Photo by Jordan Albertson
Three Taverns’ most anticipated annual event, Helm’s Deep Day, returns this Saturday, 12/17, when we release the 2022 editions of Helm’s Deep, German Chocolate Helm’s Deep, (and new for this year) Triple Mash Helm’s Deep.
This Saturday will be the 7th annual release of our most coveted barrel-aged beers, Helm’s Deep and the variant German Chocolate Helm’s Deep, that first surprised crowds at Shelton Fest and took home the People’s Choice Award at the Strong Beer Fest in 2016. Our brewmaster, Neal Engleman, joined 3T in 2020 and happily took over the Helm’s Deep program with his first rendition being last year’s 2021 HD & GCHD. Never easily satisfied, Neal reworked the 2022 recipe for what is certainly our best version of Helm’s Deep to date. Aged for a year in 8-year Willet bourbon barrels, the 2022 vintage is more viscous and glides along the tongue with more depth of flavor and barrel character than any of the previous year’s releases. For GCHD, we added 21 lbs. of toasted coconut per bbl and after the first taste, our lead packager Rock commented that it reminded him of his childhood and his mom’s German chocolate cake with coconut icing. Both are available this Saturday in 750ml size in limited supply.
With an insatiable curiosity, Neal wondered what an even thicker and more concentrated Helm’s Deep could accomplish, so in 2021 after sending HD into barrels, our brew team made another batch, but with three mashes (3 brews) that were added on top of each other during 20 hours of boiling to bring forth the thickest and darkest Helm’s Deep to ever enter bourbon barrels. Also aged for a year in 8-year Willet barrels, the Triple Mash Helm’s Deep made its debut at our anniversary last month and is the most viscous and darkest Helm’s Deep yet. Worthy of the horn of Helm Hammerhand, this very limited beer will be joining the release this Saturday in 375ml bottles.
All three versions are available to purchase online via Oznr. And all 3 versions will be on tap in Decatur and at The Imaginarium (with bottle pick up in Decatur only).