Vindictive II by The Bruery

December 29, 2017 by cloudx30 tagged black berries, Black Tuesday, bourbon barrels, chocolate mousse, Chocolate Rain, creme brulee, Fess Parker, Fess Parker winery, french oak barrels, Grenache Grapes, Grey Monday, Harvest Syrah, Imperial Stout, Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels, Kill-LA-Kill, Mardi Rouge, Mocha Wednesday, Mourvèdre grapes, New American Oak Barrel, Oak Puncheons, Petite Syrah, Ryuko Matoi, Ryuoko Matoi, Sans Liege Wines, syrah grapes, The Bruery, Vindictive, Vindictive II, White Chocolate, Wineification, Wineification III | Leave a comment

Rating: 7/7

Vindictive II by The Bruery is 16.1% ABV American Imperial Stout blended with juice from Zinfandel grapes and Arroyo Grande Valley Wine.

California is renowned for producing some of the greatest zin and stouts in the world. We combine that pride and passion in this varietal of our Black Tuesday imperial stout, blended and fermented with juice from Zinfandel grapes from Old Potrero vineyard, a sustainable, dry-farmed, old vine vineyard in the Arroyo Grande Valley American Viticultural Area, thanks to our friends at Field Recordings Wine. After maturing for nearly a year in medium toast New American Oak puncheons, this release vanquishes the boundaries between wine and beer in a full-bodied foray of dark fruit, berries, jam, oak and spice.

Super complex Beer and Wine fusion. Love this version for the year!

2016 Vindictive collaboration by Sans Liege Wines and The Bruery

December 31, 2016 by cloudx30 tagged black berries, Black Tuesday, bourbon barrels, chocolate mousse, Chocolate Rain, creme brulee, Fess Parker, Fess Parker winery, french oak barrels, Grenache Grapes, Grey Monday, Harvest Syrah, Imperial Stout, Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels, Kill-LA-Kill, Mardi Rouge, Mocha Wednesday, Mourvèdre grapes, New American Oak Barrel, Oak Puncheons, Petite Syrah, Ryuko Matoi, Ryuoko Matoi, Sans Liege Wines, syrah grapes, The Bruery, Vindictive, White Chocolate, Wineification, Wineification III | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/6

2016 Vindictive collaboration by Sans Liege Wines and The Bruery is a 14.9% ABV Black Tuesday (Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels) with Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre grapes aged in New American Oak Puncheons

Label:
A NEW ERA

If some of the best wines are blends of several grape varieties, imagine what could be achieved when applied to beer. This Black Tuesday varietal is a blended and fermented with must from 75% destemmed and 25% whole cluster Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre grapes from Sans Liege. After nearly a year in oak, this release vanquishes the boundaries between wine and beer.

==Introduction==

Released to Hoarders and Reserve society as a single bottle, this version of their Wineification/Mardi Rouge, in the Bruery’s attempt to wineify beer, is the latest in the series. After trying Wineification I, II and III, this was essentially IV. However, it looks like they amped up their wine game by using different species of grapes and instead of French Oak Barrels they are using New American Oak Puncheons. This is definitely going to be something else I am sure. The previous iteration have tought me that it is possible to blend and create a wine/beer hybrid and based on what I had heard about this one it looks like they might have actually successfully made it. Heck, even their mini commercial for it shows all the other beers praise this one as the new god among beers. Let us see if the hype is real and see just how much closer they truly are to the wine beer hybrid. Cheers!

Vindictive Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIyIR324QNM

Aromas:
Rich oak, Dark fruit figs, raisins, plums, prunes, currants, blackberries, dark cherries, raspberries, wine grapes, Concorde grapes, white grapes, port wine, chocolate, vanilla, sangria, green apples, stone fruit apricots, dulce de leche caramel hints, brown sugar and fruit cake.

