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Ubik posted:According to the people I've asked in the brewery, there are no plans to do any Oatmeal Stout this year. Next year is a possibility, but nothing for sure yet. It's a shame, because Oatmeal Stout is my favorite of the regulars too. Can you tell me if you guys brew the oatmeal stout for Trader Joe's? The internet tells me Goose Island used to brew the Stockyard Stout, and Trader Joe's still has it for sale under that name and it's really loving delicious. I'm just not sure if it's the same thing since I've never had a Goose Island oatmeal stout before.
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Mar 6, 2012 05:18
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SUPER HASSLER posted:Hey air-, 'cos I know you had it, how is Tweason'ale? Not talking to me, but I've had a few bottles of Tweason'ale and found it unremarkable. Not bad, but light with not much taste. On Friday I got a growler of DFH Aprihop, though, and I really liked it. Solidly hoppy pale ale with a really nice flowery bite of apricots. It balanced the sweetness nicely, though the apricot did finish on the cloying side. A little two-dimensional though. Long as I'm listing beers I've had recently, I had Breckenridge's Agave Wheat and I like it the most of the stuff of theirs that I've had. A warm, almost...graham crackery taste? Maybe I'm nuts, but I liked it. I also got a Sly Fox Dunkel Lager, and I think I'm sold on dunkels. Really happy Sly Fox just moved to my hometown of Pottstown, I wouldn't mind using their dunkel as my go-to fridge stocker.
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Mar 6, 2012 05:25
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crazyfish posted:I had this the other night and while it was good (and definitely worth buying at $6 for the bomber), I felt like I would have liked it a lot better splitting the bomber three ways rather than the two that I did that night. Yeah, I was pretty glad I only had a 10oz glass of it.
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Mar 6, 2012 05:29
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Josh Wow posted:Can you tell me if you guys brew the oatmeal stout for Trader Joe's? The internet tells me Goose Island used to brew the Stockyard Stout, and Trader Joe's still has it for sale under that name and it's really loving delicious. I'm just not sure if it's the same thing since I've never had a Goose Island oatmeal stout before. I know Stockyard Stout used to be the Oatmeal Stout rebranded, but I have no idea what the current stuff is. I miss being able to get a world-class stout for $6 a sixer, though. /fake edit: Ratebeer says Gordon Biersch brews it now. If it's still good, I'll have to give it a shot sometime. More beer content: Day of the Living Ales had some excellent beers as always, but a few of them surprised me. Finch's Mahatma IPA is brewed with curry, and while the beer itself is way too sweet and not bitter enough to be a good IPA, the curry actually meshed really well with the flavor. Metropolitan's Diablo Dynamo - their Dynamo Copper Lager aged with dried chiles - had an amazing fruity quality from the peppers, with just a tiny touch of heat on the finish, qualifying it as one of my favorite pepper beers. Goose Island's entries were all good, especially Rumpus (Juliet and Lolita barrel-aged with lots of extra brett/bacteria - very sour and complex) and Tonic the Hedgehog (a fruited Belgian with tonic water and "gin-inspired botanicals" - very unusual, very refreshing and delicious). And I finally got a chance to try something with Columbia (not Columbus!) hops: Moylan's entry, one of their double IPAs dry-hopped with Columbia hops. "Unique" is the only word I can properly ascribe to the aroma: It had some nice resinous and citrus characteristics to it, but it also had an unmistakable vegetal quality that was best summed up as "fried green tomatoes." I'd be interested in experimenting with them, but in my experience they're incredibly difficult to source. The guys from Metropolitan mentioned their purveyor might carry them, though, so I might finally be able to do some homebrew experimenting with them. Manky posted:On Friday I got a growler of DFH Aprihop, though, and I really liked it. Solidly hoppy pale ale with a really nice flowery bite of apricots. It balanced the sweetness nicely, though the apricot did finish on the cloying side. A little two-dimensional though. It's probably changed in the years since I've had it, but I've tried Aprihop several times in the past and it's the only DFH beer I've ever been tempted to drainpour. At its best it's merely boring, but at its worst it tastes harsh and astringent. I might have to try it again at some point, but I can only get burned by a beer so many times before writing it off entirely (see: Samichlaus of any vintage). RocketMermaid fucked around with this message at 05:39 on Mar 6, 2012 |
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Mar 6, 2012 05:36
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SUPER HASSLER posted:Hey air-, 'cos I know you had it, how is Tweason'ale? Not a fan. The body and carbonation reminded me of a Berliner Weisse, but the flavors seemed artificial and off. Think strawberry you get on Quaker Oatmeal or like a pop tart filling, just really chemical and fake tasting.
