Ep 134 - Fall Beers, Found Flavor

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The fall beer slump finally met its match. After weeks of thin American Oktoberfests, we lined up a smarter tasting: Sam Adams’ Fall Legends variety pack, a side-by-side of 3 Sheeps’ classic vs. bourbon barrel-aged Oktoberfest, and two high-ABV curveballs from Spearfish Brewing in South Dakota. The result? Real flavor, clean contrasts, and two undeniable winners.

We kick off with Sam Adams Jack-O—a pumpkin beer with cinnamon and nutmeg that lands crisp instead of cloying—then measure their Oktoberfest against the field. The Munich dunkel (Flannel Fest) brings richer malt and roasted notes, while the new Harvest Helles keeps things bright with biscuit and floral hop aroma. From there, we hit the moment we’ve been waiting for: 3 Sheeps Roll Out the Barrel, a 12.5% barrel-aged Märzen that adds vanilla, oak, and caramel without losing balance. Smooth, layered, and shockingly drinkable, it’s proof that barrel-aging can turn a decent fall lager into a standout seasonal.

We round things out with Spearfish Brewing’s Adventure Pants double IPA (10.2% with tropical aromatics and a surprisingly gentle finish) and Big Bird Bones, a 16.5% imperial stout aged in malted whiskey barrels. That stout is all depth and restraint—roasty, bold, minimal carbonation, and no sugary burn—tailor-made for fans of serious barrel-aged beers.

If you’ve been disappointed by this year’s Oktoberfests, this tasting maps a better route through fall: pumpkin done right, dunkels with backbone, lagers that stay crisp, and barrel-aged beers that actually elevate the style. Give it a listen, grab the standouts, and tell us what you want us to open next. Subscribe, share with a beer-loving friend, and drop a review so we can keep the good stuff flowing.

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:24):
Welcome to the Northwoods Beer Guy Podcast.
Hey, ladies and gentlemen,welcome back to the Northwoods
Beer Guy Podcast.
This is Mike, the NorthwoodsBeard Guy, and once again I am
joined by Jim.
How are you doing, buddy?
Doing alright, man.
How about yourself?
I'm still trying to get overthat last episode.
It's just like got right mycraw.

(00:45):
Yeah.
How's your head doing, by theway?
Uh I'm still waiting for my headmassage from my beautiful bride.
Well, there you go.
I'm guessing you're gonna bewaiting for a while.
Oh, you're that's I'm justguessing.
Are you?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So yeah, we uh we've beenstriking out on American
Oktoberfest, dude.
It's just kind of been bad.

(01:07):
Disappointing, yeah to say theleast.
So this episode we're changingup a little bit.
All right.
Yep.
We do have what did we count?
Four?
Do we have four Oktoberfests?
Four-ish.
These are more kind of fall.
Yes.
Because we do have kind of amixture of these.
And then uh you said you have acouple of surprises.

(01:27):
Right.
My neighbor was way out west inSouth Dakota.
Okay, and he brought back acouple beers that he tried
something similar and he saidthey were good.
Okay.
But I think they have a shelflife because they're in a
crawler, so oh, sure.
They may not tie in with this,but I think it'll be a good
because I think this might be aspringboard for us into future
episodes.
Well, I guess.

(01:47):
I think maybe we can finish someof the Octoberfests.
Yeah, I think this, unless wecome across a crazy number of
Oktoberfests, this is probablygonna be the finale of the
Oktoberfests.
Yes.
Which this year I hate to sayit, but thank goodness.
Yes.
We haven't we I mean, I'dactually, I guess in my opinion,
the pumpkin beers actually weredone better than the October
Fest.
If you 100%, I think we had waybetter pumpkin beers this year.

(02:09):
Uh in the past, I think we hadbetter Oktoberfests.
Yep, but this year I think thepumpkin beers were were kind of
king a little bit.
So awesome.
Well, hey, we might as well uhwe'll break into the first one
here.
All right, and now you said youhad found a fall variety pack,
fall legends variety pack.
Yes, and this was from SamAdams.
Yes, so there were four inthere, yeah.

(02:31):
Four beers, so they're all likefall themed.
So this is gonna be interesting.
So the first one that we andagain we are going by ABV on
these, and I think what we'lldo, we're gonna do is we're
going to rate the fall beersagainst each other, then we'll
they'll break into the twospecial ones that you break.
Awesome.
Because they're there, that'snot gonna be a fair comparison,
right?
And and then we can make a cleancut for the Oktoberfest one.

(02:55):
There you go.
There you go.
And hopefully we find one thattastes good.
We're hoping.
So the first one that we havefrom Sam Adams is their Jack O.
And it's a pumpkin beer, so likeJack O'Lantern.
Oh.
4.4% ABV and eight.
Eight IBUs.
That's now that's almost likewhat's the difference between

(03:15):
zero and eight?
Well, eight.
Nothing in IBUs world, right?
Probably.
We've learned that sometimes ifit said 88, there's nothing.
And we've had ones that said 18,and you're like, whoa, that is
hoppy.
So I'm not expecting this to bebeing a pumpkin beer.
All right.
So the description on this oneis the Jack O cinnamon and
nutmeg aromas recall memories offreshly baked pumpkin pie.

(03:39):
It has the ideal balances ofseasonal spices with a crisp,
refreshing finish.
Put on your Halloween costume,crack one open, and treat
yourself before thetrick-or-treaters arrive.
All right.
Well, because we have had somepumpkin beer, so we might, I
think we can maybe have a goodcomparison to what we had to how
Sam Adams does it.
I think you're right.

(03:59):
So hopefully, knock on wood,this continues that really good
pumpkin flavor that we'venoticed on a bunch of the other
ones that we've had.
And let's hope they have someflavor.
Yeah, let's not follow theOktoberfest that we've had.
The American Oktoberfest ones.
I you can smell spice for sure,like a pumpkin spice.
Oh, yeah.
See again.
The Oktoberfest have had noaroma.

(04:20):
The pumpkin beers have all hadpretty good aroma.
This is got you can tell rightaway that there's it looks that
kind of that pumpkin y kind of acolor.
Right.
It's diff different color thanthe marzans.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
All right.
Wow.
That's good.
Wow.
That's really good.
That's really good.
That wow.
That has a really it's not likespot on pumpkin pie flavor, but
it's real close.
Yeah, I mean, very good balanceof cinnamon and nutmeg.

unknown (04:43):
Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 (04:44):
I mean, that is really Sam Adams.
You did a good one on here.
Again, this is this is good.
This is really good.
Boy, I tell you what,Oktoberfest, you gotta step
here, step up your game.
Yeah, this you're gonna belosing something in these
pumpkin beers.
I mean, Sam Adams has really gotit locked in here.
Yeah, this is this is good.
I like that.
I mean, Chris refreshing.
This is what you this is whatI'm looking for in a fall beer.

(05:06):
Yeah, and like I said, you know,it it it's not like exact
pumpkin spice, right?
But it's it's close.
And I think if you've never hadit, you should try it.
Yeah, and I mean it I think it'sgot a good balance.
Yep.
Oh, I agree.
Of all the the differentflavors, all really mixed good
together, the finish is smooth,and then four point four point
four.
You could drink a number ofthem, right?

(05:26):
And I don't think I'd get tiredof that flavor, honestly.
I could have a couple of me, youknow, maybe after right.
You drink so many, you might gettired of it, but that's good.
So, what are you thinking?
You why don't you go first?
I'm gonna go a 3.0.
Whoa, yeah, it's been a whilesince I've ever been there.
I've visited that realm.
You haven't seen that number ina while.

(05:47):
I think that's good.
I really like it.
I I think their flavor, it's notway too overpowering of a
pumpkin pie flavor, and it's notlike drowned out.
So I I really I enjoy it, Ithink it's really good.
And and then to echo right ineverything you said, I think it
falls right in with thosepumpkin beers that we've rated a
couple times.
It's really good.
It's in that it would be in thesame category.