Flavors:
Very rich oak, wine grapes, red grapes, Concorde grapes, peppercorns, flowers, hibiscus, dark fruit figs, raisins, plums, prunes, currants, blackberries, dark cherries, raspberries, strawberries, port wine, red wine, sangria, bourbon, vanilla, rocky road ice cream, dark chocolate, chocolate mousse, mocha, Kahlua Coffee Liqueur, bourbon, dulce de leche caramel, Chambord Raspberry, white grapes, sauvignon blanc, stone fruit peach, green apples, gamey meat notes, blood hints, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, sweetened condensed milk, flan, piloncillo sugar cone, brown sugar, fruit cake, graham crackers, bananas, cherry cola, almonds, rye bread and leathery notes.

Aftertaste:
Finishing super dry, rich oak for days, dark fruit, gamey meat hints, stone fruit and fruit cake. No alcohol in the taste despite the ABV. Dark Crimson and Deep Blood Red clear body under certain lighting. Smooth, rich, creamy and velvety mouthfeel along with a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
The only reason this beer is not a bucket lister but is still up there with the best ones like Black Tuesday, Winefication I,II and III, White Chocolate, Chocolate Rain and the other Melangè brews and days of the week series is because it is still exceptionally supreme. The gripe is mainly that it really is super super dry. The other Winefications were not as dry and the flavors linger. I also totally understand that in order to finally meld the borders between beer and wine (which this achieves it phenomenally) is that you have to make a beverage that pleases both sides. This is the key! Now I understand why people love their wine and can differentiate themselves from beer drinking. I appreciate the love there is for wine because there are many I love especially meads and heavy ciders. For me though, super dry is something I am not used to. I can actually start to appreciate why sommeliers and wine connoisseurs have the jobs they do. Its hard to review wine the drier it becomes. Granted I can still review this one well, but with lots of dryness involved to not be able to discern flavors as fast as you can with beer, it truly is a challenge. That’s why I highly recommend this one to beer and wine lovers alike. This one is even more unique than the one’s in the past. It kicks ass!

Anime Corner:
Ryuko Matoi from Kill La Kill makes a return once again to pair with many of the different aspects of the beer. This time, in the fourth installment, I am using her third and most powerful form, the Golden Hair/Super Saiyan-esque Senketsu Kisaragi form just like I did with Wineification III. While the alcohol is lower, the brew is definitely hit the marks on wine. Ryuko is one of my favorite characters in Anime right next to my other top 3 (Kos-mos, Yoruichi and Temari). The reason I did not use her second “Junketsu” form was due to the fact that I never got around to putting the beer to the site, although I did have Winefication II at the Bruery’s Black Tuesday party. Like the original installment of Winefication, the colors pair perfect with Ryuko’s hair, the background, her eyes and her outfit as well. If this was a candidate for Mardi Rouge (Red Tuesday) then even more the reason to use her for this pairing. This time around, I found an awesome picture of Ryuko with a cloak. A cloak to represent the extra oak and grapes to get the beer to that wine level even more. The complexity of the flavors showcases her unpredictable characteristics. She always has a plan up her sleeve. She is deadly and sexy which best describes how smooth the beer goes down. The beer is dark but it is a blood red dark as you get closer to finishing the glass. Her suit Senketsu (Fresh Blood) describes this as she needs to let senketsu take some of her blood in order to unleash a higher power. Perfect for that red wine aspect and the color as I mentioned earlier. Heck, even the gamey meat like flavor is proof of blood in this beer. Ryuko is strong and tough minded, but she does have her sweet,warm hearted and loving side which she shows to the people she cares about. The sweet chocolate and berries is what best places this category. Her Kisaragi form is what is new from Wineification III and being that it is her ultimate form, there was no doubt why I wouldn’t use that form once again here. Take it easy with her though, you won’t find one like her again, maybe. Especially since people only got 1 bottle. Either way, it will be a very memorable experience.

