#peats like ‘oh god. has it really been that long

[clovertoast]

The hair gave him the power of sass

[indis-crayon-box]

(Yet again, a letter lies on a desk, in the same exact place so its recipient would be guaranteed to find it. It's written in that same signature glittery indigo hue that has by now become all too familiar. A small navy blue velvet teddy bear sits next to it, though at a glance, it doesn't seem to be sapient or even alive. Just a perfectly normal teddy bear, smaller than average, seeming more like it was forgotten than it was deliberately put there as a gift. No, what's really the gifts are the copious amount of origami birds, each a unique shade of blue, and the three bags of jolly rancher hard candies stacked on top of each-other.)

Hey, @unknowns-understanding

Long time no see! Or, well, that isn't exactly true in my case, you know I like to keep an eye on things and all that. No, I do not know why those words are green, either, I'm just going to roll with it.

But, yeah, it's been a bit since we've been face-to-face, or since I've written a letter like this to you, and I know you'd probably like to keep it that way, but recently I came up with something that miiight just be worth your while. See, one of my playthings just so happens to be none other than Hatchetfield. Not the town, no, not even the people who reside in it, though god knows I have a lot of fun with some of those guys from time to time, but the island itself.

Are you familiar with the concept of floating islands? I don't mean the fantasy "island in the sky" type stuff you hear about in fantasy novels and myths, but the very real phenomenon of little islands not connected to the sea floor (or lake floor but that's just getting pedantic) made up of a bunch of floating aquatic plants, peat, and mud. Hatchetfield, as an island, is sorta similar to this in the way that it isn't a solid part of the sea floor, but obviously it probably wouldn't be able to support a whole ass city on-top of it if it was just a bunch of plants and mud, but the key to this conundrum of what the shit this island actually is lies BENEATH the very strange tiny town you're probably familiar with.

Hatchetfield, as in the island itself, is alive. A descendant of the very Lords in Black you're probably very familiar with by now, proudly carrying the weird ass tiny town with those funny little humans it loves so much. It's a really docile creature, only thinking the best of those humans that walk along it's back 'cause they did give it a name and all, and while you probably would have a hard time completely incapacitating it without hurting the citizens of the town itself, but you could probably get something far more important: information.

Information about the town, about the Lords, about the things that lurk below the surface of the lake, even information about itself. All things it'd be more than happy to give you, considering it's barely aware of the more gruesome stuff that goes on in that tiny town, and it'd probably appreciate the company, anyways. This gives me a way to introduce one of my playthings, and a way for me to interact a bit more with you and your fascinating work.

Please hand your response to this letter to my associate, he's probably been waiting very patiently for your reply this entire time and it'd be more than willing to deliver it for you. Oh, and maybe give him some sort of trinket as thanks, it'd really appreciate that. Take as much time as you need to think this over, but please don't keep my friend waiting, 'cause he'll have top stay there the entire time you take to not reply, and that'd be a pain in the ass, obviously.

Hope you're having a good day!

Your pal(?)

- Indigo Crayon (first name Indigo, last name Crayon, yes that is my real legal name)

[bengiyo]

Love in the Air Ep 9 Stray Thoughts

I've been worried about y'all this week. Everyone has been super quiet since we unpacked how everyone felt about Sky and Prapai. Hope we have a good rebound episode.

I do like the way Thai BL presents siblings most times. Very interesting that Prapai's siblings think he raised them.

Affective transition from Prapai's wealthy family home to Sky digging around an almost empty fridge.

Hey, so Peat is really good. The way he almost shuddered at the mention of love and fell back into a traumatic memory came through clearly.

I am glad Prapai noticed that something shifted with Sky and at least asked if he was okay.

The framing of them at the table also reinforces the economic gap between them.

I do like that Sky isn't cowed by Prapai.

Sky's shirt has reversed text that reads in a mirror, "SOME KINE OF WONDERFUL" I am going to lose it over these shirts in Thai BL.

It's kinda interesting how MAME always puts bisexuality in her stories, but Sky is sidestepping the concern Rain has about queer solidarity between besties.

This hurts. I've really grown to love the Rain-Sky friendship, so to see Sky shove him away like this is sad.

These trauma flashbacks from Sky are impactful.

I think blocking Prapai is a good choice for Sky.

Sad montages with slightly upbeat music my beloved.

I like that Sky is so dependable to his friends, and I also like that they have clear regard for how much is asked for him and his well-being.

Noeul is so long.

Sky is making me sad. I want someone to help him.

I just don't see how Prapai helps in this situation. I don't think he should go to the hospital.

I feel like Rain could have gotten Payu to bring his work, but I'll let it ride for the drama.

Oh god we don't need to do sponge baths.

Oh good, we did the sponge bath offscreen and Prapai remembered his promise to Rain. I feel like Rain would become an enemy if Prapai violated his trust like that.

Well, I still struggle with romances where someone keeps pushing past someone's boundaries, but I am trying to be understanding of what MAME is trying to explore here. It helps that everyone is just so incredibly attractive.

[opuestocomplementario]

love in the air ep7 review

Context: I tried so hard not to spoil today's episode. Mission accomplished. I did not, in fact, get spoiled. So I watched it just now and I wanted to talk about it because obviously I had to. 

(I can finally scroll to every single social media that I own; that was literally killing me, i will never put myself through that again)

Let’s start with the MOST IMPORTANT THING: PrapaiSky

Prapai: my god this man is so freaking fine. Every scene was *chef’s kiss*. Can we acknowledge his voice? Oh my god Fort I didn’t know you could speak like that. Amazing honestly. I love it. The way that he smiles too, how can we resist? I am actually so excited to see him act as Prapai because Prapai is a fun character but also is supposed to be an adult and a “dangerous, professional, playboy” one which I normally hate in other shows because they always look like assholes, but Prapai/Fort looks like such a nice guy is actually insane how he can pull both looks. I love his way to getting Sky numer from Rain, like he knew those little shits where so eager to fuck and he did not care at all. Also, he canceling his meeting for that one moment is so amazing to me; that’s what a whipped man does

Sky. Babe, yes, you are the moment. I actually didn’t think he was going to be of my enjoyment because, again, like Prapai, these types of characters are playing in such an annoying way and are not fun after a while, but Sky/Peat has been delivering everything since we first saw him. So yes, I am also excited to see him more, and see more facets of this character, especially the horny one. YES, I WANT TO SEE A CHARACTER THAT’S SO GOOD IN BED THAT HE MADE A GROWN MAN CANCELED HIS WORKS MEETING JUST TO BE WITH HIM. I honestly love his relationship with Rain. Is so pure and amazing how they stand for each other and how Rain seeks comfort and help from him. 

That is something that I appreciate in this drama: the relationships aside from romantics. Friends and family are sometimes really hard to portray because it is hard to make a whole cast of people get well with each other, but they did. Idk if is the main or what, but everyone feels connected somehow, and they seem to get along well. Sky’s dad and Rain’s mom are so funny and cool, I wanted to see more of them. And Daddy Chai did his thing with that asshole but I will get to him later. 

Rain. If people could see how much I talk about him they can eventually figure out that he is my favorite character of the show so far. I just love how Nouel portrayed him, and how cute and funny he is on screen. I already talked about his development but seriously, what great writing. I really liked the scenes of him being kidnapped, even though they're hilarious and I couldn't take them seriously, Nouel has a thing for screaming, he does it well. 

Phayu. I can't get enough of him, he can do everything. I really like the way Boss portrays his character when he worries and he tries so hard not to do the things the asshole said to him. I feel like he can play more dramatic characters besides the “bad boy” if he keeps on this track. But overall I feel like he literally shines when he plays playful and flirty guys. He just does so well. He is so charismatic and makes everything fit together. The scene where he was with Rain’s friends was so good. Usually when seniors approach younger ones there is this air of awkwardness and discomfort because of the age gap, but here, it was like they were comfortable talking to him like you would with a cool adult. 

The relationship between Rain and Phayu is definitely one for the books. They had the chemistry that’s been missing for so long in other couples. They look so good together, they talk and act like a couple which I love to see. I like when the characters keep acting like they want to be together even after they get official. Like the spark is still there. I love the hornyness, i love the communication, the cuteness and the little kisses. 

I also thought that I would hate the fact that Phayu knew Rain and “broke” his car so he could fix him and therefore meet him, but keeping in mind that he is a mechanic and wasn’t any danger and most of his flirting was teasing, I can understand it. 

So, the whole kidnapping thing. It was fun, it was dramatic, it had fights, some talk and action. Overall, It did live up to the expectation. I feel like it was unnecessary of course keeping in mind that the plot was the romance and we already had a romance going on, but I think it is a way to connect the dark sides of the ilegal races with the story of Sky. So i don’t mind. Like, LITA it feels like a fanfic, but a wattpad one, so I don’t really care that it is not perfectly written. Sometimes we need trash stories in shows and we need to learn to accept them. But the actors did a good job portraying what they had to. Daddy Chai obviously stole the show, which I also think is understandable if he is an older actor and a more experienced one. I feel like giving dramatic scenes and very heavy ones to BossNouel will end up a lot like JaFirst where they were good, but not that good, and it felt a little fake. 

So overall, the episode was a lot to take, but in a good way. The action stuff was not overwhelming, and we had a lot of cute moments of the couple just talking about their feelings (which we all love because communication is our number one priority, always) and we got more scenes where Phayu and Prapai were together (if I don’t have more of them i swear i'm going to thailand to make them film more scenes idc) and WE GOT PRAPAISKY, separately, but we got them.

[hacked-by-jake]

Hi. Can I get 14 and 16 with Jake and MC (female) ?

No, genius. No, Ah! God!

Prompts: "I still don't trust you." and "Friendly reminder that I know how to hide a body." "That did not sound friendly at all." Words: 3,5k Warning: Bad language, an arrogant and annoying Jake, an annoyed MC, quarrel, teasing, slight sexual allusion for fun, mention of violence (for fun). A/n: Hi anon, first of all, thank you for your request. I really enjoyed writing it. And thank you for your patience. I wanted to try something new, but I hope you’ll like it anyway. Sorry for the mistakes and have fun reading! <3

-

Summary: Jake is an asshole, an idiot, he’s terrible and exhausting. The others call your relationship absolute hate love. Even if the hatred really predominates. He is arrogant, he is a macho and he drives you to the edge of your nerves every second. You wouldn’t say that you hate him - although.. okay yes, that’s exactly what you’re doing. And you try to avoid him as much as possible. You thought he found something important about the Man Without A Face and that’s why he’s leading you into the woods. But you forgot who you’re talking about.

(Gif is not mine)

-

"What the hell is your plan?" With the nerves at the end you stumble through Duskwood’s forest. Stumble over roots hidden under leaves and dirt or step into holes you can’t see. In front of you, the cheerful and whistling Jake, almost jumping over branches and bushes. "Actually, I don’t have a plan. I just thought a walk in the woods would be a nice thing for both of us" with a hypocritical grin, he turns to you. Speechless your mouth opens and you stop immediately, "WHAT?" you ask angrily. It was so clear it was just another trick. He twists his eyes and also stops walking, "Listen to me when I talk. You and me. A walk. In the woods. I can spell it for you if you want," he explains as if you were a child. You notice how your eye starts twitching suspiciously as you clench your hands into fists, "You said you had to show me something!"

However, Jake takes it with a simple giggle and doesn’t seem really worried about your anger. "Yes, I’ll show you the forest" he shrugs his shoulders and smiles his head crooked. But to your bad luck, of course, you immediately stumble over the first root that gets in your way. "Oh no"  it escapes you and you wait for the impact on the forest floor, but it does not come. Instead, you feel strong arms curling around you at the last second and rescuing you from the rough impact.

You open your eyes in amazed and look directly into the equally astonished-look of Jake. His face is only a few inches away from yours. You can feel his warm breath on your skin. You notice the cherry smell of his chewing gum and also the smell of his perfume and oh damn, he really smells incredibly good.

While it’s not the first time you’ve noticed the smell, it’s the first time you notice how appealing this smell is. None of you say a word, none of you move; all you both do is stare at each other. And you don’t know if it’s just imagination, but you feel like his face is getting closer and closer to yours.

Does he want to kiss you? Do you want him to kiss you?

Well, you don’t have to think any further than a more than self-assured grin popping up on his face. And as if that conceited look wasn’t enough, he has to fire another stupid line. "Slow, slow, MC. You don’t have to pretend you’re falling, You can just ask me to put you in my arms, I would never say no." he rebukes you and shakes his head with amusement. You’re gasping for air. Wait, wait, wait. What did he say?

Instantly you writhe out of his protective arms.. uhm disgusting arms, and push him away quickly as you're back on your feet. "You-" you want to start to threatening him. "You handsome, breathtaking, perfect man! No, genius. No, also not that. Ah! God," he interrupts you and pretends to throw long hair over his shoulder. At the last moment, before you really rush like a fury at him to slap the grin out of his face, you decide to take the much easier solution.

Turn around and go. Said and done.

As elegant as possible, you stomp up the small slope without giving him another look. "Hello?" he calls after you, "Where exactly do you want to go?". "Genius, use your brain! What does it look like? I’m leaving!" You hear him giggle before he calls, "Okay". Well, great! At least you don’t have to deal with him anymore. After about 20 meters, comes the first crossing.

Shit. Which way did you come from? Left? Right? It wasn’t the middle, was it?

Desperately you put your hands in your hips and think hard about which fucking direction he dragged you into the forest. "Such a stupid crap," you grind your teeth when it just won’t come to mind. "Don’t you remember where we came from?" his voice sounds right next to your ear. Startled by the sudden sound you whirl around to him and stare up at the grinning hacker with big eyes. How come you didn’t hear him? "Oh God, do you want to kill me?" you accuse him, "You can’t sneak up on me like that!" "I thought you could hear me coming," he defends himself immediately. "Obviously not, otherwise I wouldn’t have let you get so close to me, I had half a heart attack!" "Well, then I was lucky that it was only half a heart attack, I wouldn’t want to hide your body somewhere," he teases.

"I was hoping they could lock you up for murder"!" you grumble. "Don’t worry, I know how to hide a corpse," he assures you with a wink, "They wouldn’t have caught me" "The others know we’re in the woods, if I don’t come back, you’re the only suspect, all right?" you threaten him. "Understood, I won’t kill you" he nods to confirm, "But do you really think I would do that? After everything we’ve been through?" Theatrically, he holds his hand to his left chest and painfully wrinkles the face, "You hurt my feelings," he pouts. And for the 100th time today, you’re just twisting your eyes.

"With you, nobody can know, I still don’t trust you, even after the long time". Briefly you have the feeling that something like actual grief flashes in his eyes but quickly the typical mischievous grin returns. "Anyway, can we please go now?" you sigh as you kick leaves in front of you. "But sure," he nods confirmingly, turns around and start walking. "We have to go the other way," you remind him. "To come home, yes, but I want to show you something, you remember?".

"Okay. Point one, I don’t believe you, you just want to waste my time, point two, I want to go home!" "Well, then I wish you a lot of fun to find the right way, see ya," he purrs, waved to you without turning around and just keeps going his way. He’s not really gonna leave you here, is he?

"Fuck it, I can find the way alone, Google Maps saves life" You get your phone out of the back pocket of your jeans and press the button to turn on the screen. However, this is certainly not your wallpaper, nor your phone case.

This isn’t your phone.

And obviously, it can only belong to one, the idiot of Hacker. Your gaze falls on its background and you can remember exactly the day the picture was taken. It shows him, Lilly and Hannah in the Donforts' garden while they laugh at something. Hannah’s mother had taken this picture. You were there then. He has a really nice laugh. Somehow soft and melodic. Contagious. "Oh God, I spend two hours with him, and instantly go crazy," you shake your head and drive away your thoughts.

Suddenly Jake’s phone starts ringing and you hear the song 'I like you like a Love Song of Selena Gomez and The Scene'.

I, I love you like a love song, baby I, I love you like a love song, baby I, I love you like a love song, baby And I keep hitting repeat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat

"MC😍❤️" is on the screen.

"He can't be serious," you can’t hold back the grin that pops up on your lips. The boy is even crazier than you. Smiling, you answer the call.

"So? How do you like my personal ringtone for you?" he asks as soon as you put the phone to your ear. "Is it possible that you have too much time and boredom? How do you come up with such an idea?" "Quite simple, I- I love you like a love song" he hums the melody. "I hate you," you replied, amused. "I know, and now come, I will describe to you the way you must walk". "Pick Me Up" "No" "Now!" "Nope" "Asshole!" "Good looking" "Jake!" "Yes, honey?" "Don’t call me honey!" "Don’t call me Jake" "Oh no? How then?" "Babe?" "Oh my God" "No, babe is enough" "How -" "How can you be as perfect as Jake?" "Ok, it's enough now!" "You’re right, so, to my home or to yours, hon?" "I -" "You love me? I know" "WHAT?" "What?"

An unwanted giggle leaves your lips. Damn, even though Jake is really terribly conceited, annoying, exhausting, handsome-.. uhm an asshole, you’ve gotten used to these little teases so slowly and enjoy them occasionally. He’s an idiot, but he knows how to make someone laugh. "Oh princess can laugh" he mocks and immediately you become serious again and snort insulted. "Don't imagine anything on it" "Of course not, by the way, it’s pretty sweet that you stared at my background, I mean, I can understand. I look so good". "What? what makes you think so?" you try to deny his accusation immediately. "I have seen it" "how that?" "Quite simply, I can read your mind"

You pull the eyebrows together and keep the phone away from your ear and look at the screen and think about whether he hacked the camera, but you can’t see anything. That’s the only way he could have seen it. "Nope, not the camera," he explains as you hold the phone back to your ear. "How-?" you start, but he interrupts you as he do often. "Look to the left" he demands.

Immediately your gaze shoots in that direction and NATURALLY, he stands there. Relaxed as ever. The legs crisscross, the phone in his left hand on his ear and the right one beckons to you, "Here’s the one you’ve always been looking for. Your dream prince". Presenting himself, he spreads his arms and bows to you. "More like my nightmare," you grumble, ashamed that he apparently really saw you staring at his screen.

"As if I would just leave you here in the forest," he comes towards to you and has already hung up. "As I said, when it comes to you, nothing surprises me" "Really? You really think that I would just leave you here?" he pulls up an eyebrow and stops in front of you. "Well, when you started walking away, yes, yep I thought it". "And now I’m standing here with you again, so, let’s go" euphorically he reaches for your hand to pull you with him. "I said I was going home," you remind him.

"Oh come on, MC please. You will survive this only afternoon"

"I’m not sure, every time you are there, you cost me all my nerves"

"Come on, what have you got to lose, I beg you to share this one afternoon with me"

"Then at least tell me what you want to show me"

"I can’t, it’s a surprise"

"Be honest, you want to kidnap me and then leave me in the middle of the forest," searchingly you look at him. He laughs and twists his eyes, "I promise I won’t kill you or leave you. You're not a dog. You’re more like an elegant but stubborn cat, kitten" he winks. "Stop calling me that"

"All right, but only if you come with me" "Why? Why don’t you ask one of your other girls to disappear into the woods with you, Casanova," you roll your eyes. "Because it wouldn’t be fun with another girl, besides, I want to show you and no one else" "Why? Because they’re throwing themselves at you without ifs and buts?" "Exactly, I can argue with you and annoy you, that’s fun, you’re cute when you’re mad," he grins.

"Then I really need to change my behavior if you think I’m cute,"

"I like how your hand fits into mine" he suddenly changes the subject and looks at your hands. He’s still holding yours, and you haven’t even noticed. You jerk out of his grip but notice how your skin tingles.

"Stop that!" you scold immediately, but at the same time you notice how as your cheeks turn slightly red. Jake notices this but withholds another stupid comment. "Okay, can we then?" he asks instead, pointing in the direction. "Jakeeee," you whine. Why doesn’t he just leave you alone. "Come on, just this one day, I promise I won’t annoy you anymore. I will behave like a true gentleman"

"I doubt you can even spell that" "Please please pleaseeee" he pleads and looks at you lost like a puppy. You look tormented in the sky, "My mind". "So, yes?" he asks shrill and almost squeaks. "If you finally leave me alone, and only if you stop straining my nerves" "Promised" Again you must smile at his sight. He almost looks like a little boy who has been promised ice cream.

"So let’s get into the adventure" he cheers and again simply reach

~

You shouldn’t have listened to his promise, not to annoy you. You should have called someone with his phone to pick you up. You should have just run away from him. It took about 10 minutes for you to ask him why he even had your phone and if he could finally give it back to you. After he explained to you that it fell out of your pocket when you almost fell, he told you about his idea of switching phones so you can’t call anyone. So, it was planned. He made the switch when he suddenly stood behind you. You were so absorbed in thinking which way was the right one that you didn’t realize he put the phone in your pocket. Creepy. First you were mad that he got so close to your butt, and then you were really angry when he didn’t want to give you your phone back. The whole thing end up with, he held your phone up, and you had to jump around in front of him to get it back. "Jake! Now give me my phone back!" you hiss as you hang from his upper arm to pull his arm down.

You can feel his tense muscles working under your hands and in this moment you are amazed, you didn’t expect that. You could never really tell under his sweaters or jackets. To your bad luck, not only do you actively notice that he is not weak, but also that you simply can’t get his arm down. And if that’s not bad enough, you need to get way too close. And to your dissatisfaction, this closeness makes you extremely nervous.

"Come on, princess, you can do it, I believe in you," he continues to tease. "You promised not to be an ass," you hiss and jump up with all your strength to get your phone. Or at least his elbows... "Almost, just a little higher," he continues, " I promised you, yes. But we have not set a time for how long I am not an ass, and how could I not if you get so close to me". His grin triggers a tingling sensation in your stomach. "Then just keep it" For a short time it was finally quiet, even if you had to sacrifice your phone, you just kept walking.

But only a few moments later, it went on. Jake had quickly overtaken you again, with the camera open on your phone, holding it so high that you could be seen on it. And then he started taking endless pictures of you. You just looked annoyed in almost every picture, showed him the middle finger, on some you attacked him and on the other you wanted to kick him what he tried to fight off.

So to put it briefly, Jake had the fun of his life and you were annoyed... Normal situation between you and Jake.

~

"Come on, admit it, you wanted me to kiss you!" he continues to tease. "What do you dream of at night hm?" Meanwhile, you walk in front of him with quick steps  so that he finally stop staring at you from the side and you don’t have to see the stupid grin anymore. "Oh, babe, I can’t say that, but it has to do with you," he chuckles. "Argh! You’re so disgusting," you curse as you stomp furiously through the deep forest.

"Annnnd?" "And what?" "Are you finally admitting it?" "I can’t admit what’s not true!" "You wanted to kiss me, I saw it in your eyes" "May I remind you that you have come closer to me and not the other way around? If anyone wanted to kiss anyone, you wanted me" "But you wanted me to do it" "No, I was hoping a tree would fall on you" "The tree would have hit you too" "I don’t care, then it would finally be quiet" "Just keep telling yourself that, you want me and you know it" "Over my dead body!"

"Ok, is that so?" Suddenly, his voice changes drastically. The next moment, a big hand wraps around your hand and you get whirled around. A small scream escapes your throat as you slam hard against a chest. Instinctively, your hands are against Jake’s chest to maintain balance.

You actually want to start bitching at him right away and push yourself away from him, but when you look up at him, every word gets stuck in your throat. For the second time today, your faces are a few inches apart. A goose bump pulls over your arms as you inhale his incredibly  perfume again. "Are you sure you don’t want to kiss me?" he breathes. His right hand rests on your back to keep you closer to him while the other is lying on your hip. Almost like in a trance, no, more out of shock (try to convince yourself)  your eyes haunt the movements of his lips as the words come out so gently and at the same time deep out of his mouth.