(06:08):
Oh, yeah.
I think this would have fit inreally well with that with that
category.
So yeah, I'm gonna job that thatwas the same score.
I was I was gonna say 3.0, andit it fit right in, or it's not
we yeah, we've had some reallygood.
I was gonna say, you look backon that episode a couple weeks
ago, and it's just like, man,those are good.
You know, again, the the pumpkinveneration, we we did nominate

(06:29):
that for a beer of the yearclass, but uh, even the ones
that weren't barely, they'vebeen really good this year.
Yes, I give them credit.
That's really good.
Yeah, well, now we're gonna seenow the Sam Adams doing
Oktoberfest.
Yes, and this one is alsoorange, uh, just a little darker
colored orange than the pumpkin.

(06:50):
Oh, yep.
That one's almost like uh likean orange itself, like a
pumpkin, or yeah, that's more ofan actual fruit orange color.
The jack-o'-lantern was.
This one's a little bit darker.
Uh, this is their OktoberfestMars on 5.3% ABV and 16 IBUs.
Nice.
All right.
So they doubled the IBUs on thisbad boy.
We're way up there.

(07:10):
Way up there.
Let's see what it says in 1810.
I bet you can't guess wherewe're going.
Uh-oh.
Wasn't there a special isn'tthere a specification there?
Something going on, some littleparty or something.
All right.
Uh, 1810, Munich threw a partyso great that Oktoberfest became
an annual 16-day autumncelebration of beer.
This hearty and smooth Marzon isa prost to fall.

(07:33):
Its deep amber color make mild,pleasant sweetness, and light
hop character is a hearty butnot too heavy signal to make the
most of the crisper days ahead.
Like fall, it's here for alimited time.
Drink it in.
Oh, and while you're openingthat up, I didn't know if you oh
man.
You know, last week was so nice.

(07:54):
I didn't have those questions.
And did you see I I brought somequestions for you?
I thought that was just yourlist of the descriptions and
stuff.
Oh well, it is.
It doubles, but I had I had tomake sure I brought some stuff.
Oh, because I you let me off tooeasy.
Yes, because you were youactually touched on a couple of
these questions.
Wow.
So I want to make sure I let thelisteners know what we got going

(08:15):
on.
Well, this one is more of thatcolor of an Amar that we're used
to.
This is darker colored, and thethe head has got a little bit of
that tannish, a little bit of ayou know, off-white.
A little bit, still not a lot ofaroma.
No, hmm.
Not bad, not bad, but it's alittle got a little bit of a
what is that?
Catches you off guard a littlebit.

(08:36):
It's in a good way, but I can'tput my finger on exactly what it
is.
It's almost got a remember lastweek when I said something about
tartness, it's almost got atartness to it.
To me, anyway.
It's almost kind of like unlessmy taste buds are so shot from
the other ones that I mean whenyou say tart, you're just where
you're kind of like it's sobecause there is more flavor.
I like the flavors for sure.
Is it right where the Germanstyles are?

(08:58):
No, but this may be one of thebetter ones for the American
Marzans that we've had, maybe.
Yeah, I don't know.
I could be styled in there.
I had another drink, and it'syeah, I think you're right.
It's definitely better.
I think it's one of the betterones that we've had from the
American uh brewers for anOktoberfest so far.
Yes, that wasn't, you know,right up there, but yeah, it's

(09:20):
it's not bad.
Yeah, and I think just todovetail right in, I kind of
remember my scores of the pastcouple of episodes for the
American ones.
This is I'm gonna say a 2.5, andI know that the score says by
scoring is the middle of theroad, but caveat, comma, for
American Oktoberfest, this is atcloser to the top of the heap.
I was gonna say that makessense.

(09:41):
I hope that makes sense.
2.5 is probably one of thehigher scores you've given a
Oktoberfest so far, which iscrazy.
Um what are you thinking?
Yeah, I'm gonna do the samething, it's just it has flavor,
you know, is and like you said,I mean, you perfectly summed it
up.
Is it reminiscent of the German?
No, right, you know, it's stillmissing stuff, and it's you

(10:02):
know, but it's at least gotflavor, yes, you know.
So yeah, I agree with you.
Yeah, it's and I mean I thinkfor the listeners have not had a
pumpkin or an Oktoberfest beer,I'd recommend either one of
these two.
Sam Adams is doing a really goodjob with that.
If you can find this fallvariety pack, I'd get it.
And I mean it, I was not able tofind it locally.
We had to go to the next townover to find it, and I bought

(10:24):
two 12 packs of it.
Well, there you go.
Because I mean it wasn't like itwas I don't know why it's not
distributed as much.
I don't I don't know what therationale is there, but same.
I knew Sam Adams usually does apretty good job with their
beers, so I was taking a leap offaith trying to get two 12
packs.
Sure, yeah.
No, I can understand that.
So all right.
So are you ready?
Yeah, I'm ready.
So you you kind of alluded to1810, wedding, 16 days.

(10:46):
Any of those answers close.
Oh, okay, good.
So um, we're kind of going backto old Oktoberfest.
Okay, and did you know thatthere is another Oktoberfest
celebration that goes on at theexact same time as the big
Oktoberfest one?
Beer Fest.
What is the name of it?
Well, according to the movie,it's Beerfest.

(11:07):
I'm guessing that's not correct.
Um so it goes takes place inGermany as well?
Yep or wow.
Uh I see I you never hear aboutit.
No, because you see, you saw itin the movie, you thought that
was all fake.
Yeah, and it's actually reality.
Is it yeah?
That's that is it's anunderground thing, too.
No, it's oh no, I no, I not likethe movie, no.

(11:28):
Okay, wow.
I be airfest.
All right, I don't know.
Odenweisen really oldOktoberfest.
Really?
A separate festival that runs atthe same time, placing more
emphasis on the traditionalcharacter of the Oktoberfest
with brass music, historicalattractions.
So 2025 marks the 11th year.

(11:50):
Oh, so it's fairly new, right?
So And is that in Munich aswell?
It did not say um okay, but itdid say in 2023 there was
480,000 people attending, whichis huge, right?
That's a pretty good size, notsix million people or whatever
that was, or seven million,whatever it was.
It must be the lower key one,right?
So because you brought the beerfest, so I was like, how did you

(12:12):
like you tied right into thatvery first?
So I'll just give you a minusthousand for that.
That's all right.
I don't mind.
Um, but you were you werethinking, so it's probably more
of like a family-friendly one,so they only have like five beer
tents.
Oh, there you go.
Instead of like the 30 or 40,instead of whatever they are at
that.
I still can't believe that onetent has 11,000 people.
Yeah, that's crazy.

(12:33):
And it it took two weeks to putthat tent up.
Yeah, that is just unbelievable.
I still say that's one of thosethat's one of my bucket list
things.
Yes, we need to do this beforewe before we can't kick a
bucket, or before we kick abucket, I should say.
Before we get too old, yeah.
All right, so what do we gotnow?
So this one uh we're gonna goand visit three sheeps, which is
is in another Sheboygan, right?

(12:55):
They're another brewery that hasthe uh Urban Barrel Age-stuff
dial dialed right in, yeah.
And this is their OktoberfestMarzon, okay, 5.5% ABB.
All right, and again, this isnot barrel-aged, this is their
traditional Oktoberfest, andthey say that we have a deep
appreciation for the traditionalGerman beers that laid the

(13:18):
groundwork for what we brew anddrink today.
Our Oktoberfest is an ode tothat tradition.
It's a light-bodied andeasy-drinking lager with
pleasant caramel notes orcaramel, depending on where
you're at.
Yep, making it the perfect beerto ring in the changing of the
season.
Nice.
All right, well, that's good.

(13:38):
It's got a good write-up.
Yeah, and they're the the whiteand gold, or white and gold.
I'm sorry, the blue and whitediamonds.
Yep.
No, if they sent the musicplaying out of it, it'd be
perfect.
See, and it's the I think it'sthe durndal, whatever the dress
is called.
And she's got a beer pouringinto the mug and all that.

