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That was my gateway beer. lol.
That was my gateway beer. lol.
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All my friends drink crap beer. For the superbowl party I supplied with fire rock and 400 lb monkey
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Someone came through with lagunitas ipa and I had a s'more porter in the car! So much win!
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Tonight's pour
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Sucks is awesome.
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One Beers at a time
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I tried the Magic Hat #9.. definitely not my style. Hard time getting through one bottle.
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That was the beer that got me into craft beer. At first I could only tolerate wheat and fruit beers. Fast forward about five years later and my favorites are Imperial IPAs, Imperial Stouts, Old Ales, English Barleywines, and most things barrel-aged.
8 inches of snow and counting today. Enjoying one of these right now:
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Ending a great night with this beer. Great beer but it's making me crave BBQ so bad. Nice smokey, cloves, black pepper taste. Had a knuckle sandwich at bootleggers and melange 1 at the bruery. Had sushi for dinner.
Celebrating a year of seeing my gf everyday. Kind of a weird thing to celebrate, right?
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I think I can find some older posts of mine that state as much. My gateway beers that I can recall were Sam Adams Boston Lager and Shiner Bock.. I revisited both recently with an open mind.. SA reminds me a touch of a oktoberfest style beer. Both are lagers and try to be full of malt flavors. SA has a touch of hops that can throw off some bitterness. But it's a beer that is pretty easy to drink (after having IPAs and RISs for months). I can find some flavor out of that beer. I prefer the malts used for an oktoberfest. Way more flavor. Shiner Bock is a weird one. I can't detect any specifics in the flavor area, but I get a sense of malts, malts, and maybe a touch of hops. Again, an okay gateway beer. Both don't grab me on the flavor front anymore. Both a helluva lot better than the macro light beer offerings. They still don't seem so bad. Just very light on the palette.
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-I had a friend in the southern colorado area a week back. They brought back some Trinity brewing coffee stout, and some Phantom Canyon Smoked Rauchbier (as a lager). The coffee stout was a touch more mellow than other coffee beers, smell wise. I'd say it was about on par with other stouts I've had. Nothing blew me away or caused concern... The smoked rauchbier blew me away.. At first the color in light looks to be very light. So you aren't expecting that smoked flavor. But it packs a great flavor with a light crisp refreshing quality that lagers bring. ABV was apparently 5.6%. DARN GOOD..
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How much is SUCKS in 32 oz format?
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- Sep 28, 2004
Ahhhhhh snap. Finally had a chance for a great opportunity in trying what many deem as being the best of the best best.
Quick review:
-Color is a bit cloudy. Smell is wonderful. Can't tell what type of hops but its very pleasant. Very nice head present throughout the beer.. Taste: I think this is what they call a east coast ipa. I smell a touch of pine, a touch of tropical fruit/citrus. Taste is almost all bitterness initially. The rest is very smooth with a nice hidden presence of alcohol. I don't taste much sweetness or heaviness in the beer. Quite the nice attribute for this beer since it does have 8% abv.... I gotta say, some beers out there come close (so the hunt for it may be tough to call). But for the most part, this delivers.... I actually prefer the west coast style with the tropical fruits more present in both smell and taste (think lagunitas sucks). Am I right assuming that this beer is a east coast IPA?
I drank about two sips out of the can and caught way more hops in the taste than in the poured variety.. Not sure what is actually the way to go. The sweetness HAS to be there somewhere but it's not quite as present as say a Lagunitas Sucks (or locally Project Dank, where I prefer the lower ABV beer since the heaviness is lessened). Overall I am very appreciative of getting to try this one. Thanks Comparison Ford! More to follow. This is gonna be a great set of evenings coming up
Quick review:
-Color is a bit cloudy. Smell is wonderful. Can't tell what type of hops but its very pleasant. Very nice head present throughout the beer.. Taste: I think this is what they call a east coast ipa. I smell a touch of pine, a touch of tropical fruit/citrus. Taste is almost all bitterness initially. The rest is very smooth with a nice hidden presence of alcohol. I don't taste much sweetness or heaviness in the beer. Quite the nice attribute for this beer since it does have 8% abv.... I gotta say, some beers out there come close (so the hunt for it may be tough to call). But for the most part, this delivers.... I actually prefer the west coast style with the tropical fruits more present in both smell and taste (think lagunitas sucks). Am I right assuming that this beer is a east coast IPA?
