NT, What Beer Do You Drink?

[based mod]

The lady was able to find some of the bourbon county coffee and barleywine in OC

Surprise. I'm pretty hammered again. The kids sleep over at grandma's and all hell breaks loose.
Went to the local brewery tonight. Smog City Brewing.
Started off with the Grape Ape IPA, then went to a Plum Saison, then a Bloddy Knuckle Stout, then a Hoptango IPA (IPA brewed with Mango). Then came home and cracked open the Rogue Pretzel-Chocolate-Raspberry ale which was excellent.
Not a bad or subpar beer in the bunch.

Have a great weekend everybody!

-J-

What is this style of beer glass called? Can't find them anywhere to save my life...

Tulip has a flared out top

Snifter is more enclosed

 

[wallyhopp]

Looks like a tulip, snifter, or a Belgian beer glass

I have found those restraunt supply stores that have all this cheap glass is a great place for stuff like this.. Even second hand goodwill type stores. Lots of vintage beer mugs out there

 

[Comparison Ford]

 

Surprise. I'm pretty hammered again. The kids sleep over at grandma's and all hell breaks loose.
Went to the local brewery tonight. Smog City Brewing.
Started off with the Grape Ape IPA, then went to a Plum Saison, then a Bloddy Knuckle Stout, then a Hoptango IPA (IPA brewed with Mango). Then came home and cracked open the Rogue Pretzel-Chocolate-Raspberry ale which was excellent.
Not a bad or subpar beer in the bunch.




Have a great weekend everybody!

-J-

What is this style of beer glass called? Can't find them anywhere to save my life...

Tulip glasses in the top photo.  Looks like snifter glasses in the bottom pic.

*EDIT: Ah dernit.  Beat me to it 

 

[TipsyMcStagga]

Appreciate the info bros!

 

[wallyhopp]

Anyone else get crazy looks at party functions for drinking beer out of an oversized wine glass over a frosted mug? Everyone seems to have a nice wine glass collection. So I have had to go that route before


Tonight's drink of choice..
Deschutes' Red Chair NWPA out of a SN IPA glass
Damn this glass makes these beers look so pretty. I think the thinness of the glass just really makes the light shine and interact with these beers.
Design wise, it appears the bubbles shoot straight up giving you a very unique drinking experience mixing bubbles with the edges that are less carbonated

-Three of my six pack done. Still not convinced of the accolades on this beer. There is a malt sweetness that takes over in the aftertaste. It makes it drink heavier than it really is. I either way more hops or less sweetness to give it a more crisp dry finish. It finishes very heavy IMHO

 

[salazaro44]

Just had my first drain pour. Shipyards mint chocolate stout. The mint taste is absolutely awful and it lingers in your mouth long after

 

[yeahitsrust]

Hopslam hit the shelves today in Michigan. I would suggest you get some

Heard Bell's is officially making its way to New York on January 20th.  Hope this means Long Island is getting some.  I'd love to be able to get my hands on some Two Hearted, Hopslam, and Black Note. 

In other news, the 2014 batch of Firestone Walker Sucaba just came out.  Probably my favorite English Barleywine.  Will be stockpiling.

If anyone is willing to cop me a 4-5 Sucabas I would do just about anything in the way of a trade. Please let me know in a PM. Thanks!

 

[fade on you]

 

[wallyhopp]

Heads up. There's a Total Wine $ 1 off $6.99 or higher 4 or 6 pack coupon that came out Tuesday. Expires Sunday evening for various states
http://image.email-totalwine.com/li...pn-BC-1_01072014-VA-CFW-NC-SC-FL-CA-NV-NM.jpg

I took full advantage .

Has anyone tried Odell's Runoff Red Ale? It's apparently a hoppy red, which I tend to like. I didn't want to risk it knowing Lagunitas Sucks was still around.

Beer rant below.............
The common beer consumer.. I just ran into a pretty nice fellow at Total Wine..
I'm furthest from a beer snob (or so I hope). I ran into a guy today who asked me where I got some La Cumbre IPA that dominated my shopping cart. He said he had a pint at a applbee's and wanted to revisit what all the "hype" is about that he had heard from others since his applebee's visit. By all accounts he liked it. Luck be that it was right in front of us.. He picked it up and then saw the price .He iInstantly put it down. He said something about $8 bucks being too much to try it again.. I said "yeah expensive stuff" and I kind of shrugged my shoulders (more for me ultimately).