(13:59):
So it's I give them credit.
They uh of all these beer cans,none of them have that kind of
no, that's kind of crazy.
That gets a tenth of a point inmy book.
Yeah, but we're gonna followwhat Brian always said, give it
an extra nod for the forartistry.
Yeah, right.
Because at least this onethey're they're trying to try
on.
Yep.
Well, there's that's gold.
That is that's what I wouldimagine.

(14:19):
That looks more like the Marzonfrom Germany than yes, that is
what we've been waiting to see.
You can't I can't see my fingersthrough the oh that's there's a
little bit it's not it's gotmore aroma, I think, than a lot
of them.
It's a malty aroma.
Yep.
All right.
Oh bad.
Well, here goes nothing.
Is that malty at the beginning?
It looks malty, but it fadesright away.

(14:40):
Yeah, let's see.
It said that it was light-bodiedcheck, yep, easy drinking,
check, pleasant caramel notes.
Yeah, I'd say check.
This one, I think, when it's thechanging of the season, I think
if it was a little cooler out,which it started to cool down a
little bit, right?
You know, it's not as hot as itwas a week or so ago, but uh
yeah, I can see sitting outoutside, you know, having one of

(15:01):
these if it's cold.
Am I stepping out on a limb bysaying I think we had one, was
it the previous week that it wasa little bit bitter?
This one to me has a it's notbitter, but like a little on
that, it's on that trail ofbitterness.
I don't know what would be it'salmost like the malt is a little
bit too overdone, maybe I hateto say it, but it's almost got
slightly metallic taste to it.
So I was hoping this one wasgonna be a good one.

(15:22):
I know, I know.
Darn it.
And you get to be first.
Oh I'm glad you were you know,and that's the sad part because
we're part of the barrelsociety, and I can't wait until
we uh make a trip, get intothose and uh do like a half a
year worth of we're gonna haveto figure out how we break some

(15:43):
of that stuff up.
We might have to take somebodywith us to make that trip.
We're gonna have to get like aU-Haul trailer or one of those
big motorhomes, yeah.
Motor coach or something.
Yeah, you know, um this one,it's not bad.
I mean, you can drink it, but itit's I think it's a step down.
Just I'm gonna go 2.4.
Okay.
So one step below the Sam Adams.
And like I said, like you hadbrought up, and and I do think

(16:05):
it has almost a little bit of atinny or a metallic taste to it,
a little bit.
It's not like we've had somethat were bad, right?
But like with that, you coulddrink it, you know.
I don't know.
I it's just it falls in linewith some of the other ones.
So yeah, it's not, I guess itwould have been kind of spoiled
that Sam Adams really were good.
Oh, yeah.
I mean, the flavors are good.

(16:26):
This one was a just a little bitoff, so I I definitely have to.
I'm falling right with you saidthe 2.4.
It's good, it's not it's notbad, and my 2.4 score kind of
reflects that it is in thebetter of the American Marzons
that we've had, right?
Yep.
It's just still not not quitethere, though.
It's not I I agree with you100%.

(16:47):
Unfortunately, unfortunately, soit's like I said, it just 2025.
I hope 2026 that some of theseguys maybe switch back to what
they were doing before, yeah.
Because it's I don't know, itjust seems like I don't know,
it's something's something'soff, yes, you know, and uh well
speaking of off, all right.
I do have another question foryou.
All right, yeah, my answer willbe off for sure.
So, did you know that a veryprominent celebrity has been

(17:12):
banned from the GermanOktoberfest?
Really?
Okay, who is it?
Well, since we haven't beenthere, I know it's not us.
Yeah, it's not almost as almostas famous as us.
A prominent celebrity has beenbanned.
I'm hoping it said why.
Yes, it is, and I hope it's aninteresting thing, and it's not
this.
Um can I is is it a celebrityfrom the United States?

(17:33):
Yes, it is.
Yep.
Who would have got banned fromOktoberfest?
I I I would rather not throw outa name and all of a sudden have
his legal his or her legalcounsel uh reach out to me
because I thought maybe theywere the one.
So I'm just gonna let you giveme minus a thousand and and you
gotta tell me the story.
Oh, do I get I gotta tell youtoo, even though you did yeah,

(17:55):
all right.
So I knew you were thinking ofthis person, Paris Hilton.
Nope, I sure wasn't.
That wasn't who you had.
She got banned from Oktoberfest,permanently banned since 2006.
What did she 2006?
Woo, what'd she do?
She was promoting a canned winebrand at Oktoberfest while

(18:16):
wearing a particularlynon-traditional drendle, so I'm
guessing revealing.
So then the locals were sooffended by this disrespect of
their cultural dress that theycalled for her to be banned from
the festival and they succeeded.
So it was more to do with thedress, I'm guessing, than for
probably some cleavage, right?

(18:37):
I was gonna say probably verylow cut.
Why would you you're atOktoberfest, which everybody
knows is for beer, and you'repromoting a canned wine.
She could have been kicked outjust for that, but but it's a
good thing if we do go, we'llhave to see her then.
Yeah, exactly.
See, so we're we're good.
Yeah, that's the worst thing.
It all works.
We waited in time for that tohappen.

(18:59):
It all works out.
I had no idea.
That is crazy.
That is crazy.
Paris Hilton got banned fromOktoberfest.
Oh, there you go.
Gives us something to shoot for,I guess.
There you go.
All right, what do we got next?
All right.
Hey, the next beer we have isback to the Sam Adams fall
variety pack.
Okay, and this is their flannelfest.
Flannel.
And it's a Munich style dunkel.

(19:20):
Okay.
So it's gonna be a littledifferent.
Dunkle.
Yeah, a dunkel, you know, soit's gonna be a little darker, I
would think.
No, I mean, as far as comparedto a lot of the Oktoberfests,
it's gonna be a little ithopefully knock on wood should
be a little more flavorful, butyou never know.
Okay.
Uh, this is 5.8% and 20 IBUs.
And it says, as cozy as thefabric that inspired it, this

(19:43):
Munich Dunkel lager deliversrich multi-flavors with hints of
caramel and roasted nuts.
So crack a few while you rockthat autumn chick.
Chic.
No, chick.
Oh, chick.
We're saying chick.
Okay.
No, it's chic.
I thought uh you'd let me slidewith that.
Well, I was like, a chick.
And the can is very it's lookslike a flannel flannel.

(20:06):
Flannel shirt in the uh well,it's like the red and blue, so
it's kind of like that buffaloplaid, but it's usually red and
black, but right.
So yeah, let's check this out.
So this is I'm trying toremember if when we had the
German ones, if we had a dunkelor not, I don't think so.
I don't think we have.
Well, that's it's so color-wise.
I mean, it's it's not like astout color, but it's a it's a
darker Oktoberfest color.
Yeah, yeah, it's kind of likesome of the ones that yeah, I'd

(20:28):
say it's a little bit darkerthan what we normally consider
to be the Oktoberfest.
Right.
Little more just a touch, alittle more aroma, you know, not
a lot.
Definitely get like thatmaltiness.
That that's the aroma.
That's got more, definitely moreflavor.
Right.
I like that.
That is a darker malt.
Right.
So then did you say youconsidered this a an Oktoberfest

(20:50):
beer?
Well, they said flannelfest.
I would say or is it reallybecause it's not a Marzon,
right?
No, it's not a Marzon, it's nota Fest beer.
It's and and Dunkels.
I usually find I usually thinkof like Dunkel, Dunkelweisen,
Schwarzbeer.
You know, those are all kind ofin that realm.
Family beers.
Yeah, it's definitely a Germanstyle, but I don't think that
it's so wonder why they wrappedit in with their fall variety

(21:13):
pack.
I don't know.
That's a good question.
I don't know, but this I likeit.
It's not bad.
No, I I think it's got a goodflavor, it's a good variation,
and it's these all these threeare definitely different
flavors, they're not they're notthe same flavor.
Oh, 100%.
And like I said, this onedefinitely has that stronger,
it's not like a a roast, yeah.
Again, that burnt malt flavor.
It's not that, but this is veryreminiscent of other dunkels

(21:36):
that we've had.
I think it's good.
Yeah, Sam Man's did a good job.
Yeah, they're they're doingwell.
Score-wise on the dunkel.
I'm I'm actually gonna go I'mgonna say a 2.9 just because I
think that that pumpkin stilloutranks it for me because of
that the pumpkin pie kind ofreminiscent.
But this for a dunkel, if youhaven't had a dunkel, this is a

(21:57):
very good representation of adunkel.
Yeah, I was I like it.
I don't know if I was gonna gothat.
I was I was gonna say actually a2.8.
So it's the same, kind of thesame bulb, right?
But yeah, right in there.
Yeah, that's good.
Almost right in there with youranswers to the questions.
Nice, Paris Hilton.
Yeah, oh, that's your answer.
Yeah, all right.
So, did you know or could youtell me?

