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Beer |OT|

Well, what a pleasant surprise. I didn't know Stone was releasing a new Ruin Ten.
IDCIiME.jpg

MINE!
 
Yeah, mcfrank and I were there. It was a good time, lots of great beers. Did get kind of soured out about midway through, so its good that there were some non-sours around at bottle shares and what not.

:( getting left out of all these fun socal events i see (hah i'm kidding but i'd be up for a bottle share or something soon). Any highlights? Taplist looked pretty good.

Currently sipping on some Noble El Dorado Showers. I don't think I've had el dorado hops before (at least knowingly) but it's pretty good. I thought the "creamsicle" description would be BS but it's surprisingly spot-on! I haven't had the last few Showers entries but this one's good, definitely better than Amarillo.
 

PG2G

Member
Picked up an El Dorado showers today, haven't had a chance to try it. I went to the store to buy some Habanero sculpting only to find that my local store broke up the six packs and wanted to charge $3.99 per bottle. I'm not paying $4 a bottle for what is probably a $12 six pack lol
 
I went to the store to buy some Habanero sculpting only to find that my local store broke up the six packs and wanted to charge $3.99 per bottle. I'm not paying $4 a bottle for what is probably a $12 six pack lol

Maybe a blessing in disguise though, upcharge aside. No way I could make it through a sixer of that stuff. One bottle would be more than enough for me.
 
Picked up an El Dorado showers today, haven't had a chance to try it. I went to the store to buy some Habanero sculpting only to find that my local store broke up the six packs and wanted to charge $3.99 per bottle. I'm not paying $4 a bottle for what is probably a $12 six pack lol
It's like an $18 six around here for regular Sculpin. I'd probably pay four bucks for a single or two of the habanero. Most chili beers aren't something I want a ton of, anyway.
 

codhand

Member
aviary_1403733823667kgs84.jpg


finally hooked up my craigslist kegerator.

currently Classique from Stillwater on tap,

Definitely a learning experience, but on the plus side i can now field most beginner questions about kegerators.
 
aviary_1403733823667kgs84.jpg


finally hooked up my craigslist kegerator.

currently Classique from Stillwater on tap,

Definitely a learning experience, but on the plus side i can now field most beginner questions about kegerators.
Nice. Full-sized kegs? I don't know about you, but I find myself wanting something a bit different after about five gallons. I'd be inclined to put a second tap and a gas splitter in there so you can have a couple of sixth-barrels in operation.

And if you're serious about it, consider some Perlick-style forward-seal taps. They don't get stuck like standard faucets tend to do.
 

codhand

Member
Nice. Full-sized kegs? I don't know about you, but I find myself wanting something a bit different after about five gallons. I'd be inclined to put a second tap and a gas splitter in there so you can have a couple of sixth-barrels in operation.

And if you're serious about it, consider some Perlick-style forward-seal taps. They don't get stuck like standard faucets tend to do.

yeah, i'm strictly getting logs for now, not sure i'll ever need two logs, but i can always get a dual tap later on,

thing is i'm lucky in that i have a second fridge in the basement to store an extra log.

those taps you mentioned look sweet.

so far i replaced the regulator with a Tap-Rite dual gauge, and i'm getting an "elbow shank" in the mail soon from amazon. also had to replace the line and clamps.
 
So Brew Dog just made it's way to Nebraska and I am sipping on a Dogma. It's actually a quite pleasant Wee Heavy, not the best and I don't really taste the kola nut, poppy seed, or the dryness I would expect from the honey, but overall not a bad beer. I'm actually glad they are not completely a gimmick brewery. I give it a solid 7/10. Any of their other standard beers any good? (I have no interest in gimmick 55% beers in stuffed squirrels.)
 

Milchjon

Member
I like a lot of the Brew Dog beers, but that may just be because craft beer supplies over here are still rather limited.

For instance, I adore their Libertine Black Ale. But while it is my favorite black IPA/CDA, I've only got to try like four beers of that style in my life and I don't know how it stacks up to better ones.

Punk is a good, crisp IPA that I think has gotten slightly worse over time. Over here it works well to convert non-IPA drinkers.

The Hardcore IPA, Jackhammer and Brixton Porter are not that great to me.

I loved their barleywine (the one without Oscar Blues. I think it's Clown Circus)

Outside of the core range, I especially enjoyed Mixtape 8.
 
Finally tried Alpine's Hoppy Birthday last night. It was good, would be surprised if it was labelled as a "session IPA" if it was just coming out but it was damn delicious and really drinkable.

Also had Almanac's latest Farmers Reserve, which is Citrus. I haven't had all of their recent releases but this is by far the best I've had, I think. Some of their sours have been a bit one-dimensional but this was just full of beautiful tart complex citrusy goodness.
 
