Black Xantus

I keep thinking about trying to find a trade for Xantus. This just reinforces that I need to try it, although I've never had Parabola. Thanks for the info!

 

Apparently not all Humboldt beers are still brewed by FW (from COLA date 2015):



According to the Brookston Bulletin when TBS bought the brand Nectar Ales from Firestone-Walker, the deal to continue brewing the beers for them was not permanent (which makes sense since FW stated they were selling to concentrate on their own beers), and Adam Firestone himself noted that "At some point in the future, he believes that TBS will most likely make other arrangements and will move production..."

TBS's Humboldt Brewing Co. website FAQ says only that ".. no matter who “owns” the company, our beers will always be brewed in California..."

The "Firestone Union" (based on the classic Burton Union method) is a fermentation system - do they re-use the barrels for aging at some point?

The keg label above claims "Bourbon barrels". Confusingly, I note that some of the Black Xantus labels list they "type" as "904 - Stout" and others are "906 - Malt Beverage Specialties -Flavored", the latter certainly implying bourbon barrel aging. The bottle labels above don't appear to mention it (maybe on the neck/rear label - none of which are on the COLAs tho').

 

This reminds me of one of my favorite beer reviews

 

It's 14.99 around here. Always passed on it

 

And that's why I didn't just say "the designs of those labels are a dead giveaway as to which
is older." because you need to verify before you post, or you will get called out by someone who knows way more about beer than you.

 

Sadly both review and reviewer no longer with us.

 

He never missed an opportunity to chime in if someone posted that beer on LNBA,
or even mentioned it in passing.