Volume 18 Issue 9

South Street Charlottesville, Virginia

Imperial Satan’s Pony

This mont h we’re pleased to be able to already made quite a name for itself everyone’s jumped on the barrel-aging introduce many of our Rare Club within Virginia’s craft beer scene, including bandwagon. For over a year, Taylor was members to the folks at South Street bringing home eight Great American Beer the only person in the world producing Brewery in Charlottesville, Virginia. Festival medals since opening up in 2007. that stout, after he’d taken over South Street Brewery holds an extensive Many would (and do) take responsibilities at Goose Island during tradition as Charlottesville’s longest- the obvious route from there in terms of 2000 and 2001. That one-of-a-kind brewing running brewery and pub, and they had expansion: invest in a production facility, experience has certainly informed the new life breathed into the operation when focus on pumping out as much of their best- direction Blue Mountain has been taking the brewery was purchased in 2014 by Blue selling offerings as possible, and settle in with their Barrel House projects. Mountain Brewery. for the long haul. With Blue Mountain will the opening in 2011 of Blue Mountain Barrel House, overlooking likely be a more their second location, 4,000-foot mountains along the border familiar name, as Blue Mountain of the George Washington National we’ve featured any Barrel House, Master Forest, incorporates a wide range of number of their Brewer Taylor Smack lessons-learned over the years. The “rural delicious barrel- and fellow partners brewpub” model at Blue Mountains’ aged over the gave a pretty clear original location encouraged them to years, and two of the indication that they go off-grid with their water, drilling brewery’s founders— are decidedly not like a well to ensure more consistent and Mandi and Taylor most breweries. (Continued on reverse page) Smack—had worked for South Street Taylor’s brewing SPECIFICATIONS almost a decade experience extends earlier, with Taylor serving as brewer back long before Blue Mountain’s first Style Bourbon-Barrel-Aged from 2001 to 2007. The new owners are location opened 13 years ago. As an Imperial Red Ale committed to revitalizing this downtown enthusiast of world-class beer, you’ve Alcohol By Volume Charlottesville landmark—and their beer likely heard of Bourbon County Stout from 9% releases have just been getting better and Chicago’s Goose Island—one of the very Serving Temperature better. first bourbon-barrel-aged beers in the 48–55° F U.S. It’s still often considered one of the Suggested Glassware Tulip, Small Nonic, Snifter, or Goblet Blue Mountain Brewery in Virginia has best examples out there, even long after pristine supplies than they’d likely get was recently cancelled due to COVID-19 time spent in bourbon barrels. Moderate from conventional city water. Hundreds concerns, so we’re extra glad to be able carbonation is ideally tuned for this rich, of barrels currently occupy the Barrel to get this beer out into the wild through deeply malty offering, while hints of a House—like Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey, the Rare Beer Club. Pints for Prostates is a subtle, warming alcohol presence keep it Four Roses, and (Virginia to the core) Elijah grassroots campaign that raises awareness all feeling light. This is such a pleasure to Craig—allowing them to pursue a wide among men about prostate cancer drink, and as it warms we found more and variety of experimental beers and blending and the importance of early detection, more layers to dig into. Ripe red fruitiness, programs. and was founded by beer journalist lightly salted caramel, a hint of high-ABV Rick Lyke back in 2008. Learn more at Zinfandel… We unpacked enormous This month we’re pleased to offer RBC pintsforprostates.org. amounts of core maltiness overall, with members our favorite release we’ve tried pinpoint texture and effortless drinkability. from South Street Brewery so far: their South Street’s Imperial Satan’s Pony is Its bourbon-barrel impact never oversteps, bourbon-barrel-aged imperial red ale, a bourbon-barrel-aged imperial red ale offering spicy, Imperial Satan’s Pony. This is an amplified clocking in at 9% ABV. The original Satan’s version of one of Virginia’s longest-running Pony amber ale is one of Virginia’s longest- toasty, oaky primary notes that work beers, Satan’s Pony, with double the running beers, and its imperial counterpart hand in hand with the imperial red base. and hops, aged in freshly emptied bourbon uses twice the malt bill and twice the hops, We found this to be a hugely successful barrels for around two months. while aging the outcome for two months (and hugely drinkable) scaleup of a classic in freshly emptied bourbon barrels. Very Charlottesville staple. For the latest info regarding South Street’s much into barleywine-like territory, but draft lists, upcoming events, and operating especially smooth overall. Outside of the Aging & Pairing Notes: hours, head to southstreetbrewery.com. club, this beer sees distribution only in And for all the latest details about Blue Virginia. Imperial Satan’s Pony is suitably sized for Mountain Brewery and Blue Mountain some modest aging, though watch the Barrel House & Smokin’ Barrel Restaurant This barrel-aged imperial amber ale pours caramelized oxidative notes don’t get to (in Arrington, Virginia, about 45 minutes a deep ruby, reddish-brown color, like dark be too pronounced over time. In terms of southeast of South Street Brewery) visit maple syrup. Rather dark overall with an pairings: core notes of deep red fruit and them at bluemountainbarrel.com. amber glow, capped by a fine-bubbled, caramel have us looking to grilled pork light-tan foam that leaves a modest ring dishes or a rich pecan pie. Imperial Satan’s Pony of lacing. Generous aromatics of dried dark fruits (dates, raisins…) and caramels For our annual collaboration with the lead, though this stays fresh and vibrant Pints for Prostates organization, we’ve overall. Plenty of plush red fruits and worked with the folks over at South Street cola character, plus hints of maple syrup Brewery to pick out a very special beer and an enjoyable, satisfying bourbon for this Rare Beer Club feature. $1 per presence that never overwhelms the base bottle sold of Imperial Satan’s Pony will beer. Burnt sugars, spicy , and some go to Pints for Prostates on behalf of Rare modest char from the barrel. Beer Club and South Street. This limited- release beer was scheduled to be poured This is an exceptionally smooth 9% beer, at the Pints for Prostates’ annual Rare Beer emphasizing a robust, toasty amber core Tasting in Denver this September, which and the streamlined, focused impact of its

