Secret Santa Sour Swap
- Thread starter two_hearted
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Don't sit on it for sure.
That might hurt anyway.
Ouch
Had my Crooked Stave Vieille tonight, I couldn't resist the temptation. Man was it amazing. Thanks again Mike!
mhurst111
Well-Known Member
Indytruks138
Well-Known Member
If you liked Vieille you have to try Surrette, it is by far their best shelf beer IMHO. I can't wait to get the cellar reserve beers next year.
I've heard. Had them on my Easy MAW list, so who knows. Although, I am going skiing in Steamboat in January, so I'm hoping that somewhere either there or on my way out I might be able to find some. I'm not sure if they distribute anywhere that far up in the state though, so I'll have to see.
Still bummed I missed out on this. Just got back from SD and developed a crush on sours. Can't find many sours (or much else) where I live (sleepy little retiree town) without a trip to Orlando. MAYBE I can coerce the local shop to do the legwork for me however.
In the meantime, while I was unable to participate in the swap, my online order showed up. My score isn't as awesome as all y'all got, but. I now have some sour beer. A little disappointed in one selection that was supposed to be a "complete variety" from a particular brewery, that makes several sours, but only 1 of them was a sour. Well, I'm sure the rest will taste good too.
Anyhoo. When phase two sour swap happens, please count me in and I'll scour the SE for some beers. I might even save some from my order to fulfill the package, definitely going to age a bottle of Ommengang Wild at Heart for a couple years. Overall I ended up with 6 belgians, and 4 domestics. I think I'm also going to begin a homebrew sour pipeline and split up to some of my batches for making sours. The things we do for good beer..
TD
In the meantime, while I was unable to participate in the swap, my online order showed up. My score isn't as awesome as all y'all got, but. I now have some sour beer. A little disappointed in one selection that was supposed to be a "complete variety" from a particular brewery, that makes several sours, but only 1 of them was a sour. Well, I'm sure the rest will taste good too.
Anyhoo. When phase two sour swap happens, please count me in and I'll scour the SE for some beers. I might even save some from my order to fulfill the package, definitely going to age a bottle of Ommengang Wild at Heart for a couple years. Overall I ended up with 6 belgians, and 4 domestics. I think I'm also going to begin a homebrew sour pipeline and split up to some of my batches for making sours. The things we do for good beer..
TD
www.letspour.com
I bought the Sour Power pack (2 bottles of 3 different belgian sours: 4 by Petrus, and 2 called Monk's Cafe) and the Almanac "complete" lineup. Didn't do my homework on that almanac, it only has one of their sours (almanac).
Also got some Ommengang Wild at Heart - can get the Ommengang stuff here, but have never found the rare stuff.
ALso got the NB Transatlantic Kreik.
If I go to Almanac and look at where to buy, I can find online retailers. I went to one of those and went nutty adding stuff to my cart. Had to close it out when I saw I passed the $500 mark... Lots to be had there however.
I think what I REALLY need to do is look HARD for local microbreweries and see who is making sours and try and support those. FL is getting better, but the pace is SLOW... That, and start brewing my own stuff..
TD
I bought the Sour Power pack (2 bottles of 3 different belgian sours: 4 by Petrus, and 2 called Monk's Cafe) and the Almanac "complete" lineup. Didn't do my homework on that almanac, it only has one of their sours (almanac).
Also got some Ommengang Wild at Heart - can get the Ommengang stuff here, but have never found the rare stuff.
ALso got the NB Transatlantic Kreik.
If I go to Almanac and look at where to buy, I can find online retailers. I went to one of those and went nutty adding stuff to my cart. Had to close it out when I saw I passed the $500 mark... Lots to be had there however.
I think what I REALLY need to do is look HARD for local microbreweries and see who is making sours and try and support those. FL is getting better, but the pace is SLOW... That, and start brewing my own stuff..
