hi im richie
Well-Known Member
I didn’t want to win that raffle anyway.
The Official Modern Times League Of Partygoers & Elegant People Thread
- Thread starter drbenzo1
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Indeed. Looking forward to tasting them tonight!
Xul1
Well-Known Member
June 2019 Preview Tasting
Assorted Notes:
1) Leanne and Andrew were hosting tonight in San Diego. It was rad to have Leanne back, as she hadn't done a tasting down here since January - aside from Leanne just being awesome all around, it's fun to mix and match different hosts (although I feel like we're due for a classic Steven/Andrew tasting again soon). There was a bit of reminiscing about how far the tastings have come over the years from their roots with a handful of us in one corner of the Lomaland tasting room to now needing two SD tastings. It's really cool to see how the tastings have become a part of the experience, but I've also noticed crowd participation has dropped substantially, at least in San Diego. I have my theories, but I'm curious to ask those of you reading - why the lack of questions? Busy tasting the beer? Are your questions being answered in advance via emails/Facebook interaction? Is the goal to slam back tasters as quickly as possible and get home to catch Wheel of Fortune? Not judging since I never ask questions, more curious to perhaps foster conversation on what has caused a lack of participation and get the crowd involved a bit more.
2) We receive another included bottle this month - Monsters' Park Aged in Jamaican Rum Barrels w/ Coconut & Vanilla. It wasn't available to sample at the tasting, but that combination has worked beautifully in the past so I'm excited to try this new version.
3) The 6th Anniversary party will be on July 6th, and Leanne said we should be receiving info about it in the next week or so. If you've never been, it's a rad event - it's a much smaller scale than a fest like Funk or Dankness since it's only Modern Times beer, but they always bring absolute thunder and put their best foot forward to celebrate their own birthday. I highly recommend doing your best to attend, even if you need to cancel other plans. Weddings, baptisms, birthday parties, whatever - these are all less important than celebrating Modern Times.
4) A lot of people have been asking about the League hoodies - I think it was mentioned somewhere online, but Modern Times' screen printer broke his hand and had a child arrive the same week not too long ago, so the schedule got pushed back a bit. Leanne said she would discuss that with Steven and get us an update when they have a reasonable timeline.
Tasting Notes:
1) Occhio Malocchio
Style: Italian Pilsner
Score: 4.25
Notes: As Andrew mentioned, Italian pilsners are a sort of unofficial substyle that's primarily driven by a single beer, Birrificio Italiano's Tipopils. If you've never had it but find yourself with the opportunity to try it, I highly recommend doing so, it's one of those stalwart beers that goes underappreciated by most consumers but is viewed as exemplary by brewers and fans of the style. I have to admit - tasting this was a bit of a challenge immediately after going through the MT Ultra set (more on that later, for those who are interested), but it managed to cut through the pastry residue quite nicely. Rustic white bread wafts out of the glass first, followed by lightly candied lemon peel and dried lime zest, along with a firm noble hop profile rich in both spicy and floral components. On the tongue, a malt profile centered on dry, toasted white bread leads the way, followed by lemon zest and oily citron rind, and a predominantly spicy hop character with delicate earthy notes. The fermentation profile is incredibly clean, which combines with the spritzy carbonation to yield maximum quaffability. If you slept on Abaddon, don't repeat that mistake this month.
2) Monsters' Park Aged in Bourbon Barrels: Blackberry Cobbler Edition
Style: BBA Imperial Stout w/ Blackberries, Vanilla, and Cinnamon
Score: 4.5 (4.4ish)
Notes: Blackberry puree was added a rate of roughly one pound per gallon, along with a blend of Madagascan and Mexican vanilla, and Cassia cinnamon. Fruit leads the way on the nose, as moderately jammy blackberry pops out with hints of acidity - think the acidic note in a fresh blackberry, not contaminant-driven tartness - that create a broad berry smell and prevent any sense of syrupy or cloying fruit. Vanilla plays a supporting role and cinnamon pops up in the background, enhancing woody notes from the barrels, along with bakers chocolate and bourbon. On the palate, the blackberries come across jammier with almost none of the acidic edge, melding with more prominent vanilla and marshmallow flavor than the nose indicated. The cinnamon hits on the mid-palate to round out the cobbler profile, while semisweet chocolate, bourbon, and light toffee notes play in the background. As it warmed, the fruit, vanilla, and chocolate each popped even more, and it was easy to imagine walking into your grandma's kitchen on a warm summer afternoon to find a fresh berry cobbler and chocolate chip cookies cooling on the windowsill while grandpa sipped bourbon from his recliner in the adjoining den. Or imagine you're a degenerate reliving the halcyon days of your youth through toxic sugar water. Whatever floats your boat, mate. A stout with both berries and cinnamon is polarizing territory for most - a few people said the cinnamon was too much for them (although not overwhelmingly so), but I didn't hear anyone complain about the fruit. Personally, I think the adjunct profile is dialed in nicely and people will be pleased with it.
3) Suggestion of Mass Aged in Jamaican Rum Barrels w/ Mexican Vanilla
Style: BA Pastry Stout
Score: 4
Notes: Suggestion of Mass was brewed in collaboration with J Wakefield Brewing last year - some of the batch was released in cans with coconut, coffee, and vanilla, while the remainder was left to rest in a variety of barrels. This particular release is a blend of a few types of Jamaican rum barrels, to which they added almost a pound per barrel of Mexican vanilla. On first whiff, the rum barrel character is nearly overwhelming, unleashing a wave of dark cherries, oak, deep tannins, light molasses, boozy figs, and touches of isopropyl. Vanilla manages to pop through and assert itself, lending a marshmallowy side to the aroma along with floral touches. Semisweet chocolate lurks in the background, both enhanced by and melding with the vanilla to give the barrel some competition. The flavor is slightly more balanced, although still heavy on the rum, as a big dose of vanilla leads the charge before boozy cherries, figs, and dates charge into the fray. Tannic structure dominates the mid-palate with some light molasses providing balance before a long, rum-focused finish leaves alcohol heat in its wake. As the beer warms, the rum recedes a bit and allows both the vanilla and residual sugars to shine, leading to a somewhat easier drinking beer. That said, it's still a barrel-forward beer. I expect some time to be beneficial in taming the heat and dominant rum notes, but appreciating rum barrels is definitely a prerequisite.
4) Analog: Riesling Skin Contact Edition
Style: Blend of Funky Saison & Wine
Score: 4.5
Notes: Where the original Analog was a blend of funky saison and wine must, this is a blend of those elements, along with the pomace from the riesling grapes - skins, stems, all in. It was amphora-aged for four months, which is shorter than the original, but just as good. Each whiff reveals a swirling miasma of sweet riesling grapes, deep orange and mandarin-driven citrus, freshly baked sweet bread, assertive barrel structure, light oak-driven vanilla, minerality, and mild lactic acidity. An even bigger vinous note takes hold of the tongue first, giving way to tangerines and orange zest, lovely barnyard and horse blanket notes, restrained acidity, and vanilla-tinged oak. The riesling character returns towards the backend, leading to a long, structured finish that would almost pass for wine if not for the beer's body and carbonation. They absolutely nailed this one and I look forward to seeing how it develops in the bottle. Don't sleep on it.
For those who want to read more about the Ultra set, I will post my thoughts later in a separate post. I have **** to deal with this morning - namely, the words I get paid to string together for people, rather than the ones I do for free - and I have enough to say about the set that I don't want to rush it out. If you have the opportunity to buy one and are looking for a short answer, Modern Times accomplished what they set out to do and the beers are truly stellar.
Assorted Notes:
1) Leanne and Andrew were hosting tonight in San Diego. It was rad to have Leanne back, as she hadn't done a tasting down here since January - aside from Leanne just being awesome all around, it's fun to mix and match different hosts (although I feel like we're due for a classic Steven/Andrew tasting again soon). There was a bit of reminiscing about how far the tastings have come over the years from their roots with a handful of us in one corner of the Lomaland tasting room to now needing two SD tastings. It's really cool to see how the tastings have become a part of the experience, but I've also noticed crowd participation has dropped substantially, at least in San Diego. I have my theories, but I'm curious to ask those of you reading - why the lack of questions? Busy tasting the beer? Are your questions being answered in advance via emails/Facebook interaction? Is the goal to slam back tasters as quickly as possible and get home to catch Wheel of Fortune? Not judging since I never ask questions, more curious to perhaps foster conversation on what has caused a lack of participation and get the crowd involved a bit more.
2) We receive another included bottle this month - Monsters' Park Aged in Jamaican Rum Barrels w/ Coconut & Vanilla. It wasn't available to sample at the tasting, but that combination has worked beautifully in the past so I'm excited to try this new version.
