Rare Beer Club 2-Bottle Selections - May 2025
Stubbornness (2025 Release)
Bombastic Brewing – Hayden, ID
[English-style Barleywine (16-oz cans) – 13% ABV]
Bombastic Brewing was founded in Idaho in 2016 by Russell Mann, who was inspired by the scale of Sierra Nevada, the innovative breweryless nomadic model of Mikkeller, and the entrepreneurial spirit of early Sam Adams. When state legal hurdles put his original partner-brewing model on hold, Russell and his two co-founders started Bombastic quite small—essentially as a nanobrewery—brewing on a 30, then 50-gallon system in a garage near the airport. Each Saturday, the garage doors rolled open, welcoming adventurous beer lovers who eagerly bought up every release. After successfully lobbying the state to allow his partner-brewing model in 2019, Bombastic expanded their offerings beyond the garage by working with multiple other breweries to produce Bombastic’s recipes, allowing them to expand their footprint into a handful of western states. In recent years, they’ve garnered numerous brewing awards, including four at the most recent 2024 North American Beer Awards.
Stubbornness has only been brewed a handful of times previously: twice in 2017, then once in 2021 and once again in 2023. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to bring our members the 2025 edition of this rare and hugely flavorful barleywine. Pouring a brilliant, clear copper with a radiant ruby hue and a persistent, creamy head, it offers up deep aromas of toffee, caramelized sugar, and sherry-soaked walnuts, all wrapped in pine resin and a touch of nougat sweetness. Hints of dark and stone fruits—figs, dates, and cherries—add depth and intrigue, while a subtle malty warmth lingers just beneath the surface. At 13% ABV, Stubbornness drinks smoother than it should, with a full-bodied mouthfeel and a long, warming finish. Big, resinous hop character bursts forward on the palate, bringing bright citrus zest that weaves effortlessly into rich layers of caramel, dried fruit, and toasted malt. The bitterness is bold but beautifully balanced, grounding the sweetness with just the right edge. This is a barleywine lover’s dream: complex, warming, and endlessly rewarding.
NOTE: Stubbornness is packaged in 16-oz cans, so instead of one 750-ml bottle, your shipment will include two 16-oz cans.
Grande Cuvée Porter Baltique
Microbrasserie Les Trois Mousquetaires – Brossard, Québec, Canada
[Baltic Porter - 10% ABV]
Les Trois Mousquetaires got its start back in 2004, shortly after its three founders lost their jobs after a production plant was moved to Ontario. Using their experience as production engineers, they decided to purchase a small brewing operation along the north shore of Montreal. We’re glad they did. In 2008, brewer Alex Ganivet-Boileau took over brewing responsibilities, and in the years since the company has expanded from a pair of lagers to its current expansive range of German-influenced creations and beyond. LTM is easily among the finest brewers in Canada, but they remain obscure to most on this side of the border as only a relative trickle of cases makes its way to the US each year. It’s our pleasure this month to bring you one of our favorites from their lineup: their exceptional Porter Baltique.
LTM delivers a stellar interpretation of the Baltic porter—just how we like it: rich, smooth, and packed with ripe dark fruit character. And, we’re not alone in singing its praises; it’s brought home a slew of World Beer Awards over the years, including World’s Best Strong Porter in 2021. Porter Baltique pours a deep chocolate-brown that edges into purple territory, with a thick, viscous body that clings to the glass. Though technically a dark lager, it might easily be mistaken for something else. The aroma leans heavily into red and dark fruit: think apples, currants, red grapes, blackberry jam, and ripe black cherries. Beneath all that fruit lies a steady undercurrent of roasted malts, lending notes of espresso and bitter chocolate. There’s also a subtle citrus lift and a whisper of boozy fruitiness. Flavor-wise, it stays true to the aromatic promise: juicy black cherries, raisins, and dried cranberries take the lead. Bittersweet chocolate and coffee notes play supporting roles, keeping things from getting overly sweet, and there’s a hint of citrusy hop bitterness adding freshness and balance. Caramel, baker’s chocolate, and even a trace of smoke emerge as it warms and opens up. It’s a complex, decadent beer meant to be savored slowly.
