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Bell's 30th was pretty solid.
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I enjoyed the Boont. Has a great a smell, and tastes a bit different from the other ambers I've tried thus far. Will definitely be buying it again in the future.
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Lucked out and caught the beer distributor at Whole Foods during my lunch break. I was able to get a few before the craziness hit.
Still one of my favorites from Founders.
http://s60.photobucket.com/user/admerr/media/EAB6EF40-B258-4FF4-9591-73E8B39D0B0D.jpg.html
Still one of my favorites from Founders.
http://s60.photobucket.com/user/admerr/media/EAB6EF40-B258-4FF4-9591-73E8B39D0B0D.jpg.html
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Got these tonight
Still trying out new beers. I peeped a fair amount of ayinger oktober fest-märzen still on the shelf definitely gotta cop some before they're out. Just wish they weren't so pricey.
Just a little update. Didn't like any of these. Especially not the Monk. Had a burnt bread taste I couldn't get into.
I loved SN Ofest this year. It's closer to a Ayinger or Weihenstephaner than the Americanized Oktoberfest such as Sam Adams. I'm surprised you liked the Ayinger but not the SN.
Ayingers and weihenstephaners around here go do about $3.50 to $4/500 ml bottle.
You'll find the majority of craft beer is closer to where Full Sail is. It's introductory in some sense. Basic flavors. Much can be said the same about Sam Adams, and Shiner, for example. So nothing wrong with basic. But you're gonna have to weed out a lot of mediocre beers before finding the ones that hit the right note. I have about 6 lager/kolschs in my fridge from a month back that I need to have a tasting of.
Why would Guinness even feel the need to clarify their beer? Their best selling stout is BLACK as is. I guess its more of a taste thing for them? Many use a small micron filter to filter out some of the remaining muck. Some use irish moss during the brewing process. A lot of breweries don't even report that they do or don't use Isinglass, which makes the vegan argument pretty much pointless since they can't with 100% certainty know what's in their food or drinks. The fact that you use mere ounces in a thousand ounce batch also shows that percentage wise
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Born yesterday puts sucks to shame imho.
Fruitlands was amazing. I had that this past weekend along with a Fortunate Island w/ Grapefruit zest, which put GF sculpin to shame.
Jbug88. I feel you on the trading thing. From time to time I feel I have to give some new stuff a try to see if my taste buds are settling for the local, or it is in fact really good stuff. I'm not married to the whole 100% local vibe just yet.
Founders Backwoods hit my area today. This is actually my slow time of year with the drinking. Usually its pounding a couple as the heat lingers as I sit under a patio. Inside drinking doesn't mesh with me. Anyone else like that?
APlus18, is there pure craziness where you live for it? My local shop put it on their FB page with limited next to it. But no indication of any sort of limits etc. I really like that one but last weeks Born yesterday haul of 3 sixers did me in. I can't be buying new beer every day now lol
Mangudai954, Are you keeping track of what you like or don't like? Anderson Valleys Barney flats oatmeal stout is real nice too. I have it between that one and Deschutes Obsidian Stout as my readily available year round relatively cheap for a sixer type sub 8% stout beer. If you like the darker reds that aren't hoppy, the americanized oktoberfests are very similar.
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Slighted, I've had it a few times prior. It's about 2% more abv. It's a scotch ale aged in Bourbon Barrels. I found it to have a great barrel influence, almost no chocolate or coffee notes. A touch woody, roasty and light vanilla flavors. Smooth and sweet. It's not a stout in any sense. You'd be looking at KBS for the bourbon variety of FBS. But for the style that it is, it's the pinnacle top of the hill type stuff imho
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[quote name="WallyHopp"]
Mangudai954, Are you keeping track of what you like or don't like? Anderson Valleys Barney flats oatmeal stout is real nice too. I have it between that one and Deschutes Obsidian Stout as my readily available year round relatively cheap for a sixer type sub 8% stout beer. If you like the darker reds that aren't hoppy, the americanized oktoberfests are very similar.[/quote]
Yes sir I have been. As a reference Sam Adams Ofest was OK. Very drinkable, but found it to be missing something.