3) The 6th Anniversary party will be on July 6th, and Leanne said we should be receiving info about it in the next week or so. If you've never been, it's a rad event - it's a much smaller scale than a fest like Funk or Dankness since it's only Modern Times beer, but they always bring absolute thunder and put their best foot forward to celebrate their own birthday. I highly recommend doing your best to attend, even if you need to cancel other plans. Weddings, baptisms, birthday parties, whatever - these are all less important than celebrating Modern Times.
4) A lot of people have been asking about the League hoodies - I think it was mentioned somewhere online, but Modern Times' screen printer broke his hand and had a child arrive the same week not too long ago, so the schedule got pushed back a bit. Leanne said she would discuss that with Steven and get us an update when they have a reasonable timeline.
Tasting Notes:
1) Occhio Malocchio
Style: Italian Pilsner
Score: 4.25
Notes: As Andrew mentioned, Italian pilsners are a sort of unofficial substyle that's primarily driven by a single beer, Birrificio Italiano's Tipopils. If you've never had it but find yourself with the opportunity to try it, I highly recommend doing so, it's one of those stalwart beers that goes underappreciated by most consumers but is viewed as exemplary by brewers and fans of the style. I have to admit - tasting this was a bit of a challenge immediately after going through the MT Ultra set (more on that later, for those who are interested), but it managed to cut through the pastry residue quite nicely. Rustic white bread wafts out of the glass first, followed by lightly candied lemon peel and dried lime zest, along with a firm noble hop profile rich in both spicy and floral components. On the tongue, a malt profile centered on dry, toasted white bread leads the way, followed by lemon zest and oily citron rind, and a predominantly spicy hop character with delicate earthy notes. The fermentation profile is incredibly clean, which combines with the spritzy carbonation to yield maximum quaffability. If you slept on Abaddon, don't repeat that mistake this month.
2) Monsters' Park Aged in Bourbon Barrels: Blackberry Cobbler Edition
Style: BBA Imperial Stout w/ Blackberries, Vanilla, and Cinnamon
Score: 4.5 (4.4ish)
Notes: Blackberry puree was added a rate of roughly one pound per gallon, along with a blend of Madagascan and Mexican vanilla, and Cassia cinnamon. Fruit leads the way on the nose, as moderately jammy blackberry pops out with hints of acidity - think the acidic note in a fresh blackberry, not contaminant-driven tartness - that create a broad berry smell and prevent any sense of syrupy or cloying fruit. Vanilla plays a supporting role and cinnamon pops up in the background, enhancing woody notes from the barrels, along with bakers chocolate and bourbon. On the palate, the blackberries come across jammier with almost none of the acidic edge, melding with more prominent vanilla and marshmallow flavor than the nose indicated. The cinnamon hits on the mid-palate to round out the cobbler profile, while semisweet chocolate, bourbon, and light toffee notes play in the background. As it warmed, the fruit, vanilla, and chocolate each popped even more, and it was easy to imagine walking into your grandma's kitchen on a warm summer afternoon to find a fresh berry cobbler and chocolate chip cookies cooling on the windowsill while grandpa sipped bourbon from his recliner in the adjoining den. Or imagine you're a degenerate reliving the halcyon days of your youth through toxic sugar water. Whatever floats your boat, mate. A stout with both berries and cinnamon is polarizing territory for most - a few people said the cinnamon was too much for them (although not overwhelmingly so), but I didn't hear anyone complain about the fruit. Personally, I think the adjunct profile is dialed in nicely and people will be pleased with it.
3) Suggestion of Mass Aged in Jamaican Rum Barrels w/ Mexican Vanilla
Style: BA Pastry Stout
Score: 4
Notes: Suggestion of Mass was brewed in collaboration with J Wakefield Brewing last year - some of the batch was released in cans with coconut, coffee, and vanilla, while the remainder was left to rest in a variety of barrels. This particular release is a blend of a few types of Jamaican rum barrels, to which they added almost a pound per barrel of Mexican vanilla. On first whiff, the rum barrel character is nearly overwhelming, unleashing a wave of dark cherries, oak, deep tannins, light molasses, boozy figs, and touches of isopropyl. Vanilla manages to pop through and assert itself, lending a marshmallowy side to the aroma along with floral touches. Semisweet chocolate lurks in the background, both enhanced by and melding with the vanilla to give the barrel some competition. The flavor is slightly more balanced, although still heavy on the rum, as a big dose of vanilla leads the charge before boozy cherries, figs, and dates charge into the fray. Tannic structure dominates the mid-palate with some light molasses providing balance before a long, rum-focused finish leaves alcohol heat in its wake. As the beer warms, the rum recedes a bit and allows both the vanilla and residual sugars to shine, leading to a somewhat easier drinking beer. That said, it's still a barrel-forward beer. I expect some time to be beneficial in taming the heat and dominant rum notes, but appreciating rum barrels is definitely a prerequisite.
4) Analog: Riesling Skin Contact Edition
Style: Blend of Funky Saison & Wine
Score: 4.5
Notes: Where the original Analog was a blend of funky saison and wine must, this is a blend of those elements, along with the pomace from the riesling grapes - skins, stems, all in. It was amphora-aged for four months, which is shorter than the original, but just as good. Each whiff reveals a swirling miasma of sweet riesling grapes, deep orange and mandarin-driven citrus, freshly baked sweet bread, assertive barrel structure, light oak-driven vanilla, minerality, and mild lactic acidity. An even bigger vinous note takes hold of the tongue first, giving way to tangerines and orange zest, lovely barnyard and horse blanket notes, restrained acidity, and vanilla-tinged oak. The riesling character returns towards the backend, leading to a long, structured finish that would almost pass for wine if not for the beer's body and carbonation. They absolutely nailed this one and I look forward to seeing how it develops in the bottle. Don't sleep on it.
For those who want to read more about the Ultra set, I will post my thoughts later in a separate post. I have **** to deal with this morning - namely, the words I get paid to string together for people, rather than the ones I do for free - and I have enough to say about the set that I don't want to rush it out. If you have the opportunity to buy one and are looking for a short answer, Modern Times accomplished what they set out to do and the beers are truly stellar.
Brent212
Active Member
Pretty psyched on the Anniversary party. First year I won't be out of town. I always read (and try to ignore) how it's the best MT event.
Tyrsis
Well-Known Member
While everyone waits for Xul's rating on the Ultra set, here's my two cents.
Overall not that impressed for the price / hub-bub. Still hope I can trade mine for bourbon or lambic.
- Coffee - it's fine.
- Vanilla - Smells amazing. Tastes good. Doesn't blow my mind.
- Coconut - Loads of coconut. Quite tasty. I'd like to have it next to Deeds and Exploits because honestly I feel like they're close.
Overall not that impressed for the price / hub-bub. Still hope I can trade mine for bourbon or lambic.
![Craft A Brew - Safale S-04 Dry Yeast - Fermentis - English Ale Dry Yeast - For English and American Ales and Hard Apple Ciders - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [1 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41fVGNh6JfL._SL500_.jpg)
JonathanAmes
Well-Known Member
Suggestion of Mass wasn’t good.
I loved it. Quick, someone break this 1-1 tie, haha.
Tyrsis
Well-Known Member
It was too rum forward. Unbalanced. I wanna try the Affogato one though
Brent212
Active Member
Agreed about comparing the coconut with Deeds. First thing I thought was, wow that tastes just like Deeds, maybe a little more coconut. To be fair, Deeds has the strongest+best coconut flavor I've had in a beer, IMO. But I expected to be knocked over by the adjunct levels in all three Ultra beers. They were all great, just didn't have the "absurd" levels of flavor that the descriptions made me anticipate.
There was a Mega Black House with double coffee a couple years ago that I think might have had a stronger coffee flavor than this Ultra coffee. At least, in my memory it did, but who knows. I do think the coffee one will be the most enjoyable to solo dome.
There was a Mega Black House with double coffee a couple years ago that I think might have had a stronger coffee flavor than this Ultra coffee. At least, in my memory it did, but who knows. I do think the coffee one will be the most enjoyable to solo dome.
Brent212
Active Member
Yeah, not a fan of the Jamaican rum barrels. Was hoping Suggestion of Mass would be better in those than the MP's from last year, but it still had that super overpowering rum flavor.
Ha, and I love Jamaican Rum Barrel beers in particular. Everything is dead on in the last few posts so it depends on how you feel about all of the above. Some I was with were debating whether they'd get even one bottle. Others were an easy max.
wolf13
Well-Known Member
Good God, my glass was straight rum, and not in a good way.
