The OFFICIAL Craft Beer Thread

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 9:34 am

The Sybian wrote:Next time your wife doesn't like a beer, I'll come over and d... her ...a...

Dude!

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 9:53 am

mister d wrote:
The Sybian wrote:Next time your wife doesn't like a beer, I'll come over and d... her ...a...
Dude!

I'll assume that as an exclamation of excitement. That'll serve the bitch right for not liking a great beer.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Sun Jun 14, 2015 1:45 am

Had my bi-monthly bottle sharing gathering.

Prairie Bomb is aptly name. Damn that's a great beer. Also had (and am having as I type) Indra Kunindra from Ballast Point. Stout brewed with a myriad of Indian spices. It's very very good to start, and getting better as my palate adjusts/the beer warms.

dem3pigs · Post by **dem3pigs** » Sun Jun 14, 2015 8:51 pm

Been loving this the past few visits. I only find it at the two locations I visit in SD pretty close to the house.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Sun Jun 14, 2015 8:58 pm

Word? I ended up giving away a couple because I just couldn't enjoy it. I like hot and I liked spicy beers, but that was just too much.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Sun Jun 14, 2015 9:20 pm

We have that, and the regular Sculpin at the local Whole Foods. Not sure I want a hot and spicy beer.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 1:16 am

I like spicy in stouts. IPAs and other lighter styles? No thanks.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 8:46 pm

Rush, are you familiar with a musician named Barry Sless? I understand he played with Phil Lesh, among others.

For my birthday, my sister in law gave me some nice beers. One of them, brewed in Fairfax, CA (Marin County) by Iron Springs brewery is named Sless Oatmeal Stout. The label says, "Brewed in honor of Barry Sless, guitar and pedal steel virtuoso.". Pretty tasty.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 9:10 pm

It looks like Bierkraft is Brooklyn is dead and this makes me as sad as losing a place I might go to twice per year could possibly make me.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 6:01 am

I perhaps like beer too much, as looking at that oatmeal stout's label made me have a quick fantasy of attending the World Beer Cup.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 10:55 am

Tried the Boulevard Coffee Imperial Stout. Best coffee flavor in any beer I've tried to date, but I haven't opened a KBS yet. They claim their process of adding the coffee has the effect of cold brewed coffee, and they used Ethiopian Sidamo beans. Great beer.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 11:05 am

KBS will give you the best bourbon flavor you've had in a stout, but not the best coffee flavor. Kane's Morning Bell is spectacular for that, if you can find it.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 11:11 am

mister d wrote:KBS will give you the best bourbon flavor you've had in a stout, but not the best coffee flavor. Kane's Morning Bell is spectacular for that, if you can find it.

I had Morning Bell at the Garden State Beer Fest, and it is top tier for sure. A much better beer than Boulevard, but I don't know if the coffee itself is as good. I'd need to compare side by side.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 11:23 am

sancarlos wrote:Rush, are you familiar with a musician named Barry Sless? I understand he played with Phil Lesh, among others.

For my birthday, my sister in law gave me some nice beers. One of them, brewed in Fairfax, CA (Marin County) by Iron Springs brewery is named Sless Oatmeal Stout. The label says, "Brewed in honor of Barry Sless, guitar and pedal steel virtuoso.". Pretty tasty.

He played in PL&F 2006 or so, then again just about everyone has played with Phil at some point.

Pruitt you should come and attend the GABF one of these Octobers. It's expanded so there is absolutley no way you could even walk by every brewery attending.

Also I'll put Uncle Jacobs from Avery up against KBS in bourbon flavour any day of the week.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 9:10 pm

So, drinking another birthday present beer tonight. Really enjoying this Belgian style golden ale from Alesmith in San Diego. "Horny Devil".

