Toppling Goliath (2022)

I would sooner believe in Santa Claus than Toppling Goliath lottery winners.

 

Just got an email from TG saying I was not selected. Honestly prefer the email confirming I’m a giant loser over not getting any kind of correspondence at all. At least I know my entry was received lol.

 

Sounds like my record in the PA Pappy van Winkle lottery, @jeevo

 

Yep. I’m a combined 0 for 30+ with the Pennsylvania Pappy/Buffalo Trace and TG lotteries.

 

I spoke too soon. Another TG holiday miracle!

 

How much effort is it worth to getting to TG for the DB Rye Assassin? That is, where will this stack up I mean, it's just beer, but then again I'm a little crazy.

 

Go if you are within a 5 hr radius.

 

Broke my 0 for lifetime streak with TG lotteries. Unfortunately I read the price as "2 for $100" because I'm alliterate. Not sure it's worth the long drive for the most expensive bottle of beer I (would theoretically) have purchased. I will ponder the matter.

 

Well, you are at least getting more beer than KBBS. So, there's that? (Glass 10 oz fuller, err half full. Or something.)

 

I missed this lottery but won the original DB Assassin. I wouldn’t hesitate to go (6 hr round trip for me).

I thinks it’s worth the price solely because I used it to get invited to a share with other hard to get bottles. Built some relationships for future shares/trades. It’s a big enough bottle to split several ways, and while it is expensive, I got to try several other world class beers with it. The guy I shared with won KBBS recently too and offered to open it with me.

The original is the best stout I’ve tried, though my list isn’t too extensive. (BCBS Rare ‘15 and Pulpits - Seven Years In Heaven being the closest)

 

The original Assassin was amazing. I've had a few others over the years & it's varied from a top 20 beer ever to a ho-hum barrel aged stout.

I know exactly what you mean about the 'big bottle shares'. Here is the Twin Cities the tasting groups I've been in have mostly fallen apart - something about wives, houses, kids, blah blah blah. We just aren't very active anymore, unfortunately. And I'm too old & lazy to seek out a new group of people I don't despise.

 

Wow the rest of you guys used to know people you didn't despise? What was that like?

I'm being sarcastic of course but I definitely feel the spirit of your comment. There's a couple people I still keep in touch with but my old trading network and all that? Yeah, no. The plus side is its so much easier to pass on ridiculous stuff like this and I've gained a huge appreciation for local offerings.

 

I feel the same. The cost and effort of obtaining these types of bottles has drowned the joy. I went for and got last year's DB Assassin. Drank 4 oz of it during a bottle share and yes, I thought it was stellar. But then, like all beer, that was over and done and had no more bottles.
Then I have the option to casually pick up beer at my local store such as Crushing Mass at $20/4pk. I love the stuff and can buy 240 oz of BA stout for what a bottle of DB Assassin with little to no effort. This is just one of many examples of great beer sitting on the local shelves.
After being around BA for awhile, I think most of us end up at this point. Even though it's been shared and discussed many times, it's still nice to know we share the same sentiment of others.
Cheers to whatever beer you wish drink!

 

Saw some Toppling Timber today for $50/22oz. No

 

This is one of favorite posts ever.

 

Good thing is that you can likely trade this for 2-3 other pretty damn good beers, if you're into that sort of thing.

 

was OG DB Assassin on draft at its release?

 

I’m pretty sure no. I had a friend that went and said there was almost nothing exciting on draft when he went.

 

well, damn. i guess that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be the same this time around but still, damn.

 

It wasn’t on draft. The draft list was less than exciting for my first visit to the new brewery. I was able to try a couple term oils variants.

Draft list was better in March that year when I picked up BA Stout Hawks and Kaiju Clash. Got to try Chain Smoker, a different Term Oil, and Barrel Slayer.

 

Yeah. The draft list was great for the kbbs release… so in the name of good beer karma hopefully they’ll have something good on draft for people making the trek out for dbra (or whatever they abbreviate it as)

 

Who cares what they have on tap? The ridiculous limits they place on BA draft pours is yet another reason to not even bother anymore. You don’t even get to try everything you want

 

Personally, if I knew I wouldn’t get to try it, I wouldn’t make the 12+ hour drive each direction - for just 1 Fucking bottle. But if I could try it, I’d be pretty likely to. At that point I can make my own determination whether I want to save that bottle or trade it. The idea that they might have other top beers on tap is added value. Driving for 1 Fucking bottle and getting to try nothing on tap is a hard no for me, and I assume for a lot of others too that live a full day drive away.

 

Had Sus Sus Pseduo and Term Oil Coffee at Mikerphone yesterday (Mornin’ Delight kicked the day before). The IPA was good with lots of Citra goodness as expected. The BA stout had a ton of really nice coffee character but with little to no barrel presence. It really could’ve passed for being a non BA Imperial coffee stout. Enjoyable but just not what I was expecting.

 

I applaud your effort here…but a serious question: what is your limit? If you’re willing to drive 12+ each way, where do you draw the line? I’m genuinely curious. No judgment.
I used to live in Ft Wayne, and I’d always tell my beer buddies that I was 2 hours from basically everything worth getting lol.

Two hours to Floyd’s
Two hours to Transient
Two hours to Hoof

now I live in Chicago, and I’m VERY happy with being able to just go across town and be perfectly satisfied. Being relieved of any FOMO has been the best thing to happen to me (beer related I guess)

 

No offense taken. I have been to TG once (won Orange assassin near the “start” of my craft interest). At that time it was closer to 8 hours each way I think. I got 2 bottles, which at the time had a higher value than today, and I knew I’d get to try it twice (once at Mabe’s, and once at the brewery). Plus, I had agreed to participate in a share, although I was late. Also, en route I was able to stop and pick up some non-distro stuff in IL. Things have changed, and bassically (for me) the only reason to drive out is if a bottle is unobtainable (KBBS or better) AND there is added value (trying it + others on tap being the best example). I don’t have access to lots of stuff to trade, but I am quite happy with most that can be obtained pretty easy. If I made a trip like this once every 4 years, that’s fine. I don’t really drive for beer otherwise; but I will make detours while on business trips.

I’ve agreed I will drive to Chicago one of these years for Prop day or FOBAB. I’m heading to VT next month for work, and planning the 2-hr trip (each way) to visit HF. All that is pretty realistic for me.

P.S. Chicago and elsewhere in IL is an embarrassment of riches. You FIBs!

 

It’s hilarious, because it feels to me that Indiana is like a complete 180 of that. I move three hours northwest and it’s completely changed. Also, my outlook changed…no more chasing.
Appreciate the answer!

 

Almost all of my chasing is due to beer in IL. BCBS, Half Acre, some Rev, and other breweries.

I’d love to live in Chicago for the beer.