Xul1
Well-Known Member
July 2019 Preview Tasting
Assorted Notes:
1) As mentioned last month, San Diego will now feature two monthly tastings to serve the increased demand better. They ended up doing this month's extra tasting on Sunday afternoon - in hopes that people who were in from out of town for the 6th-anniversary party could/would attend - but that's not set in stone for future months. I'll likely stick to the Tuesday evening tastings in the future, but it was a nice change of pace, and it was great to see Steven and Leanne hosting together for the first time in quite a while.
2) With the anniversary party behind us, the next big event on the calendar is the Festival of Dankness. If you haven't been keeping August 24th reserved for an afternoon of hop-fueled fun on San Diego's waterfront, you'd best cancel whatever else you have planned for the day. The on-sale date for tickets is TBA, but as usual, League members will have first crack at purchasing. Additionally, there will be a Portland edition of the festival this year, but I have no details on that. I imagine it will come up at this month's PDX preview tasting and the MT crew will begin releasing information once they've had a few days to recuperate from this past weekend's festivities.
3) The rewards for 2018 tasting room points have more or less been set and are going to be finalized soon once they're approved by all necessary parties. Things took a bit longer to dial in since they're spread around more locations than prior years, so they had to figure out what could be offered that would be feasible everywhere. Stay tuned for details.
4) Editorial note on my part: If Abaddon doesn't sell out during the online sale - and I'm including public sale here just to be generous - I'm going to be incredibly ******* disappointed in all of you, both individually and in aggregate. It's July, the weather is warming up, and you've got all summer to ram down cans. If we can't collectively figure out how to get through 5000 cans of a delicious Helles lager, the terrorists have already won.
The Beers:
1) Reality Maze
Style: Pastry Stout w/ Cocoa, Vanilla, Coconut, & Macadamia Nuts
Score: 4.25
Notes: The adjuncts on this are as follows - 100lbs untoasted coconut, 200lbs toasted coconut, 125lbs toasted macadamia nuts, 12lbs Madagascan vanilla, 30lbs Peruvian cocoa nibs, and 30lbs Dominican cocoa nibs. For those whose memory of macadamia nuts includes Eleventh Hour but not Devil's Teeth, fear not - they were very sensitive to that beer's reception and recirculated this beer over macadamia nuts for less than half the time they did with Eleventh Hour (ten hours vs. ~24 for EH). The adjustment worked, although as a fan of the macadamia DT variant, I wouldn't have minded a bit more.
The nose opens with rich, dark chocolate supported by moderate coconut and vanilla, while macadamia nuts waft around in the background but steadily increase as the beer warms. The malt profile from the base beer contributes heavy brown sugar - almost maple - notes that meld with the chocolate profile to smell like freshly baked chocolate cookies. Coconut and vanilla lead the charge on the tongue, giving way to macadamia nuts coated in dark chocolate before vanilla returns for a long, lightly boozy finish. Full bodied but not syrupy, it sits in a similar place to Pharaoh Ascendant in Modern Times' portfolio - an enjoyable non-BA pastry stout with a good adjunct profile. I'd love to see these make their way into 12oz cans, but as with Pharaoh Ascendant, I'm glad they've re-focused on executing these as well as possible rather than churning out 16oz cans with experimental recipes that don't quite hit the right marks for the style.
2) Altar of the Orc Lord Double-Aged in Bourbon & Apple Brandy Barrels
Style: Barleywine Aged in Bourbon & Apple Brandy Barrels
Score: 4.25
Notes: The barrel influence makes itself evident immediately as apple brandy leaps out of the glass, complemented by bourbon, deep toffee notes, raisins, prunes, oak, light barrel-derived vanilla, and candied oranges. Think roasted apples and plums, fresh out of the oven, and you wouldn't be far off the mark. The flavor is perhaps a bit more bourbon-forward as it hits first, followed by a more restrained apple brandy presence, before caramel-soaked raisins, prunes, figs, and candied orange take over. Vanilla and oak feature in the finish along with touches of alcohol heat. It's a very barrel-forward barleywine, evident not just in the flavor and aroma, but the slightly thinner body.
3) Suggestion of Mass Aged in Bourbon Barrels: Mocha Latte Edition
Style: Pastry Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels w/ Coffee, Cocoa Nibs, & Vanilla
Score: 4.5
Notes: If you have unpleasant memories of SoM Aged in Jamaican rum barrels, set them aside. This variant was aged in bourbon barrels for eleven months before being hit with 40 pounds of Peruvian cocoa nibs, eight pounds of Tahitian vanilla,and 50 pounds of Modern Times' Idea Machine coffee blend (which is 50% Colombia Heriberto, 25% Peru El Corazon, and 25% Guatemala Chochajau, resulting in a chocolate-forward profile).
Idea Machine leads the way on the nose as abundant, medium roasted coffee grounds hit first followed by dry, dark chocolate, a big wave of vanilla-derived marshmallow, light bourbon barrel, and touches of toffee. Coffee takes on a less prominent role flavor-wise, giving way to more substantial dark chocolate and even more vanilla, along with deeply caramelized brown sugar, oak, and faint whiskey. A long finish of coffee-saturated marshmallow coats the tongue without ever feeling cloying or syrupy. As it warms, the dark chocolate and coffee integrate beautifully into a decadent mocha, with vanilla providing balancing touches of sweetness, reminiscent of standing in front of the bar at a good third wave coffee shop as the barista mixes a freshly pulled espresso shot with high-quality chocolate.
4) Chaos Grid: Island Vacation
Style: Blend of Stouts Aged in Rum Barrels w/ Coconut & Cocoa Nibs
Score: 4.75
Notes: This edition of Chaos Grid features a blend of Monsters' Park, Devil's Teeth, and Beastmaster aged in Barbados rum barrels for a range of eight to fourteen months. The resulting beer saw additions of 150 pounds of toasted coconut, 150 pounds of untoasted coconut, and 50 pounds of Dominican cocoa nibs.
The aroma features an implacable assault of sweet coconut, wave after wave powering out of the glass, leaving enough room for milk chocolate, dark rum, figs, hints of vanilla, and oak to remind you that you're not merely drinking liquid coconut. The palate opens with a quick dose of rum - raisins, prunes, lightly caramelized sugar, and a bit of ethanol heat - before coconut and semisweet chocolate power their way through to a long, viscous finish redolent of dessert in paradise. The higher-than-usual dosing of untoasted coconut is on display as it tends more towards sweet, candy-style coconut than macaroons or baked goods. Dipping a Mounds bar in rum and then taking a massive bite would get you somewhere in the vicinity of this one, but it wouldn't necessarily do justice to the quality of the chocolate, nor the sheer amount of coconut that envelopes your tastebuds. Simply outstanding.
5) Order of Hemes
Style: Super-Berliner w/ Pineapple, Passion Fruit, and Dragon Fruit
Score: 4.25
Notes: The base for this remains roughly the same as their past super-Berliners - 6.5% ABV with a malt bill consisting of 2 row, white wheat, and flaked wheat - but they went absolutely nuts with the fruit. 2640 pounds of pineapple puree, 2640 pounds of passion fruit puree, and 660 pounds of dragon fruit puree. The fruiting ratio is the same as Gravity Hammer, and therefore, a literal fuckton in a much smaller base beer.
Fresh, juicy pineapple leads the way on the nose with passion fruit taking on a heavy support role. Candied mango, papaya, and faint grain notes dance around in the background, along with a light to moderate lemony acidity. Taking a sip reveals a more equally-weighted fruit profile as passion fruit comes through first with an almost fruit punch like character - mango, papaya, touches of clementine flesh - while pineapple powers through towards the backend, combining with the moderate acidity for an almost-but-not-quite puckering finish. The heavy adjunct dosage is evident in every way, from the juicy nose to the fruit basket palate to the deep red color in the glass - I'm pretty sure that each can counts as two of your USDA-recommended daily servings of fruit.
Assorted Notes:
1) As mentioned last month, San Diego will now feature two monthly tastings to serve the increased demand better. They ended up doing this month's extra tasting on Sunday afternoon - in hopes that people who were in from out of town for the 6th-anniversary party could/would attend - but that's not set in stone for future months. I'll likely stick to the Tuesday evening tastings in the future, but it was a nice change of pace, and it was great to see Steven and Leanne hosting together for the first time in quite a while.
