This visit to Tired Hands actually occurred way back before Thanksgiving but I half forgot about these notes and half just hadn't gotten around to writing about it. But today I make up for it! I made this visit so soon after the
previous one for two reasons: to fill a growler and to try the new Westy 13. Since it was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, man was it busy. I got the last seat at the bar and showed up only a few minutes after it opened. Funny but totally great for them.
So since it was new and special, I started with the Westy 13, a quad.
Great nose. Berries, plums, and caramel with none of the 13% alcohol. Also, great mouthfeel on it. Thick but not cloying. Body followed the nose with plums and caramel up front that lead into cherry, caramel, and finished with a tiny bite of alcohol. As it warmed up, though, the alcohol disappeared completely and left just the delicious cherry, caramel, and plum flavors. This was really tasty and well done. Plus the name is kind of funny in a beer geek kind of way. (There is a famous quad named Westvleteren 12 that is sometimes shortened to Westy 12. Hence Westy 13. Or at least I hope that is the inspiration. But, as I said, beer nerdery at its finest.)
After that I had to decide what beer I was going to get in my growler for the holiday. It was really a decision between Slava Oner, their kvass I had in my previous visit, and MAP, an herbal saison, so I got a glass of the latter to help me decide.
Minty herbal nose. Tasted like an herb garden actually. Sage, lavender, and a base lightly spicy saison flavor. Pretty unique with lots of different facets. Also, the fact that Jean, their head brewer, picked all of the spices while on vacation in San Francisco makes for a unique story. Definitely would have gone well with Thanksgiving dinner due to the herbs but I decided it was a little too odd for my family so went with the Slava Oner instead. Of course, the latter is odd too but, well, it was less weird I felt.
Another great trip to Tired Hands. The fact that the alcohol was so well hidden in a 13% quad is a real good sign for things to come in the high alcohol department. And on top of that Map was a good sign in the weird beer department although I wasn't worried about that part of the brewing. Just a fun time as always.
Man, I've had Westy13 a few times now, and I've really grown to love it. Apparently they're on their last keg of the stuff, though they have some reserved for bottling. No idea when they're releasing it (dude at the bar said it's up to the government, label approval or some such). I'm going to have to pick up a few bottles of that stuff if I can. You're right though, this is a good sign of things to come in the high ABV department. Looking forward to their upcoming barleywine too.
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