The Crooked Stave Cellar Reserve Thread

[domtronzero]

From the recent Cellar Reserve email (sent out this morning):

While this year's Cellar Reserve membership merchandise includes a growler, we are unable to provide an inaugural growler fill. In the coming years growler fills might one day become a reality, but we are not quite there as of yet. For now, please enjoy your "fancy insulated water bottle," usable for hydration purposes, liquid lunches, as a flower vase or baton (not recommended). It's Colorado, don't wait, Hydrate!

 

[gueuze_goon]

Yeah...I'm pretty shocked. I bought a few so I could get some different growler fills...not to have a fancy insulated water bottle I don't need another of.

Are there just no fills for the party, cause the way it's worded sounds like there are going to be none this year, with only the hope in the coming years of it becoming a reality.

 

[Labors Of Hercules]

I think it may have to do with CO liquor laws, unfortunately. Growlers can only be filled at the place where the beer is brewed, if I understand correctly. Since they are not actually brewing at either the source or at the barrel cellar, they probably can't fill growlers there. or maybe just a grey area that they don't want to take the risk.

 

[GuisseppeFranco]

I think it may have to do with CO liquor laws, unfortunately. Growlers can only be filled at the place where the beer is brewed, if I understand correctly. Since they are not actually brewing at either the source or at the barrel cellar, they probably can't fill growlers there. or maybe just a grey area that they don't want to take the risk.

Still, if that's the case, why give us growlers as part of the membership? Especially since you're seeing more and more breweries only fill their own branded growlers that may be specific to their filling station or because they're greedy and they really wanna make that extra buck or two off of you buying their glass. Also, with the archaic laws some states have regarding this it just seems like a big waste of $. I'd rather some more glassware or heck, another beer or so.

 

[bathroomlaughter]

they're 40 oz too right? do places with non-****** growler laws do weird fill sizes? or will the growler not even be useful to oregon ppl?

but hey i've been wanting a nice water bottle

 

[poonamibaxter]

I'm not really disappointed about the growler fiasco. Anything worth getting a fill of they probably wouldn't fill and with their prices on draft beer, if they did fill it you would pay through the nose for it. I have no clue what happened with this but I talk to a few of the guys that work there regularly and I gotta say they are all super nice. So while this doesn't remedy anything, I'm sure they decided on growlers with the best intentions.

 

[Labors Of Hercules]

Still, if that's the case, why give us growlers as part of the membership? Especially since you're seeing more and more breweries only fill their own branded growlers that may be specific to their filling station or because they're greedy and they really wanna make that extra buck or two off of you buying their glass. Also, with the archaic laws some states have regarding this it just seems like a big waste of $. I'd rather some more glassware or heck, another beer or so.

Yeah, I agree. I think they have been trying to get up and brewing at the source for a while now, not sure what the delay is. Last I heard was something about having to even out the floors?

Also, the thermal growler is infinitely better than the tin tacker which I would have zero use for.

I hate the odd size growlers breweries are coming out with these days. If I want to get a 40 oz growler fill at another brewery I am likely going to have to pay for a 64 oz fill. eh.

 

[GuisseppeFranco]

they're 40 oz too right? do places with non-****** growler laws do weird fill sizes? or will the growler not even be useful to oregon ppl?

but hey i've been wanting a nice water bottle

Some do. I know HF used to fill anything as long as it was clean and not clear but I believe they've even changed their rules. I haven't been there in a while so I'm not sure of how it stands now. The closest breweries to me, Captain Lawrence - won't fill anything other than 64oz standard glass, Other Half - won't fill anything that doesn't have the same opening as a standard 64oz glass, Peekskill - will only fill 32oz and 64oz glass, and New England - I believe will only fill 32oz and 64oz.

But this is just my case in NYC. Others from all over the country have their own issues I'm sure. Since it's such a specific growler size, and knowing that a good chunk of their membership is from outside of CO, on top of the fact that they can't fill the ******* thing and if they could it would cost an arm and a leg, why on earth would they give us a growler? The more we talk about it the less sense it makes to me.

 

[bathroomlaughter]

yeah it'd be way better if it was 22oz so i could actually carry it around and use it as a water bottle.

 

[grandmeaulnes]

am i the only one who thinks we should get a minimum of 5 more tin tackers for this atrocity

 

[Beerontwowheels]

So for all you CO peeps - how are the new beers? Any hints from CS staff as to what the 2014 CS RS glass will be?

 

[FishPondManager]

I didn't make the release this weekend. The worst.

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

I didn't make the release this weekend. The worst.

I didn't go either but I still think you're the worst.

I'm picking up Friday if you'll be around

 

[quirkzoo1]

Also didn't go this weekend. Local apathy for the win.

 

[FishPondManager]

I didn't go either but I still think you're the worst.

I'm picking up Friday if you'll be around

Had to bite the bullet and spend the weekend in keystone drinking my face off, playing golf, paintball, and rafting.

