The Swamp

Saw a Ballast Point ad on the World Series telecast. That certainly says, “we got acquired by one of the big boys!”

I guess I missed that one. Or was it a regional commercial break?

Saw it here too, and thought the same thing.

It’s actually a good thing for craft beer if ...

I was not impressed with Ballast Point's Octoberfest

Unpopular opinion, but I'm not impressed with anything Ballast Point.

govmentchedda wrote:Unpopular opinion, but I'm not impressed with anything Ballast Point.

Sculpin and Victory at Sea were great, but that's it. Oh, Calm Before the Storm was awesome, too. Even if they weren't bought out, I probably wouldn't have bought anything from them in past 2 years, as we have so many amazing local options now.

Jersey guys, Bolero Snort may have finally figured shit out. Last couple of batches from them have been good. Magnify is stepping it up, too. That, and every month we seem to get several more breweries added to NJ distribution. I can't keep up with all the new shit hitting the shelves.

What else are you seeing? Pipeworks and Lord Hobo are probably the two newest good ones around me.

The Sybian wrote:

govmentchedda wrote:Unpopular opinion, but I'm not impressed with anything Ballast Point.

Sculpin and Victory at Sea were great, but that's it. Oh, Calm Before the Storm was awesome, too. Even if they weren't bought out, I probably wouldn't have bought anything from them in past 2 years, as we have so many amazing local options now.

I had a curry+ spiced stout (Indra Kunindra) from them a few years ago that was really good. Amazing depth of flavours and complexity that changed with the drinking temperature. Otherwise very meh, and at least here, overpriced.

Rush2112 wrote:

The Sybian wrote:

govmentchedda wrote:Unpopular opinion, but I'm not impressed with anything Ballast Point.

Sculpin and Victory at Sea were great, but that's it. Oh, Calm Before the Storm was awesome, too. Even if they weren't bought out, I probably wouldn't have bought anything from them in past 2 years, as we have so many amazing local options now.

I had a curry+ spiced stout (Indra Kunindra) from them a few years ago that was really good. Amazing depth of flavours and complexity that changed with the drinking temperature. Otherwise very meh, and at least here, overpriced.

I bought a bottle of Indra a while back, just can't get myself to drink it. Whenever I want a beer, curry spices just isn't what I'm looking for.

What else are you seeing? Pipeworks and Lord Hobo are probably the two newest good ones around me.

Those are two of the newest. Just bought 2 Lord Hobos this week, haven't tried them yet. Cigar City, Grey Sail, Single Cut, Revolution, Von Trapp, Cambridge...

Then if you want to go back a year, Ale Smith, Evil Twin, Alpine, Westbrook, Stillwater, Omnipollo, Off Color, Against The Grain, Bear Republic (back after several years hiatus)...

So many more, but that's what jumped into my head. I feel like every time I go to the store, I'm seeing breweries I've never seen in NJ. Plus the ridiculous number of NJ breweries starting up, or starting to distribute. It's awesome, but overwhelming.

If you ignore the whole "getting there" part, Other Half's expanded taproom is pretty awesome. Of the 20 beers they had on, I think 16 were IPAs and most of those were doubles so you have to want/love that style. Some merged a bit and your mouth gets a little worn out but this was like the 4th I tried and it stood out ...

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/33510/311060/

mister d wrote:If you ignore the whole "getting there" part, Other Half's expanded taproom is pretty awesome. Of the 20 beers they had on, I think 16 were IPAs and most of those were doubles so you have to want/love that style. Some merged a bit and your mouth gets a little worn out but this was like the 4th I tried and it stood out ...

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/33510/311060/

I'll have to check it out. Only been once, and just for a can release. Absolutely love their beer, but the lupulin powder thing is wearing on me. At first, it was like an explosion of freshness, but not it seems almost gimmicky, and you have such a short window to drink them before they fall off.

So a buddy in Framingham MA is seeing Melvin beers. If you guys see them, pick them up... They make fucking event ipas.