I drank about two sips out of the can and caught way more hops in the taste than in the poured variety.. Not sure what is actually the way to go. The sweetness HAS to be there somewhere but it's not quite as present as say a Lagunitas Sucks (or locally Project Dank, where I prefer the lower ABV beer since the heaviness is lessened). Overall I am very appreciative of getting to try this one. Thanks Comparison Ford! More to follow. This is gonna be a great set of evenings coming up
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- Aug 12, 2012
Beyond jelous!Ahhhhhh snap. Finally had a chance for a great opportunity in trying what many deem as being the best of the best best.
Quick review:
-Color is a bit cloudy. Smell is wonderful. Can't tell what type of hops but its very pleasant. Very nice head present throughout the beer.. Taste: I think this is what they call a east coast ipa. I smell a touch of pine, a touch of tropical fruit/citrus. Taste is almost all bitterness initially. The rest is very smooth with a nice hidden presence of alcohol. I don't taste much sweetness or heaviness in the beer. Quite the nice attribute for this beer since it does have 8% abv.... I gotta say, some beers out there come close (so the hunt for it may be tough to call). But for the most part, this delivers.... I actually prefer the west coast style with the tropical fruits more present in both smell and taste (think lagunitas sucks). Am I right assuming that this beer is a east coast IPA?
I drank about two sips out of the can and caught way more hops in the taste than in the poured variety.. Not sure what is actually the way to go. The sweetness HAS to be there somewhere but it's not quite as present as say a Lagunitas Sucks (or locally Project Dank, where I prefer the lower ABV beer since the heaviness is lessened). Overall I am very appreciative of getting to try this one. Thanks Comparison Ford! More to follow. This is gonna be a great set of evenings coming up
I just had sculpin and knuckle sandwich. Nothing too fancy
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- Aug 31, 2012
Glad you enjoyed, Wally!
In retrospect, I honestly think this was one of the more inferior batches of Heady I've gotten my hands on. The last time I had it was August of last year and it absolutely blew me away. The 4 pack I got my hands on a few weeks back left me thinking "this is really good, but #1 beer in the world is highly questionable." Maybe it's because I've had so many great IPAs since then (Pliny, Sucks, Enjoy By, DirtWolf, Flower Power, etc.), maybe it's because my taste buds have changed, maybe their quality is on the decline. Either way, this batch didn't do it for me like previous batches have.
Anticipating the arrival of Wally's package tomorrow. Also got my hands on a fairly elusive beer (for the East coast, at least) yesterday that I plan on reviewing tomorrow. Stay tuned.
In retrospect, I honestly think this was one of the more inferior batches of Heady I've gotten my hands on. The last time I had it was August of last year and it absolutely blew me away. The 4 pack I got my hands on a few weeks back left me thinking "this is really good, but #1 beer in the world is highly questionable." Maybe it's because I've had so many great IPAs since then (Pliny, Sucks, Enjoy By, DirtWolf, Flower Power, etc.), maybe it's because my taste buds have changed, maybe their quality is on the decline. Either way, this batch didn't do it for me like previous batches have.
Anticipating the arrival of Wally's package tomorrow. Also got my hands on a fairly elusive beer (for the East coast, at least) yesterday that I plan on reviewing tomorrow. Stay tuned.
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- Aug 31, 2012
Wally's package has arrived safe and sound.