(22:18):
So, you know when uh the OctoberFest started, right?
What year was that?
1810.
1810.
And I did not know this, but atthe beginning, there was not
glass mugs to make steins.
Okay, I did not know that.
What year did the glass mugsstart?
I was gonna say they were madeout of wood, but that's not your
question.
Uh, what year did the glassstein start?

(22:38):
Yeah, see, I didn't even knowthat was a question.
I'm trying to rethink aboutmovies where you know when they
started on.
So I'll even give you a hint.
Okay, it starts with a one.
So traditionally they were madeof stone.
Oh, wow, okay.
Then they were created withmetal, and then it transitioned
to glass.
Okay, so when it's made out ofstone, that probably brought a
whole new level to that.
That's why those guys where theyhold the steins out in front of

(23:00):
them.
That's why those guys are alwaysso strong.
Yeah, apparently, that's why theladies are too carrying stone.
Like, you know, 12 of them.
Right.
So what year did it be glass?
And the other hint is it startswith a one.
Starts with a one.
I figured that.
Are you gonna give me someleeway?
Yeah, I'll give you like oneyear, or are you gonna give me
like I'll even give you 10years?
Okay, or in 50.
50 years, or maybe even 100,because I don't think you're

(23:22):
gonna get it.
Probably not.
Now, this is at Oktoberfest, youguys.
Okay, horrible guess.
I'm gonna say 1920.
Oh man, you were so close.
1892.
Hey, I was within 50 and 100,right?
So I'll give you minus 500.
All right, well, hey, that'sbetter than what's that's a win.
So, night what year did you say?

(23:42):
1892.
1892 they transitioned frommetal to glass.
I it's kind of funny becauseI've watched videos on
Oktoberfest, and I know thatthey're like kind of sticklers
on if people try and steal thestuff that comes up.
I know that there's sticklers onit.
No, I don't I we won't go intooh, wait till the question, but

(24:04):
uh it's kind of interestingbecause you know it's always
funny.
Actually, it's not a question,but I do remember from last year
there was like 3,600 people gotcaught trying to walk out with
and he honestly, you think aboutit, which okay.
We're gonna stick again, right?
Right.
You just can't be drunk and walkout with it.
I brought this with me, yeah.

(24:25):
Right.
You know, because that's I mean,that's the quintessential
souvenir for an Oktoberfest.
But just think, so that rememberthat year, you know, they got
six, seven million people there.
How are you gonna have six orseven million right steins, you
know?
So yes, interesting, yeah,that's crazy.
All right.
Well, hey, let's.
All right, so what do you gotnext?
Let's jump in over.

(24:45):
So this is the last of the SamAdams.
All right, the last one.
The last one, and this is theirHarvest Hellas, and it's a
Hellas Lager, 5.9% ABV and 15IBUs.
So is and this isn't a yellow, ayellow can.
So is that Oktoberfest or is itfall?
Or it's fall.
Fall, okay.
Yeah, it's not an Oktoberfest,but it's fall.

(25:08):
Okay, it's a Hellas Lager.
Uh, well, I was gonna say Linieshas uh, everybody has one.
And when you taste it, you'll reyou'll recognize it.
But but it's Sam is the only onethat's wrapping it in with their
fall.
Yeah, but they're wrapping it inwith the fall.
And again, you know, it's theharvest, the harvest Hellas, you
know, and the artwork on here isit's all right.
Okay.
Uh, let's see.
It says a crisp, dry hoppedMunich Hellas with notes of

(25:31):
biscuit and honey malt, balancedby these spicy floral aromas of
German Tetnang and spay spatehops.
I hope I'm saying those right.
Wow.
You sure you can say those?
It says new.
New.
Did the other one say new?
I don't think they did.
So this is new.
Is it new to us or new toeverybody?
It must be new to everybody.

(25:52):
All right.
Well, so I'm wondering if thisfalls in line with some of the
like the uh uh which one did weyou had bought like a another
variety pack member, and thelast one was a new one, and you
could only get it in thatmember.
It wasn't uh we just had it.
Was it Liney's or uh no?
But you may you remember yes, Ido.
So I'm and one of them was theblueberry one.
Yes, that's the one, but I Ican't remember who did it.

(26:16):
I know that's one of the badparts of the joys of old age.
The the bad part of our job hereis we forget some of these.
That's a white hair very yeah,in lighter color, very light,
very light.
Oh, you can see that's gotaroma.
That's got hops, that's gotaroma, it's got hops in it, even
though it was what did it say?
15 IBUs.
It smells more than that.
It definitely doesn't have a hopflavor to it.

(26:37):
Yeah, the aroma's hop, butthere's no this that doesn't
have a hop flavor to it, right?
Or bad this would be one youcould drink it for sure, I
think.
After a couple cans, for sure.
I might start to get a littlebit tired of the flavor, you
know, but it's it's good.
I don't mind it.
It's it's not bad, it'sdefinitely different than what
we've had so far.
Vastly different than what we'vehad, especially it probably gets

(26:58):
penalized because it came afterthe flannel one, yes, you know,
because that really had thatdark flavor to it.
And wow, this is gonna be achallenging score because I know
we've had Hellas Lagers before,right?
And it's not bad, it'sdefinitely drinkable.
I I don't uh I'm gonna go a 2.7.
Wow, you do really like it.

(27:19):
Yeah, I don't I don't mind it.
I could drink uh probably acouple cans of it, maybe okay,
one for sure, you know.
So I guess for me, to me, mytaste buds has the it leads me
like it's an IPA, even thoughit's not an IPA, that hop aroma
is there.
There is some hoppiness in theflavor, not a lot.

(27:40):
So I'm struggling because it'sit's not it does not taste bad
and it does not taste like anIPA, but my brain is telling me
that it tastes like an IPA.
That's where I'm kind ofstruggling.
Man, I thought after all thoseIPA ones we did, and you started
liking them, I thought maybeyour brain switched a little
bit.
It must have been that knock onthe head.
There you go.
That puts you back where youknow also I'm gonna actually say

(28:03):
a 2.6.
Okay, it's not bad.
Um, it is new.
Could I drink it?
I think I could, I think I coulddrink it can.
Could I drink two?
I don't know if I could do two.
Okay, but I know I could drinkone.
Sure.
Yeah, and like I said, it'stypically the other Hellas
lagers that we've had, I don'tthink they waited till fall to
come out with.
You know what I mean?
I think that's why I didn't knowif that was if the Hellas Lager,

(28:24):
is that traditionally alwayscome out in the fall?
Or is that see that I don'tknow.
I'd have to do some research onthat because I always think like
the Hellas Lager, Heffel Wisons,you know, they seem I always
thought they kind of came out alittle earlier.
Okay, but maybe I'm wrong, butbut maybe this is how they just
wanted to introduce this new oneto throw it in with this four
pack okay or 12-pack, I'm sorry,the four different beers, and uh

(28:46):
and introduce it that way.
That could be I don't know, it'sdecent, though.
Yeah, it's decent.
So it is by far the brightestcolored can.
Yes, so there's no doubt, yeah.
So back to our good questions.
Okay, did you know when the veryfirst Oktoberfest in what year?
1810, there wasn't a paradebecause it was a wedding,
wedding, right?