Your heart accelerates by twice your normal pulse and unconsciously your hand grasps the fabric of its tshirt more firmly" "If I come any closer now..." he whispers and approaches you, "if I kiss you now, would you actually push me away? Because you don’t want to?".

"Yes" you squeeze out panting. Yes, of course. Who are you trying to tell?

"Too bad" he whispers and comes even more closer to you. Your eyes are caught by his lips and with every millimeter your breath accelerates and tension rises.

You really should get away from him, but you can’t, your mind is going crazy, you can’t move. Your body longs for the kiss that is so close. Your mind screams, 'push him away' and 'don’t give it this triumph' but the adrenaline that is triggered says, 'don’t pull back, you want that'.

"If you don’t move, I will really kiss you," he warns you one last time. But until your clouded mind has realized the words at all, its lips are already on yours.

You open your eyes in shock when you understand what’s happening here. You look at the closed eyelids of Jakes whose soft lips press on yours. You want to get away from him quickly, but his hand on your back keeps you from it. "Damn now, stop fighting back, we both know you want to," Jake hisses at your lips. And for whatever reason, you really dont know, but you finally give in, tired of the fight and the whole quarrel against your feelings. After that, you can still yell at him. Sighing, you close your eyes and give in to the kiss you have secretly longed for months..

Since you first saw him.

You focus on his lips that are now slowly moving against yours. They are soft but decisive, they take the lead and you just let yourself be dragged along. A high that grabs you, clouding your senses, taking your mind and will never let go of you again. Your arms wrap around his neck and pull him even closer to you, resulting is a rough giggle from him.

Oh, you’re gonna regret this.

---------------

🌹🎭

----------------

A/n: It's me again. I think the whole thing is a little confusing and it has an open end. Plans. I have to say, somehow I love the content of the story  . Since it’s a little different than usual, I hope you’ll like it anyway. As I said, somehow I really love this, sooooo I wanted to ask if you want a second part of it? Let me know!

[idlecreature]

*sidles up to you* hey man, want a Magnus Archives rarepair? I’ve got one right here you can have for free. It’s Mordechai Lukas/Hezekiah Wakely. Here’s my sales pitch: 

Mordechai Lukas is only forty years old, but he’s in very poor health. Granted, he’s been on death’s door for several decades, having never fully recovered from the excision of a thyroid tumour - a surgery that scarred his throat significantly, making it hurt to speak. But this isn’t his usual moaning about feeling cold and depressed all the time. This is the doctor listening to the slow gurgle of his heart and telling him “you shouldn’t be alive. your days are numbered”.   

(cut for length)

And Mordechai’s honestly fine with dying. A little.... too enthusiastic, even. On his trip to Italy he forwent normal accommodation to break into and sleep in mausoleums, and he might have returned from the continent a little... haunted. He’s designed and redesigned the family mausoleum a dozen times, and he’s had his own funeral planned for years much to the chagrin of his friends. “What flowers should adorn my funerary wreath?” he writes to Jonah Magnus. “Can we please change the subject?” Jonah replies. “And I swear to the one above if you send me a memento mori I am throwing it in the fireplace.”

Mordechai’s fulfilled his life’s requirements -- he’s married into the wealthy mercantile class, fathered children, and spends most of his time either in a graveyard or wandering like a ghost through Moorland house. His wife, Charlotte, really only wanted a man’s name on her letterheads and spends most of her time on a ship somewhere between London and India. She’s only interested in her possessions, her wealth, in ensuring the books are balancing. Her family made their money in opium prospecting and she’s pressuring Mordechai to open the lands surrounding Moorland for coal mining after a few test bores unearthed rich black seams. Mordechai’s essentially like, “over my dead body,” and Charlotte’s like, “so any day now! :))))” and Mordechai’s sole reason for stubbornly clinging to life is to protect his family’s ancestral lands. 

Mordechai has to occasionally rub shoulders with Charlotte’s friends in the East India Shipping Company. Among them are the Beale brothers, Daniel and Thomas. They have a younger brother, rich but temperamentally unsuited for their family’s line of work. His name is Nathaniel Beale, and, oh boy, he is a treat. He’s awfully similar to Barnabas Bennett, shy and closeted and yearning. Nathaniel tells Mordechai all about his good friend Hezekiah, who he’s so, so worried about, who makes poor Nathaniel ache with hunger and longing and shame all the same. Finally, some delicious fucking food thinks Mordechai Lukas. 

But if this man really is like Barnabas, Mordechai wants to enjoy his demise. So he obtains Hezekiah’s address with a mind to murdering Hezekiah and relishing Nathaniel’s grief and loneliness. It might be Mordechai’s last communion with his god. 

And that’s how Mordechai ends up in a quiet countryside graveyard, staring at the man in a dead sleep at the bottom of an open grave. 

And hot damn Hezekiah Wakely is a sleeping beauty. Muscular, square, with hands big enough to circle both of Mordechai’s wrists if he were to pin Mordechai down. (And Mordechai would very much like someone to pin him down.) He almost feels sympathy for poor, repressed Nathaniel but nonetheless summons the fog of The Lonely and it swallows Hezekiah whole. 

But the crawling fog parts around the sleeping man. There is a certain solidness about him, the weight of someone touched by another power. Mordechai sighs in annoyance but keeps watching Hezekiah. Slipping away once the man blinks awake, stretches his long, tanned limbs. 

Mordechai keeps close company with the Beales after that. Nathaniel passes away in January of 1839. Mordechai finds his grave in yet another lonely graveyard and is absolutely delighted that many of Nathaniel’s sparse acquaintances have forgotten him already. 

Hezekiah is curled up on the freshly turned earth. “I should hang for it,” Hezekiah says. 

“How about a new job?” Mordechai says.

“I’m a murderer,” Hezekiah says. 

“Hold my beer,” Mordechai says.

Mordechai convinces Hezekiah to work as Moorland house’s groundskeeper. By the time the pair of them make it back to Kent, Hezekiah knows about The Buried, The Lonely, the whole wretched Lot. 

“You have a lovely mausoleum, sir,” Hezekiah says. 

“Shame no-one’s christened it yet,” Mordechai replies. (He plans to be the first.)

Time passes.

And Thomas Beale passes away in 1841. 

The Magnus Institute opens its London branch in 1841. 

Daniel Beale passes away in 1842. 

By 1843, the world has forgotten Nathaniel even existed. Except, of course, for Mordechai, who keeps Nathaniel and Hezekiah’s correspondence.  

Mordechai’s now spending 90% of his time watching Hezekiah. When one of Mordechai’s many faceless relatives dies, he sits on the steps of the family chapel as Hezekiah digs. He lets Hezekiah sleep in the grave before the burial. He likes how peaceful the man looks, even when the grave dirt falls in his eyes. He even thinks about burying Hezekiah himself, how that would be another kind of embrace. 

Hezekiah more often than not sleeps outside, on the moor, and when the weather drives him inside he sleeps fitfully in his room in the cellar. 

(Hezekiah sings when it rains, bitten-off, wordless, self-soothing melodies that sound like oncoming earthquakes through the thick walls of Moorland House.) 

(Mordechai listens to him sing and tries to harmonize, and, although the knot of scar tissue in his throat makes his voice sound like grinding metal, isn’t that something?) 

The next time Mordechai catches Hezekiah dourly shuffling to the basement for a restless night he snags the larger man’s wrist. 

“You might sleep better in my bed,” Mordechai says. 

“???” Hezekiah says. 

“Come to bed with me,” Mordechai repeats. 

“!!!!!” Hezekiah says. 

And, well, Hezekiah likes the pressure of Mordechai lying on top of him. Hezekiah is warm, and soft, like peat, and if Hezekiah’s hands snake up to circle Mordechai while he sleeps, then what about it? In Mordechai’s world, they can’t be together in any way that matters. It’s just another thing that isolates him from polite society. 

"The groundskeeper? The man who smells like a bog?” Charlotte says, but she’s relieved it’s not a mistress who might want to live more ambitiously, that they might have to keep a London townhouse for because Charlotte’s the one who’d be saddled with the fiscal responsibility. She’s already writing monthly cheques to buy the discretion of a certain J. Magnus.

And Charlotte has an idea. “Dear husband :)” she says. “If you don’t let me open a colliery I might expose your little affair and you’ll get thrown in jail and I don’t think you’d last very long, dear, with your poor heart :) and when you die I’ll do it anyway :) so how about it?”  

Charlotte never makes empty threats. But at the same time, Mordechai is connected to the lands around Moorland house in a very real way.  

He doesn’t really have a choice. 

Charlotte opens a mine on Lukas land. 

They have their first grandchild, a boy, and Mordechai names him Nathaniel. Hezekiah just smiles at the baby, warmly. (His smiles are so warm.) (Mordechai is spending more and more time at his bedroom window, watching his groundskeeper. Surrounded by bottles of medicine that never make him feel any better.) 

“Are you going to die?” Hezekiah says. 

“It’s likely,” Mordechai says. For no reason he can name, the prospect of his funeral no longer delights him. 

Hezekiah is silent. “I hope the Lord forgives me,” he says, eventually, and a tremor runs through the entire house, and Mordechai hears, far-off in the distance, the desperate peal of a ringing bell. 

An accident in the colliery, they call it. A mineshaft cave-in, trapping 26 men and boys 150 feet under the earth, running out of breathable air, scraping at the cold, unforgiving rock until their fingers and lungs bleed. Crushed and choking and feared enough to paint the walls with it. There’s a thin plume of black smoke. (Mordechai can hear them crying and begging.) 

The mine closes. There’s a lengthy investigation. It will cost a considerable amount of money to sink another pit. Echoing, cloying silence wraps around the abandoned worksite. Mordechai can leave his bedroom for the first time in months. 

He sits on the chapel steps and watches the muscles of Hezekiah’s back work under his sweat-slick blouse. “Do you think...” Mordechai starts. 

There’s something in Mordechai’s voice that makes Hezekiah straighten up. 

“Do you think, when I die, you might cut a hole in the side of my coffin?” Mordechai says. “So, when you die, if there’s a hole in your coffin, our coffins could. Lie together. And. We might be able to hold hands under the earth.” 

It’s the most he’s said at once in decades, and his throat is raw for it. 

“I could do that,” Hezekiah says. “When are you going to die?” 

Mordechai sighs. “You’ve bought me a little time. Soon.” 

“I’ll make you a Coffin,” Hezekiah says, his voice oddly constricted, as if he’s speaking through silt. He drops his shovel and walks off, towards Moorland house. 

Later, from his windowsill, Mordechai watches Hezekiah cut down a whitebeam, feels the heft of it in his large hands. He’s too far away to gauge his expression accurately, but he seems to appraise the wood and finds it passable. He hauls it inside. 

The mere act of watching has left Mordechai feeling bone-tired, and he sleeps. 

And sleeps. 

(In between the sleeping, Mordechai finds himself cradled in long arms, sunburned by the late summer sun. The press of a spoon to his lips as he’s fed a soup that tastes like dirt and tannins.)

And sleeps. 

(When he chokes a little on fluid-filled lungs, he feels warm hands rubbing his back and the choking eases.) 

Moorland house is awfully quiet. 

A hand scraping softly on his collarbone shifts Mordechai blearily into consciousness. “It’s done,” Hezekiah says. “Would you like to see it?” 

Mordechai nods. His limbs are oddly discombobulated, his heart feels heavy and dragging, and he looks up at Hezekiah. The man scoops him up like he weighs nothing and carries him, bridal-style, down the cold, empty hallway.  

The gate to the mausoleum opens on well-oiled hinges. It’s no longer empty; a single coffin now sits in the marbled room. It’s simple - rough, even - the whitebeam a pale, unvarnished yellow. But there’s undeniably a presence to it, an undercurrent that draws you towards it. Hezekiah approaches close enough that Mordechai can run his hand down its flank. 

“I’m not an artist,” Hezekiah says. “It’s even a bit simple-looking, in this grand place.” 

“It’s perfect,” Mordechai says. “Would it be too morbid for me to give it a christening? Try it on for size?” 

“Pot and kettle,” Hezekiah says. 

“True,” Mordechai says. 

“Mordechai...” Hezekiah shuffles on his feet. “I would like to embrace you. Under the earth. It has to be deep enough that nothing can live there, where it is quiet and cold and the dirt clings like damp to your skin and dark enough that our touch can hide in secret, that’s the place we can be together. I think if I stayed here when you were buried the pressure of the world would be so much more than the pressure of the dirt and I don’t think I could bear it. I would like to hold you, under there, and you would have space from the choke and I would not be alone. I think I would like to do that forever, or, at least, until our bodies are less human than they are water and earth.” 

“I would like that too,” Mordechai says. “It’s like a marriage.” 

“It’s more than a marriage,” Hezekiah replies. 

“Yes,” Mordechai says, and lets his head sink down against Hezekiah’s chest, measures Hezekiah’s strong heartbeat against his own, thready and uneven. It’s so much more than he deserves. 

Hezekiah opens the coffin. It makes a comically sharp scraping noise like it’s the door to a vampire’s crypt in an opera, like thousands of paper bats will fly out of it and fill the room. 

It is silent, and cold, instead. 

Mordechai never gets his funeral. 

Most of Mordechai’s papers get passed along to the Magnus Institute. 

And two hundred years later, Jonathan Sims reads some letters. 

[liathgray]

4, 19 and 20 for writing asks 😉

4. Share a sentence or paragraph from your writing that you’re really proud of (explain why, if you like)

She’d long since resigned to the manic whims of the Elric’s, having learned that going against the grain would earn a sliver the size of Armageddon. Roy, too, had given up at this point. Actually, he’d been slinging his desire to keep those boys out of trouble into the abyss for years now. They simply didn’t listen. They never had and never would.

Honestly? I like it because I think it’s funny. My humour tends to be dry and this made me laugh when I wrote it.

19. Is there something you always find yourself repeating in your writing? (favourite verb, something you describe ‘too often’, trope you can’t get enough of?)

Bro I go hog wild with the metaphors sometimes. Often for the sake of sarcasm. I tend to use “and” in threes for emphasis too, though I am trying to reserve it for big moments more now that I’m aware of it.

20. Tell us the meta about your writing that you really want to ramble to people about (symbolism you’ve included, character or relationship development that you love, hidden references, callbacks or clues for future scenes?)

SO I planned the ever-loving shit out of Giants int the Forest before I wrote any of the story proper. I’m going to bombard y’all with all the callbacks/ setups/ chekov’s gun bullshit that is packed in. Buckle up this might be long:

- All injuries from later in the story are present whilst in the cave

- The pliers!!

- References to getting smacked with a shovel and Ed potentially going into shock cause homeboy is missing his arm

- Roy got notice of the event a month in advanced, same time as Baris was hired at the venue

- Čatloš is set up as disapproving of the war in Ishval, later revealed why Hildy picked him to mcmurder

- Baris is wearing the mourning necklace in his first appearance

- The jimsonweed is on the bar in a wee vase, late the vase is empty

- The storm in Central when Riza arrived blew towards Flamborough

- Referencing the lil convo about Izumi before it happened in the story

- Mentions off the wind “howling” throughout all the cave scenes up into Roy realizes that aint the wind

- One of the walls having slightly a different colour of paint to cover the fact that it’s a window

- Ed having a wee panic attack cause Oh God Oh Fuck Hildy almost killed him doing that—

- THE SCREW!!!!! THE GOTDAMN SCREW WAS THERE SINCE LIKE CHP3!!!!

- Ed doesn’t get confirmation that Fuery got away until later cause the guy chasing him took a while to get back

- Foreshadowing Ed n Roy getting knocked off the cliff back when Baris first popped in the check on them

- Falman saying the cliffs are made of clay and peat comes back when they’re trying to puzzle out what Roy’s array was missing

- Everything with Dante’s Punchbowl, honestly

- The gun having blanks is MEGA important for the escape, plus Clown (hwcwkejfblkew) having a knife

- Hildy has a glove on one hand cause that’s her trump card

- Of course, the correlation between Hildy and the Major General’s death

- The “Giants” motif! Baris refers to his colleagues as them, a MP refers to the wolves as them and Baris again uses the term for both, drawing them as parallels of one another (additionally Hildy gets described as animalistic when she’s pissed! Symbolism, babey!)

- The match-up of the setting to contrast or compliment the mood throughout

- Ed having to stop n spit blood cause bitch broke his tooth (also couldnt grit his teeth in earlier chaps!)

- Callbacks to the five years convo when Roy was ready to be a sacrificial lamb (bound to happen sooner or later)

- Callback to Roy saying to have more faith in him but this time it’s Ed saying it

- the “Because I’m a nurse” motif with Baris not wanting to hurt anyone

- The “trust me” parallels with Ed and Roy’s batshit crazy plans

- Roy thinking about throwing ed out the window cause he’s pissed before he actually does it

- Mustang gang hearing the Big Alchemy Noise before it happens in the story

- Roy calls Ed a liar about knowing how to fight animals and Ed returns the favour about… yeah. that

- Roy’s favourite animal? Check. Symbolism is sexy

- Callbacks to the five years convo again!!! central……

- Needing to use Hildy’s array cause Chekov’s gun is great

- literally... almost every major thing that happens is set up im advanced... these are just the ones off the top of my head

- There’s a lot more but SPOILERS also I’ve gone on enough as is.

[eirabach]

What was *that scene *in renegades?

Well since you askedddddd 😍😍

----

Grace leads her to a little treehouse away from the bustling centre of their town. It’s rustic - she’ll be picking splinters out of her hands for weeks probably - but it’s warm and dry, with a handmade chair and a straw bed covered with a thick wool blanket, so she doesn’t have to fake her gratitude when Grace shows her the balcony she can hang her damp clothes from, or the metal grate where she can light a peat fire.

It almost feels like a home.

Grace leaves her, and Emma finds herself pottering around the small space, sniffing distastefully at the slightly goaty cheese on the ramshackle table and fiddling with the kettle over the fire. Her thoughts constantly wander to what it might have been like to live in a place like this. To live a life like this, with warmth and food and someone to come back to.

A home.

“Don’t get comfortable.”

Hook lets the door slam behind him and it bounces off its hinges, once, twice, three times until the latch finally clicks into place. He still looks like thunder, and Emma eyes him cautiously, keeping the table between them until she can get a better read on what’s going on.

“Wasn’t planning on it,” she says. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

He lifts his chin and tilts his head to one side - but the smile he gives her is the one she’s seen him throw at half a dozen whores, the wide one with too many teeth and not enough lines around the eyes. It doesn’t fool her one bit.

“What makes you think something’s going on?”

She leans forward against the table and nods down to the curved steel peeking out from under his coat.

“You’re wearing the dagger and Roland’s still alive. Something is clearly going on.”

He looks down at himself briefly, seemingly almost bemused at finding the dagger there, then casts a rather desperate gaze around the room until it alights on the bed.

“This bed is looking awfully lonely. If you’ll excuse me I intend to rectify that at once.” He grins that terrible grin again, and sidles past her, casting off first his coat and then his sword belt before collapsing face down on the soft straw with groan of such pure ecstasy that Emma almost regrets the sneer behind her next words.

“Oh, you get the bed do you? It’s like that now.”

He rolls onto his back and folds his arms behind his head, looking at her with such wide-eyed innocence she’s not sure if she wants to jump him or brain him.

“You hate me being gentlemanly, so I assumed you’d want to take the chair.”

“You’re a bastard,” she snorts, and he gestures to his too-innocent face as if to say what, me?

“Not guilty. My parents were legally wed, more’s the tragedy.”

He wriggles his hips, pretending to get comfortable while simultaneously watching her like a hawk. Well, if he thinks he can distract her that easily… he winks - a pathetic, sleepy sort of thing - and she sighs in defeat. He’s probably right.

“Oh, shove over.”

He looks a little gobsmacked, and she can’t really blame him. She’s a little shocked herself. Yes, she’s lain with him in far fewer clothes than her chemise, and yes, he’s the one who started it by claiming the bed for himself, but it’s still different, squeezing herself into the space at his side sober. It’s different, they’re different. He’s different.

He’s hiding something, but then she’s starting to think maybe she is too.

“Swan…”

She grins at how horrified he sounds, pressing herself up against his side just because she can.

“Don’t get any ideas,” she drawls, “I’m tired.”

“Emma,” he warns in a low voice.

“I said don’t,” she says, but there’s no venom in it.

Very little truth either, in all honesty.

“No - I,” he swallows hard, so hard she can feel it vibrate down the length of her arm where it’s pressed against his. “I made a deal.”

“You don’t say.”

She smiles up at him, a bright, open smile that she hopes he’ll return with some openness of his own, but instead she watches as his face seems to crumple, his eyes squeezed shut as if he’s in physical pain.

“Emma, you have to go home.”

She blinks at him, gobsmacked into silence for a moment, before hot rage simmers its way through her veins.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. I shouldn’t have let you follow me in the first place, but you’re so bloody stubborn and I - well. It doesn’t matter, not anymore. Roland has agreed to help you make your way home. Whatever provisions you require - maps - ”

She shakes her head in disbelief, but now he’s started it’s almost like he can’t stop. As though he has to spit the words out before they swallow him whole.

“I have a few things you can take to ease your passage, I won’t require them so they may as well go to you, the Jolly is probably long gone, but if you find her I’m sure you wouldn’t be adverse to a bit of plundering - “

“Hook,” she tries, but he rambles on.

“Unless you’d rather stay? I can see the appeal, and no doubt Mr Hood would be delighted - “

“Killian!”

She's never used his first name before, not ever, and judging by the look of shock on his face he's probably forgotten he ever told her it. She presses her hand against his chest, half to ground him and half to reassure herself of the beating of his heart.

“Why are you talking as though you’re writing a will?”

He shrugs, his hand coming up as if to cover hers before he apparently thinks better of it and let's it drop to the blanket, his fingers twitching restlessly.

“Well. I suppose I am. Had to happen eventually, even to me.”

She tucks that weird bit of phrasing away for later consideration, and hoists herself up onto her elbow so that she can look him in the eye.

“Tell me. What the hell have you done?”

Hook closes his eyes and let's out a long sigh. He looks older, suddenly. His face tight and lined like a man who's seen too much horror and not enough softness.

She knows that look, knows how it feels, and she wants to kiss him. Wants to make him smile the smile that wipes it all away. She wants a lot of things, here in this secret space where there's no one but them, but then he’s speaking. So she pretends she doesn't.

“The Hood boy, he told me all about his parents. How they lived peacefully outside of the laws with others who had no place to go - no where to call home. He made it sound idyllic.”

“Yeah, he told me, too.”

“It wasn’t though, not always. His mother was killed by the Evil Queen when he was barely more than an infant, and that’s when his father began to build a world of their own, a place they could defend, where they could feel safe. She attacked when Roland was nine, razed the trees to the ground and disappeared into the night, taking his father with her.”

“That must have been awful,” she says, and means it. To have never had something, someone, is miserable enough. But to have it and lose them? Her fingers tighten around the material of Hook’s shirt.

“According to Roland, she ripped his father’s heart right out of his chest, and the man just followed after her - meek as a lamb.”

Emma balks, her face scrunched up in disgust.

“She can do that?”

“I’ve seen it done,” Hook says, and there's an undercurrent to it, something dark and angry that colours his next words. “It does things to a child, being left alone like that. Scars them. Makes them think a little differently, like they see the world through the bottom of a glass.”

“You think he’s wrong?”

Hook shrugs.

“Not sure what I think matters, Swan. But it explains what he’s asked me to do. In return for giving me the dagger, he wants me to kill her.”

Emma raises her eyebrows.

“And you don’t think you can?”

He shakes his head and let's out a puff of air that might have been a laugh.

