Max's 2016 EBF Sleepers

Well, it's rapidly approaching that time of year again, and with the beer list starting to get populated by the day, I figured I'd do a quick list of my top 5 sleepers (in no particular order) based on the current list for this year's EBF.

1) Grimm Artisan Ales - Lambo Door, Double IPA, 8% ABV

2) Carton - Cafe y Churro, Cream Ale, 12% ABV

3) Jack's Abby - BA Framminghammer - Italiano, Baltic Porter, 10% ABV

4) Kane, Mexican Brunch, American Porter, 9.2% ABV

5) Finback, Barrel Aged BQE, Imperial Stout, 10% ABV

EBF 2016

So now that it will be only three drinking at this years festival. What should we do about an eve of the festival bottle share? 

Max's EBF 2015 Winners and Losers

Figured I'd post my winners and losers of the day. Winners will be broken out by style as well as Best Brewery. Losers will be more simplified and will mostly be observations.

Winners

Best IPA - All Green Everything, Other Half

Best BA Russian Imperial Stout - Bo & Luke, Against the Grain

Best Sour - Experimentalis (with Peaches), OEC Brewing

Best Spice Beer - Gingerbread Stout, Hardywood

Best "Other" Beer - Gilded Lily, Carton Brewing

Best "Geek" Beer - CBS, Founders. Had to find a way to get this one in there,


Losers

Tree House - One beer that didn't even last until 3:15pm, yet they brought enough merch for people to buy once their beer ran out. LAME.

Dogfish Head Line - The damn thing didn't move because people were more interested in taking pictures with Sam. No scrapple beer for me. Waaaaaaa!

Sam Adams - No Utopias? Only Rebel Rouser and a host of their other offerings you can easily find in your local Stop & Shop. I wasn't expecting anything at all from them, but this was utter garbage.

OEC - How can they be a winner and a loser? Beer is the winner (which is really all that ultimately matters), but both of the guys had personalities that could probably be upstaged by mannequins.

Max's Updated Bottle Share List

So, got a nice package in the mail today from a very generous trader in Wisconsin and I'm updating my bottle list for Friday night.

I believe we might be a little short on hoppy stuff, so please see revised list below:

Trillium, Pot & Kettle, Oatmeal Porter, 7.5% ABV

New Glarus, Raspberry Tart, Fruit Beer, 4.0% ABV

Three Floyd's, Dreadnaught DIPA, 9.5% ABV

New Glarus, Scream DIPA (Thumbprint), 9.0% ABV

Prairie, Funky Gold Amarillo, Wild Ale, 7.5% ABV

Friday Bottle Share Question # 2 - Start Time?

Knowing the Buskers are a bit up in the air regarding arrival time, shall the remainder of us choose a start time and location for the bottle share?

Maybe 7:30pm?

Location?

I'll let you guys decide.

Crazy Idea? - Bruery Tasting at Row 34 in between Session's 2 & 3 (Saturday)

So, The Bruery is holding a tasting between Saturday's sessions at Row 34. It's located right next door to Trillium and a hop, skip and a jump from the Seaport.

Should we attempt to hit this up or is this a big mistake pre dinner at The Salty Pig?

https://www.facebook.com/Row34

http://row34.com/

They will be pouring:

Melange #9

Oude Tart with Cherries

Or

Chocolate Rain

Friday Bottle Share Question # 1 - Tasters?

I'm pretty sure everyone will agree that we should be civilized given the quality of beers we'll be sharing on Friday night.

So, with that said, shall we all just bring a few tasters so we don't have to slum it by drinking out of whatever cheap vessel the Renaissance Boston Waterfront provides in their rooms?

Hell, I'd even suggest we all bring some real glassware, but I get that not everyone would be interested in lugging their stuff with them to Boston.

Any and all comments/thoughts are appreciated.

What's the NERAX booth pouring this year?

Straight from Todd Alstrom. Absolutely cannot wait for the maple syrup Framinghammer!