Sources:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P8xlGMmI-Q8/VhgpvCfIIMI/AAAAAAAEYfo/sMWS8Rq02ow/w1156-h1700/heels%2Bkill_la_kill%2Bmatoi_ryuuko%2Bsakimichan.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Rvm3bFP.jpg
http://img15.deviantart.net/47fd/i/2016/224/c/7/ryuko_matoi___final_form__by_phasechan-dadmlef.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/eRF7kiu.jpg
https://www.filepicker.io/api/file/jCgJq2a5SK65v4QQGPda

Wineification III (Mardi Rouge III?) collaboration with The Bruery and Fess Parker winery and vineyard

December 24, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged black berries, Black Tuesday, bourbon barrels, chocolate mousse, Chocolate Rain, creme brulee, Fess Parker, Fess Parker winery, french oak barrels, Grenache Grapes, Grey Monday, Harvest Syrah, Imperial Stout, Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels, Kill-LA-Kill, Mardi Rouge, Mocha Wednesday, Petite Syrah, Ryuko Matoi, Ryuoko Matoi, syrah grapes, The Bruery, White Chocolate, Wineification, Wineification III | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/6

Wineification III (Mardi Rouge III?) collaboration with The Bruery and Fess Parker winery and vineyard is a 19% ABV Black Tuesday Imperial Stout with Grenache Grapes 91% Aged in Bourbon Barrels and 9% aged in French Oak Barrels

Label:
WHO’S COUNTING!
The Rues and the Parkers are back at it again! In this third rendition of Wineification, they continue to vanquish the boundaries between wine and beer, combining their brains and brawn with a blend of juicy Rodney’s Vineyard Grenache grapes with The Bruery’s Black Tuesday Imperial Stout.

===Introduction===
A new version of Wineification has arrived to Reserve and Hoarders members. Last year, we did not get Wineification II but since I wanted to pair Ryuko with her Junketsu form (evil Ryuko) it was okay. I would later have a chance to try it at the Black Tuesday party and may do a review of those beers at a later time. It sure has been a damn busy year for me as I have barely had a chance to finish my reviews and well even add all the beers I have tried and jotted down notes for. I really am behind but it happens especially since I like to dedicate my time to homebrewing. Either way, I said to myself, when it comes to these beers like Black Tuesday, White Chocolate, Chocolate Rain, Wineification and other variants like Melange 3 or 12, Mocha Wednesday, Grey Monday and other Black Tuesday Cuvees, there is always damn time. As for this release of Wineification using different types of grapes, let’s see how it goes. Cheers!

Aromas:
Port wine, red wine, concorde grapes,fancy wine notes sweet condensed milk, flan, crème brulee, dark, milk, Baker’s, Belgian and German chocolate, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, Chambord raspberries, Khalua Coffee Liqueur, port wine, red wine, grapes, dark cherries, raisins, figs, dates prunes, blue and black berries, currants, bananas, bourbon, oak, leather, toasted coconut, mocha, pecan pie, hazelnut, rocky road ice cream, candi sugars, agave, rich chocolate mousse and fudge cake in wine.

Flavors:
Rich dark fruit raisins, figs, prunes, plums, blue berries, currants, grapes, dark cherries, blackberries, raspberries, Bourbon, oak, toasted coconut, red wine, port wine, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, Baker’s chocolate, tootsie roll chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, flan, crème brulee, toffee, butterscotch, marshmallows, graham cracker smores, sweetened condensed milk, rum notes, grilled caramel bananas, plantain, Chambord raspberry liqueur, Khalua Coffee Liqueur, Mocha, leather notes, rye bread with black berry jelly spread, pecan pie, agave notes, candi sugars, brown sugar, rock candy, rocky road ice cream, almond joys, chocolate mousse, cherry cola, hazelnut, chocolate fudge cake and blueberry cobbler cheesecake.

Aftertaste:
Finishing only mildly dry unlike the original and lingering lots of delicious flavors. Milk and Dark chocolate, Port wine, fudge cake, dark fruit berries and sweetened condensed milk. There is hardly any sense of harsh alcohol in the taste even for that 19% ABV. They did their homework. Crimson Dark yet medium body, syrupy, velvety and creamy mouthfeel and a sipping beer, there is a smoothness about it that makes it very dangerous and as you will want to keep drinking it. Take your time with it, this beer is meant to be savored, enjoyed and well loved!

