I had read that Flossmoor Station was going to begin selling 22oz bottles of their beers this spring (but only at the brewpub for a while until stocks increase). I wrote off getting my hands on any until this summer (unless I made a pilgrimage).
I was delighted to find the nut brown ale on the menu at
Crust just last night. I am a big fan of brown ales (I think of Samuel Smith's generally as my favorite). I was first introduced to FS's version in growler form by Rene G (who has built up an excellent track record of introducing me to great beers over time, thank you sir). It has been a while since that first taste and my bottle last night was just as delightful as the first time. Smooth, slightly sweet, a background note of bitterness at the end, and really just plain flavorful. The brewmaster is quoted on the bottle that this is "a beer to contemplate", and I found myself doing just that. At one point I was drinking it and just staring at it and Cookie said to me sarcastically, "so, you really like this beer, huh?" (I had made the same declaration a few times already). I replied, "I need to fill our basement with these bottles".
If I dreamed up a worldwide competition between brewmasters to create a beer specifically for me, this is the beer that the winner would produce. It's really something beautiful.
Best,
Michael