Ill give the flats oatmeal stout and obsidian a try.
Mangudai954, Are you keeping track of what you like or don't like? Anderson Valleys Barney flats oatmeal stout is real nice too. I have it between that one and Deschutes Obsidian Stout as my readily available year round relatively cheap for a sixer type sub 8% stout beer. If you like the darker reds that aren't hoppy, the americanized oktoberfests are very similar.[/quote]
Yes sir I have been. As a reference Sam Adams Ofest was OK. Very drinkable, but found it to be missing something.
Ill give the flats oatmeal stout and obsidian a try.
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Backwoods is one of my favorites from them but I'm a sucker for wee heavies. I really wouldn't compare it to FBS. As
wallyhopp
stated, you'd be better off tracking down their KBS (which I was not that impressed with the 2015 batch). There's far too many other barrel aged stouts with less hype that are better IMO. This was the first time I've had it this fresh in qhite some time but the bourbon was massive on this batch. I'm going to let a few age and see how they do in the next 6 months+.Another barrel aged wee heavy that ranks close to it would be Saint Arnold's Bishop Barrel 5 but they're pretty much impossible to track down at this point.
Pretty much spot-on. I'd add that there's also a significant malt presence as well (as with most Scotch ales).
For some reason, these typically disappear with the quickness in my area. We usually don't get big numbers distributed to our area. They end up breaking the 4 packs and sell them as singles (as they do with KBS, 120 etc.) but I ended up only paying $16 for all four. Other stores in the area will gouge them and charge around $7 per 12oz. and they won't have a problem moving them. Fortunately, Whole Foods stays pretty fair on the pricing.
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Can't wait for Backwoods Bastard to hit Norcal. One of my favorites from Founders behind FBS.
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I got wicked lucky which never happens. 
Wife isn't working and she snuck in there after me and got her/my other share too.
Wife isn't working and she snuck in there after me and got her/my other share too.
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They were only doing two 4 packs of Backwoods and 2 Bombs. Dude hooked me up with 4 bombs because I'm in there quite often. Then my wife got her two and two. Today we a rare, good haul day.
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Where can I find Pliny in San Diego?
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Jimbo's in Clairemont regularly gets them, but sell out.
Can also call the usual spots, Best Damn Beer Shop & Bottlecraft.
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Kind of over bought for a cousins birthday this weekend. I'll share with whomever asks. To hell with drinking only dos equis, bud light, or miller lite.
No apparent limit on the 8+cases my state apparently got on the backwoods. At $14/4, I sorta felt I was paying a bit too much but quickly realized I would easily spend that on a bomber and feel okay. Had to get 2 4 packs before the vultures and word of mouth has it sold out in aweeks time. Alpine Nelson is now sold out too. It kinda sat for a couple weeks.
Felt I needed a colder weather brew. Went with a marble oatmeal stout. This was on a nearly one year hiatus from being bottled, as they hit capacity and chose to product nearly only their red ale and ipa.
Frickin hofbrau or its distributor just got this into stores around my way. I think I had nearly 16 different oktoberfests this year. We'll see how this pans out
SN Celebration will get a one bottle try before a larger commitment.
Local shop is sitting on a couple cases of Born Yesterday for a mere $9/sixer. I couldnt pass up another sixer try.
Bosque Brewing Scale Tipper. Only big money item purchase here in bomber form. Unknown bottling date so we shall see.
The better shop in town doesnt have Sucks, but a total wine does. I couldnt pass up the price point. $8.5/sixer.
I saw many places just a week or two back that were sitting on many sixers and twelve packs of SN Oktoerfest, only for them to disappear in place of Celebration Ale. So when I finally got an itching for the last remaining SN Ofest of the year (and FOREVER of this particular yearly release as each year is collaborated with someone else), I had to get it.
Whenever I want Blood Orange Gose, its usually gone. So I took the plunge for another sixer.