2) With the anniversary party behind us, the next big event on the calendar is the Festival of Dankness. If you haven't been keeping August 24th reserved for an afternoon of hop-fueled fun on San Diego's waterfront, you'd best cancel whatever else you have planned for the day. The on-sale date for tickets is TBA, but as usual, League members will have first crack at purchasing. Additionally, there will be a Portland edition of the festival this year, but I have no details on that. I imagine it will come up at this month's PDX preview tasting and the MT crew will begin releasing information once they've had a few days to recuperate from this past weekend's festivities.
3) The rewards for 2018 tasting room points have more or less been set and are going to be finalized soon once they're approved by all necessary parties. Things took a bit longer to dial in since they're spread around more locations than prior years, so they had to figure out what could be offered that would be feasible everywhere. Stay tuned for details.
4) Editorial note on my part: If Abaddon doesn't sell out during the online sale - and I'm including public sale here just to be generous - I'm going to be incredibly ******* disappointed in all of you, both individually and in aggregate. It's July, the weather is warming up, and you've got all summer to ram down cans. If we can't collectively figure out how to get through 5000 cans of a delicious Helles lager, the terrorists have already won.
The Beers:
1) Reality Maze
Style: Pastry Stout w/ Cocoa, Vanilla, Coconut, & Macadamia Nuts
Score: 4.25
Notes: The adjuncts on this are as follows - 100lbs untoasted coconut, 200lbs toasted coconut, 125lbs toasted macadamia nuts, 12lbs Madagascan vanilla, 30lbs Peruvian cocoa nibs, and 30lbs Dominican cocoa nibs. For those whose memory of macadamia nuts includes Eleventh Hour but not Devil's Teeth, fear not - they were very sensitive to that beer's reception and recirculated this beer over macadamia nuts for less than half the time they did with Eleventh Hour (ten hours vs. ~24 for EH). The adjustment worked, although as a fan of the macadamia DT variant, I wouldn't have minded a bit more.
The nose opens with rich, dark chocolate supported by moderate coconut and vanilla, while macadamia nuts waft around in the background but steadily increase as the beer warms. The malt profile from the base beer contributes heavy brown sugar - almost maple - notes that meld with the chocolate profile to smell like freshly baked chocolate cookies. Coconut and vanilla lead the charge on the tongue, giving way to macadamia nuts coated in dark chocolate before vanilla returns for a long, lightly boozy finish. Full bodied but not syrupy, it sits in a similar place to Pharaoh Ascendant in Modern Times' portfolio - an enjoyable non-BA pastry stout with a good adjunct profile. I'd love to see these make their way into 12oz cans, but as with Pharaoh Ascendant, I'm glad they've re-focused on executing these as well as possible rather than churning out 16oz cans with experimental recipes that don't quite hit the right marks for the style.
2) Altar of the Orc Lord Double-Aged in Bourbon & Apple Brandy Barrels
Style: Barleywine Aged in Bourbon & Apple Brandy Barrels
Score: 4.25
Notes: The barrel influence makes itself evident immediately as apple brandy leaps out of the glass, complemented by bourbon, deep toffee notes, raisins, prunes, oak, light barrel-derived vanilla, and candied oranges. Think roasted apples and plums, fresh out of the oven, and you wouldn't be far off the mark. The flavor is perhaps a bit more bourbon-forward as it hits first, followed by a more restrained apple brandy presence, before caramel-soaked raisins, prunes, figs, and candied orange take over. Vanilla and oak feature in the finish along with touches of alcohol heat. It's a very barrel-forward barleywine, evident not just in the flavor and aroma, but the slightly thinner body.
3) Suggestion of Mass Aged in Bourbon Barrels: Mocha Latte Edition
Style: Pastry Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels w/ Coffee, Cocoa Nibs, & Vanilla
Score: 4.5
Notes: If you have unpleasant memories of SoM Aged in Jamaican rum barrels, set them aside. This variant was aged in bourbon barrels for eleven months before being hit with 40 pounds of Peruvian cocoa nibs, eight pounds of Tahitian vanilla,and 50 pounds of Modern Times' Idea Machine coffee blend (which is 50% Colombia Heriberto, 25% Peru El Corazon, and 25% Guatemala Chochajau, resulting in a chocolate-forward profile).
Idea Machine leads the way on the nose as abundant, medium roasted coffee grounds hit first followed by dry, dark chocolate, a big wave of vanilla-derived marshmallow, light bourbon barrel, and touches of toffee. Coffee takes on a less prominent role flavor-wise, giving way to more substantial dark chocolate and even more vanilla, along with deeply caramelized brown sugar, oak, and faint whiskey. A long finish of coffee-saturated marshmallow coats the tongue without ever feeling cloying or syrupy. As it warms, the dark chocolate and coffee integrate beautifully into a decadent mocha, with vanilla providing balancing touches of sweetness, reminiscent of standing in front of the bar at a good third wave coffee shop as the barista mixes a freshly pulled espresso shot with high-quality chocolate.
4) Chaos Grid: Island Vacation
Style: Blend of Stouts Aged in Rum Barrels w/ Coconut & Cocoa Nibs
Score: 4.75
Notes: This edition of Chaos Grid features a blend of Monsters' Park, Devil's Teeth, and Beastmaster aged in Barbados rum barrels for a range of eight to fourteen months. The resulting beer saw additions of 150 pounds of toasted coconut, 150 pounds of untoasted coconut, and 50 pounds of Dominican cocoa nibs.
The aroma features an implacable assault of sweet coconut, wave after wave powering out of the glass, leaving enough room for milk chocolate, dark rum, figs, hints of vanilla, and oak to remind you that you're not merely drinking liquid coconut. The palate opens with a quick dose of rum - raisins, prunes, lightly caramelized sugar, and a bit of ethanol heat - before coconut and semisweet chocolate power their way through to a long, viscous finish redolent of dessert in paradise. The higher-than-usual dosing of untoasted coconut is on display as it tends more towards sweet, candy-style coconut than macaroons or baked goods. Dipping a Mounds bar in rum and then taking a massive bite would get you somewhere in the vicinity of this one, but it wouldn't necessarily do justice to the quality of the chocolate, nor the sheer amount of coconut that envelopes your tastebuds. Simply outstanding.
5) Order of Hemes
Style: Super-Berliner w/ Pineapple, Passion Fruit, and Dragon Fruit
Score: 4.25
Notes: The base for this remains roughly the same as their past super-Berliners - 6.5% ABV with a malt bill consisting of 2 row, white wheat, and flaked wheat - but they went absolutely nuts with the fruit. 2640 pounds of pineapple puree, 2640 pounds of passion fruit puree, and 660 pounds of dragon fruit puree. The fruiting ratio is the same as Gravity Hammer, and therefore, a literal fuckton in a much smaller base beer.
Fresh, juicy pineapple leads the way on the nose with passion fruit taking on a heavy support role. Candied mango, papaya, and faint grain notes dance around in the background, along with a light to moderate lemony acidity. Taking a sip reveals a more equally-weighted fruit profile as passion fruit comes through first with an almost fruit punch like character - mango, papaya, touches of clementine flesh - while pineapple powers through towards the backend, combining with the moderate acidity for an almost-but-not-quite puckering finish. The heavy adjunct dosage is evident in every way, from the juicy nose to the fruit basket palate to the deep red color in the glass - I'm pretty sure that each can counts as two of your USDA-recommended daily servings of fruit.
DannyFullpint
Well-Known Member
Xul1
Well-Known Member
I'd take it over the former by a small margin and over the latter by a much wider margin, although there's obviously no competing on value with FW Lager.
rcubed1
Well-Known Member
I'm glad MT is making helles, doppelbock, and more traditional beers but I think their core audience doesn't care about them so much.
Xul1
Well-Known Member
The last batch of Abaddon (in April) sold out more quickly than many similar-sized releases of hazy IPA. The increased pace of releasing lagers is very much a response to demand, especially cans of Helles, pilsners, and other styles at the lighter end of the spectrum.
sdreaper
Well-Known Member
Xul1
Well-Known Member
August 2019 Preview Tasting
Assorted Notes:
1) In case you've been living under a rock and somehow missed all other mentions, the Festivals of Dankness will be taking place 08/24 in San Diego and 08/31 in Portland. The VIP tickets for San Diego sold out entirely to League members, marking the first time that's ever happened for one of MT's major festivals. Hopefully, the first of many times.
2) As Steven and Leanne had previously mentioned, there will be Midnight of the Monsters-style events centered around the MT Ultra beers. Details on tickets should be coming this week, but we were told that every location except North Park will be holding an event (even Encinitas) and that most of them will be on Labor Day weekend. I didn't catch which location will be a couple weeks later. Keep an eye on your inbox, you won't want to miss that one.
