Haul for 1/9/16

I figured I better put the year on these haul things for the sake of being able to better scan through some of my older posts.  I was back at the Triangle Wine Company in Cary since my wife needed to go next door to Whole Foods.  I said I'd go to the store real quick and take a quick look and be back in Whole Foods pronto.  Sure enough, I didn't take more than 7 minutes to make my choices and get out of there.  I gave myself a personal limit on how much to pay for beer and ultimately blew it.  Here's the haul:

• Wicked Weed Puzzle Pieces - I seriously thought of getting something different from Wicked Weed since this was just labeled as a barrel select sour ale.  The more I thought about it, the more I thought it would be pretty neat to get a barrel select without a whole bunch of frills.  That, and after reading the bottle and understanding that some of the proceeds went to support the fight against autism, I made the decision to buy.  Price paid: $12.99
• Wicked Weed Cherry Go Lightly - Now this was an easier selection based on the amount of cherries that were used to make this bad boy.  Just another sour to age for a while.  Price paid: $14.99

Haul for 12/19 Part 2

While still Christmas shopping, I would drop by the Triangle Wine Company to get a few presents.  Me and my childhood friends usually gift alcohol to each other for Christmas.  While the usual gifts include hard liquor, my buddies requested some wine as a potential gift choice along with their usual selection of hard liquor.  I figured I'd buy them some wine and some (cheaper) liquor.  Of course, Triangle Wine Company sells more than just wine, and I ended up walking out with more beer.  Here's the haul:

• Stone Bourbon Barrel Aged Arrogant Bastard - I've never had a regular Arrogant Bastard, so I probably need to pick that up pretty soon so I can do a taste comparison.  That said, for a barrel aged brew, I thought the price was very reasonable and I opted to pick it up.  Price paid: $2.99
• Schilling Gold Cider - I've had a few ciders from Schilling and have had solid experiences.  This was a type I haven't had yet, so I figured I'd pick it up.  Price paid: $2.59
• Founders Devil Dancer IPA - A triple IPA?  I don't think I've had one of those before and wanted to give it a go.  Price paid: $3.99
• Mother Earth Snow Flurry Juniper Rye - I love the beer from Mother Earth and hadn't noticed this seasonal before.  Figured I'd grab it and try some time later in the future.  Price paid: $1.99
• Victory Mad King's Weisse - I wouldn't have picked it up if not for the fact that it was heavily discounted.  Perhaps it is an older seasonal and they're trying to get rid of stock or maybe it's a crap beer.  I don't know but considering the price I figured I'd give it a go.  Price paid: $2.99

Haul for 12/19 Part 1

For this particular haul, I was at World Market in Cary to pick up some Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers.  I had some ideas to grab some wine for Christmas or New Years festivities.  I couldn't just get some wine without looking at the beer selection and I ended up walking out with no wine (I'd come back a few days later and take care of that) and 2 bottles of cider.  Here's the haul:

• Doc's Cranberry Spice Apple Cider - I've had some of Doc's before and the idea of cranberry with cider sounded like a great seasonal alternative.  I'm a big fan of Oceanspray's Cran-Apple.  Easy choice.  Price paid: $5.99
• Crown Valley Gingerbread Cookie Cider - C'mon, the name itself should warrant enough intrigue for a purchase.  Cider?  Check.  Gingerbread cookie?  Really?  How can this possibly go together?  Maybe this will be a hot mess and be the nastiest thing I've ever had, or someone found a way to unlock the magic and make this work.  I figured it was worth a try.  Price paid: $5.99

Haul for 12/15

A week later, I was back in Charlotte and found myself back in Total Wine again.  And just like the last time, I couldn't drop in without getting a little something back for myself.  Here's the haul:

• Heavy Seas Yule Tide - I wanted to get at least one beer that was reminiscent of Christmas since we were less than 10 days away.  I went with this one, then proceeded to not drink it right away, because that's what I do.  I'm sure sometime in March or April of next year, I'll get around to drinking it.  Price paid: $8.99
• Stone/Bale/4 Hands Sorry Not Sorry - I was most intrigued by the idea of a peach IPA.  Otherwise, I probably would have given this a pass or at least opted for a different Stone collaboration.  Price paid: $9.99

Haul for 12/8

While working in Charlotte, I dropped by a nearby Total Wine to pick up some drinks to go with dinner.  Didn't get too much, but I certainly made sure I didn't walk away empty handed.  Here's the haul:

• Shmaltz/Terrapin Reunion Beer 2015 - I've picked up the 2012 and 2013 versions in the past and really didn't think I'd go back to the well again, but the description of pumpkin and other spices that were added to this concotion got the best of me.  Price paid: $8.99
• Grand Teton 5 O'clock Shadow Double Black Lager - This happened to be on the table and was advertised as some kind of special or price cut.  Don't know if that was the case, but I liked the label and had never tried Grand Teton before, so I decided to give it a shot.  Price paid: $9.99