The Swamp

Now a big ass Grolsch. Drank another late in the Sens series (game 6 I think, was low on beer). They were left over from a party we had in March.

The #1 and #2 breweries in America are based in Michigan (according to the American Homebrewers Association).

Neither is going to be a huge surprise to anyone familiar with craft beer.

Not sure why I blanked on founders being a Michigan thing.

brian wrote:The #1 and #2 breweries in America are based in Michigan (according to the American Homebrewers Association).

Neither is going to be a huge surprise to anyone familiar with craft beer.

There is no real way to do these lists, but they should just call it Best Craft Breweries with National Distribution. That said, it's a good list if you remove Sierra Nevada. I give them huge credit for creating a market for craft beer, but they are solidly average. I love Bell's and Founders, and Founder's was arguably my favorite brewery before the recent wave of incredible New York and NJ breweries taking the game to new levels, but KBS has to be the most overrated beer. It's good, don't get me wrong, but there are so many better bourbon/coffee/chocolate stouts out there. KBS was one of the first to get widespread distribution, so I guess the novelty earned the props.

Speaking of Founders, just tried their Sumatra Mountain; Brown Ale with Sumatra coffee. Totally surprised by how good this is. Huge toffee flavor, coffee is great with no acidity. With so many great IPAs and stouts, it's great to find a worthy alternative to mix in.

Related to what Syb was talking about I think one of the things I love the most about beer is that it's a national, regional and local thing all at once.

brian wrote:Related to what Syb was talking about I think one of the things I love the most about beer is that it's a national, regional and local thing all at once.

That's a great way of looking at it. With the homogenization of products, especially food and chain stores across the country and world, really, it's so great seeing a rise in local beer scenes. I have been feeling like super-fresh local hoppy IPAs have ruined other beers for me, but I need to look at large craft beers differently. There is a lot to be said for their ability to put out consistently quality beers that remain drinkable for more than 2 months.

For the NJ guys, made a few trips out to Magnify in Fairfield for can releases. They make some fantastic New England IPAs, but they fall of the ledge after 2 months. I think it is the lupulin powder (hops in powder form) they use. Lupulin powder gives more of a punch and taste that I can only describe as "fresh", but the citrus, pine or floral elements fade to bitter quickly.

It hit Philly earlier today, so I scooped up more than a few 4 packs of Nimble Giant. Great as I remember it to be. Guy at distributor mentioned he heard it was less juicy and more hoppy this year. I don't recall; but I do like it as much as I remember last go round.

Also, picked up some Enjoy by 7.04, Port High Tide and Port Mongo as well.

Not only the top 2 breweries in the country, but the top beer as well..


Top-Ranked Beers

1. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
2. Russian River Pliny the Elder
3. Founders Breakfast Stout
4. Three Floyds Zombie Dust
5. Bell’s Hopslam
T6. Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)
T6. The Alchemist Heady Topper
T8. Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA
T8. Sierra Nevada Celebration
10. Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
T11. Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale
T11. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
T13. Founders All Day IPA
T13. Lawson’s Finest Liquids Sip of Sunshine
15. Cigar City Jai Alai IPA
16. Deschutes Black Butte Porter
17. Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout
18. Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro
T19. Lagunitas IPA
T19. Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
T19. Stone IPA
T22. Tree House Julius
T22. Odell IPA
T22. Russian River Blind Pig IPA
T22. Toppling Goliath pseudoSue
26. Fat Head’s Hop Juju
T27. Fat Head’s Head Hunter IPA
T27. Firestone Walker Double Jack
T27. Melvin 2×4 DIPA
T27. New Belgium La Folie
T27. Odell 90 Shilling
T27. Russian River Pliny the Younger
T27. Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA
T27. The Alchemist Focal Banger
T27. Tröegs Nugget Nectar
T27. Founders Backwoods Bastard
T27. Oskar Blues Ten FIDY
T38. Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter
T38. Deschutes The Abyss
T38. North Coast Old Rasputin
T38. Arrogant Bastard Ale
T38. Stone Enjoy By IPA
T43. Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
T43. New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red
T43. Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale
T43. Russian River Consecration
T47. Wicked Weed Pernicious
T47. Firestone Walker Union Jack
T47. New Holland Dragon’s Milk
T47. Oskar Blues Old Chub
T47. Three Floyds Alpha King

I swear people only put lists here to annoy me once per quarter.

I've had 25 of those!

I agree with D. Very subjective.

I didn't realize that Deschutes Fresh Squeezed was that highly rated. I have a case of it in my garage/fridge.

A_B wrote:I've had 25 of those!

Today?

sancarlos wrote:I agree with D. Very subjective.

I didn't realize that Deschutes Fresh Squeezed was that highly rated. I have a case of it in my garage/fridge.

It's a poll of Zymurgy readers (American Homebrewers Association publication) so it's nationally (or at least widely distributed) or known beers.

Fresh Squeezed is awesome (and it is pretty highly regarded.)

Thanks to ubiquity and price I usually have some Fresh Squeezed in the fridge.

Rush2112 wrote:

sancarlos wrote:I agree with D. Very subjective.

I didn't realize that Deschutes Fresh Squeezed was that highly rated. I have a case of it in my garage/fridge.

