The OFFICIAL Craft Beer Thread

[Rush2112]

Not a bad IPA list there AB!

Coffee Cat – $6
Ei8ht Ball Brewing Co. (Hopcat Exclusive)
Bellevue, Kentucky
(7%)
American Pale Ale w/ Coffee

Tulip, 13 oz.
Gotlandstrika – $6.5
North Peak Brewing Co. (HopCat Exclusive)
Dexter, Michigan
(6.5%)
American Pale Ale w/ Juniper & Kelp

Tulip, 13 oz.
Asterix – $6
Rhinegeist Brewery
Cincinnati, Ohio
(6%)
Belgian Pale Ale

Pint, 16 oz.
Celebration – $5
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, California
(6.8%)
Fresh Hop IPA

Pint, 16 oz.
Two Hearted – $5.5
Bell's Brewing Co.
Kalamazoo, Michigan
(7%)
American IPA

Pint, 16 oz.
Cast No Shadow – $7.5
Central State Brewing
Indianapolis, Indiana
(5.6%)
American IPA w/ Brett

Snifter, 10 oz.
Hop Nosh – $5.5
Uinta Brewing Co.
Salt Lake City, Utah
(7.3%)
American IPA

Pint, 16 oz.
Nitro Pale Ale – $6
Founders Brewing Co.
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Nitro American Pale Ale

Pint, 16 oz.
Gunnamata – 10.5
Yeastie Boys
Wellington, New Zealand
(6.5%)
IPA w/ Tea Leaves

Snifter, 10 oz.
Mosaic – $6
Rhinegeist Brewery
Cincinnati, Ohio
(6%)
Single Hop Pale Ale

Pint, 16 oz.
Dangerously Close To Stupid – $10.5
To Øl
Fredriksberg, Denmark
(9.3%)
Imperial IPA

Snifter, 10 oz.
Hopslam – $6.5
Bell's Brewing Co.
Kalamazoo, Michigan
(10%)
Imperial IPA w/ Honey

Snifter, 10 oz.
Snake Dog IPA – $5.25
Flying Dog Brewery
Frederick, Maryland
(7.1%)
American IPA

Pint, 16 oz.
Handshake IPA – $5.5
Green Flash Brewing Co. (Alpine Collab.)
San Diego, California
(7%)
American IPA

Snifter, 10 oz.
Rico Sauvin – $7.25
Against The Grain Brewery & Smokehouse
Louisville, Kentucky
(8%)
American IPA

[A_B]

Doesn't even list the local 20s where there were probably 4-5 extra IPAs, including the RIP Rye I mentioned.

[The Sybian]

Six Point C.R.E.A.M. is fantastic. I'm digging the cream ale with coffee trend, and this is the best so far. It's somewhat limited, but I don't think it should be hard to get if you are in Six Point's distribution footprint.




I've been really enjoying the addition of Evil Twin, Stillwater and Alpine to NJ markets. Haven't been interest in the current batch of Westbrook's on the shelf, but anxious to try their Gose and extremely hopeful Mexican Cake will be available in NJ. Stillwater's Surround was a very interesting beer. Oak smoked Imperial wheat stout. The smoke is prevalent but not overpowering. Pretty thick and creamy, definitely going to pick up some more.

[mister d]

Alpine is really spectacular, across the board.

I don't get how Sixpoint is allowed to use C.R.E.A.M.; its hardly clever, but Peekskill beat them to the name by a few years.

[brian]

Alpine is really spectacular, across the board.

I don't get how Sixpoint is allowed to use C.R.E.A.M.; its hardly clever, but Peekskill beat them to the name by a few years.

And Wu-Tang Brewing by several years before that.

[mister d]

It was clever when they did it.

[The Sybian]

Alpine is really spectacular, across the board.

I don't get how Sixpoint is allowed to use C.R.E.A.M.; its hardly clever, but Peekskill beat them to the name by a few years.

Carton has one coming out soon, too.

[sancarlos]

The Colorado Craft Brewers Association noticed Peyton Manning's shout out to Budweiser after the Super Bowl, and it didn't go over too well with them.

So, they sent him a letter, and made him a gift!

[Rush2112]

Lefthand Brewing is giving out a free pint for every Bud you bring into exchange.

[BSF21]

It's a mini-chain i guess, called Hop Cat.

