Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
Three Philosophers can now be a three-way taste test as their are two wildly divergent variants to check against the original which is already a blend to begin with. I would tend towards the bourbon version. Blueberries can be hit or miss in beers especially one that is plenty flavorful already.
Now if this doesn’t scream fall holiday beer then nothing else will. Sour Red Ale fits right in with Halloween, the spices and cherry would nicely accent a Thanksgiving meal and that bourbon barrel aging would make for a snifter to lift while watching the snow (or watching the snow on TV like Angelenos have to).
Or you could ask for this as a Christmas gift. Give the blending gift of Cascade Sours.
I could not settle on 1 solitary theme for this month’s beer picks, so two are big and boozy and the light one is still at least a brown ale for the random hot days we encounter in SoCal October.
~LIGHT
Indie Brewing / Embers 5.50% ABV
“A sessionable brown lager that’s perfect for the fall!”
~MEDIUM
Fremont / Bourbon Barrel-Aged Dark Star 13.60% ABV
“This year’s release is a blend of 24, 18, 12, and 8-month Bourbon Barrel-Aged Dark Star in 7-12-year old Kentucky bourbon barrels. The roasted and chocolate malts complement the smooth oats to bring you a stout delight wrapped in the gentle embrace of bourbon barrel-aged warmth. A touch of sweetness dances in balance with the hops to finish with a wave, and then she’s gone.”
~BIG
Dogfish Head / Fruitfull Fort 15.00% ABV
“A twist on our beloved Fort, Fruit-Full Fort is brewed with four types of berries – Raspberry, Blackberry, Boysenberry and Elderberry! This juicy blend of dark berries creates depth and complexity reminiscent of a jammy red wine. “
All of these beers can be found at Sunset Beer Co. (unless they got bought up real quick)
Beware that tasseled hat skull!
The Unjust Incarceration barrel-aged Baltic Porter is no in pre-order phase. Head HERE to order up a little Four Roses and Buffalo Trace bourbon barrel magic from MacLeod Ales before its release on September 30th.
There are some weird beers and weird named beers on the Bruery Reserve Society list. But for the mere mortals who are not in that rareified group this looks like one that you should be on the look out for since it came out on the 10th. It will be a big bruiser at 15% but I like when the Bruery goes English.
And then there are two more coming in the months ahead that sound really good. 6th Anniversary – Sucré and a chocolate dubbel with the hard to spell name of Couverteur.
One of the prizes of my cellar collection is a bottle of Bell’s Batch 9,000.
Here is what the brewery website says about it: “Batch 9,000 Ale offers up aromas ranging from the sweet caramel & molasses of dark rum to fruits such as raisins and plums. Brewed with the idea of pushing boundaries in mind, Batch 9,000 Ale is a unique, one-time-only recipe. Well suited for vintage aging, this limited release will continue to develop in flavor & complexity over the years.”
Well now after finishing the series with Batch 10,000 they have gone back to the cellar and are releasing a bourbon barrel aged version of 9,000. Now I just need to find a way to get a bottle so that the original doesn’t get lonely.