Icrontic St. Paddy's 2012 Beer Tasting - Barleywine Cellar Review Edition

RyanMMRyanMM Ferndale, MI Icrontian
edited April 2017 in Community
Hear ye hear ye, it's that time again!

We're way overdue for a beer tasting. I wanted to do one at ICOK or ICNY, but I just couldn't get my shit together in time. I'm gonna find time to do one for ICSP though, come hell or high water.

One tasting I've wanted to host for a while is a cellar review of some of the beers I've been aging. In a cellar review, we compare an old vintage and a fresh vintage of multiple beers. Because of the nature of beer cellaring, candidates for this tasting will inherently be strong and intense brews. Stouts, imperial stouts, barleywines, and dark belgians are all common aging beers.

I've decided to center this cellar review around barleywines and old ales. We'll be reviewing two vintages apiece of 6 to 7 different beers, with about 1oz per sample if I end up seating 12 people total. If due to interest or based on logistics, I decide to seat less people, the samples will be larger but so will the price.

With 12 people seated, it'll be $18 per person and 1 oz samples.
With 8 people seated, it'll be $29 per person and 1.5 oz samples.

So what are you going to get out of this tasting? Two things.

First, you're going to get to see the benefits of aging on a specific beer style. With some of these beers, we'll be tasting a 3 year vintage differential. I promise at least two of the beers I'll be offering a 4 or more year delta.

Second, like past tastings I've done, this one will be blind, at least to the beer brand. Since we are comparing similar beers, all of which will be represented by their most recent vintage, you can compare and contrast these beers to further develop your palate and help you define what you like most in a beer.

The tasting is going to be held at 4pm on Saturday, March 17th. Hey, that's St. Patrick's Day! How convenient. It should last until about 5pm at the latest, I'd wager.

So are you in? Seats will be offered up in the order in which people message me about their interest. Either send me a private message here, hit me up on twitter, or shoot me an email.
«1

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    Can I pay $6 for a spot at the cheese plate?
  • RyanMMRyanMM Ferndale, MI Icrontian
    Yes.
  • RyanMMRyanMM Ferndale, MI Icrontian
    If you want to smell the empty bottles, that's on the house. XD
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    BOOYA. In at the cheese plate!
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    In.
  • TiberiusLazarusTiberiusLazarus Icrontian
    edited March 2012
    I've been waiting for a tasting like this.

    In. PM Sent.
  • UPSLynxUPSLynx :KAPPA: Redwood City, CA Icrontian
    If you have room at the end of all this, I'll be in. $29 is hard to part with without a job. I need to think about it and budget.

    Definitely in for bottle sniffing, though.
  • RyanMMRyanMM Ferndale, MI Icrontian
    I'll put you into the queue, and then when I get the final details hammered out I'll let you know. You can then decide if you want to stay in or pass your seat to the next person in the queue.
  • LeahVoiceLeahVoice Hobgoblin of Good Grooming Ferndale, MI Icrontian
    Oh goody, another beer tasting. I'll pack my apron.
  • AnnesAnnes Tripped Up by Libidos and Hubris Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    Eli and I in.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    Oh goody, another beer tasting. I'll pack my apron.
    Snaaaaaaap.....
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    Bompz for a good beer cause
  • BandrikBandrik Elkhart, IN Icrontian
    In! I missed out on the EPIC 2011 beer tasting. I can't miss this one.

    PM sent.
  • GnomeQueenGnomeQueen The Lulz Queen Mountain Dew Mouth Icrontian
    Ryaannnn when are you doing a wheat tasting? I DESPAIR.
  • RyanMMRyanMM Ferndale, MI Icrontian
    I have dozens of tasting ideas and limited time. I am going to try and plan tastings in advance this year, and I may do two at EPIC. Stay tuned. :)
  • GnomeQueenGnomeQueen The Lulz Queen Mountain Dew Mouth Icrontian
    I have dozens of tasting ideas and limited time. I am going to try and plan tastings in advance this year, and I may do two at EPIC. Stay tuned. :)
    I can't come to thaaaaat. Why can't you plan your schedule around MEEEE, Ryan Merayyyy? :p
  • AnnesAnnes Tripped Up by Libidos and Hubris Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    You're not coming to Expo? What?
  • RyanMMRyanMM Ferndale, MI Icrontian
    You can't come to EPIC? Whisky tango?
  • GnomeQueenGnomeQueen The Lulz Queen Mountain Dew Mouth Icrontian
    I'm not 100% sure about it, but I'd like to be doing an internship in DC this summer; I'm also applying to some in Houston, Austin, Atlanta, etc. Unless I end up with an internship in Ann Arbor or somewhere close like Chicago, I likely won't have time to attend.
  • RyanMMRyanMM Ferndale, MI Icrontian
    YOU CAN'T GO! ALL THE PLANTS WILL DIE!
  • RyanMMRyanMM Ferndale, MI Icrontian
    We just picked up a majority of the snacks for the tasting. A fine crumbly cheese, hearty crackers, and rich fruits are among the treats you'll enjoy while sipping on fresh and aged barleywines.

