I Miss the Old Kanye (Stillwater Brewing)

Brewery recalls are typically a huge pain in the ass. We have beer scattered all over the market, sometimes in places that have detailed procedures on how they like these things handled. This recall however was very classic. Take no shit gypsy breweries like Stillwater, Evil Twin, and Mikkeller have fun with pop culture in marketing their products. They produce a lot of things as one offs that are often times more comical for their own sake than brewing art or experimentation.

When Stillwater decided to challenge any of the Kanye's by brewing an imperial brett porter. The joke began with the concept supposed to have the 57 flavors and be the Dr Pepper of the craft beer world. The old Kanye was a man of many flavors but it seems recently he has been a man of the law filing cease and desist movements with said brewer. So when the memo hit my desk I had to go out and get one for myself, if for nothing else the label. Well I did and the beer sucked, but I got the label off. 

Yin & Yang (Evil Twin Brewing)

The Yin and Yang had been released earlier this year but I only saw it on draft. It is a reaction to dig through whatever evil twin cases I see in stores. Nick, the buyer at Arrowine had already out these beauties on the shelf. The 4 pack cost almost $16, so double that for the experience. I paid it forward to my beer partner in crime and gave him a pair, the other two I took to Lake Monticello to drink with a friend.

Bought these at Arrowine in Arlington Va. the beer manager was kind enough to do mixed 4pks. 

I highly advise against taking beer that cost this much to a destination that was sold as relaxing but became quite a bit of work. Although the sleepy gated community would have been the ideal place in the fall to sit and sip these two, I chose to work and sweat. This IPA pictured below was huge malt and high in ABV. We started with that in goblets, an homage to our beer beginnings. Instantly my pores exploded with piney and grape fruit residue. My teeth were instantly coated with sugary sweet yang.

The yin was as opposite as you could get, except for the high ABV. The stout was thick black, and not penetrated by light. I believe I poured that beer in the master bathroom as we assembled night stands and laid carpet. No picture was taken. We saved half of each to do the most cloying black and tan ever to exist. Every variation of this experience was phenomenal, and I will keep an eye out for these on draft. Stouts are something that evil twin has down. They also make even more Jesus, some variants of Jesus, and I heart you with all my stout. The session beer theory kicked my ass on this particular day. I am ready for cold weather and campfires.    

Even More Jesus (Evil Twin Brewing)

Like with wine, buying beer buy the label is normally a bad idea. I have been going back and forth about evil twin beers for quite some time. The price point is a little high for me, especially the bikini beer and hipster beers that I see in the market. I believe that the liquid is very good, but I am just not willing to pay 10-13 dollars for a 6 pack of a style designed to be pound able.  I had a friend on Untapped who had recently posted his Even More Jesus experience. I love stouts, and this was a beer that I was willing to spend a little more to get, even possibly have to trade for. I expected to have to trade for it, but then I found it at Dominion Wine and Beer in Falls Church, Va.

It was one of the more expensive weeks in beer in a long time.

Evil Twin is a brewery from Denmark that flies just below the radar. Most serious beer nerds have heard of them and maybe had some of their canned options, like bikini beer or hipster ale. The gypsy brewery has a completely different take on brewing recipes and normally abandons them after a production of beer. With one off beers, the success is either hit or miss. If you ask me the longer they try changing over and over, chances are pretty good the success rate will be high. Constant innovation causes brewer Jarnit-Bjergso to be inspired at the most random times in life. He once brewed another stout called soft dookie, the recipe idea came to him while changing diapers. I'm not sure I have the nose that can smell vanilla in do do. Eviltwin is what is known as a gypsy brewery, meaning they travel around and brew one off beers on other breweries equipment. Between 2006 and 2010 Mikkel Bjergso travels around the world brewing nearly 200 different one off beers.

It is a must to quickly photograph all cool purchases and send to friends.

As more and more people pursue their brewing dreams, innovation will continue with gypsy brewers who push the limits of brewing. It is a case of not feeling trapped by the business and getting tied down by a regular portfolio. These beers are usually sold before they are brewed, the owner and the shop I bought this from had committed to buying 6 months ago. He had forgotten he even ordered it, I asked him about it the week prior to it coming in. Check these guys and this movement out for yourself.  http://eviltwin.dk/