• Aeronaut Brewing Co.: Bonsoir Quad with grape must aged on oak spirals, conditioned on aronia berries and primed with date syrup | 9.9%
• Clown Shoes: Mexican-style chocolate Stout with bourbon-infused chipotle and poblano peppers | 9%
• Ithaca Beer Co.: Flower Power IPA with fresh grapefruit, Citra and Apollo hops | 7.5%
• Jack's Abby Brewing: Framinghammer with maple syrup | 10%
• Night Shift Brewing: SoPool, a sour apricot Berliner blended with a whirlpool | 4%
• Rapscallion Brewery: The Story of the Ghost Pepper Lager | 5%

DEFCON 5 - TOPPLING GOLIATH DROPS OUT OF EBF AT LAST MINUTE!

You had to suspect something was awry when they kept on changing their pouring list.

What a damn shame. TG could literally do no wrong in the eyes of the beer geek culturati, so it will be interesting to see how this changes things for them.

My guess is not much to even make a dent, much like Crooked Stave's debacle last year, but it still sucks nonetheless.

The bright side is that the area where their booth was supposed to be will at least be clear of a 300 - 400 snaking line making it much easier to pass.

What time are you arriving in Boston?

As a follow up to Adam's comment on the bottle share post, it might be helpful for everyone to let the group know what time you expect to arrive in Boston on Friday, 3/20.

While I'm sure we'll keep the best for later on, it might be better to start the bottle share a bit earlier so everyone can get a good night's rest for Saturday. Adam & Christina will join in progress and I'm sure Randy & Jen will as well as they'll probably be working Session #1 on Friday night.

With that said, please see an arrivals list below. Just post your arrival time in the comments section and I will update the main post in real time.

Max & Christa - 2:00pm - 3:00pm.
Adam & Christina - 8:30pm (potentially earlier depending on traffic)
Jim & Katie - ?
Mike, Beth & Todd - 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Randy & Jen - ?

EBF 2015 Friday Night Bottle Share!

Since we discussed the details of the bottle share on email, I decided that it should be added to the blog because nothing is official until it's published on the blog.

So, with that said, here's the deets regarding the bottle share. Below you'll also find my list of what I'm bringing. Hoping everyone follows suit in the comments section.


What - 2015 Friday Night Bottle Share

Where - Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel
              606 Congress St., Boston, MA 02210
              Room - TBD, however, Adam has voted for Todd's room

When - Friday, March 20th - 9:30pm


Max's Bottle Share List

Trillium, Pot & Kettle, Oatmeal Porter, 7.5% ABV

Trillium, Day & Night, Blonde Barleywine with Barrington Coffee, 10%+ ABV

New Glarus, Raspberry Tart, Fruit Beer, 4.0% ABV

Prairie, Funky Gold Amarillo, American Wild Ale, 7.5& ABV

Brunch & Bloodies!

In an effort to bring some much needed estrogen to this blog, here is my first official blog post ever. And yes, Max had to help me figure out how to do this.

I'm planning a pre-EBF brunch for all who are interested. Max & I went to this amazing restaurant, The Met, in Back Bay. They have an awesome weekend brunch and a build-your-own bloody mary menu. I was thinking 10:30am would give us enough time to get back to the Seaport. I will make a reservation for us. Who's in?

http://www.metbackbay.com

Sleeper picks for EBF 2015?

So, I think the general consensus on BA after EBF last year was that Carton's Regular Coffee and Kane ANTEAD Vanilla were the two beers that really took a ton of people by surprise.

With that spirit in mind, what are the beers currently listed on the EBF lineup that you think will catch people by surprise?

Here are mine and I'm dubbing my list the "2015 EBF Jacob deGrom All-Stars."

Other Half Brewing - Green Diamonds
Other Half Brewing - All Green Everything
Carton Brewing - Gilded Lily
Finback Brewery - BQE (Barrel Aged)
Funky Buddha - Key Lime Berliner

Maybe it will be open in time for EBF?

