The Crooked Stave Cellar Reserve Thread

[gueuze_goon]

Smells like coffee. Tastes like sour.

 

[quirkzoo1]

Smells like coffee. Tastes like sour.

 

[csano]

This years beers were underwhelming? Must be holding them to an insanely high standard. I though L'Brett Grand Cru, Petite Blueberry, and Blackberry Origins were awesome. Passionfruit, L'Brett Cherry and Raspberry Origins were slightly less tasty than the other 3 and haven't tried Port Nightmare or the 3 new releases. Underwhelming would be one of the last thoughts to come to mind for this years membership bottles IMO

I respect that opinion. There are people out there that have loved everything that Chad has put out and that's fine. It's just that when I'm paying $13-15/375 bottle, I expect world class beers. Do you honestly feel that Chad's beers are the best of the best out there, for the price? I don't. And that's where the underwhelming sentiment comes from.

Don't get me wrong. He's obviously a smart guy when it comes to brewing. He makes good beer. I enjoy them. I'm just saying that I expected more after trying some of his first beers. Have you tried the beers from the first year of the Cellar Reserve? If you have, you know what I mean.

 

[Thorpe]

I respect that opinion. There are people out there that have loved everything that Chad has put out and that's fine. It's just that when I'm paying $13-15/375 bottle, I expect world class beers. Do you honestly feel that Chad's beers are the best of the best out there, for the price? I don't. And that's where the underwhelming sentiment comes from.

Don't get me wrong. He's obviously a smart guy when it comes to brewing. He makes good beer. I enjoy them. I'm just saying that I expected more after trying some of his first beers. Have you tried the beers from the first year of the Cellar Reserve? If you have, you know what I mean.

I've been in Cellar Reserve every year, and I think the beers have gotten noticeably better each year. Grand Cru was probably the best beer that's been put out. I didn't think that the beers in the first year were particularly good, actually. I almost didn't renew. Too many of the beers seemed rushed and/or young, and some were far too acidic without any balance.

 

[poonamibaxter]

Any word on what the "lifetime membership" entails?

 

[bugdoc]

Any word on what the "lifetime membership" entails?

Garish tin tackers every year for life.

 

[csano]

I've been in Cellar Reserve every year, and I think the beers have gotten noticeably better each year. Grand Cru was probably the best beer that's been put out. I didn't think that the beers in the first year were particularly good, actually. I almost didn't renew. Too many of the beers seemed rushed and/or young, and some were far too acidic without any balance.

We'll have to agree to disagree, then. I'm obviously finding myself in the minority, which isn't a surprise, either. L'Brett d'Or (and the dry hopped version), Oculus, Batch 1, and Persica were the standouts* for me from the first year. What did you like from last year? Nothing really stood out for me aside from WWBV and maybe the Dark Origins. The rest would fit your definition of "rushed and/or young, and some were far too acidic without any balance." This year's beers are better, though, so I'll give you that, but still not where I think they could be, and definitely not at the level of some of the other brewers out there.

Grand Cru is good, but the taste is somewhat muddled and the finish isn't quite there. I didn't get the feeling that Chad knew where he was going with this one. I'd give it a 3.75/5, and that'd be generous. And I picked up some diacetyl in the last bottle I opened, which, unfortunately, seems to be a common trend with Crooked Stave bottles.

*But then again, back in the day, I thought that Cascade beers were the ****. What did I know?

 

[SecretSquirrel]

*But then again, back in the day, I thought that Cascade beers were the ****. What did I know?

that about sums it up...

 

[TheMitz]

Looks like CS is releasing a bunch of new beers before the end of the year.

November 19th – Origins – Burgundy Sour Aged in Oak Barrels

November 26th – Nightmare on Brett – Dark Sour Aged in Whiskey Barrels

December 3rd – Flor d’Lees – Golden Sour Aged in Oak Barrels

December 10th – Surette Reserva Cassis – Black Current Sour Aged in Oak Barrels

December 10th – Vieille Cranberry & Spice – Cranberry and Spices added in Secondary

December 17th – Motif Reserva – Dark Belgian-style Sour Aged in Sherry Casks

December 17th – Primitif – Dry Hopped Sour Ale

http://brewtallyinsane.com/2014/11/18/crooked-stave-announces-seven-new-beers/

I'm kind of torn. As local its great, but I wonder about where all these came from after they said didn't have the time for the cellar membership. Maybe these are just REALLY small batches?

Anyway, the Surette Cassis sounds good (probably better than the reserva) and that winter Vielle was killer last year. I have the Motif last weekend and it had a nice balance of phenolic Belgian yeast with the CS funk.

 

[Labors Of Hercules]

god damnit, whats with the wednesday releases?

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

god damnit, whats with the wednesday releases?