I had them last time I was in NY. This sounds dickish but it’s not intended to be: Five years ago they would have been huge. It’s really good beer, but it’s like Alesmith good and not crazy innovative good.

mister d wrote:I had them last time I was in NY. This sounds dickish but it’s not intended to be: Five years ago they would have been huge. It’s really good beer, but it’s like Alesmith good and not crazy innovative good.

Well, they just won a GABF gold for their strong pale and wet hop IPA as well as being named one of the breweries of the year, so they're gonna be doing real well this year. We just got them in Colorado Summer 2016 so making quick tracks. Personally, I think that their DIPAs are stellar and I like that they haven't been pumping out NEIPA like everyone else. (The regular IPA is good, but the 2X4 and one-offs are fantastic.)

I don’t think what we’re saying is that much different.

Rush, what did you like in Richmond? Heading there for Thanksgiving week. I've got Veil, Answer, and Väsen on my list already.

A friend told me that he had 'the worst beer of my life' a couple of nights ago: Alpine Nelson. We've talked about this beer before. It's been on my short list for years, but it's never been available in Pittsburgh. So I walked into the Korner Pub on the way home last night and drank a couple while reading 'Helter Skelter' and watching the football game. I'm not going to say that my friend is wrong, because taste is subjective. But he's wrong. Very, very wrong.

Worst seems silly, but I’ve definitely had a couple strongly counter-consensus opinions on beers featuring some of the new grapey-winey hops.

Yeah, some people just don't like that stuff. I do. 'Brewed with New Zealand hops' is one of the sexiest phrases in the English language.

Brontoburglar wrote:killed a Saturday at Isley and Ardent last spring. within blocks of each other

Hit up Ardent last night. It was pretty good. I really liked the Saison, and the Brett IPA.

We also popped into what looked like a newer brewery called Three Notch'd. I liked their blonde stout. It was surprisingly good.

I was blown away by The Answer Brewing though. The place has 60 taps, and about 20 or so of them are their own brews. Two of which were damn tasty IPAs (one a session), the next 20 or so were all dark stuff (barrel aged stouts, barleywines, meads, stouts), and the other 20 or so were sours and a few goses. I don't believe they can anything, and they only fill growlers, crowlers, etc. with the IPAs, except on Tuesday when they'll fill with the sours and goses. Tried about 8 different styles and each one was fantastic. The barrel aged stouts were all surprisingly not boozy tasting, even though they were all over 10% ABV. The place is quite nondescript to look at, but the beers are amazing.

Pretty sure they just did something with Equilibrium. Never heard of them before.

Enjoyed a Mad River (Humboldt County, CA) Signature oak-aged Cream Stout tonight. Kind of sweet but really good.

mister d wrote:Pretty sure they just did something with Equilibrium. Never heard of them before.

Apparently a lot of their stuff is run through a Randall, something the Dogfish Head folks came up with that infuses flavor prior to going into the keg. Seems a little bit like cheating, but damn if it isn't delicious. Went back again tonight.

Wife brought home a 24 pack of Costco Kirkland craft beer assortment. I was as disappointed as you can be with 24 beers and left it in the floor a few days while I finished the usual stuff I had left. I'm no beer snob but I was blissfully unaware of my brand loyalties until this week. The ipa tasted like ipa. Pale ale tasted like pale ale. Haven't tried the stout or brown ale yet. Anyway. Turns out brand doesn't matter. Thanks. I'll show myself out.

I popped into the Delirium Cafe down in Leesburg, VA last Saturday. Good times.

HaulCitgo wrote:The ipa tasted like ipa. Pale ale tasted like pale ale.

Hey, sometimes that's all you need. Actually, you don't even need that much.

I just bought another six-pack of Alpine Duet. This is my favorite beer of the moment. Should pair nicely with 11 hours of college football. Go Memphis, etc.

Well done Bud Light. Dilly Dilly!

https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status ... 8202561541

wlu_lax6 wrote:Well done Bud Light. Dilly Dilly!

https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status ... 8202561541

Easily the most creative and amusing cease and desist letter.