“Oh no, I know I can. I will.” He says it casually enough, but his gaze is still fixed on the ceiling. “But you -”

“I’m tougher than I look,” she says, mildly offended, and the corner of his mouth quirks up slightly.

“And you look very tough indeed, but lass, this isn’t an adventure story. We won’t come out covered in glory. Only regrets and the blood of other people. I want better for you.”

“Maybe I want better for you,” she says, her hand creeping up his chest to cup his jaw.

She can feel the muscles twitch under her palm as he fights between the urge to press closer or pull away, so she rubs her thumb gently over his beard until he seems to decide, relaxing into her touch.

“I’m beyond saving, Emma,” he sighs.

She tightens her grip, turns his face to hers. “You can let me be the judge of that.”

They lie like that, noses almost touching, breathing each others air, for what feels like minutes. Emma finds herself cataloging every freckle, every eyelash, her fingers coming up to rest lightly over the cut he'd received in the battle with the knights back at the dock. It'll scar, she thinks, but she won't mind.

She has the sudden all encompassing feeling that she could look at him forever, scars and all.

“Why did you follow me?” he asks in barely a whisper, his eyes flitting hopelessly from her own to her lips and back again.

Emma smiles, and lets her hand move round so that she can run her fingers through his hair.

“Roland says you're my friend.”

He smiles back, genuine and soft, and shuffles his body just a little closer to hers, his hook resting cool and heavy on her hip.

“Oh yes? I'm not sure I've ever had one of those. What's that involve, then?”

“Nor me,” Emma bites her lip and watches his eyes flash dark. “But I think… Maybe something like this?”

It's a peck, a breath, just a lightning spark of lip against lip, but it's enough to send sparks flickering along her spine and set her heart pounding, and the little sound he makes - desperate and guttural right at the back of his throat - fills her with the burning need to hear him make it again, make him burn with her until he's hers and he’s hers and gods she wants to keep him…

The hammering on the door sends them flying apart, Hook landing ungracefully on the floor just as Roland bursts into the room.

“They've found you,” he gasps out. “The Knights. They've found the camp. You have to go, now!”

Emma scrambles for her clothes.

“They were following us?” she asks, furiously tugging on an overskirt. “Since when? We came by boat!”

“Not us, not as such,” Hook says, his face as grave as it ever was. “They're after this, still.”

He rests his hand on the dagger, and stares at her from under furrowed brows.

“There's still time to back out, Swan.”

“What?” Emma blows her hair out of her face and whips her cloak around her shoulders. “And leave you to get yourself killed? Not likely. You can't get rid of me that easily.”

“No,” he says with a hint of a smile. “I don't suppose I can.”

Roland looks nervously over his shoulder before beckoning them out of the door, the sound of shouting and the clash of ste echoing from somewhere below.

“Go North,” he says, thrusting something round and golden into Hook’s hand. “We’ll hold them off - keep going till first light and you should be safe a little while longer.”

“Oh, comforting,” Emma grumbles.

Roland flashes her a quick, apologetic smile before turning back to Hook.

“You won't forget what I told you?” he pleads. “You'll do everything as I asked?”

Hook nods once, then swings himself onto the nearest rope ladder.

“Coming, Swan?”

She spares Roland a smile and a friendly squeeze of his arm, and, taking a deep breath, she follows Hook into the unknown.

[averyrogers83]

Shared Birthdays

draTitle: Shared Birthdays

Author: Darlin’ and Vixen

Warnings: Smut, fluff, more smut

Rating: NSFW 18+ NO MINORS ALLOWED

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader

Summary: You and Steve have been together for a couple years now, you both share the same birthday, but have not been in the same place to celebrate it together till now. 

Square Filled: Steve Rogers for Marvel Bingo by @shield-agent78

Words: 1825

A/N: Another collaborative fic from the smut duo of Darlin’ and Vixen to celebrate the one and only Steven Grant Rogers “Captain America” and his birthday. Thank you to @hotoffthepressfics for the wonderful artwork

Since you and Steve started dating neither of you have had the chance to spend your birthday together.  The only two of the Avengers who shared a birthday on the birth of the nation, Independence Day.  He was either on a mission or vice versa, never together on your special day, so why would this year be any different.  

Nat and Wanda decided to take your mind off the whole missing your man thing by throwing a BBQ/pool party, even though you were adamant about not wanting a party or were even in the mood to celebrate without your best guy with you. 

The day was lovely you stretched your limbs out on the chaise lounge wearing your favorite bikini. A red, white, and blue number you picked up just in case if Steve had gotten home. You close your eyes and layback turing the music up on your earbuds. Suddenly, your sun was blocked by a tall shadow.   

“Hey, do you mind, Buckoo” you sassed “You’re screwing up my tan.” A hearty chuckle left his lips as you eyes snapped open wide. There in front of you stood the dirty-blond god wearing his blue and white polka dot swim trunks.  You jumped up from the lounge chair and into his arms. You were so excited you knocked the two of you into the pool. Splash!

Steve’s large arms held onto your waist as you both kicked up the surface, you sputtered and coughed a little than locked your arms around his neck. “I’m so glad you’re here…When did you get back?” 

“About an hour ago. Couldn’t let my best girl down on her birthday.”

“Our birthday.” You corrected him than placed a soft kiss on his lips. Steve grinned and helped you out of the pool. “What would you like to do first birthday boy?” You teased running your hands down his taut chest. “We have a little bit before lunch is ready.”

“Whatever you want, I just want to be with you.” You smile and take his hand leading him to a table that is set up for gifts. You reach your hand behind a box and retrieve an envelope with his name on it. 

“It was hard coming up with something to get Captain America for his Birthday.” you smirk, “A man whose been around for…wow…a really long time.” you tease.  

“Just remember this old man can still take you over his knee, sweetheart.”

“Oh really, you think so?” your eyes narrowed, taunting him “Bring it old man.” 

Steve leans over to you, his hot breath fanning on your ear. “I know so,” he smirks.

“Open your gift Cap,” you tease pulling back from him some. Steve’s long fingers opens the card and reads it. It has a picture of cake on it with lots of candles. ‘Blow this and I’ll blow you…’ Steve looks up with a glint in his eyes. You get bat your eyelashes at him giving him an innocent look. He opens the card as his eyes immediately widen in surprise. 

“These are…these are, Yankees season tickets.” He sutters excitedly. 

“Yep. You catch on fast old man,” you laugh. “I thought maybe you could take Bucky with you. I know how you love the Yankees.” 

“You know that this is the second time you called me old, Doll.”  

“Yeah, and whatcha going to do about it?” Steve gives you a flirtatious smirk, places the card back onto the table and picks you up throwing you over his shoulder.

You let out a yelp and he carries you inside. Your face turning red from laughing so hard, “Steve, where are you taking me?” you ask when you noticed he wasn’t taking you to the room the two of you shared. Steve chuckles and whaks you on your bottom. “Ow, hey!” 

“Hum left or right,” he ponders as he glances down the hall. The left leads to the garage and right outside to a hot tub. “Which way baby girl?” he asks his voice dropping an octave giving you chills. “I think right.”

You could feel the heat right between your legs at the thought of him having his way with you in the hot tub. You fantasized about what it would be like. “Oh, I’ve always wanted to do it in the hot tub.” you cooed. 

“Maybe we’ll go to the garage instead.” He teasingly starts to go in the opposite direction. 

“Oh, we can do it on your bike. I’ve always wanted to try that.” Steve just shakes his head giving a chuckle.  

“Maybe…,” he mumbles. He turns right and heads out of the door towards the secluded hot tub. “FRIDAY. No interruptions.” 

“Yes Captain.” The A.I. responds as you hear the doors click and lock.  The two of you now alone in the dimly lit garden oasis. 

“Strip,” he commands leaving no room for argument. Steve gives you a hungry stare as he runs his wet tongue over his bottom lip. 

“Yes, sir” you whisper as you slowly untie your bikini top and let it fall to the floor exposing your ample bosom the heat rushing to your face as you feel exposed. Steve cocks his head at you and runs his eyes slowly over you checking you out. His glare makes you feel a mix between a fairy tale princess and sex goddess You slip off the bottoms and stand before him naked the heat that is between you is radiating. The way he looked at you made you feel vulnerable, you weren’t sure why, he has seen you naked so many times before.  You try to cover yourself up with your arms, but Steve rakes his darkening ocean blue eyes over your body, steps closer and moves your arms so he can see all of you. 

“Don’t,” he commands softly. His fingertips bush down the right side of your neck than down toward your bosom. “You have a very intoxicating effect on me Mrs. Rogers.” You heart races as your shiver under his skilled fingers as your brain tries to process his words. His soft lips brush against your neck as you hold onto his large muscled biceps. Your mind races as you try to make sense of what’s going on, but his assault on your body is too overwhelming, all she can think about is letting him have his way with her.  To do what whatever he wanted.  You moan with each caress.  

He slowly moves you two towards the hot tub behind you. You run your hands down the waistband of his trunks and begin pushing them down as you give America’s ass a little swat. “Mrs. Rogers,” Steve growls out again but you are so lost in this man you don’t process his words. He stops and steps out of his trunks kicking them to the side while stepping you backwards onto the steps of the hot tub. The water lapping at yours and Steve’s feet playfully. “Now what did you say about me being old?” He smirks backing you into the middle of the tub. You run your hands down his back feeling each taught muscle while giving him a flirtatious smile.

“Me?” you state coyly “I didn’t say any such thing.” you fake a southern accent trying to sound innocent.

“Ahugh,” he nods. “You, Mrs. Rogers.” Your eyes widen as you finally catch onto his words.

“I augh, can you augh. . re..peat that please, Sir.” 

“I said…Mrs. Rogers…that I’m going to teach you a lesson or two for calling me old.” Your mouth moves but you can’t form any words over your racing heartbeat. Steve pulls you closer to him his erection rubs against you hip as he nips your neck playfully. His hands roll your nipples giving them a pinch making them hard under his skilled touch. “Can an old man treat you like this?” You let out a moan and shake your head no. “Words,” he commands softly as heat spreads throughout your body.

“Yes, I mean no. Wait what did you ca…call me?”

“Later.” Steve states with authority leaving no room for argument. His lust blown eyes lock on your y/c/e as he leans down and nips your lip playfully. Steve’s hands find your hips as he turns you facing the edge of the hot tub. “Hands on the edge.” His teeth nips the back of your neck than he soothes the spots running his flat tongue over them causing you to moan out in pleasure. You do as you are told as you spread your legs waiting.  He takes his left hand and gives his cock a pump as precum drips from the shaft. There is no time to adjust as Steve pounds into you balls deep with a loud grunt. 

“Augh. .fu. .” you head tips back onto his shoulder. One hand reaches over and massages your clit as the other wraps around your waist pulling you flush towards him. Your walls clench around his cock and he continues pumping into you furiously, making your body quiver with each thrust, bringing you to the edge of ecstasy.  

“Can. .an. .old. .man. .do. .this. .to. .you?” Steve grunts as he pushes his cock deeper inside you hitting you in all the right spots to make you scream out his name. 

“Fu…No!” you exclaim. 

“No, what baby girl.” He continues his thrusts

“No…No, sir. Please Steve…don’t stop.” You try to catch your breath.  “Baby, I need to cum..Please!” you plead for release. 

“Come for me, Sweetheat,” he coos “Come for your Captain.” he grunts softly in your ear. You grasped the ledge so hard your knuckles turned white, your walls clenched around him bringing the both of you over the edge, coming together.  Your body spent from the exertion his arms wrapped around you as  you pressed your back against his chest and tried to catch your breath. 

Finally able to find your footing you turned and faced the man you loved…”I will never call you an old man again…” you smiled. “And for the record, you can make me come just by the sound of your voice.” Steve smirks as you wrap your arms around his neck. 

“Is that so Mrs. Rogers?” You eyes widen in response.

“St..Steve..did you ju…just call me Mrs. Rogers?”

“Ya, several times,” he responds quietly. “ Happy birthday, baby.”

“Yes, Steve. Oh, yes.” You pepper his face with kisses. Steve pulls you into his massive arms, hands scooping your ass out of the water as your wrap your legs around him. . “Best shared birthday ever, you mumble as he eases into you. 

You came twice more as the two of you made love in the hot tub, water splashing everywhere, thankfully you were too far away from everyone else by the pool or else they would be able to hear your cries of ecstasy.  

@shield-agent78 @buckysforeverprincess @patzammit @ellaprime68 @chuuulip @mychemicalimagines @bloodiedskirtts @hotoffthepressfics @littlemarvelfics @dj-lowkey @drakelover78 @caramell0w @the-canary @capstevengrogers @captain-rogers-beard @tilltheendwilliwrite @until-theend-oftheline 

[spiralledcupid]

Fault Lines (2/7)

(Or, this was originally Riches and Wonders but the writer is an idiot n forgot she already called a fic that) 

Shigadabi week day two: Lies

“What’s your name?” Shigaraki demands, half a month into his makeshift hospitalisation of the stranger. It hasn’t occurred to him to ask until now, mostly because he’d expected to be rid of him by now. By before now. But none of Shigaraki’s methods have come close to working, and they’ve had to resort to using stolen strips of disinfected metal to pin his skin back together. And this conversation can at least distract from the grossness of the entire procedure.

The stranger winces as Shigaraki uses his needle to pierce another hole, “I go by Dabi.”

“Dabi? That’s not a real name.” Shigaraki says, glowering. He’s in a bad mood, a little because ‘Dabi’ is annoying, but mostly because he’s been trying without success to make ‘Dabi’ leave Shigaraki’s bed and sleep on the floor.

Which Shigaraki has been doing.

For two weeks.

His back hurts from the hard floor and his nightmares are worse than ever, which makes his already unstable mood even worse.

“It’s my name,” Dabi insists, clutching at one of the pillows Shigaraki sewed himself. Just for that, Shigaraki pushes the needle in slower next time, “Ouch.”

Finally, Shigaraki puts aside the needle. “There. You’re all pinned together.” Rubbing his back, he wanders over to his makeshift cooking range. There are benefits to living in one room; the closeness of everything is one of them.

“Make me one too.” Dabi calls, reclining back onto Shigaraki’s pillows. Shigaraki grits his teeth.

When he finishes the makeshift coffee, he slaps it down beside Dabi so hard it splashes over Dabi’s shirt. “Oops.”

Unfortunately, the liquid just makes the thin material of Dabi’s think white top stick to his chest, becoming almost see-through. And Shigaraki has to force his eyes away.

God he’s so fucked.

“What’s your name?” Shigaraki asks two days later.

It’s dark outside, and they’ve spent half the evening drinking wine Shigaraki stole on his last reluctant trip to town. It’s not good by any means, but it’s strong and that’s what they both want in the end.

“Why’d you wear that hand?” Dabi counters, slurring slightly. His eyes are half shut, and that (mixed with the alcohol Shigaraki has drunk) makes him the pretties thing Shigaraki’s ever seen. He wants to blame it all on the wine. But even he’s not that good at denial.

“It’s a mask,” Shigaraki snaps, moving away when all he wants to do is move closer, “So people are too scared to annoy me.”

He’s lying. But he’s entirely sure Dabi is too, so it’s only fair.

Dabi shakes his head slowly, “Nah. You’re too cute to be scary, Mophead.” They both pause, letting silence settle between them. Shigaraki refuses to look at Dabi. Then Dabi staggers to his feet, “’m gonna throw up.”

Shigaraki watches him go, a lump building itself bigger and bigger in his throat. He wonders when they both decided to lie to each other.

He wonders if either of them will ever find out the truth.

“What’s your name?” Shigaraki asks.

“That’s an odd last request.”

They’re both up to their thighs in a peat bog and sinking fast. Really, Shigaraki should have kept an eye on how close they were getting to the peat, but he was more focused on… other things.

(Like how Dabi’s shirt rode up when he plucked a low hanging fruit from a tree, or how his ratty black pants clung when he bent to pick a few weeds Shigaraki pointed to. But that doesn’t mean anything.

It doesn’t.)

Shigaraki rolls his eyes. They’re up to their hips now, and Shigaraki thought the threat of death might at least encourage Dabi to be honest.

Apparently, he was wrong.

Dabi raises his hands above his head in an effort to keep his burns clean, “Any ideas? You’re the nature dude, after all.”

“Grab that branch.” Shigaraki instructs, as he sinks deeper into the bog.

Dabi reaches out, wincing when the sharp end of the branch stabs into his loose skin. But he manages to grab the branch anyway, hand slipping until he finds a patch of bark free of moss. The wiry muscles in his arm flex as Dabi pulls, the bog squelching as it slowly relinquishes him from its sinking grip. He manages to pull one bootless foot from the bog, using his leg to help him pull himself up until he’s finally free of the bog.

Shigaraki is up to his ribs now, struggling to keep his hands out of the mud, “Help me out, dickwad.”

“Manners,” Dabi almost sings, making no effort to reach out to Shigaraki.

They both wait.

Shigaraki’s face level with Dabi’s bare feet when he finally gives in, “Please pull me out.”

“All you had to do.” Dabi says, extending his hand for Shigaraki to grab.

They both lie in the deceptively dry grass long after Shigaraki is free. They’re covered in mud, sticky and stinking, all the way to their armpits, like a disgusting second layer. The ends of Shigaraki’s hair are covered too. It feels gross.

But being gross isn’t the worst thing.

The worst thing is that Shigaraki is going to have to do…laundry.  

Shigaraki hopes Dabi’s asleep.

He really, really hopes Dabi’s asleep, because he’s sat out here, in the dark, in nothing but his underwear trying to scrape flakes off an old, crusted over bar of soap. The air beside the river is cold, and he’ll probably have to wash again after this to get the sand off. Their clothes mingle together in the water he’s collected and boiled, looking miserable and waterlogged. Frankly, Shigaraki doesn’t feel much better.

His skin is dry and itchy from the soap he had to use earlier, to get the last of the mud off himself, and his hair is too clean to properly use as a curtain. His nails have all broken off from the heat and the water, leaving him with scratchy hangnails and swollen cuticles. And now, he has to go through it all again with the laundry.

Honestly, the only thing that could make it worse is-

“Meow.”

That.

Shigaraki yelps, jumps away and overbalances all in one smooth move. He falls backwards and braces himself as he lands with a splash in the river running steadily beside his washbasket.

It seemed like the perfect place earlier, where he could rinse the clothes as soon as he needed to. Now he regrets his choice.

“Sorry, Tomu-chan!” A voice chirps. Shigaraki sinks further into the water, glowering up at the newcomer.

“Go away, Toga.” He’s seriously, seriously cold now, but he’s not getting out. Not with Toga… there.

Toga pouts, pushing a hand into her cat’s fur until it purrs, “You’re no fun, Tomu-chan. Are you doing chores?”

Shigaraki’s still thinking of a rely when his day goes from bad to worse.

“Wha’s goin’ on?” Dabi mumbles, staggering, shirtless, out of Shigaraki’s home. Blearily, he rubs a hand over his eyes, taking in Toga perched on a rock and Shigaraki sat in the river, the washing balanced dangerously beside him.

“Who’s this?” Toga says, managing to fit approximately 50 different implications into her voice at once. Dabi blinks sleepily back.

“Where’d you find the gremlin?”

“She just… turns up.” Shigaraki says, trying not to look at Dabi. He’s entirely sure Dabi’s going to start laughing at him any minute. And he’d prefer not to witness it.

“I wasn’t talking to you.” Dabi says, smirking. A beat passes. And then Toga screeches with laughter.

Shigaraki can feel his temper rising.

Toga takes a few minutes to calm down, wiping at her eyes until her cackles turn into softer giggles. She rocks back and forth on her perch, “I like him! What bloodtype do you have?”

“Uh-“

“Toga is a bloodwitch.” Shigaraki tells Dabi, though his pettiness wants him to shut up. It might be entertaining for Dabi to be the one who needs Shigaraki’s help for once, when Toga bleeds him half to death while telling him about her latest stupid crush.

“Oh.” Dabi says. He eyes Toga with a lot more trepidation than before.

“I’m not even looking for blood tonight!” Toga protests, shooting Dabi a big, sharp-toothed smile, “I stocked up last night, I’ve got at least three days-“

“I don’t care,” Shigaraki interrupts. He can feel his skin getting tighter and tighter the longer he stays in the river, “Just go away, Toga.”

“Fine,” Toga huffs, blowing her fringe off her face, “I’ll come back for breakfast.”

“No-“ Shigaraki starts. But Toga’s already gone.

“Crazy kid.” Dabi shakes his head. He wanders back into the house, scratching the back of his head. Shigaraki’s just about to climb out of the water when a ball of fabric hits him full in the face.

“Spare shirt.” Dabi explains, and he’s smirking straight at Shigaraki.

Silence falls between them.

And then-

“Why didn’t you tell me you had fucking spares?!” Shigaraki shrieks, disturbing a few bats into flight, “Then I wouldn’t have wasted all my time doing fucking laundry!”

“Just say thank you, Creep.” Dabi tells him, leaning against the doorframe.

“What’s your name?” Shigaraki asks instead.

Dabi ignores him. Wordlessly, he walks down to the river’s edge, dunks his hands into the laundry bucket and starts scrubbing. Eventually, Shigaraki has to give in.

He clambers awkwardly out of the water, pulling on Dabi’s spare shirt despite his damp skin. For a moment, he thinks he feels eyes on him, but when he turns around, Dabi’s still diligently scrubbing.

Shigaraki joins him.

Together, they get through the laundry in half the time it usually takes Shigaraki. He finds the cracked skin of his hands bothers him less when there’s someone else helping him.

Later, when Shigaraki’s on the brink of sleep, he feels something brush against his cheek.

“Touya.” Dabi whispers, almost too quiet to be heard.

When Shigaraki turns over, he’s already in bed.

[lothiriel84]

Abhainn Nis

Then at the voice of the saint, the monster was terrified, and fled more quickly than if it had been pulled back with ropes. (x)

A Good Omens ficlet. Gen, pre-Arrangement.

“You should have seen him, Brother – standing right there, on the edge of the river, he invoked the name of the Lord, and commanded the beast that it should not touch another human being ever again.”

“And you say the monster slithered away? Like a serpent would?”

“Aye, Brother. It absconded to the depths of the loch behind us, and has not been seen since.”

“What about that poor monk, though? The one who was sent swimming across the river – Brother Lugne, I believe you said was his name.”

“Oh, he swore he never for one moment doubted Columba’s word, not even as the beast lunged at him, its terrifying jaws open to swallow him whole. And the heathens, they gave glory to God, and asked to be baptized in the very waters of the River Ness.”

“Very well,” he sighed, his eyes trained on the peat-dark waters rippling in the distance. “May the road rise up to meet you, my friend, until we meet again.”

Brother Adomnán bowed his head to receive the blessing, and respectfully parted company with him. It was only when he heard the footsteps receding in the distance that he let out another sigh, straightened, and slowly made his way towards the loch.

“You can come out now, you know,” he murmured, shivering ever so slightly as the icy water lapped at his toes. “Unless you really enjoy sulking at the bottom of a lake, that is.”

The murky expanse of water stood before him unchanged; he was starting to contemplate just how unpleasant an experience for his corporation diving in would be, when the waves parted to allow a dark and large shape to emerge from the depths, the faint glow of amber eyes barely discernible in the gathering dusk.

“There you are,” he said, and shook his head. “You do realise Columba’s been dead for a century, don’t you? Bit of an overreaction, if you ask me.”

The serpent glared at him, in such a way he could only assume was supposed to come across as menacing. Except it was anything but, not when you’d known him for as long as Aziraphale did, and a fond smile threatened to break on his face, even against his better intentions.