I'm going to need to do a weekend pick up at the source. I can't make the weekday hours at the barrel cellar.

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

Had to bite the bullet and spend the weekend in keystone drinking my face off, playing golf, paintball, and rafting.

I'm going to need to do a weekend pick up at the source. I can't make the weekday hours at the barrel cellar.

Don't feel bad for me either, I was at the Outerbanks in NC sitting on the beach.

 

[quirkzoo1]

Had to bite the bullet and spend the weekend in keystone drinking my face off, playing golf, paintball, and rafting.

I'm going to need to do a weekend pick up at the source. I can't make the weekday hours at the barrel cellar.

Don't feel bad for me either, I was at the Outerbanks in NC sitting on the beach.

Well I was in Detroit...so there.

 

[poonamibaxter]

I hate the other members so I just sat home. Going Wednesday and was assured no other members would be there

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

I hate the other members so I just sat home. Going Wednesday and was assured no other members would be there

If you were there on Friday I could bring that bottle I've been holding for you

 

[poonamibaxter]

If you were there on Friday I could bring that bottle I've been holding for you

You're the worst. What time are you going Friday? I could pick up masterpiece deli and we could maybe put down a couple. Maybe tell Nick to put one of each of the releases in fridge before we get there....just throwing that out there.

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

I'm looking at 3pm. If you'll be there I'll send him a note

 

[poonamibaxter]

I'm looking at 3pm. If you'll be there I'll send him a note

Let me check with the warden. I'll let you know

 

[bathroomlaughter]

since no one here seems to have tried the beers i went to untappd.

https://untappd.com/b/crooked-stave-artisan-beer-project-raspberry-origins/635307
https://untappd.com/b/crooked-stave-artisan-beer-project-l-brett-d-or-grand-cru/698871
https://untappd.com/b/crooked-stave-artisan-beer-project-blackberry-dark-origins/607074
https://untappd.com/b/crooked-stave-artisan-beer-project-l-brett-d-cherry/698864

no mention of butter which i'm sure is what we were all looking for. i am excited to try them : )

 

[poonamibaxter]

My buddy had all but the cherry and said blackberry and l'brett grand cru were great, raspberry is just good. Perhaps I'll find out Friday if you low life's will stay away and my wife will let me.

 

[Labors Of Hercules]

I drank the Grand Cru on sunday and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Slightly more funky on the nose than I remember standard L'Brett being

Have not had a chance to drink any of the others yet

 

[TheMitz]

I was at the release on Saturday. It was a great time! It was my first beer event like that and it went great with the exception of me opening my 3F and almost popping someone at the bottleshare. Whoops, luckily the cork just flew straight up. I haven't tried any of the four release beers yet, so I can't comment on that.

 

[grandmeaulnes]

talk more about the grand cru

 

[Labors Of Hercules]

talk more about the grand cru

Nose was a lot of funk and lemon zest/juicy fruits

Taste was less funky than the smell, well rounded tartness without being acidic or extremely sour. A lot of fruit. All the flavors are kind of subtle but there's a lot going on

Overall probably on par with l'brett d'or, maybe slightly better. I wish it had been more recent since I drank the standard. I split the grand cru with my girlfriend and it's been a few days. I might drink another this weekend, so I could probably give you better descriptors.

I didn't get any signs of butter....but from my understanding it's something that starts to develop after being bottled for a little while? I don't have a ton of technical knowledge of the subject so maybe someone else could chime in

 

[grandmeaulnes]

Nose was a lot of funk and lemon zest/juicy fruits

Taste was less funky than the smell, well rounded tartness without being acidic or extremely sour. A lot of fruit. All the flavors are kind of subtle but there's a lot going on

Overall probably on par with l'brett d'or, maybe slightly better. I wish it had been more recent since I drank the standard. I split the grand cru with my girlfriend and it's been a few days. I might drink another this weekend, so I could probably give you better descriptors.

I didn't get any signs of butter....but from my understanding it's something that starts to develop after being bottled for a little while? I don't have a ton of technical knowledge of the subject so maybe someone else could chime in

thanks! basically trying re-stoke myself on this reserve and this helped the cause

 

[Thorpe]

Nose was a lot of funk and lemon zest/juicy fruits

Taste was less funky than the smell, well rounded tartness without being acidic or extremely sour. A lot of fruit. All the flavors are kind of subtle but there's a lot going on

Overall probably on par with l'brett d'or, maybe slightly better. I wish it had been more recent since I drank the standard. I split the grand cru with my girlfriend and it's been a few days. I might drink another this weekend, so I could probably give you better descriptors.

I didn't get any signs of butter....but from my understanding it's something that starts to develop after being bottled for a little while? I don't have a ton of technical knowledge of the subject so maybe someone else could chime in

Assuming it has reached terminal gravity when it was bottled and is now finished conditioning without any diacetyl (butter) issues, then it should be good. The diacetyl is created by pediococcus, a lactic acid producing bacteria, and is eventually cleaned up by Brett.