MonthlyClubs.com® 800-625-8238 Volume 18 Issue 9

Birrificio Torrechiara Torrechiara, Parma, Italy

Panil Barriquée (2016 vintage)

By now, you’ve probably heard all about options from Italy in the States. wood, employing cognac barrels. According the growth in craft beers in Italy. Years of to Renzo, he is the first Italian brewer in headline-grabbing news from a country so Nowadays there are more high-quality modern times to use barrel fermentation; well known for its wines made this seem Italian beers making it to fine beer it’s an important move that brings “new like a surprising story. Maybe it’s simply establishments in the U.S., and using our tastes, or rather, the recovery of ancient the novelty of Italian beer, something beer-combing skills, we’ve lined up one of tastes, [the] woody, winey [notes], are that seemed oxymoronic (so far as U.S. the most unique for you, from a brewery absolutely to be recovered,” according awareness went) up until perhaps a decade that embodies the Italian beer renaissance to Renzo. The result is an interpretation ago, especially in the context of a craft wholeheartedly. Birrificio Torrechiara (aka of Flemish red ale brewed in the style of beer selection. We think the best part of Panil Birra Artigianale), located just south of Rodenbach that has earned critical acclaim the story is the fact that it demonstrates Parma in Northern Italy, demonstrates the as a truly remarkable beer; it does not quite clearly that craft brewing is alive and change in attitude toward beer in Italy very employ added sugars to make the beer more well—enough so that wine nations like clearly. Since the 1930s, four generations of palatable for the masses in the U.S. market, Italy and France have all been experiencing the Losi family have produced Lambrusco- staying appropriately dry and keeping a beer brewing renaissance and creating style wine at their family-owned winery. things au naturel, avoiding pasteurization world-class beers. For years, if you were In 2001, Lorenzo (Renzo) Losi persuaded which would kill the living, wild yeast in the looking for an Italian beer in the U.S., his father to let him put his homebrewing bottle. Certainly one of the most intriguing you’d be limited to a somewhat bland talents to work, producing some game- takes on Flemish red ale we’ve crossed set of a few pale lagers from a handful of changing beers under the name Panil. Today, paths with. Redefining the style? Perhaps. Italian breweries. In recent years, selection Renzo produces more beer under the Panil Redefining Italian beer? Definitely. has improved dramatically, and brewery label than wine. His philosophy is to produce numbers have exploded into the hundreds, beer naturally, absent any sort of chemical This month we’ve managed to secure a though access has not. Until very recently, preservatives, pasteurization or filtration, special allotment of the brewery’s 2016 it was quite challenging to get many beer permitting in his beer the most authentic, vintage of Panil Barriquée, and we think this natural flavors and preventing (Continued on reverse page) the “industrialization” that has struck even traditional SPECIFICATIONS producers who send their libations to the U.S. market. Style In short order, Renzo moved Oak-Aged Sour Red Ale from only stainless steel Alcohol By Volume fermentation to the barrel. 8% Serving Temperature Panil Barriquée (from the 45–52° F French word for ‘barrel’) was Suggested Glassware his first to be fermented in Tulip, Snifter, Chalice, or Cab Sauv Glass well-cellared bottling is the best example used Cognac barrels from Bordeaux, and, of and tannic, oaky complexity. we’ve had of this classic Italian beer. The finally, in the very bottle you now have. Worth noticing are the subtypes of tannins and acidic impacts of the fresh It pours a dark, mostly clear amber with sourness from the acids—both lactic (sour) version have developed into something garnet hues when held to light. A medium and acetic (vinegary) notes here. Look for that’s tasting just incredible at this point in beige head begins thick and fades to an a ghostlike impression of stiff liquor along its life. Birrificio Torrechiara releases about everlasting perimeter. Expect a vibrant, with mild vanilla notes and dry, woody oak seven different beers overall, with their