The OFFICIAL Craft Beer Thread

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 10:35 pm

I hope to be back in San Fran soon as well. Boss asked if there was any training I wanted to go, aw shucks all of 'em in the Bay Area.

Having a Enjoy By 2/14. I wish I was astute enough to differentiate the different hops.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 11:18 pm

I had one last night and it seemed a bit flat. Not sure if it really was or if was just a bad bottle or if it shipped or was stored bad.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 11:30 pm

Not flat, even though I bought it at Trader Joes. I think that I'd love to try it nitro charged though.

Post by **brian** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 4:34 pm

Interesting take on Bud's shot across the bow at craft beer during the Super Bowl.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 4:39 pm

I'm sure Dick Cantwell loved that one.

Post by **brian** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 4:41 pm

mister d wrote:I'm sure Dick Cantwell loved that one.

Funny you should say that.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 11:18 pm

Nugget Nectar, bitches! Can it possibly be good as I built it up to be in my mind? Yes. Yes it is.

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 12:13 am

I'm drinking Southern Tier's 2XIPA and liking it real good. The brewery is between Cleveland and Buffalo, along the lake, so it's not that far away but it's a new one to me. Any thoughts about their stuff?

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 12:28 am

Really solid IPAs, mostly gimmicky darker beers. 2X always seemed to hit me harder than I expected.

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 12:36 am

The bottle says it's 8.2%, so it packs a punch. No stinting on the hops and malt either. Just what I need for my experiment in overcoming insomnia by drinking myself to sleep.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 10:27 am

mister d wrote:Really solid IPAs, mostly gimmicky darker beers. 2X always seemed to hit me harder than I expected.

Agreed, but their Oatmeal Stout is pretty good. The 2X Stout and 2X Rye aren't bad, but a lot of better options. Their XMas beer is terrible, and I didn't like the Creme Brulee at all. Way to sweet. People love the Choklat stout, but I haven't tried it. One of these days. Swampers have mentioned Warlock and Pumpking as being really good, but I haven't tried either of them.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 10:35 am

My home brew IPA was solid. Nothing too special at all but I was just glad that it tasted good and it was a fun process.

I had a Fresshly Squeezed IPA while I was out for work. Really really really good IPA.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 10:47 am

Was it sugary? I had a revelation of a homebrew last summer with a dude who used CO2 and a keg versus priming sugars and bottling. World of difference. Like how you can't make real great pizza in your stove because of the temp.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 10:55 am

mister d wrote:Was it sugary? I had a revelation of a homebrew last summer with a dude who used CO2 and a keg versus priming sugars and bottling. World of difference. Like how you can't make real great pizza in your stove because of the temp.

Nope. Not sugary at all. It reminded me most of the Sam Adams Rebel Rider IPA, which is a low ABV, medium IBU variety. Just a run of the mill IPA.

If my beer were available in stores I wouldn't go out of my way to buy if it were in stores unless it there were no better options.

Also, I liked the Sam Adams Rebel Rouser IPA, which was something like 8.5% alcohol and a nice amount of hops.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 10:56 am

Well there goes my theory.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 11:05 am

mister d wrote:Well there goes my theory.

My recipe didn't call for much sugar at all. Just a little in a boil prior to bottling for the food for the carbonation I suppose, but really not much. Less than a 1:1 ratio for sure, so it wasn't like I made simple syrup.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 11:08 am

Yeah, its never much but I always assumed that was the cause of the "homebrew taste" that seemed to be common across the PA/IPA range.

bapo! · Post by **bapo!** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 12:14 pm

DC47 wrote:I'm drinking Southern Tier's 2XIPA and liking it real good. The brewery is between Cleveland and Buffalo, along the lake, so it's not that far away but it's a new one to me. Any thoughts about their stuff?

I'm a big fan of Southern Tier. I've had maybe 10 of their beers, and they've all been very good to great. (Well, except for Unearthly. Did not care for it. It's a 9.5% DIPA, and I've had very few beers that size that I didn't think were a sugary mess.)

Mister Dave, I disagree about their stouts. I think that Mokah and Warlock are fantastic.

Also, the last time I went to the beer store, I didn't want to buy any ole shelf beer. And lo! The delivery guy had just dollied in a bunch of cases and dumped them onto the floor. They hadn't been stocked yet, so they never actually touched the shelves. I grabbed a case of Southern Tier. Floor beer!

