The OFFICIAL Craft Beer Thread

[sancarlos]

Sweet Water buying Green Flash and Alpine. Consolidating the brew operations too. Tough week to for folks to learn they are losing their jobs.

Never heard of Sweet Water, but I like Green Flash and Alpine.

[mister d]

They have to just be buying operations at this point, right? Like maybe Green Flash was on the brink and this gets them out? Buying a craft name seemed somewhat insane half a decade ago and infinitely more now.

[mister d]

Pre-local boom, I remember Alpine coming into the market as a huge deal. Really great, clean beers.

[The Sybian]

Pre-local boom, I remember Alpine coming into the market as a huge deal. Really great, clean beers.

Ha, yeah. I knew we discussed so I searched. I was so excited when Alpine came to NJ. Tried several IPAs and thought they totally lived up to the hype. Then the local market flooded and I never bought Alpine again. Very rarely see it anywhere now. That's a shame. Same with Green Flash, I'd read for years about how they made some of the best West Coast IPAs. Finally available in NJ, I tried a bunch and loved them. Looking at my Untappt, I haven't had anything from them since 2014. I felt disappointment they are being bought out by a bigger corporate operation, but I can't really be too disappointed since I likely wouldn't have bought their beer anyways.

Sweetwater seems like the kind of beer that's a notch better than Bud or Miller, but brands itself as a craft. I feel like every restaurant with 10 taps and mostly macro swill will have Sweetwater as the one "craft" IPA.

[mister d]

Yeah, they’re bad.

Now I’m wondering if I’ve had a west coast beer this year and I’m leaning no?

[Reaper]

Just had two of my go-tos to watch the Eagles game and enjoy the Winter Solstice: Troegs' Blizzard Hops and Haze Charmer. They did not disappoint.

[mister d]

Other Half Philadelphia just opened today at 3:00 and they were immediately at capacity with a huge line waiting.

[Rush2112]

Now I’m wondering if I’ve had a west coast beer this year and I’m leaning no?

Hard to find a good WCIPA other than the classics though. Our local is on point in the haze game, and they have a WC once in a while, but it's nothing better than the classics. Harder to craft a great WCIPA IMHO, less room to hide things.

[Nonlinear FC]

My son is working his way through a Brewery Science major at Metro State in Denver.

While out and about in Boulder today, we found out that Backcountry Pizza had a line on Pliny the Elder, so we headed over there and had a GREAT time with the food and beer. They are tapping Pliny the Younger tomorrow, but alas we are on the road and won't be able to partake.

One of the best IPAs I've ever had, to be sure. Good times.

[mister d]

Hard to find a good WCIPA other than the classics though. Our local is on point in the haze game, and they have a WC once in a while, but it's nothing better than the classics. Harder to craft a great WCIPA IMHO, less room to hide things.

For sure and right after I whined about this other half’s Green Showers came over here. Really good but not the peak level of a decade ago.

[The Sybian]

Hard to find a good WCIPA other than the classics though. Our local is on point in the haze game, and they have a WC once in a while, but it's nothing better than the classics. Harder to craft a great WCIPA IMHO, less room to hide things.

For sure and right after I whined about this other half’s Green Showers came over here. Really good but not the peak level of a decade ago.

I picked up OH Green Flowers. It’s good, but not great. I think it’s easier to impress with NEIPA because you can add so much fruity hops, WCIPA you are limited by bitterness, which can overpower other hop flavors.

I saw Other Half released a collab WCIPA with Firestone Walker as part of their 8th anniversary series. Would have bought, but I just got Green Flowers so I went with a blueberry granola sour collab with WeldWerks.

[EnochRoot]

The wife is taking the dog out to Catonsville today for the afternoon to spend some time with her mother. That means this ol’ dog typically scans the neighborhoods in hopes of something fun to do.

Max’s Taphouse in Fells Point is having their annual Belgian Beer Festival this weekend. Hmmm….

[Rush2112]

My son is working his way through a Brewery Science major at Metro State in Denver.

While out and about in Boulder today, we found out that Backcountry Pizza had a line on Pliny the Elder, so we headed over there and had a GREAT time with the food and beer. They are tapping Pliny the Younger tomorrow, but alas we are on the road and won't be able to partake.

One of the best IPAs I've ever had, to be sure. Good times.

We have a lot of consortial meetings at CU Denver (shares a campus with Metro) so we can hit up the brewpub there (glad that the systems guy at CUCS is a fellow craft aficionado.) JUst looked at that program, a pretty neat blend of all aspects of brewery operations...if only I was 18 again.

Love Backcountry, met the Giffs there a few years back for some pints. If you're here for a few days more you still may be able to get some PTY, it's been popping up all over the state (buddy was at a release in Breck last weekend that had all of 8 people there.)

[bapo!]

New Holland Dragon's Milk. 11% stout aged in bourbon barrels. Very nice indeed. I'm late to these kinds of beers. I didn't drink them when they were all the rage because I didn't like bourbon then. Whatever. Just pretend that I'm typing this in 2014. (I would have been watching the Pens lose to the Wild that night. Bunch of forgettable names in that box score.)

[Rush2112]

having a Bigfoot barleywine currently, is always a tasty beer. had Parish Ghost in the machine this weekend. Damn, that was a good beer. Had heard a lot of hype and it actually was equal to it!

[Rush2112]

I don't appreciate the tagline, but otherwise, me want.

[pruitt2]

The Rush Golden Ale is good. Not spectacular, but not bad. Made by one of Toronto's better and more adventurous craft brewers.

They have also released this 12% monster:



At $14 a bottle, not sure I'll be trying it.

[Rush2112]

I saw both, and requested from my (now former) boss who's moving back to Canukistan this summer.

