Mott the Lesser 2016

Are the lines and wait time usually long to get this? I've never been to a release and I'm headed up to Portsmouth with my sister and girlfriend tomorrow. Trying to decide if I can convince at least my girlfriend to stop by with me before or after

 

The last Saturday release that I went to I recall a BA posting no lines around 2:00 pm. I stopped by at 4:00 and there was about 4 in line, got my bottles and a draft and was at Black Birch at 4:30!

Edit: I think I know what I'm doing this afternoon

 

Also, don't just look at it from the perspective of, "I NEED to tick something like Kate the Great."

Look at it from the perspective of having a good beer, trying some other beers from the brewery possibly, and maybe swing by Black Birch for a few beers.

Even if Tod the Lesser tasted like Bud Light, it still sounds like a fun trip to me.

 

Anybody in line yet? How's it looking?

 

Just happened to see an update on FB ... 40 or so.

 

There's about 100 people in line now with an hour until they release. Unless a crazy amount of people show up in the next hour, bottles should last until the afternoon no problem

 

I'm sure after the swish release it will be packed there

 

Any update on the line or bottle count? I don't see anything on twitter or their Facebook event, and my call to the brewery just went to voicemail which said "it's 12:40 and the wait is around 40-minutes, plenty of beer left".

 

Any chance there might be bottles available tomorrow?

 

So by absolute chance we were passing through kittery and decided to see if there was a line. Practically walked right in.

This batch is pretty damn good. It's a strong, unapologetic stout. Very different than the breakfast in a bottle nonsense that's everywhere.

The beer itself is nice and thick, chocolately, with a sharp bite. The whiskey presence is there but without any bourbon sweetness. More like an Irish whiskey or scotch than a bourbon.

I feel it could use an extra layer of something...what that is I'm not sure. I'm glad it's not full of adjuncts but i feel it still needs...something. More barrel time maybe? It finishes with a bit of a medicinal liquorice taste. Beer definitely started tasting better as it warmed. Smoother.

All in all, a nice beer, and a real nice event. Perfect type of day for a big boozy stout. Todd Mott seemed to be in a really jovial mood which was fun to see. The accordion player was fire.

 

It's also not a Kate clone. I talked with Tod at Beervana and MtL is a big stout, but finished very different. Probably more complex, but to me not as great as Kate.

 

IN talking to Tod today, this batch is finished (partly) in Scotch barrels instead of bourbon. I think he said Islay barrels that before that had Canadian Rye for something like 19 years, and before that was Jack Daniels. (so they are bourbon, but with lots of other stuff since then.)
I can see this batch aging very nicely, it has enough body and booziness that it will handle time.
We got there about 11:30, don't know exactly how many were in line, but wasn't bad. We went into the tent outside, had a beer then hit the porchetta. (YUM) before going back in for the other beers and pick up bottles. Way less crowded that past times we've been there.

 

Well, I took my own advice and went up north to have a fun day. Hit up Tributary, Black Birch, and then over to Dover to 7th Settlement, Thirsty Moose, and Sonny's.

Oh, and "Tod the Lesser" (oops) tasted nothing like Bud Light.

I've had Kate only once, in Brussels of all places. Tod happened to have been to the De Struise bottle shop the week prior, and he dropped off a keg of Kate. I'm fairly certain I had a sip or so of Kate, maybe a full sample. And it was then mixed with Black Albert for a Kabert. Assuming I did have some Kate, granted it wasn't a full beer, and even with the Kabert, I don't remember being blown away.

I thought Mott the Lesser was phenomal, INCREDIBLY smooth, almost cask-like. My glass emptied quickly, fuck the 10.5%. I didn't pick up any scotch/whiskey/bourbon though.

I think we got there around 3:30ish, waited maybe an hour. We just had drafts, there were bottles available. So, if you got some after 3:30, you're welcome!

Oh, and that was my first visit to the Black Birch, it won't be my last. Wow.