Jose Pistola's Three year anniversary

Spent an afternoon at Jose Pistola's today for their three year anniversary.  I was hoping to try the four year old Barleywine that Adam said they had in the basement, but it didn't seem like it was going to be on draft any time soon so I didn't get a chance.  However, I did get to finally try Russian River Supplication and a surprise in Allagash Fluxus.  I've been wanting to try the Supplication for a long while since it seems to be a counter point to their Consecration and I wanted to see the difference between the two.

Luckily when I got there the Supplication was already on draft.

Its look was a cross between the Ichtegem's and Petrus from last night.  Basically a light brownish color instead of the golden or dark brown.  The smell was similar to the Petrus with a little bit more fruit in the nose.  Reasonably enough because the Supplication has cherries added to it before being aged in the French oak Pinot Noir barrels.  Once tasting it, the cherry really comes through in the flavor of the beer.  It's all sour up front similar to the Petrus, but the back edge of it is the cherries.  It's kind of like the Cantillon Kriek really in that respect.  All in all, I liked the Supplication better than the Consecration mostly because the cherry flavor is tastier than the currant edge of the Consecration and the 7% is much more drinkable than the 10%.  Really though if someone bought me either beer I'd be psyched so liking one more than the other really doesn't much matter.

After that I had the Allagash Fluxus.  I hadn't ever heard about this but when I looked it up on Beer Advocate and it said Imperial Stout, I ordered it immediately.  Hell, if I had looked it up earlier I probably would have ordered it first.  I'm a sucker for Imperial Stouts.

You can't see much from that picture, but rest assured it was nearly black and looked delicious.  The head was a nice brownish purple which to me means it's going to be awesome.  The first sip was pure Hazelnut.  I know it sounds weird, but such is taste.  At 10+%, it was amazingly drinkable.  The more I had of it, the more the flavors built up.  Of course, once Jo showed up and I made her taste it, she claimed it just tasted like burnt malts but she always thinks that when I make her try porters and stouts so who needs her opinion.

After that I had another of each of them so all in all it was a great beer Sunday.  As I said, I wish I had been able to try the barleywine as it was 4 years old and from a closed brewery but hopefully I'll be able to have some tomorrow.  And regardless of that the two beers I did get to try were really amazing.  The Supplication was delicious and Allagash impressed me with another excellent beer.  It's a shame a case of the Supplication is $130 because I really wouldn't mind having some around the house.  Hopefully with Russian River becoming more available in Philly the cost of it will come down.  That or I'll be able to convince one of my sister in laws to bring me some from California.