What I'm drinking tonight, enjoying the last 48 hours of Steam's summer sale:

The Founders stout is fantastic. So mad it is gone around here for the last few months. How is Collective Distortion? I keep hemming and hawing over getting it. The coriander listed on the label keeps turning me off.
 

PG2G

Member
Finally tried Alpine's Hoppy Birthday last night. It was good, would be surprised if it was labelled as a "session IPA" if it was just coming out but it was damn delicious and really drinkable.

Also had Almanac's latest Farmers Reserve, which is Citrus. I haven't had all of their recent releases but this is by far the best I've had, I think. Some of their sours have been a bit one-dimensional but this was just full of beautiful tart complex citrusy goodness.

I had Hoppy Birthday (and waaay too nuch other stuff) yesterday too, it was great.

Haven't tried the new almanac yet, but I prefer the Farmer's Reserve releases over the Dogpatch ones so looking forward to it. Might have to buy some more
 
I had Hoppy Birthday (and waaay too nuch other stuff) yesterday too, it was great.

Yeah this brewing at Green Flash thing has been a godsend, no way i'd have been able to try any Alpine IPAs before. Only had Nelson, Duet, and now Hoppy Birthday so far. Hoping Pure Hoppiness is next, I'd love to try that.
 

PG2G

Member
Yeah this brewing at Green Flash thing has been a godsend, no way i'd have been able to try any Alpine IPAs before. Only had Nelson, Duet, and now Hoppy Birthday so far. Hoping Pure Hoppiness is next, I'd love to try that.

I just stop by and pick up bottles sometimes when I go to SD to pick up Alesmith allocations. It is way out of the way though lol. They normally have bottles of at least two of the IPAs
 
I just stop by and pick up bottles sometimes when I go to SD to pick up Alesmith allocations. It is way out of the way though lol. They normally have bottles of at least two of the IPAs

Yeah I rarely drive (don't have my own car) so I've never made it down to SD for Alpine, Societe, etc. Someday though!
 

Socreges

Banned
So Four Winds out of Delta (Vancouver suburb) is a new Brewery that's already putting out some fantastic beers. Juxtapose (Brett IPA) and Phaedra (Rye IPA) are EXCELLENT.

I suspect they'll start making waves across the Pacific Northwest if they keep this up. Seems like they've got some money behind them already so I can see them distributing far and wide in the future.

distantmantra, make that a point of yours to try those beers when you do make it North.
 

fijim

Banned
Anyone got access to New Glarus? Looking to get my hands on stone of their fruit beers.

I go to Wisconsin 3-4 times a year and I can easily pick some up. Don't usually do beer shipping but I might do it for some good West Coast beers I can't get in the Chicago area.

Will be there in about 3 weeks.
 

codhand

Member
Omnipollo's Nebuchadnezzar might just be the best Double IPA I've tried yet.

I can only imagine this is what some of the better American beers taste like.

Omnipollo is awesome, it's funny cause stateside it generates the hype I see for Founder's overseas.

As far as Evil Twin, I celebrate the entire catalog!

Kicked the Classique log over the weekend BBQ, Allagash Saison on now.
 

PG2G

Member
I go to Wisconsin 3-4 times a year and I can easily pick some up. Don't usually do beer shipping but I might do it for some good West Coast beers I can't get in the Chicago area.

Will be there in about 3 weeks.

Sounds good to me, hit me up when it gets closer to that time and we can discuss some of the details.

Edit: Might try some other options but ill let you know. Anything special from the west coast that you're looking for?
 

Milchjon

Member
No Jai Alai, no Pliny the Elder, no Heady Topper...

Milch, the Evil Twin stuff is fantastic. If you can find their Biscotti series, make sure to pick them up.

selected 14 IPAs that met the following qualifications: significant national profile (as measured by what limited sales data I could find and the number of user reviews on major beer sites); distribution to my state (so no Bell's Two-Hearted, which I realize is a glaring omission that renders this list useless and my continued oxygen use felonious); and a maximum alcohol content of 7.5 percent (which means no Green Flash West Coast, which has recently been bumped up from 7 percent ABV to a bonkers 8.1 and reclassified as a double IPA).

Do they really qualify?


As for Evil Twin, our access is limited to what the importer has to offer. Gonna try to check most of them out though!
 
Picked up Stone's latest collab, Unapologetic IPA, today. I've skipped the last few Enjoy Bys and RuinTen and their other collab IPAs since I'm not in the mood for really big DIPAs most of the time but this one seemed interesting because of Beachwood's involvement.

It's pretty good. Not the best DIPA I've ever had but honestly it's pretty unique, probably because it uses hops I'm not familiar with (Azacca, Belma, HBC 342 and Steiner 06300, says the label). Lots of lemon-y citrus, stone fruit, not much pine or bitterness. Hides the 9% decently well.