    T'is a good life.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    (Unless you're on a low carb diet) :p
  • RyanMMRyanMM Ferndale, MI Icrontian
    Yeah, that part sucks. Here's hoping the 'maintenance' phase of your life will allow you the occasional indulgence. :)
  • RyanMMRyanMM Ferndale, MI Icrontian
    edited March 2012
    The final tally is this:

    7 beers.
    2 vintages of each, minimum 3 years difference with up to 6 years of age.
    Slightly more than 1oz per sample for 14 samples
    Average alcohol by volume of 10.8%
    Snacks including fine crumbly cheese, rich fruits, nuts, and cheesecake.

    The following people are IN unless they contact me to drop out:
    @Mertesn
    @TiberiusLazarus
    @UPSLynx
    @Annes
    @Pragtastic
    @Lincoln
    Lincoln's guest
    @Bandrik
    Kati
    @WagsFTW

    Please check your DMs and confirm whether you'll be attending or not. I do have a waitlist of a couple people, in case you no longer want your seat.
  • WagsFTWWagsFTW Grand Rapids, MI Icrontian
    What's the cost per person with 10 people, or do you still need to figure that out based on confirmations?
  • WagsFTWWagsFTW Grand Rapids, MI Icrontian
    What's the cost per person with 10 people, or do you still need to figure that out based on confirmations?
    Nevermind. I remembered how to read, as it was in the message you sent.
  • RyanMMRyanMM Ferndale, MI Icrontian

    That was a triumph. Except for the part where I followed up with what we drank and talked about it! Boooo, 2012 Ryan you slacker jackass.

    So to recap, we tasted the following:

    JW Lees Harvest Ale (2010 and 2005)
    Anchor Old Forhorn (2010 and 2006)
    Sierra Nevada Bigfoot (2012 and 20??)
    Bell's Third Coast Old Ale (2011 and 2008)
    North Coast Old Stock Ale (2012 and 2007)
    Kuhnhenn Fourth Dementia (2011 and 2008)
    Flying Dog Horn Dog (2011 and 2008)

    It's been a spell now, but here are some things I remember:

    14 beers was unwieldy AF and I remember telling myself I would never feature that many at a tasting again.
    This was an awesome tasting that included some fantastic food pairings. I wish I did a better job of documenting what I brought to tastings as far as food goes. I'm pretty sure that I brought two kinds of cheese, and everyone liked one, the second was more divisive and folks either loved or hated it. I feel like it might have been Stilton and Shropshire Blue but I'm not 100% sure on that.
    Barleywine and cheesecake was sublime. I don't remember if I made my famous cheesecake for this event or just brought one from Peteet's.
    Most everyone's favorite ended up being the dark horse that I threw in for contrast, which was Kuhnhenn's Fourth Dementia, which is more of an 'old ale' than a barleywine but we're gonna let that slide because yeah.

    Anyways, barleywine is life. Thanks to everyone who came to this one. If anyone can remember anything else from it, post up your memories!

    @Mertesn, @TiberiusLazarus, @UPSLynx, @Annes, @Pragtastic, @Linc, @Bandrik, @lershee, @WagsFTW

  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian

    better late.... than... never? o.O

    RyanMMWagsFTW
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian

    Yes. Beer. I remember... beer.

  • RyanMMRyanMM Ferndale, MI Icrontian

    @primesuspect said:
    better late.... than... never? o.O

    I know, right?

    I was reminded of it a few weeks ago when I finally got the "Remember this day" feature on Facebook and this tasting popped up. Went to the thread to stroll down memory lane and found a half-composed follow-up post that never got finished.

    Look at all these happy Barleywine drinkers!

    UPSLynx
Sign In or Register to comment.