Tag Archives: Bell’s

News from 33.

A visit to Bailey’s Chocolate Bar isn’t complete without a stop next door at 33 Wine Shop and Tasting Bar to visit Jake and see what’s new on his extraordinary beer and wine lists. So, after the Eric’s Ale event, we managed to haul ourselves next door.

I settled on a Schlenkerla Helles, whose light smokiness matched very well with the pepper-crusted artisinal salami we snacked on, while Zac went the Bell’s Special Double Cream Stout route, and Carl couldn’t resist the St. Bernardus Abt 12 on draft.

While we were mulling over the beer list, Jake let us in on a big announcement. Dylan, homebrewer and beerlover extraordinaire, will be taking over responsibility from Jake for the beer list. Given the very high level at which Jake has kept the list, Dylan will have his work cut out to improve it, but St. Louis beer folks should take note that the beer selection at 33 may get even better.

For the wine lovers out there, I noticed a surprising number of ultra rare selections from Sine Qua Non (they’re too cool to have a website) making an appearance on 33′s 700 selection strong wine list. They are for consumption on premises only, but the prices are (as one would expect from Jake) incredibly reasonable. While Sine Qua Non is not my cup of tea, for those who want to try them at a tariff well below current auction prices, or who just want to dull the pain of another year on the waiting list, get thee to 33 before they’re gone.

My favorite winter warmer arrives today!

I’m such a geek sometimes. Ever since I noticed that Bell’s had brewed the first batch of their Special Double Cream Stout this Fall, I have been eagerly awaiting its arrival in St. Louis. It’s here. I pick up my case from Jake at 33 later this afternoon.

Why is this my favorite? Well, it just is. SDCS is a wonderful combination of richness and drinkability. It’s bigger than your average beer at 6.1% so it warms you up just fine thanks, but it’s not really big like Bell’s fine Expedition Stout, which clocks in at 10.5%. That means you can drink several over the course of the evening. Lots of flavors to complement a late Fall/early Winter evening as well – chocolate, a bit of coffee, and some dried fruit. Plus it’s got just enough bitterness from the hops and roasted malts to balance the not insubstantial residual sugar. I love it. I really do.

So, as if eagerly awaiting the arrival of a beer for a month isn’t geeky enough, you may have picked up on the whole “I noticed that Bell’s had brewed the first batch of their Special Double Cream Stout this Fall” thing. How did I notice? Well, Bell’s has a database on their website which you can query with a batch number that’s printed on the back of their bottles (and on the case boxes) which then tells you what kind of beer you have and when it was packaged. Some of us (and I can say “us” because I got the spreadsheet from someone a year or two ago and have sent it on to at least two other beer people) query the Bell’s database on a regular basis, and keep a spreadsheet of all the batches and bottling dates. So, I knew a couple of days after the batch of SDCS was bottled that it would be making its way through the distribution channels soon.

I also know (from the update I did yesterday), that Bell’s just packaged its rare Oatmeal Stout, the first batch of its marvelous Rye Stout since February of 2006, a new beer called “Harvest Ale” (for which there isn’t a TTB label approval on file . . . hmmm. Anyone got the scoop?), and an Apple Ale, which hasn’t been brewed as far back as the database goes (Jan. of 2004). There’s lots of fun facts to be learned from the information (such as just how damned much Oberon they brew – wow!). Anywho, if you’d like to geek out, I’m more than happy to forward the spreadsheet. Just holler.

Lies, Lies, Lies

Boy, I am really terrible. Time to clean up the act in these parts.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and making changes in the life regarding a host of issues that are not alcohol-related. That has kept me occupied – thankfully for you, patient reader, I won’t be starting a post-less blog about it as I had initially thought.

We’re sticking to booze here.

So, since I went draft way back in post #1, I’ve had the following in the kegerator (in order, thanks to persistent anal-retentivity in these parts):

New Belgium’s fine Blue Paddle Pilsner
Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale
Mahr’s Pilsner
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

All have been delightful in their own way, with the Mahr’s being particularly outstanding (though a three month process to acquire . . . Thanks, Jake!). The Two-Hearted was made very bittersweet by learning that Bell’s was pulling draft beer from Missouri for the time being. At least I gave our fair state’s last keg of 2H a very happy and appreciative home.

I’m feeling a wine kick coming on, so expect some notes/thoughts/impressions in the near future. Seriously. No, really. Stop laughing.