The OFFICIAL Craft Beer Thread

[Square Rob]

also, the lord made 30 oz yeti cups so you can drink two beers at a time

100 percent. Also acceptable for bourbon but it’s hard to get the ratios right.

29 oz bourbon, 1 oz air. Pretty simple math.

Ace

[A_B]

I think a true preabyterian has ginger ale and also plain soda. But it’s a reasonable facsimile to just have ginger ale.

I call a bourbon and ale 8 a Kentucky thunderstorm.

[Johnny Carwash]

My first college roommate was from I think Tennessee and had his family ship him Ale-8-One by the case. Seems like one of those ultra-region-specific things that has somehow crossed everyone's path once.

[sancarlos]

I drink almost exclusively bourbon and ginger ale but I don’t go out of my way for ale 8 one despite it being a Kentucky thing. Mostly because vernors and Canada Dry are caffeine free

Don't they take away your Kentucky citizenship card if you mix with anything other than ice or water?

[A_B]

I drink almost exclusively bourbon and ginger ale but I don’t go out of my way for ale 8 one despite it being a Kentucky thing. Mostly because vernors and Canada Dry are caffeine free

Don't they take away your Kentucky citizenship card if you mix with anything other than ice or water?

Drink what you like, I say!

(Good bourbons get ice and a splash. Game day bourbons get ginger ale)

[Rush2112]

Is craft beer burning out?

[GoodKarma]

Is craft beer burning out?

Pieces like this annoy me because it's intellectually lazy. While I am one of those guys who always prioritizes trying something new over what I've had before (even if it's excellent) I can still only go to places that are convenient (i.e. nearby). So if my usual places don't have anything new, I'll get something that I like.

I would like some empirical data on the pints that a place pours; how many are for people trying something new vs. a repeat customer ordering something that they like.

[Rush2112]

I like to try something new as well, but sometimes the things that are new aren't exactly vetted before they are put out for the fanbois.

WeldWerks did that 100 beer stunt last year. Some things they were just throwing shit into a kettle. I can't say I tried all 100, but I had more than a few and some were not up to their usual stuff.

I also don't care for seeing 15 variations of the same beer. I like me some IPAs but, you don't need the same beer that's only differentiated by the hop. You want to have a single, a standard, and a DDH version fine, but don't fill up the tap list with the same beer.

[mister d]

Jesus Christ ...

“Man I miss the good old days where we didn’t have to put out 5 new beers every week to make the customers happy”

The dude who was widely distributing a different can every other week when everyone else was doing core and seasonals is complaining because local places are beating his unique output?

[mister d]

I also don't care for seeing 15 variations of the same beer. I like me some IPAs but, you don't need the same beer that's only differentiated by the hop.

I love when places do this. Like a 12 beer list where its all the same base with 12 diff hops or hop combos sounds awesome.

[Rush2112]

I also don't care for seeing 15 variations of the same beer. I like me some IPAs but, you don't need the same beer that's only differentiated by the hop.

I love when places do this. Like a 12 beer list where its all the same base with 12 diff hops or hop combos sounds awesome.

At certain times sure, but if that's all your brewery does? It gets a little boring if it's hey try this beer with Citra, try this beer with Lemondrop, etc. etc. There's a brewery here that has a single hop series and that's nice. Wouldn't want to see all 5-6 varieties and nothing else on tap though.

[mister d]

Yeah, not all the time, but I wouldn't mind them clearing the board for a week and making it semi-educational.

[Rush2112]

Yeah, not all the time, but I wouldn't mind them clearing the board for a week and making it semi-educational.

The new brew guys here (WeldWerks) had this a few months ago. Had 20ish beers. 1 was a lager, 1 a hefe. The other 18 were either a stout variant or their NEIPA variant. They generally do A+ stuff, but I generally like a bit more variety on the board.

It would be a really great thing to do as a special six-pack or at a festival/anniversary party.

[The Sybian]

Yeah, not all the time, but I wouldn't mind them clearing the board for a week and making it semi-educational.

I would love this, but I also see Rush's point that if it was ALL a brewery did, every week, it'd get old. I think the ideal in a tasting room is when half the beers are normal (could be flagship or just a typical stye, nothing crazy), half are experimental. I like to get flights and try a bunch, and I am cool with some of the beers being subpar if they are trying something new or unique.

[mister d]

Speaking of, how's the new place in New Prov?

[The Sybian]

Speaking of, how's the new place in New Prov?

Haven't been yet. I hear great things from people who aren't big into beer, and my beer connoisseur friends say it's just OK. Sounds like it's been completely packed every day, though. They came out of the chute with more than 10 beers, and they have 24 taps. I think they are nuts to pump out so many different beers in the first month, I would start simple, get the quality down, then slowly get more creative. They came out with 2 different fruit milkshake IPAs, a fruit sour, a variety of IPAs... I did go to Twin Elephant again last weekend, and the entire flight was quality. They even had a line out the door to get in at 3:00 on Sunday. The big winner was their Black IPA with Belgian yeast. I love black IPAs, and they nailed it.

[mister d]

They've been really great the last year plus. Its not a huge cut-line, but they made the NJ Monthly top 16 (all of which are 2011 or newer) and that list had all the ones I'd expect and none of the ones I wouldn't.

[The Sybian]

Best beer I had in Michigan was M-43 by Old Nation.

That's an excellent choice. They do a lot of great ones.

I have two cans of M43 picked up from a liquor store tonight that I haven't opened because I've been told that i need to have it in a glass. So I need to find a glass. Also got a random PB&J beer that I opened when we got back to the hotel and is actually interesting enough to enjoy. I wouldn't drink more than a can at a time though even if it actually tastes like a PB&J sandwich.