Can't go to a store looking for one beer, only to get so many others without picking up some elevated IPA.
No apparent limit on the 8+cases my state apparently got on the backwoods. At $14/4, I sorta felt I was paying a bit too much but quickly realized I would easily spend that on a bomber and feel okay. Had to get 2 4 packs before the vultures and word of mouth has it sold out in aweeks time. Alpine Nelson is now sold out too. It kinda sat for a couple weeks.
Felt I needed a colder weather brew. Went with a marble oatmeal stout. This was on a nearly one year hiatus from being bottled, as they hit capacity and chose to product nearly only their red ale and ipa.
Frickin hofbrau or its distributor just got this into stores around my way. I think I had nearly 16 different oktoberfests this year. We'll see how this pans out
SN Celebration will get a one bottle try before a larger commitment.
Local shop is sitting on a couple cases of Born Yesterday for a mere $9/sixer. I couldnt pass up another sixer try.
Bosque Brewing Scale Tipper. Only big money item purchase here in bomber form. Unknown bottling date so we shall see.
The better shop in town doesnt have Sucks, but a total wine does. I couldnt pass up the price point. $8.5/sixer.
I saw many places just a week or two back that were sitting on many sixers and twelve packs of SN Oktoerfest, only for them to disappear in place of Celebration Ale. So when I finally got an itching for the last remaining SN Ofest of the year (and FOREVER of this particular yearly release as each year is collaborated with someone else), I had to get it.
Whenever I want Blood Orange Gose, its usually gone. So I took the plunge for another sixer.
Can't go to a store looking for one beer, only to get so many others without picking up some elevated IPA.
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Have any of you guys tried the New Belgium x Ben & Jerry's collabo? It's a salted caramel brown ale. It's good but I think it just tastes like a brown ale, not really as sweet as I thought it would be.
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just swung by the bottle shop because i saw they posted on Facebook this afternoon that they got dogfish head Pennsylvania tuxedo which i was interested in
86 by the time i got there though...also had higher math 4 packs which i was considering purchasing a single if the price wasn't outrageous but the price was outrageous...i think it was something like $16 for a single and $50 for a 4 pack
checked the price on backwoods bastard since they just got it in and i'm passing on $18...plus i still have a couple from last year i think
meant to post this awhile ago...a documentary about the growing craft beer scene in Harrisburg area:
86 by the time i got there though...also had higher math 4 packs which i was considering purchasing a single if the price wasn't outrageous but the price was outrageous...i think it was something like $16 for a single and $50 for a 4 pack
checked the price on backwoods bastard since they just got it in and i'm passing on $18...plus i still have a couple from last year i think
meant to post this awhile ago...a documentary about the growing craft beer scene in Harrisburg area:
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^Growth scares me. I have no vested interest like many I know who seem to want to invest or are invested less as a consumer, and more as a behind the scenes investor. I just see way too many people who are non loyal. On any average day, youll see a nice carousel of tourists at La Cumbre. They come and go, and may have nice things to say. But they are one and doners. I see the same with these large running groups or the biking groups. It's the IN thing to love and like local craft beer. I realize growth trends are showing almost unlimited potential. But that scares me. Limited releases come and go. I believe the better breweries are building up core lineups that will stand the test of time for a couple of years vs. those that see the $$$ before any sort of long term goal.
Crumps, how are most of those beers? Here where I live, I see many drinking local just to be or say they like or drink local. When it comes down to it, the local ambers are usually no better than a six pack of Fat Tire, at almost 4 times the cost, because it's draft/growler only.
I've only actively involve in this since about 2008 (what appears to be the origin era of craft for most areas). And I'm getting less impressed as the months go by. Mediocre beers flood bars all around. Beers that bars expect to garner the same price as the main stays. I give it another 8 months before we see some distribution dog fights.
Crumps, how are most of those beers? Here where I live, I see many drinking local just to be or say they like or drink local. When it comes down to it, the local ambers are usually no better than a six pack of Fat Tire, at almost 4 times the cost, because it's draft/growler only.