It's a poll of Zymurgy readers (American Homebrewers Association publication) so it's nationally (or at least widely distributed) or known beers.

Fresh Squeezed is awesome (and it is pretty highly regarded.)

Dale's Pale is the one that threw me off. It's solid, but top-50?

Same can be said about the beer sitting at the top.

Not a sour guy, but I'll have to try out of principle...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWdSkmcAHd2/

As of last week, the Boulder-based Brewers Association, which hosts GABF, had registered a staggering 2,259 breweries for the competition, up from last year's record-setting 1,752 breweries. All told, 8,218 beers will be sampled and rated by the judges, up from 7,227 in 2016 and far beyond the 1,752 beers judged in 2015.

I'm hoping to make it past the Pacific region this year...

Rush2112 wrote:

As of last week, the Boulder-based Brewers Association, which hosts GABF, had registered a staggering 2,259 breweries for the competition, up from last year's record-setting 1,752 breweries. All told, 8,218 beers will be sampled and rated by the judges, up from 7,227 in 2016 and far beyond the 1,752 beers judged in 2015.

I'm hoping to make it past the Pacific region this year...

So, that's great growth. All the craft beers now make up about what percent of the beer sold in the US these days?

sancarlos wrote:So, that's great growth. All the craft beers now make up about what percent of the beer sold in the US these days?

A little more than 12% for volume and 22% of dollars spent.

Hooray! GABF ticket day! Member's session tickets secured.

Anchor latest brewery to sell (to Sapporo).

mister d wrote:Anchor latest brewery to sell (to Sapporo).

Was just going to post that. Big news hereabouts.

sancarlos wrote:

mister d wrote:Anchor latest brewery to sell (to Sapporo).

Was just going to post that. Big news hereabouts.

I thought the Japanese buying up everything was so 1980s. Actually reading the article you learn things like Anchor Steam at one point was owned by Fritz Maytag (yup heir to the washing machine dynasty) and since 2010 it was owned by the Griffin Group

wlu_lax6 wrote:Anchor Steam at one point was owned by Fritz Maytag (yup heir to the washing machine dynasty)

He was a big help in the rise of craft brewing in the late 70s-early 80s. He very much a part of the education and inspiration for early craft brewers like New Albion and Sierra Nevada.

Rush2112 wrote:

wlu_lax6 wrote:Anchor Steam at one point was owned by Fritz Maytag (yup heir to the washing machine dynasty)

He was a big help in the rise of craft brewing in the late 70s-early 80s. He very much a part of the education and inspiration for early craft brewers like New Albion and Sierra Nevada.

Wonder if the rest of the family talked sh!t behind his back like my guide at Firestone Vineyards did about the son who was working on Firestone Walker (and the other one who was on the Bachelor).

Seems like a weird buy unless Anchor is a whole lot more popular than I think it is.

mister d wrote:Seems like a weird buy unless Anchor is a whole lot more popular than I think it is.

Every tourist in San Francisco drinks it!

Anchor (especially Anchor Steam specifically) is pretty ubiquitous on the west coast, less so on the east.

wlu_lax6 wrote:

Rush2112 wrote:

wlu_lax6 wrote:Anchor Steam at one point was owned by Fritz Maytag (yup heir to the washing machine dynasty)

He was a big help in the rise of craft brewing in the late 70s-early 80s. He very much a part of the education and inspiration for early craft brewers like New Albion and Sierra Nevada.

Wonder if the rest of the family talked sh!t behind his back like my guide at Firestone Vineyards did about the son who was working on Firestone Walker (and the other one who was on the Bachelor).

Pretty much a yes (at least in the beginning I'm sure.) His blue cheese is pretty spectacular though.

brian wrote:Anchor (especially Anchor Steam specifically) is pretty ubiquitous on the west coast, less so on the east.

22nd biggest craft brewery last year, according to BA.

I love the magnums of the Christmas Ale. Always great for NYE!

Oh yeah, I get the size, but I would think there would be some level of quality here given that these massive companies can open up channels at will. Getting more Anchor out there doesn't seem like the kind of growth/sales that getting more Port or more Alesmith would.

Rush2112 wrote:

brian wrote:Anchor (especially Anchor Steam specifically) is pretty ubiquitous on the west coast, less so on the east.

22nd biggest craft brewery last year, according to BA.

I love the magnums of the Christmas Ale. Always great for NYE!

You can get several anchor beers here pretty much year round. Definitely steam. Liberty. A stout I feel like is pretty available.

Same here, but I don't know I've ever seen "can" translate to "have".

Vanilla Oak Aged World Wide Stout. Impressive. Looking forward to see how this one ages.

Another little brewery just opened in my little burg (just Friday and Saturdays). Really good selection and tasty beers.

I need to finagle another Bay Area business trip.

The Sybian wrote:I need to finagle another Bay Area business trip.

Me too.


Got accepted to volunteer at GABF so pouring at a session, and attending another. Volunteering gives me two free tickets for next year...so if any of y'all are out here.

Rush2112 wrote:

The Sybian wrote:I need to finagle another Bay Area business trip.

Me too.

Got accepted to volunteer at GABF so pouring at a session, and attending another. Volunteering gives me two free tickets for next year...so if any of y'all are out here.

Come on out, both of you. We'll tour the San Carlos breweries!