I kid, I kid. But good for them. I'm beyond happy to see this. Their beer is sick and, when I went to the current brewery on Congress St. this past January, I met some really cool folks there who were willing to help a brother fill the trunk of a 2003 Toyota Corolla.

http://www.trilliumbrewing.com/wordpress_blog/2015/02/were-building-another-brewery/

Founders CBS, fuck yeah!

I realize the shine has come off this beer a bit in the last few months given the fact that this most recent batch was rather large, and a ton of states got sixtels of it and had release parties, but damn am I excited.

I'm thinking a KBS then CBS in consecutive trips through their line is in order.

Anyone else psyched? I know Christina is!

No Bukowski, No!

I'd like to dig up good old Charles B. and show him the menu for Bukowski's. Or better yet, I'd like to feed him a fifth of Scotch and walk him through the front door, let him see for himself. Would he call out each and every patron, remind them that they're phonies and frauds? Would he pick a fight with the maître d'? Would he belly up to the bar and beg for handouts of brown liquor and cheap beer? IS there any cheap beer? Would he have to bring his own 40 in a paper bag?

My vote is not for Bukowski's Tavern. I'd rather piss on it, for good old Hank.

Where we gonna eat?

If I remember correctly, I believe we all tried to coordinate a dinner on Saturday last year, or maybe it was Friday, who knows, but we all ended going our own separate intoxicated ways after the Sat session.

Would really love to get something done this year so we can all enjoy each others company while actually breaking bread. And by enjoying each others company, I mean listening to me wax poetic about a Japanese teenager dressed in a dinosaur costume playing movie theme songs on a Yamaha Electone, er, Electron.

With all that said, I've created another poll (polls rule!) with some of Boston's finest eating establishments that also have a killer beer menu and are near the Harbor area. The selections are also listed below complete with a description and website information.

One thing that I'll need everyone's opinion on. The clear winner in my opinion is Row 34, a large eatery with an AWESOME beer list located right on Congress St. next door to Trillium. Only issue is that due its close proximity to the Seaport, the place will be MOBBED by EBF attendees and is guaranteed to be a total shit show.

Bukowski Tavern (http://bukowskitavern.net/) - "We are here to drink beer...". If you're in the Back Bay and are serious about your imbibing, there is no better place than Bukowski Tavern. Grab a seat at the wooden bar, bellow for the beer book, and commiserate with the "laureate of American lowlife" relishing great beers. Americana at its best is served up here; Soup Bitches Daily Special, Bacon Blue Hot Dogs, and a Wasatch GhostRider White IPA are indicative of the somewhat tetchy, yet patriotic vibe. It's a hole in the wall venue (far from indiscreet with its bright red lipstick façade), but swaggers in having over 20 taps, rotating cask beers, 10 Bomber-sized offerings, and 20 plus bottles by local, regional, and global breweries.

Slate Bar & Grill (http://slatebarandgrill.co/) - A true neighborhood bar (despite its Financial District location) where as soon as you breach the doors, the hair comes unraveled and ties are quickly concealed in brief cases. Industry peeps have been known to ninja in and out pre-shift, post gig, and dare we say it – between shifts. Of course it's all for research and educational purposes (exaggerated wink), as they put back brews like 21st Amendment Brew Free! Or Die, and Tröegs LaGrave Triple Golden Ale.

Row 34 (http://row34.com/) - Boston’s only decreed "Working Man’s Oyster Bar", this new Fort Point gem is all business when it comes to what beers earn a spot on their stately chrome taps. They also boast about having the city’s only "Beer Director", Megan Parker-Gray, who burns through all of her hard-earned tips investing back into her trade and nurturing the beer-forward culture. "Seasonal" takes on a whole new meaning, as draft beers may be so limited in offering that their "season" may only be a day or two before they are tapped out. The list can change literally daily, as Megan hoards small batches, and collaborates with nano-breweries like Trillium Brewing Co. (who're doing business just a few doors down). Hello neighbor, can I trouble you for a barrel of Fort Point Pale Ale?

