Dark Lord itself has this kind of salty note on the finish that has lead many people to start calling it "soy sauce" over the past few years. That said, the bourbon barrel aged variants of Dark Lord that I've had are among the best BA stouts I've ever had (esp: "Marshmallow Handjee") but the base beer has definitely taken a hit in reputation. 3 Floyds has just hired Todd the Axe Man away from Surly so I expect them to start winning over more people.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 27 January 2017 20:06 (seven years ago) link
i've had it a couple times and did find it varying from outstanding to pretty good. wish i could remember the ages and vintages.
― call all destroyer, Friday, 27 January 2017 20:08 (seven years ago) link
It kinda shows the hivemindness of this new era, 3 years ago Dark Lord was considered a top 10-20 charts beer on all the aggregator sites. The needle keeps moving.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 27 January 2017 20:16 (seven years ago) link
the #1 beer on beer advocate hasn't actually been released since november 2015, lol
― call all destroyer, Friday, 27 January 2017 20:20 (seven years ago) link
You had that one right?
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 27 January 2017 20:23 (seven years ago) link
i did. i was unmoved.
― call all destroyer, Friday, 27 January 2017 20:24 (seven years ago) link
Hah. I had CBS when it was in the top 3 and was similarly nonplussed.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 27 January 2017 20:25 (seven years ago) link
cad is tree house brewing new? i never heard of them when i lived in MA
― marcos, Friday, 27 January 2017 20:27 (seven years ago) link
treehouse's coffee stouts to me were considerably better than good morning.
― call all destroyer, Friday, 27 January 2017 20:27 (seven years ago) link
treehouse has been around for maybe 4+ years now. they always had a little hype but since they started canning in early 2015 it's been a complete explosion.
― call all destroyer, Friday, 27 January 2017 20:29 (seven years ago) link
Anyone have opinions on BA Old Rasputin? 20 bucks at my local.
― I want to change my display name (dan m), Saturday, 28 January 2017 01:00 (seven years ago) link
don't do it
― call all destroyer, Saturday, 28 January 2017 01:27 (seven years ago) link
^^^Curious why you say that, although online reviews seem kinda mixed...
― I want to change my display name (dan m), Wednesday, 1 February 2017 16:53 (seven years ago) link
Also, for Chicagoans* -- a bartender friend is organizing this, should be p sweet: https://m.facebook.com/events/1285111024865343/
*except Jeff who has 6 years of BWB already ;)
Big article in Cleveland SCENE this week on our growing brewery scene and whether there's a bubble: http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/excitement-over-clevelands-brewery-explosion-has-given-way-to-questions-of-a-brewery-bubble
― Lauren Schumer Donor (Phil D.), Wednesday, 1 February 2017 16:55 (seven years ago) link
xxp it's just not a very good example of barrel aging and it's extremely expensive. seemed like a soft, muted version of the base beer.
― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 1 February 2017 17:07 (seven years ago) link
I was already prob p drunk when I tried it, but I really liked the kona Hanalei ipa -- its their take on the fruity ipa style f/ guava and passionfruit or something idk. in fact, I think ive liked all konas ive tried
― johnny crunch, Wednesday, 1 February 2017 17:37 (seven years ago) link
huh someone was talking to me abt treehouse just a few days ago, had never heard of it before but p'haps unsurprisingly as im not really an aficionado like that
― johnny crunch, Wednesday, 1 February 2017 17:46 (seven years ago) link
― Lauren Schumer Donor (Phil D.), Wednesday, February 1, 2017 11:55 AM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
ha was just going to post that. it was interesting. i've been wondering about platform for a while. new cleveland palesner is a great beer. i like their porter a lot. but everytime i go to a beer store i see a new platform beer and many of them are not good. too many experiments with fruits that just don't work out. tbh that article made me like them a lot less too, it made me admire the conservatism of all the great lakes brewing people. GL has been around forever and all their beers are good and consistent
― marcos, Wednesday, 1 February 2017 18:16 (seven years ago) link
i remember liking the barrel aged old rasputin but i wouldn't buy it again, iirc it's not even a 750ml bottle. the OG is just so great on tap i'd rather have it like that.
― nomar, Wednesday, 1 February 2017 18:19 (seven years ago) link
xp Yeah, Platform is more miss than hit, but I do like a lot of theirs. The dry hopped cider they had out in December was really good, and last summer their grapefruit Veloracer was terrific.
Bottlehouse makes no attempt to sell in stores but their beers and ciders are pretty uniformly good. Their Rising Star Coffee Stout is probably the best coffee stout I've ever had.
― Lauren Schumer Donor (Phil D.), Wednesday, 1 February 2017 18:26 (seven years ago) link
yea i need to visit bottlehouse!! i live in lakewood. i was excited to hear that rising star opened a temporary shop within the brewery. their coffee is outstanding
phil have you been to griffin cider works?
― marcos, Wednesday, 1 February 2017 18:38 (seven years ago) link
No, not yet, but I hear a lot of good things about it. Definitely go the Bottlehouse, the Lakewood location needs the business! The Cle. Hts. location is about a mile from my house so in the summer we bike over there all the time.
― Lauren Schumer Donor (Phil D.), Wednesday, 1 February 2017 18:40 (seven years ago) link
Anyone have recommendations for Atlanta? Going there in March and will have a bit of time to kill.
― I want to change my display name (dan m), Wednesday, 1 February 2017 19:58 (seven years ago) link
I spent an afternoon at each of these and they were quite nice but this was several years ago:http://www.theporterbeerbar.com/http://www.brickstorepub.com/
The former was in Little Five Points which I kept hearing about like it was going to be some insane hipster/hippie mecca full of crazy shit...and it was like two blocks with some record stores and stuff. But man the cross section of weirdos hanging out there on a really nice Saturday afternoon in the spring was kind of ridiculous.
