Crooked Stave Artisan Project: 5 year Anniversary of Sours!

January marked the 5th Anniversary of the Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project. The anniversary party was from January 5-10th with special releases and guest beers at The Source.

We celebrated Crooked Stave on the first day where they had the release of Vieille Reserva barrel-aged with apricots. Friends of the mini-fest; Bell’s, Arizona Wilderness, Jackie O’s, Perennial, Fremont, and Cantillon, were tapped at 5pm. Most of the guest beers were very big barrel-aged ales with a few exceptions of sour ales.

Chad Yakobson, founder/head-brewer was there to partake in the occasion. He told my husband that the brewery was moving forward with brewing big beers like some of the guest beers. That would seem like a logical progression from barrel-aged sours to barrel-aged big beers like imperial stout, barley wines, and Belgian strong ales.

The line for the guest beers was very long by time we arrived, so hubby waiting with the other patrons while I headed straight to the main bar for a taster of Crooked Stave beers. I ordered the Vieille Reserva and Nightmare on Brett Cherry, I really liked the latter much better.  Nightmare on Brett cherry was aged in Leopold Brothers whiskey barrels, the cherries added the sweet tartness with the flavors of the whiskey and at 9.66% ABV, a very big sour. The Vieille Reserva was very tart with the nose of apricots but lost the flavor in the first sip, most disappointing.

The long line to the guest beer taps.

Vieille Reserva and Nightmare on Brett
Cherry.

The Fremont bourbon barrel-aged Dark Star, a 14.5% ABV Imperial Stout, it was really boozy that it took me a half an hour of sipping to finish it. That beer could be cellared for a few years as to mellow out the booziness. Larry, my husband, had Jackie O’s Wood Ya Honey and Perennial Brewing’s Abraxas. He really like both these beers. The Wood Ya had a really strong honey flavor with the barrel and alcohol notes present, the combined flavors were blended together nicely. The Abraxas had a strong cinnamon flavor.

Fremont Brewing bourbon barrel-aged
Dark Star.

I didn’t go to the other 4 days of celebrating but if Wednesday turnout was any indication then it was a successful anniversary party.