3) Tentbier will be returning next month, once again in 19.2oz cans. They've been happy with the response to the lager releases so far. As long as we continue to purchase them, we can expect to see frequent releases of a variety of crushable styles. There's also been some talk of creative packages for lagers - 12packs, 18packs, etc. - but all of that is still in the conceptual stage.
4) More importantly, there will be a canned batch of Foeder Ice coming later this year. Start making space in your refrigerator now. Throw out those years-old condiments you never use. Get used to buying fewer vegetables. Perhaps even kick out your roommate/significant other/children so that their food isn't taking up valuable real estate. I can think of no better use for fridge space than cans of Foeder Ice.
5) Steven also teased a new batch of Cloud Daggers for later in the year. He seemed to wait until everyone had stopped asking questions, then would drop a nugget like that to spur interaction. I think the takeaway here is to sit in complete silence and let the teasers roll in.
The Beers:
1) Lilliput
Style: Kolsch-style Ale
Score: 3.75
Notes: This was pretty much the ideal way to start a tasting on a warm Sunday afternoon - "just the job," as some might say. The aroma opens with a rich dose of honey, layered atop sweet, doughy biscuits. Pears and citrus follow while floral hops float around the background. The first sip reveals a far drier experience than the nose indicates. Crispy white bread gives way to lightly-candied lemon, herbal tea, hop-derived floral notes, and a faint grassy character. The discrepancy between the sweet aroma and dry flavor and body is a bit disconcerting but doesn't derail an otherwise quaffable crusher.
2) Star Projector: Tiki Edition
Style: Mega-Berliner w/ Pineapple, Orange, Coconut, & Nutmeg
Score: 3.25
Notes: For those who may not recognize the ingredients, this was inspired by the Painkiller, which - as Steven was all-too-eager to say repeatedly - is a trademarked name that belongs to Pusser's Rum. To pay tribute to what happens to be my favorite tiki drink - as well as a phenomenal Judas Priest song - they added 3 lbs/gallon pineapple and orange, 5 lbs/barrel coconut, and a touch of nutmeg to their 10% ABV mega-Berliner base. The nose opens with a quick hit of nutmeg before heavy coconut takes over, followed by juicy oranges and subtle pineapple. Not terribly acidic on the nose, thanks in large part to the heavy coconut. On the palate, pineapple and orange pulp hit first, followed by unsweetened coconut flesh and light nutmeg that never rises beyond a supporting role. A burst of acidity comes in on the finish, mingling with the pineapple and coconut to form a bit of a strange finish that lingers on the palate just a bit too long. The adjuncts don't come together in the intended fashion for me - I wouldn't call it bad, but it's disjointed and misses the mark. I'd love to try more cocktail-inspired sours - kettle or barrel-aged - but it would seem wise to tinker with them at a draft-only scale.
3) Deeds & Exploits Aged in Bourbon Barrels w/ Coffee & Vanilla
Style: Blend of BA Strong Ales w/ Vanilla & Bourbon-and-Vanilla Infused Coffee
Score: 3.5
Notes: The base blend is 60% Infinity Gauntlet aged in bourbon barrels for twelve months and 40% Cloud Daggers aged in bourbon barrels for seven months. They used 3 lbs/bbl Tega & Tula Farm Ethiopian coffee beans, which they conditioned with bourbon and vanilla for 24 hours before roasting. Vanilla was added at a rate of 1 lb/bbl, comprised of a blend of Madagascan, Mexican, Ugandan, Tahitian, and Papua New Guinean beans. The aroma opens with a somewhat-harsh wave of coffee grounds that yields to marshmallow, light brown sugar, sweet vanilla, bourbon, semisweet chocolate, ethanol, and faint oak character. The coffee rounds a bit as it warms, but retains an edge that's absent in most of Modern Times' coffee beers. The flavor mostly follows the nose, with bourbon-soaked coffee grounds out front, followed by marshmallow and sweet vanilla. Toffee, turbinado sugar, cocoa, and alcohol heat meld on the mid-palate, giving way to a thin, boozy finish. There's an underlying harshness that runs front to back on the palate that seems to be derived from the spirits-infusion process used on the coffee beans. It stands in sharp contrast to the level of refinement found in most of Modern Times' barrel-aged stouts, barleywines, and strong ales. By no means does it ruin the beer, but it's an unavoidable distraction that knocks the overall score down. For the sake of context, I scored it lower on Untappd than anyone else from the Sunday tasting, so perhaps I found the heat and harshness more offputting than most people.
4) Analog: Barrel-Aged Riesling Edition
Style: Saison/Wine Hybrid Aged in Red Wine Barrels
Score: 4.5
Notes: This batch is a blend of 70% saison and 30% riesling juice sourced from Lo-Fi Wines, co-fermented with house cultures, then racked to red wine barrels for six months. Unlike the last batch, this had no contact with the grape pomace, nor did it spend any time in an amphora. The riesling asserts itself on the nose with a bright melange of fruit leaping out of the glass - grapes, apricots, and pears dominate, while papaya and sweet lemon lurk - followed by oak, restrained vanilla, barnyard funk, and faint white pepper. Soft lactic adicity leads on the tongue, followed by vinous notes that transition into stonefruit with hints of pineapple and papaya poking through. Oak wafts around in the background along with vanilla and funk, giving way to an effervescent and lightly acidic finish of pears and vinous notes. While this edition lacks the minerality of the last release, it's no less enjoyable.
5) Analog: Red Cabernet Franc Edition
Style: Sour Red/Wine Hybrid Aged in Red Wine and Port Barrels
Score: 4.25
Notes: This version of analog is even more of a departure from prior editions, as it's a blend of 58% sour red ale and 42% Lo-Fi cabernet franc juice. It was aged on the grape skins for five days, co-fermented with house cultures, then racked to red wine and port barrels for six months. The smell on this was deftly balanced, with soft acidity, moderate funk, light vanilla, oak, barrel-derived port notes blending seamlessly with wine-derived plum, roasted pepper, and light tannins. If you're sensitive to acetic acid, have no fear - this isn't vinegar, it merely plays a supporting role in a rich and diverse tapestry of aromas. On the palate, acidity plays a slightly more prominent role, although it's still neither overly acetic nor harsh. The cab franc character shines through brilliantly as bright grapes, and plums mingle with a savory, peppery component. Oak and port notes assert themselves before a long finish of moderately acidic wine with touches of aged balsamic vinegar.
Assorted Notes:
1) In case you've been living under a rock and somehow missed all other mentions, the Festivals of Dankness will be taking place 08/24 in San Diego and 08/31 in Portland. The VIP tickets for San Diego sold out entirely to League members, marking the first time that's ever happened for one of MT's major festivals. Hopefully, the first of many times.
2) As Steven and Leanne had previously mentioned, there will be Midnight of the Monsters-style events centered around the MT Ultra beers. Details on tickets should be coming this week, but we were told that every location except North Park will be holding an event (even Encinitas) and that most of them will be on Labor Day weekend. I didn't catch which location will be a couple weeks later. Keep an eye on your inbox, you won't want to miss that one.
3) Tentbier will be returning next month, once again in 19.2oz cans. They've been happy with the response to the lager releases so far. As long as we continue to purchase them, we can expect to see frequent releases of a variety of crushable styles. There's also been some talk of creative packages for lagers - 12packs, 18packs, etc. - but all of that is still in the conceptual stage.
4) More importantly, there will be a canned batch of Foeder Ice coming later this year. Start making space in your refrigerator now. Throw out those years-old condiments you never use. Get used to buying fewer vegetables. Perhaps even kick out your roommate/significant other/children so that their food isn't taking up valuable real estate. I can think of no better use for fridge space than cans of Foeder Ice.
5) Steven also teased a new batch of Cloud Daggers for later in the year. He seemed to wait until everyone had stopped asking questions, then would drop a nugget like that to spur interaction. I think the takeaway here is to sit in complete silence and let the teasers roll in.
The Beers:
1) Lilliput
Style: Kolsch-style Ale
Score: 3.75
Notes: This was pretty much the ideal way to start a tasting on a warm Sunday afternoon - "just the job," as some might say. The aroma opens with a rich dose of honey, layered atop sweet, doughy biscuits. Pears and citrus follow while floral hops float around the background. The first sip reveals a far drier experience than the nose indicates. Crispy white bread gives way to lightly-candied lemon, herbal tea, hop-derived floral notes, and a faint grassy character. The discrepancy between the sweet aroma and dry flavor and body is a bit disconcerting but doesn't derail an otherwise quaffable crusher.