Also props to Brian for Latitude 42. Went there tonight for food and beer. The moontower was one of the smoothest DIPAs I've had.

Within a couple days of y'all posting about M43 (I had never heard of it), I saw an announcement that Old Nation was doing a special release at 3 NJ beer stores. It seemed like a one off, but I found it in a store today, put back the Lucky Charms golden stout and got this instead. I really hope this is regularly available, and not a one-off, because this is a really solid NEIPA. This is as good as any NEIPA not from Trillium. With a fairly low ABV and super drinkability, this could be my go-to IPA. Thanks for the tip, boys. I would never had thought to pick this one up.

[mister d]

Where at?

[Rush2112]

Thanks for the tip, boys. I would never had thought to pick this one up.

FERDA

[The Sybian]

Where at?

Super Buy Rite North Plainfield, on Rt 22.

[Rush2112]

Dad Breath

Dad Breath 5% - Helles Lager. Super drinkable, straight up, no frills German style Helles Lager. Reminds you of what your dad drank when you were a kid. Pairs well with yelling at umpires at little league games. You'll see this beer around now and again, especially during warmer months.

[sancarlos]

Dad Breath

Dad Breath 5% - Helles Lager. Super drinkable, straight up, no frills German style Helles Lager. Reminds you of what your dad drank when you were a kid. Pairs well with yelling at umpires at little league games. You'll see this beer around now and again, especially during warmer months.

The beer might suck, but the name and the description are so awesome! (Is that your own description Rush?)

[DSafetyGuy]

Founders KBS turned up at my local Costco.

[The Sybian]

Founders KBS turned up at my local Costco.

Just 5 years ago, I went out hunting for KBS. Or just driving out on the day it released in my area. Now, it'll sit on the shelves for months. Not sure if they make that much more of it, or if the luster wore off, or if there are just a ot more comparable beers available. Probably all three combined. It's a great beer, don't get me wrong, but I have no interest in buying it anymore. Fuck, I still have several bottles from 2 years ago I never got to.

[DSafetyGuy]

Founders KBS turned up at my local Costco.

Just 5 years ago, I went out hunting for KBS. Or just driving out on the day it released in my area. Now, it'll sit on the shelves for months. Not sure if they make that much more of it, or if the luster wore off, or if there are just a ot more comparable beers available. Probably all three combined. It's a great beer, don't get me wrong, but I have no interest in buying it anymore. Fuck, I still have several bottles from 2 years ago I never got to.

I don't actively go out looking for stuff, but the KBS was a very pleasant surprise, as I have only had it once previously. There is usually something good available at Costco (Southern Tier always, usually something from Stone - I got a case of their IPA there last month - or another good brewery) or there are a couple nearby grocery stores to hit up.

Ended up picking up three bottles. One will get cracked when my dad visits at the end of the month and one will go home with him to go to my step-sister's husband.

[Rush2112]

Dad Breath

Dad Breath 5% - Helles Lager. Super drinkable, straight up, no frills German style Helles Lager. Reminds you of what your dad drank when you were a kid. Pairs well with yelling at umpires at little league games. You'll see this beer around now and again, especially during warmer months.

The beer might suck, but the name and the description are so awesome! (Is that your own description Rush?)

That's the brewery description. It's got a pretty good rating on BA, especially for a lager, so it's probably phenomenal.

[sancarlos]

Try an ale!

[A_B]

The rogue 6 hop ipa was phenomenal.

[The Sybian]

The rogue 6 hop ipa was phenomenal.

I need to revisit Rogue. They were, IMO, a crucial pioneer in the craft brew game, and one of the first examples of many styles for me. I used to be so excited to see Rogue on tap in my early days, but haven't tried anything from them in over a decade. Definitely never avoided them, just lost in the crowd.

And DSafe's mention of KBS inspired me to crack one open right now. Coffee faded a bit after 2 years, but booze mellowed. It's a tradeoff, not sure if I prefer it fresh or aged, but it's great either way. The first year I was able to get a bottle, I had to go to Wine Library 2 months in advance of the release to get on a lottery list (didn't get it), then called Total Wine the day it came in, and they said they weren't selling until the next day. It was sort of on my way to work, so I got there 15 minutes before they opened, and there was already a line in front of the door. And now it's on the floor at fucking Costco.

[Rush2112]

Rogue still does some good stuff. Solid to very good. Their envelope-pushing stuff isn't up to that benchmark. (though as AB attests their reworking of IPAs tend to work out pretty good.)

[sancarlos]

The rogue 6 hop ipa was phenomenal.

I need to revisit Rogue. They were, IMO, a crucial pioneer in the craft brew game, and one of the first examples of many styles for me. I used to be so excited to see Rogue on tap in my early days, but haven't tried anything from them in over a decade. Definitely never avoided them, just lost in the crowd. .

Enjoying a Rogue Chocolate Stout right now!

[Rush2112]

Boston Beer and Dogfish are merging.

[mister d]

Really going to have to raise that upper limit to keep them craft now.

[wlu_lax6]

Dogfishhead merging with Sam Adams

[rass]

Really going to havto raise that upperlimit to keep them craft now

[wlu_lax6]

GnR suing Oskar for GnR beer
https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/10/entertai ... index.html

[mister d]

Guns N Roses suing Oskar Blues over Guns N Roses beer.

[Ryan]

Boy, I guess someone's not Dr. Feelgood

[sancarlos]

Boy, I guess someone's crew is motley.