Overall:
Exceptionally ridiculous. Is there anything the Bruery can’t do when it comes to making all sorts of Black Tuesday Cuvees or what? This beer is definitely more on the wine side but also balances out with the bourbon imperial stout goodness. Think of this as the connoisseurs’ ambrosia making the ultimate in Wine/Beer/Liquor hybrid. Like the Black Tueday, Chocolate, White Chocolate, Cacaonut, Grey Monday, Mocha Wednesday, Melange 3 and 12 and many of their other blends, I highly highly recommend this one if you can get it!!

Anime Corner:
No doubt, Ryuko Matoi from Kill La Kill makes a return once again to pair with many of the different aspects of the beer. This time, in the third installment, I am using her third and most powerful form, the Golden Hair/Super Saiyan-esque Senketsu Kisaragi form. The different aspects of this year’s beer from the label, the flavors, the ingredients and especially the alcohol (going from the 14%ABV to 19% ABV) all represent this beer very well. Ryuko is one of my favorite characters in Anime right next to my other top 3 (Kos-mos, Yoruichi and Temari). The reason I did not use her second “Junketsu” form was due to the fact that I never got around to putting the beer to the site, although I did have Winefication II at the Bruery’s Black Tuesday party. Like the original installment of Winefication, the colors pair perfect with Ryuko’s hair, the background, her eyes and her outfit as well. If this was a candidate for Mardi Rouge (Red Tuesday) then even more the reason to use her for this pairing. The alcohol content represents her will power and strength and now that she is on the third form, even more! The complexity of the flavors showcases her unpredictable characteristics. She always has a plan up her sleeve. She is deadly and sexy which best describes how smooth the beer goes down but deadly since it has the really high ABV. The beer is dark but it is a blood red dark as you get closer to finishing the glass. Her suit Senketsu (Fresh Blood) describes this as she needs to let senketsu take some of her blood in order to unleash a higher power. Perfect for that red wine aspect and the color as I mentioned earlier. Ryuko is strong and tough minded, but she does have her sweet,warm hearted and loving side which she shows to the people she cares about. The sweet chocolate and berries is what best places this category. Her Kisaragi form is what is really new to this beer and being that it is her ultimate form, there was no doubt why I wouldn’t use that form. Take it easy with her though, you won’t find one like her again, maybe. Either way, it will be a very memorable experience :3

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/eRF7kiu.jpg
http://i3.egv.cc/img/i.egv.cc/i/feti/mji/mji-kaikyaku_675.jpg
http://blog-imgs-65.fc2.com/d/g/d/dgdg875/anime_wallpaper_Kill_la_kill_Matoi_Ryuko_swordwaltz_mk2-13778181.jpg
https://fanart.tv/fanart/tv/272074/showbackground/kill-la-kill-5389cb01bf479.jpg

Wineification (Mardi Rouge?) collaboration with The Bruery, Fess Parker winery and vineyard and Saarloosons of Los Olivos California

April 3, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, black berries, Black Tuesday, chocolate mousse, Chocolate Rain, creme brulee, Fess Parker, Fess Parker winery, Grey Monday, Harvest Syrah, Imperial Stout, Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels, Kill-LA-Kill, Mardi Rouge, Mocha Wednesday, Petite Syrah, Ryuko Matoi, Ryuoko Matoi, saasloosons, syrah grapes, The Bruery, White Chocolate, Wineification | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Wineification (Mardi Rouge?) collaboration with The Bruery, Fess Parker winery and vineyard and Saarloosons of Los Olivos California is a 15.7% ABV Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout brewed with Syrah Grapes and aged again in French Oak Barrels

Label:
QUE SYRAH!
There is more and more talk these days about the”winefication” of beer. We decided to plunge straight into the deep end, working with two of our great wine making friends from the central coast to create this stunning blend of late harvest Syrah grapes and our imperial stout. The combination is unlike anything that you’ve likely had before and represents a glinmpse into the future of craft beer. Best stored and cellared around 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 degrees Celsius) in a cool dark place,
___

Best place to explain this beer is similar to that of the rarity of Mocha Wednesday. Wineification, or what I believe is Mardi Rogue or close to it (Harvest Syrah vs. Petite Syrah grapes) is a beer that may have been released instead of Mardi Rouge to the expensive Hoarders Society. This beer literally costs an arm and a leg, or atleast to trade it does. Let’s just say, that we have to be thankful for having fans of the site as well as those who are willing to trade for several beers. You people rock!!