The Salty Pig (www.thesaltypig.com/) - Located on the line of famous Boston neighborhoods, Back Bay and South End, the Salty Pig is a neighborhood focused restaurant with an emphasis on charcuterie. Featuring a wide range of "Salty Pig Parts" in the form of house made meats and hand selected cheeses, The Salty Pig's menu is designed to be mixed and matched to create personalized charcuterie boards. Fresh, locally grown seasonal ingredients rotate frequently to make stone-grilled pizzas, hand made pastas and regional Italian entrees. The Salty Pig’s bar features value driven Old World wines, American craft beer and specialty cocktails.

Where we gonna eat?

Row 34

Slate Bar & Grill

The Salty Pig

Bukowski Tavern

Poll Maker

The Beer List

The Beer List

I felt we should have a post for the discussion of the various beers we will be excited to taste.  I also thought it might allow us to migrate from the email chain that has 2,856,623 email responses 

The Beer List

Blast from the Past - EBF 2004

I honestly cannot believe it's been 11 years since Adam, Randy, Chadwick, McCabe and I attended the first ever Extreme Beer Fest on January 17th, 2004.

While that trip produced some amazing jokes and memories that have stood the test of time (JIMMAYYYY!, McCabe sleeping at the bar, Chadwick's foot being "run over" by a cab, Randy hiding in the hotel room closet, the fire alarm at the Crowne Plaza breakfast buffet), what's even more amazing is just how far craft beer has come since that day 11 years ago.

While I couldn't find an exact beer list for the event, I was able to find a smattering of beers that were poured that day along with some photos. Some will make you cringe, most will make you yawn, but there are a few that will shock you.

 Enjoy!

BEERS POURED AT THE 1ST ANNUAL EXTREME BEER FEST, JANUARY 17TH 2004 - BOSTON, MA

Boston Beer Company - Utopias
Boston Beer Company - 3 Weiss Men
Boston Beer Company - Chocolate Bock
Berkshire Brewing - Holidale 2003
Ommegang - Three Philosophers
Cambridge Brewing - Belevolence
Cambridge Brewing - The Wind Cried Mari
Cambridge Brewing - Blunderbuss (2003)
Cisco Brewing - Baggywrinkle Barleywine
Coastal Extreme Brewing - Newport Storm
Dogfish Head - 120 Minute IPA
Dogfish Head - Olde School Barleywine
Magic Hat Brewing - Nailbitter
Rogue Ales - Old Crustacean
Brooklyn Brewery - Brooklyn Monster Ale
Deja Brew - Big Trouble
Weyerbacher Brewing - Quad
Weyerbacher Brewing - Blithering Idiot
Shelton Bros. Import - Cantillion Vigneronne
Shelton Bros. Import - Saison d'Epeautre
Watch City Brewing - Triple Brown
Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot (2002)
Rock Bottom Brewery - Cinco de Mayo
Rock Bottom Brewery - Framboise
Heavyweight Brewing - Old Salty Barleywine
The Tap - Honey Ginger Porter
The Tap - Apple Ale


 

 

Crowdsourcing EBF - Funky Buddha Style

I'm sure you guys have seen this already, but Ryan from FB created a thread on BA asking what beers he should bring to EBF. Acronyms, fuck yeah!

Figured it'd be interesting to see what our group would like them to bring, so please feel free to join in on the fun via the poll below.

If you choose not to participate, well, piss off then.

What beers do you want Funky Buddha to pour at EBF?

Maple Bacon Coffee Porter

Dredd Pirate Roberts

Key Lime Berliner

German Chocolate Cake

French Toast Double Brown

Bonita Applebum

No Crusts

Don't Tell Reece

Rice Crispy Treat Ale

Pina Colada

Poll Maker

The Countdown to EBF is on!

A website with a countdown to EBF you want? Well, a blog with a design circa 1997 with a countdown is what you get!

Below is a link to Levy's spreadsheet for the Friday night bottle share. Start updating for reals! Yep, looking at you Dudack.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rJSEzQa5l4ygeZS9IsI2KMu_V5Tb5iYrH15FRp9-l8U/edit#gid=0