Stout Tasting: Which beers/Advice?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Nickfellow007, May 23, 2012.

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  1. Nickfellow007

    Nickfellow007 Initiate (0) Feb 22, 2011 Rhode Island

    Hey everyone. I have a stout tasting I am doing this weekend, with just a couple of people (4 total to be exact). I have never done a stout tasting, and so I was hoping for some friendly advice as to which beers we should go for in the tasting, and then what order should we attempt to drink them in. I will say this...the idea originated as tasting all of the Founders Stouts in one night with breakfast food pairings to go with them...which we will still do...but I have so many others that I think we could taste a few more as well. Here's my list of what I have to choose from:

    2011 Founders Imperial Stout
    2011 Founders Breakfast Stout
    2012 Founders KBS
    2011 Founders CBS
    2011 Bourbon County Stout
    2012 Bourbon County Coffee Stout
    2012 Bourbon County Bramble Rye Stout
    2012 Oak Aged Yeti
    2012 Espresso Oak Aged Yeti
    2012 Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti
    2012 Southern Tier Mokah
    2012 Southern Tier Jahva
    Hoppin' Frog BORIS (Gold Cap)
    Hoppin' Frog Barrel Aged BORIS (Green Cap)
    North Coast Old Rasputin XIV Anniversary
    2011 Firestone Walker Parabola
    2012 Dark Horse Plead The 5th
    2011 Cigar City Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout
    2011 Cigar City/Mikkeller Nielsbohrium
    2010 New England Imperial Stout Trooper
    2011 New England Imperial Stout Trooper
    Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Imperial Stout
    2012 Alesmith Speedway Stout
    2012 Central Waters Peruvian Morning
    Tool Goliat Imperial Stout

    Also, I have a King Henry available to factor into this, if you'd like. It's just that I thought for an epic tasting (epic to me anyways), that would be a great beer to consider as well.

    Your best advice would be greatly appreciated, especially from those of you who have done a similar tasting and tried many of these brews already. We're only 4 people doing this, so I know there's going to be a lot we don't get to...but after all the time and energy put into getting these, I'd like to do it as best as possible. I look forward to all your input! Thanks!
     
    #1 Nickfellow007, May 23, 2012
  2. icetrauma

    icetrauma Pooh-Bah (1,657) Sep 7, 2004 Texas
    Pooh-Bah

    Send'em to me and I'll let ya know. Looks yummy!
     
    #2 icetrauma, May 24, 2012
  3. deadonhisfeet

    deadonhisfeet Pooh-Bah (2,481) Apr 23, 2011 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    Can I come?

    Seriously, if you're anything like me, your palate will get tired long before you finish a list of beers that lengthy. I personally don't like tasting more than 6-8 beers at any organized tasting (because after that, I just don't taste them as well). If I were you, I'd split that list up into multiple tastings. You can do the bourbon barrel-aged beers at one tasting, maybe the coffee stouts at another and the RISs at yet another.
     
    #3 deadonhisfeet, May 24, 2012
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  4. Hophead717

    Hophead717 Initiate (0) Oct 21, 2011 Massachusetts

    Honestly? I'd only do the first six beers on your list. Perhaps add Parabola in too and Speedway Stout if you are still going strong. You'd never get through/really enjoy that list if you tackled it at once.
     
    #4 Hophead717, May 24, 2012
  5. FosterJM

    FosterJM Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2009 California

    4 people will not make it through that list.
    You really need to break that up into a couple dates.
    Dont mean to burst your bubble.

    Cheers!
     
    #5 FosterJM, May 24, 2012
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  6. Reagan1984

    Reagan1984 Pooh-Bah (2,329) May 15, 2008 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    You've got a vertical option so I'd try that and just a couple more bottles.

    If there is 4 of you, you should probably plan on only 5 bombers MAX. (some would probably say less)
    Think about how much Imp stout you could drink. 6 is 33 ounces a piece.. (as I type this, that sounds like a lot.... you get my drift)

    I wouldn't "waste" drinking all the BCBS variations together. I think they'll get muddled.

    Drink non-barrel aged stuff before barrel aged options..... Enjoy, drink water, take your time,
     
    #6 Reagan1984, May 24, 2012
  7. BruceBruce

    BruceBruce Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2011 Texas

    CBS before KBS for sure, and then BCBS I did the other way around and CBS was a big let down after the intense bourbon flavor of the other ones, BORIS BA is amazing too
     
    #7 BruceBruce, May 24, 2012
  8. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,157) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    In Memoriam Pooh-Bah Trader

    1. Make sure no one is planning on driving home. Make suitable arrangements for sleeping over.
    2. Plan on 2 22 oz./750's per person
    3. Plan a suitable amount of time to be able to enjoy them
    4. Arrange beers into 2 groups, coffee added and non coffee added, then into order of ABV with lowest first.
    5. Do the coffee added first, the non coffee added next.
    6. Make sure to drink plenty of water, and eat non salty treats, to cleanse palate.
     
    #8 cavedave, May 24, 2012
  9. AnchorBaby

    AnchorBaby Initiate (0) Oct 12, 2010 California

    This may seem obvious but since you didn't mention it I will. Take notes. Print out a form for each person ahead of time with all the beers you intend to drink listed, with space for scoring in a variety of areas, for example smell, head, taste, finish, overall. Don't try too many or it becomes a meaningless haze. If you drink all these beers and don't record your impressions then it's just a day of drunken debauchery. Now wouldn't that be terrible.
     
    #9 AnchorBaby, May 24, 2012
  10. Bitterbill

    Bitterbill Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,036) Sep 14, 2002 Wyoming
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Man, you're gonna need a bigger boat.
     
    #10 Bitterbill, May 24, 2012
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  11. Reagan1984

    Reagan1984 Pooh-Bah (2,329) May 15, 2008 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    Yeah, I've seen people save their epic beer for the end of the evening, only to have a dead palate and mind....resulting in not appreciating the feature beer.

    There are at least three events in that beer list.
     
    #11 Reagan1984, May 24, 2012
  12. Nickfellow007

    Nickfellow007 Initiate (0) Feb 22, 2011 Rhode Island

    Thanks for the responses so far, but I realize we weren't going to drink anywhere near all of the brews...which is why I wanted the best suggestions for which ones we should absolutely do given the list I have. Thanks again.
     
    #12 Nickfellow007, May 24, 2012
  13. Derranged

    Derranged Initiate (0) Mar 7, 2010 New York

    He indicated that he wouldn't be going through all of those beers by asking which ones should he present.
     
    #13 Derranged, May 24, 2012
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  14. Nickfellow007

    Nickfellow007 Initiate (0) Feb 22, 2011 Rhode Island

    Thanks. Unfortunately it doesn't look like I'm getting much response with that in mind yet....maybe someone out there will, lol.
     
    #14 Nickfellow007, May 24, 2012
  15. FishPondManager

    FishPondManager Initiate (0) Feb 28, 2012 Colorado

    You're doing doing breakfast foods? Seems easy to me. Go with the coffee heavy beers. I'd go in roughly this order

    CBS
    BCBCS
    FBS
    KBS
    Peruvian Morning (hopefully not infected)
    Espresso Yeti
    Speedway Stout
    Javah
     
    #15 FishPondManager, May 24, 2012
  16. Nickfellow007

    Nickfellow007 Initiate (0) Feb 22, 2011 Rhode Island


    Thanks, I like the idea!

    Any other suggestions out there? Thanks
     
    #16 Nickfellow007, May 25, 2012
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