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Mar 6, 2012 05:39
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Munkaboo posted:Interesting, the tour guide said we should go there since they (the tour company) do unlimited tastings. I have been to San Diego for beer heavy vacations and the best route depends on your origination point. There are a lot of breweries that are spread out across the greater SD area but with a little planning you can do an awesome loop. The best one I've ever done was more or less a bachelor party beer trip with some friends, we drove up from Tucson and it went something like this. If you are driving in from Arizona Alpine is a logical place for stop #1, which as mentioned is a LONG rear end way away from any place else but is totally optimal if you are driving in from that direction. Pick up some bottles, have some samplers and the head out for downtown San Diego. Drive in towards downtown and you'll hit Alesmith, sample some fresh IPA/Yulesmith and Nautical Nut Brown (one of their two non-bottled offerings) and head around the corner to Ballast Point. Glory in the greatness of fresh Sculpin, go on their fun tour and maybe try one of their specials. Green Flash didn't use to be around there last time I drove to SD, but they are just a few minutes drive from Alesmith/Ballast Point so you might as well check that out and try something that suites you fancy like say Rayon Vert, which is kind of a west coast Orval and is awesome. After that you've pretty much cleared out your morning and the downtown San Diego brewery area so its logical to head out for lunch at Pizza Port Carlsbad (a bit of a drive but in the right direction). Try the clam/shrimp pizza with some awesome beers and stop by the bottle shop next door for epic bottle access. After that head down the highway and hit up Lost Abbey and then head in towards Escondido for your final two stops. First is Holiday Wine Cellar which is a really great bottle shop that pulls out a lot of vintage stuff on occasion and has done some really awesome anniversary collaborations with local breweries. Then head to Stone and plan to spend the rest of your evening (and liver) drinking from their awesome tap list and cellar selection while eating some great food. Day 2 hit the bars. Churchills, Obriens, Hamiltons, Toronado, Blind Lady Ale House, Tiger Tiger Tav
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Mar 6, 2012 06:33
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Perfectly Cromulent posted:Drinking a New Belgium Cocoa Mole right now and I'm surprised by how much I'm enjoying it. They did a really nice job achieving some sort of balance with these flavors. The cinnamon does start to get a little overpowering the more you drink and I don't think I could drink much more than a 10oz or 12oz glass of it. Still, quite good. That was the big surprise for me as well. I need to go out and find a few more bottles. It has to be one of my favorite art on the bottle for NB also. Anyone have any experience making glass cups out of old beer bottles? This one was the first one that made me want to do it.
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Mar 6, 2012 08:48
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Last weekend my mom and I took a trip to New Glarus. Out of the 4 bars we hit, only 1, the Sportsman, had a decent variety of New Glarus beers available. Plus, it doubled as a liquor store, so if you wanted to pick up beers cheaper than at the brewery, I believe they were $8 for a 6-pack. The hilltop brewery itself is gorgeous, especially outside. The building is done in a Swiss villa motif - fitting with the rest of the town. It was Sunday, so there really wasn't too much happening on the self-guided brewery tour. To me, the best part was the small room with all the awards and commendations the brewery received. The gift shop doubles as a small bar / tasting room, which is the main highlight. It was snowy and cold (in Wisconsin? no way) so we couldn't use the outdoor seating, but it looked beautiful. If you're ever in the Madison area, I'd say it's worth checking out. Madison - New Glarus is a half-hour drive, and the brewery sells one beer exclusively there. Plus, the gift shop has a lot of swag, including some overly-expensive handpainted steins. I'd say it's very feasible to spend a morning at the brewery and feel like you've seen it all. Make an effort to swing by the Grumpy Troll on your way - it's been voted best brewpub in the Madison area a couple times, and I can believe it.