(29:06):
Yep.
So when was the first parade atOktoberfest?
Again.
Um and I'll even give you ahint.
It starts with a one.
No, oh hands Niverer was thefestival host.
Oh, hands, yes.
Well, now that makes it wayeasier.
Uh who was who was he?
He was the festival host, hands,and there was a brass band and a

(29:27):
cart of beer included too.
Now, what year was that?
1885.
Wait, wait, you can say you canchange your answer.
1886.
You can change your answer.
I don't know.
1887.
Was it?
Oh, I was gonna say 187 again.
Wow, that was just a guessbecause well, when you said

(29:47):
brass band and and that, Ithought, okay, maybe it's gotta
be way back.
Right.
Actually, I'm actually gonnagive you a plus one for that.
Oh, nice.
That was that was much.
I was within two on the firstguess, and that was totally.
Totally a gas.
Was it?
Oh, yeah.
Oh, you didn't know that youactually.
I knew.
I just didn't want you to feellike it was too easy.
Yeah.
Yeah, that was it.

(30:08):
That was it.
Well, speaking of toying withus, I think I've toyed with you
long enough.
Okay.
I think I'm gonna actually haveto roll out the barrel.
Oh boy.
How was that a lead-in?
I know what that means.
What does that mean?
Oh, there it is.
Oh, oh, there it is.
So we are going to go to anotherthree sheep's beer.

(30:30):
Now, technically, you couldcompare these side by side, I
guess, but we probably don'tneed to.
Right.
But this is their 2025 roll outthe barrel bourbon barrel aged
Oktoberfest.
Nice.
Whoa.
Calm down.
Because, like we've said in thepast, more breweries should try

(30:51):
this.
Try it.
Now, this should be interestingbecause we did have this last
year.
Yes.
And it was good.
Very good, yes.
Now it did lose out to another.
And we but I haven't been ableto see it anywhere.
That founders.
The Founders UltimateOktoberfest that we have not
found it.
I don't know if they're stillmaking it or not, which is a
bummer, but if we find it, wemay just have to buy it.

(31:11):
Yes.
And uh give her a whirl again.
But this one is going to beslightly higher ABV.
Slightly?
Yeah.
What do you think it is?
Uh 12.5%.
Wow.
And 31 IBUs.
So that's even a little bithigher.
Right.
12.5.
Most of ours have been in thatfour or five up to a 661 for the

(31:35):
most part.
So we're doubling.
So we're doubling what we'vebeen double down.
Yes.
All right.
All right.
So here's what they say aboutthis one.
We took the rich toasty maltbackbone of a traditional
Oktoberfest and let it rest inbourbon barrels long enough to
pick up deep notes of vanilla,oak, and warm caramel.

(31:56):
Oak caramel, whichever way you'dlike to say it.
Nice.
The result is a smooth drinkinglager that bridges summer's end
and fall's arrival in bold,boozy fashion.
Boozy.
This beer is a celebration ofcraftsmanship, tradition, and a
little extra indulgence.
Alright, well, we've beenwaiting all season for this one,

(32:19):
haven't we?
We have been waiting for anOktoberfest that has flavor, and
I'll guarantee this one's gonnahave more flavor.
Now it's just is it good flavoror what?
So let's hope.
Let's hope.
I mean they did very good onveneration.
Yes.
They did more, they did betterthan very good.
They did really good.
Yes, so three sheets has alwaysbeen very good for their barrel

(32:42):
aging process.
Yep.
So my fingers are crossed thatthis is uh mine are too.
Like I said, 12 12 and a halfpercent.
That's up there.
Not not even smelling it yet oranything.
12.5%.
It may not be one I wouldrecommend to a newbie.
Okay, to begin with.
Right.
Not your first beer.
Probably not, but you neverknow.

(33:02):
Definitely dark.
I mean, as far as it's stilllike an Oktoberfest color, but
it's definitely darker.
It's dark.
You know what I mean?
It's really dark amber.
It has a very good aroma.
You can smell boozy.
Yeah, there's bourbon in there.
That smells good.
We've smelled other ones thatare way stronger, boozy smell.
But this has got like likealmost the right percentage.
Right.
It's it smells really good.

(33:23):
All right, here goes nothing.
12.5%.
Here we go.
Roll out the barrel, bourbonbarrel aged Octoberfest from
three sheeps.
That's smooth.
That's good.
That's really good.
We should not have read what theABV was.
Because I will guarantee.
If we didn't know that this was12 and a half, I wouldn't have
guessed that.
No.
Because I mean that is verysmooth for that.

(33:43):
And this is actually good.
And I'm I would have to guess,right?
This Marzon that we triedearlier is what they used in the
barrel bourbon barrel, right?
I would bet.
This actually tastes better.
It didn't say, did it say howlong?
No.
It doesn't say how long they putit in the barrel.
Right.
But it's gotta be that sameOktoberfest.

(34:04):
Because when you look at the canthe can is almost, I mean, very
similar.
Yes.
You know, with the artwork andall that.
This thing is a good thing.
The flavor is definitely this isreally good.
This reminds me of last this iswith veneration, right up there.
I mean, they're good.
That's very good.
Oh, my first two.
Boy, uh, I think so.
I'm gonna I'm gonna say a 3.5.

(34:25):
I like it.
Yep, it's not up there with thebeer of the year, but it's it's
up there.
I mean, it's one of the betterOktoberfest beers we've had this
season.
Yep.
When when you were saying thatit's up there with veneration, I
thought, no way.
I mean, that veneration is justyeah, way up there.
But 3.5, I agree a hundredpercent.
And I'll guarantee this isprobably the highest score we've
given an Oktoberfest this year.

(34:46):
Yes.
Uh, like I said before, if we docome across the founders again,
we'll pick it up and see howtheirs is.
But yeah, this is really good,and 12.5%, it does not drink
like that.
No, it's really good.
And it's really good.
I'm gonna try a little bit morewhen you go ahead.
Um because you wanted to talkabout a little bit of a wrap-up
thing.
Yeah, I'm gonna I wanted to kindof group these together.

(35:07):
Yep.
Um, just because they're kind ofthat quote unquote fall theme.
Yes, and uh then we'll do theyour two surprise beers uh that
we that you brought.
And uh yeah, so again, I thinkthe the clear winner was the
roll out the barrel, but secondwas the jack, the jack o pumpkin
ale, unbelievable pumpkinflavor, really like that.

(35:30):
I do think that these ones, letme preface that by saying this
the like the Hellas Lager, Idon't really see myself as being
a fall type of beer.
Maybe maybe I'm wrong, but I youknow, but it was still good, but
I just think they put that inthat variety pack to introduce
it, right?
But I think these ones heredefinitely scored higher than

(35:50):
than our other AmericanOktoberfest episodes, hands
down.
So yeah, I I I like it.
I think this was a really goodone, and I think Sam Adams did a
really good job kind of kind ofgrouping them together.
Like again, the only kind ofoutlier to me was really that
Hellas Lager, right?
The other ones all I could seefitting together, yes.

(36:11):
So yeah, that's again, like Isaid, clear winner, clear
second.
Okay, and then the rest of themI think were kind of
interchangeable.
Yep, and I mean for me to Ithink you mentioned it once
before those first five for thenovice crap beer drinker.
Recommend trying them, give it awhirl, maybe one of those first,
and then try a roll at thebarrel.
Don't try to drink that onefirst, right?

(36:32):
But Sam Adams, Kudos, they did avery good job.
I mean, all four of those arethey're um like I think you
mentioned, fall-ish, but theyall have different flavors, and
I mean that was one of ourbetter variety packs, like
second to I mean, to the onethat you talked about.
I wish I could remember the nameof that.
I know I'm drawing a blank, butit was anyway.
This is this is a very good job.
I mean, like you said, I likethe Jack-O-Lantern, that was

(36:53):
really good.
That pumpkin, the cinnamon, thenutmeg was really good, but it
was still second to the barrelage three sheep.
So yeah, I like those.
I mean, I'm glad we finally wereable to get some flavor out of
some fall Oktoberfest beersbecause we were just not finding
anything, right?
Exactly.
So, yeah, awesome.
Well, all right, well, so you soI'm gonna let you talk about the

(37:14):
next two that you brought.
Oh, you had said uh a friend ofours, Roger, had uh went out to
South Dakota.
Okay, he went um, it was acouple weeks ago, and he was
just out there, and I think hewas looking for some Oktoberfest
beers too, because I think lastyear we actually tried a couple
of his on one of our Oktoberfestepisodes.
Yep, I think we did now that youmention it, yes.