“Wasssn’t sssulking,” Crowley hissed, even as he reverted to his human form – his body, Aziraphale noticed, all covered in elaborate tattoos after the manner of Pictish people. “Just taking a nap, ‘s all.”

“Of course you were.”

“‘m not scared of Irish monks, or, or whatever.”

“I never said you were.”

“Just heavily implied it,” Crowley huffed, rivulets of waters trickling down his bare limbs as he stepped ashore. Impulsively, Aziraphale reached to unfasten the clasp that held the mantle around his neck, shrugged it off his shoulders, and held it out for Crowley to take it.

The demon eyed the proffered garment as if it might suddenly turn into a snake – a rather incongruous mental image, that one – shivered, shrugged as if to himself, and finally extended his hand. “You would slink away too, you know, if you were a demon and someone threatened to bless the entire body of water you were sitting in.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, ‘oh’.”

“Why were you even in the river in the first place?”

Crowley’s reply was little more than an indistinct mumble, as he fashioned the mantle around himself so that it could pass for something close enough to a tunic.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Just fancied a swim, all right?” the demon blurted out irritably, pushing his long, damp tresses back over his shoulder. “And then one of those peasants spots me, and it’s all ‘behold, the water beast’ and ‘holy man of God, please save us from the monster’. I have never been more insulted in all my life.”

Aziraphale snickered, very briefly. “And then, they tried to lure you out by feeding you that poor monk.”

“As if I’d ever eat anything that unappetising.”

“Speaking of which, there’s this tavern in Inbhir Nis I’m simply dying to try. Care to join me?”

Crowley considered him for a long moment, then gave him one of his lopsided smiles. “Sure, why not? Lead the way, Angel.”

They fell into step with one another, walking down the river in companionable silence.

[lykaetales]

Friends Through Magic (@KerriShadow)

Lachlan - Oh feck! *Touching my hand to my head the pain screaming behind my eyes, looking around trying to figure out where I was. Sitting up slowly my hands pushing against the ground my ass sliding a small bit. Breathing in deep taking in all the scents, none unknown yet none really familiar. I was in a forest. I was near running water. There was game around to hunt. Speaking of hunting, closing my eyes, trying to feeling my Lykae. Growling out loud my eyes flying open my hands grasping at my chest breathing hard. Looking around panic real, my mind alone inside my head. I have never been alone inside of my head before. Never! Even as a pup my Lykae was always there! Holding my head as I stand leaning against a tree yelling at the top of my lungs* IS ANYONE OUT THERE! *Looking around me once again now that I am standing, noting the flattened brush where I had woke up, frowning seeing only tracks from myself pushing myself up against this tree. Cocking my head looking harder, but seeing nothing, it was as if I had been dropped there. Rubbing the back of my head the pain shooting behind my eyes again, dropping to my knees one hand on the tree trunk praying to the gods my words a mere whisper* There has to be someone out there, I don’t think I like being alone. Please my wolf is missing, something isn’t wrong… something…. *Closing my eyes gripping my chest with my free hand*

Kerri - ~Eyelids pop open at the faint sounds of yelling or at least I thought I heard it. Thinking I must of been dreaming as I notice the sky peeking through the thick green canopy.  As I took a deep breath pain ricochet through my cranium causing me to snap upwards from where I laid.  The sensation that followed my quick movement didn’t help the pain. I check out my surrounding before slowly getting up. I was in a forest but it wasn’t the one I was a familiar with. Debating for a moment to yell or not.~  Hello!  ~Capturing my head in my hands it felt like a beating drum. Yelling was definitely not an option. I was alone it seemed. I wipe my forehead and I start walking to the sound of running water in the distance.~  

Lachlan - *Crawling forward the sound of the forest around my loud within my head, breathing in deep almost gasping trying to get the scents around me. I could get everything, every scent, I could feel the forest. I just couldn’t feel my Lykae. Following the sound of running water my ears almost picking up a distant ‘hello’, stopping and listening again but nothing. The sounds of the forest not disturbed around me, crawling on trying to push my Lykae to take over. Needing to be my wolf and not this lost human! At last seeing the wide river through the brush and pushing forward, collapsing at the river bank my mind taking note of the lack of animal prints in the mud by the water. Washing my head and face with the cold water, the pain behind my eyes easing. Looking at my hands as I pull them away from the back of my head, looking at the dried blood mixed with the river water on my hands* Well there goes my damn day! *Turning at the sound coming from behind me, crouching a low growling watching the trees and low bushes*

Kerri - ~Carefully moving through foliage that was at times knee high. Searching for any sign of another while keeping an eye on the path I was making. My memory was failing me. How in the world did I get here? And where is here exactly? Questions swirling right along with this gigantic headache. Stopping by a cluster of trees I place a hand on one of the tree’s trunk. Peering around the tree all I could see was the river just beyond the blanket of lemongrass. The sound of water rushing grew louder as I approached. Tucking a strand of hair back out of my face wishing I had something to tie it back. Taking a few steps I bend down to grab a long blade of lemongrass to do just that. Picking three that matched in same length to braid that is when I realized the disturbance in the grass. It lead away from where I stood and curved to the left towards the river. Instantly I crouched down low behind few bushes. Staying still I wondered if it was an animal or man. Was not sure what I heard if it was a mumble or growl I heard?~

Lachlan - *Trying to shift the pain sending me further to the ground my hands digging into the muddy river bank. Taking in a deep breath the scent of lemongrass heavy on the air along with the scent of a woman. Shaking my head as the scent of the woman isn’t right but without my Lykae I just couldn’t pin it down. Slowly standing up my eyes locked on the trees knowing the woman is behind them, breathing in deep and slow trying to work out where I was. I knew I was in a forest but other than that nothing was familiar. Taking a step forward growling low in my throat, the loneliness inside of me an open wound just like the back of my head* Woman I know you are out there, come here and we will see if we know each other. *Taking another step forward, letting my shoulders relax my legs bent, I might not have my Lykae but I still knew how to fight. My wolf might be missing but my human was still a force to be reckoned with. Walking to the bush with the woman’s scent behind it, pushing it aside and looking down at her, a few strands of lemongrass in her hand. So that was one scent but what was the rest? Keeping the bush pushed aside but stepping back enough for her to pass by me* Come on, you can’t stay crouched down there for the whole day. And I promise not to bit, yet!

Kerri - ~From my spot I could hear him moving then the sound of thump. Shifting from left to right trying to see him through the bushes. Watching him slowly rise up half covered in mud.  His stare targeted right where I was. How could he spot me so quickly? I froze hearing him ordering me around like he was king of the forest. I started to move to leave but the roots buckling upwards as if the bushes had came to life it made it difficult. Dropping the partial braid of lemongrass as one knee stabs into the ground. The ungraceful moment felt like someone was knocking on the back of my skull. Closing my eyes tight wishing this pounding would stop. Eyes flash open when the bushes flashed open and the male now stood before me. Freeing myself slowly rising I step free of the bushes~ I can if I wanted to. It was a nice cool shaded spot. ~Trying to appear as if I wasn’t spying on him but fail. Grinning now~ And less muddy too.  

Lachlan - *Eyeing the fallen lemongrass then following the woman’s steps as she walks past me. Letting the bush go turning to fully face the woman, giving her a cocky smile my arms wide* What are you afraid of a little mud? It helps keep you cool. *Motions over my shoulder toward the bush where she had been hiding* And as for your hiding spot, you really think that lumpy ground is better than my nice slimy mud? *Waves a hand up and down my body, looking down at the mud dripping from my knees. Rubbing my hands together getting rid of the mud from my palms, then rolling my shoulders* Ok not to be rude but who the hell are you and where the hell are we. Oh and why we are at it, you know anything about my head wound? *Slowly looking the woman up and down, cocking my head to the side breathing in deep again her scent again not right* Or are you hurt? You don’t look hurt but I can only see one side of you.

Kerri - ~Scanning the area making my way past his muddiness I could hear the smile he was wearing as he compares the shade vs mud. My fangs length at the smell of fresh crismon. Pivoting around just in time to witness his gesture to his pants. I couldn’t help but snicker as mud now drops from his hands. Crossing my arms at the change in his tone of questioning. Taking one step then rocking back in place~  The name is Kerri. Did you say head wound? I don’t know anything of a head wound. ~Looking up at his forehead not seeing this wound. In order to control of the hunger I kept a few steps away. Clearing my throat reminding myself get back to the questions~ I am not hurt other than a headache from hell and to answer your other question I do not where here is. I take it you don’t since you asked. We need to get your head looked at and get some medicine. ~Once again scanning the area as I fire off my own questions before my eyes meet his~ Isn’t there a plant or something like that we can make a compress to put on your wound? Peat moss maybe?

Lachlan - *Nodding my head my eyes locking onto the woman’s mouth, a flash of teeth, or was it fang! Giving my head a shake then looking again but her teeth seem, this whole forest and waking up without my Lykae was just messing me up. No way was this woman flashing fang, her scent was off but I would know if she was wolf. Right! And no way was she a vamp, no way, no not happening. Smiling back at the woman* Kerri, I like it. Now lovely I didn’t think you had hurt me. I think it would take more that a woman to knock my head bloody. *Watching as Kerri steps back, a look of something in her eyes. Crossing my arms over my chest, my ear to Kerri but also the very quiet forest around us* I am glad you are not hurt, I think we should look after your headache. My head well heal itself, but as soon as you are feeling better we need to work out where we are. And how we got here. *Growling low as I crack my neck moving my head from side to side* I woke up in the middle of nowhere with no tracks leading to where I was laying. Now I am good with tracks even with a head wound and I mean it when I say there was no tracks. It was as if I had been dropped from the sky! *Laughs* Maybe that is where I got my head wound.

Kerri - ~Gently run my hand over my forehead then down to cover my lips for a brief moment when I noticed the questionable expression he gave me. I start to make a comment about the more than a woman but I decided that’s it wasn’t worth it. Letting a small scuff go~ This headache will dissolve soon. I agree this is a lovely forest but it is rather quiet here. I have noticed that we are the only ones making any kind of noises. Not one bird, jaguar or wolf.  ~Shifting my stance~ Good question is how did we get here? I woke up just a few yards from here. The last thing I remember I was in my favorite spot reading a good mystery book. Then I woke up here with this headache from H E double hockey sticks. Tequila usually give me headaches when I’ve been drinking the night before but I didn’t have a drop. What is the last thing you remember? ~Pauses remembering he didn’t say his name yet. He did say he was good with tracks so maybe it’s Trapper or something like that ~ What do I call you? Trapper or Hunter?

Lachlan - *Rubbing the back of my head not even trying to hide the wince, pulling my hand away the blood on it more dried specks now. Dropping my hand looking away from Kerri my eyes lost in my last memories, my last time I felt my Lykae* I was running in a forest not much different from this, I had the scent of a rabbit firmly fixed and my paws were digging into the forest floor deep with each bound I mad. Then just as I felt my teeth latch onto the rabbit and it’s blood flow onto my tongue I woke up here. *Stopping short my eyes widening as I turn to look at Kerri* Why did I tell you that! What the hell is going on! *Crouching down my hands gripping the back of my neck my head almost between my knees* I do not understand what is going on. I would never spill my thoughts so normally. *Closing my eyes the loneliness eating away at me, where my wolf should be was just an empty space. My body wouldn’t shift, all I had was my sense of smell. Smell! *Looking up at Kerri breathing in deep, her scent that of a woman and more!* Kerri what are you? I know you are not just a woman! Oh and a word to the wise, don’t ever call me Hunter! That monster is nothing like me. My name is Lachlan just so you know.

Kerri - ~Noticing the smell of blood having grown faint with his movements but the hunger was still there. It couldn’t be the talk of rabbit blood. Just talking about blood has never had this effect on me. It was not that long ago that I had enjoyed a glass of warm ruby red. Was it? Did I imagine him saying paws? What was he? I knew he was not like me that much I could tell. I start move back to put some distance between us. Instincts of the predator side telling me to take. Now was not a good time to go off the deep end. What was it about this forest or was it him that drove my hunger? Thoughts swirling when I heard a voice telling me go ahead you know you want to. Rubbing my temples shouting within my head NO! Then I heard laughter fainting to his growling voice.~  Look I do not know why you spoke freely perhaps the answers lies within where we are, Lachlan. ~Dropping my hands, my eyes flash red meeting his eyes~ I am what some would call a bloodsucker. One of the monsters of the night. So is this Hunter is a vampire too?

Lachlan - *Standing slowly each breath bringing in Kerri’s scent, her words ringing in my ears. The sight of her eyes turning red sending a shiver down my spine. Without my wolf I hadn’t placed her scent, her other words at last breaking through the haze of finding out she is a leech. Damn it all to hell! Scrubbing my hands down my thighs* Ok let me get this straight you are a leech, one of those blood sucking monsters that most hate. *Chuckles* Ok I don’t have a very high opinion of them either. *Looking around but keeping Kerri in my line of sight* Ok so you think this forest could be causing… *Waves my hand around* What! *Huffs then grinds my teeth, holding my head again the pain less but still pulsing at my eyes* Ok first, I am not a chew toy for any leech. Second, we need to get moving and find a way out of here or someone to help. Third, I hope I am right thinking that you don’t know Hunter. And no he is not a vampire, but yes he is a monster. *Looks to the sky my anger riding me hard, letting loose a yell I wish was a howl* Last thing I remember…. *Feeling the pain and emptiness inside me, where the hell was my Lykae. Maybe Kerri was right, maybe this place was doing something to me. First I was talking like a pup, all mouth and no brains. Second I didn’t know her scent and third I was afraid when she let me know she was a vampire. Afraid! Ok something really weird was going on!*

Kerri - ~Placing a hand on my hip standing there watching the changes taking place in his features as he spoke. From domineering to almost innocent confused kid then was that fear? No surely. I had to remind myself to keep control. Have to figure a way out of this situation. Tempers must stay in check. No need in poking the dog. Releasing the breath I took in and moved a half of a step back~ I agree with you. We do need to get moving and we should follow the river downstream. Perhaps there is a campsite or something. As for a chew toy ~Glances over his form~ You don’t look like one unless you want volunteer. ~Gently laughs, I was thankful I didn’t laugh harder with the reminder of my headache~ You have no worries with me. I will not bite. Remember we both do not know where we are or the why or the how? You need me just as much as I need you. So there you have it. I give you my word. No biting ~Holds my hand out~ You know in all the names I’ve been called. Leech is not one I cared to be called. ~My smile fades to a thin line~ So tell me about this monster, Hunter. Who is he?

Lachlan -   *Shaking myself rolling my shoulders, then cracking my head from side to side. Giving Kerri’s hand a firm shake, then dropping it my eyes raking over the river* Ok let’s just work together, your idea of moving with the river is a good one. Also is it me or have I lost the sun? *Covering my eyes as I scan the sky, it was daytime but where was the sun. Huffing as I start to move with the flowing water, keeping on ear to the forest around us, glancing to my side meeting Kerri’s eyes* So no leech names. But if you are a vampire as you say, how are you out in daylight? *Sniffing the air the scent of overripe fruit stinging my nose, my own hunger making itself known by loudly growling within my stomach. Picking up my steps, overripe fruit was better than nothing. But what was the vampire going to eat!* Why would you want to know about Hunter? That animal, that monster is pure evil. Trust me when I say this. He would eat you up and spit you out. For him it is about how much he can hurt you. And he doesn’t have a very high opinion of vampires. I even think he was the reason we have no more around us any more. But then my pack aren’t too unhappy about that. *Snapping my mouth shut, what the hell was going on. Every question Kerri asks I answer. WHY!!*

Kerri - ~Walking beside Lachlan I couldn’t help hearing his stomach growl over the sounds of the river. Keeping my laughter within only to have my smile disappear when the smell of rotting fruit hit my nostrils. My hunger grew but not for fruit. The pulsing rhythm that walked beside me called to my thirst. The hunger calling again. No! I gave my word. Something he said brought me out of my thoughts~ Oh, yeah, daylight. It doesn’t affect me like most vampires. I can be out in it but I am weaker than I am in the night time. I will have to remember this Hunter if I ever were to run into him. Your pack? I bet they miss you. ~Quicken my steps with his when I noticed the smell grew stronger. Stopping when the view ahead of us was filled with fruit covering the ground and some still on the trees. It looked like something out of the Wizard of Oz movie. These trees were a mixed fruits. How in the world does a tree have apples, oranges and pears on them? All on the same tree!~   

Lachlan - *Each step bringing me closer to the fruit, trying not to think of my pack. Or the fact I was telling Kerri a vampire all about us. Stopping mid step the sight of an over large fruit trees strange enough, but all the fruit growing on it! They were as big as maple trees, but fruit trees didn’t get this big right! Slowly stepping up to the fruit on the ground, not all of it was overripe. Looking up into the limbs of a tree seeing oranges, apples and pears, what the hell was going on. Picking up an apple from the ground that wasn’t overripe, sniffing it then holding it out to Kerri* What do you think, is it safe to eat? *Looking back to the tree, a frown creasing my forehead* And while we are at it, have you ever seen a tree growing not just one but three different types of fruit? *Throwing the apple into the air and catching it, stepping around other fruit on the ground. My mind racing with the why’s of what I was seeing, stopping facing Kerri my voice more wolf growl than human* Ok we are here together, neither of us know how or why we are here. My stomach is tell me I am starving, like I have never eaten. That isn’t right. Now here is this fruit all for me to eat. But what about you? *Throwing the apple away* I think we just keep moving and try and find a way back to our lives.    

Kerri - ~Studying our surroundings trying to make sense of this. It isn’t possible for these fruits to grow on the same tree. My eyes follow the apple Lachlan now tosses only to see it fly. The smell changed from fruitorous to carnage. My throbbing fangs begging me to take what I thirst for. I try to shake off the nocturnal demands. Looking back at him at the same time reaching for an apple on the tree~ Yes, nothing is right about this place. ~When I picked the apple the skin was so soft it broke open and the juice ran crismon turning black. Immediately dropped it and turn searching for anything or anyone~ Did you see that? The one you had didn’t do that! What in the blazes is going on here? Yeah you are right we need to keep moving. We have more questions than answers. I’m afraid that we might not like the answers if we stay in this spot. ~Starting to move past the maple size tree and get some distance. I knew he was right behind me. I wanted to keep my word so I curled my fingers into fists. My nails digging into my palms. The pain helped subside the internal demand.~ Think...think...do we have anything in common? Other than we are not mere humans.

Lachlan - *My nose flaring with the scent of blood coming from the fruit in Kerri’s hand, then shaking my head as we move on. Our steps getting more hurried, my eyes scanning the area around us. The forest in front of us looked like a picture perfect forest, but a picture wasn’t a true forest. My ears almost picking up the sound of singing, but when I tried to listen harder it was gone damn it. Listening to Kerri. She was right we needed to think not just act* Ok so we are not human, that has to mean something, but I can’t think of anything else we could have in common. I have never seen you before, I don’t really hang out with leec.. I mean vampires that much. *Scrubbing my face as the river starts to curve around a bend, do we stay on the bank or cut through the forest. Looking back at Kerri, taking in her very feminine clothes, not the type of clothes for climbing through underbrush. Stopping with a hand on Kerri’s arm. Nodding towards the bend in the river* You up to trekking through or do we stick with the river? *Cocking my head almost catching the sound of singing again, growling low reaching for my wolf, but only finding a hole deep within myself* Damn it! Did you hear anything? Do you feel normal as I don’t. Something is wrong my wolf is gone! And this picture perfect forest is so far from right, all the different fruit on one tree, no real animal sounds. No sun, and now that I think of it no real scents. Ok I am getting trees and small animals but what of predators? We aren’t in a real ecosystem, we my friendly neighbour vampire are somewhere else. Maybe a different dimension! *Letting loose a short laugh at the idea of another dimension*    

Kerri - ~My head spinning with more questions than answers but the one answer that I keep coming to I refuse to take action upon. What is it about this place? Walking along the river I was thankful that I was not wearing my stilettos. It wouldn’t be good if my favorite shoes were ruined. Feeling his touch I stop beside him. Looking at the rocky terrain I almost laughed~ No as a matter of fact I do not hear anything but us. Not even a shadow creature. ~Taking a moment closing my eyes as I tried to hear the shadows move. Nothing. The only thing I was able to hear was the strong pulse of wolf crismon next to me. Opening my eyes just as I turn back toward him~ Singing? Like, maybe a succubus? Which could explain why I am not hearing it. It would be best we keep moving and away from her if you know what I mean. And to answer your question, no, I’m not too girly to trek. Push come to shove I’ll remove my block heel sandals. It’s time to find out if we are stuck in the twilight zone.  

Lachlan - *Shaking my head to get the sound of singing out of my head, if it was a succubus like Kerri hinted at this wasn’t good. She wasn’t hearing it only I was! Looking down at her feet her shoes or sandals as she called them making me grunt out an almost laugh* Ok miss nature woman let’s get to the bottom of this. *Taking Kerri’s hand and pushing into the forest, at last the sound of singing going away. Even if it was more an almost sound then a true sound. Setting a steady pace pleased to see Kerri not falling behind, the underbrush not as dense as I would have expected* So this succubus you think I am hearing, that’s bad right? Men fall for them and then die if I’m remembering the old tails. *Pushing on the sound of the river had moved away from us but it was now in front of us again. Making our way in a straight line had worked quicker than it should have. Moving a branch aside and leading us out into a clearing, then stopping short using our joined hands to push Kerri behind me looking at the female dancing and singing in front of us. In a clearing with the sound of the river loud even though it was nowhere in sight, this place was just playing with us*

Kerri - ~Our pace not yielding as we make our way hand in hand through the inflexible forest. Keeping an eye out over my shoulder for any surprises, I answered his question about succubus~ Old tales holds good lessons within them. Yes, need to stay on your toes if you are hearing one and they never travel  ~My words halted as I bumped into his back. I was about to smack him when I heard the sweet lullaby. I took a glance around his shoulder and saw a woman dancing in the clearing. Shit! This was not good. Had to get him away from her but it was like tugging one of the forest trees. She gracefully swayed in our direction, her eyes locked with his. This is not happening! I couldn’t let her have him. Jumping between them taking a fighting stance causing her to lose her trance. She let out a loud screech in return I bared my fangs. She spun around to my surprise and took off running into the forest. Keeping Lachlan at my back I walked full circle around him.~ Do you still hear her? That was way to easy. They never give up this quickly. Lachlan?

Lachlan - *My hoarse whisper almost too loud as we stand still just looking at the female, her voice getting louder with each second that passes* Never travel are you sure! *If I wasn’t looking at what I think is a succubus, I would be laughing at us right now. Cocking my head to the side my eyes locking on the female, her voice like liquid sexy rolling over me. Her swaying hips hypnotizing, licking my lips my body wanting to step forward but a strange pull on my arm stopping me. Blinking as I lose sight of the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, wincing at the sound of a screech then letting loose a low growl as another female walks around me. Her voice grating on my ears as she natters on about something, shaking my head as I gently push her aside cocking my head. The faint sound of singing calling me, beckoning me forward, a tantalizing sent in the air. Marching off my only thought was finding the seductive women who is calling to me, pushing forward back into the forest at a fast jog my heart pounding. At last coming to another clearing and falling to my knees at the feet of the woman, her perfect sounding voice making my heart pound even faster. Looking up at her my hands fisting on my knees* I have found you! *Smiling like a loon up at the angel before me, my mind blank, my heart… my heart… my… Shaking my head trying to remember, trying to make sense of this feeling that something was wrong. Trying to…. But that sound, that voice*  

Kerri - ~Having kept my back towards him I spun on my heel hearing the high pitch screech. Searching for the danger that surrounds us but he vaulted through the forest once more. Now running I follow the branches that swing from his passing. This has become a nightmare someone please for the life of me wake me up. I could hear him just ahead, stopping in my tracks when I came upon them. Her attention not leaving him. It was the movement behind her. Several more step out in the clearing. All dressed for the hunt of pleasure with lust in their eyes.  I wanted to laugh for this had no use on me. As if they heard my thought they simply gave me an all know look and turned to him giving way for a shadow figure. The dark masculine scent carried in the breeze had me tempted to step forward. These women will do anything to keep us here. My eye locked on the shadow as he moved around edges of the trees keeping out of the light. I took a step away from him because I knew something was wrong. I could feel something pulling me in. This dance seemed to go on forever. The urge was there. Pulling my stare from the shadow figure to the woman who was now caressing Lachlan cheek as she sung to him. Her eyes lifted catching mine. She was in my head ordering me to take.~  NO! I will not! Not for you!  I do not take orders from anyone. Do you hear me? Who are you? Why all this?  

