Try beer you will never have again from some of the
best breweries in the world!
Saturday, January 23, 2016
2:30 to 6 p.m.
5 Seasons Brewing Sandy Springs and Taco Mac-Prado
(The two venues are next door to each other and work together)
Whaddup!
With so much poppin’ off in Atlanta next weekend, the Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting is
one of the best events to hit up on Saturday, January 23rd. I am judging at 8 p.m. among the beer game's most elite palates at 8 a.m. in the morning so
that we can award the best in the competition in a timely fashion for your
sipping enjoyment.
 |
| Last year's was crazy! |
This is such a killer time and it was good to see one of my photos featured on all of the ad posters for this year’s version. (Shout out to Wild Heaven's Cullen Boudreaux on the modeling tip in the photo below!)
The cool sheezy about ACAT is there will be beers you will never
try again because they are only produced for this sole event in casks so folks get hella experimental. The participating breweries go
out of their way to make ales different from what their fans are accustomed to, so everyone will be treated to sip whatever crazy concoctions their
creative muscles flex starting at 2:30 p.m. I also posted last year’s winners and submissions to
show you how they got down in 2015 along with their official descriptions below. They have past years' submissions listed on their site too in chronological order here.
By the way, try and
meet Owen Ogletree, the head man behind this gangster event and a
true Georgia beer legend in every sense of the word. Boom:
- Sample 50 rare, cask-conditioned real ales from the USA and UK!
- See participating breweries at bottom of this site.
- Take home a free Monday Night Brewing souvenir glass!
- Attendees get a FREE one-year online subscription to Beer Connoisseur (a $15 value)!
- Experience one of the Southeast's most highly regarded craft beer events!
- Delectable food from 5 Seasons and Taco Mac will be on sale!
- Vote for "People's Choice" award!
- A morning panel of beer judges will award medals to the top cask ales
List of Cask Ales & Winners at our 2015 ACAT:
- 5 Seasons Booze Hound English-style ale was aged three
months in a Heaven Hill Elijah Craig barrel before its secondary fermentation
in the cask. A delicate malt character complements notes of vanilla, oak and a
warm, bourbon finish.
- Beavertown Black Betty Black IPA (UK - 7.4% ABV). Our
concept revolved around the old chewy sweets "Black Jacks & Fruit
Salads." We wanted a big IPA, laced with slight roasted malts and aniseed,
blended with tropical aromas of Pacific West Coast hops.
- Boulder Slope-Style Winter IPA is a full-bodied red ale
with a big, piney hop kicker at the finish. With a perfect blend of five malts
and a blast of Nugget, Crystal and Horizon hops, this cask is a cold weather
IPA that's off the rails! ABV: 6.4%, IBUs: 60.
- Brooklyn Dry Irish Stout. A blend of dark roasted, pale
and flaked malts produce rich coffee and chocolate flavors followed by a clean,
dry finish. This cask version weighs in at a sessionable 4.7% ABV.
- Burnt Hickory Mother of Mercy is a variant of our Eerie
Von XXX Spiced Apple Ale - a brown, 8% ABV ale with apples and apple pie spices
infused with vanilla. It's an evil "apple pie à la mode."
- Copper Creek Deez Wee Cranberry Nuts - A 9% ABV wee
heavy aged on toasted pecans and cranberries. Made from the first runnings of
the brewpub's malty Scottish ale.
FIRST PLACE CLASSIC STYLE - Creature Comforts DaySpring
- A traditional Grisette brewed with locally-sourced wheat and a highly
aromatic strain of Brettanomyces yeast. A bright, barnyardy aroma precedes
light citrus/fruit flavors and a bone-dry finish in this saison-like golden ale
with a light body and 4.8% ABV.
- Green Flash Serrano Chili Double Stout with cinnamon
and cocoa nibs - A spicy twist on our classic Double Stout, with notes of cinnamon
and chocolate melding with a bold, roasty character, finishing with a subtle,
spicy chili kick.
- Harviestoun Old Engine Oil (UK - 6% ABV) is a
remarkably smooth, creamy, 6% ABV porter with a beautiful, velvety mouthfeel.
Enjoy flavors of coffee, slightly buttered toffee, roasted malt, dark
chocolate, earthy hops and a mild cherry ester.
- Heavy Seas Cross Bones Session IPA. A crisp,
refreshing, 4.5% ABV hoppy ale bursting with floral and citrus notes backed by
a satisfying, malty backbone. This cask contains additional hops and a dose of
applewood.
- Left Hand 400 Pound Monkey. Any monkey can dump 400
pounds of hops into a kettle and call it an IPA, but it takes control and
restraint to make a graceful English IPA. Enjoy this special cask that's dry-hopped
with four ounces of Boadicea.
