Topping Goliath (2023)

Not sure if this has anything to do with it but apparently the 2022 KBBS wasn't as highly thought of as previous years. Still a very good beer but not quite what it was according to folks I talked to at Stout Stock Day. So perhaps some are taking a wait and see approach with 2023.

 

Nice score yesterday at TG Black Friday. Hertz, Aurora, lot of Term Oil variants, Morning Delight

 

Not sure if its been mentioned or asked here yet, but why do some bottles of Aurora have silver wax and some have black wax?

 

Oh man this end of year dinner sounds so good. Guaranteed bottle of KBBS Reserve and can buy the Vanilla Bean assassin.

 

It’s insane how much they charge for this dinner. With tip and tax you’re looking at $650, which can pretty much get you a meal for two at any restaurant in the country. I know the price of the DB KBBS is a large portion of the cost, but you’re basically paying $150 for a cup of soup, a steak, a piece of cake, and a beer.

I’m sure it’s a great time but god dayum.

 

I mean that's fair I suppose. The menu does look pretty solid, IMO. I imagine the food is quite good as it always is when I visit. But ask yourself this - how else does one acquire a KBBS Reserve? You can go to the open market and buy it for quite a lot of money. So your Table for 2 allows you to get 2 of these bottles.

 

No doubt, and I understand that you’re paying for a fun experience (insert Decorah in December joke here), but for someone coming in from out of town you’re looking at easily $1400+ for the weekend on the low end. I bought one of these off secondary for $300 back when it first came out which when all is said and done which was “cheaper” than picking it up myself.

Funnily enough, I did not enjoy it as much as regular KBBS, but the bar is so high for TG’s stouts for me and this was still better than 90% of what I’ve drank. Makes me really excited for 52 Hertz because Aurora was one of the top three barrel aged beers I’ve had over the past year (Side Project’s MJK and Boiler’s Double Barrel Caramel Delight being the other two).

 

When I was in line for Stout Stock Day, I overheard a group behind me saying the same thing that they enjoyed KBBS more than the reserve which they said tasted a bit "boozier." I'm sure it's still spectacular.

Aurora is fantastic but 52 Hertz is in another stratosphere, IMO. One of the best beers I've ever tasted.

 

i agree w that sentiment about KBBS reserve. Was great but didn’t meet the mark of several prior years of KBBS for me. DB AB Assassin however is another beast. That was the best TG stout I have had in several years and sits at #4 all time for me in ranking their stouts. I am also very excited about trying 52 Hertz after discussing it with Clark.

 

Yeah, I’m very excited to try 52 Hertz. Seems like this is an all-timer from them from what I’ve heard.

What would you rank ahead of DB AB Assassin? Seems like this is definitely consensus top tier for them, maybe only behind B1 SR-71. I believe I will try this eventually, but unfortunately it’s escaped me so far.

 

I'm sort of regretting choosing the 2015 SR-71 over the DB Assassin on Stout Stock Day. Thinking I may have made an error in judgment there. Oh well, win some, lose some.

 

I am an unabashed TG homer. I have known Clark for over 25 years, long before the brewery was a thing. So that being said my list:
1) B1 VB assassin best stout I have ever tried.
2) first released batch of KBBS (batch one was bottle filled off a keg and not released from their experimental run at it). Excited to try this one again over Christmas with my last bottle.
3) B1 SR-71 Clark’s stout only he did when Mike was gone for a bit. Curious to see how this one with the new keg fill compares to the original bottling.
4) DB AB Assassin
5) yellow wax assassin

That’s my list anyway.

 

I'd rather go to French Laundry.

 

You aren’t going there for two with wine pairings for that same amount but no doubt Yountville is a better spot to eat.

 

9 courses for $350 without wine pairings (which are hit or miss for us depending on how much drinking we've already been doing in given a week).

Considering I'd likely be in that area for more reasons than one (Napa, SF, hiking), sign me up for that boomer bucket list before it closes. Whereas I'd never already just be in Iowa doing other things (sorry y'all, though if it's any consolation I do feel the same about Ohio).

 

If this is your idea of losing, you, sir, have first world problems.

 

No question Napa all day

 

Never been to KBBS day - is seating first come / first serve? Can you make a reservation? Are there lines into the frigid iowa air (guessing not, considering the Saturday appointments for bottle pickup).

Just looking for some tips on how to attack the day for those that have been before.

Thx.

 

It's first come / first serve, so you have to get seated by the host(ess). I think I got there maybe 20 minutes before they opened on a Saturday in 2021 and there was a moderately long line. Was seated within 15 minutes of opening. Getting a beer took a while, though.

 

it can get pretty crowded pretty quickly. people who didn’t get bottles still show up to get pours. basically by 11:30 or so you’re waiting like an hour or more for a table.