Lachlan - *Something wasn’t right, I was on my knees looking up at a woman. A woman who I couldn’t really see yet I knew she was the most beautiful woman I had even seen. I also know that she has my heart, my… Closing my eyes my senses trying to fight with my mind, I knew what I saw, it was a beautiful woman. But my senses were telling me that Kerri was close to me, that more than one woman was around me. The hole that was my Lykae was a gap that was trying to break me. Dropping my hands flat onto the soil, digging my fingernails into it. Something was very wrong, the song from the woman still ringing in my ears. Closing it out and breathing hard, each breath slow and controlled. At last my senses flooding me at last with facts, I wasn’t alone and the women around me were part of what was wrong. Cocking my head to the side as Kerri’s voice rings in my ears, the last few hours pushing away the sound of the woman’s voice. I still wasn’t sure why we were here but at least I knew who I should be with and it wasn’t the woman I was kneeling in front of. Opening my eyes and standing up, my movement slow. Stepping back away from the woman her eyes locked on Kerri, my eyes noting the other shapes around us, stopping only when I was beside Kerri. A growl coming from me, if I didn’t know better I would say my Lyake was back. Keeping my voice as low as I could hoping only Kerri could hear me* I think we need to get out of here and fast.

Kerri - ~Eyes locked with hers she was in my head but I pushed back. Refusing her orders over and over again. There was a growl heard beside me causing me to shift my stance. The woman started to laugh that is when I noticed the shadow figure behind her staying in the dark woods. The other women now chanting began to circle us.  After hearing Lachlan I didn’t look at him I answered~ We should but where will we go? She has the upper hand it seems. ~Taking a step forward and demand to know. Enough was enough~ What are you? You’re not a vampire like myself.  I would remember you if we had met before. ~Squaring my shoulders I stood my ground~

Lachlan - *Cocking my head my fists clenching so hard I can smell my own blood dripping from where my nails have broken the skin. Breathing in hard as something snaps within me, my Lykae rushing forward only my will stopping my form from changing. The woman’s voice like a rusty nail scraping on a blackboard, hiding my wince as I listen to her my eyes tracking her as well as a shadow in the tree line. “What am I. Why I am the love of that male’s life. Shall we ask him?” A force pushing on my will, trying to make me move over to the woman. My Lykae wanting to go but to put her down. Letting my feet move me forward and kneeling again at the woman’s feet, looking up at her at last really seeing her. She wasn’t so young or beautiful. She was human but smelled really old, she also smelled of magic and a faint hint of many many other souls. Trying to work out how I knew this, it wasn’t blood I was scenting, but souls. Souls in pain. My eyes locking on the shadow, a scent of pure evil emanating from it. Keeping my face blank as the woman cups my chin cocking my head back. “Who do you love male? Tell this woman who I am.” Taking a deep breath standing up to look down at the woman, my hand gripping her neck tight* You are nothing to me woman, you are not even worth the time I am going to take to kill you. You tried to push down my Lykae but you have failed, I am going to kill you even if it means being stuck here for the rest of my days. I can smell the scent of unhappy souls on you, I can smell the scent of age. I can smell the scent of magic on you WITCH!

Kerri - ~The fright that expelled from her had shivers running over me. The movements that followed was like watching an old black and white horror flick I had so enjoyed when I was young. This however was more thrilling as it unfolded before me. The others vanished leaving only a haze of smoke. The shadow figure stepped back swallowed by the darken surroundings. I found myself wanting to laugh. It must have been the grip he had on her the fear taking away her magical strength because the forest was giving way to the real reality~  You have failed and now you must suffer the consequences.  

Lachlan - *The witch was thrashing in my grip trying to break free, her screams making her words come out hoarse. Looking at kerri then back to the witch* Send her back now! It may save your life. *Squeezing harder letting the witch know I mean business. “Yes...y...yes…” Turning in time to see Kerri disappear to the sound of a cry coming from the shadowy figure. Bringing the witch’s back to my chest locking my eyes on the shadow, my free arm wrapping around the witch’s waist* Now send me back to where your sent the vampire. You shall not have my soul or hers. “The sound of laughing sending a chill down my back. “You think to demand, you think you can get away. You are who I need, you are going to set me free.” The witch in my arms stills as the shadow’s words sink in. “But you said his soul would make me young forever! It was for me we took them, you said…” Growls low my grip cutting off her airway* You planned to do what to me and why was the woman vampire taken! *Grunting as I feel a power trying to push into me, an evil power different from that of the witch in my arms. “NO!!!!” My eyes going wide as the shadow tries to come at us but bounces off an invisible barrier. “The vampire didn’t weaken you! But I made her hunger rise, she should have feed from you.” Now I understood, I was to have been bleed so I was weak and with my Lykae pushed down I would have been easy pickings for this shadow demon. Barking out a laugh* Well, looks like you have failed. You will not have me. And the vampire wasn’t as weak as you that to make her either. *Growling low my mind trying to see a way to get home, the shadow could get to me for now but how long would that last. The witch’s whispered words drawing my attention down to her. “He lied.. He lied… I… I should not have done what he asked.. I just wanted to be young again… I wanted to be beautiful.” My lips at her ear* You have killed it that shadow’s name, you do not deserve to live and I am going to make sure you don’t. It can’t get to you while I hold you so I can just kill you. *Squeezing my hand my nails breaking into the skin of her neck, her hands trying to pull my hand free. “Please… I can send you back… I can set you free… I will…” The feeling of her power flowing over me, my vision blacking out as the feeling of the witch disappears from my hand and body. Falling a step forward into a crowded night time street, spinning around my senses taking in all the scents of the people around me. Zoning in on the scent of Kerri, my eyes locking onto hers in the shadows of an alleyway. Walking over and pulling her into my arms, my Lykae flashing behind my eyes* We made it back, so are we going to be enemies now? (@KerriShadow) #FriendsThroughMagic

[otheroutlandertales]

Anonymous said: what's next for wine and whisky? 

This is the third chapter of this Ian and Rachel Modern AU!

Chapter 1, Chapter 2

Wine and Whisky - Chapter 3

by @whiskynottea

Rachel stood in the middle of the distillery’s reception area with a frown on her face. She looked around the empty, quiet room and reached in her pocket for her phone. She read William’s text again. Tuesday, 10am, first tour at the Fraser distillery.

Her first day at work - or something close to that. After Mrs. FitzGibbons’ formal mail informing her she’d been hired - which she’d read three times to make sure she really got the job and then let out a celebratory scream -  her phone had pinged with a message from William, congratulating her and asking her to meet him at the distillery to show her around.

Now she was there, on time, and he was nowhere to be found. She started texting him but deleted the message - better wait for him for a few more minutes. The reception area was large but it gave her a warm feeling, similar to the one she’d had in the reception room before entering Jamie Fraser’s office. There were no framed pictures of the family here, hanging one next to the other in chronological order, but a large painting adorned the fireplace, one that seemed inspired by a group picture. There were more people than she could count, smiling in front of an estate that seemed at least three hundred years old.

Lallybroch, Rachel realized.

On the wall next to the painting was a beautiful collage with distillery pictures and newspaper snippets about the history of whisky. If Rachel hadn’t been absorbed in reading about the deep roots of whisky in Scotland’s life and economy, she would have heard the door open and then swing shut again.

“Oh! You’re here,” William said instead of a greeting, moving his sunglasses to the top of his head to reveal two slanted blue eyes shyly looking at her. “The coffee machine hasn’t arrived yet, so I went to the coffee shop on the corner, to buy us some coffee.” He flashed her a wide smile and gave her a paper cup. “It’s black, but I got extra sugar and milk, in case -”

“Black is fine,” Rachel said, smiling politely. “Thank you, William.”

He nodded, satisfied by her answer. “So what do you think?”

“The reception area looks nice! I like the bar in the back.” She pointed towards the side of the room with her paper cup, the bar still empty, but its dark wood stools inviting people for a whisky tasting.

“Da says the place doesn’t feel right, yet. He says the smell is wrong.”

Rachel frowned and sniffed twice, unable to detect the scent that might trouble Jamie Fraser.

“It smells of paint, new furniture, and new equipment,” William explained. “No barley, peat, or fermentation. It doesn’t smell like a distillery yet,” he winked at her and took a careful sip of his still very warm coffee.

“So everything is brand new here?” Rachel asked, tentatively trying hers.

“Aye, it is! Ready to see it?”

The distillery was impressive. The malting house very big, it’s floor patiently waiting to be covered with barley, to start the magical procedure of making whisky. Rachel listened to William intently while he explained how things would work, and tried to imagine herself working there, checking the process, seeing a plain crop transform into something complicated, enticing.

They were past the mashing room and heading to the washbacks used for wort fermentation when William’s phone rang. “Sorry,” he said with a grimace, “I have to take it.” William walked back towards the reception area with fast, wide strides, leaving Rachel alone.

Rachel walked up the remaining part of the corridor to get to the washbacks. She smiled when she saw the large wooden containers instead of the stainless steel ones she’d found on the internet. Fraser continued making his whisky the old way - she liked that. Rachel walked around the containers, thinking them filled with wort and yeast, the wood warm from fermentation, alcohol scenting the room. Biting her lip, she searched for a vantage point to check their washbacks’ depth - she’d read they could get almost twenty feet deep.

“Hi,” came a whisper in her ear, and Rachel jumped, a hand flying over her heart to calm its thunderous beating.

“Oh my God,” she whispered, breathing fast.

“Ye can just call me Ian,” the voice said, and she could hear the smile in his words. His hands took hold of her upper arms, keeping her stable.

“Ian,” she said turning around, and she couldn’t help but smile. Smiling seemed so easy when Ian was close. “What are you doing here?”

His eyes were closer to green today, and she wondered how she hadn’t noticed that in the bar. She had thought them a plain brown, back then, but she was mistaken.

“I came for supplies,” he shrugged. “Whisky for the bar. And you? What are you doing here?” he asked, although he knew exactly what Rachel was doing there. “Should I congratulate you?”

“I guess you should!” she said, grinning broadly. She suddenly felt self-conscious, and she fidgeted with a lock of her hair, before tucking it behind her ear.

“Congratulations, then, Ms. Hunter,” he said and bowed with a flourish. “It is a total delight to have you with us.”

She hadn’t expected such a formal response and wondered if he was being sarcastic. Maybe he didn’t care that she was hired. Deciding to reply in the safest way, she bowed back at him, and said, “The pleasure is all mine, Mr. -” She didn’t know his last name.

“Murray. Ian Fraser Murray,” he helped, the corner of his lips curling up.

“Mr. Murray,” she continued her sentence.

“So, what do you think?” Ian asked her, pointing around. “Pretty cool, ha?”

“Pretty cool,” she laughed at his rapid vocabulary change. “Will you work here, too?” The question was out before she’d realized it, and she bit her lip hard, hoping that her tone didn’t show the hope in her voice.

“Ah no, lass. Just at the bar. Someone has to sell the product, aye?”

“I guess so,” she agreed.

They kept silent for a moment, just looking at each other, enfolded in the quietness of the room. Rachel felt her heart beating hard against her ribcage, but her breaths were slow, calm. She breathed in the wood’s scent and the fresh and peppery smell coming from Ian, and she barely kept herself from inhaling deeply to take more of him in. Ian looked at her with a faint smile on his lips and opened his mouth as if to say something -

“I’m back!” William said, coming through the doorway behind Rachel, and then a barely audible, “Oh.”

“Morning, Willie,” Ian said, adjusting his hair in a bun, and Rachel involuntarily fixed her eyes on his biceps, the lines of his tattoo straining with the motion.

When William came to stand next to Rachel, he told Ian that the whisky he came for was in a white box behind the bar at the reception. Ian dropped his hands in his jeans’ pockets, in a way that said he knew that already.

He chatted briefly with William about the delivery and an upcoming event at the bar, and then turned to leave with a goodbye. When he was at the door, he stopped and looked back, his gaze fixed on Rachel just for a millisecond, enough to make her doubt she saw him looking at her altogether.

“So,” William tried to get her attention back. “Our washbacks.”

It took them more than an hour to finish the tour, and even though Rachel was focused on William and the distillery, for a good fifteen minutes she couldn’t get rid of the lingering question that flashed at the back of her mind.

What was Ian doing at the fermentation room when it was obvious that the whisky he came to pick up was at the reception?

Unable to find a convincing answer and unwilling to let herself hope, Rachel focused her attention on the tour.

She didn’t want to leave the stillhouse, the shiny copper pot stills reminding her of musical instruments waiting for someone to give them life, to start the music. They went back to the reception area, sat in the comfortable leather couch and spent another hour talking about esters and their fruity notes, aldehydes and their vanilla-like scent. Rachel was excited. Her coffee was long gone, and the energy boost she felt had nothing to do with the caffeine consumption. She wanted to start working as soon as possible, to be a part of the team that would produce some of the most extraordinary whisky.

“This is Lallybroch,” William confirmed her previous guess, when he saw her gaze fall on the painting over the fireplace. “My sister is an artist, this is her work,” he added with a proud smile.

“Impressive! And these are the distillery’s employees?” she asked and rose to stand in front of the painting, to find the faces she already knew among the strangers. Jamie Fraser was in the middle, his arm around the waist of the same brown-haired woman she’d seen in the pictures in his office. The painting was amazing, the details so close to life that it looked like an edited picture. Next to Fraser on the other side stood a tall, beautiful woman with long red hair, holding hands with a dark, bearded man, with the sweetest smile. William stood next to the woman with the curly hair, his hair a bit shorter, his shoulders squared like his dad’s. Ian -

“No,” William replied, interrupting her thoughts. “This is just family. My aunt Jenny, Da’s sister, has five children and some of them have already children of their own, so you can imagine…”

“And you all work for the distillery?”

“The distillery or the bar. Not all of us, though. My mam is a doctor,” he said and chuckled, hurrying up to continue when he saw Rachel’s puzzled look. “But one could say that she works for the distillery, too. She’s our honorary taster. And da’s inspiration, as he says himself,” he continued, rolling his eyes.

Rachel chuckled and turned to look at the picture again. A big, happy family. A moment later, she spotted Ian. He stood next to the short woman with the black hair Rachel had seen in the pictures in Fraser’s office. He was thinner, the tattooed hand scratching a huge dog’s ear. He seemed different, his hair held loose on the nape of his neck, his smile strained.  

“Excuse me?” she said when she realized William was talking to her. “I got distracted.” She shook her head, as if to push the thoughts away, and turned to find William’s blue eyes looking intently on her. Lost in her daydreaming, she half expected to find Ian’s hazel ones.

“I was saying,” William smiled patiently, “That we have an event at the bar on Friday about underestimated blended whiskies. This year we’ll release our first blended whiskies, and we want to promote the idea of something affordable, yet with a great quality. You should come.”

“Of course I will,” she said, not sure if her first thought was to show Jamie Fraser that his decision to hire her was the right one, or to see Ian again.

If William had taken a few more minutes on the phone, Ian might have invited her himself. Maybe this was what he wanted to say before getting interrupted…

Rachel smiled at William who smiled back at her, and reached for her purse. It was time to go. The tour had answered a lot of her questions about the distillery, and had opened much more about Ian.

But Friday was close, and she’d see him again.

Continue to Chapter 4.

[wineanddinosaur]

VinePair Podcast: There’s a Barrel-Aged Beer for Everyone

Barrel-aging has become all the rage in the brewing world. From Goose Island’s highly celebrated Bourbon County stouts, to the growing popularity of kettle sours, to the rediscovery of the historic tradition of wood-aged lagers, the range of barrel-aged beers has never been broader, which means that there should be a barrel-aged beer for every imbiber. Yet figuring out which one you might like, and how they differ, can be a bit complicated.

That’s why on this week’s episode of the VinePair Podcast, Adam Teeter and Zach Geballe are joined by beer expert and VinePair associate editor Cat Wolinski to take an in-depth look at this trend: where it came from, where it’s going, and whether barrel-aged beers are an ideal choice for long-term cellaring.

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Adam: From Brooklyn, New York, I’m Adam Teeter.

Cat: From Manhattan, New York, I’m Cat Wolinski.

Zach: And in Seattle, Washington, I’m Zach Geballe.

A: And this is the VinePair Podcast, and Cat we are so excited to have you guest co-hosting with us this week.

C: Well, thank you. It’s good to be back. I haven’t been on here in a while.

A: I know, and you would think we hadn’t talked about beer if you hadn’t been on here, but we have, I promise.

C: Well, that’s debatable.

A: Come on. You know that we talk about beer.

C: Barely.

Z: I think to Cat’s defense, I think we may have done more spiked seltzer podcasts than beer podcasts recently. So it’s been suffering a little bit, but hey, that’s why it’s great to have you on.

A: I mean, honestly. So just to start off, what have you guys been drinking? Cat, what about you? What have you been drinking this week? Besides, lots of things in the election.

C: Oh, God, you should see my bottle lineup from the other night. The one beer that I’m excited about this week is an imperial stout from Brown’s Brewery. It’s this really cool, opaque black bottle. And I can’t see the name on it right now, but it is not a barrel-aged stout, which was kind of what piqued my interest in it, because I’ve been so deep in barrel-aged stouts recently.

And with the Bourbon County tasting that we did with Goose Island and all of that, it was like, “oh, right. So there can be imperial stouts that don’t spend a year in a super exclusive, coveted bourbon barrel.” And it’s really delicious. It’s made of ancho chili peppers and cocoa nibs and a couple of other fun ingredients.

A: Wow. You know, it’s funny that I wasn’t even surprised when the thing you were drinking this week was a beer. I was like, “Oh my God, is Cat going to throw out a cocktail?” Oh my gosh, it was a beer. But that sounds delicious, actually. Ancho chilies?

C: Oh, it’s so good. It’s not spicy, but you get that dusty-spice flavor and essence, if that makes sense? You know, the flavor of the pepper without the heat? I like it.

A: I dig. I dig. Well. What about you, Zach?

Z: I got to say my late-night drink of choice — because the last couple of days I have been just too anxious and nervous to even drink, which I know sounds weird to people, but I can’t drink during important sporting events for the same reason. Like it just f***s with me too hard. So I have been having a lot of single-malt Scotch. Well, a fair bit of single-malt Scotch at the end of the night to help me sleep. And I’ve got to say, so this is a little bit of a deep cut, but my wife and I picked up a bottle of a limited release from Compass Box, which is like a Scotch blending house. But they blend really, really nice parcels of single malt. So it’s not like sometimes people think blended Scotch and think cheap, even though obviously things like some of the Johnny Walker bottles are not cheap at all. And this is in that same category. It’s their Peat Monster Arcana, which is a limited release, and a very peaty Scotch, and it is f***ing delicious. Smoky for sure. But also has more of a chocolatey tone to it than a lot of that style of Scotch. And it’s this cool piece of blending, where, I have a lot of love for single malts and drink a lot of them and have a lot of them, but blended Scotch sometimes can offer you a flavor profile that no single distillery is ever going to give you with a single malt. So I have a special spot in my heart for those, too. And that’s what I’ve been drinking.

A: That sounds very, very tasty. So obviously, this week has been the election that still isn’t over. Hopefully by the time you listen to this podcast, it will be over. But so far it is not. And so I’ve consumed a few different things. Just rolling through. I actually had a cocktail I think I’ve talked about before, that I’ve made that’s a riff on a cocktail from a really great cocktail bar in New York City. Well, they own two, but one is called Elsa. The other is called Ramona. And it’s called The Death of the Lady’s Man. I made that on the beginning of the actual election night on Tuesday, which was really delicious. And I made that with a little bit of WhistlePig Piggyback, which was pretty tasty. And it was really, really good. And then I also actually — I know I talk about them a lot and I think it’s gonna sound like I’m running a commercial for them — but last night I drank a few Threes. And yeah, I had Wandering Bine, which is my favorite beer they make.

C: That’s your favorite beer because I told you it’s your favorite beer. It’s my favorite beer.

A: Thanks, Cat. Yes, it’s a delicious beer. It’s a delicious beer.

C: That was the staff favorite beer. We all went home with a bottle the last time we went to the tap room.

A: It’s a great beer. And I also had a limited release IPA they just came out with that was pretty tasty, as well. And I can’t remember the name so I’m not going to share it with you guys. So those are the things that I’ve been drinking this week, but we’ll see. We’ll see what happens tonight and through the weekend, if this shit continues to get out of hand, but yeah. So otherwise, you guys holding up OK?

C: Yeah. I just want to say, by the way I looked up the beer, because it’s sitting right next to me. It’s called Calavera. And it’s got ancho chilies, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and cocoa nibs. This is like a delicious dessert for the holidays. Whether your holidays are actually joyful, or if you’re just sitting at home on your couch, like me. I highly recommend it.

A: Amazing. So I guess guys, let’s get into it. So today we’re talking about barrel-aged beers, and just aging beer in general. So, I mean obviously, Cat, there’s no one better to chat with about that than you. And I guess I’ll jump off and just say, I’ve enjoyed barrel-aged beers in the past. But to me, they often are just so boozy, that they’re not something I go to very often. I know, obviously around this time of year is the big Goose Island Bourbon County Stout release, but I’m not that familiar with them, to be quite honest. I don’t drink them very often, and I’ve actually never aged beer. So I don’t have any experience aging it. I’ve had other people’s aged beers. Sometimes they’re good, and sometimes they’re dead. I had an experience recently with one of our contributors, Aaron Goldfarb, where he opened up a few of his beers from his “cellar,” and they were all kind of dead. So I don’t have the most amazing experiences, but I definitely think they’re interesting. So I don’t know, why should we be drinking more barrel-aged beer? And what is it about them that has so many people so obsessively collecting them?

C: Where to begin? First of all, I will note that you’re asking why should we be drinking them? Which is: The most important thing to do with a barrel-aged stout is just drink it. I have also aged many beers in my “cellar,” which has usually just been a hot corner of whatever apartment I’m living in. And it does not really bode very well. So, I too, have ruined many a beer that I held on to for years and years for no real reason. But what makes them so appealing is a lot of things. There’s the cool technical part that this is beer that’s been aged in a barrel. It kind of brings it up to that level of bourbon or wine or something that you picture in this really time-consuming, skillful pursuit, right? And it’s also just: We love bourbon and America. So really, bourbon barrel-aged stouts are what really started the whole trend, and what made it such a big deal. We put bourbon in anything. We just published a story recently about why Americans are bourbon barrel-aging everything. Even one of the Goose Island variants this year is also aged in three different distilleries’ barrels. And then also with maple bourbon barrels. The barrel that was bourbon, and then bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup was in it. And then that syrup is used in the beer, which is then bourbon barrel-aged. It’s just insane and cool.