(37:35):
So I don't think he found anyOktoberfest, but he did find two
beers, and uh these two beerswere received a lot of awards,
so um, and they're fromSpearfish Brewing.
So both of them are?
Yes, okay, nice, and one ofthem's in a crawler and one of
them's in a bottle.
Do we not cut do we know wherespearfish what town?
I don't know if we know that.

(37:56):
I tell you what, you continue itand I'll I'll look it up.
So the he brought back a crawlerof one, the IPA, and he said
that was one of their betterbeers, and then he has a bottle
of big bad bones, which kind ofreminds me of the Big Bad
Baptist, which is uh anothervery good book, but that one is

(38:18):
haven't seen that around lately.
No, that was by Epic Brewing,right?
And that one is an ImperialStoat that was barrel-aged.
Oh, so that one is you know, I'mreally looking forward to that
one.
Uh, spearfish brewing is inspearfish, South Dakota.
Oh, exactly.
Okay, well, that we knew that sothis should be interesting.

(38:38):
So was it he brought them?
I just recently got them.
So I want the one was in acrawler, so we didn't want to
wait too long.
So we wanted to tie these twotogether with because it looks
like we got some very goodflavor in these very these first
six.
So hopefully this ties in, youknow, with flavor.
Because I mean that's one thingthat we do like.
So I'll let you give the thewrite-up on that one.

(39:00):
So the first one that we have isadventure pants, and it's got
dinosaurs on the can on thelabel, and this is in a crawler,
it's a double IPA, all right,huge American IPA, golden color,
funky pineapple and tropicalfruit hop aroma is what it says.

(39:21):
All right, 10.2 percent now.
How many IPAs have we had that'sbeen double digits?
We've had a few, not manythough, right?
Not many, we've had a few.
All right, I don't sound like agoofy question, but I don't
remember if we've ever had abarrel-aged IPA.
But this is not barrel-agedeither, but okay.
I poured you a little strongpour there.

(39:41):
I'm sorry, I'll do the samehere.
All right, but this is in acrawler, so we had to 32 ounce.
32 ounce.
So we got a lot of beer here.
Uh you know, the IPA color.
Yes.
Lighter, white head.
You can smell some hops.
Oh, yeah.
There's hops there.
I to I can totally, I don't knowif I'd call it a pineapple
aroma, but I definitely get likea almost like a uh tropical

(40:02):
fruit.
Yes.
No, we we got two differentfruits you said, right?
The pineapple and tropical.
And tropical, yeah.
What's a tropical fruit?
Tropical fruit is what it says.
What is a what's tropical?
Mango, what else would be inthere?
So it's not one specific.
No, no, I think it's more amixture, okay, is what I would I
would say.
All right.
Well, I smell hops.
Cheers.
Here we go.
Too bad.

(40:23):
No, I mean for a double IPA.
I mean, I was expecting a lotmore hoppiness, but the flavor
is a lot smoother than thearoma.
Yes.
I was expecting a more of abite.
Yes.
And that's not there.
Initially, it was like I wasgoing, it's gonna be that you
know, that real bitter kind ofthing, and then it's like, nope,
gone.
Right, it's it up.

(40:43):
It is not a for a double IP8, itis definitely not bad.
No, this is good.
That is interesting.
Interesting.
So adventure pants.
Well, there you go.
Right.
So I guess the hard part then,you know, we talked about the I
don't know what a funkypineapple is.
Yeah, I don't either, becausehonestly, I I suppose you could
say that, but it's like thepineapple, I don't I'm not
picking up like a strongpineapple flavor, I get more of

(41:05):
the tropical side, which is yes,you could say pineapple falls in
there, but you get that tropicalfruit, but it's not where you
can really pick out the fruit,you know what I'm saying?
The very specific fruits, right?
Well, that sounds real, but Imean it's so and the only thing
that that I'm picking up as adouble IPA is there's a little
bit of dryness in my mouth onthe finish, but it's not bad,

(41:25):
it's not like a lingering, likethere's no bad IPA hoppiness
that's sticking around.
It's not bad.
No, I would agree, I agree withyou 100% there because initially
I was concerned, yes, becauseyou never know, because we've
had some IPAs and in that thatare you're like, whoa, it's
really dry, and it starts alittle bit like that, but then
it's kind of gone, right?
The aroma is it has a hoppyaroma.
You know it's an IPA from thearoma for sure.

(41:47):
So this one, if you're doing ablind taste test, you could
definitely tell right away thatthis was an IPA, but the flavor
is not that if you said one ofthese is an IPA, I wouldn't I
would have picked this one forsure.
But 10.2, it drinks really good,fairly smooth.
I think Roger did a good jobpicking this one up.
Definitely, I agree.
So, what are you thinking?
Uh, score wise, on this one fora double IPA, I'm gonna go a

(42:09):
2.9.
Nice.
I do like it.
I think if it had just a littlebit more of the tropical flavor,
maybe you know, that fruitinessto it, I I would have I would
have easily gone over threebecause 10.2.
I mean, it that's that's upthere, yeah.
And it it was not harsh by anymeans, you know.
So I think that they they theydid a really good job, and you

(42:32):
know, it could be that it's beenin a crawler.
I don't know, I don't think so.
I think it's still the way itcame out.
I think it's still fresh.
I think I don't think it'schanged in any way.
No, and like I said, I've we'vehad way worse, yes.
Wait, well, I guess waystronger, right?
Right, yeah, let's put it thatway.
Way stronger flavor, wayhoppier, way hoppier, things
like that.
Uh this one spearfish did a goodjob.

(42:53):
Yeah, spearfish did a good job.
I I'm impressed, and yeah, I Iwould drink some more of it.
Yeah, I mean, I was you'reright, the exact same score.
I was gonna say a 2.9 as well,because you know I'm not a hoppy
guy, but you've been gettingcoming a little closer, so so I
don't I'm not a so my scores arealways usually a little bit
lower, and it's not nearly ashigh as yours, but I am trying

(43:16):
to work my way to get a littlebit better.
It's definitely a good beer fora double, you know.
That's so I'm always like sohesitant of trying a double or
triple or quad IPA, but this oneI'd recommend this is not
anything to be afraid of.
No, I agree.
The the aroma might give you asense that it's what it is, but
the flavor is really good.
Yep, don't be afraid of thisone, you know.

(43:37):
And again, is it somethingbecause IPA is you know, we've
we've done a number of episodeson it, and we've talked about
this before, but episode uhepisodes, IPAs are one of those
where it's uh real polarizing,right?
Because people hate them or theylove them, right?
There really hasn't been toomany, yeah.
They're okay, you know what Imean?
It's you hate them or you lovethem, right?

(43:57):
Because that hop comes through,correct.
You know, even though peopledon't realize that there's
pretty much hops in almost everybeer, uh, but it's just a matter
of how much.
Yes.
But this is this is good, youknow, they did a good job.
So and yeah.
So not not to cut you off.
Okay, you got another question.
I have one final question foryou.
Okay, because you had actuallytalked about it earlier.

(44:18):
Yep, this is another one.
I don't know how you uh I musthave saw my questions here.
No, no, I sure didn't.
But so there is an unofficialsport at Oktoberfest, okay, and
it is where competitors hold outa filled one-liter dimpled glass
mug with an outstretched arm foras long as they can.
Yep.
What's that called?
And I need to have you spell itcorrectly too.

(44:43):
Well, in the States it's likeSteinhoisting, but I don't think
that I don't know the Germanword.
Stein holding.
Stein holding.
Yes, that's what the Americanone is.
Okay, I so what's the Germanone?
Stein Steinho, I don't know.
Okay, then spell that.
Uh there's an S in it.
I I don't know.
All right, here we go.

