The Brew Review: Faster, Bigger, Better, Bolder (Gradually, Quietly, Steadily)

In today’s brew review, I’ll be discussing a collaboration beer called “Faster, Bigger, Better, Bolder (Gradually, Quietly, Steadily).” I know what you’re thinking: “What kind of a name for a beer is that?!” It’s actually a neat story.

And it has a cool label too. Everything you want, nothing you don't.

FBBB(GQS), as I’ll be referring to it from now on, is a collaboration between the crafty brewers of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery from Milton, DE and The Bruery from Placentia, CA. It was created as an homage to the contrasting lifestyle views of American excess set against the more humble and traditional ways of Japan. According to Dogfish’s website, FBBB(GQS) was brewed with kumquats and The Bruerys seven spice schichimi togarashi blend along with sake yeast. The Bruery reports that the beer is spiced with ginger, cayenne, white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and nori, that were added to a base blonde ale that was created using two kinds of rice. Replacing the typical orange peel included in shichimi and whole kumquats that were pulverized and added to the whirlpool, giving the spiced beer a kick of fresh citrus. A blend of sake yeast and The Bruery's house yeast was used to ferment this beer into a dry and complex ale, different than anything you've likely had before. Talk about a crazy recipe!

As if that wasn’t enough to make this a really cool project, one dollar from each bottle sale was donated to rebuilding Japanese breweries and households that were destroyed during the 2011 Japanese earthquake.

I really enjoyed this beer, likening it to a very complex saison. The citrus and spicy notes were outstanding; mouth-feel was thin and crisp – truly a treat to drink. Perfect summer session beer, though at 8.25% ABV, it can sneak up on you in a hurry.

***FACT THAT WILL PROBABLY PISS YOU OFF*** FBBB(GQS) was created in the summer of 2011 in a very limited supply, meaning it is very hard to find now. Not only that, the breweries don’t know when (or even if) they’ll ever make more of it. So perhaps you should read this review as more of cool story about brewers being creative and raising money for noble causes than as a recommendation to scour the Earth looking for this amazing brew. I was lucky that my beautiful wife just happened upon a bottle of FBBB(GQS) at our neighborhood Total Wine one day.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!