Z: And I’m wondering too Cat, I think one of the things that I’m always curious about with these kinds of beers is to some extent, I think — as is the case with anything that gets aged in a barrel — we talk a little bit about the flavor profile change, but I also wonder, one of the things that’s cool about aging is a lot of my frame of references is with wine or spirits, but do you feel like the beer benefits from a changed or softened texture as well? Is that something that’s noteworthy, and is that something where aging the beer further can also do it? Because I think that Adam’s caveat or qualm about some of these beers that I’ve shared in the past is that a 9 percent alcohol beer — besides being just a little dangerous, if you’re trying to do anything else with the rest of your day, is a problem. But also that sometimes high-alcohol beers can just be a little intense. And I’m wondering with some aging, either in the barrel initially or further bottle aging, do you sense a softening of the beer over time?

C: Yes and no. So two things: One, with bourbon, barleys, beers and in general taking an imperial stout and aging it in a bourbon barrel or whiskey barrel, or any spirit’s barrel, you’re boosting the flavors of the beer. So that’s not like you’re trying to take an imperial stout and make it less. You’re trying to really push those flavors and bring out as much as you can. So, a high alcohol stout will have roasty flavors, chocolate flavors. Vanilla. And that will become even more pronounced and nuanced if it’s aged in a whiskey barrel. So you get the vanilla from the oak and you get caramel and other kinds of flavors coming from the whiskey that was in the barrel. So that’s more about amplifying what the beer already was to make it something new. But other beer styles, I mean, you can barrel-age any beer style you want, but with other varieties like with sour beers, mixed fermentation, more acidic or fruited ales, as well as the simplest flavor profile, pilsners and lagers, when you age beers like that in a barrel, it actually does have that softening, rounding characteristic.

A: Hmm. Very interesting. So where did this whole practice come from, Cat? I mean, is Bourbon County Stout — the Goose Island variant — is that the first big barrel-aged beer that made the style popular? Where did it come from? And it feels like now it’s getting boozier and boozier and boozier. And is that also correct?

C: Well it is. It is generally accepted that Goose Island and Bourbon County were the first to really plant the flag in barrel-aged beers, and bourbon barrel-aged beers specifically, and it became a huge draw to the brewery. This year is a little different because of the situation we’re all living in. But there’s usually a big release day. They have crazy events that surround this. And it really not only started barrel-aged beer, and coveting barrel-aged beers, but also the concept of lining up for a beer, or showing up for a festival day. And it’s just based around the one beer or stout that you’re going to get. And looking forward to something that’s released like a “vintage” of a beer. Those were all pretty much the trifecta of what made this a culturally important beer and concept. That, and it’s America. So, brewers like to experiment, they like to push things to the limits. And you know, these beers like Bourbon County and many high-caliber barrel-aged beers, they take years to make. There’s serious research and development. There’s a lot of — brewers and I think distillers probably say this, too — “We don’t tell the beer when it’s ready. The barrel tells us.” You really just have to keep tasting and keep blending things. And there’s a long process that goes into it.

A: So they’re not taking one barrel and dumping it, and then that’s the beer. They’re taking tons of different barrels, obviously in the same way. Is there such thing as a single-barrel beer like there is a single-barrel bourbon?

C: There probably is, just because if it’s a super-small brewery, and their barrel program is they got six barrels from the winery down the street they might only have one barrel of that beer. But I don’t think it’s seen as a benefit to only have the “one.” I think the best barrel-aged beers are an ongoing process and involve blending. And with some of the really good sour beers and barrel-aged sours, some breweries have Solera systems that they set up. And they really take a long time to get to that exact beer that they want.

Z: I have a question, Cat, coming back specifically to the bourbon barrel-aged beers, in general more specifically, because I think it’s a different answer for the sours and stuff. In an ideal world, what’s the best way to enjoy those? Are they better? I mean, often, they’re in a bottle, is there glassware that’s best for it? Do you want it refrigerator-cold or do you want it warmer? ‘Cause I think a lot about beer in general, I want a cold beer, but I think with some of these more premium beers, it might be interesting to think about whether there’s an ideal serving temperature and maybe serving vessel for them.

C: Yeah, totally different than cracking open a pilsner or something. I would say bourbon barrel-aged beers you want to drink cellar temperature, maybe even a little warmer, like 55 degrees. You want to have that bottle in your fridge, but then take it out, open it up, maybe even pour yourself a glass, and then let it sit there for half an hour before you drink it. If you can wait that long. Or just at least save some, because you’ll be able to really savor the flavors more, the aroma opens up more, same concept with any drink that we talk about on this podcast. And in terms of glassware, I always use a tulip glass, or something similar. So a lot of people drink their barrel-aged stouts in little snifters, tasting-sized glasses. And I do that when I am tasting, if I’m trying to get through a lineup like we did with Bourbon County. But if I’m sitting and enjoying, I’m committing to this 11 percent stout, then I’ll usually use a bigger glass. You can use a wine glass. Like the size of a wine glass. Stemware, feel fancy.

A: Interesting. OK. So why is it that people keep pushing the alcohol up on these so much? ‘Cause that’s my thing with them. They feel like a real meal and also like the thing I would drink right before I go to bed. They’re just so boozy, and I guess that’s where it’s been hard for me to get into them is just because I don’t like super high-alcohol wines. And I don’t really like super high-alcohol beers. And so how would you recommend that I should give them another try? What is the ideal way to consume these? Obviously with food, but what kind of food? And even in like a bottle of Goose Island, should I be drinking the entire bottle, or should I be splitting that with someone else? And that bottle should be two servings, you know what I mean? Because sometimes, some of these are just insane in terms of how much alcohol is inside.

C: Yeah, yeah. Definitely at least two servings. I mean, I rarely would drink a bottle like this myself. I would say the best way to enjoy these beers anyway is to share them. So I think that’s why people do bottle shares and how that culture started. Nobody wants to sit around and drink six 11 percent alcohol stouts by themselves, unless they’re really sad. … So I would say share them. I would also say with stouts like these, you can even get a bottle stopper like we have for our Champagne bottles and stuff. I’ll have to look it up. Maybe we can put this in the show notes. There’s a stopper that can actually seal the bottle, and it’ll be good for a couple of days, at least. I was still sipping those Bourbon Countys for the week after we tasted them, because they were sent beautifully in this package with all these supplies, including these stoppers, which were really awesome. Otherwise, I don’t know, man, just commit to it. It’s not going to kill you. Have it for dessert. It’s like, you can appreciate a Napa Cab. It’s like the Napa Cab of beer is a barrel-aged imperial stout. What do you do when you drink whiskey? You’re not going to drink the whole pint glass.

A: Well, Zach does.

Z: Only on special occasions.

C: Like on election night, you might sit there for four hours and just slowly sip on this thing, and it’ll be delicious all the way down.

A: OK, that’s fair.

Z: I’m wondering Cat, you mentioned a little bit ago when we were talking about Adam asking about single-barrel beers, but I’m curious is one of the reasons why these beers are, well let’s say “harder to make,” obviously you mentioned the time, but how hard is it for these breweries to get barrels in the first place? Do you have any sense for that? Especially used bourbon barrels? I know it’s this crazy market of bourbon barrels that go for other whiskeys, whether it’s to Scotland or Ireland or other parts of the U.S . Maybe even now for wine production for the bourbon barrel-aged wines like we’ve talked about. What is the market like for these? And is it prohibitive for most breweries to even start down this path?

C: I would say it definitely is. It’s super competitive getting barrels. And I think that’s also where some of the experimentation came from with barrel-aging in general. What used to be always bourbon opened up into whiskey, and then craft distillers, and wine, and tequila, and rum, and brandy. It’s whatever you can get your hands on is now what brewers like to play with, and it depends a lot on how much money you have. I mean, I don’t know how much a barrel of one brand goes versus another, but it’s definitely not cheap. Maybe it used to be like favors or a friendly swap, and it’s possible that still happens. But I think it’s not that easy. Not every brewery can have a barrel program, and if they do, it usually starts extremely small.

Z: So, I mean, obviously we’ve talked a lot about Goose Island, but are there other bourbon barrel-aged beers that you feel like, “Hey, if you’ve already tried Bourbon County” or you can’t get it or whatever, are there some others that you’re like, “Hey, these are awesome and you should check them out?”

C: Totally. AleSmith brewing in Anaheim or San Diego, they are a long-respected, awesome brewery. And they have been doing a stout called Speedway Stout for many years. And it comes in all sorts of varieties. And it’s unlike the big pastry stout trend of “Let’s put anything at all that we can associate with dessert and throw it in there.” A time and place for everything … but this one actually came from a story that Beth Demmon, one of our contributors, wrote recently about AleSmith. They went the opposite of that trend, so they stick with this beer and they’ve done all these different coffee varieties. They have done Vietnamese coffee, Ethiopian coffee. They’re really, really good. But there’s tons of them out there. I mean like, chances are, anywhere you live there’s a brewery in your city that’s making a delicious barrel-aged something.

A: Right? And I think that the misconception is that it doesn’t always have to be stouts or people think of that because of Bourbon County and stuff like that. Right? But people are putting all kinds of things in barrels at this point.

C: Right. Another story that we just ran recently by Ben Keene, who was a former editor of BeerAdvocate magazine, he did a really cool story about oak-aged lagers. I love the story and the lagers. And there are surprisingly more than you think. Threes is actually mentioned in the story. They’re one of the earliest breweries to do this in the U.S. This is hundreds of years old in the Czech Republic, but a really good example is Three’s Kicking and Screaming, so good. And Cerebral Brewing. They do some really good ones. I think their most recent one is called Tactical Maneuver. You might see it, it could be “wood-aged” or “oak-aged” or “foeder lager” or “foeder pilsner”.

A: And so are these going into neutral oak barrels? Or obviously we all understand what happens with a barrel-aged stout or bourbon. They’re going into used bourbon barrels and they’re taking on bourbon flavor along with the stout, but are these lagers just going into pure barrels? Are they going into barrels that used to hold wine? What’s happening with them?

C: With the foeder lager, so a foeder is basically a giant vertical barrel, for those listeners who aren’t familiar with those. It’s like winning the lottery if you can get a fresh, brand new one of these things. So I think that is the goal. You would want to start that way just to see. It’s a one time opportunity to make something that truly gets the essence of this oak. But then, you can keep using that forever. I mean Threes, they have their ongoing program. They have a foeder that’s just dedicated to the lagers. They have one that’s dedicated, I believe to saisons and mixed fermentation. So yeah, you can keep developing, sort of like seasoning a cast iron skillet, right? You develop the flavor of this barrel over time.

A: That’s super cool. Yeah, I’ve had theirs, and I think it’s delicious. It is interesting how different it is from a normal lager, how many nuances that are there. It’s really, really cool.

C: And I don’t think it would smack you in the face. It’s not like you would drink that pilsner unknowingly and be like, “Oh, what is that?” It tastes like wood, but it’s just a nuance. If you could compare the two or if you are familiar with drinking a certain beer style and then taste one that’s had this treatment. You notice these subtleties and how pretty it is.

Z: I was just going to ask, because since we moved a little bit away from this stout category and we hit on sours and stuff before, to come back to this idea of aging. Is it a safe assumption for people that if it’s a barrel-aged beer, whatever the beer style, that it’s a beer that you could consider aging if you’re inclined to try?

C: Yeah, I would say in general, if it’s barrel-aged and it’s high-ABV, it’s a safe bet. It’s not necessarily going to get better. It depends on the beer. It depends on your own subjectivity. But it will change over time. So something that beer people like to do, which is probably easier than doing with wine because of cost and availability-wise, is having multiple vintages of a beer. So, if you have a favorite brewery that does a barrel-aged beer, buy three of them and drink one. Now save one for a year from now, save one for two years from now, or buy enough that you can compare the three. And it’s a fun thing to do. I think it’s really cool when you’re getting into beer, and it just feels good to collect and to have these cool things and have special experiences. You might like to take home a bottle from a trip that you went on, or maybe you got a super-rare bottle of Cantillon for three euros when you were lucky enough to be on a business trip to Belgium. And then you can hold onto it for as long as you want. There are just still things you want to do to keep it from — it’s not going to spoil and hurt you or make you ill, but you might not keep it at its ultimate flavor potential if you’re leaving it in the corner of your apartment like I’ve done.

A: So then is there a recommended way that you would store the beer? Should I put my beers in the wine fridge? Is it OK to be storing them at room temperature, or no, they should say cold? How are you supposed to store and age beer?

C: Basically, if you store it cold, then it’s not going to change. So at the typical beer or refrigerator temperature of 33 or 36 degrees, you’re just keeping it as is. The chemical components are suspended there. It’s chilling. So you want to have it cellar temperature. And for most people, this can be your basement or your garage or your back porch in cooler months. Which is why I struggled with it, because I never had any of those things. So I was thinking like, “Oh, my dark closet is good enough.” And that’s where I homebrewed. And that’s where I would keep fermenting beer. But warm temperatures might create a vigorous fermentation, and you really don’t want to condition or age beer that way. Because it just accelerates the process of aging. So it’ll just get to wherever it’s going to go more quickly. And so then if you have an Oskar Blues Ten FIDY and then you open it three years later and it doesn’t taste so good, then that’s probably why. Although I actually did that with a canned version — Pat and I did — and it was so good. I wouldn’t recommend aging canned beers. It’s just kind of silly, but it was still really good.

Z: Can I share a brief aged-beer story, because I think we would both appreciate it? Our listeners could, too. So I’ve always been a big fan of Breakside Brewery, which is in Portland. And they make some awesome seasonal beer. They do a lot of seasonal beers, but there’s one and now I’m blanking on the name, but every quarter, they put out a new fruit beer with other things. And I bought a while back a 12- bottle case. I think it’s a mix of kumquat, coriander, and something else, and I’ve been opening them like every six months to a year over the last few years. And it’s super interesting. I mean, for one, I actually have to like decant it or strain it, because it’s got so much particulate matter suspended in it, that unless I really want to chew on it, I strain it. Which is fine, but it’s so fascinating to see how much it’s changed. And I mean it’s certainly a very high-quality beer, not super-high ABV, so maybe not the optimal beer for aging. But things with that where there’s just a lot going on, in the same way with wine, I think it can be really interesting to age them, and it’s been fun to kind of — well, I think the last time I opened one was before the pandemic, so I could actually share it with a few friends. ‘Cause that’s the timing and setting of it when I like to do that. But I do have a couple more, so maybe one day we’ll get to open them.

C: That’s so interesting. Do you take notes when you taste them, or do you just kind of remember, “Oh, last time it was a little more tart.”

Z: I definitely don’t take notes. I would say it’s more like I can remember the broad trend. I don’t think I could say definitively this one has this much more “coriander.” I will say that the herbaceous notes are definitely getting more intense over time, whereas the kumquat, especially, has diminished quite a bit.

C: Right? Yeah. And that happens with hops, too, and that’s why you don’t really want to age IPAs or anything that has a ton of fresh herb or fruit in it. It’ll just fade over time, so you’re not really getting anything out of holding onto that. But that beer sounds like a really interesting one to age. I wonder if it’ll reach a certain point where you’re like, “Nope, that’s it.”

Z: Well, I only have two bottles left, so if it comes, it won’t be that big of a deal. Cat, what you gotta do is wait until the pandemic ends and fly to Seattle, and I’ll be happy to share one with you!

C: OK!

A: Yeah. Thanks. Thanks, Zach. Well, Cat this has been great having you on this week. This has been really interesting. I mean, I think you’ve made me feel like I need to at least go out and get some of these beers and try and try them again, especially the bourbon barrel-aged ones, and also potentially make some room in my wine fridge for some beers to age. I got to see what this is all about.

C: Absolutely. I’ll recommend if you see anything from Allagash Brewing Company’s Coolship series, this is one that Pat, my husband and I actually popped on election night. We were just like, “OK. No matter which way this goes we’re just going to get into the good stuff.” It was our Coolship beer that we bought like six or seven years ago. And we were assuming that we totally blew it. ‘Cause I think it’s gone from like two apartments ago to here, so we were kind of scared, but it was so good. Spot on gueuze, could have been Cantillon. Really, really good. So I think that’s another pro tip is find a brewery that is really good at doing this, and seek those out, and get a couple in your wine fridge.

A: I mean, actually I did have an aged beer last week, I just realized, and you’re going to be really jealous and I’m super sorry. So I worked in the VinePair office last Friday with Josh, and there was a Jester King Coolship. And it was a year and a half old and yeah, it was really, really, really good.

C: Yeah. Tell me about it. I didn’t actually hear about how it tasted. I just got the FOMO-inducing photo from Josh.

A: “We’re drinking this, Cat.” It was similar to Allagash. It was a sour, but not aggressively sour. It was very balanced. Sometimes those sour beers, all of a sudden you’re just like, “OK, please rip my esophagus out. I’d really appreciate that, this is delicious.” It wasn’t like that. It was incredibly balanced, there was this fruit on it as well. It had a lot of wine characteristics, actually. It was really tasty. I thought it was a very good beer. Super easy to drink. And I know that they are a very celebrated Texas brewery. This is my first beer I’ve ever had from them. But it was really, really tasty. I was very impressed.

C: Yeah, that’s their jam. You should seek them out. Your path to appreciating barrel-aged beer is going to be barrel-aged sours, or mixed fermentation, or native yeast or wild yeast, or what have you. Because they really do benefit from sitting in the oak, and then sitting in the bottle over time. I think that helps to “soften the burn” because, I have that, too, where I’m like, “Oh my God, my insides are on fire.”

A: Right? Why did this have to be this? Why did you have to make it this acidic? Why are you trying to make me be in pain?

C: Some people don’t even notice. It’s just normal to some people. And then to folks like us, it’s like, “Goddamnit, this is torture!”

A: Yeah, even though the beer is delicious. Yeah, totally. I completely agree. Well, guys, this has been an awesome conversation, as always. Cat, thank you so much for joining us this week. This was a lot of fun.

C: Thank you for having me back. Anytime, guys, I love talking about beer, as you know.

A: Yeah, we know. Well, Zach, I’ll see you back here next week, probably with another guest host, and Cat come back anytime.

C: Cheers, guys.

Z: Sounds great.

A: Thanks so much for listening to the VinePair Podcast. If you enjoy listening to us every week, please leave us a review or rating on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever it is you get your podcasts. It really helps everyone else discover the show. Now, for the credits. VinePair is produced by myself and Zach Geballe. It is also mixed and edited by him — yeah, Zach, I know you do a lot. I’d also like to thank the entire VinePair team, including my co-founder, Josh, and our associate editor, Cat. Thanks so much for listening, and we’ll see you next week.

Ed. note: This episode has been edited for length and clarity.

The article VinePair Podcast: There’s a Barrel-Aged Beer for Everyone appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/barrel-aged-beer-podcast/

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VinePair Podcast: There’s a Barrel-Aged Beer for Everyone

Barrel-aging has become all the rage in the brewing world. From Goose Island’s highly celebrated Bourbon County stouts, to the growing popularity of kettle sours, to the rediscovery of the historic tradition of wood-aged lagers, the range of barrel-aged beers has never been broader, which means that there should be a barrel-aged beer for every imbiber. Yet figuring out which one you might like, and how they differ, can be a bit complicated.

That’s why on this week’s episode of the VinePair Podcast, Adam Teeter and Zach Geballe are joined by beer expert and VinePair associate editor Cat Wolinski to take an in-depth look at this trend: where it came from, where it’s going, and whether barrel-aged beers are an ideal choice for long-term cellaring.

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Adam: From Brooklyn, New York, I’m Adam Teeter.

Cat: From Manhattan, New York, I’m Cat Wolinski.

Zach: And in Seattle, Washington, I’m Zach Geballe.

A: And this is the VinePair Podcast, and Cat we are so excited to have you guest co-hosting with us this week.

C: Well, thank you. It’s good to be back. I haven’t been on here in a while.

A: I know, and you would think we hadn’t talked about beer if you hadn’t been on here, but we have, I promise.

C: Well, that’s debatable.

A: Come on. You know that we talk about beer.

C: Barely.

Z: I think to Cat’s defense, I think we may have done more spiked seltzer podcasts than beer podcasts recently. So it’s been suffering a little bit, but hey, that’s why it’s great to have you on.

A: I mean, honestly. So just to start off, what have you guys been drinking? Cat, what about you? What have you been drinking this week? Besides, lots of things in the election.

C: Oh, God, you should see my bottle lineup from the other night. The one beer that I’m excited about this week is an imperial stout from Brown’s Brewery. It’s this really cool, opaque black bottle. And I can’t see the name on it right now, but it is not a barrel-aged stout, which was kind of what piqued my interest in it, because I’ve been so deep in barrel-aged stouts recently.

And with the Bourbon County tasting that we did with Goose Island and all of that, it was like, “oh, right. So there can be imperial stouts that don’t spend a year in a super exclusive, coveted bourbon barrel.” And it’s really delicious. It’s made of ancho chili peppers and cocoa nibs and a couple of other fun ingredients.

A: Wow. You know, it’s funny that I wasn’t even surprised when the thing you were drinking this week was a beer. I was like, “Oh my God, is Cat going to throw out a cocktail?” Oh my gosh, it was a beer. But that sounds delicious, actually. Ancho chilies?

C: Oh, it’s so good. It’s not spicy, but you get that dusty-spice flavor and essence, if that makes sense? You know, the flavor of the pepper without the heat? I like it.

A: I dig. I dig. Well. What about you, Zach?

Z: I got to say my late-night drink of choice — because the last couple of days I have been just too anxious and nervous to even drink, which I know sounds weird to people, but I can’t drink during important sporting events for the same reason. Like it just f***s with me too hard. So I have been having a lot of single-malt Scotch. Well, a fair bit of single-malt Scotch at the end of the night to help me sleep. And I’ve got to say, so this is a little bit of a deep cut, but my wife and I picked up a bottle of a limited release from Compass Box, which is like a Scotch blending house. But they blend really, really nice parcels of single malt. So it’s not like sometimes people think blended Scotch and think cheap, even though obviously things like some of the Johnny Walker bottles are not cheap at all. And this is in that same category. It’s their Peat Monster Arcana, which is a limited release, and a very peaty Scotch, and it is f***ing delicious. Smoky for sure. But also has more of a chocolatey tone to it than a lot of that style of Scotch. And it’s this cool piece of blending, where, I have a lot of love for single malts and drink a lot of them and have a lot of them, but blended Scotch sometimes can offer you a flavor profile that no single distillery is ever going to give you with a single malt. So I have a special spot in my heart for those, too. And that’s what I’ve been drinking.

A: That sounds very, very tasty. So obviously, this week has been the election that still isn’t over. Hopefully by the time you listen to this podcast, it will be over. But so far it is not. And so I’ve consumed a few different things. Just rolling through. I actually had a cocktail I think I’ve talked about before, that I’ve made that’s a riff on a cocktail from a really great cocktail bar in New York City. Well, they own two, but one is called Elsa. The other is called Ramona. And it’s called The Death of the Lady’s Man. I made that on the beginning of the actual election night on Tuesday, which was really delicious. And I made that with a little bit of WhistlePig Piggyback, which was pretty tasty. And it was really, really good. And then I also actually — I know I talk about them a lot and I think it’s gonna sound like I’m running a commercial for them — but last night I drank a few Threes. And yeah, I had Wandering Bine, which is my favorite beer they make.

C: That’s your favorite beer because I told you it’s your favorite beer. It’s my favorite beer.

A: Thanks, Cat. Yes, it’s a delicious beer. It’s a delicious beer.

C: That was the staff favorite beer. We all went home with a bottle the last time we went to the tap room.

A: It’s a great beer. And I also had a limited release IPA they just came out with that was pretty tasty, as well. And I can’t remember the name so I’m not going to share it with you guys. So those are the things that I’ve been drinking this week, but we’ll see. We’ll see what happens tonight and through the weekend, if this shit continues to get out of hand, but yeah. So otherwise, you guys holding up OK?