Meanwhile I hear him ask about a Slayer beer (band). They mention to him that they don't have that one but they do have a Iron Maiden beer (trooper). He picks up a couple of those bombers without hesitation ($3.99), along with his other stuff in his cart (Pilsner Urquell & Sapporo). As I'm walking to the register, he kinda quickly asks me if I had ever tried the Trooper.. I said Nope. (why take my advice now I think to myself). After him seeing me with a cart full of that IPA earlier, and passing on that beer, competition out there seem to be fierce. Whether it's the people working there offering advice, labels, colors, or other things. The average person just doesn't seem to want to take some quality advice. Some are scared at the selection

When he mentioned price, I should've shown him my excel spreadsheet on my phone. Given Sucks and this La Cumbre IPAs ABV, the beer cost value is among the best around. We're at $0.71 and $0.82. Only Bud light tops that at $0.70 when buying a 30 pack.... Value and great beer can be had at the same time..(for reference, the worst valued beers were Southern Charred and Deschutes Abyss). Bomber value is the worst out there. They are ripping us off ten fold at that quantity.
-----------------------

On a drinking front, I did a side blind side by side with Lagunitas Sucks and La Cumbre Elevated IPA. I guess they were a bit too cold initially because upon the first guess, I guessed the wrong beer was the other. HUGE NO NO... Second time around, I could tell there was a bit more sweetness/grapefruit out of La Cumbre to know that that was the beer I knew and loved... Sucks was a touch less sweet smelling, but still had a sweet mouthfeel.. These guys are neck and neck. I give the nod if you like that hop touch to La Cumbre. But if you like the malt sweetness and more ABV, Sucks gets the nod.. Color wise, they are IDENTICAL. I knew I was onto something last year when I felt they carried the same properties... I'll get a photo later this weekend of the two side by side... If you all have heard the praises from me about LC Elevated IPA, Sucks is a very close relative, flavor wise. Sucks now has a strong seasonal following and great review scores, which makes me think LC Ipa would have that same crazy following if it was more widely distributed.


After six days of my growler sitting, I finally had some time to share with a couple people.. Il Vicino's Gold Medal winning GABF 2013 Coffee Stout: Panama Joe's Coffee Stout.

Pitch black like most stouts. This has a crazy nice dark roasted coffee/chocolate aroma. The mouthfeel is about average. No true creaminess present. But this beer is ALLLLLLLLl coffee. In the taste, you get some coffee, a very slight touch of hops, but there is no crazy aftertastes of hops or bitterness. It is very carbonated and smooth (but not thick feeling or creamy.. Still very light). ABV is apparently in the +7.6% range but I couldn't tell. It doesn't have a sweet blast of anything as far as I can tell. Very mellow in that regard. Maybe the best coffee forward beer I have ever had. I would rate drinkability over BCBCS (likely a 5% abv difference) but even then. I can go through a couple of these coffee stouts with relative ease. BCBCS, it's one or two and lights out.

When they say COFFEE stout, they mean it.. 90% coffee flavors, some water mixed in, some beer flavorings lol, and some roasted chocolate flavors. It's a dry, not so sweet coffee beer that does the job right.. More growler fills to follow before they sell out.

Cheers to the weekend ahead.

 

[tee eye ehm]

Went to my local spot for my weekly Pliny the Elder pick up, also hoping for some Blind Pig, but no luck.

Went with some Pliny and some good old Dogfish 90 minute.

My local Bevmo has a bunch of Abyss sitting on the shelves as well.

 

[based mod]

When he mentioned price, I should've shown him my excel spreadsheet on my phone. Given Sucks and this La Cumbre IPAs ABV, the beer cost value is among the best around. We're at $0.71 and $0.82. Only Bud light tops that at $0.70 when buying a 30 pack.... Value and great beer can be had at the same time..(for reference, the worst valued beers were Southern Charred and Deschutes Abyss). Bomber value is the worst out there. They are ripping us off ten fold at that quantity.

Just my opinion, but I think the ABVrice ratio is the wrong way of valuing a beer. Tasterice ratio would obviously be less objective, but definitely more effective at gauging a beer's worth.


About people disregarding your advice of buying an $8 bomber when they can get a 12-pack for the same price, it's understandable. Not everyone cares to appreciate the intricacies of a good beer. It takes time to develop a palate that can discern a good beer from a bad one - maybe the next time someone asks you for a recommendation, ask what they like and give some lower-priced options. When people ask me for a good starter craft beer, I recommend Lagunitas IPA since it's cheap, widely available, and generally palatable for the naive taste buds.


And yea, you do sound like a beer snob

 

[murkn3m]

Just drank a 4loko... Never again in my life I hate liq!

