Searching for the line between "hobby" and "obsession"

Surly 5

I was able to procure two bottles of Surly 5 when it went on sale last September and have been hoarding them since.  Since I brewed my wort contribution to my homebrew club’s barrel-aged sour beer this past Sunday, I figured it was as good a time as any to crack the first bottle in anticipation of what our club brew could turn out to be like when it’s finished sometime next year.

I believe Surly 5 is only the third sour beer I’ve ever had so I’m far from a connoisseur, though I’ve really liked the sours I’ve tried. This is in part because I generally drink beer too fast and sour beers slow me down and force me to savor them a bit more. Surly 5 almost seemed like a carbonated red wine to me. Slight oak char from the wine barrels it was aged in, roasty red malt profile, tart acidity… zinfandel? I liked it. I think I’ll wait to open the second bottle until the club beer is done and I can taste them side by side. C’mon spring/summer 2013! It’s gonna be amazing.

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