I've only actively involve in this since about 2008 (what appears to be the origin era of craft for most areas). And I'm getting less impressed as the months go by. Mediocre beers flood bars all around. Beers that bars expect to garner the same price as the main stays. I give it another 8 months before we see some distribution dog fights.
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^ Interesting.
Tried goose island's Ofest yesterday on a whim. I was surprised, it was pretty good. Nice balance between the bread, malt, and hop flavors. Do seasonal beers change in flavor year to year? If so, why?
Tried goose island's Ofest yesterday on a whim. I was surprised, it was pretty good. Nice balance between the bread, malt, and hop flavors. Do seasonal beers change in flavor year to year? If so, why?
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^ Seasonals for the most part are either 100% brand new, or re releases. SN is an exception. Sierra Nevada for the past two years has collaborated with different breweries to produce a different brew each year. It appears they are on pace to continue that tradition, despite world wide phrase and a rise to a near #1 rank of their 2015 Oktoberfest collab.
Ayinger Ofest, Weihenstephaner, GI, Pyramid, Hofbrau, and more than 95% of others appear to continue in their past successes and brew the same seasonal each year. Each year, one should and has expected a Ayinger Oktoberfest to taste the same as it has in the past.
Goose Island, I felt was close to what Sam Adams does with the Oktoberfest. Quite a malty variety. If you can find a Left Hand Oktoberfest, give it a try. For the most part, Ofest season is long gone. I see about 2-3 remaining around my way.
We did this awhile back
The German varieties held their own nicely. Quite a few of the American varieties including GI felt a touch too heavy. May I recommend you ramping up your tastings to include 2-3 of a particular style, and drink them blindly.
Hacker Pschorr and Hofbrau hit my area a bit later than the rest. Those are really good tries too.
Ayinger Ofest, Weihenstephaner, GI, Pyramid, Hofbrau, and more than 95% of others appear to continue in their past successes and brew the same seasonal each year. Each year, one should and has expected a Ayinger Oktoberfest to taste the same as it has in the past.
Goose Island, I felt was close to what Sam Adams does with the Oktoberfest. Quite a malty variety. If you can find a Left Hand Oktoberfest, give it a try. For the most part, Ofest season is long gone. I see about 2-3 remaining around my way.
We did this awhile back
The German varieties held their own nicely. Quite a few of the American varieties including GI felt a touch too heavy. May I recommend you ramping up your tastings to include 2-3 of a particular style, and drink them blindly.
Hacker Pschorr and Hofbrau hit my area a bit later than the rest. Those are really good tries too.
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i'm about an hour south of Harrisburg so there's a lot of places i haven't tried
Troegs, though now in Hershey started out in Harrisburg and I believe the Troeg brothers are from Harrisburg, is great...solid year rounds, great seasonals, and they always have new stuff in there scratch series that they're 200+ beers deep in...they kind of use it as a platform to experiment with different hops and flavors or whatnot
Pizza Boy is great too...they have 99 taps and up to 3 firkins at a time...they have around 15-25 of their own beers on tap. they start bottling bombers last year but haven't since. they occasionally bottle sours in 750 ml bottles which can have a high price tag which can cause a fuss as shown in this thread: http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/pizza-boy-haters-tears-controversy.294274/
the only other larger brewery within the immediate area is Appalachian which is decent but doesn't really have any thing that stands out from what i've drank
there's a lot of smaller brew pubs in Harrisburg and Lancaster area such as zero day, molly pitcher, brewery at hershey, bubes, market cross, helltown, etc...some which i've heard good things and had interest in trying but just haven't gotten there yet
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Picked these up for the weekend.
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Happy International Stout Day.
I'm feeling pretty nice right now.
With a porter thrown in. An absolutely awesome porter at that. If you have a chance, pick it up.
I'm feeling pretty nice right now.
With a porter thrown in. An absolutely awesome porter at that. If you have a chance, pick it up.
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One of the perks of doing overnight supervision at my job is that I can drink a beer at 8:00 AM with no shame whatsoever. Cheers, NT:
