May 2019 Preview Tasting
Assorted Notes:
1) Jacob and Andrew were hosting tonight as Steven was in OC and Leanne was in LA. It seems like there were far fewer questions than usual - I'm a bit surprised people didn't take advantage of Jacob's presence to ask about upcoming projects, the WeFunder campaign, or any other number of topics. All the same, it's always great to see him rotating in for these tastings and hear his insight on the beers and assorted other thoughts.
2) The Festival of Funk is 05/25 and GA tickets are still on sale. Andrew revealed that the League kegs will be an ultra-fruited series of sours called Jam Sessions and the Theory beer will be a choco taco stout, which should be a damn good palate cleanser. There will also be some special slushies, which should be lovely with an outdoor venue and potentially warm weather. They also talked about the DJ a bit, but considering he or she likely won't be spinning any Swedish death metal, nor Polish black metal - or any other European metal of any nationality - I didn't pay close attention to that part.
3) The sixth-anniversary party will be on July 6th. Perfect timing to either be fully recovered from 4th of July festivities or really hitting your stride on a nice little bender. Some of us are elegant, some of us are partygoers - I'm not going to judge.
4) Tiger Millionaire was just packaged and sounds nuts, considering it was dry hopped at a rate of 8 lbs per barrel. That's not including hot-side hops, that's only dry hopping. I imagine the Modern Times accounting department goes home and cries themselves to sleep when they see the sort of stuff the Special Projects team comes up with.
5) In a similar vein, Gravity Hammer was fruited at a rate of 4 lbs per gallon. Not barrel, gallon. Far and away the most fruit they've used in a kettle sour, and quite frankly, absurd.
6) The May release also features an included bottle - Dragon Mask Aged in Rye Barrels w/ Vanilla. Andrew said that the barrels are Templeton Rye, and while he didn't give the exact amount of vanilla they used, he said it's one of the highest adjuncting rates they've done. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that should taste pretty good.
Tasting Notes:
1) Telesto
Style: Hazy IPA
Score: 4 (4.1ish)
Notes: This is the distro seasonal for May/June, not a part of the upcoming sale, but was included as part of tonight's preview tasting. As Jacob so eloquently said - if you're not drinking this, what are you even doing with your life? A bit of a digression here, but it's worth noting - Modern Times' distro haze is as good as it gets. Does it compare to DDH MT5? No, but it's also half the price and available everywhere. Dreamspeaker was a damn good option, and I think Telesto is even better. If there's a better value in the hazy IPA space that's as readily available, I'd love to hear about it. Anyway...the nose on this is an absolute fruit bomb, with papaya, pineapple, orange zest, sweet Clementines, light pine resin, and stone fruit esters wafting around in the background. The flavor largely follows, although there's an initial wave of dankness that quickly moves into bold orange zest, pineapple, mango, and a tropical finish. The mouthfeel is slightly soft, although drier than Dreamspeaker, and ultimately comes off as more drinkable thanks to the lack of sweetness.
2) Countermagic
Style: Hazy IPA
Score: Read the notes
Notes: Preface - I don't like Enigma hops. No beer featuring them has managed to change my opinion, hence not providing a score (unless you're friends with me on Untappd, in which case you can see for yourself). There's nothing structurally flawed with this beer, so if you don't have the same disdain for Enigma, you'll likely enjoy it. Both Countermagic batch one and Detect Evil are two of the least objectionable uses of Enigma I've had, so MT is doing more with it than almost anyone else. On to the beer itself - this batch was brewed in PDX and Andrew said they dialed back the amount of Enigma that was used compared to batch one, as well as tweaking the grain bill a bit. The aroma opens with touches of offputting dankness and earthiness, before moving into a big mango and guava character with sweet nectarine in the background. The palate opens with more of that earthy dankness than was present on the nose, giving way to tropical fruit, faint pine sap, and a light bitterness on the backend. The mouthfeel isn't dry but tends a bit more to the slicker end of things than pillowy softness. I'm curious to hear what others say about this one, and if there are positive reactions, you probably want to listen to them over my thoughts since I'm an admitted Enigma hater. Seriously, at the risk of sounding like a shill or apologist, let me repeat - I don't like Enigma hops. I'm glad my tasting notes tend to be helpful, but I was torn as to whether I should even review the beer. Hopefully, I've given enough disclaimers about my feelings on Enigma that others will chime in.
3) Monsters' Park Aged in Bourbon Barrels: Espresso Macaroon Edition
Style: BBA Imperial Stout w/ Coconut & Coffee
Score: 4.75
Notes: If you were at the Carnival of Caffeination, you almost certainly tasted the original version of this beer, and as such, are hyped for the scaled-up batch. In typical Modern Times fashion, they didn't screw around - 300 pounds of toasted coconut, and a blend of Guardian Spirit and Idea Machine coffees at a rate of 4 lbs per barrel, which is a metric **** ton of coffee. The first whiff erases any doubt as to whether it lives up to its name - rich, moist macaroon that has soaked in an espresso shot leaps out of the glass. Massive coconut and bold espresso with a moderate roast profile - devoid of the sourness that some third-wave roasters have - meld beautifully with dark chocolate, barrel-derived vanilla and marshmallow, and hints of bourbon. Freshly pulled espresso hits the tongue first, joined quickly by semisweet chocolate and a huge wave of coconut and supporting vanilla that envelop the palate. The body isn't particularly thick, but being a bit light on its feet works beautifully for a treatment inspired by a lighter dessert like a macaroon. Tip for those playing at home - let it warm up. If you're not sure you've let it warm enough before drinking it, give it five more minutes. It's good cold but truly sings once it warms.
4) Modem Tones Aged in Cognac Barrels w/ Figs, Cocoa, & Vanilla
Style: BA Imperial Stout w/ Figs, Cocoa, & Vanilla
Score: 4.5 (4.6ish)
Notes: After a nice, long rest in Cognac barrels, they hit this batch with dried California figs at a rate of 8.5 pounds per barrel, Peruvian cocoa nibs from local chocolatier Nibble, and a blend of Madagascan and Mexican vanilla. The nose features a huge blast of fig and Cognac upfront, mixing in a whirlwind of dark fruits, followed by massive vanilla and marshmallow, along with robust cocoa and touches of oak. As it warms, the marshmallow pops even harder and really provides a strong counterpoint to the barrel and figs, while cocoa works in a supporting role to balance the sweeter sides of the aroma. The flavor leans a bit more to a boozy, stewed fig than straight up cognac, along with rich semisweet chocolate and moderate but balanced vanilla, with far less of the marshmallow character than the nose indicates. I'm a big fan of the constituent elements here, but I think it can come together just a bit more than it already has. Where Modem Tones: Date Shake Edition was fully integrated into a Voltron of deliciousness that far exceeded the sum of its parts, this still has some discrete sections to it. Even in its current form, it's a killer beer, but I think just a bit more time will do it well.
5) New Atlantis w/ Blackcurrant
Style: Red Wine BA Sour Saison Blend w/ Blackcurrant
Score: 4.25 (4.35ish)
Notes: The first pilot edition of this went on draft over a year ago, and various versions have been featured in the tasting room off and on since then, but the batch that hit bottles is a real treat. Hints of funk waft out of the glass first, followed by rich vinous notes, blackberries, currants, moderate acidity, and backing oak with faint vanilla. A relatively soft wave of acidity rolls across the tongue followed by rich fruit - more currant than blackberry, but still featuring a robust red wine note - coupled with oaky structure and light funk. The restrained acidity is beautiful to see, as it really lets the fruit shine. I feel like my palate might have been a bit rough after two 14% ABV stouts, so I might even be underselling this one just a bit. I'm definitely looking forward to sitting down with a bottle and letting it open up over the course of an hour.
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