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Mar 6, 2012 15:15
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rage-saq posted:I have been to San Diego Thanks for the tips! We'll be starting and ending in the Gaslamp quarter and our first visit will be Stone most likely, it's a brewery tour so we're not quite flexible on the day of, but it's a private tour so it will be just me my wife and the driver/guide.
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Mar 6, 2012 15:31
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I love Churchkey so much. It's almost unfair in convincing me to move out here, dammit. So I talked about Tweason'ale, but that's the only beer I've disliked so far this year. Recent acquisitions include FW Sucaba (which I didn't think to spell backwards and now understand why I saw a shelf of it disappear in less than 3 minutes), Terrapin's Chocolate Milk Stout and Bell's Consecrator. I couldn't resist cracking open a few bottles of the Consecrator as nightcaps the past few days. Spaten Optimator was what got me into craft beer to begin with, and Consecrator reminded me why I fell in love with doppelbocks all over again. So much sweet/roasted malt and caramel flavor, yet it's so drinkable and smooth. Wonderful cold weather brew. I need to find another sixer of this in NOVA/DC, otherwise I don't know if I can stop myself from bringing some back to Texas.
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Mar 6, 2012 15:37
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air- posted:I need to find another sixer of this in NOVA/DC, otherwise I don't know if I can stop myself from bringing some back to Texas. Whole Foods in Clarendon has some Consecrator.
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Mar 6, 2012 16:13
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Munkaboo posted:Whole Foods in Clarendon has some Consecrator. Oh nice, when did you see this? I thought I got the last one when I stopped by Sunday night.
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Mar 6, 2012 16:27
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Munkaboo posted:I drank some Dale's Pale Ale, it was good. Dale's is one of the best pales you can get. It's distributed pretty well out west, so there's no real hype, but it's just gaining traction in the Eastern US. It's still way expensive on the east coast; $10-$11/6 in MA, vs $8/6 in CO. Uinta also makes an annual barleywine that kinda sits on the shelves, so it'd be good one if you want a "pre-aged" beer.
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Mar 6, 2012 16:44
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Phanatic posted:Points off for misspelling "Cantillon." C'mon Teresa's.
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Mar 6, 2012 16:44
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Is anyone in Chicago picking up Pipeworks' first release of Ninja vs. Unicorn today? It goes on sale at WLV and Binny's Marcey St at 10am. I can't get there today, but I'll be looking for it elsewhere, mostly because the three dudes that comprise Pipeworks are all good dudes.
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Mar 6, 2012 16:48
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BoredByThis posted:Ninja vs. Unicorn Ughh. Ubik posted:Tonic the Hedgehog Ughhhhhhhhh. And a local place a ways back had a beer called Teenage Mutant Ninja Porter. When I ordered it I asked for "the porter" because that's really embarrassing to have to say in public.
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Mar 6, 2012 17:07
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I bought a Sam Adams sampler box with their Black Lager and three or four others. The Black Lager had an aroma of cigarette butts that have been sitting in water. That's really the only way I know how to explain it, and that's exactly the aroma/taste that I got. Is this normal? I really enjoyed Guinness Black Lager so I assumed that Sam Adams' version wouldn't be half bad.
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Mar 6, 2012 17:10
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CalvinDooglas posted:Uinta also makes an annual barleywine that kinda sits on the shelves, so it'd be good one if you want a "pre-aged" beer. I find this happens with their Labyrinth, too. What gives? They're both pretty awesome.
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Mar 6, 2012 19:54
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RHIN0002 posted:I bought a Sam Adams sampler box with their Black Lager and three or four others. The Black Lager had an aroma of cigarette butts that have been sitting in water. That's really the only way I know how to explain it, and that's exactly the aroma/taste that I got. Is this normal? I really enjoyed Guinness Black Lager so I assumed that Sam Adams' version wouldn't be half bad. Is it because the Sam Adam's version actually had some character? For how dark the Guiness Black Lager is, it really has no roasty characteristics, which I guess could be tobacco-y to some. Then again, Guinness's Dark Lager is 'cold brewed'(tm) whatever the hell that means.