People were complaining about the Tuesday releases so they listened to the crowd and changed the day

Glad I live only a few miles from the place

 

[Labors Of Hercules]

beer nerds will never be happy

 

[ChugLife]

So much better than Tuesday. I can finally make a release and tapping. Thank you Crooked Stave gods!

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

I'm going to like these Wednesday night releases. Left my house at 7:08pm. Drove to the Source, had a full pour of Apricot Petite Sour, talked to the people next to me who were buying some beer for their son, bought 12x Origins and drove home. Looked at the clock when I walked in and it was 7:47pm.

 

[poonamibaxter]

I'm going to like these Wednesday night releases. Left my house at 7:08pm. Drove to the Source, had a full pour of Apricot Petite Sour, talked to the people next to me who were buying some beer for their son, bought 12x Origins and drove home. Looked at the clock when I walked in and it was 7:47pm.

price tag on the Origins?

 

[ASak10]

price tag on the Origins?

$12

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

$12

^^^this. Although with the members discount $10.20

 

[DougOLis]

^^^this. Although with the members discount $10.20

Is the member's discount going to continue forever?

 

[ChugLife]

Is the member's discount going to continue forever?

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

Is the member's discount going to continue forever?

Haven't heard what the perks are for "lifetime membership". The 15% is at least through the year so I'll be using it. FYI, AHA members get 10% off

 

[quirkzoo1]

Moving the brewing equipment to the Barrel Cellar:

http://blogs.denverpost.com/beer/2014/11/21/crooked-stave-putting-brewing-production-one-roof/14186/

Seems like a weird situation as to why it was installed at the source in the beginning but hey, hopefully everything works out. Makes sense to have everything at the barrel cellar as each time I go there, they have moved into another suite and will eventually own that whole complex.

 

[huckyourmeat]

Moving the brewing equipment to the Barrel Cellar:

http://blogs.denverpost.com/beer/2014/11/21/crooked-stave-putting-brewing-production-one-roof/14186/

Seems like a weird situation as to why it was installed at the source in the beginning but hey, hopefully everything works out. Makes sense to have everything at the barrel cellar as each time I go there, they have moved into another suite and will eventually own that whole complex.

There seems to be more detailed info as to the "why" in this article:

http://blogs.westword.com/cafesocie...pment_out_of_the_source_will_keep_taproom.php

 

[TheMitz]

I wonder how these big problems were somehow missed when lease negotiations and such were happening. These issues seem pretty impactful to me. Not allowing for glycerol chillers and use of the alley seem pretty important to me.

Oh well, time for more CS beer! Hope it all works out for them and everyone wins.

 

[tacosandbeer]

I wonder how these big problems were somehow missed when lease negotiations and such were happening. These issues seem pretty impactful to me. Not allowing for glycerol chillers and use of the alley seem pretty important to me.

Oh well, time for more CS beer! Hope it all works out for them and everyone wins.

"The problems at the Source were "a combination of a lot of things," Yakobson says. The first was that once his equipment was in place, he had trouble making the logistics of the location work. He wasn't able to connect his equipment, including a glycol chiller, as easily as he had hoped and he didn't have as much access to the alleyway behind the Source as he'd expected for bringing in and shipping out malt and wort."

 

[TheMitz]

This is good news: https://twitter.com/HillFarmstead/status/536172579460243457

 

[acurtis]

It is sad but I guess I can delete this bookmark -> http://www.store.crookedstave.com/

 

[SecretSquirrel]

It is sad but I guess I can delete this bookmark -> http://www.store.crookedstave.com/

pretty much delete the whole site unless they actually attend to use it at some point, lol

 

[jbeezification1]

I posted a trade offer but so far haven't gotten any responses so I'm posting here on a recommendation.

I'm looking for someone with 3 bottles of Raspberry Dark Origins that would be willing to trade for Atrial, Yellow Rose and something else you'd choose. I am willing to expand but I want at least 3 bottles of Raspberry Dark Origins.

 

[ChugLife]

I posted a trade offer but so far haven't gotten any responses so I'm posting here on a recommendation.

I'm looking for someone with 3 bottles of Raspberry Dark Origins that would be willing to trade for Atrial, Yellow Rose and something else you'd choose. I am willing to expand but I want at least 3 bottles of Raspberry Dark Origins.

Offer three good bottles of beer that were only brewed once and available in limited quantities. You should be just fine.

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

I posted a trade offer but so far haven't gotten any responses so I'm posting here on a recommendation.

I'm looking for someone with 3 bottles of Raspberry Dark Origins that would be willing to trade for Atrial, Yellow Rose and something else you'd choose. I am willing to expand but I want at least 3 bottles of Raspberry Dark Origins.

Not that it can't be done but you're trying to get at least 3 bottles of a beer that was only brewed once, more then a year ago and limited to members of their cellar reserve. Not sure how many people have 3 left for trade.