C: Yeah. I just want to say, by the way I looked up the beer, because it’s sitting right next to me. It’s called Calavera. And it’s got ancho chilies, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and cocoa nibs. This is like a delicious dessert for the holidays. Whether your holidays are actually joyful, or if you’re just sitting at home on your couch, like me. I highly recommend it.

A: Amazing. So I guess guys, let’s get into it. So today we’re talking about barrel-aged beers, and just aging beer in general. So, I mean obviously, Cat, there’s no one better to chat with about that than you. And I guess I’ll jump off and just say, I’ve enjoyed barrel-aged beers in the past. But to me, they often are just so boozy, that they’re not something I go to very often. I know, obviously around this time of year is the big Goose Island Bourbon County Stout release, but I’m not that familiar with them, to be quite honest. I don’t drink them very often, and I’ve actually never aged beer. So I don’t have any experience aging it. I’ve had other people’s aged beers. Sometimes they’re good, and sometimes they’re dead. I had an experience recently with one of our contributors, Aaron Goldfarb, where he opened up a few of his beers from his “cellar,” and they were all kind of dead. So I don’t have the most amazing experiences, but I definitely think they’re interesting. So I don’t know, why should we be drinking more barrel-aged beer? And what is it about them that has so many people so obsessively collecting them?

C: Where to begin? First of all, I will note that you’re asking why should we be drinking them? Which is: The most important thing to do with a barrel-aged stout is just drink it. I have also aged many beers in my “cellar,” which has usually just been a hot corner of whatever apartment I’m living in. And it does not really bode very well. So, I too, have ruined many a beer that I held on to for years and years for no real reason. But what makes them so appealing is a lot of things. There’s the cool technical part that this is beer that’s been aged in a barrel. It kind of brings it up to that level of bourbon or wine or something that you picture in this really time-consuming, skillful pursuit, right? And it’s also just: We love bourbon and America. So really, bourbon barrel-aged stouts are what really started the whole trend, and what made it such a big deal. We put bourbon in anything. We just published a story recently about why Americans are bourbon barrel-aging everything. Even one of the Goose Island variants this year is also aged in three different distilleries’ barrels. And then also with maple bourbon barrels. The barrel that was bourbon, and then bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup was in it. And then that syrup is used in the beer, which is then bourbon barrel-aged. It’s just insane and cool.

Z: And I’m wondering too Cat, I think one of the things that I’m always curious about with these kinds of beers is to some extent, I think — as is the case with anything that gets aged in a barrel — we talk a little bit about the flavor profile change, but I also wonder, one of the things that’s cool about aging is a lot of my frame of references is with wine or spirits, but do you feel like the beer benefits from a changed or softened texture as well? Is that something that’s noteworthy, and is that something where aging the beer further can also do it? Because I think that Adam’s caveat or qualm about some of these beers that I’ve shared in the past is that a 9 percent alcohol beer — besides being just a little dangerous, if you’re trying to do anything else with the rest of your day, is a problem. But also that sometimes high-alcohol beers can just be a little intense. And I’m wondering with some aging, either in the barrel initially or further bottle aging, do you sense a softening of the beer over time?

C: Yes and no. So two things: One, with bourbon, barleys, beers and in general taking an imperial stout and aging it in a bourbon barrel or whiskey barrel, or any spirit’s barrel, you’re boosting the flavors of the beer. So that’s not like you’re trying to take an imperial stout and make it less. You’re trying to really push those flavors and bring out as much as you can. So, a high alcohol stout will have roasty flavors, chocolate flavors. Vanilla. And that will become even more pronounced and nuanced if it’s aged in a whiskey barrel. So you get the vanilla from the oak and you get caramel and other kinds of flavors coming from the whiskey that was in the barrel. So that’s more about amplifying what the beer already was to make it something new. But other beer styles, I mean, you can barrel-age any beer style you want, but with other varieties like with sour beers, mixed fermentation, more acidic or fruited ales, as well as the simplest flavor profile, pilsners and lagers, when you age beers like that in a barrel, it actually does have that softening, rounding characteristic.

A: Hmm. Very interesting. So where did this whole practice come from, Cat? I mean, is Bourbon County Stout — the Goose Island variant — is that the first big barrel-aged beer that made the style popular? Where did it come from? And it feels like now it’s getting boozier and boozier and boozier. And is that also correct?

C: Well it is. It is generally accepted that Goose Island and Bourbon County were the first to really plant the flag in barrel-aged beers, and bourbon barrel-aged beers specifically, and it became a huge draw to the brewery. This year is a little different because of the situation we’re all living in. But there’s usually a big release day. They have crazy events that surround this. And it really not only started barrel-aged beer, and coveting barrel-aged beers, but also the concept of lining up for a beer, or showing up for a festival day. And it’s just based around the one beer or stout that you’re going to get. And looking forward to something that’s released like a “vintage” of a beer. Those were all pretty much the trifecta of what made this a culturally important beer and concept. That, and it’s America. So, brewers like to experiment, they like to push things to the limits. And you know, these beers like Bourbon County and many high-caliber barrel-aged beers, they take years to make. There’s serious research and development. There’s a lot of — brewers and I think distillers probably say this, too — “We don’t tell the beer when it’s ready. The barrel tells us.” You really just have to keep tasting and keep blending things. And there’s a long process that goes into it.

A: So they’re not taking one barrel and dumping it, and then that’s the beer. They’re taking tons of different barrels, obviously in the same way. Is there such thing as a single-barrel beer like there is a single-barrel bourbon?

C: There probably is, just because if it’s a super-small brewery, and their barrel program is they got six barrels from the winery down the street they might only have one barrel of that beer. But I don’t think it’s seen as a benefit to only have the “one.” I think the best barrel-aged beers are an ongoing process and involve blending. And with some of the really good sour beers and barrel-aged sours, some breweries have Solera systems that they set up. And they really take a long time to get to that exact beer that they want.

Z: I have a question, Cat, coming back specifically to the bourbon barrel-aged beers, in general more specifically, because I think it’s a different answer for the sours and stuff. In an ideal world, what’s the best way to enjoy those? Are they better? I mean, often, they’re in a bottle, is there glassware that’s best for it? Do you want it refrigerator-cold or do you want it warmer? ‘Cause I think a lot about beer in general, I want a cold beer, but I think with some of these more premium beers, it might be interesting to think about whether there’s an ideal serving temperature and maybe serving vessel for them.

C: Yeah, totally different than cracking open a pilsner or something. I would say bourbon barrel-aged beers you want to drink cellar temperature, maybe even a little warmer, like 55 degrees. You want to have that bottle in your fridge, but then take it out, open it up, maybe even pour yourself a glass, and then let it sit there for half an hour before you drink it. If you can wait that long. Or just at least save some, because you’ll be able to really savor the flavors more, the aroma opens up more, same concept with any drink that we talk about on this podcast. And in terms of glassware, I always use a tulip glass, or something similar. So a lot of people drink their barrel-aged stouts in little snifters, tasting-sized glasses. And I do that when I am tasting, if I’m trying to get through a lineup like we did with Bourbon County. But if I’m sitting and enjoying, I’m committing to this 11 percent stout, then I’ll usually use a bigger glass. You can use a wine glass. Like the size of a wine glass. Stemware, feel fancy.

A: Interesting. OK. So why is it that people keep pushing the alcohol up on these so much? ‘Cause that’s my thing with them. They feel like a real meal and also like the thing I would drink right before I go to bed. They’re just so boozy, and I guess that’s where it’s been hard for me to get into them is just because I don’t like super high-alcohol wines. And I don’t really like super high-alcohol beers. And so how would you recommend that I should give them another try? What is the ideal way to consume these? Obviously with food, but what kind of food? And even in like a bottle of Goose Island, should I be drinking the entire bottle, or should I be splitting that with someone else? And that bottle should be two servings, you know what I mean? Because sometimes, some of these are just insane in terms of how much alcohol is inside.

C: Yeah, yeah. Definitely at least two servings. I mean, I rarely would drink a bottle like this myself. I would say the best way to enjoy these beers anyway is to share them. So I think that’s why people do bottle shares and how that culture started. Nobody wants to sit around and drink six 11 percent alcohol stouts by themselves, unless they’re really sad. … So I would say share them. I would also say with stouts like these, you can even get a bottle stopper like we have for our Champagne bottles and stuff. I’ll have to look it up. Maybe we can put this in the show notes. There’s a stopper that can actually seal the bottle, and it’ll be good for a couple of days, at least. I was still sipping those Bourbon Countys for the week after we tasted them, because they were sent beautifully in this package with all these supplies, including these stoppers, which were really awesome. Otherwise, I don’t know, man, just commit to it. It’s not going to kill you. Have it for dessert. It’s like, you can appreciate a Napa Cab. It’s like the Napa Cab of beer is a barrel-aged imperial stout. What do you do when you drink whiskey? You’re not going to drink the whole pint glass.

A: Well, Zach does.

Z: Only on special occasions.

C: Like on election night, you might sit there for four hours and just slowly sip on this thing, and it’ll be delicious all the way down.

A: OK, that’s fair.

Z: I’m wondering Cat, you mentioned a little bit ago when we were talking about Adam asking about single-barrel beers, but I’m curious is one of the reasons why these beers are, well let’s say “harder to make,” obviously you mentioned the time, but how hard is it for these breweries to get barrels in the first place? Do you have any sense for that? Especially used bourbon barrels? I know it’s this crazy market of bourbon barrels that go for other whiskeys, whether it’s to Scotland or Ireland or other parts of the U.S . Maybe even now for wine production for the bourbon barrel-aged wines like we’ve talked about. What is the market like for these? And is it prohibitive for most breweries to even start down this path?

C: I would say it definitely is. It’s super competitive getting barrels. And I think that’s also where some of the experimentation came from with barrel-aging in general. What used to be always bourbon opened up into whiskey, and then craft distillers, and wine, and tequila, and rum, and brandy. It’s whatever you can get your hands on is now what brewers like to play with, and it depends a lot on how much money you have. I mean, I don’t know how much a barrel of one brand goes versus another, but it’s definitely not cheap. Maybe it used to be like favors or a friendly swap, and it’s possible that still happens. But I think it’s not that easy. Not every brewery can have a barrel program, and if they do, it usually starts extremely small.

Z: So, I mean, obviously we’ve talked a lot about Goose Island, but are there other bourbon barrel-aged beers that you feel like, “Hey, if you’ve already tried Bourbon County” or you can’t get it or whatever, are there some others that you’re like, “Hey, these are awesome and you should check them out?”

C: Totally. AleSmith brewing in Anaheim or San Diego, they are a long-respected, awesome brewery. And they have been doing a stout called Speedway Stout for many years. And it comes in all sorts of varieties. And it’s unlike the big pastry stout trend of “Let’s put anything at all that we can associate with dessert and throw it in there.” A time and place for everything … but this one actually came from a story that Beth Demmon, one of our contributors, wrote recently about AleSmith. They went the opposite of that trend, so they stick with this beer and they’ve done all these different coffee varieties. They have done Vietnamese coffee, Ethiopian coffee. They’re really, really good. But there’s tons of them out there. I mean like, chances are, anywhere you live there’s a brewery in your city that’s making a delicious barrel-aged something.

A: Right? And I think that the misconception is that it doesn’t always have to be stouts or people think of that because of Bourbon County and stuff like that. Right? But people are putting all kinds of things in barrels at this point.

C: Right. Another story that we just ran recently by Ben Keene, who was a former editor of BeerAdvocate magazine, he did a really cool story about oak-aged lagers. I love the story and the lagers. And there are surprisingly more than you think. Threes is actually mentioned in the story. They’re one of the earliest breweries to do this in the U.S. This is hundreds of years old in the Czech Republic, but a really good example is Three’s Kicking and Screaming, so good. And Cerebral Brewing. They do some really good ones. I think their most recent one is called Tactical Maneuver. You might see it, it could be “wood-aged” or “oak-aged” or “foeder lager” or “foeder pilsner”.

A: And so are these going into neutral oak barrels? Or obviously we all understand what happens with a barrel-aged stout or bourbon. They’re going into used bourbon barrels and they’re taking on bourbon flavor along with the stout, but are these lagers just going into pure barrels? Are they going into barrels that used to hold wine? What’s happening with them?

C: With the foeder lager, so a foeder is basically a giant vertical barrel, for those listeners who aren’t familiar with those. It’s like winning the lottery if you can get a fresh, brand new one of these things. So I think that is the goal. You would want to start that way just to see. It’s a one time opportunity to make something that truly gets the essence of this oak. But then, you can keep using that forever. I mean Threes, they have their ongoing program. They have a foeder that’s just dedicated to the lagers. They have one that’s dedicated, I believe to saisons and mixed fermentation. So yeah, you can keep developing, sort of like seasoning a cast iron skillet, right? You develop the flavor of this barrel over time.

A: That’s super cool. Yeah, I’ve had theirs, and I think it’s delicious. It is interesting how different it is from a normal lager, how many nuances that are there. It’s really, really cool.

C: And I don’t think it would smack you in the face. It’s not like you would drink that pilsner unknowingly and be like, “Oh, what is that?” It tastes like wood, but it’s just a nuance. If you could compare the two or if you are familiar with drinking a certain beer style and then taste one that’s had this treatment. You notice these subtleties and how pretty it is.

Z: I was just going to ask, because since we moved a little bit away from this stout category and we hit on sours and stuff before, to come back to this idea of aging. Is it a safe assumption for people that if it’s a barrel-aged beer, whatever the beer style, that it’s a beer that you could consider aging if you’re inclined to try?

C: Yeah, I would say in general, if it’s barrel-aged and it’s high-ABV, it’s a safe bet. It’s not necessarily going to get better. It depends on the beer. It depends on your own subjectivity. But it will change over time. So something that beer people like to do, which is probably easier than doing with wine because of cost and availability-wise, is having multiple vintages of a beer. So, if you have a favorite brewery that does a barrel-aged beer, buy three of them and drink one. Now save one for a year from now, save one for two years from now, or buy enough that you can compare the three. And it’s a fun thing to do. I think it’s really cool when you’re getting into beer, and it just feels good to collect and to have these cool things and have special experiences. You might like to take home a bottle from a trip that you went on, or maybe you got a super-rare bottle of Cantillon for three euros when you were lucky enough to be on a business trip to Belgium. And then you can hold onto it for as long as you want. There are just still things you want to do to keep it from — it’s not going to spoil and hurt you or make you ill, but you might not keep it at its ultimate flavor potential if you’re leaving it in the corner of your apartment like I’ve done.

A: So then is there a recommended way that you would store the beer? Should I put my beers in the wine fridge? Is it OK to be storing them at room temperature, or no, they should say cold? How are you supposed to store and age beer?

C: Basically, if you store it cold, then it’s not going to change. So at the typical beer or refrigerator temperature of 33 or 36 degrees, you’re just keeping it as is. The chemical components are suspended there. It’s chilling. So you want to have it cellar temperature. And for most people, this can be your basement or your garage or your back porch in cooler months. Which is why I struggled with it, because I never had any of those things. So I was thinking like, “Oh, my dark closet is good enough.” And that’s where I homebrewed. And that’s where I would keep fermenting beer. But warm temperatures might create a vigorous fermentation, and you really don’t want to condition or age beer that way. Because it just accelerates the process of aging. So it’ll just get to wherever it’s going to go more quickly. And so then if you have an Oskar Blues Ten FIDY and then you open it three years later and it doesn’t taste so good, then that’s probably why. Although I actually did that with a canned version — Pat and I did — and it was so good. I wouldn’t recommend aging canned beers. It’s just kind of silly, but it was still really good.

Z: Can I share a brief aged-beer story, because I think we would both appreciate it? Our listeners could, too. So I’ve always been a big fan of Breakside Brewery, which is in Portland. And they make some awesome seasonal beer. They do a lot of seasonal beers, but there’s one and now I’m blanking on the name, but every quarter, they put out a new fruit beer with other things. And I bought a while back a 12- bottle case. I think it’s a mix of kumquat, coriander, and something else, and I’ve been opening them like every six months to a year over the last few years. And it’s super interesting. I mean, for one, I actually have to like decant it or strain it, because it’s got so much particulate matter suspended in it, that unless I really want to chew on it, I strain it. Which is fine, but it’s so fascinating to see how much it’s changed. And I mean it’s certainly a very high-quality beer, not super-high ABV, so maybe not the optimal beer for aging. But things with that where there’s just a lot going on, in the same way with wine, I think it can be really interesting to age them, and it’s been fun to kind of — well, I think the last time I opened one was before the pandemic, so I could actually share it with a few friends. ‘Cause that’s the timing and setting of it when I like to do that. But I do have a couple more, so maybe one day we’ll get to open them.

C: That’s so interesting. Do you take notes when you taste them, or do you just kind of remember, “Oh, last time it was a little more tart.”

Z: I definitely don’t take notes. I would say it’s more like I can remember the broad trend. I don’t think I could say definitively this one has this much more “coriander.” I will say that the herbaceous notes are definitely getting more intense over time, whereas the kumquat, especially, has diminished quite a bit.

C: Right? Yeah. And that happens with hops, too, and that’s why you don’t really want to age IPAs or anything that has a ton of fresh herb or fruit in it. It’ll just fade over time, so you’re not really getting anything out of holding onto that. But that beer sounds like a really interesting one to age. I wonder if it’ll reach a certain point where you’re like, “Nope, that’s it.”

Z: Well, I only have two bottles left, so if it comes, it won’t be that big of a deal. Cat, what you gotta do is wait until the pandemic ends and fly to Seattle, and I’ll be happy to share one with you!

C: OK!

A: Yeah. Thanks. Thanks, Zach. Well, Cat this has been great having you on this week. This has been really interesting. I mean, I think you’ve made me feel like I need to at least go out and get some of these beers and try and try them again, especially the bourbon barrel-aged ones, and also potentially make some room in my wine fridge for some beers to age. I got to see what this is all about.

C: Absolutely. I’ll recommend if you see anything from Allagash Brewing Company’s Coolship series, this is one that Pat, my husband and I actually popped on election night. We were just like, “OK. No matter which way this goes we’re just going to get into the good stuff.” It was our Coolship beer that we bought like six or seven years ago. And we were assuming that we totally blew it. ‘Cause I think it’s gone from like two apartments ago to here, so we were kind of scared, but it was so good. Spot on gueuze, could have been Cantillon. Really, really good. So I think that’s another pro tip is find a brewery that is really good at doing this, and seek those out, and get a couple in your wine fridge.

A: I mean, actually I did have an aged beer last week, I just realized, and you’re going to be really jealous and I’m super sorry. So I worked in the VinePair office last Friday with Josh, and there was a Jester King Coolship. And it was a year and a half old and yeah, it was really, really, really good.

C: Yeah. Tell me about it. I didn’t actually hear about how it tasted. I just got the FOMO-inducing photo from Josh.

A: “We’re drinking this, Cat.” It was similar to Allagash. It was a sour, but not aggressively sour. It was very balanced. Sometimes those sour beers, all of a sudden you’re just like, “OK, please rip my esophagus out. I’d really appreciate that, this is delicious.” It wasn’t like that. It was incredibly balanced, there was this fruit on it as well. It had a lot of wine characteristics, actually. It was really tasty. I thought it was a very good beer. Super easy to drink. And I know that they are a very celebrated Texas brewery. This is my first beer I’ve ever had from them. But it was really, really tasty. I was very impressed.

C: Yeah, that’s their jam. You should seek them out. Your path to appreciating barrel-aged beer is going to be barrel-aged sours, or mixed fermentation, or native yeast or wild yeast, or what have you. Because they really do benefit from sitting in the oak, and then sitting in the bottle over time. I think that helps to “soften the burn” because, I have that, too, where I’m like, “Oh my God, my insides are on fire.”

A: Right? Why did this have to be this? Why did you have to make it this acidic? Why are you trying to make me be in pain?

C: Some people don’t even notice. It’s just normal to some people. And then to folks like us, it’s like, “Goddamnit, this is torture!”

A: Yeah, even though the beer is delicious. Yeah, totally. I completely agree. Well, guys, this has been an awesome conversation, as always. Cat, thank you so much for joining us this week. This was a lot of fun.

C: Thank you for having me back. Anytime, guys, I love talking about beer, as you know.

A: Yeah, we know. Well, Zach, I’ll see you back here next week, probably with another guest host, and Cat come back anytime.

C: Cheers, guys.

Z: Sounds great.

A: Thanks so much for listening to the VinePair Podcast. If you enjoy listening to us every week, please leave us a review or rating on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever it is you get your podcasts. It really helps everyone else discover the show. Now, for the credits. VinePair is produced by myself and Zach Geballe. It is also mixed and edited by him — yeah, Zach, I know you do a lot. I’d also like to thank the entire VinePair team, including my co-founder, Josh, and our associate editor, Cat. Thanks so much for listening, and we’ll see you next week.

Ed. note: This episode has been edited for length and clarity.

The article VinePair Podcast: There’s a Barrel-Aged Beer for Everyone appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/barrel-aged-beer-podcast/

source https://vinology1.wordpress.com/2020/11/10/vinepair-podcast-theres-a-barrel-aged-beer-for-everyone/

[johnboothus]

VinePair Podcast: Theres a Barrel-Aged Beer for Everyone

Barrel-aging has become all the rage in the brewing world. From Goose Island’s highly celebrated Bourbon County stouts, to the growing popularity of kettle sours, to the rediscovery of the historic tradition of wood-aged lagers, the range of barrel-aged beers has never been broader, which means that there should be a barrel-aged beer for every imbiber. Yet figuring out which one you might like, and how they differ, can be a bit complicated.

That’s why on this week’s episode of the VinePair Podcast, Adam Teeter and Zach Geballe are joined by beer expert and VinePair associate editor Cat Wolinski to take an in-depth look at this trend: where it came from, where it’s going, and whether barrel-aged beers are an ideal choice for long-term cellaring.

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Adam: From Brooklyn, New York, I’m Adam Teeter.

Cat: From Manhattan, New York, I’m Cat Wolinski.

Zach: And in Seattle, Washington, I’m Zach Geballe.

A: And this is the VinePair Podcast, and Cat we are so excited to have you guest co-hosting with us this week.

C: Well, thank you. It’s good to be back. I haven’t been on here in a while.

A: I know, and you would think we hadn’t talked about beer if you hadn’t been on here, but we have, I promise.

C: Well, that’s debatable.

A: Come on. You know that we talk about beer.

C: Barely.

Z: I think to Cat’s defense, I think we may have done more spiked seltzer podcasts than beer podcasts recently. So it’s been suffering a little bit, but hey, that’s why it’s great to have you on.

A: I mean, honestly. So just to start off, what have you guys been drinking? Cat, what about you? What have you been drinking this week? Besides, lots of things in the election.

C: Oh, God, you should see my bottle lineup from the other night. The one beer that I’m excited about this week is an imperial stout from Brown’s Brewery. It’s this really cool, opaque black bottle. And I can’t see the name on it right now, but it is not a barrel-aged stout, which was kind of what piqued my interest in it, because I’ve been so deep in barrel-aged stouts recently.

And with the Bourbon County tasting that we did with Goose Island and all of that, it was like, “oh, right. So there can be imperial stouts that don’t spend a year in a super exclusive, coveted bourbon barrel.” And it’s really delicious. It’s made of ancho chili peppers and cocoa nibs and a couple of other fun ingredients.

A: Wow. You know, it’s funny that I wasn’t even surprised when the thing you were drinking this week was a beer. I was like, “Oh my God, is Cat going to throw out a cocktail?” Oh my gosh, it was a beer. But that sounds delicious, actually. Ancho chilies?