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Mar 6, 2012 20:16
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Munkaboo posted:Thanks for the tips! We'll be starting and ending in the Gaslamp quarter and our first visit will be Stone most likely, it's a brewery tour so we're not quite flexible on the day of, but it's a private tour so it will be just me my wife and the driver/guide. This won't help you since you're doing a private tour and don't have to wait, but for those who just walk into stone for the tour, you're best bet is to get there two hours before the tour time you want as that's when they give out that time's tickets. I always just go get my tickets for the tour and once I have them I jump back in the car and head over to Lost Abbey. At only a mile or two away, it's really close to kill the two hours and their samplers are only a buck. Head on back to stone, do the tour - which they give you a lot of samples as well. If you're not maintaining a good buzz with all that then hit up the bistro/garden bar and there's no way not to have a good time. Pizza Port Carlsbad is a must stop place for me whenever I'm down there. The food is great, the beer selection is amazing and the bottle shop next door is perfect for taking home bottles.
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Mar 6, 2012 20:17
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Sirotan posted:Ughh. Brewers have to be the worst people in any industry at naming their products.
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Mar 6, 2012 20:49
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Darth Goku Jr posted:Is it because the Sam Adam's version actually had some character? For how dark the Guiness Black Lager is, it really has no roasty characteristics, which I guess could be tobacco-y to some. Then again, Guinness's Dark Lager is 'cold brewed'(tm) whatever the hell that means. One technique you can use to make dark beers without a roast character is to steep the dark grains in cool water rather than throwing them in the mash. This extracts color and some of the coffee/chocolate flavors but not big harsh roasty flavors and tannins. So maybe that's what they mean? Either that or just the fact that it's a lager and fermented colder. Edit: just realized you're in the homebrew thread and probably already knew this, w/e
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Mar 6, 2012 20:54
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I wasn't really paying attention to the Mikkeller talk. Should I be excited my bottle shop got some in? Of these bottles, any I have to pick up for good times? Black Hole, Draft Bear, Hoppy Easter, Green Gold, Mikkeller/BrewDog I Hardcore U
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Mar 6, 2012 20:57
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Manky posted:I wasn't really paying attention to the Mikkeller talk. Should I be excited my bottle shop got some in? Of these bottles, any I have to pick up for good times? Black Hole, Draft Bear, Hoppy Easter, Green Gold, Mikkeller/BrewDog I Hardcore U Black Hole is alright. I liked the ˙´red wine barrel version, too.
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Mar 6, 2012 21:16
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RHIN0002 posted:I bought a Sam Adams sampler box with their Black Lager and three or four others. The Black Lager had an aroma of cigarette butts that have been sitting in water. That's really the only way I know how to explain it, and that's exactly the aroma/taste that I got. Is this normal? I really enjoyed Guinness Black Lager so I assumed that Sam Adams' version wouldn't be half bad. Dark beers are usually flavored with roasted malts. Literally, they roast the grains in a barrel before using them to brew. Lagers also have a distinct bitterness. Combined, I can see how it cross the line from pleasantly bitter to astringent. "Ashtray" is not an uncommon description for strong, roasty beers. The Guinness was probably thinner and sweeter than Sam Adams. If you're not used to full-flavored beer you'll probably drink a few things that taste like cigarettes and paint thinner before you start calling the same flavors "coffee-like" and "fusel hotness".
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Mar 6, 2012 21:18
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Manky posted:I wasn't really paying attention to the Mikkeller talk. Should I be excited my bottle shop got some in? Of these bottles, any I have to pick up for good times? Black Hole, Draft Bear, Hoppy Easter, Green Gold, Mikkeller/BrewDog I Hardcore U If you're OK with spending $5 on a 12oz beer, you could justify the excitement. I tried a Mikkeller IPA and it was good, but not $5/12oz good.
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Mar 6, 2012 21:20
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Paul Proteus posted:Get the Houblon. It's even better. Doing this tonight, can't wait.
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Mar 6, 2012 22:06
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Thanks guys, maybe I'll throw one in there next time I mix a six, but I won't rush out there now.
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Mar 6, 2012 22:13
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bananasinpajamas posted:Brewers have to be the worst people in any industry at naming their products. I think the wort just goes straight to their brain and makes every pun a work of art. I think it's required by brewer's law to make a pun out of hoppy beer.