I have been looking to try this beer as I have tried many of the Black Tuesday variants and close to it that have focused on many levels of well, different and even if they are rare, they have become my top favorites exceeding my expectations. I can only assume that this will do the same.

Aromas:
Sweet milk and dark chocolate, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, flan, crème brulee, Chambord raspberries, port wine, red wine, grapes, dark cherries, raisins, figs, dates prunes, blue and black berries, currants, bananas, bourbon, oak, leather, toasted coconut, mocha, pecan pie, hazelnut, rocky road ice cream, candi sugars, agave, rich chocolate mousse and fudge cake in wine.

Flavors:
Bourbon, toasted coconut, red wine, port wine, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, flan, crème brulee, toffee, butterscotch, rum notes, caramel bananas, plantain, dark fruits like figs, raisins, prunes, plums, blue berries, rich grape flavors, dark cherries, black berries, Chambord raspberries, currants, oak, leather notes, rye bread with jelly spread, pecan pie, agave, candi sugars, brown sugar, rocky road icecream, chocolate mousse, cherry cola, mocha, hazelnut, chocolate fudge cake, marshmallows.

Aftertaste:
Interesting enough, while it is very complex and rich, the aftertaste comes up dry leaving you wanting to drink more. Some of the chocolate, wine, berries and fudge cake of linger for a bit. There is hardly any sense of harsh alcohol in the taste. Despite having a syrupy mouthfeel and being a sipping beer, there is a smoothness about it that makes it very dangerous as you will want to keep drinking it. Take your time with it, this beer is meant to be savored, enjoyed and well, loved!

Overall:
Taking this to the Wine side gives Black Tuesday something that is incredibly different. Exceeding my expectations without any doubt. This beer reminds me of a what if scenario where Black Tueday mixes with one of those rich berry Avery beers like the Mephistopheles or The Beast or Samael beers but ofcourse, with the wine aging. There is nothing sour about this beer, everything is as complex as maybe some of those fancy wines should be, but the best part is that this is not wine, it is a beer and one that even the best wine connoiseur may actually appreciate. I don’t like the idea of thinking of beer as wine, but in the sense beer outclassing wine, you better damn believe it. Like the Black Tueday, Chocolate, White Chocolate, Cacaonut, Grey Monday, Mocha Wednesday, Melange 3 and so forth, I highly highly recommend this one if you can get it!!

Anime Corner:
No doubt, Ryuko Matoi from Kill La Kill was chosen for this pairing to pair with many of the different aspects of the beer. The label, the flavors, the ingredients the alcohol and especially since she is one of my favorite characters in Anime right next to my other top 3 (Kos-mos, Yoruichi and Temari). I have yet to pair a Bruery beer with her and what a way to seize the opportunity but to use a beer that is super rare and delicious indeed. The colors pair perfect with Ryuko’s hair, the background, her eyes and her outfit as well. If this was a candidate for Mardi Rouge (Red Tuesday) then even more the reason to use her for this pairing. The alcohol content represents her will power and strength, The complexity of the flavors showcases her unpredictable characteristics. She always has a plan up her sleeve. She is deadly and sexy which best describes how smooth the beer goes down but deadly since it has the really high ABV. The beer is dark but it is a blood red dark as you get closer to finishing the glass. Her suit Senketsu (Fresh Blood) describes this as she needs to let senketsu take some of her blood in order to unleash a higher power. Perfect for that red wine aspect and the color as I mentioned earlier. Ryuko is strong and tough minded, but she does have her sweet,warm hearted and loving side which she shows to the people she cares about. The sweet chocolate and berries is what best places this category. Take it easy with her, you won’t find one like her again, maybe. Either way, it will be a very memorable experience :3