vinegar-like and lemony acidity to strike character. Each batch of Panil Barriquée oaked and wild-fermented releases being the nose; one gets immediate refreshing is unique, thanks to the wild yeast and the most popular broad. For the latest info on tartness. Deep plum and unripe peaches bacteria and the barrel aging—but the the brewery, you can check their Facebook play a key role, as do SweeTarts candy, faint quality is extremely consistent. We’ve page at facebook.com/patlosipanilsoul/ impressions of oak and smoke, and subtle sampled many vintages over the years, and or their website (with English option) at spiciness. this 2016 is truly exceptional. www.panilbeer.it. In the flavor, that firm tartness comes Pairing & Aging Notes: Panil Barriquée through on the palate, lean and focused, a (2016 vintage) nice wake-up call to the taste buds. This feels While drinking in its prime now, Panil leaner, more focused, and more acidic than Barriquée will remain refined with a bit of We’re pretty pumped to be able to offer fresh bottles we’ve popped recently. There additional aging, with its acidity mellowing up this classic Italian sour ale to our Rare are biscuity notes in that malt framework, a bit over time. This is a perfectly aged, Beer Club members—and especially at with fruity, vinous qualities (think Chianti), unpasteurized, raw, truly important such a comparatively low price point. Panil black raspberries, suggestions of clove, and conservatorium of wild fermentation and Barriquée is one of the truly impeccable some spicy plum notes. It’s not surprising traditions. Try pairing with other local old-school sour imports, and it often retails that this beer is remarkably wine-like, given specialties, like sliced Parmesan cheese for around $25 or more per bottle. Only a its Italian home. A wonderful complexity or prosciutto, or a heavier garden salad couple hundred cases of Panil Barriquée comes from the cognac-barrel aging, and dressed with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar. have usually been making it stateside each this imparts, as one might imagine, very year, and this lingering allocation of their subtle notes of cognac. As it warms, distinct 2016 vintage has been aged to perfection. notes of kaffir limes emerge, supplemented by flashes of sour cherry and berries. Giving Panil Barriquée is fermented three times: a good swirl conjures up notes of bitter once in stainless steel, then for 3 months in oranges. It finishes with a wine-like flourish

Beyond the Bottle: Acquired Tastes By Ken Weaver

One of the most interesting parts of exploring beer is starting was a $26 bottle of beer. to enjoy things that you didn’t like before. Our friends recently popped some bottles of to share at their house, and my It’s harder for me to get to that same degree of unfamiliar flavor wife Ali couldn’t help but recounting the time that I’d tried my turf now, fifteen years on, a lot of it spent as a professional beer first . We’d been living in DC, it was around 2005—and writer and reviewer. But it’s still fun to try and find that unexplored I was on a mission to try said “sour beer.” Such beers were a lot terrain… I recently picked up a Kölsch-style ale with Ceylon more scarce back then, and after assembling a target list of four cinnamon and, uh, guava (from our local go-to HenHouse Brewing), or five of the well-rated sour examples over on RateBeer.com which turned out shockingly good despite the disparate parts. (where I’d been tasting through the various style categories), I And a friend shared an actually decent hard seltzer recently, from managed to find my first sour beer: a $26 bottle of Lou a local place called Ficks (made with real fruit juice). Who knew. Pepe Kriek. What about you? What new drinks are you exploring? Working on any acquired tastes? Hit us up on Twitter @RareBeerClub. I only recently learned Cantillon’s Lou Pepe lineup of extra- impactful took its name from a region of southwest Ken Weaver is a freelance illustrator and writer based in Petaluma, France, where grandfathers are called Lou Pepe. Needless to say, California. He makes a weekly webcomic about beer and survival at I was not ready for grandpa lambic. I slowly drank it all because it MassivePotions.com. | Insta, Twitter: @MassivePotions

MonthlyClubs.com® 800-625-8238