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Mar 6, 2012 23:02
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I noticed that all the bottle shops in my vicinity carry Orval that was bottled in 2009-2010. Is this just lovely distribution/store policy, or does Orval typically sit on bottles for a couple years before shipping them?
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Mar 6, 2012 23:03
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Julio Cesar Fatass posted:I noticed that all the bottle shops in my vicinity carry Orval that was bottled in 2009-2010. Is this just lovely distribution/store policy, or does Orval typically sit on bottles for a couple years before shipping them? regardless, there's no problem with Orval that's been sitting for a bit.
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Mar 6, 2012 23:10
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BoredByThis posted:Is anyone in Chicago picking up Pipeworks' first release of Ninja vs. Unicorn today? It goes on sale at WLV and Binny's Marcey St at 10am. I can't get there today, but I'll be looking for it elsewhere, mostly because the three dudes that comprise Pipeworks are all good dudes. I am heading over to the Lincoln Park Binnys after work to A) pick up my 'friends' bottle for donating money to them and B) see if I can grab some. I'll try and post back about what I think  I'm pretty excited that they are up and distributing though.
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Mar 6, 2012 23:16
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Julio Cesar Fatass posted:I noticed that all the bottle shops in my vicinity carry Orval that was bottled in 2009-2010. Is this just lovely distribution/store policy, or does Orval typically sit on bottles for a couple years before shipping them? It's called an awesome deal. Snatch that poo poo.
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Mar 6, 2012 23:19
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I tried Mission Indian Ale yesterday. It had an off-carmel taste and true to its name it had twice the alcohol content. I had one and I found myself stumbling a bit. Right now I'm trying Great White. It's bitter and has a weak aftertaste. I taste a bit of citrus, but otherwise it's not something I'd want to buy again. I wanted to try Boont Amber Ale, but the cafe was out. I'm right now in a cafe inside my local library: free uncensored wi-fi and alcohol for sale! My kind of place 
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Mar 7, 2012 00:11
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RHIN0002 posted:I really enjoyed Guinness Black Lager so I assumed that Sam Adams' version wouldn't be half bad. It was Sam that introduced me to black lager, and I keep looking for more varieties to try without going broke. Speaking of Sam Adams, this video was on their FB wall today -- a "hidden camera" stunt where they pour hops out of baggies at bars and watch people flip out. It's relatively amusing.
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Mar 7, 2012 02:31
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I picked up a 4 pack of Bengali Tiger, and a single can of Tallgrass IPA tonight. I've never tried anything from Sixpoint before, and I've also never tried anything from Tallgrass. I'm pretty excited to try both, I've never tried a good beer from a can!
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Mar 7, 2012 02:48
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funkybottoms posted:regardless, there's no problem with Orval that's been sitting for a bit. CalvinDooglas posted:It's called an awesome deal. Snatch that poo poo. Thanks guys, done and done. It'll be good to drink something not from Sierra Nevada for a change. Between Bigfoot and Ruthless Rye, it's been hoppy as hell in House Fatass.
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Mar 7, 2012 03:07
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Kudosx posted:I picked up a 4 pack of Bengali Tiger, and a single can of Tallgrass IPA tonight. I've never tried anything from Sixpoint before, and I've also never tried anything from Tallgrass. I'm pretty excited to try both, I've never tried a good beer from a can! I think you'll still be searching.
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Mar 7, 2012 03:46
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Munkaboo posted:I think you'll still be searching. Yeah, I really want to try Abrasive, Furious, and Heady Topper... I'm hoping these are at least half decent. Edit: Half way through my first can of Bengali Tiger and I will say that it is exactly what I was hoping... half decent. It's not bad... but I don't think I'll buy another 4 pack of it. Now I'm wondering if Resin is any good... Kudosx fucked around with this message at 04:40 on Mar 7, 2012 |
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Mar 7, 2012 04:01
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Kudosx posted:Yeah, I really want to try Abrasive, Furious, and Heady Topper... All Sixpoint beers have a really funny taste to them, hence why I don't like them. I assume you've had Oskar Blues beers, right?
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Mar 7, 2012 05:01
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