(45:04):
Say it with me.
Mass Krug stem and uh yeah, massKrug Stein stem or Steinholding.
I like that one better.
You like just that's easier.
So see, because you had alreadytalked about that before when
you're crazy.
Yeah, I didn't know you weregonna talk about that.
At first, when you said about asport, I was gonna say horse

(45:25):
race, because I remember thatwas at the wedding, right?
But that's not where you went.
So see, I mean you it's like youhad my notes or something.
I know, or did you have ESPN?
Uh sometimes.
See, I have ESPN too.
Oh, that's what's going on.
ESPN Plus.
So I'm actually gonna give you ahalf a point because you got the
Stein holding.
Okay, because yeah, I don't Idon't know the the German, it's

(45:48):
way longer.
Yeah, you know it looks likethree or four words put
together.
Yeah, all right.
So all right, so what's the lastone that we got?
Is that a drum roll?
That's kind of like a drum roll.
Is that kind of like a drumroll?
That works.
So this is the one that Rogerreally wanted us to try, and I'm
really looking forward to tryingit.
Okay.
Um, the big bad bones.

(46:10):
Big it actually says big birdbones.
Oh, well, I think we've got thesame on the label anyway.
You're right, you're right.
But oh, I think this might bebig bad bones is the line.
Oh it's like a series becausethis is batch one.
Oh, okay.
I think I think that's what itis.
You're right, yep.
So this is so Roger had theImperial Stout on tap, said it

(46:33):
was very good.
So he didn't have this one atthe brewery is not on tap.
Oh it's only in a bottle, and Idon't know if it's because it's
sixteen point five percent ABD.
Excuse me, sixteen point fivepercent.
Wow, so just we just amped it upjust a slight bit again.
We turned it up a little higher.

(46:54):
Okay.
So he Roger said the Imperialstuff was very good, okay, but
he was not able to try thebarrel aged one, and he gave
that one to us to try.
All right, so we appreciateRoger driving all the way to
South Dakota, the far end ofSouth Dakota to bring this back
for us to try.
That's right.
And their small write-up saysthis is batch one of their

(47:14):
barrel age series.
Our bird bones imperial stoutwas aged in malted whiskey
barrels for six months, thenblended smooth, lightly
carbonated, and bold.
And 16 and a half percent.
So it's so this how many 16.5%ones have we tried?
Well, we've compared to thecommon uh drinker, we've tried a
lot, but it's still not thatmany, right?

(47:37):
I mean, we're up in some higheraltitude.
Oh, yeah, for sure.
And 16 and a half percent.
And batch one, this is this iskind of cool.
So we might have to make a tripout there then, possibly, but
you know, so batch one, this isthe first go-round, maybe at a
barrel.
I don't right, and maltedwhiskey.
This should be interesting tosee how that oh, it's a little

(48:00):
bit darker than the other.
Is it darker than the uh you'renot gonna see your fingers
through that glass?
No, this is an imperial stout.
There's no there's no there's noifs, ands, or buts about that.
Oh god, that smells like it's animperial barrel-aged.
This is not for the uh and asfar as head goes, yeah, there's
pretty much none.
I mean, it's this is not for thenovice drinker.

(48:22):
No, I would not recommend, and Ihaven't even tasted it yet.
I wouldn't recommend it to a newperson for the first beer.
Well, that smells good.
Boy, that is uh wow, it's notbad.
Yeah, there's not muchcarbonation at all in that.
It's not bad.
I'm trying, you know.
I wish I would have been able totry the stout.
Yeah, before it was interestingbecause I'm sure the whiskey

(48:43):
barrel has brought somethinginto the flavor.
Yep, still good man for 16, butit doesn't have a burn.
There's no burn, no burn.
It definitely has like thatroasted malt, burnt malt kind of
a flavor, but I don't know ifthat's what was in the original,
you know, or if that's from thebarrel.
Yes, it could be from thebarrel.

(49:03):
Wow.
This is I mean, what's unique isI mean, it's got a lot of
flavors to it.
The finish is smooth.
There's a lot of flavors fromthe barrel in there, right?
It's smooth finish.
It's really I don't know if wecould drive there and drink it
and come back in one day.
Yeah, no, probably shouldn't.
This is good.
I'm just I can't believe howlittle carbonation is in there.
I'm glad Roger brought thisback.

(49:24):
This has been a good beer.
That is that's interesting.
And again, now if we'd haveblind taste tested this as far
as ABV, I would have guessed 12.
Right.
I mean, it's double digits forsure.
Yeah, yeah.
Not 16 and a half.
No, it does not taste like butit you can tell that it's when
you're sitting here, and how doI say it's your mouth is almost
my mouth is almost like you getyou drink it and then it almost

(49:44):
like it starts to water.
Yeah, you know, mine's doingthat too.
As far as you know, it's ahigher ABV, right?
Because it's pulling the waterright out of your the saliva out
of your mouth because it it isup there.
Yeah, that's interesting, andthat is that's interesting, and
it's not like Avery where it'slike put a lot of sugar.
Oh no, it's not oversweetened.
No, there's not that it's myteeth are not hurting from but

(50:06):
from the barrel.
I mean, I totally and it's kindof crazy because I I don't think
we've had I don't even know ifwe've had a something Asian
malted whiskey barrels because Idon't get like you know, a lot
of times from the bourbonbarrels, you you know you get
the bourbon, but you get thatvanilla and that oakiness.
This one I don't get vanilla.
No, this is and you know, kudosfor them for trying, you know.

(50:28):
Oh good, because I mean they hadthey're investing a lot of money
to do some something different,but this this tastes good.
I mean, this I mean they're theygot a good whatever they're
doing, they got a good systemgoing.
Yeah.
I uh so you're first didn't I gofirst on the no no that was that
was different.
Yeah, I thought I went first onthe I the double IPA.
Did you thought so?

(50:48):
Anyway, yeah, I mean this isgood, definitely has a stronger,
kind of a stronger flavor to it.
It's not it's not a boozyflavor.
You can tell there's booze init, but it's not that boozy,
like, oh geez, I taste burglar.
Like alcohol, like alcohol oryeah, score-wise.
I'm gonna take another drinkhere before I give a score.
And while you're doing it, I'mgonna give myself another little

(51:09):
hit on that.
I'm gonna go like a 3.7.
Nice.
That's solid.
It's solid.
That's a solid score.
I mean, for our for our scoring,right?
Yeah.
I mean, I mean, I got to rehashold things, right?
It's it's one of those whereit's just kind of hard to score
it because I don't think we'veever had anything in that kind
of a barrel before.

(51:29):
And just to, I guess torecapsulate for your scoring,
because I know you I don't trackit because I'd missed too much
at the beginning.
Right.
But where is your scoring rangeagain?
From zero to five with a tenthof a point, yep, is what I
normally do.
And I think right now I am justunder 5,900 beers and beers that
we've beers that we've tried.

(51:50):
Tried and rated and rated, yes.
And I would say, I mean, umcould be speaking online, we
don't have a lot that are 3.5and above.
No, we have far more that arelower than that, right?
Yeah, so I think that what thatmy point would be that we're
maybe not critical, but we'renot we we don't give away a good
score, right?
I mean, we're we're legitimatelytrying to be honest and tell

(52:12):
tell the listeners if it's agood beer or bad beer.
So when you say 3.7, it's upthat that means it's up there,
and like I said, I just I reallyagain I would not recommend this
to somebody that's never had abig beer, and we we classify
this as a big beer, you know.
No, it's a big bad beer, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, but you know what Imean, and right, yes, it's a
high ABV, all that kind ofstuff.