TD
It seems like more and more places are making sours. If you guys get Westbrook down there you should check out the Gose. New Belgium makes some decent sours. Their Kriek isn't my favorite, but not bad. I really enjoy Le Terroir, but the price for it in Colorado is crazy. I checked seekabrew and it looks like you get Cascade? Definitely pick some of that up if you see it. Spendy, but good. From the Seekabrew list Dogfish has at least one sour and Jolly Pumpkin, Prairie Artisan, and The Bruery all make some good sours. I think Saint Somewhere makes some bretted beers too. It seems like you can find a few good ones down there to stock up on!
OP
OP
two_hearted
Well-Known Member
Well folks, we should do this again sometime. I'll be out of the country for work for the next month, but maybe we'll do a Sour Spring Swap in a few months. All boxes have been shipped (one en route) and it looks like everyone got some nice beers.
I know I'll be enjoying some nice beers over the holidays. I just have to convert some friends over to the sour side so I can share these awesome bottles.
I know I'll be enjoying some nice beers over the holidays. I just have to convert some friends over to the sour side so I can share these awesome bottles.
Thanks. I'll look for those. I've had some. What's the DFH sour? noble rot? NB just started to distribute this past summer. I'll look for cascade, never seen them before. St. Somewhere is nice. Next time I'm at the indie liquor shops I'll ask them get some of these for me, dunno is Westbrook is in FL. I've never seen it before in FL.
TD
Festina Peche is a Berliner Weisse by DFH and that I have on shelves here.
Indytruks138
Well-Known Member
Festina Peche is classified as a berliner but I just can't get on board calling it that. Its not a bad beer, but its not a berliner too me, to mild, not close to enough tart.
I agree that it's not on the same page as most of the beers that we all got in the swap, but it's probably the most budget friendly "sour" that is available, to my area anyways.
Peche is not a sour. Test the pH if you don't believe me.
TrickyDick said:
Festina peche is the beer I was referring to. I would say its worth a try, regardless of the comments on it.
It's definitely worth a try as it is a very drinkable and refreshing beverage choice. But a sour it is not IMO.
Good news for future trades.
I compiled a list (thanks for whoever posted the beer finding page that shows distribution state by state by brewery) of locally available beer. I'm going to bring the list to the owner of the local indie store and have him scour his resources for some Bruery, Cascade, Jolly Pumpkin, and Prairie Artisan beers.
In the meanwhile, a stop by the local mega chain store, and huge selection! Turns out the have a new beer manager!! I don't have by any means the stellar options all y'all have but I did nab some St. Somewhere Lectio Div., Founder's Sweet Repute (Not a sour but still I was surprised to find), Goose Isle (Gillian, Lolita, and Juliet). Had no idea what these were but I nabbed them. The Juliet sounds great on paper and supposedly a sour, so I'll be back to clean them out ASAP. Rogue Beard Ale with yeast from an actual beard!! Grabbed 2 bottles of the SN/RR "Brux", and 2 of the CCB Cucumber Saison. NB Lips of Faith Paardebloem, and Yuzu. and finally a North Coast Barrel Aged Old Stock Ale Cellar Reserve. Also bought a Ommengang Hennepin Saison but I'm drinking that one now. Wow , did that all add up! Need to meet the new Bev manager and thank him, as well as beseech him to stock some Weisse and sour style beers, whatever he can get.
How do you store beer bottles? I'm thinking about putting all these aside and letting them age a year or more. Last I looked this was a contentious topic. Some bottles are capped others are corked. Upright?
TD
I compiled a list (thanks for whoever posted the beer finding page that shows distribution state by state by brewery) of locally available beer. I'm going to bring the list to the owner of the local indie store and have him scour his resources for some Bruery, Cascade, Jolly Pumpkin, and Prairie Artisan beers.
In the meanwhile, a stop by the local mega chain store, and huge selection! Turns out the have a new beer manager!! I don't have by any means the stellar options all y'all have but I did nab some St. Somewhere Lectio Div., Founder's Sweet Repute (Not a sour but still I was surprised to find), Goose Isle (Gillian, Lolita, and Juliet). Had no idea what these were but I nabbed them. The Juliet sounds great on paper and supposedly a sour, so I'll be back to clean them out ASAP. Rogue Beard Ale with yeast from an actual beard!! Grabbed 2 bottles of the SN/RR "Brux", and 2 of the CCB Cucumber Saison. NB Lips of Faith Paardebloem, and Yuzu. and finally a North Coast Barrel Aged Old Stock Ale Cellar Reserve. Also bought a Ommengang Hennepin Saison but I'm drinking that one now. Wow , did that all add up! Need to meet the new Bev manager and thank him, as well as beseech him to stock some Weisse and sour style beers, whatever he can get.