I know nothing of Hop Cat, but "craft chains" like YardHouse and World of Beer scare me. There's one that opened up pretty recently in Chelsea which has like 50 taps (yay?) and, if you check right now, two taps are dedicated to "actual" NYC breweries. Neither are IPAs, but you can get Goose Island or Magic Hat IPA. I assume everything I don't like in beer is a sinister trend and not a harmless anomaly, so who knows, but that just looks like something that will lead to bars that offer everything AB distributes or some shit like that.

Hopcat seems pretty dedicated to staying local and craft. I've got no problem putting a mowerbeer or two on there when you've got a billion taps. I can't speak to Yardhouse or WoB, but how many are we talking? I believe the new KY Hopcat makes 3 or 4 total nationwide. Indy just got a Yardhouse too. Went there for lunch one day and I don't see how it can stay afloat (other than being pricey). There are no less than 140 things on the menus there. No exaggeration. I don't see how your food cost isn't just insane and the waste has to be worse.

[brian]

Can't speak to Indy, but the Yardhouse's here are always packed so I assume they're doing ok (we have three, only one on the Strip). The beer selection is pretty meh in my opinion. A lot of craft, but mostly popular craft and not very local. I don't go that often but there's seldom anything on the 130-ish taps I haven't had at one point or another.

[BSF21]

Can't speak to Indy, but the Yardhouse's here are always packed so I assume they're doing ok (we have three, only one on the Strip). The beer selection is pretty meh in my opinion. A lot of craft, but mostly popular craft and not very local. I don't go that often but there's seldom anything on the 130-ish taps I haven't had at one point or another.

I popped in there my last night in Vegas. Was pretty tipsy already but there was nothing special about the place.

[brian]

Can't speak to Indy, but the Yardhouse's here are always packed so I assume they're doing ok (we have three, only one on the Strip). The beer selection is pretty meh in my opinion. A lot of craft, but mostly popular craft and not very local. I don't go that often but there's seldom anything on the 130-ish taps I haven't had at one point or another.

I popped in there my last night in Vegas. Was pretty tipsy already but there was nothing special about the place.

The food is actually very decent, though overpriced IMO. The crabcake sandwich is solid.

[Rush2112]

Can't speak to Indy, but the Yardhouse's here are always packed so I assume they're doing ok (we have three, only one on the Strip). The beer selection is pretty meh in my opinion. A lot of craft, but mostly popular craft and not very local. I don't go that often but there's seldom anything on the 130-ish taps I haven't had at one point or another.

I remember the first time I went into a Yardhouse (6-7 years ago) was really impressed, basically because it had west coast beers I couldn't get in Boston. Went to the one here in Denver a few months ago and took time trying to find something I actually wanted to drink.

[P.D.X.]

Let me guess... Selection and atmosphere calculated to appeal to the widest general audience?

ETA: Which reminds me, I have to go to Wynkoop on Saturday... any recommendations?

[Rush2112]

Their barrel aged quad isn't bad, but I group them into a group with Denver Brewing and Boulder Brewing. Make some ok beers, just nothing that really stands out. Rely more on their location and food then their beers to bring people in.

[The Sybian]

It's a mini-chain i guess, called Hop Cat.

I know nothing of Hop Cat, but "craft chains" like YardHouse and World of Beer scare me. There's one that opened up pretty recently in Chelsea which has like 50 taps (yay?) and, if you check right now, two taps are dedicated to "actual" NYC breweries. Neither are IPAs, but you can get Goose Island or Magic Hat IPA. I assume everything I don't like in beer is a sinister trend and not a harmless anomaly, so who knows, but that just looks like something that will lead to bars that offer everything AB distributes or some shit like that.

Hopcat seems pretty dedicated to staying local and craft. I've got no problem putting a mowerbeer or two on there when you've got a billion taps. I can't speak to Yardhouse or WoB, but how many are we talking? I believe the new KY Hopcat makes 3 or 4 total nationwide. Indy just got a Yardhouse too. Went there for lunch one day and I don't see how it can stay afloat (other than being pricey). There are no less than 140 things on the menus there. No exaggeration. I don't see how your food cost isn't just insane and the waste has to be worse.

Took a quick look, and Hopcat has some really interesting beers. Definitely a focus on local looking at a couple locations, which is great. But seeing stuff like Nogne-Ø #100 barleywine, Founders Milchkaffee, and Evil Twin Christmas Eve At A New York City Hotel Room all on tap is awesome. Apparently they have exclusive beers, too, like Lagunitas Michiganja and a list of others. I just looked at Lexington and Madison.