2) Star Projector: Tiki Edition
Style: Mega-Berliner w/ Pineapple, Orange, Coconut, & Nutmeg
Score: 3.25
Notes: For those who may not recognize the ingredients, this was inspired by the Painkiller, which - as Steven was all-too-eager to say repeatedly - is a trademarked name that belongs to Pusser's Rum. To pay tribute to what happens to be my favorite tiki drink - as well as a phenomenal Judas Priest song - they added 3 lbs/gallon pineapple and orange, 5 lbs/barrel coconut, and a touch of nutmeg to their 10% ABV mega-Berliner base. The nose opens with a quick hit of nutmeg before heavy coconut takes over, followed by juicy oranges and subtle pineapple. Not terribly acidic on the nose, thanks in large part to the heavy coconut. On the palate, pineapple and orange pulp hit first, followed by unsweetened coconut flesh and light nutmeg that never rises beyond a supporting role. A burst of acidity comes in on the finish, mingling with the pineapple and coconut to form a bit of a strange finish that lingers on the palate just a bit too long. The adjuncts don't come together in the intended fashion for me - I wouldn't call it bad, but it's disjointed and misses the mark. I'd love to try more cocktail-inspired sours - kettle or barrel-aged - but it would seem wise to tinker with them at a draft-only scale.
3) Deeds & Exploits Aged in Bourbon Barrels w/ Coffee & Vanilla
Style: Blend of BA Strong Ales w/ Vanilla & Bourbon-and-Vanilla Infused Coffee
Score: 3.5
Notes: The base blend is 60% Infinity Gauntlet aged in bourbon barrels for twelve months and 40% Cloud Daggers aged in bourbon barrels for seven months. They used 3 lbs/bbl Tega & Tula Farm Ethiopian coffee beans, which they conditioned with bourbon and vanilla for 24 hours before roasting. Vanilla was added at a rate of 1 lb/bbl, comprised of a blend of Madagascan, Mexican, Ugandan, Tahitian, and Papua New Guinean beans. The aroma opens with a somewhat-harsh wave of coffee grounds that yields to marshmallow, light brown sugar, sweet vanilla, bourbon, semisweet chocolate, ethanol, and faint oak character. The coffee rounds a bit as it warms, but retains an edge that's absent in most of Modern Times' coffee beers. The flavor mostly follows the nose, with bourbon-soaked coffee grounds out front, followed by marshmallow and sweet vanilla. Toffee, turbinado sugar, cocoa, and alcohol heat meld on the mid-palate, giving way to a thin, boozy finish. There's an underlying harshness that runs front to back on the palate that seems to be derived from the spirits-infusion process used on the coffee beans. It stands in sharp contrast to the level of refinement found in most of Modern Times' barrel-aged stouts, barleywines, and strong ales. By no means does it ruin the beer, but it's an unavoidable distraction that knocks the overall score down. For the sake of context, I scored it lower on Untappd than anyone else from the Sunday tasting, so perhaps I found the heat and harshness more offputting than most people.
4) Analog: Barrel-Aged Riesling Edition
Style: Saison/Wine Hybrid Aged in Red Wine Barrels
Score: 4.5
Notes: This batch is a blend of 70% saison and 30% riesling juice sourced from Lo-Fi Wines, co-fermented with house cultures, then racked to red wine barrels for six months. Unlike the last batch, this had no contact with the grape pomace, nor did it spend any time in an amphora. The riesling asserts itself on the nose with a bright melange of fruit leaping out of the glass - grapes, apricots, and pears dominate, while papaya and sweet lemon lurk - followed by oak, restrained vanilla, barnyard funk, and faint white pepper. Soft lactic adicity leads on the tongue, followed by vinous notes that transition into stonefruit with hints of pineapple and papaya poking through. Oak wafts around in the background along with vanilla and funk, giving way to an effervescent and lightly acidic finish of pears and vinous notes. While this edition lacks the minerality of the last release, it's no less enjoyable.
5) Analog: Red Cabernet Franc Edition
Style: Sour Red/Wine Hybrid Aged in Red Wine and Port Barrels
Score: 4.25
Notes: This version of analog is even more of a departure from prior editions, as it's a blend of 58% sour red ale and 42% Lo-Fi cabernet franc juice. It was aged on the grape skins for five days, co-fermented with house cultures, then racked to red wine and port barrels for six months. The smell on this was deftly balanced, with soft acidity, moderate funk, light vanilla, oak, barrel-derived port notes blending seamlessly with wine-derived plum, roasted pepper, and light tannins. If you're sensitive to acetic acid, have no fear - this isn't vinegar, it merely plays a supporting role in a rich and diverse tapestry of aromas. On the palate, acidity plays a slightly more prominent role, although it's still neither overly acetic nor harsh. The cab franc character shines through brilliantly as bright grapes, and plums mingle with a savory, peppery component. Oak and port notes assert themselves before a long finish of moderately acidic wine with touches of aged balsamic vinegar.
DannyFullpint
Well-Known Member
Foudre
MF
Ice
MF
Ice
hi im richie
Well-Known Member
Deeds & Exploits stock just dropped.
rcubed1
Well-Known Member
A reminder to form your own opinions on these beers!
Xul1
Well-Known Member
I don't know for sure, but I'd assume so.
Agreed. Deeds & Exploits, in particular, seems polarizing thus far based on feedback elsewhere.A reminder to form your own opinions on these beers!
Right? I loved it. Maybe not my favorite even in just the past few months, but certainly worthy (to me) of a multiple bottle purchase. There is something unique about the coffee beers MT has been putting out. It used to be my favorite adjunct but lately my tastes have shifted a little.
Also, the beers have been so stellar in the past 18+ months that when you start comparing them against themselves, something's gotta finish on the 'bottom'.
Xul1
Well-Known Member
September 2019 Preview Tasting
Assorted Notes:
1) It seems like using the patio for previews was pretty popular based on conversations after this evening's tasting. My only real issue was the smell of wort wafting around for the first part of the tasting. As much as I enjoy that aroma, it was a bit distracting while trying to pick apart the beers we were sampling. I suspect that was a bit of a freak thing since the wind usually blows in the opposite direction.
2) Derek commandeered the mic before we got started to reveal the dates for several upcoming events. All of these are in San Diego unless specifically noted:
10/30/19 - Pumpkin Carving/Halloween
11/03/19 - MT Dog Show
11/29/19 - Black House Black Friday (there's also likely to be a PDX version, but that's TBD)
12/15/19 - Christmas Party/Winter Market
12/26/19 - Hanukkah Party
02/01/20 - Carnival of Caffeination
04/25/20 - Festival of Funk
08/29/20 - Festival of Dankness SD
09/12/20 - Festival of Dankness PDX
3) We can expect a couple more single varietal ciders to come out this year, all aged in red wine barrels. They're also working on a more accessible cider that will start out as a draft beverage but could eventually be canned depending on customer response and resource availability.
4) Bubble Party Hard is coming soon on draft. Move over White Claw, Modern Times is comin' to getcha.
5) Someone asked if Modern Times has any plans to collaborate with Three Chiefs and Andrew implied that there's a distinct possibility for that in the next few months. If you're unfamiliar with Three Chiefs, think Horus but even smaller scale.
6) It sounds as though Tentbier 2019 is even better than the 2018 batch. I'm looking forward to verifying that next week, but in the meantime, get hype.
7) All three of this month's IPA releases sound great, but Andrew specifically mentioned Sky Party as one of his favorite hazy IPA releases to come out of Portland.
8) Nectarnomicon Raspberry Blast (made with raspberries, cranberries, and vanilla) will be coming soon. It sounds like it should be available on release day, but the logistics are still TBD.
9) This is the last online sale before Theory invites go out. As they've mentioned in the past, invites are based on spending (with October 2018 - December 2018 being added to this year's total), longevity as a member, event attendance, online forum participation, and general elegance. Off the record, I'd assume that showing up at Steven's apartment at 11pm on a Thursday night with steaks and pastry stouts will also boost your chances.
10) League members will be able to buy gift memberships for friends before League 2020 sales open to the public.
11) Rewards for 2018 tasting points will be announced at some point after this month's sale.
12) POS systems are tracking points at all locations. Points have not been retroactively uploaded to the new POS system but will be counted during the process of determining Theory invites.
13) If you haven't listened to Mgla's new album "Age of Excuse" yet, you should remedy that immediately. You might think you have no interest in nihilistic black metal, but I suspect you just haven't spent enough time with the genre. And yeah, this has nothing to do with Modern Times, but if I'm going to spend as much time as I do on these notes, I'm going to insert editorial comments from time to time.