(52:33):
I would not recommend this to anew person because they're
gonna, I think they'd be turnedoff right because they're not
used to that.
But for us, for us, I mean, it'sI yeah, I'm glad it's it's
almost it's I could be speakingon a turn again, might be right
in our wheelhouse, yeah.
Yeah, I oh I agree.
I think I do think, and I knowyou know not to toot our own
horns or anything, but I dobelieve that we if we're experts

(52:55):
at any one style, it'sbarrel-aged beers because we
have tried, I mean, it's gottabe pushing 800 different up
really is it that many?
Barrel-aged beers, not justbourbon barrel, rum barrel.
I mean, we've tried all sorts ofdifferent barrels.
So, could this I know that youkind of alluded to it, we're
cutting the line forOktoberfest.
Maybe we should go back intotrying some more barrel-aged

(53:17):
beers.
Oh, I'm sure I wouldn't, Iwouldn't turn it down.
So maybe we should.
I mean, because I mean, Ihaven't looked in the last few
days, but there's not a lot ofOktoberfest beers, because
usually they're gonna be out inearly August.
Yep.
So September.
I think they're just leavingwhatever they have out now.
Yep.
So maybe our next few podcasts,maybe we should unless the

(53:38):
listeners wanted us to trysomething else.
I don't know if they want tosend you a message to say, hey,
try this or try that.
Yeah, you know, if you're outthere and you have something you
really want us to try, let usknow if we can't find it.
Well, then we're gonna have tofigure out alternative ways to
possibly get it here.
So but I I like this bourbonbarrel stuff.
So that's yeah, oh yeah, yeah,exactly.
And I know we've both have anumber of them that we have

(54:00):
never tried that are in our likein my basement, in your
basement.
Uh, you know, so we candefinitely dip our toes back
into that for get back into thatarena again.
Yeah, yep.
So my final point.
Oh man, you had anotherquestion, but it's not a
question.
Oh, good.
So just in case we have any ofour listeners that are thinking
about planning a trip toGermany, the dates for the

(54:21):
Oktoberfest in Munich 2026.
So next year are September 19ththrough October 4th.
Okay.
So I thought I'd be at my my uhPSA.
There you go.
There you go.
Is that is that a good yeah?
Public service announcements forall the listeners out there if
they want to, if they'rethinking about going.
Oh, I forgot to give you myscore.

(54:42):
Yeah, what's your score?
You you get a I was actuallygonna go with 3.8.
I really like it.
I mean, it's so the other goodpart of all the things you said
echo completely, there's thefinish is like so smooth, even
like when you stop drinking, youknow.
Sometimes even on some of theseOctoberfests, you have something
lingering.
This one, uh it's not there, no,not at all.
I mean, I get a little bit of alittle bit, but not so that's

(55:05):
almost scary because then you'redrinking a high ABV, it doesn't
not taste like it's a high ABV,and it finishes so smooth, it's
like wow.
This is one of those that youcould drink that bottle and go,
hey, oh, wait a minute.
I better not stand up, right?
You know, so oh I need a littlehelp.
Yeah, now, like I said, it'sdefinitely a different flavor
because I think because of that,the peted whiskey or malted

(55:28):
whiskey, I'm sorry.
But it's still very interesting,and I'm super glad Roger thought
of us when he saw it becauseI'll guarantee that bottle
wasn't cheap.
No, I mean that kudos to him.
I'll I owe him a beer now.
There you go.
Yeah, next time we see him, weboth probably owe him a beer.
We will give him a pat on theback.
Yeah, you know.
So you want to what do you get?
What do you got for yourwrap-up, or what do you think?

(55:49):
I know it's not one class, itmight be two pieces, but
spearfish, and I know these arethe only two beers we've tried
for them before, but they wereboth very good, and it makes me
want to check into it to see youknow how many double-digit beers
do they have, right?
You know, I'm sure they've got abunch that are lower, you know
what I mean.
But I thought they were bothreally good.
So maybe we could have Rogereven send us a little message or

(56:11):
something online.
Yeah, what what he found, maybehe tasted because I think he had
a flight of some out there, somaybe he had another one that
was tasty good too.
If he sends us a message, yeah,that would be I'd love to hear
what what he had and what histhoughts were.
Right, you know, and like Isaid, the the double IPA for
that style was very good.
Yep, you know, I could have usedmaybe a little bit more fruit
flavor, so to speak, but it wasgood.

(56:32):
And this one, I mean, 16 and ahalf percent is crazy.
That is amazing, and it wasdrinkable.
Yes, that's the part that Ireally liked, is the fact that
you could drink it.
Yes, uh, again, I wouldn'trecommend it to a new person,
but if you're a seasoned veteranlike we are for the the barrel
age stuff and all that, give ita whirl because they they do a
good job.
That's awesome.

(56:52):
I guess we kind of touched onit.
Sam Adams does a great job.
I mean, they have a good,they're not barrel-aged like
this, but that but for theirsmall niche of beers they brew,
they're doing really, reallygood.
I'll definitely have a littlemore of that pumpkin one because
that was very good, right?
And three sheeps, really good.
I mean, yeah, so the hard partfor me is we struggled to find

(57:14):
flavor for quite a few episodesfor a long time.
I mean, we were just aimlesslywandering, trying to find
something that had flavor, andall of a sudden now we have one
episode where we've got justflavors coming out multiple
flavors.
We have one beer that hasflavor, we had a number of them,
and it's not all the sameflavor, they're all right, which
was good.
So I I really enjoyed this justonly because Marzons have a very

(57:36):
distinct flavor, and we knowwhat that is.
Yep, these were all fall beers,which opened up the spectrum for
us, but I still liked it.
I still like to be able to trythe.
I mean, I don't know what youthink about trying different
beers.
I agree with you, and the factthat like the Sam Adams ones all
had that fall theme.
Again, the only one that kind ofwas to me was an outlier for a
fall theme was the Hellas.

(57:58):
Yes, but other than that, I meanthey were all very good, and
even the Hellas was very good,you know.
And yeah, and then it was uhhonestly, it was cool to have
the three sheeps, theOktoberfest, and then the
barrel-aged Oktoberfest.
So that I mean, we've talkedabout that I don't know how many
times that we'd love to be ableto try both, yes, and we did,
and when they store it in abarrel, it did improve it.
That's and I think we'd evenrecommend it too.

(58:18):
Some of the other breweriesshould try barrel aging their
beer, their marsons.
I mean, because I I thinkthere's there are some other
breweries out that have a verycentral waters.
Last year I thought, man, we'reon a more and more people seem
like they're getting into that,and then now all of a sudden
this year it's like back to notmany, you know.
Because like Central Waters hasa very good barrel aging
process, and their beer, theirtheir Marzano was not bad.

(58:40):
It would have been great to tryit.
So, I mean, knock on wood, maybethere'll be other breweries that
want to branch out and try thatas well.
Yep, because I'm hoping thatwould be awesome.
I mean, because and we'll evengo up, we'll volunteer to go
somewhere and yeah, if you needa taste, a taster to give you
their honest opinion.
We would love to have to dothat, right?
We could do an on-site onlocation.
That would suck to have that asa job, wouldn't it?

(59:01):
Yeah, so when you retire, yeah,there we go.
We got a future in that.
So awesome.
Well, hey, dude, thanks so muchfor bringing these.
You definitely uh stepped her upthis week compared to and again,
it's not your fault, but youfound some better flavors.
Yes.
So, and then again, thanks toRoger for grabbing that he

(59:22):
brought.
Yeah, that was a good way to endthis episode with uh with those
beers.
So awesome.
Well, hey, ladies and gentlemen,thank you so much for listening
to this.
I know it wasn't all one stylethis week, but it was kind of
fall.
Yep, you know, and uh look forthe Sam Adams, look for the
three sheeps.
If you're in South Dakota, go tospearfish.
I'm really interested to seewhat else Roger tried there and
uh kind of get his input on it.

(59:43):
And you never know, we may endup out there at some point
location one.
So awesome.
Well, hey, ladies and gentlemen,thanks for listening.
Like we always say, we hope yourcampfire is always warm and your
beers are always cold.
See ya! See ya.
Thank you for listening to theNorthwoods Beer Guy Podcast.
If you have a question, acomment, or a beer.
You'd like us to review, pleasefeel free to send us a message
at Northwoodsbeerguy atgmail.com.

(01:00:05):
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