AB, they have some top shelf bottles, too. Bell's Saturn was supposed to be great. They had a limited Planet Series last year. And they are only charging $5 for a bottle? Fuck. A beer that rare at this point, should be $15 in a bar. And Bell's 30th Anniversary Stout! They also have Old Rasputin XVII in both rye and wheat whiskey barrels, but at $37 for a 500ml bottle, that's a bit steep. Most impressive, I'm jealous.

[sancarlos]

Of course, you guys are particularly hard to please, relative to the mass market, given wide exposure to crafts. A place like Yardhouse has a thousand beers on tap so of course you'll find one you will enjoy. You might have trouble finding a new beer to try, but I'm sure there are many you like.

[brian]

Yeah and also important to remember that when Yardhouse first started like 10+ years ago the idea of a place with that many taps was kind of unusual. In some ways the market has caught up to them. A place like HopCat is executing a similar model much better but doesn't diminish what they were trying to do.

[Brontoburglar]

Saucer here usually has 10 or so Boulevards; 5-6 on tap and then the rotating seasonals, etc.

[Rush2112]

Yeah and also important to remember that when Yardhouse first started like 10+ years ago the idea of a place with that many taps was kind of unusual. In some ways the market has caught up to them. A place like HopCat is executing a similar model much better but doesn't diminish what they were trying to do.

I think you said that they do quite well in Vegas, no? The one I've been to here was packed to the gills and there is a world class beer bar a few blocks away. So even in a beer Mecca like Denver their doing quite well. Actually think they have a couple locations in Denver Metro.

Still really prefer HopCat. The folks in Grand Rapids found out we'd traveled from Boston, gave us a tour, sampled beers from the taps and from aging barrels in the cellar, gave us free choice of a 750 and filled growlers of their own beer for us. They even sent me a shirt when they didn't have a shirt in my size in stock.

[duff]

For being so close to GR and Indy, I have yet to visit HopCats. The food critic and beer critic at the local paper usually take a trip every year to GR to visit HopCats. Plus GR is just a fun town in general. Need to head up there for some beer drinking and a Griffins game.

And I had no idea HopCat was in Indy. Of course I don't usually head in to Broad Ripple anymore when I am in town. I did find a nice place last time I was down. Black Acre Brewing. My friend is all about the Saucy Intruder. I thought the Chai Guy was really delicious. Very nice milk stout.

[Giff]

Can't speak to Indy, but the Yardhouse's here are always packed so I assume they're doing ok (we have three, only one on the Strip). The beer selection is pretty meh in my opinion. A lot of craft, but mostly popular craft and not very local. I don't go that often but there's seldom anything on the 130-ish taps I haven't had at one point or another.

I popped in there my last night in Vegas. Was pretty tipsy already but there was nothing special about the place.

The food is actually very decent, though overpriced IMO. The crabcake sandwich is solid.

Very random, but easily the best Spanish rice I've ever had.

[BSF21]

For being so close to GR and Indy, I have yet to visit HopCats. The food critic and beer critic at the local paper usually take a trip every year to GR to visit HopCats. Plus GR is just a fun town in general. Need to head up there for some beer drinking and a Griffins game.

And I had no idea HopCat was in Indy. Of course I don't usually head in to Broad Ripple anymore when I am in town. I did find a nice place last time I was down. Black Acre Brewing. My friend is all about the Saucy Intruder. I thought the Chai Guy was really delicious. Very nice milk stout.

Black Acre might be me and BSFGF's favorite spot in town as far as brewpubs. I'm not about the Saucy, but their Natural Liberty is one of my top 5 favs in the city. Such a neat little place. Get at us next time you're in town bud!

[The Sybian]

Finally took the plunge, and have my first batch of homebrew wort boiling on the stove. Most productive day of work ever. The wife was worried about the smell after a friend bitched to her about it, so I have to brew when she isn't home. Wasn't bad at first, but yeah, the bittering hops are starting to fucking wreak. Our friend is forced to brew outside, so hopefully the smell will dissipate before she comes home.

Recipe is a Ballast Point Sculpin clone. I won't follow BP's lead and ruin it with grapefruit juice, pineapple or mango. Grapefruit made the beer worse, and I refuse to try the other 2.

[Rush2112]

Finally took the plunge, and have my first batch of homebrew wort boiling on the stove. Most productive day of work ever. The wife was worried about the smell after a friend bitched to her about it, so I have to brew when she isn't home. Wasn't bad at first, but yeah, the bittering hops are starting to fucking wreak. Our friend is forced to brew outside, so hopefully the smell will dissipate before she comes home.