Assorted Notes:
1) It seems like using the patio for previews was pretty popular based on conversations after this evening's tasting. My only real issue was the smell of wort wafting around for the first part of the tasting. As much as I enjoy that aroma, it was a bit distracting while trying to pick apart the beers we were sampling. I suspect that was a bit of a freak thing since the wind usually blows in the opposite direction.
2) Derek commandeered the mic before we got started to reveal the dates for several upcoming events. All of these are in San Diego unless specifically noted:
10/30/19 - Pumpkin Carving/Halloween
11/03/19 - MT Dog Show
11/29/19 - Black House Black Friday (there's also likely to be a PDX version, but that's TBD)
12/15/19 - Christmas Party/Winter Market
12/26/19 - Hanukkah Party
02/01/20 - Carnival of Caffeination
04/25/20 - Festival of Funk
08/29/20 - Festival of Dankness SD
09/12/20 - Festival of Dankness PDX
3) We can expect a couple more single varietal ciders to come out this year, all aged in red wine barrels. They're also working on a more accessible cider that will start out as a draft beverage but could eventually be canned depending on customer response and resource availability.
4) Bubble Party Hard is coming soon on draft. Move over White Claw, Modern Times is comin' to getcha.
5) Someone asked if Modern Times has any plans to collaborate with Three Chiefs and Andrew implied that there's a distinct possibility for that in the next few months. If you're unfamiliar with Three Chiefs, think Horus but even smaller scale.
6) It sounds as though Tentbier 2019 is even better than the 2018 batch. I'm looking forward to verifying that next week, but in the meantime, get hype.
7) All three of this month's IPA releases sound great, but Andrew specifically mentioned Sky Party as one of his favorite hazy IPA releases to come out of Portland.
8) Nectarnomicon Raspberry Blast (made with raspberries, cranberries, and vanilla) will be coming soon. It sounds like it should be available on release day, but the logistics are still TBD.
9) This is the last online sale before Theory invites go out. As they've mentioned in the past, invites are based on spending (with October 2018 - December 2018 being added to this year's total), longevity as a member, event attendance, online forum participation, and general elegance. Off the record, I'd assume that showing up at Steven's apartment at 11pm on a Thursday night with steaks and pastry stouts will also boost your chances.
10) League members will be able to buy gift memberships for friends before League 2020 sales open to the public.
11) Rewards for 2018 tasting points will be announced at some point after this month's sale.
12) POS systems are tracking points at all locations. Points have not been retroactively uploaded to the new POS system but will be counted during the process of determining Theory invites.
13) If you haven't listened to Mgla's new album "Age of Excuse" yet, you should remedy that immediately. You might think you have no interest in nihilistic black metal, but I suspect you just haven't spent enough time with the genre. And yeah, this has nothing to do with Modern Times, but if I'm going to spend as much time as I do on these notes, I'm going to insert editorial comments from time to time.
Last edited:
Xul1
Well-Known Member
Had to split the post in two as it exceeded the character limit for one post...
The Fermented Barley Juices (credit to Andrew for this fantastic new synonym for "beer"):
1) Radix: Single Varietal Wickson Cider - Batch 2
Style: Apple Cider
Score: 4
Notes: As with the original batch, this is made from 100% Wickson apple juice. However, this new iteration is a blend of cider aged in red wine barrels and cider aged in amphorae, with each type of vessel contributing roughly half of the final product. The aroma opens with big, bright apple juice followed by assertive barnyard funk - horse blanket, hay, and a chicken **** note that's a bit distracting compared to more pleasant forms of funk. Vanilla and oak are present but restrained, while minerality and faint winter spices waft around in the shadows. The palate opens with light acidity before apple juice takes over with tropical fruits mingling - think pineapple and touches of papaya. Moderate funk and minerality follow along with supporting oak notes, leading to a funky, juice-laden finish. An effervescent body that's suited ideally to the style. I didn't enjoy this quite as much as batch one, but anyone who enjoyed it should still be a fan of this.
2) Mega Devil's Teeth Aged in Bourbon Barrels w/ Pistachio & Coconut
Style: Bourbon BA Stout w/ Pistachio & Coconut
Score: 4.75 (4.65ish)
Notes: The base is a blend of Mega Devil's Teeth batches aged from eight to twelve months in bourbon barrels. On the adjunct front, they used roasted pistachios, along with a blend of both toasted and untoasted coconut - leaning towards the toasted end - that totaled such a massive amount that they had to add it to both their external recirculation vessel to fit all of it. That decision shows itself immediately, as rich, toasted coconut leaps out of the glass and dominates the first few whiffs of the glass. Lightly-roasted pistachio follows - a note which increases steadily as the beer warms - along with light touches of vanilla, bourbon, semisweet chocolate, and hints of marshmallow. As the various aromas weave together, it almost takes on a bourbon-tinged Almond Joy character. Certainly not a bad thing. Pistachio is more evident on the tongue as it hits first with hues of fat and rich, slightly sweet nuttiness, joined quickly by a huge wave of coconut. Bourbon and light oak pop hard on the mid-palate along with dark chocolate and subtle vanilla, melding into a coconut-driven finish with heavy doses of chocolate and barrel. The body is slightly heftier than regular Devil's Teeth but doesn't tread into the full-blown thickness of beers like Dragon Mask and Beastmaster. It's always a bit difficult to remember a two-year-old beer clearly, but I recall the original batch having a better balance between coconut and pistachio. As much as I enjoy what Modern Times does with coconut, I would've preferred this showcase pistachio just a bit more. That's definitely nitpicking though, and the way certain nut-driven beers have been received, I can understand a cautious touch.
3) Chaos Grid: Breakfast Lord
Style: Bourbon BA Pastry Stout w/ Coffee, Vanilla, Bourbon Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup, & Candy Cap Mushrooms
Score: 4.5
Notes: The base blend is comprised of one bourbon barrel of Dragon Mask aged for 20 months, one bourbon barrel of Oblivion Ring aged for nineteen months, three bourbon barrels of Suggestion of Mass aged for eleven months, two Kentucky whiskey barrels of Dragon Mask aged for twelve months, one bourbon barrel of Beastmaster aged for ten months, and one bourbon barrel of Monsters' Park aged for ten months. And a partridge in a pear tree. The complexity of the adjunct mix isn't far behind, as they added Madagascan vanilla, Mexican vanilla, Idea Machine coffee, bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup, and candy cap mushrooms. For those who haven't been exposed to candy caps yet, they smell and taste absurdly similar to maple syrup. Set aside your preconceived notions of what mushrooms would add toa beer, believe me. The nose opens with roasty, slightly acrid coffee, but maple syrup comes in quickly to smooth out the rough edges and provide a balancing sweetness. There's a faint mushroom-derived earthiness that dovetails nicely with the coffee, both as a complementary aroma and in preventing the maple syrup from running roughshod. A hefty dose of dry cocoa works its way to the forefront eventually, along with supporting vanilla, restrained bourbon notes, and touches of marshmallow. The flavor proves to be a bit more refined, as vanilla, maple, and sweet dark chocolate hit first. Smooth coffee - far more pleasant than on the nose - joins the fray, along with vanilla and a richer barrel character than the nose indicates. The constituent elements meld into a sort of boozy maple mocha finish that coats the palate on the way down. The body doesn't quite reach the viscosity of Dragon Mask or Beastmaster, but it's certainly not thin. I suspect that the coffee will recede a bit within a couple of months and leave the beer feeling more refined than it does now, but even in its current form, it's delicious.
4) Doom Hawk
Style: Pastry Stout w/ Vanilla & Coconut
Score: 4.5
Notes: Brewed in collaboration with Horus Aged Ales, Doom Hawk features a fairly absurd amount of specialty malts including Double-Roasted Crystal, Pale Chocolate, Golden Naked Oats, and many others. The boil ran for roughly twelve hours and, after fermentation, finished at approximately 19* Plato. For those of you who aren't familiar with the brewing process, your average IPA doesn't even have a _starting_ gravity that high, let alone finish with that much residual sugar. The finished product features five varieties of vanilla - Mexican, Madagascan, Ugandan, Tahitian, and Indonesian - along with 500 pounds of toasted coconut. Sweet vanilla leads the way on the aroma with touches of marshmallow, but the complex malt bill asserts itself quickly with notes of sweet dark chocolate, lightly-burnt caramel, toffee, and cake batter. Coconut wafts around and breaks through periodically, but mostly remains a supporting element. The palate opens with massive vanilla, but semisweet chocolate, deep caramel, and coconut quickly join the fray. Marshmallow, brownie batter, fudge, and dense macaroons all come to mind as various flavors dance across the palate, leaving a long, sweet finish. This is likely the thickest stout that Modern Times has produced - certifiably thicc - and hits every note I want from a non-BA pastry stout. I have a feeling it will be a bit divisive - overly-sweet sugar sludge for some, just right for others - but it clearly hits their intended goal. This is the sort of **** Wilford Brimley dreams about.