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 12:22 pm

I've really gotten away from any flavor in beer and that's kind of their thing, so I think that's my issue. Haven't had Warlock. And I did like (not love) Unearthly and ... some Unearthly derivative I'm blanking on ... [goes to beer advocate] ... Oak aged. That was solid.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 12:46 pm

The Warlock is tremendous. I paid $7 for a small glass - those HIGH ABV beers can't be sold in more than 10 oz glasses in KY, I think - but it was worth it.

bapo! · Post by **bapo!** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 12:48 pm

brian wrote:Interesting take on Bud's shot across the bow at craft beer during the Super Bowl.

So, does anybody have an opinion on this? We were personally attacked by Budweiser, you guys. That's pretty big news, right?

It pissed me off for about 30 seconds. And then I thought, 'Man, Beer Advocate is going to be a fun place tomorrow.' Pearls were clutched, mustaches were waxed, blog posts were written, imperial stouts were fussed over and sipped from snifters. But, as Katy Perry once sang, 'I was ridiculed in a Budweiser ad, and I liked it.'

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 12:50 pm

NYC has the same rule, but its not just for high ABV.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:07 pm

bapo! wrote:
brian wrote:Interesting take on Bud's shot across the bow at craft beer during the Super Bowl.
So, does anybody have an opinion on this? We were personally attacked by Budweiser, you guys. That's pretty big news, right?

It pissed me off for about 30 seconds. And then I thought, 'Man, Beer Advocate is going to be a fun place tomorrow.' Pearls were clutched, mustaches were waxed, blog posts were written, imperial stouts were fussed over and sipped from snifters. But, as Katy Perry once sang, 'I was ridiculed in a Budweiser ad, and I liked it.'

Yeah I don't get why that ad pisses anyone off. It's f-ing Budweiser, for christ's sake.

(Has anyone ever actually been to a bar where tables order full rounds of bottled Buds? I don't think that place actually exists.)

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:08 pm

Oh, and Miller did that same campaign like 10 years ago and nobody gave a damn. Thanks, internet-driven indignation!

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:08 pm

College bar, drink special on Bud bottles. Bet it happens.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:14 pm

rass wrote:College bar, drink special on Bud bottles. Bet it happens.

Some awful place where they don't have PBR.

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:18 pm

Of course, the actors in commercials never look like poor college kids, and the bars are never dive bars, so yeah...

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:26 pm

P.D.X. wrote:Yeah I don't get why that ad pisses anyone off. It's f-ing Budweiser, for christ's sake.

(Has anyone ever actually been to a bar where tables order full rounds of bottled Buds? I don't think that place actually exists.)

It doesn't piss me off at Budweiser, but it re-pisses me off at craft beer lovers who will still drink Goose Island or claim there's nothing behind the Elysian buyout. Like Ernest Fucking Dunlop.

GoodKarma · Post by **GoodKarma** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:46 pm

bapo! wrote:
brian wrote:Interesting take on Bud's shot across the bow at craft beer during the Super Bowl.
So, does anybody have an opinion on this? We were personally attacked by Budweiser, you guys. That's pretty big news, right?

It pissed me off for about 30 seconds. And then I thought, 'Man, Beer Advocate is going to be a fun place tomorrow.' Pearls were clutched, mustaches were waxed, blog posts were written, imperial stouts were fussed over and sipped from snifters. But, as Katy Perry once sang, 'I was ridiculed in a Budweiser ad, and I liked it.'

I didn't care...if people want to drink a Bud because that's what they like then more power to them. Beer snobs (I am one) can get a little too preachy. Everyone could stand to be insulted every once in a while...builds character.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 2:20 pm

mister d wrote:
P.D.X. wrote:Yeah I don't get why that ad pisses anyone off. It's f-ing Budweiser, for christ's sake.

(Has anyone ever actually been to a bar where tables order full rounds of bottled Buds? I don't think that place actually exists.)
It doesn't piss me off at Budweiser, but it re-pisses me off at craft beer lovers who will still drink Goose Island or claim there's nothing behind the Elysian buyout. Like Ernest Fucking Dunlop.

Tin Foil hat? What a douche. It makes you a conspiracy theorist because you think A-B/InBev is more concerned with maximizing profits than they are with delivering a high quality beer and furthering the Craft Beer movement? Wow, how nutty to think a conglomerate mega-corporation would use its size and influence to push out upstart competitors. That would never happen.

Looking back at college, I don't remember ever drinking or even seeing Bud anywhere. Our college bars seemingly only carried Labatt's, Molson and Koch's Golden Anniversary. The one college var that was slightly less divey also had Guiness on tap. Oh, and JW Dundee's Honey Brown. I only remember that because Tuesdays were Honeybrown growler (or jugs as they were called pre-Craft Brew) nights. As for cans, it was the likes of the Beast, Keystone, Natty Ice, Coor's Light, Genny Ice, hell, even Hamm's and Utica Club, but never Bud.