The latter was in Decatur and had lots on tap and the guy gave us a mini tour of his aging cellars and cask area and such.
― joygoat, Wednesday, 1 February 2017 22:07 (seven years ago) link
https://twitter.com/brew_york/status/826647192173678592
― Mud... Jam... Failure... (aldo), Wednesday, 1 February 2017 22:42 (seven years ago) link
should have named names
― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 1 February 2017 22:49 (seven years ago) link
Agreed.
― Mud... Jam... Failure... (aldo), Wednesday, 1 February 2017 22:51 (seven years ago) link
for real though--guy says he's been to 750 breweries and 150 of them shouldn't have been making beer! ppl with tenuous beer "journalism" gigs are so hilariously scared of pissing anyone off.
― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 1 February 2017 23:00 (seven years ago) link
Haha, I had beers very recently with the beer guy from Paste Magazine (scroll upthread for numerous links to Paste's blind tastings/best IPA/IIPA/Stouts/etc. list-baits).
While we were in the hotel room, no fewer than 3 brewers came by and joined our smallish share (8 people) dropping off beer and chatting. All three of those brewers (admittedly all are great brewers) made his top 10 list from that event unsurprisingly.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 2 February 2017 00:16 (seven years ago) link
:thinking guy emoji:
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 2 February 2017 00:17 (seven years ago) link
lol, and those paste lists are pretty good as far as beer writing goes!
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 2 February 2017 00:39 (seven years ago) link
Re: Hopslam, no kidding, they really did up production, because it is sitting around everywhere.
I just picked up a 4-pack of Half Acre's DIPA called ... Navaja? Like the idea of stuff like this, Ninja Vs. Unicorn, even Chillwave being easy to get. But then, I still like IPAs.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 11 February 2017 22:13 (seven years ago) link
^i really like that Navaja, very citrus-y.
― change display name (Jordan), Saturday, 11 February 2017 22:30 (seven years ago) link
This is only on tap around town, apparently, but it's the best new thing I've had in a long time - a belgian blonde made with rye
http://www.handsomebeer.co/portfolio/rise-above/
― El Tomboto, Sunday, 12 February 2017 02:50 (seven years ago) link
trib writer apes Food & Wine's list, fails: http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/drink/beer/ct-most-important-beers-ever-food-0222-20170214-story.html
― I want to change my display name (dan m), Wednesday, 15 February 2017 19:26 (seven years ago) link
Really enjoying the new Untappd app. So many ways to sort beers. Handy since my local is a verified venue so I can see what they have and easily find something like the highest rated Dopplebock that I've never had.
It is like if Beer Advocate ever got their shit together on mobile.
― Jeff, Friday, 17 February 2017 11:04 (seven years ago) link
wow, that's an impressive update. even in my little corner of mass there are a ton a verified venues. i'll use this every time i'm out.
― call all destroyer, Friday, 17 February 2017 12:48 (seven years ago) link
Drinking Evil Twin Sour Bikini. Extremely tart.
― Treeship, Wednesday, 1 March 2017 02:02 (seven years ago) link
would try, although I fear my peak sour enthusiasm phase has passed. preferring just shitty mexican beer with a lime these days.
― calstars, Wednesday, 1 March 2017 02:20 (seven years ago) link
guinness is pretty good. wish i had the cans with those little widgets in them that help maintain carbonation but the store only had bottles.
― Treeship, Monday, 13 March 2017 02:15 (seven years ago) link
Don't some of the bottles also have those nitro widgets? I don't know how they get them in there, they are larger than the mouth.
― nickn, Monday, 13 March 2017 03:46 (seven years ago) link
I can't wait for it to get back to tecate with a lime weather
― El Tomboto, Monday, 13 March 2017 03:47 (seven years ago) link
Drank an 18 year old Westvleteren Special 6 last night. Wasn't sure what it expect, but it was solid. Probably don't need to sit on beer for 18 years though.
― Jeff, Monday, 13 March 2017 09:46 (seven years ago) link
although I fear my peak sour enthusiasm phase has passed
bad sours have proliferated too
― marcos, Monday, 13 March 2017 15:11 (seven years ago) link
sours are not a forgiving style. every brewery making a mediocre IPA is different than the market saturation happening right now w/ goses and berliner weisses
― marcos, Monday, 13 March 2017 15:13 (seven years ago) link
Bought a 12-pack of Staropramen since it was cheap. It's not as good as I remember.
― o. nate, Tuesday, 14 March 2017 00:42 (seven years ago) link
Marcos what are some good sours in your opinion?
― calstars, Tuesday, 14 March 2017 00:45 (seven years ago) link
I'm not marcos, but I like the Anderson Valley Holy Gose (and the blood orange one) for relatively inexpensive ones.
Epic makes a couple good ones.
And Eagle Rock brewery (not sure what their distro is outside of Los Angeles) makes a couple, Yearling and Tarte Noir, that I really like.
Almanac has a whole line of them, but I've only had the Farmer's Reserve Citrus and maybe the plum (or was it pluot?) one.
My first sour was the Cuvee de Jacobin, which is very sour, but great when I'm in the mood for that. The Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale is also good.
― nickn, Tuesday, 14 March 2017 04:12 (seven years ago) link
i haven't tried any of nick's recommendations, they look good
― marcos, Tuesday, 14 March 2017 14:44 (seven years ago) link