5) Singular Rhythms
Style: Foeder-Aged Saison w/ Boysenberries & Blackcurrants
Score: 4.25
Notes: This is the first bottled beer to come out of their foeders, and if it's an indication of where that program is headed, I'm quite pleased. Funk leads the way on the nose, bringing together both barnyardy and earthy elements - horse blanket, hay, and damp forest floor - along with juicy berries, restrained dark fruits redolent of currants and grapes, light acidity, touches of floral tea, toasted rustic bread, and a firm but restrained oak note. Fruit plays a more prominent role on the palate as bright boysenberries hit first, complemented by currants and an almost dried Black Mission Fig flavor. A mild dose of lactic acidity lays the groundwork for funk to dominate the mid-palate along with backing oak and grassy/floral notes. Fruit returns for a long, lightly-acidic finish backed by oak. Lively on the tongue with effervescent carbonation, it's a crushable 5.5% but interesting enough to want to sip and pick apart. I'm really loving the restrained acidity in this, and I hope the foeder's culture continues to evolve in a funk-dominated direction.
The Fermented Barley Juices (credit to Andrew for this fantastic new synonym for "beer"):
1) Radix: Single Varietal Wickson Cider - Batch 2
Style: Apple Cider
Score: 4
Notes: As with the original batch, this is made from 100% Wickson apple juice. However, this new iteration is a blend of cider aged in red wine barrels and cider aged in amphorae, with each type of vessel contributing roughly half of the final product. The aroma opens with big, bright apple juice followed by assertive barnyard funk - horse blanket, hay, and a chicken **** note that's a bit distracting compared to more pleasant forms of funk. Vanilla and oak are present but restrained, while minerality and faint winter spices waft around in the shadows. The palate opens with light acidity before apple juice takes over with tropical fruits mingling - think pineapple and touches of papaya. Moderate funk and minerality follow along with supporting oak notes, leading to a funky, juice-laden finish. An effervescent body that's suited ideally to the style. I didn't enjoy this quite as much as batch one, but anyone who enjoyed it should still be a fan of this.
2) Mega Devil's Teeth Aged in Bourbon Barrels w/ Pistachio & Coconut
Style: Bourbon BA Stout w/ Pistachio & Coconut
Score: 4.75 (4.65ish)
Notes: The base is a blend of Mega Devil's Teeth batches aged from eight to twelve months in bourbon barrels. On the adjunct front, they used roasted pistachios, along with a blend of both toasted and untoasted coconut - leaning towards the toasted end - that totaled such a massive amount that they had to add it to both their external recirculation vessel to fit all of it. That decision shows itself immediately, as rich, toasted coconut leaps out of the glass and dominates the first few whiffs of the glass. Lightly-roasted pistachio follows - a note which increases steadily as the beer warms - along with light touches of vanilla, bourbon, semisweet chocolate, and hints of marshmallow. As the various aromas weave together, it almost takes on a bourbon-tinged Almond Joy character. Certainly not a bad thing. Pistachio is more evident on the tongue as it hits first with hues of fat and rich, slightly sweet nuttiness, joined quickly by a huge wave of coconut. Bourbon and light oak pop hard on the mid-palate along with dark chocolate and subtle vanilla, melding into a coconut-driven finish with heavy doses of chocolate and barrel. The body is slightly heftier than regular Devil's Teeth but doesn't tread into the full-blown thickness of beers like Dragon Mask and Beastmaster. It's always a bit difficult to remember a two-year-old beer clearly, but I recall the original batch having a better balance between coconut and pistachio. As much as I enjoy what Modern Times does with coconut, I would've preferred this showcase pistachio just a bit more. That's definitely nitpicking though, and the way certain nut-driven beers have been received, I can understand a cautious touch.
3) Chaos Grid: Breakfast Lord
Style: Bourbon BA Pastry Stout w/ Coffee, Vanilla, Bourbon Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup, & Candy Cap Mushrooms
Score: 4.5
Notes: The base blend is comprised of one bourbon barrel of Dragon Mask aged for 20 months, one bourbon barrel of Oblivion Ring aged for nineteen months, three bourbon barrels of Suggestion of Mass aged for eleven months, two Kentucky whiskey barrels of Dragon Mask aged for twelve months, one bourbon barrel of Beastmaster aged for ten months, and one bourbon barrel of Monsters' Park aged for ten months. And a partridge in a pear tree. The complexity of the adjunct mix isn't far behind, as they added Madagascan vanilla, Mexican vanilla, Idea Machine coffee, bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup, and candy cap mushrooms. For those who haven't been exposed to candy caps yet, they smell and taste absurdly similar to maple syrup. Set aside your preconceived notions of what mushrooms would add toa beer, believe me. The nose opens with roasty, slightly acrid coffee, but maple syrup comes in quickly to smooth out the rough edges and provide a balancing sweetness. There's a faint mushroom-derived earthiness that dovetails nicely with the coffee, both as a complementary aroma and in preventing the maple syrup from running roughshod. A hefty dose of dry cocoa works its way to the forefront eventually, along with supporting vanilla, restrained bourbon notes, and touches of marshmallow. The flavor proves to be a bit more refined, as vanilla, maple, and sweet dark chocolate hit first. Smooth coffee - far more pleasant than on the nose - joins the fray, along with vanilla and a richer barrel character than the nose indicates. The constituent elements meld into a sort of boozy maple mocha finish that coats the palate on the way down. The body doesn't quite reach the viscosity of Dragon Mask or Beastmaster, but it's certainly not thin. I suspect that the coffee will recede a bit within a couple of months and leave the beer feeling more refined than it does now, but even in its current form, it's delicious.
4) Doom Hawk
Style: Pastry Stout w/ Vanilla & Coconut
Score: 4.5
Notes: Brewed in collaboration with Horus Aged Ales, Doom Hawk features a fairly absurd amount of specialty malts including Double-Roasted Crystal, Pale Chocolate, Golden Naked Oats, and many others. The boil ran for roughly twelve hours and, after fermentation, finished at approximately 19* Plato. For those of you who aren't familiar with the brewing process, your average IPA doesn't even have a _starting_ gravity that high, let alone finish with that much residual sugar. The finished product features five varieties of vanilla - Mexican, Madagascan, Ugandan, Tahitian, and Indonesian - along with 500 pounds of toasted coconut. Sweet vanilla leads the way on the aroma with touches of marshmallow, but the complex malt bill asserts itself quickly with notes of sweet dark chocolate, lightly-burnt caramel, toffee, and cake batter. Coconut wafts around and breaks through periodically, but mostly remains a supporting element. The palate opens with massive vanilla, but semisweet chocolate, deep caramel, and coconut quickly join the fray. Marshmallow, brownie batter, fudge, and dense macaroons all come to mind as various flavors dance across the palate, leaving a long, sweet finish. This is likely the thickest stout that Modern Times has produced - certifiably thicc - and hits every note I want from a non-BA pastry stout. I have a feeling it will be a bit divisive - overly-sweet sugar sludge for some, just right for others - but it clearly hits their intended goal. This is the sort of **** Wilford Brimley dreams about.
5) Singular Rhythms
Style: Foeder-Aged Saison w/ Boysenberries & Blackcurrants
Score: 4.25
Notes: This is the first bottled beer to come out of their foeders, and if it's an indication of where that program is headed, I'm quite pleased. Funk leads the way on the nose, bringing together both barnyardy and earthy elements - horse blanket, hay, and damp forest floor - along with juicy berries, restrained dark fruits redolent of currants and grapes, light acidity, touches of floral tea, toasted rustic bread, and a firm but restrained oak note. Fruit plays a more prominent role on the palate as bright boysenberries hit first, complemented by currants and an almost dried Black Mission Fig flavor. A mild dose of lactic acidity lays the groundwork for funk to dominate the mid-palate along with backing oak and grassy/floral notes. Fruit returns for a long, lightly-acidic finish backed by oak. Lively on the tongue with effervescent carbonation, it's a crushable 5.5% but interesting enough to want to sip and pick apart. I'm really loving the restrained acidity in this, and I hope the foeder's culture continues to evolve in a funk-dominated direction.
Tyrsis
Well-Known Member
DT and Chaos Grid were the tits.
Doom Hawk is yet another terrible Horus collab. Tasted like (and had the body of) sunscreen.
Doom Hawk is yet another terrible Horus collab. Tasted like (and had the body of) sunscreen.