When I think Bud, I think construction workers, Long Island, and Construction workers drinking 4 Bud Pounders on the 3:30 LIRR trains out of Penn Station. I think Bud drinkers are diehard loyalists who will drink Bud and nothing else until the day they die. Anyone who isn't a Bud drinker isn't suddenly going to become one, so I can't fathom why they spend so much money on ads and sponsorships. Since A-B/InBev is taking the strategy of buying up craft breweries in order to cash in on the future of beer, it really makes no sense to me why they are taking the approach of bashing the craft beers and craft beer drinkers.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 2:27 pm

The commercials aren't to maintain their base, its to prevent converts. Everyone grows up drinking shitty beer, then some percentage moves over to craft. Their goal, I imagine, is to minimize that percentage. And when that's not working, they go on the offensive to start squeezing crafts off the tap handles and out of the markets.

devilfluff · Post by **devilfluff** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 8:17 pm

P.D.X. wrote:
bapo! wrote:
brian wrote:Interesting take on Bud's shot across the bow at craft beer during the Super Bowl.
So, does anybody have an opinion on this? We were personally attacked by Budweiser, you guys. That's pretty big news, right?

It pissed me off for about 30 seconds. And then I thought, 'Man, Beer Advocate is going to be a fun place tomorrow.' Pearls were clutched, mustaches were waxed, blog posts were written, imperial stouts were fussed over and sipped from snifters. But, as Katy Perry once sang, 'I was ridiculed in a Budweiser ad, and I liked it.'
Yeah I don't get why that ad pisses anyone off. It's f-ing Budweiser, for christ's sake.

(Has anyone ever actually been to a bar where tables order full rounds of bottled Buds? I don't think that place actually exists.)

Heck yeah. Worked the door at one for years.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 10:06 pm

AB is coming after Cigar City.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 10:47 pm

Hey mr d. I had the last of my home brew on saturday and it was sugary as fuck. One week made a huge difference. Taste downright fruity.

And I ain't comin for shit.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 1:40 pm

Heading downtown tonight for Pies and Pints, here is the beer list, what should I try. Probably have 2-3 and don't want to mess up and order a crappy beer. Had a Gose style the other day and didn't care for it at all. Hate spending 5 bucks on bad beer.

http://piesandpints.net/locations/lexington-ky" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 2:32 pm

AB_skin_test wrote:Heading downtown tonight for Pies and Pints, here is the beer list, what should I try. Probably have 2-3 and don't want to mess up and order a crappy beer. Had a Gose style the other day and didn't care for it at all. Hate spending 5 bucks on bad beer.

http://piesandpints.net/locations/lexington-ky" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bell's Two Hearted is in my top 5 favorite IPAs (with Dogfish 60 and Jai Alai).
I like Founders All Day IPA as well, but it isn't very adventurous.
I wasn't impressed with the Old Rasputin that I had the other day. Perhaps it is better on tap, and nitro.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 2:37 pm

[quote="AB_skin_test"]Had a Gose style the other day and didn't care for it at all. Hate spending 5 bucks on bad beer.

Gose can be hit or miss, especially with all the new guys trying to get in on the hype.

If you want to start trying sours, I recommend the Duchesse De Bourgogne. Sour Cherries tart. They've only been brewing since the 1870s so I don't know how dialed in they have it yet though. /s

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 2:57 pm

govmentchedda wrote:
AB_skin_test wrote:Heading downtown tonight for Pies and Pints, here is the beer list, what should I try. Probably have 2-3 and don't want to mess up and order a crappy beer. Had a Gose style the other day and didn't care for it at all. Hate spending 5 bucks on bad beer.

http://piesandpints.net/locations/lexington-ky" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Bell's Two Hearted is in my top 5 favorite IPAs (with Dogfish 60 and Jai Alai).
I like Founders All Day IPA as well, but it isn't very adventurous.
I wasn't impressed with the Old Rasputin that I had the other day. Perhaps it is better on tap, and nitro.

I've had those before. I try to get beers I haven't had when they are available.

Country Boy is a local brewer and I will probably try their special offering, but I haven't liked most of their stuff.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 3:16 pm

That chicken gouda pie would either be great or a mistake.

rass · Post by **rass** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 3:47 pm

Saving my cash for Cakes and Casks.