http://brewpublic.com/photos/album/72157609138950504/hair-of-the-dog.html = “shit-ton of pictures”

http://brewpublic.com/photos/photo/3032906880/hair-of-the-dog-nov-15-2008-001.html = “…bypass the album, start with this one…”

http://brewpublic.com/photos/photo/3032989214/hair-of-the-dog-nov-15-2008-100.html = “…once you reach 99 and it tells you it’s the last photo (*?*).”

http://brewpublic.com/photos/photo/3032186793/hair-of-the-dog-hair-of-the-dog-nov-15-2008-146.html = “This one brings back memories…”

http://brewpublic.com/photos/photo/3032304369/hair-of-the-dog-nov-15-2008-229.html = “I remember this quite well… ”

-anónimo

This one brings back memories… that Southern Tier Crème Brûlée Stout smelled like quite the confection, and if it tasted similarly I would’ve liked it, but it had an “off” flavor for which I didn’t particularly care. The Mikkeler/AleSmith/Stone collaboration on the left didn’t leave me with much of an impression positive or negative, but my palette may have been blown by then… I don’t think I got to try the Kentucky Breakfast – if I did it was kinda weak, but I might be confusing it with another bourbon stout… the Speedway Stout was good – great even (I think I got the last drop of that bottle) – but I’ve no idea how old… gah! I should’ve been taking notes like it was a fest.

I remember this quite well…

-anónimo

I didn’t get there ’till close to 9; I walked up to the HotD building looking for exactly that (having been to the previous HotD Earth Day dock sale and witnessed something similar – and significantly smaller), but all I saw at the time was the HotD crew serving breakfast and apple cider (the latter of which was quite tasty, the former I sadly wasn’t expecting and had just grabbed McD’s on the way) and a crowd of people (completely obscuring view of a table, BTW) hovering around the building next door at what appeared to be a “Hip Chicks Do Wine” tasting – as that was what the sign directly above the crowd read (or something to the effect). It wasn’t until the doors opened and the crowd returned to their spot(s) in line that I saw out on what I had been missing; I would’ve loved to have tried that blackberry lambic. Still, I got to taste far more than my share (I had the worst headache later that day)… standouts include:

* Firestone Walker XII – like a smoother Top Sail (which was also there, didn’t catch the year)… not even aged, just right off the shelf; now if I can find a shelf that has it, it will be mine.

* Home-brewed Wee Heavy – I didn’t catch the name of the guy who brewed it, but I did catch the malted peet moss (or peet moss malt?) and bourbon-soaked oak chips in his description. Man, that was awesome.

* Goose Island 2006 Bourbon County Stout – having tried the 2008 just a scant 3 days prior, I can safely say this one will stand the test of time… I probably couldn’t tell the difference in a blind taste test.

* Vichtenaar Flanders Red – I thought Duchesse De Bourgogne was something of an anomaly, but this proves otherwise… its sour smell beguiles from its sweet taste. Not one of my favorites (I prefer sour or sweet from start to finish – Rodenbach Grand Cru or Avery’s The Beast all the way; not as fond of the combination), but still an educational experience.

It was a great day – the sun was quite warm – and I got my half-case of Cherry Adam, of which I opened my first bottle last night… it was a bit lighter – or perhaps thinner – than I was expecting, but I imagine its body will build with time. The cherry and sherry were quite evident; not so much the bourbon, but it was definitely a smooth and effortlessly quaffed 10% from 54° to 68° (I probably took long enough for it to warm to room temperature). Definitely worth the trip; would do again.

-anónimo