Just prefer the starman (2112) to 80s Rush....though I do like high ABV beers..and 14$ for a big bottle of a big beer? Not a bad deal, esp with the Golden ale 1/4 of that for a small can.

[P.D.X.]

I couldn't think of a good pun for the beer name for the 2112 and am disappointed that they didn't either.

[sancarlos]

So, I had a coupon for the Total Wine store today, and I was almost out of beer, so I went a little stupid crazy with the credit card.

This is what I now have (in varying amounts):

Alesmith Funwave Hazy IPA (San Diego)
Russian River Pliny the Elder Double IPA (Windsor/Santa Rosa)
Belhaven Pale Ale (Scotland)
Paulaner Hefeweizen (Munich)
Firestone Walker Double Mindhaze Hazy IPA (Paso Robles)
Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale (Bend)
Pilsner Urquel (Czech)
Alpine Nelson IPA (Alpine)

Gonna be a beer weekend...

[The Sybian]

Don’t drink it all in one weekend.

Didn’t know Belhaven made a pale ale. I used to love their Wee Heavy (Scotch Ale, not to be confused with Scottish Ale, which isn’t nearly as good).

[sancarlos]

Don’t drink it all in one weekend.

Didn’t know Belhaven made a pale ale. I used to love their Wee Heavy (Scotch Ale, not to be confused with Scottish Ale, which isn’t nearly as good).

We were drinking Belhaven Best (a fairly low-alcohol session ale) in Scotland. They don't seem to sell it here, so I'm trying this one. Never had it before, so opening one, shortly.

Also, not on the list, a little three-pack of cask beers from a microbrew place in the Scottish highlands that also had a cottage we rented. Not great beer, but really nice people so I wanted a memento.

[rass]

Coming back from vacation and dropping the kid off at work and popping in for a drink and seeing the Oktoberfest and pumpkin beers that showed up on the menu the last two weeks sucks almost as much as having to go to work the day you get back from vacation. Not fall yet!

[A_B]

Oktoberfest’s usually occur in September so I will allow it.

(I bought some Sam Adam’s Oktoberfest!)

[rass]

Yeah yeah but this is about me not the market

[DaveInSeattle]

I found a Christmas beer (a "Tipsy Toboggan" from Two Beers) in the bottom of my beer drawer in the refrigerator. Still safe to drink?

[The Sybian]

I found a Christmas beer (a "Tipsy Toboggan" from Two Beers) in the bottom of my beer drawer in the refrigerator. Still safe to drink?

Of course! I have beers in my basement over 10 years old. Looking up that beer, it says its a Winter Warmer. Not something that would improve with age, but should be fine, especially if it was in the fridge. IPAs made with fresh hops fall off fast, but other than that, as long as it isn't in a glass bottle exposed to light or exposed to heat, most beer will be fine.

[The Sybian]

I’m not a fan of drinking on an airplane or before a flight, but they have Pliny on tap next to my gate, and I’ve got 20 minutes until boarding starts…

This one lives up to the hype, but in a historical perspective way. Still great, but 10 years ago I’d be blown away. Happy to cross it off the bucket list.

[sancarlos]

I’m not a fan of drinking on an airplane or before a flight, but they have Pliny on tap next to my gate, and I’ve got 20 minutes until boarding starts…

This one lives up to the hype, but in a historical perspective way. Still great, but 10 years ago I’d be blown away. Happy to cross it off the bucket list.

It’s my favorite DIPA.

btw, met up with the Sybian on Wednesday for some beers at a brewpub I’d never been to. Good time had by all. Despite the crowd there all looking like extras from Silicon Valley.

[The Sybian]

I’m not a fan of drinking on an airplane or before a flight, but they have Pliny on tap next to my gate, and I’ve got 20 minutes until boarding starts…

This one lives up to the hype, but in a historical perspective way. Still great, but 10 years ago I’d be blown away. Happy to cross it off the bucket list.

It’s my favorite DIPA.

btw, met up with the Sybian on Wednesday for some beers at a brewpub I’d never been to. Good time had by all. Despite the crowd there all looking like extras from Silicon Valley.

We fit right in.

[Brontoburglar]

hopslam being out right now is trippy, but it's also the perfect christmas/holiday beer tbh

[The Sybian]

hopslam being out right now is trippy, but it's also the perfect christmas/holiday beer tbh

That is weird, and while I never thought about it, Hopslam is a great Christmas beer. Haven’t picked it up in a few years, now I want one right now.

[mister d]

Kirin moved up the release.

[sancarlos]

On a whim at Costco yesterday, I bought a couple sixers of Boulevard’s Nutcracker winter warmer ale, because it was only $5.90 a six pack. Good stuff.

[A_B]

We are hosting Christmas for the first time and I think I may pound all the non alcoholic beers I my fridge and act like I’m hammered. Might be fun.

[Rush2112]

Finished my 6 of Hopslam last night (though there may be one lost in the fridge.)

Opened a beer that was under-carbonated tonight, the first time I've had that in a long time. Sort of a shame as it's pretty good semi-flat.

[The Sybian]

Finished my 6 of Hopslam last night (though there may be one lost in the fridge.)

Opened a beer that was under-carbonated tonight, the first time I've had that in a long time. Sort of a shame as it's pretty good semi-flat.

The entire batch under-carbonated? What beer?

[Brontoburglar]

On a whim at Costco yesterday, I bought a couple sixers of Boulevard’s Nutcracker winter warmer ale, because it was only $5.90 a six pack. Good stuff.

easily $3 cheaper than what you can find it for here just miles from where it's made

[Giff]

We are hosting Christmas for the first time and I think I may pound all the non alcoholic beers I my fridge and act like I’m hammered. Might be fun.

I’m gonna do the same except for the “non” part.

[sancarlos]

That’s more like it!