BCBS may be as American as it gets, relatively speaking.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 2 May 2014 14:10 (ten years ago) link
Awesome, thanks. Some of those (Stone, Founders, Lost Abbey) I can get locally too so I can check the dates on the bottles. How fresh should an ipa be to count as "fresh"?
― popchips: the next snapple? (seandalai), Friday, 2 May 2014 14:13 (ten years ago) link
within 6 months imo
― call all destroyer, Friday, 2 May 2014 14:14 (ten years ago) link
slowburn LOL at "Millers Genuine Draught"
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 2 May 2014 14:48 (ten years ago) link
I saw Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on tap last time I was in London, I'd have to look through expense report journals to try to find out more specifics though.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 2 May 2014 14:49 (ten years ago) link
Rumor is Surly to start distro to Wisconsin?
― Jeff, Friday, 2 May 2014 16:16 (ten years ago) link
really? that would make me very happy. thinking about going to a tap takeover thing tonight (part of this insanity, which i don't want to get too caught up in).
― festival culture (Jordan), Friday, 2 May 2014 16:32 (ten years ago) link
i had a bottle of the Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout last night, i'm not generally into cherry but this was really good.
― festival culture (Jordan), Friday, 2 May 2014 16:33 (ten years ago) link
seandalai - i'd add epic and drake's to the list of stuff to check out, but i think the other suggestions are probably a bit more universally-acclaimed. drake's is surprisingly solid though! stillwater and southern tier are pretty good too, though some are definitely better than others
― hug niceman (psychgawsple), Friday, 2 May 2014 19:06 (ten years ago) link
re complaints about Beeradvocate reviews upthread, found this one for Torpedo there:
This IPA has the flavor I have been searching for in a beverage for half a century. I can't explain how the entire experience of ordering a Torpedo and drinking it is so complete. Adjectives disappear. I become one with the total experience. If it's not the perfect beer for me, it's as near perfect as I have ever found. I have tried to describe the experience to friends and family, but lately, I don't even care if no one else likes it. I'm totally selfish about it. I'm hoping Torpedo is served in the afterlife. Otherwise I may never check out. Well done Sierra Nevada!! I have checked off the perfect beer from my bucket list.
overall: 4.75
― anonanon, Friday, 2 May 2014 20:54 (ten years ago) link
lol
― marcos, Friday, 2 May 2014 20:56 (ten years ago) link
lol i would like to see the rest of that bucket list
― hug niceman (psychgawsple), Friday, 2 May 2014 21:05 (ten years ago) link
Still on the lookout for the perfect grilled cheese sandwich.
― Jeff, Friday, 2 May 2014 21:09 (ten years ago) link
idk anything about BA rating scales but I would figure "perfect" would equate to a round number
― dan m, Friday, 2 May 2014 22:27 (ten years ago) link
saving the 5.0 rating for when they actually drink sierra nevada torpedo in heaven
― hug niceman (psychgawsple), Friday, 2 May 2014 23:18 (ten years ago) link
Awesome. I guess Torpedo is the real answer to my US beer questions.
― popchips: the next snapple? (seandalai), Saturday, 3 May 2014 00:44 (ten years ago) link
Decided to pick up a 4pk so I am ridin' the ~chillwave~... I didn't know it was a Great Lakes surfing reference. Tastes better than when I had it on draft.
― dan m, Sunday, 4 May 2014 19:18 (ten years ago) link
Found a couple of bottles of Pipeworks barrel aged Jones Dog milk stout. Stoked.
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 4 May 2014 20:46 (ten years ago) link
I moved on to the Allagash FV13 that CAD sent a few weeks ago. Solid sour with a nice balance of flavors so nothing really dominates. Good amount of barrel to it, good carbonation. This was just over 2 years in the bottle and I guess 4 years in the barrel prior to that? I'm not sure we get any of their barrel-aged products in Chicago but I'd definitely try some more.
― dan m, Sunday, 4 May 2014 21:19 (ten years ago) link
We do, don't we? Bourbon barrel black Belgian, Curieux ...
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 4 May 2014 21:22 (ten years ago) link
We do, and I'm always too cheap to buy them.
― Jeff, Sunday, 4 May 2014 21:36 (ten years ago) link
Ah okay, can't recall ever seeing any.
― dan m, Sunday, 4 May 2014 21:45 (ten years ago) link
you guys prob get the large-format aged allagash things but not fv13 and the other stuff they've put out in 375s.
― call all destroyer, Sunday, 4 May 2014 21:55 (ten years ago) link
Right
― Jeff, Sunday, 4 May 2014 21:59 (ten years ago) link
finally got a chance to open that heady topper last friday and DAMN. exactly what i want from a double ipa, so jealous of people who have easy access to that stuff, thanks so much CAD
― hug niceman (psychgawsple), Monday, 5 May 2014 16:15 (ten years ago) link
picked up a can of BLAKKR the other day, not bad. every time i see it i think of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFY2kJ96jNY
― festival culture (Jordan), Monday, 5 May 2014 16:27 (ten years ago) link
xp no prob! it's certainly worth the semi-annual trip to me, but from the vermont locals i've talked to even they don't get tired of it.