C: Oh, it’s so good. It’s not spicy, but you get that dusty-spice flavor and essence, if that makes sense? You know, the flavor of the pepper without the heat? I like it.

A: I dig. I dig. Well. What about you, Zach?

Z: I got to say my late-night drink of choice — because the last couple of days I have been just too anxious and nervous to even drink, which I know sounds weird to people, but I can’t drink during important sporting events for the same reason. Like it just f***s with me too hard. So I have been having a lot of single-malt Scotch. Well, a fair bit of single-malt Scotch at the end of the night to help me sleep. And I’ve got to say, so this is a little bit of a deep cut, but my wife and I picked up a bottle of a limited release from Compass Box, which is like a Scotch blending house. But they blend really, really nice parcels of single malt. So it’s not like sometimes people think blended Scotch and think cheap, even though obviously things like some of the Johnny Walker bottles are not cheap at all. And this is in that same category. It’s their Peat Monster Arcana, which is a limited release, and a very peaty Scotch, and it is f***ing delicious. Smoky for sure. But also has more of a chocolatey tone to it than a lot of that style of Scotch. And it’s this cool piece of blending, where, I have a lot of love for single malts and drink a lot of them and have a lot of them, but blended Scotch sometimes can offer you a flavor profile that no single distillery is ever going to give you with a single malt. So I have a special spot in my heart for those, too. And that’s what I’ve been drinking.

A: That sounds very, very tasty. So obviously, this week has been the election that still isn’t over. Hopefully by the time you listen to this podcast, it will be over. But so far it is not. And so I’ve consumed a few different things. Just rolling through. I actually had a cocktail I think I’ve talked about before, that I’ve made that’s a riff on a cocktail from a really great cocktail bar in New York City. Well, they own two, but one is called Elsa. The other is called Ramona. And it’s called The Death of the Lady’s Man. I made that on the beginning of the actual election night on Tuesday, which was really delicious. And I made that with a little bit of WhistlePig Piggyback, which was pretty tasty. And it was really, really good. And then I also actually — I know I talk about them a lot and I think it’s gonna sound like I’m running a commercial for them — but last night I drank a few Threes. And yeah, I had Wandering Bine, which is my favorite beer they make.

C: That’s your favorite beer because I told you it’s your favorite beer. It’s my favorite beer.

A: Thanks, Cat. Yes, it’s a delicious beer. It’s a delicious beer.

C: That was the staff favorite beer. We all went home with a bottle the last time we went to the tap room.

A: It’s a great beer. And I also had a limited release IPA they just came out with that was pretty tasty, as well. And I can’t remember the name so I’m not going to share it with you guys. So those are the things that I’ve been drinking this week, but we’ll see. We’ll see what happens tonight and through the weekend, if this shit continues to get out of hand, but yeah. So otherwise, you guys holding up OK?

C: Yeah. I just want to say, by the way I looked up the beer, because it’s sitting right next to me. It’s called Calavera. And it’s got ancho chilies, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and cocoa nibs. This is like a delicious dessert for the holidays. Whether your holidays are actually joyful, or if you’re just sitting at home on your couch, like me. I highly recommend it.

A: Amazing. So I guess guys, let’s get into it. So today we’re talking about barrel-aged beers, and just aging beer in general. So, I mean obviously, Cat, there’s no one better to chat with about that than you. And I guess I’ll jump off and just say, I’ve enjoyed barrel-aged beers in the past. But to me, they often are just so boozy, that they’re not something I go to very often. I know, obviously around this time of year is the big Goose Island Bourbon County Stout release, but I’m not that familiar with them, to be quite honest. I don’t drink them very often, and I’ve actually never aged beer. So I don’t have any experience aging it. I’ve had other people’s aged beers. Sometimes they’re good, and sometimes they’re dead. I had an experience recently with one of our contributors, Aaron Goldfarb, where he opened up a few of his beers from his “cellar,” and they were all kind of dead. So I don’t have the most amazing experiences, but I definitely think they’re interesting. So I don’t know, why should we be drinking more barrel-aged beer? And what is it about them that has so many people so obsessively collecting them?

C: Where to begin? First of all, I will note that you’re asking why should we be drinking them? Which is: The most important thing to do with a barrel-aged stout is just drink it. I have also aged many beers in my “cellar,” which has usually just been a hot corner of whatever apartment I’m living in. And it does not really bode very well. So, I too, have ruined many a beer that I held on to for years and years for no real reason. But what makes them so appealing is a lot of things. There’s the cool technical part that this is beer that’s been aged in a barrel. It kind of brings it up to that level of bourbon or wine or something that you picture in this really time-consuming, skillful pursuit, right? And it’s also just: We love bourbon and America. So really, bourbon barrel-aged stouts are what really started the whole trend, and what made it such a big deal. We put bourbon in anything. We just published a story recently about why Americans are bourbon barrel-aging everything. Even one of the Goose Island variants this year is also aged in three different distilleries’ barrels. And then also with maple bourbon barrels. The barrel that was bourbon, and then bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup was in it. And then that syrup is used in the beer, which is then bourbon barrel-aged. It’s just insane and cool.

Z: And I’m wondering too Cat, I think one of the things that I’m always curious about with these kinds of beers is to some extent, I think — as is the case with anything that gets aged in a barrel — we talk a little bit about the flavor profile change, but I also wonder, one of the things that’s cool about aging is a lot of my frame of references is with wine or spirits, but do you feel like the beer benefits from a changed or softened texture as well? Is that something that’s noteworthy, and is that something where aging the beer further can also do it? Because I think that Adam’s caveat or qualm about some of these beers that I’ve shared in the past is that a 9 percent alcohol beer — besides being just a little dangerous, if you’re trying to do anything else with the rest of your day, is a problem. But also that sometimes high-alcohol beers can just be a little intense. And I’m wondering with some aging, either in the barrel initially or further bottle aging, do you sense a softening of the beer over time?

C: Yes and no. So two things: One, with bourbon, barleys, beers and in general taking an imperial stout and aging it in a bourbon barrel or whiskey barrel, or any spirit’s barrel, you’re boosting the flavors of the beer. So that’s not like you’re trying to take an imperial stout and make it less. You’re trying to really push those flavors and bring out as much as you can. So, a high alcohol stout will have roasty flavors, chocolate flavors. Vanilla. And that will become even more pronounced and nuanced if it’s aged in a whiskey barrel. So you get the vanilla from the oak and you get caramel and other kinds of flavors coming from the whiskey that was in the barrel. So that’s more about amplifying what the beer already was to make it something new. But other beer styles, I mean, you can barrel-age any beer style you want, but with other varieties like with sour beers, mixed fermentation, more acidic or fruited ales, as well as the simplest flavor profile, pilsners and lagers, when you age beers like that in a barrel, it actually does have that softening, rounding characteristic.

A: Hmm. Very interesting. So where did this whole practice come from, Cat? I mean, is Bourbon County Stout — the Goose Island variant — is that the first big barrel-aged beer that made the style popular? Where did it come from? And it feels like now it’s getting boozier and boozier and boozier. And is that also correct?

C: Well it is. It is generally accepted that Goose Island and Bourbon County were the first to really plant the flag in barrel-aged beers, and bourbon barrel-aged beers specifically, and it became a huge draw to the brewery. This year is a little different because of the situation we’re all living in. But there’s usually a big release day. They have crazy events that surround this. And it really not only started barrel-aged beer, and coveting barrel-aged beers, but also the concept of lining up for a beer, or showing up for a festival day. And it’s just based around the one beer or stout that you’re going to get. And looking forward to something that’s released like a “vintage” of a beer. Those were all pretty much the trifecta of what made this a culturally important beer and concept. That, and it’s America. So, brewers like to experiment, they like to push things to the limits. And you know, these beers like Bourbon County and many high-caliber barrel-aged beers, they take years to make. There’s serious research and development. There’s a lot of — brewers and I think distillers probably say this, too — “We don’t tell the beer when it’s ready. The barrel tells us.” You really just have to keep tasting and keep blending things. And there’s a long process that goes into it.

A: So they’re not taking one barrel and dumping it, and then that’s the beer. They’re taking tons of different barrels, obviously in the same way. Is there such thing as a single-barrel beer like there is a single-barrel bourbon?

C: There probably is, just because if it’s a super-small brewery, and their barrel program is they got six barrels from the winery down the street they might only have one barrel of that beer. But I don’t think it’s seen as a benefit to only have the “one.” I think the best barrel-aged beers are an ongoing process and involve blending. And with some of the really good sour beers and barrel-aged sours, some breweries have Solera systems that they set up. And they really take a long time to get to that exact beer that they want.

Z: I have a question, Cat, coming back specifically to the bourbon barrel-aged beers, in general more specifically, because I think it’s a different answer for the sours and stuff. In an ideal world, what’s the best way to enjoy those? Are they better? I mean, often, they’re in a bottle, is there glassware that’s best for it? Do you want it refrigerator-cold or do you want it warmer? ‘Cause I think a lot about beer in general, I want a cold beer, but I think with some of these more premium beers, it might be interesting to think about whether there’s an ideal serving temperature and maybe serving vessel for them.

C: Yeah, totally different than cracking open a pilsner or something. I would say bourbon barrel-aged beers you want to drink cellar temperature, maybe even a little warmer, like 55 degrees. You want to have that bottle in your fridge, but then take it out, open it up, maybe even pour yourself a glass, and then let it sit there for half an hour before you drink it. If you can wait that long. Or just at least save some, because you’ll be able to really savor the flavors more, the aroma opens up more, same concept with any drink that we talk about on this podcast. And in terms of glassware, I always use a tulip glass, or something similar. So a lot of people drink their barrel-aged stouts in little snifters, tasting-sized glasses. And I do that when I am tasting, if I’m trying to get through a lineup like we did with Bourbon County. But if I’m sitting and enjoying, I’m committing to this 11 percent stout, then I’ll usually use a bigger glass. You can use a wine glass. Like the size of a wine glass. Stemware, feel fancy.

A: Interesting. OK. So why is it that people keep pushing the alcohol up on these so much? ‘Cause that’s my thing with them. They feel like a real meal and also like the thing I would drink right before I go to bed. They’re just so boozy, and I guess that’s where it’s been hard for me to get into them is just because I don’t like super high-alcohol wines. And I don’t really like super high-alcohol beers. And so how would you recommend that I should give them another try? What is the ideal way to consume these? Obviously with food, but what kind of food? And even in like a bottle of Goose Island, should I be drinking the entire bottle, or should I be splitting that with someone else? And that bottle should be two servings, you know what I mean? Because sometimes, some of these are just insane in terms of how much alcohol is inside.

C: Yeah, yeah. Definitely at least two servings. I mean, I rarely would drink a bottle like this myself. I would say the best way to enjoy these beers anyway is to share them. So I think that’s why people do bottle shares and how that culture started. Nobody wants to sit around and drink six 11 percent alcohol stouts by themselves, unless they’re really sad. … So I would say share them. I would also say with stouts like these, you can even get a bottle stopper like we have for our Champagne bottles and stuff. I’ll have to look it up. Maybe we can put this in the show notes. There’s a stopper that can actually seal the bottle, and it’ll be good for a couple of days, at least. I was still sipping those Bourbon Countys for the week after we tasted them, because they were sent beautifully in this package with all these supplies, including these stoppers, which were really awesome. Otherwise, I don’t know, man, just commit to it. It’s not going to kill you. Have it for dessert. It’s like, you can appreciate a Napa Cab. It’s like the Napa Cab of beer is a barrel-aged imperial stout. What do you do when you drink whiskey? You’re not going to drink the whole pint glass.

A: Well, Zach does.

Z: Only on special occasions.

C: Like on election night, you might sit there for four hours and just slowly sip on this thing, and it’ll be delicious all the way down.

A: OK, that’s fair.

Z: I’m wondering Cat, you mentioned a little bit ago when we were talking about Adam asking about single-barrel beers, but I’m curious is one of the reasons why these beers are, well let’s say “harder to make,” obviously you mentioned the time, but how hard is it for these breweries to get barrels in the first place? Do you have any sense for that? Especially used bourbon barrels? I know it’s this crazy market of bourbon barrels that go for other whiskeys, whether it’s to Scotland or Ireland or other parts of the U.S . Maybe even now for wine production for the bourbon barrel-aged wines like we’ve talked about. What is the market like for these? And is it prohibitive for most breweries to even start down this path?

C: I would say it definitely is. It’s super competitive getting barrels. And I think that’s also where some of the experimentation came from with barrel-aging in general. What used to be always bourbon opened up into whiskey, and then craft distillers, and wine, and tequila, and rum, and brandy. It’s whatever you can get your hands on is now what brewers like to play with, and it depends a lot on how much money you have. I mean, I don’t know how much a barrel of one brand goes versus another, but it’s definitely not cheap. Maybe it used to be like favors or a friendly swap, and it’s possible that still happens. But I think it’s not that easy. Not every brewery can have a barrel program, and if they do, it usually starts extremely small.

Z: So, I mean, obviously we’ve talked a lot about Goose Island, but are there other bourbon barrel-aged beers that you feel like, “Hey, if you’ve already tried Bourbon County” or you can’t get it or whatever, are there some others that you’re like, “Hey, these are awesome and you should check them out?”

C: Totally. AleSmith brewing in Anaheim or San Diego, they are a long-respected, awesome brewery. And they have been doing a stout called Speedway Stout for many years. And it comes in all sorts of varieties. And it’s unlike the big pastry stout trend of “Let’s put anything at all that we can associate with dessert and throw it in there.” A time and place for everything … but this one actually came from a story that Beth Demmon, one of our contributors, wrote recently about AleSmith. They went the opposite of that trend, so they stick with this beer and they’ve done all these different coffee varieties. They have done Vietnamese coffee, Ethiopian coffee. They’re really, really good. But there’s tons of them out there. I mean like, chances are, anywhere you live there’s a brewery in your city that’s making a delicious barrel-aged something.

A: Right? And I think that the misconception is that it doesn’t always have to be stouts or people think of that because of Bourbon County and stuff like that. Right? But people are putting all kinds of things in barrels at this point.

C: Right. Another story that we just ran recently by Ben Keene, who was a former editor of BeerAdvocate magazine, he did a really cool story about oak-aged lagers. I love the story and the lagers. And there are surprisingly more than you think. Threes is actually mentioned in the story. They’re one of the earliest breweries to do this in the U.S. This is hundreds of years old in the Czech Republic, but a really good example is Three’s Kicking and Screaming, so good. And Cerebral Brewing. They do some really good ones. I think their most recent one is called Tactical Maneuver. You might see it, it could be “wood-aged” or “oak-aged” or “foeder lager” or “foeder pilsner”.

A: And so are these going into neutral oak barrels? Or obviously we all understand what happens with a barrel-aged stout or bourbon. They’re going into used bourbon barrels and they’re taking on bourbon flavor along with the stout, but are these lagers just going into pure barrels? Are they going into barrels that used to hold wine? What’s happening with them?

C: With the foeder lager, so a foeder is basically a giant vertical barrel, for those listeners who aren’t familiar with those. It’s like winning the lottery if you can get a fresh, brand new one of these things. So I think that is the goal. You would want to start that way just to see. It’s a one time opportunity to make something that truly gets the essence of this oak. But then, you can keep using that forever. I mean Threes, they have their ongoing program. They have a foeder that’s just dedicated to the lagers. They have one that’s dedicated, I believe to saisons and mixed fermentation. So yeah, you can keep developing, sort of like seasoning a cast iron skillet, right? You develop the flavor of this barrel over time.

A: That’s super cool. Yeah, I’ve had theirs, and I think it’s delicious. It is interesting how different it is from a normal lager, how many nuances that are there. It’s really, really cool.

C: And I don’t think it would smack you in the face. It’s not like you would drink that pilsner unknowingly and be like, “Oh, what is that?” It tastes like wood, but it’s just a nuance. If you could compare the two or if you are familiar with drinking a certain beer style and then taste one that’s had this treatment. You notice these subtleties and how pretty it is.

Z: I was just going to ask, because since we moved a little bit away from this stout category and we hit on sours and stuff before, to come back to this idea of aging. Is it a safe assumption for people that if it’s a barrel-aged beer, whatever the beer style, that it’s a beer that you could consider aging if you’re inclined to try?

C: Yeah, I would say in general, if it’s barrel-aged and it’s high-ABV, it’s a safe bet. It’s not necessarily going to get better. It depends on the beer. It depends on your own subjectivity. But it will change over time. So something that beer people like to do, which is probably easier than doing with wine because of cost and availability-wise, is having multiple vintages of a beer. So, if you have a favorite brewery that does a barrel-aged beer, buy three of them and drink one. Now save one for a year from now, save one for two years from now, or buy enough that you can compare the three. And it’s a fun thing to do. I think it’s really cool when you’re getting into beer, and it just feels good to collect and to have these cool things and have special experiences. You might like to take home a bottle from a trip that you went on, or maybe you got a super-rare bottle of Cantillon for three euros when you were lucky enough to be on a business trip to Belgium. And then you can hold onto it for as long as you want. There are just still things you want to do to keep it from — it’s not going to spoil and hurt you or make you ill, but you might not keep it at its ultimate flavor potential if you’re leaving it in the corner of your apartment like I’ve done.

A: So then is there a recommended way that you would store the beer? Should I put my beers in the wine fridge? Is it OK to be storing them at room temperature, or no, they should say cold? How are you supposed to store and age beer?

C: Basically, if you store it cold, then it’s not going to change. So at the typical beer or refrigerator temperature of 33 or 36 degrees, you’re just keeping it as is. The chemical components are suspended there. It’s chilling. So you want to have it cellar temperature. And for most people, this can be your basement or your garage or your back porch in cooler months. Which is why I struggled with it, because I never had any of those things. So I was thinking like, “Oh, my dark closet is good enough.” And that’s where I homebrewed. And that’s where I would keep fermenting beer. But warm temperatures might create a vigorous fermentation, and you really don’t want to condition or age beer that way. Because it just accelerates the process of aging. So it’ll just get to wherever it’s going to go more quickly. And so then if you have an Oskar Blues Ten FIDY and then you open it three years later and it doesn’t taste so good, then that’s probably why. Although I actually did that with a canned version — Pat and I did — and it was so good. I wouldn’t recommend aging canned beers. It’s just kind of silly, but it was still really good.

Z: Can I share a brief aged-beer story, because I think we would both appreciate it? Our listeners could, too. So I’ve always been a big fan of Breakside Brewery, which is in Portland. And they make some awesome seasonal beer. They do a lot of seasonal beers, but there’s one and now I’m blanking on the name, but every quarter, they put out a new fruit beer with other things. And I bought a while back a 12- bottle case. I think it’s a mix of kumquat, coriander, and something else, and I’ve been opening them like every six months to a year over the last few years. And it’s super interesting. I mean, for one, I actually have to like decant it or strain it, because it’s got so much particulate matter suspended in it, that unless I really want to chew on it, I strain it. Which is fine, but it’s so fascinating to see how much it’s changed. And I mean it’s certainly a very high-quality beer, not super-high ABV, so maybe not the optimal beer for aging. But things with that where there’s just a lot going on, in the same way with wine, I think it can be really interesting to age them, and it’s been fun to kind of — well, I think the last time I opened one was before the pandemic, so I could actually share it with a few friends. ‘Cause that’s the timing and setting of it when I like to do that. But I do have a couple more, so maybe one day we’ll get to open them.

C: That’s so interesting. Do you take notes when you taste them, or do you just kind of remember, “Oh, last time it was a little more tart.”

Z: I definitely don’t take notes. I would say it’s more like I can remember the broad trend. I don’t think I could say definitively this one has this much more “coriander.” I will say that the herbaceous notes are definitely getting more intense over time, whereas the kumquat, especially, has diminished quite a bit.

C: Right? Yeah. And that happens with hops, too, and that’s why you don’t really want to age IPAs or anything that has a ton of fresh herb or fruit in it. It’ll just fade over time, so you’re not really getting anything out of holding onto that. But that beer sounds like a really interesting one to age. I wonder if it’ll reach a certain point where you’re like, “Nope, that’s it.”

Z: Well, I only have two bottles left, so if it comes, it won’t be that big of a deal. Cat, what you gotta do is wait until the pandemic ends and fly to Seattle, and I’ll be happy to share one with you!

C: OK!

A: Yeah. Thanks. Thanks, Zach. Well, Cat this has been great having you on this week. This has been really interesting. I mean, I think you’ve made me feel like I need to at least go out and get some of these beers and try and try them again, especially the bourbon barrel-aged ones, and also potentially make some room in my wine fridge for some beers to age. I got to see what this is all about.

C: Absolutely. I’ll recommend if you see anything from Allagash Brewing Company’s Coolship series, this is one that Pat, my husband and I actually popped on election night. We were just like, “OK. No matter which way this goes we’re just going to get into the good stuff.” It was our Coolship beer that we bought like six or seven years ago. And we were assuming that we totally blew it. ‘Cause I think it’s gone from like two apartments ago to here, so we were kind of scared, but it was so good. Spot on gueuze, could have been Cantillon. Really, really good. So I think that’s another pro tip is find a brewery that is really good at doing this, and seek those out, and get a couple in your wine fridge.

A: I mean, actually I did have an aged beer last week, I just realized, and you’re going to be really jealous and I’m super sorry. So I worked in the VinePair office last Friday with Josh, and there was a Jester King Coolship. And it was a year and a half old and yeah, it was really, really, really good.

C: Yeah. Tell me about it. I didn’t actually hear about how it tasted. I just got the FOMO-inducing photo from Josh.

A: “We’re drinking this, Cat.” It was similar to Allagash. It was a sour, but not aggressively sour. It was very balanced. Sometimes those sour beers, all of a sudden you’re just like, “OK, please rip my esophagus out. I’d really appreciate that, this is delicious.” It wasn’t like that. It was incredibly balanced, there was this fruit on it as well. It had a lot of wine characteristics, actually. It was really tasty. I thought it was a very good beer. Super easy to drink. And I know that they are a very celebrated Texas brewery. This is my first beer I’ve ever had from them. But it was really, really tasty. I was very impressed.

C: Yeah, that’s their jam. You should seek them out. Your path to appreciating barrel-aged beer is going to be barrel-aged sours, or mixed fermentation, or native yeast or wild yeast, or what have you. Because they really do benefit from sitting in the oak, and then sitting in the bottle over time. I think that helps to “soften the burn” because, I have that, too, where I’m like, “Oh my God, my insides are on fire.”

A: Right? Why did this have to be this? Why did you have to make it this acidic? Why are you trying to make me be in pain?

C: Some people don’t even notice. It’s just normal to some people. And then to folks like us, it’s like, “Goddamnit, this is torture!”

A: Yeah, even though the beer is delicious. Yeah, totally. I completely agree. Well, guys, this has been an awesome conversation, as always. Cat, thank you so much for joining us this week. This was a lot of fun.

C: Thank you for having me back. Anytime, guys, I love talking about beer, as you know.

A: Yeah, we know. Well, Zach, I’ll see you back here next week, probably with another guest host, and Cat come back anytime.

C: Cheers, guys.

Z: Sounds great.

A: Thanks so much for listening to the VinePair Podcast. If you enjoy listening to us every week, please leave us a review or rating on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever it is you get your podcasts. It really helps everyone else discover the show. Now, for the credits. VinePair is produced by myself and Zach Geballe. It is also mixed and edited by him — yeah, Zach, I know you do a lot. I’d also like to thank the entire VinePair team, including my co-founder, Josh, and our associate editor, Cat. Thanks so much for listening, and we’ll see you next week.

Ed. note: This episode has been edited for length and clarity.

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