but my hope is that the addition of Ruby port hasn't changed the base character of Mott, and it was only the Aneja and reposado barrels on top of the Tom Cat gin barrels that might have done it (but this would have otherwise been a dynamite combination for me...). In any case, I'll sock away my 2nd bottle to try in a few years unless there's anyone who wants to swap it for last spring's release. That's it for now, cheers!

 

You're not alone. Please see my post earlier in this thread. I didn't enjoy the Fall 2022 bottle at all. Between it being thin, which is not what I typically want in a stout, and the "confusing" flavor profile it was a drain pour for me. I get the desire to experiment and try different barrels, etc. but the last few releases have missed the mark for me completely.

 

Our kids may never know

 

I popped in to try some on tap yesterday. I was not planning to get any bottles as I also have not cared for the last few releases, but I still like to stop in for a pour. Oddly fitting where somebody described the flavor profile of other recent batches as "confusing".

I actually really enjoyed this release and ended up grabbing 2 bottles. Hopefully there isnt a stark difference between bottle vs draft. I didn't find it necessary to warm to bring it to life, unlike some past versions. I was pleasantly surprised.

 

Lol was it the Bridge 9 Board?

 

Oh yes, first iteration. But it may potentially even have been an original conversation on another board. We used to legit send letters about ask and thoughts on beer ha in the boxes.

Amazing we all used to just causally chat music and bikes with screen screen name “Adam22” on B9. Bro for sure made it in life…

 

After very much enjoying the latest release on tap, we opened a bottle this weekend and it was very different. The wine barrel notes were MUCH more forward from the bottle, and not really in a good way. Understanding now why many are saying this release isn't great having only had it from the bottle.

 

I certainly did not have enough to warrant a whole review, but I had MtL on draft and, as a tequila drinker, quite liked the four oz I had. That said, I liked it, but opted out of buying a bottle. I think both things can be true at once: enjoyed but not enough to warrant purchasing more.

 

Anyone who hasn’t seen the other post. Your opened bottles are no good for a refund. But your unopened are. We were right in our assumptions

See tonights IG post

Hey Tributary Family,

It has come to our attention over this past week that the Fall 2023 Mott the Lesser has
turned sour both on draft and in bottles. We began getting feedback that folks opening bottles for family and friend gatherings around Thanksgiving were met with an uncharacteristically tart flavor, rather than the velvety, fruity, chocolate flavors that we associate with Mott the Lesser. We take great care and pride in our brewing prowess and do not want you to experience MTL unless it is at its best.

We think one of the barrels we used to age the beer was infected with an ingress into the barrel of an acetobacter, an acetic acid bacteria which has the ability to convert
ethanol to acetic acid in the presence of oxygen. It shouldn’t make anyone sick, but that is not how we want you to experience MTL.

We would like to refund or give credit in the form of gift certificates for any bottles that are returned unopened. It is not urgent on our
part if you return them immediately. Some customers were from out of town, and we do not expect you to make a special trip.

We will accept unopened bottles with their labels numbered 0001-1600 – Fall 2023 Release until 10/25/24.

If you paid with a credit card, please bring it or make note of the last 4 digits of the card you used, and we will credit your credit card directly or issue a gift certificate for the cost of the bottles plus tax.

If you paid with cash, we will issue you a gift certificate for the cost of the bottles plus tax.

Please share this information with anyone you may know that you think purchased bottles and does not use social media. If you have any questions feel free to email us at [email protected]