 

[kickhead23]

When he mentioned price, I should've shown him my excel spreadsheet on my phone. Given Sucks and this La Cumbre IPAs ABV, the beer cost value is among the best around. We're at $0.71 and $0.82. Only Bud light tops that at $0.70 when buying a 30 pack.... Value and great beer can be had at the same time..(for reference, the worst valued beers were Southern Charred and Deschutes Abyss). Bomber value is the worst out there. They are ripping us off ten fold at that quantity.
-----------------------


After six days of my growler sitting, I finally had some time to share with a couple people.. Il Vicino's Gold Medal winning GABF 2013 Coffee Stout: Panama Joe's Coffee Stout.

Pitch black like most stouts. This has a crazy nice dark roasted coffee/chocolate aroma. The mouthfeel is about average. No true creaminess present. But this beer is ALLLLLLLLl coffee. In the taste, you get some coffee, a very slight touch of hops, but there is no crazy aftertastes of hops or bitterness. It is very carbonated and smooth (but not thick feeling or creamy.. Still very light). ABV is apparently in the +7.6% range but I couldn't tell. It doesn't have a sweet blast of anything as far as I can tell. Very mellow in that regard. Maybe the best coffee forward beer I have ever had. I would rate drinkability over BCBCS (likely a 5% abv difference) but even then. I can go through a couple of these coffee stouts with relative ease. BCBCS, it's one or two and lights out.

When they say COFFEE stout, they mean it.. 90% coffee flavors, some water mixed in, some beer flavorings lol, and some roasted chocolate flavors. It's a dry, not so sweet coffee beer that does the job right.. More growler fills to follow before they sell out.

Cheers to the weekend ahead.

I would be interested in seeing this spreadsheet

Also, talking about coffee stouts, where you do rank the Bell's Java Stout? And have you had Cigar City's Cuban Style Espresso Brown Ale?

 

[jbug88]

I would be interested in seeing this spreadsheet

+1
jnance88@gmail.com

-J-

 

[jbug88]

My local Bevmo has a bunch of Abyss sitting on the shelves as well.

If you want my advice, pick up a few bottles.
I thought it was an excellent beer and it will get better as it ages.
i bought 3 bottles (already drank 1) and wish i could have gotten a few more, but here in SoCal it is long gone.

-J-

 

[xxpizzo]

has anyone tried Hop Devil before ? Homie tried to put me on but it was to strong for my liking. 

2-3 of them and your gone.

 

[tee eye ehm]

My local Bevmo has a bunch of Abyss sitting on the shelves as well.

If you want my advice, pick up a few bottles.
I thought it was an excellent beer and it will get better as it ages.
i bought 3 bottles (already drank 1) and wish i could have gotten a few more, but here in SoCal it is long gone.

-J-

Yea, I've had it and its really good. But I didnt feel like buying a 20 dollar bottle of beer, so I went with one of my staples, and that was a $8.99 4pack of the Dogfish 90minute.

 

[Comparison Ford]

 

[jbug88]

Both of those Weihenstephaner are EXCELLENT.
My pic from a few months ago...

-J-

 

[Comparison Ford]

Both of those Weihenstephaner are EXCELLENT.
My pic from a few months ago...


-J-

Nice.  I've had the Schneider Weisse Aventinus before, but the two Weihenstephaners are brand new to me.  Looking forward to trying them.

 

[wallyhopp]

When he mentioned price, I should've shown him my excel spreadsheet on my phone. Given Sucks and this La Cumbre IPAs ABV, the beer cost value is among the best around. We're at $0.71 and $0.82. Only Bud light tops that at $0.70 when buying a 30 pack.... Value and great beer can be had at the same time..(for reference, the worst valued beers were Southern Charred and Deschutes Abyss). Bomber value is the worst out there. They are ripping us off ten fold at that quantity.

Just my opinion, but I think the ABVrice ratio is the wrong way of valuing a beer. Tasterice ratio would obviously be less objective, but definitely more effective at gauging a beer's worth.


About people disregarding your advice of buying an $8 bomber when they can get a 12-pack for the same price, it's understandable. Not everyone cares to appreciate the intricacies of a good beer. It takes time to develop a palate that can discern a good beer from a bad one - maybe the next time someone asks you for a recommendation, ask what they like and give some lower-priced options. When people ask me for a good starter craft beer, I recommend Lagunitas IPA since it's cheap, widely available, and generally palatable for the naive taste buds.