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 9:21 pm

For a brewery that seems to have pretty wide distribution, Alesmith is crazy underrated.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 9:53 pm

Their (Alesmith) stout, barleywine, and IPA are all excellent to stellar.

devilfluff · Post by **devilfluff** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 10:17 pm

mister d wrote:Kane's Morning Bell is spectacular for that, if you can find it.

Truth. So much dark roast. Thank God, I still have a couple bottles left.

Bourbon County Coffee, any of the Alesmith Speedway variants, Weyerbacher Sunday Morning Stout, and Perennial Sump are all excellent coffee beers, also.

Brontoburglar · Post by **Brontoburglar** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 4:59 pm

The Sybian wrote:Tried the Boulevard Coffee Imperial Stout. Best coffee flavor in any beer I've tried to date, but I haven't opened a KBS yet. They claim their process of adding the coffee has the effect of cold brewed coffee, and they used Ethiopian Sidamo beans. Great beer.

Did that place have the bourbon imperial? For as good as the coffee is... the bourbon is insane.

Brontoburglar · Post by **Brontoburglar** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 5:00 pm

Oh shit, just noticed that was the 2015 coffee imperial. I still have a couple bottles of the 2014. I haven't gotten the 2015 yet.

Just bought a six pack of the Heavy Lifting IPA. That was the only non-smokestack Boulevard I hadn't tried yet. That'll change Friday night.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 9:23 pm

Brontoburglar wrote:Oh shit, just noticed that was the 2015 coffee imperial. I still have a couple bottles of the 2014. I haven't gotten the 2015 yet.

Just bought a six pack of the Heavy Lifting IPA. That was the only non-smokestack Boulevard I hadn't tried yet. That'll change Friday night.

I've never tested the theory, but the beer board consensus is that coffee stouts don't age well. Coffee is supposed to die off quickly, so you may want to get around to the 2014 bottles. I bought the 2015 at least a month ago, so they have been out a while, probably longer in your area. Worth seeking out, though.

devilfluff · Post by **devilfluff** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 10:42 pm

The Sybian wrote:
Brontoburglar wrote:Oh shit, just noticed that was the 2015 coffee imperial. I still have a couple bottles of the 2014. I haven't gotten the 2015 yet.

Just bought a six pack of the Heavy Lifting IPA. That was the only non-smokestack Boulevard I hadn't tried yet. That'll change Friday night.
I've never tested the theory, but the beer board consensus is that coffee stouts don't age well. Coffee is supposed to die off quickly, so you may want to get around to the 2014 bottles. I bought the 2015 at least a month ago, so they have been out a while, probably longer in your area. Worth seeking out, though.

depends on how the coffee is added... cold brewed, grounds, whole beans... and when in the brewing process.

Coffee is volatile, but not nearly as much as some other adjuncts, though. Coconut fades super fast.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Jun 19, 2015 9:39 am

I think it was a guy at Tired Hands who said cold brewed tested out the best for them. Kind of counter-logical because of the added water, but there you go.

(Or maybe it was at Kane. Somewhere. Local roasted cold brew.)

Brontoburglar · Post by **Brontoburglar** » Sun Jun 21, 2015 10:10 pm

I know it's not a craft beer, but if you want pisswater, the Costco pisswater isn't bad at all for $21 for 48 cans.

I had the Saison Brett, a Prairie Bomb and a Boulevard blonde before dinner so I figured I was good enough to hit the Costco shit.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Sun Jun 21, 2015 10:37 pm

Had a Koffee Kreme milk stout at Comrade Brewing down in Denver. Best coffee stout I've ever had. Tasted like cold pressed coffee with a tad of milk added then a slight malt backbone. Really fucking good. Thier IPA was really good as well, considered one of the best in the state and I agree with them.

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:39 pm

Opinions on Avery IPA?

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:59 pm

DC47 wrote:Opinions on Avery IPA?

It's a solid old school craft American style IPA. I'd give it a B+.

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 11:37 pm

Best beer I've had this year: Sanitas Black IPA.

If "black IPA" is a category or style, I've got to try some more of it. Any recommendations that would be distributed in Michigan?

