So, waaaay back on November 7, I attended FOBAB (Festival of Barrel-Aged Beers). It was a great event and allowed me to sample some really cool beers. Although barrel-aged beers typically aren’t a favorite of mine unless I have them with food, I was pleasantly surprised. I liked a lot more of them than I had expected to. For $35 bucks, I got to sample 12 beers and also received a VERY cute half-pint glass.
This isn’t much of a review. I honestly went in there, sampled my 12 beers and got out of there because I was way too drunk for the rest of the day. :)
I did, however, take some notes while I was there. I just found them (I had emailed them to myself from my phone), so I’m just pasting what I wrote at the time. As much as I did like the opportunity to try so many beers, trying to do it all within an hour (I had to go to a family dinner that afternoon) was a bit silly.
These are not in any specific order… just how I remembered them:
1. New Belgium Transatlantique Kriek – NO GOOD
2. Flossmoor Station – Big Black Pumpkin – OK
3. Flossmoor Station – Pullman Brown – Pretty Good
4. Glacier Brewhouse – Ukrainian Imperial Stout – Pretty Good
5. Piece Brewery – Barrel Aged Mooseknuckle Barleywine – TOO syrupy, but I love a good mooseknuckle. Hohoho
6. Court Avenue – Fire Engine Red – Not much of a red, but decent.
7. Grand Teton Brewing – Howling Wolf Weizenbock – GOOD! Not overpowering bourbon flavor.
8. Two Brothers – Heavier Handed – yep. Hoppier than Heavy Handed. Good, but nothing unique.
9. Rock Bottom Chicago – Whiskey Sticke – Pretty good.
10. Goose Island – Vanilla Bourbon County Stout – If you like normal BCS, try this. Hint of vanilla. Best with a nice stew.
11. Rock Bottom Orland Park – Frambrosia – Not quite. Not good.
12. Boulevard Brewing – Harvest Dance Wheat Wine – GOOD!






Brad
December 29, 2009 at 11:30
A barrel-aged beer festival?? Now that sounds like my kind of party. Where was it?
robeystblog
December 29, 2009 at 11:51
It was in Chicago… put on by the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild (http://www.illinoisbeer.com/)