And yea, you do sound like a beer snob

I guess I look at value in two ways.. The cost per ounce seen at grocery stores used to help consumers make decisions. Sometimes an item is $5 for 10 oz. and at another store that same item in a 15 oz. can is $8. Where does the true "bargain" value lie? The other way is when I see two comparable beers but one is priced a touch differently making me wonder why. At total wine, sometimes they have a 12 oz bottle priced cheaper than a 16.9 or 22 oz bottle. Be smart. Be educated lol.

Most of the time, prices are higher because they use more ingredients because it takes more to make higher ABV beer. Common sense type stuff that many consumers don't grasp at with beer just yet. One of my local breweries has changed how they charge for their draft beer. It's now a three tier system where lower ABV beers are cheaper, and those amped up beers are higher priced. Most still have the standard pricing structure in place. I'm a bargain hunter at heart so I look at getting a good bang for my buck with quality beer choices. I have never sacrificed quality for a "value". Or not bought something because it fell out of the 'bargain zone'. If I get a "value", I like to know how it compares.

As always though, high quality ingredients, how it was brewed, and many times the quantity (Bourbon Barrel aging space and time needed is a huge reason those are expensive) are bigger determinants than ABV alone. So this isn't a full proof system.... Malt liquor should dominate the list. So I guess it's not totally about that. No offense to Boatswain Double IPA, but its D rating on BA indicates quite a bit about it, yet its #1 on the list and I'm not running to the store buying that (btw list is sorted by column H A->Z indicating "best value".

Now if I could figure out a nice incorporation of the BA review score in relation to my value chart, it may lead to another column... Any suggestions?
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Kickhead23, I have not tried either of those beers. I don't live in a state with the biggest of distribution choices. I hope to try those both someday. I love a good coffee 'only' stout.

Jbug88, I made this google docs spreadsheet sharable. So everyone can add their own beers if they would like


Yellow columns is where you enter your data. Pretty straight forward. The green columns have the outputs for what you enter.

The first two green columns may be hard to initially grasp. But I'll try to explain
-ABV ozs per $. - Given the price of your beer, how many ABV do you get out of that... As a standard example, I use Dos Equis Lager as the baseline. It contains 50.4 ABV given it's 12 oz. and 4.2% ABV. Higher the number the better here.
-PRICE per ABV oz in cents- Dos Equis in this example has a 1.98 cent value for every ABV. A quick multiplication shows that for every ONE ABV, it costs 1.98 cents. (1.98 x 50.4 = $1.00)
-$$ Price per ABV oz in dollars given standard 50.4 bottle- This is the one I look to the most. For Dos Equis, your standard 12 oz. 4.2% beer has a cost of $1.00. As we look down the list, we can compare a GI BCBCS to a ten fidy. One costs $3 more, but has 3.4% more alcohol. This spreadsheet quickly does the math and shows that BCBCS is in fact a decent value.

This all started when I wanted to know how much more they were charging me on 16 oz pours vs. growlers.. Then sometimes these places would randomly add in a $4 growler fill up charge for their bigger or seasonal choices.. "Was there value?", I asked or should I stick to my regular house choices.
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xxpizzo, Hop Devil is from Victory right? I was out in NY back in May (they don't distribute locally). I had some then. One thing I took away was that even though the IBU was in the 50s (bittering units), it felt way hoppier. One needs to be prepared for that. I found it to be at that extreme hop level. From the smell to the taste, all hops. Quite surprising. I don't think you'll find too many that are that hop forward with supposedly less IBU. I guess you could call it a bit unbalanced. I'd probably buy once in awhile if available.



Comparison Ford, VITUS!. Glad to see you picked some up finally. I caught on to most of Weihenstephaner beers this past May.. been hooked ever since. Vitus will have some of that yeasty fruity flavors, mixed with bananas like a typical hefe, and a nice clean dry carbonated tart finish. The finish on all Weihenstephaners is world class. Original is a classic helles lager. Truly think of a world class "budweiser" type beer. And that beer is a perfect intro to anyone wanting to try something a bit classier.

 

[salazaro44]

Just had port brewings older viscosity. It's so pricey but such a good beer. Now drinking 2013 stone Russian imperial stout. My palette has gone a long ways since I first had this about 2 years ago. It's an incredible beer especially for the cost.

 

[aph]

Yooo, Head Hunter is legit. One of my favorite IPAs. Fat Head's is definitely on the upswing.

Can't go wrong with Weihenstephaner, either. Probably the best bang for your buck in the beer world.

 

[stillin729]

Finally had Founders Breakfast Stout; little hazy this morning

 

[wallyhopp]

Finally had Founders Breakfast Stout; little hazy this morning

jealous... On draft too?