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 11:33 am

DC47 wrote:Best beer I've had this year: Sanitas Black IPA.

If "black IPA" is a category or style, I've got to try some more of it. Any recommendations that would be distributed in Michigan?

It is a category. Some of my favorites that should be easy to find are Firestone Walker's Wookey Jack, Stone's Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale, Founders Black Rye IPA and Brew Dogs' Libertine. Founders was a seasonal beer, so not available right now, but hopefully it'll be back. If you like black IPAs, you should try some rye IPAs. Founders and others cross into both. Bear Republic's Hop Rod Rye is one of the best, and I really like He'Brew's Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A, a tribute to the great Lenny Bruce.

Post by **brian** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 11:36 am

Wookey Jack is so good it should be a category unto itself. I'm not 100 percent sure if Firestone Walker distributes into Michigan. It's possible -- they're pretty wide now.

Post by **brian** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 11:37 am

(But it should also be said that black IPAs are popular enough now and Michigan has SOOOOO many craft breweries that I'd be shocked if it were too hard to find something solid available at your local beer store.)

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 1:14 pm

DC47 wrote:Best beer I've had this year: Sanitas Black IPA.

If "black IPA" is a category or style, I've got to try some more of it. Any recommendations that would be distributed in Michigan?

How dare you drink beer brewed in Boulder outside of Colorado. (Didn't know that they were that widely distributed.)

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 2:24 pm

Order for me

http://www.cornerstoneogt.com/beer/

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 2:27 pm

Seems early for Autumn beers...is that list current?

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 2:40 pm

A_B wrote:Seems early for Autumn beers...is that list current?

They release pumpkin/fall beers earlier and earlier.

Ryan I'd go with Evil Twin. Second choice would be the Heavy Seas, only because I haven't had them.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 2:53 pm

JW Lees. One of the best English barleywines, and that is the price it costs stores, so I can't believe how cheap it is. Evil Twin would be my other choice, but more because of the backstory between the brewer and his twin brother who runs Mikkeller. I finally tried several Evil Twin beers, and they were good and unusual.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 2:58 pm

Heavy seas beers I have had are boring.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 3:02 pm

Finally went to Avery and had the Uncle Jakob and a couple of bitters. One was real skunky with a latin name I can't remember but was quite good. Jakob was also delicious but it's so far removed from "beer" that it's tough to judge. A lot of flavors going on in that snifter.

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 3:04 pm

Rush2112 wrote:
DC47 wrote:Best beer I've had this year: Sanitas Black IPA.

If "black IPA" is a category or style, I've got to try some more of it. Any recommendations that would be distributed in Michigan?
How dare you drink beer brewed in Boulder outside of Colorado. (Didn't know that they were that widely distributed.)

http://cafeaion.com/AIon1.2/Home.html
Last Saturday night, the waiter said they just got a keg and he liked it. Is this a place you know? It's become my wife's favorite restaurant in Colorado.

Re: the Avery, I bought it in a hurry at Hazels and took it up into the mountains. Great stuff, though I supposed I should have tried for something more obscure given the selection. I was limited here in that my wife had to like it. She will drink many mainstream IPAs that aren't heavy on the alcohol, but anything else is a gamble.

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 3:08 pm

brian wrote:(But it should also be said that black IPAs are popular enough now and Michigan has SOOOOO many craft breweries that I'd be shocked if it were too hard to find something solid available at your local beer store.)

Good point. I'm so much a beer amateur that I had never noticed this as a distinct category, so I have never looked.

Thanks to others for advice on particular beers. I'll enjoy exploring this for the next few years. I will probably remain deeply in the novice category, but it is fun to have a 'thing' to work over in a bit of detail rather than just ordering something I don't know from an in-state brewery, which is my typical go-to strategy. I have never uttered a sentence that contains the words "hints of" and referred to a beer. But perhaps I'll get there some day.