― call all destroyer, Monday, 5 May 2014 17:42 (ten years ago) link
not sure i would either. i love that the beer is fairly "unbalanced" in terms it being a major hop overload (especially compared to pliny the younger or smthg), but within all that hop flavor there's a perfect balance between sweet and bitter
― hug niceman (psychgawsple), Monday, 5 May 2014 18:00 (ten years ago) link
just last week i started to see a ton of trinity bottles popping up in shops across town, is this happening anywhere else?
the bottles are not cheap at $9 for 375 ml but i had to buy a bottle of red swingline, because if it's as delicious as i remember then it's worth the $$$. i know they are really going crazy with bottle production there (compared to last year at least) but i don't know where they're distributing to besides colorado and oregon right now
― hug niceman (psychgawsple), Monday, 5 May 2014 23:24 (ten years ago) link
so the "aged" beer I had lying around was Eel Creek Triple Exultation Old Ale, it was freaking delicious but I'm glad we split it five ways.
― RSD-rolled (sleeve), Monday, 5 May 2014 23:42 (ten years ago) link
Sadly the peanut butter porter is slightly disappointing. It's good, but I was hoping for a bigger, sweeter, creamier peanut butter taste. It's there, but very subdued.
― Jeff, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 02:01 (ten years ago) link
Drinkin' Orval.Pretty good! Very drinkable.
― ian, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 02:26 (ten years ago) link
new england/east coast folks - what are your thoughts on newburyport green head ipa? i'm really digging it. murky brown-colored ipa, malty and floral at the same time.
― marcos, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 13:59 (ten years ago) link
Years ago, in the dark days before microbreweries, I was in an import beer club at a local pub, and drank 108 beers from around the world. One of the imo undrinkable beers (at that time) was Orval. I believe it was the first Belgian I ever tasted. I would probably like it much better now. (xpost)
― A Perfect Ratio of Choogle to Jam (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 14:23 (ten years ago) link
orval is nice. a little tart but not truly sour, a little bit of brett funkiness, but still manages to be crisp & refreshing, especially as it warms up a little bit. not my fave trappist beer, but one i like to sip on a nice afternoon -- helps that it's a manageable ABV.
― ian, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 19:15 (ten years ago) link
xxp i haven't had green head since probably late last summer but i remember liking it well enough, i think they made a conscious choice to brew a very "balanced" ipa and as a result it's more malty than i'm often in the mood for. i should try it again soon tho, basically any decent local ipa in cans is good in my book.
― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 19:15 (ten years ago) link
Anyone had Widmer's Upheaval? Really BAD name, but it's an unfiltered IPA containing wheat. I'm always up for reasonably priced, mass market IPAs to try, and I liked this one a lot.
― A Perfect Ratio of Choogle to Jam (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 19:37 (ten years ago) link
I think it's pretty new - Widmer is almost at like a Henry Weinhard level of "meh" mass production (are they owned by a major?, but it's nice to hear a positive report. See also Pyramid's IPA.
― RSD-rolled (sleeve), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 19:48 (ten years ago) link
I'm heading to Los Angeles for the weekend. Is stuff like Pliny easy to find there, or just easier? Or am I out of luck on that front? Any other must-seeks?
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 19:58 (ten years ago) link
was just there a week or two ago and picked up a bottle of Sucaba, in case that's hard to find where you are
― anonanon, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 20:02 (ten years ago) link
That wasn't that hard, actually. Weirdly, Sucaba lingers where I live. (Parabola, less so.)
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 21:38 (ten years ago) link
I saw Lagunitas Sucks in quart bottles just last week at the Santa Monica and La Brea Bevmo ($7). Was surprised to see them in that form, and around this late.
― nickn, Thursday, 8 May 2014 01:35 (ten years ago) link
got to try some cool stuff tonight--
funky buddha last snow - coffee/coconut/white chocolate porter. surprisingly dry, outstanding flavor integration, quite drinkable. someone i was with thought it added up to french toast, to me it was like an almond joy made with unsweetened chocolate.
revolution straightjacket - barrel-aged barelywine. absolutely huge flavors, vanilla, oak, booze. all you could want from the style.
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 8 May 2014 01:50 (ten years ago) link
Yeah, Straightjacket! Sits on shelves here, as do a lot of the rev seasonalreleases.
― Jeff, Thursday, 8 May 2014 01:52 (ten years ago) link
that's insane, it's as good a barleywine as i've ever had
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 8 May 2014 01:55 (ten years ago) link
It's a little too pricy IMO. I bought it once and would again if it were 5 bucks or so cheaper.
― dan m, Thursday, 8 May 2014 02:21 (ten years ago) link
(It's $17ish for a bomber everywhere I've seen it.)
― dan m, Thursday, 8 May 2014 02:22 (ten years ago) link
that's sucaba pricing more or less and it's better than sucaba
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 8 May 2014 02:27 (ten years ago) link
You think so? I think they're close, maybe I was giving Sucaba the edge because of distance/relative scarcity here.
― dan m, Thursday, 8 May 2014 02:34 (ten years ago) link
yeah sucaba has a lot of cache and deservedly so but the beer i drank tonight had more going on
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 8 May 2014 02:41 (ten years ago) link