Recipe is a Ballast Point Sculpin clone. I won't follow BP's lead and ruin it with grapefruit juice, pineapple or mango. Grapefruit made the beer worse, and I refuse to try the other 2.

Fantastic! I'm excited, my Catamount Porter clone should be ready to drink this weekend. My wife was pretty into the process, so as long as I brew some stouts and barleywines for her I'll be ok.

[The Sybian]

Finally took the plunge, and have my first batch of homebrew wort boiling on the stove. Most productive day of work ever. The wife was worried about the smell after a friend bitched to her about it, so I have to brew when she isn't home. Wasn't bad at first, but yeah, the bittering hops are starting to fucking wreak. Our friend is forced to brew outside, so hopefully the smell will dissipate before she comes home.

Recipe is a Ballast Point Sculpin clone. I won't follow BP's lead and ruin it with grapefruit juice, pineapple or mango. Grapefruit made the beer worse, and I refuse to try the other 2.

Fantastic! I'm excited, my Catamount Porter clone should be ready to drink this weekend. My wife was pretty into the process, so as long as I brew some stouts and barleywines for her I'll be ok.

I'll eventually look into making mead so my wife can enjoy. The guy at the store recommended an IPA for the first batch. He said hop forward is better for telling if you did it right. He said their stout recipes are their best, so that will be next.

Do you used grain or extract? My friend did a class with the brewer at Ithaca Brew Co, and he said extract with some grain beforehand is best for beginners, as the grain will add body and complexity. I like his idea of making the same beer with different grains before adding the exract.

[P.D.X.]

I like Grapefruit Sculpin.

[The Sybian]

I like Grapefruit Sculpin.

A lot of people do. I didn't think it was bad, just think standard Sculpin is better.

Rush, or if anyone else has ever made beer, my original gravity seems really low at 1.048.

[Rush2112]

Do you used grain or extract? My friend did a class with the brewer at Ithaca Brew Co, and he said extract with some grain beforehand is best for beginners, as the grain will add body and complexity. I like his idea of making the same beer with different grains before adding the exract.

This one is grain and extract, i've done full grain, but that's a pain in the ass without a dedicated space for brewing.


As for the OG, what was it supposed to be? You can add more extract or something else that ferments to bring the ABV up.

[Rush2112]

I like Grapefruit Sculpin.

A lot of people do. I didn't think it was bad, just think standard Sculpin is better.

I like both, but agree the standard is better. PDX have you tried Breakfast from Strange in Denver? I think its a far superior grapefruit IPA to Sculpin.

[mister d]

Your house still smells, doesn't it, Syb?

[The Sybian]

Your house still smells, doesn't it, Syb?

Nope. Not from brewing, anyways. The stove is a few feet away from the door to the deck, so I opened the door, had the exhaust vent on, then eventually opened windows in the front and back of the house, which had a cross breeze going through the kitchen. Unforeseen benefit of the open flow floor plan. My wife has an incredible sense of smell and didn't even know I brewed until she saw the fermentation bucket. I thought it smelled, but I think my shirt was saturated with the smell, especially when a work call distracted me and I had a bit of a boil over. The smell of hop dregs on an open flame is horrible.

The recipe didn't list a target OG, but that has to be too low. Other Sculpin clones are in the 1.070 range. The recipe had both liquid and powder malt, and some of the powder spilled when I opened the bag, but I can't imagine it was enough to make that big of a difference. The recipe calls for a secondary fermentation with added sugar. I'm afraid to increase that, as it may overcarbonate and shatter bottles.

So, how important is thorough aeration? I didn't do much, and further reading recommended using an electric egg beater, hard pouring between the kettle and bucket 10 times, etc... I was worrying at the lack of bubbling in my airlock, but I am just staring to see some. That is the downside of plastic buckets, I want to see the yeast doing their magic!

[The Sybian]

Hopslam is out, y'all. It's from Bell's, so you NJ Swampers have to find it in PA or NY. But it's worth it.

It's only in cans this year for some reason.

I put my parents on duty for Hop Slam. They failed me last year, so I kept tabs on the Upstate NY release. Someone on Beeradvocate said his local Wegmans in Syracuse got 30 cases and sold out in one day. When Beermenus.com sent me updates of Binghamton stores getting Hop Slam, my parents went to Wegmans, and called me saying they got the last six pack, hidden. Then they saw a stack of 38 cases by the growler station. Yes, my father counted. I was in town 2 days later, and picked up a sixer for my friend's birthday party we were in town for. Still about 20 cases. People in the Beeradvocate forums were waiting on lines before stores opened for one can limits, and stacks of cases sit in other stores. Funny how that works. Just last week, I was in Tribeca visiting a client, stopped into Whole Foods, and they had a case of Bourbon County Stout on growler station. How the fuck is that still available?