Edit: enjoying this more as it warms, actually. Made me remember I'd had a single-hop Azacca pale ale by Noble a while back. The description for that flavor profile involved "strawberry" and honestly this might just be Michael Caine in Children of Men shit but I do get some strawberry flavor in this beer too.
 

fijim

Banned
Sounds good to me, hit me up when it gets closer to that time and we can discuss some of the details.

Edit: Might try some other options but ill let you know. Anything special from the west coast that you're looking for?

Anything Russian River, Almanac, Modern Times, Logsdon, Alpine, Crooked Stave, Hair of the Dog, 21st Amendment. Not sure what your access to those are.
 

Doomsayer

Member
Anything Russian River, Almanac, Modern Times, Logsdon, Alpine, Crooked Stave, Hair of the Dog, 21st Amendment. Not sure what your access to those are.

I have huge quantities of most all of that (except 21st amendment - but I'm pretty sure I can get some). If something happens and your deal falls through let me know. I've been itching to get some Upland, Goose Island, and Three Floyds.
 

PG2G

Member
Anything Russian River, Almanac, Modern Times, Logsdon, Alpine, Crooked Stave, Hair of the Dog, 21st Amendment. Not sure what your access to those are.

Most of that is doable and there are others as well. Alpine is difficult for their IPAs, they come rarely and fly off shelves. Best option is the brewery. Russian River can be difficult to get specific stuff, they arrive every week or two but what is in the shipment is kind of up in the air (mostly Pliny, occasionally one of the sours, Blind Pig every once in a while). Anyway we'll see when the time comes
 

andylsun

Member
WHAT!

They've changed Green Flash West Coast IPA? Damn, one of my favourite beers. They've added more citra to make it more citrus.

I loved it because it wasn't that citrusy as I prefer the dank piney IPA's.

Also it was great at 7% not sure the extra alcohol was really needed.

At least I have the recipe and my clone brew version is awesome.
 
WHAT!

They've changed Green Flash West Coast IPA? Damn, one of my favourite beers. They've added more citra to make it more citrus.

I loved it because it wasn't that citrusy as I prefer the dank piney IPA's.

Also it was great at 7% not sure the extra alcohol was really needed.

At least I have the recipe and my clone brew version is awesome.
You know, people say Citra is citrusy, but I don't honestly get that very much. It's much more guava and mango to me. Not sure why they named it the way they did.
 

Drpunch

Neo Member
I have been enjoying a lot of the Maine Beer Company beers recently. We've been getting a lot of them since a few months ago and they're all pretty darn good. What is also great is that a lot of the less popular liquor stores are getting them too so even if my usual places are out I can still get some. Also starting to get into this Untapped thing. It's addictive.
 

t-ramp

Member
We're supposed to be getting Lagunitas here in Iowa within a couple of weeks, which is pretty cool. Apparently their new Chicago operation is rather large, so I'd imagine we'll be getting a good amount of their stuff going forward.

Left Hand is showing up in the near future as well, but I've honestly never heard about any of their beers except the Milk Stout Nitro.

Also starting to get into this Untapped thing. It's addictive.
If you want to add me, I'm t-ramp on Untappd as well.
 
I have been enjoying a lot of the Maine Beer Company beers recently. We've been getting a lot of them since a few months ago and they're all pretty darn good. What is also great is that a lot of the less popular liquor stores are getting them too so even if my usual places are out I can still get some. Also starting to get into this Untapped thing. It's addictive.

SeattleBeerPenguin, yo.
 

Drpunch

Neo Member
Added! I don't have very much on there right now, but it should (slowly) get better.

If anyone else wants to add me, it's Drpunch. Cheers!
 

Doomsayer

Member
Hello my fellow craft beer enthusiasts, I'm going to NorCal and Portland at the end of the month, and I have a pretty extensive list of Breweries we are going to be visiting (hoping to distribute as well) and I want to ask if there's any you can also recommend me?

So far we have:

DeGarde Brewing
Russian River
Mikeller Bar
Cascade
Hair of the Dog
Deschutes
Almanac

Well you get the picture. We will be touring for about a week so we want to get a lot going. Any suggestions would be fantastic. Thanks guys.
 

fijim

Banned
I have huge quantities of most all of that (except 21st amendment - but I'm pretty sure I can get some). If something happens and your deal falls through let me know. I've been itching to get some Upland, Goose Island, and Three Floyds.

I can get all that stuff easily (except for Upland sours which are brewery only releases which require you to win an online lottery).
 

ink4n3

Member
I can get all that stuff easily (except for Upland sours which are brewery only releases which require you to win an online lottery).

Speaking of which, the notices go out tomorrow to the lottery winners. This is my first time entering, but I have had luck getting a few after the lottery is over. The Bloomington location has them in stock occasionally.
 
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