22 October 2009

Random Good Beers I've Had Lately

I won't torture you with terrific but one-of-a-kind beers you're never going to see again, such as District Chop House's wet-and-dry-hopped bourbon-barrel-aged Trippel (I copped the note sheet for this firkin from the Real Ale Fest).  Instead, a few, random, if-you-see-them-try-them suggestions, in no particular order:

*Clipper City did an experimental batch of The Great Pumpkin aged in a bourbon barrel.  I know that I saw exactly 12 22-ounce bottles at the brewery.  One surfaced at the Hugh-Sisson-returns-to-Ryleigh's event during Baltimore Beer Week.  As Hugh himself told us:  "Now, I don't usually like pumpkin beers.  And I don't like bourbon beers, as a rule.  But this works!"  I beg of you, Clipper City: DO MORE.
*Brooklyn Brewery's Manhattan Project, a strong rye.  Nice.
*The Bruery Rugbrod.  My wife's new favorite.
*Olivers My Monkey's Got Wood, the wood-aged Hot Monkey Love.  If you like oak-aged 3 Lions, you'll like this.
*Williams Bros. Fraoch 20th Anniversary.  "Heather ale matured in single malt whisky casks. 11% alc/vol, triple version: matured in ex-sherry casks previously used to mature single malt speyside whisky for 20 years. The resulting ale has a unique oak / sherry / whisky character, which is best appreciated slightly chilled in a large wine glass.  Ingredients: malted barley, oats, wheat, natural heather flowers, myrtle leaves and hops."  Limited to 7500 750-ml bottles; one opened for immediate pre-Opening Tap toast among BBW committee aboard the Constellation.

More to come.....................

UPDATE:  Fraoch 20th Anniversary will be served at Max's Taphouse's Tuesday Beer Social on Oct. 27th.

2 comments:

The Oriole Way said...

Hugh brought The Greater Pumpkin (his name) to the Wine Source tasting event on Friday night; it was unbelievably good, and he said they'd be brewing a big batch next year. And that it would be quite pricey at your retail store (with complete justification).

I also was quite impressed with the Manhattan Project; almost a whiskey flavor to it.

Beer Week definitely brought out the big guns.

Caederus said...

The Bourbon Barrel aged Great Pumpkin was on tap at Beer and Bacon. For me the bourbon overpowered the pumpkin It was a good Bourbon barrel aged beer, but I wanted more pumpkin to balance it. Having said that, would I buy it? In a heartbeat.