Batch 311: Stupid, Sexy White Diddly Whales
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The Malt Couture team dives into a high-stakes bottle share featuring one of the most legendary and historically significant beers ever made: Dola's 20th Anniversary Flanders Red, a 25-year-old white whale that helped spark the American wild ale revolution. Hosts Alex Kidd and Steven Lowe dissect the beer's insane provenance—its role in inspiring Russian River's Consecration and countless other landmark Flanders Reds—while also drinking it with reverence, calling it 'the story of getting the bottle' and 'lights out' for the show. The episode is a masterclass in beer lore, with the Dola beer ultimately winning the power ranking despite its age, thanks to its unparalleled cultural impact and surprisingly vibrant taste. The rest of the lineup includes a hyper-aging Goose Island Bourbon County Single Barrel, a strikingly dark Brujos double-oaked barley wine, and a razor-sharp Dimensional Whistle from Iowa—each a standout in its own right. The hosts debate the ethics of single-barrel releases, the nostalgia economy, and even the absurdity of Popsicle's new hard adult beverages, all while celebrating the joy of rare, aged beer and the community that surrounds it.
Dola's 20th Anniversary Flanders Red is the origin point for the American wild ale movement, with its 2000 vintage setting off a chain reaction that birthed Consecration, Drops, and countless other iconic beers.
The Dola beer's 25-year age and perfect storage (on its side at 45 degrees) resulted in a stunning yeast cake and a taste that defied its age, described as 'lights out' and 'fantastic'.
Single-barrel releases like the Dimensional Whistle and Goose Island BCBS are prized not for balance, but for their unique, unblended expression of barrel character and aging.
The Dola beer's value isn't just monetary—it's a cultural artifact, with its story alone worth $400, and its influence on the entire craft beer landscape.
Popsicle's new hard adult beverages are a gimmick, but the idea of using nostalgic flavors to lure people back into drinking alcohol is a smart, if questionable, strategy.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The White Whale That Changed Beer History
“This is the base not barrel aged liquid that was made in 2000 that set all the dominoes for the American Wild Ales for the 2000s. It's it is a crazy origin story.”
The $400 Bottle and the Wife Who Made $300
“She was like, oh my god, thank you. Yeah, when you told me they're like me and my wife were saving for a special occasion. You're like any sold. I'm like, oh no, did they get divorced? What's happening? She was stoked. She got a 400% ROI on that.”
The Dola Beer Tasting: A Liquid Time Capsule
“I legitimately, I was like, man, this is so much better than I expected. Like, and the weird integration of like that colon nut Dr. Pepper cherry with the paper and leather, like sort of aspects.”
The Beer News: St. Patrick's Day is Back
The hosts break down the surprising 35.5% increase in St. Patrick's Day draft volume, with light lagers and Guinness both seeing strong sales. They speculate that post-pandemic socialization and weather are driving the trend.
The Mild Masters Invitational: A Three-Way Battle for Cask Pints
The hosts cover the Beer Temple's third annual Mild Masters Invitational, where Chicago's Avondale Bar won a three-way battle by pouring 1,017 pints of English mild in three days—shattering expectations.
“It's too good. And like, even without the narrative and like the cultural and historical significance to make something like that, I will tell, I'll put it with a bullet. None of, none of the brewery, like almost no brewery that we've ever had on the show could make a beer that could stand for 25 years, full stop.”
“This is the base not barrel aged liquid that was made in 2000 that set all the dominoes for the American Wild Ales for the 2000s. It's it is a crazy origin story.”
“I legitimately, I was like, man, this is so much better than I expected. Like, and the weird integration of like that colon nut Dr. Pepper cherry with the paper and leather, like sort of aspects.”
Hosts
Dola
brand
Trillium Brewing
brand
Brew Host
brand
Dimensional
brand
311
other
Goose Island
brand
Beer Temple
brand
Mad Men
media
Mark Wahlberg
person
Popsicle
brand
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