Finished a Hop Slam while typing, and it is a great beer for sure, but not worthy of the hype. I think 10 years ago, there wasn't anything out there to compete, but there are so many great DIPAs now, Hop Slam isn't that special anymore. It is unique with the honey, though. I also felt the first couple cans weren't balanced. I've seen other people saying it takes a few weeks to blend, but it goes downhill fast. The can I just drank was perfectly balanced, so I buy into that. Moved on to a Bell's Expedition Stout, and this is a fucking phenomenal beer. The 2014 was my first true aging experiment. It was too boozy, but mellowed nicely at 6 months, and even better at 1 year. This is the first 2015 I've tried, and holy fuck is it good. I really hope Bell's hits NJ soon.

[Brontoburglar]

That's crazy. The grocery store across the street from me has started getting a lot of new releases, which is great because I can stop there after I work out (which is next door). But they don't get a lot, so I have to time it right.

I like Hopslam a bunch because of the honey. I like pale ales and IPAs (not as much as stouts) though I'm discovering I'm not a huge fan of things being overhopped. There's a line for me and sometimes I find IPAs and DIPAs that cross that line.

I had Boulevard Rye-on-Rye-on-Rye last night at the Saucer. It was... boozy. I figured it would be (14.6!) but it was overly so. I would probably drink it again to see if my first impression was accurate. But I'm not sure I would buy a 22 oz. bottle of it.

Trying the new Boulevard Imperial Stout tomorrow night. It's with coconut. That's going to be interesting.

[Rush2112]

I had Boulevard Rye-on-Rye-on-Rye last night at the Saucer. It was... boozy. I figured it would be (14.6!) but it was overly so.

That the 2015 or 2016 out already? I have a 2013-15, may need to do a vertical soon.

[The Sybian]

That's crazy. The grocery store across the street from me has started getting a lot of new releases, which is great because I can stop there after I work out (which is next door). But they don't get a lot, so I have to time it right.

I like Hopslam a bunch because of the honey. I like pale ales and IPAs (not as much as stouts) though I'm discovering I'm not a huge fan of things being overhopped. There's a line for me and sometimes I find IPAs and DIPAs that cross that line.

I had Boulevard Rye-on-Rye-on-Rye last night at the Saucer. It was... boozy. I figured it would be (14.6!) but it was overly so. I would probably drink it again to see if my first impression was accurate. But I'm not sure I would buy a 22 oz. bottle of it.

Trying the new Boulevard Imperial Stout tomorrow night. It's with coconut. That's going to be interesting.

What's crazy? That Hop Slam is sitting, or that some places have lines for one can?

I bought 2 bottles of 2015 Rye-on-Rye. Planned on drinking one fresh and aging one 6 months or a year. I expected the beer would be overly boozy, and I haven't had the opportunity to share the bottle, so I haven't opened one yet. 750 ml of a super-boozy beer is a bit much. I had the Imperial Stout with Coffee, and the Imperial Stout Azteca. The coffee stout was the best use coffee I've had. Just tried their Early Riser coffee porter, which is good. The Azteca was pretty good, but an average Mexican Stout.

The 2016 Rye-on-Rye-on-Rye is the previous beer aged for a second time in fresh Templeton Rye barrels. Seems kind of dumb to me. Sure, you are going to get even more rye flavor, but using barrels from the same rye? I'd have to assume that would need even more time to mellow. I did have my first disappointing Boulevard beer. Snow & Tell, a bourbon barrel aged Scotch whiskey. Glad I read a bunch of bad reviews before I got excited and bought a 12 pack. The taste was pretty decent, but the weakest tasting beer this side of Bud Light. If you took a Backwoods Bastard and mixed 2-parts water with 1 part Backwoods Bastard, you'd get the same result.

[BSF21]

Is this how it was right before Skynet became self aware? It started having opinions on beer?

[Shirley]

Is this how it was right before Skynet became self aware? It started having opinions on beer?

Pretty sure that's a dude, not a bot. Maybe I'm feeling overly generous, but I'm not deleting him yet.

[BSF21]

Is this how it was right before Skynet became self aware? It started having opinions on beer?

Pretty sure that's a dude, not a bot. Maybe I'm feeling overly generous, but I'm not deleting him yet.

With a website like botmasterwebs.com, how could he not be human?