Founders Breakfast Stout and Backwards Bastard to be year-round offerings (and in CO soon!)

Rush2112 wrote:Founders Breakfast Stout and Backwards Bastard to be year-round offerings (and in CO soon!)

The upside of major corporate buyouts. Kind of stupid, but my immediate reaction was disappointment. Backwoods is one of my all-time favorite beers, and I get super excited when it comes out. It is limited, but easy enough to find that I can buy a year supply without having to hunt. I know it's stupid to be more excited since it's seasonal, but emotional purchasing is real. Breakfast Stout, OTOH, is just about year round now, at least in NJ. We get shafted on most limited release beers because NJ distribution laws are a pain in the ass for out of state breweries, but when Breakfast Stout comes in, there are always stacks and stacks of cases piled up in every store, and they are still on the shelves for 6 months. This is the beer I most feel like I should love, and just don't. I love oatmeal stouts, and coffee stouts, and it's good, I just don't love it. Every year I buy one, thinking I'm going to see the light, and it's always just OK.

govmentchedda wrote:Rush, what did you like in Richmond? Heading there for Thanksgiving week. I've got Veil, Answer, and Väsen on my list already.

Shit just saw this, Answer is awesome as is Triple Crossing. I was looking forward to heading back there this year and they moved the conference to Jacksonville.

Drinking my Sip of Sunshine clone, added a bit of DME to bump the ABV up, so it's hitting a wee bit under 9%. Super, super drinkable. 5 gallons is going to go fast.

Rush2112 wrote:

govmentchedda wrote:Rush, what did you like in Richmond? Heading there for Thanksgiving week. I've got Veil, Answer, and Väsen on my list already.

Shit just saw this, Answer is awesome as is Triple Crossing. I was looking forward to heading back there this year and they moved the conference to Jacksonville.

Drinking my Sip of Sunshine clone, added a bit of DME to bump the ABV up, so it's hitting a wee bit under 9%. Super, super drinkable. 5 gallons is going to go fast.

We really loved Answer, went there 3x. Ardent and Three Notch'd were good as well. Missed Veil, Vasen and Triple Crossing. Didn't visit Hardywood, but drank a few of their beers at the house.

My son just started working part time at Bellwoods Brewery as a dishwasher in their restaurant here in Toronto.

This place makes incredible and very creative beers. I am blessed.

Nice article on the newest, smallest, and my favorite of San Carlos’ three brewpubs. Blue Oak Brewery. A couple different IPAs, Belgian dubl & tripl, a sour, a porter, a Pilsner, a couple stouts...

As some of you may know, today was my birthday. For the last 6 years, we've been making an annual trip up to Avery for a pint or 3.

When I first was going they had free 3 oz tasters, then $1 a taster. Today they were charging 9$ for 4 oz for some of the tasters. I realize it's high test stuff. But 9$ for a fucking taster? C'mon now.

sancarlos wrote:Nice article on the newest, smallest, and my favorite of San Carlos’ three brewpubs. Blue Oak Brewery. A couple different IPAs, Belgian dubl & tripl, a sour, a porter, a Pilsner, a couple stouts...

Like you needed another in town, FFS. I need another trip to the Bay Area. My boss is trying to get funding for another team meeting. Hopefully it happens soon.

Double Fuzzy Ducks is a really really nice beer.

(and I am glad that I have a beer release traveling buddy that likes to send care packages.)

Carton Brewing is so much fun. Drinking their Decoy Winter Warmer, a Belgian Quad inspired by a duck dish at Eleven Madison Park, one of the most acclaimed restaurants in New York. Cumin, coriander, lavender flowers, sichuan peppercorns, and honey. I figured it'd be interesting, but even with great reviews, I didn't expect to love it, but fuck, this is a great beer! 12% ABV, but it really feels like a small beer. You can taste a hint of alcohol in the aftertaste, but it just doesn't seem like a big beer.