Unrelated news: As of yesterday, Blue Point Brewing Co. has officially been bought out by AB/InBev. This has been met with unwarranted hysteria by most people, particularly people I'm friends with on Facebook. I, for one, couldn't care less. I personally don't enjoy anything Blue Point makes. I find their beers to be fair-to-middling at best. I didn't buy their beers before, and I won't be buying them now. I just think it's funny how people I know are acting as if Blue Point is going to scrap their lineup of beers and brew a bunch of adjuncts. Look at what AB/InBev did with Goose Island: the mediocre beers that Goose Island makes have remained mediocre, and the exceptional beers that Goose Island makes have remained exceptional. The only difference is that their beers are now cheaper and more accessible.
Better news: Bells Brewing Co. is officially available on Long Island starting February 10th. Can't wait to get my hands on some Two Hearted, Hopslam, and Black Note.
Unrelated news: As of yesterday, Blue Point Brewing Co. has officially been bought out by AB/InBev. This has been met with unwarranted hysteria by most people, particularly people I'm friends with on Facebook. I, for one, couldn't care less. I personally don't enjoy anything Blue Point makes. I find their beers to be fair-to-middling at best. I didn't buy their beers before, and I won't be buying them now. I just think it's funny how people I know are acting as if Blue Point is going to scrap their lineup of beers and brew a bunch of adjuncts. Look at what AB/InBev did with Goose Island: the mediocre beers that Goose Island makes have remained mediocre, and the exceptional beers that Goose Island makes have remained exceptional. The only difference is that their beers are now cheaper and more accessible.
Better news: Bells Brewing Co. is officially available on Long Island starting February 10th. Can't wait to get my hands on some Two Hearted, Hopslam, and Black Note.
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- May 15, 2013
Just called my local Nugget market. They have Pliny the Elder, hopefully I can get my hands on some after I get off work in an hour.
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- Sep 28, 2004
I was so eager to try the heady topper, I forgot to add in the rest
I'm very excited to not let the others sit too long. May go with a hi res tonight or hop ranch. Gotta drink those hoppy beers at their peak.
Comparison Ford, I know I've hyped up elevated almost weekly. Hope it lives up to some sort of respectable standard I may have set. RE: HT/ I think at the very top of the line, it's a touch cloudy. A 95 rated beer on its best day (or your/my best day) is so close to a 100 rated beer. I've always said, some of the best beers I've had have been so smooth and simple tasting that it makes me wonder. I could barely pick up distinct characteristics of HT. I caught some serious hop bitterness that just hits you in the cheeks, and some mellow malts that happen to balance it out nicely without being overly sweet. But that's it. The easy drinking nature stands out above all. The playing field is leveling out definitely. So our taste buds have advanced as well. I don't know if we can be woowed anymore. It's fun trying.
I'm very excited to not let the others sit too long. May go with a hi res tonight or hop ranch. Gotta drink those hoppy beers at their peak.
Comparison Ford, I know I've hyped up elevated almost weekly. Hope it lives up to some sort of respectable standard I may have set. RE: HT/ I think at the very top of the line, it's a touch cloudy. A 95 rated beer on its best day (or your/my best day) is so close to a 100 rated beer. I've always said, some of the best beers I've had have been so smooth and simple tasting that it makes me wonder. I could barely pick up distinct characteristics of HT. I caught some serious hop bitterness that just hits you in the cheeks, and some mellow malts that happen to balance it out nicely without being overly sweet. But that's it. The easy drinking nature stands out above all. The playing field is leveling out definitely. So our taste buds have advanced as well. I don't know if we can be woowed anymore. It's fun trying.
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I cannot locate Hi-Res or anything Founder's around my way! 
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Picked these up at Nugget, really excited for the weekend... Or maybe after dinner tonight. Lol
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- Jan 21, 2003
Drink the Pliny asap! Drink it as fresh as possible...if your spot got it today, it should have been bottled last week or so, so pop that open and enjoy now!
