This weekend I was lucky enough to spend my birthday in Paso Robles, California. We toured wineries all day, and drank Beer all night. Paso Robles is the site of Barrelhouse Ales, and we EMPTIED their fridge!!! This was all I had left to bring home.
During the day we stayed at the Wild Coyote vinyard. It was raining, but very pretty grounds nonetheless.
We also toured Tobin James. I absolutely need to make my tasting grounds at home, look as unique as this! Look at the rock design!
After the wineries we stopped at Barrelhouse Brewery, and at Tin City (ciderhouse), for a fridgefull of beers to take home to the house. Beer and Gaming are compulsory! Here is a picture of our sampling for the evening. (Yes that is a giant bottle of Anchor on the right. It was a special edition Brandy Barrel aged stout and was AMAZING....but were trying to focus on Barrelhouse here.
Games played: lots of Catan (pictured below), Exploding Kittens, Solo, Ticket to Ride, and...Axis and Allies!! (just kidding about A&A....that one was only in my dreams). By the way...drinking beer after wine is a great way to avoid a hangover. Its a mild "hair of the dog" treatment because you're going from about 15% to 7-8%. Its always worked for me.
My favourite of the Barrelhouse beers was Sweet Wild of Mine. A "Sweet Flanders Red Sour Ale aged in French Oak". 6.8% ABV. I like the tartness typical of a flanders style beer. The smooth berry flavor is pleasant with the soft acidity. There is mild carbonation, and a supe subtle vanilla flavor in the aftertaste (I guess thats from the French Oak). It says vintage 2015 so i'm nto sure if that means it was aged from 2015 until bottling time. It was pretty pricy at $15 but hey its my birthday. We bought the whole fridge.
Picture before opening......wait for it.......
.....ahhhh the pour! No head on this one at all. This one pours just like my favorites at Rodenbach.
And now i'm deep into junkie territory. I'm hooked on expensive beer! gaah! I will spend my last child's university dollar on this. I hope trade school is still an option!