The Bruery (2021)

Watch your Fucking Language

 

Edit: I got assurances from two higher-ups (including Barry Holmes himself) that it isn’t the case… I’ve had tons of issues with my renewal, so I bet they were troubleshooting and accidentally cancelled my membership.

I think I’m the odd person out, but I seriously hope they don’t do auto-renewal again… it’s great in case you forget, but if this was something I could have just dropped into my cart and paypaled it, it would have been done a month ago.

In other news, I had a 2016 BT that I was gonna open up tonight, but after seeing Nathan’s post, I’mma open my Mel 3 in my cellar instead. Yum!!!

 

You can fuck the fuck right off. *************.

 

2015 M3 is drinking amazing btw. Perfect 5 out of 7.

 

Fuck!

***Not directed at any particular staff member***

 

What are you worried about? They already kicked you out.

 

Conner's Cobbler is... A raspberry explosion. I don't think I've ever drunk a glass of raspberry juice but I assume this is what it tastes like?

It is super delicious... But at this price you bet I'm going to be very nitpicky: the raspberry is kinda one dimensional. Like, that's all there is. So it's good, but it's not interesting like some of their other variants.

I've now tried the three variants (I skipped Tender because banana) and at this point I don't feel compelled to buy more of any of them. Tasty, but too pricey, with too many other releases I like as much or more at lower price.

So, I spent $78 instead of the $240 I probably would have shelled out for the box, and I'm content. It's a win for me, and potentially a win for Bruery too if they forecast production correctly because even though I spent less, their profit was higher, and if they found lots of members balking at the boxes they might still end up moving the same quantity of beer.

Reflecting back on the past two years, I think I would have dropped $26 for additional solo bottles of You Want A Piece, and maybe for Spicy Island and Samoa. So to be honest, I like the change to solo bottles.
I think I'm more likey to enjoy barrel variants though, so I hope next year's barrel variants are in a box again rather than switched to solo... But then again if there's even a single one you're "meh" on better to pay a premium for choice of what you actually want.

 

I'm going to have to dig into my closet for a bottle of M3 and then compare the label to an old post somewhere deep in BA to figure out what year it was. I used to know by memory, but it's been a long time.

As for why they stopped making it, I agree that I think they over-produced and more and more new things came out and it just sat there. I also think it was b/c they got rid of White Oak Sap (right? and tweaked it to make the new WC?)

 

They got rid of White Oak, not White Oak Sap. Not sure if they reformulated Sap itself or just WC though.

 

Yeah....I thought they changed White Oak Sap around the time all that WC infection/souring was going on. It probably changed how Melange 3 tasted.

 

Brookie far exceeded my expectations, which were moderate. The mint and chocolate are distinct but not weird or overpowering and the balance of flavors works for me (note that mint chip cookies and cream is my go-to ice cream order). It's pretty carbonated and I bet that helps keep the adjuncts from lingering too long.

I really like the base stout too. I wonder if they've used before or will again outside colabs with Brooke? It's got more complexity than the baseline pastry stouts, more body than SHIT (and without the tang), yet is scary easy to drink.

 

I really enjoyed Sticky Nanners, probably my favorite recent new canned stout in quite awhile.

 

One & Dunn is great. If you like barrel heavy stouts you’ll love this.

 

I don't know about everyone else but I could definitely go for more White Oak.

 

Opened up a Maple BT. Damn this beer is good.

 

Totally. I'm feeling very smug about stocking up in the fire sale, but I don't think you can actually have too much.

Given Mischief was reformulated shortly after White Oak discontinued, do you think it would still work with the current hoppy Mischief?
I wonder if doing a blend of Iniquitous with Sap would get into the same ballpark?

 

Perhaps not surprisingly, this month's archive sale is a BT smorgasbord.

Now, there's no way I'm dropping that much for a bottle of 2011, regardless of how good it is... But the 2013 and 2014 maybe... MAYBE have my attention. Thoughts from anyone that's had one recently? Notable relative to more recent year's?

 

I'm assuming 2012 isn't tasting great right now?
Can't wait to get my hands on that 2011!

 

Went overboard and got a ‘11 and a’14, figured yolo and am splitting the cost/beer

 

No Portified BT in the archive sale.

Opened a bottle this weekend. It was excellent. Struck the right balance between a port and BT. Wouldn't mind getting another bottle of that.