Rare Brews Cause A Stir

Many of the most highly rated and anticipated beers in the American craft beer world fall under the category of Russian Imperial stout. Likely you know the style — big, rich, roasted beers that often carry a hefty weight in the alcohol department. Like many beer aficionados, I’m a big fan of these treats, but it’s also a group of beers that can bring about madness in some sections of the craft world.
The lunacy to which I refer is not the over-indulgent kind, although with such high gravity fare that’s always a possibility. No, the psychosis I speak of comes from the need to have what others cannot get, the extremely rare special release beer. All across the United States, breweries have festivals to free their most important ales.
Quite often, when a brewery hosts a special day to release one of their ultra rare and unique offerings, beer snobs and traders alike line up hours before just for the chance to purchase their beers. Folks will drive insane distances for only one or two bottles of the exclusive product. And many of these are the best beers in the land. Or are they?
An example of a special release beer, which causes pandemonium amongst those in the know, is Sexual Chocolate from Foothills Brewing Company of Winston-Salem, N.C. From their website, “A cocoa infused Imperial Stout. Opaque black in color with a dark brown head. Big chocolate aroma with notes of espresso, blackstrap molasses, dark sweet toffee and dark fruit. Smooth dark chocolate backbone with complex notes of coffee, dark toffee and dark fruit.“
On the day before Sexual Chocolate’s release, beer lovers began lining up at the brewery early in the morning, camping out to await the next day’s opening of the gates. The brewery is fantastic in providing some provisions, restrooms, and local police who look the other way when the expectant revelers share other sudsy delights.
Once unleashed, Sexual Chocolate is somewhat hard to find. The day after the release, I was able to track down one bomber and also tasted it on draft at a local spot. 48 hours later, it was gone. And was the beer worth the excitement?
The 2014 installment of Sexual Chocolate was good. Quite good in fact. However it was not outstanding or life changing. I was lucky enough to get to do a side-by-side tasting of the 2014 and the 2012, and the older ale was a hands down winner. So, it could be the beer is too young and will age magnificently. Just another reason to be patient and cellar your beer.
My other thought is … don’t sweat it. Many friends called and texted in a panic, at wits end about being unable to find any Sexual Chocolate. Folks, there are other just as good or even better beers available right now, which don’t require an overnight stay on a sidewalk or even a mad dash from shop to shop.
One of these is Siren Noir from Heavy Seas. Much like Sexual Chocolate, it’s made with that extra chocolate infusion. Unlike standard Sexual Chocolate, it’s barrel-aged, the version which was basically unattainable from Foothills. Siren Noir is still available.  As is Founder’s Breakfast Stout. As is Evil Twin’s Biscotti Break. As is Southern Tier’s Choklat. As are other great, big Imperial Stouts. If you can find those elusive singular beers, fantastic. If not, it’s not the end of the world. Enjoy the brews … Cheers.
 
Gene’s Haufbrau has at more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. While they don’t have every beer the Beer Snob writes about, they probably have most. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.net.