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^Listen to this man.
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Lol affirmative.
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- Aug 31, 2012
Review time.
Stumbled across a bottle of this on Tuesday and decided to cop it without knowing anything about it. Pours a hazy golden color that generated a gigantic head with an aggressive pour. Definitely one to pour gently (also to make sure the yeast remains in the bottle). Aroma on this is earthy hops, spices, a bit of lemon/citrus, and Belgian yeast. Taste is similar, but is really light and well-balanced. The spices are fairly prominent, and the other flavors accentuate/compliment them nicely. For 7.75% ABV, I didn't pick up any booziness on this beer at all. Very drinkable, very nice. I'm not the biggest fan of Belgian/Belgian-style beers, but this one was a winner. Would purchase again if the price was right. Further proof that Russian River can do no wrong. 9.4/10
Decided to waste no time with @WallyHopp's package. Cracked one of these open around 4 PM today. Pours a translucent light amber color with a somewhat soapy head that dissipates at a moderate pace. One whiff of this beer and I'm already excited. Dank, resinous hops take center-stage on this one. Grapefruit, pine, tropical fruits, and other citrus flavors dominate this one. Not much of a floral characteristic on this beer, and none of the onion/garlic characteristic a lot of west coast IPAs tend to have from summit hops. Taste is equally pleasant. Grapefruit, pine/resin, some mango, and a nice, bready malt backbone. Alcohol presence is pretty much nonexistent. I could drink this all day. I'm about to finish the second can and I'm contemplating drinking the last one now.
This is definitely an upper-echelon IPA. I'd put this up there with Heady, Pliny, Sucks, DirtWolf, Head Hunter, etc. This would be a go-to beer of mine if I could get it out here. Far exceeded my expectations. 10/10
Stumbled across a bottle of this on Tuesday and decided to cop it without knowing anything about it. Pours a hazy golden color that generated a gigantic head with an aggressive pour. Definitely one to pour gently (also to make sure the yeast remains in the bottle). Aroma on this is earthy hops, spices, a bit of lemon/citrus, and Belgian yeast. Taste is similar, but is really light and well-balanced. The spices are fairly prominent, and the other flavors accentuate/compliment them nicely. For 7.75% ABV, I didn't pick up any booziness on this beer at all. Very drinkable, very nice. I'm not the biggest fan of Belgian/Belgian-style beers, but this one was a winner. Would purchase again if the price was right. Further proof that Russian River can do no wrong. 9.4/10
Decided to waste no time with @WallyHopp's package. Cracked one of these open around 4 PM today. Pours a translucent light amber color with a somewhat soapy head that dissipates at a moderate pace. One whiff of this beer and I'm already excited. Dank, resinous hops take center-stage on this one. Grapefruit, pine, tropical fruits, and other citrus flavors dominate this one. Not much of a floral characteristic on this beer, and none of the onion/garlic characteristic a lot of west coast IPAs tend to have from summit hops. Taste is equally pleasant. Grapefruit, pine/resin, some mango, and a nice, bready malt backbone. Alcohol presence is pretty much nonexistent. I could drink this all day. I'm about to finish the second can and I'm contemplating drinking the last one now.
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My lady friend is out in Charlotte right now. Is Hopslam available there now? Going to see if she can pick up a bunch of Bell's and Founders stuff.
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My lady and I had the Pliny last night.
And I must say it was definitely worth the wait. I love it. Reminds me a bit of sucks, but less bitterness. Definitely will try to make this permanent in my fridge. But like you guys said, I need to drink them asap.
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- Jul 1, 2005
Speaking of hopslam... I went into my local shop on my way home from Tuscaloosa and found two cases left. The guys at the counter told me they got it in a little after 130 yesterday and I bought the last two cases at 330. Got a total of 12 cases. Had a guy offer me twice the price of a case for one six pack. I gave him a sixer at regular price. Felt bad for the guy.