How do you store beer bottles? I'm thinking about putting all these aside and letting them age a year or more. Last I looked this was a contentious topic. Some bottles are capped others are corked. Upright?
TD
I definitely prefer to store upright. It keeps any yeast and sediment on the bottom rather than along the side of the bottle. Also beer corks react and behave differently than wine corks so conceptually it's not as critical to keep them moist. The other key factors to storage are light and temperature. Keep them out of direct light, especially sunlight and fluorescent light. Keep them at a constant temperature, preferably in the low to mid-50's. A lot of apartment dwellers use a closet, I'm lucky to have a limestone cellar as a basement so I have perfect year round conditions.
The hardest thing is having the patience to not drink them!!
The hardest thing is having the patience to not drink them!!
I'm hosed. I can't pull off the upright and temp. I can use a wine fridge but will necessitate a horizontal position. Of the two which is more important?
Sorry for thread hijack..
TD
Indytruks138
Well-Known Member
Temp and light are most important. For sours being on the side isn't a big deal as you ideally want a little dregs in your pour as it will kick up the sourness. Also, all those goose island beers are sour and tasty!
OK then. Looks like I clear out some shelves in my Wine fridge and head back to the place and clean them out of the Goose Island brews!
SWMBO has a wine fridge also (long story) and has plenty of room. She keep hers at white wine temps 40-50s without checking, while mine is slightly below red serving temp, maybe 58-62 range, again without checking.
Whats the best temp for sour cellaring??
Thanks again, and really, sorry for hijacking, but hey, sounds like y'all got your santa gifts already....
TD
SWMBO has a wine fridge also (long story) and has plenty of room. She keep hers at white wine temps 40-50s without checking, while mine is slightly below red serving temp, maybe 58-62 range, again without checking.
Whats the best temp for sour cellaring??
Thanks again, and really, sorry for hijacking, but hey, sounds like y'all got your santa gifts already....
TD
Johnnyhitch1
Well-Known Member
IMO, Slight seasonal changes are what make a "celler" a celler and not a temp controlled fridge.
As low as 50 in the winter to around 60 in the summer is optimal.
Ive had bottles that i know were stored this way next to beers that were temp controlled cold and they do taste different, my preference towards the fluctuated bottle.
Agreed, thats why mine are kept in the crawl space under the stairs!
Thanks,
Beer relocated from pantry floor in wine case (72-76 ambient) to wine fridge (58) horizontally.
Kinda wondering of those lips of faith will improve with age or not (Paardebloem, and Yuzu)
TD
Beer relocated from pantry floor in wine case (72-76 ambient) to wine fridge (58) horizontally.
Kinda wondering of those lips of faith will improve with age or not (Paardebloem, and Yuzu)
TD
Indytruks138
Well-Known Member
New Belgium pasteurizes their sours so it won't get more or sour or change too much, bottle conditioned sours will evolve the most.
Damn that was an expensive trip for you, the 3 GI beers alone probably cost you ~70
OP
OP
two_hearted
Well-Known Member
Good news folks. Cascade Sang Noir is flippin' delicious. Wow, the first taste hit me in the gills, but every taste after got better and better.
Also, the Breakside IPA is amazing. A really really good IPA. Wow, loving this. Thanks again Brewbien. You knocked it out of the park.
Also, the Breakside IPA is amazing. A really really good IPA. Wow, loving this. Thanks again Brewbien. You knocked it out of the park.
OP
OP
two_hearted
Well-Known Member
duplicate... that sang noir is 9.7abv or some ****.
mikeysab
Well-Known Member
That is good news. Got one chilling down right now.
Javier25
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NOT good news! Cause I have no access and no way of getting ANY Cascade!
mikeysab
Well-Known Member
You can order cascade online. JJ, if you can't get it in your state, lemme know. We'll work something out
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