- Moon River Depravity or Divinity Abbey-style Dubbel
with fresh ginger and cranberries in the cask. "Dubbel D" is an 8.3%
ABV, malty-sweet brew with hints of raisin and plum from dark candi syrup and
spicy yeast esters. Will it bring you closer to Depravity or Divinity?
- O'Dempsey's Your Black Heart Russian Imperial Stout.
With an upfront deep roasted flavor, countered by the smooth, sweet taste of
chocolate, this 90 IBU, 9% ABV cask packs flavors augmented by additions of
Madagascar vanilla beans and cocoa nibs.
THIRD PLACE UK BEER- Old Golden Hen (UK - 4.1% ABV).
This quaffable English golden ale is made with the finest pale malts and Galaxy
hops. Look for subtle tropical fruit notes and a deliciously smooth finish.
FIRST PLACE UK BEER - Old Speckled Hen (UK - 4.5% ABV).
A classic English bitter with a rich, amber color and graceful fruity aromas
accentuated by gorgeous toffee malt complexity and a refreshingly dry finish.
THIRD PLACE CLASSIC STYLE - Oskar Blues Pinner
Throwback IPA. Pale malts, aromatic and carapils are thrown together to create
the backdrop for a blend of nine different hops. Tropical citrus and sweet
fruits lace the aroma and flavor, while toasted bread notes emerge in the
finish. 4.9% ABV.
- Rahr & Sons Snowmageddon Imperial Oatmeal Stout is
named to commemorate the collapse of our brewery's roof in 2010, due to heavy
snowfall. In this cask, we've infused fresh, organic mint and roasted cocoa
nibs to create "SnowMintCocoageddon."
THIRST PLACE SPECIALTY BEER - Red Brick Cinnanilla
Imperial Stout. The base beer is our newest Brick Mason release - an imperial
stout based on our 20th anniversary recipe. Its big notes of dark chocolate and
espresso beans are complemented by subtle additions of vanilla and cinnamon.
- Service Brewing Wheat Wine shows off a deep amber color
with an aroma of apple, raisin and honey. With assertive notes of sweet malt,
followed by light hints of spice and fruit, this potent brew ends with a
complex, warming finish.
- Thomas Creek Coffee Oatmeal Stout with blueberries and
maple syrup is an 8% ABV, creamy black ale with a dark roasted flavor and
delectable coffee aroma. Additions of fresh blueberries and pure maple syrup
add an interesting allure.
- Three Taverns Dubbel Shot is an 8% ABV oatmeal coffee
Belgian-style dubbel with an addition in the cask of bourbon-infused coffee
nibs, cocoa nibs and vanilla beans.
FIRST PLACE SPECIALTY BEER - TN Whiskey Barrel-Aged
MAZURT RIS. In the hills of Tennessee, whiskey is king. A fast car, Daisy Mae
and a gallon of hooch. Our Russian imperial stout is brewed with deep roasted
Kenyan coffee, Vermont grade-B maple syrup, Madagascar vanilla, organic
Peruvian cocoa nibs and GA wildflower honey. This MAZURT RIS version was
recklessly aged in a TN whiskey barrel. 13.6% ABV. Guest brewed at Burnt
Hickory Brewing.
- Twain's Nelson Blaster Oatmeal India Red. Boom! Get
blasted with New Zealand Nelson Sauvin hops in this 6.3% ABV, wildly dry-hopped
ale that'll rock your face! Brewed with Columbus, Citra and Chinook, then
dry-hopped in the firkin with Nelson Sauvin.
- Wild Heaven Invocation Belgian-style strong golden ale
with cranberries, ginger and cinnamon. Belgian aromatic malts provide hints of
dried fruit, while added cranberries and spices amp-up the complexity. 8.5%
ABV.
- Abita Vanilla Oatmeal Stout is a cask version of
Naughty Quaker aged with Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans. Expect pronounced
flavors and aromas of vanilla and dark malts. 6.5% ABV, 35 IBUs.
PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD - Cherry Street O.A.S.I.S. (Old
As Sh** Imperial Stout). The 40th birthday beer made for our over-the-hill
brewer Chris, this 10.1% ABV imperial stout is infused with cocoa nibs and
vanilla beans soaked in Sarsaparilla whiskey.
- Dark Star Revelation (UK - 5.7% ABV). Pale ale with
Chico ale yeast and Warrior, Cascade, Columbus, Crystal and Chinook by the sack
full - then dry-hopped using our 'Hoptimizer' industrial-sized hookah. Expect
plenty of tangerine, citrus and tropical fruit flavors.
- Eagle Creek What Time is it? Peanut Butter & Jelly
Time! We started with our roasty, dry Irish stout and crammed it full of
honey-roasted peanuts and fresh local strawberries. It's a very light-bodied
beer with flavors that remind you of being a kid.
- Hobson's Manor Ale (UK - 5.5% ABV) - Brewed to
celebrate England's Severn Valley Railway Manor Class steam engines, this amber
ale offers aromas and flavors that reflect fresh grains, hops and biscuit
crust.
SECOND PLACE UK BEER - Ilkley Mary Jane IPA (UK - 6.0%
ABV) is a trans-Atlantic India Pale Ale that relies on English hops for
bittering and North American hops for a floral aroma. Based on an award-winning
Yorkshire ale, this version boasts notes of honey and a pleasant, lingering
bitterness.
- Ilkley Mayan Chocolate Chipotle Stout (UK - 6.5% ABV).
They may not have gotten all their predictions right, but they knew how to brew
great beer! Inspired by an ancient Mayan recipe, this extraordinary stout is
velvety smooth, bittersweet, and has a subtle, smoky fire in its belly.
- JailHouse Slammin' Melons. A voluptuous handful of
juicy Huell Melon hops went into this cask of our popular Slammer Wheat. Look
for cantaloupe and honeydew aromas backed by a base of pilsner and wheat malts.
5% ABV.
- Jekyll Hop Dang Diggity IPA double dry-hopped on cedar.
After sitting on dry-hops for several days, this bad boy went straight from the
fermenter into the cask, where we added a second dose of dry-hops, along with
aromatic cedar chips.
- Max Lager's Mystery Cask - A blend of Scotch ale, Rye
Doppelbock and Imperial Stout primed with a krausen of Hopsplosion. This beer
sat in the cask with toasted oak for two years, proving that the brewer
sometimes forgets he made a cask!
SECOND PLACE SPECIALTY BEER - Monday Night 3 A.M. &
Single is a cask version of Eye Patch 6.2% IPA aged on coffee, vanilla and dark
Godiva chocolate. This bold-flavored cask screams, "I just broke up with
my cheating boyfriend, so I'm gonna eat whatever I want - straight from the
carton!"
- Mother Earth IPA - Light copper in color, with an
intense hop aroma and bitterness from our hopback that allows fresh hop cones
to take this IPA to unexpected places. This special cask includes a dose of a
hybrid strain of Cascade and Chinook whole flower hops grown on our own estate.
- New Belgium Portage Porter dry-hopped with US Goldings.
A 6.3% ABV dark ale with notes of coffee, chocolate, toast, hops and smoked
almonds. An upfront sweetness and slight, roasty bitterness give way to a
creamy, dry finish.
- Red Hare Rumple-Sticky-Stouts-Kin is our Oatmeal Sticky
Stout with a kick of dark chocolate and one other special, boozy ingredient.
Can you guess its name?
- Second Self JunIPA is an IPA inspired by gin. Brewed
with Amarillo, Centennial and Ahtanum hops plus juniper berries, the beer is
then dosed with juniper and rosemary - producing flavors similar to a citrusy
gin.
SECOND PLACE CLASSIC STYLE - Sierra Nevada Ruthless
Rye. Rye's black pepper-like flavor has been prized by distillers and brewers
for centuries, and this character comes to life in Ruthless - a rugged IPA with
fruity, citrusy and herbal hops countered by dry, rye spiciness.
- Southbound The Reaper is a fruity, spicy, warming
Belgian style quad with toasted coconut, toffee and coco nibs. 9.6% ABV.
- Starr Hill Belgian-Style Tripel with red wine-soaked
oak chips offers aromas of fruit, spice, pepper, coriander and wood followed by
sweet and spicy palate notes highlighted by earthy hints, tannins, mild hop
bitterness and alcohol warmth. 9.5% ABV.
- SweetWater Chicks Dig It. IPA dry-hopped with Nelson
Sauvin and Simcoe hash, with a generous amount of fresh raspberries and a hint
of mint.
- Terrapin Wake 'N' Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout.
This delicious cask is infused with vanilla beans, four pounds of raspberries,
and primed with grade-B maple syrup. 9.4% ABV.
- Wrecking Bar Oatmeal Cookie Porter - A traditional
brown porter brewed with flaked oats for added smoothness, and infused with
rum-soaked dark raisins, Indonesian cinnamon bark and a touch of vanilla to
emulate a freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookie.
- Yes Face Brass Monkey Nuts. A 4.0% ABV, English-style
session brown ale meets Georgia's state bean - the peanut. The result is nuts!
Holla!!!
Ale
