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Speaking of Grand Rapids, I'm going there for a concert in two weeks. We'll be going to Founders for sure since it's only a block away from the venue (The Intersection) and I'm not the one driving so that will probably be the only brewery stop. There was some talk of going to HopCat at some point also. Any recommendations for bottle shops in that area, or the city in general? Walking distance is best but I'm open to whatever.
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Mar 19, 2014 14:52
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Siciliano's. If you make one bottle shop stop, make it Siciliano's. It's not walking distance, but it's worth the detour.
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Mar 19, 2014 14:55
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Last night I opened one of the worst beers I've had in recent memory: Round Guys Barrel Rider. It's supposed to be a bourbon barrel aged tripel but it's just a complete mess. It poured out of the bottle completely flat and tasted more like oak than bourbon. I got a very very slight spiciness but was overwhelmed by a harsh solvent-like alcohol bite. I've heard people throw around "nail polish remover" before and that's exactly what this was. Astringent alcohol burn. Absolutely nothing redeeming about this beer. I took 3 sips just to make sure before pouring it out. The only reason I'm posting this here is because I know I sent one of these as an extra to someone in a trade. I just can't remember who. I don't usually send things I've never tried and this is exactly why. So if you were the unlucky recipient of this beer I am incredibly sorry.
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Mar 19, 2014 14:56
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SUPER HASSLER posted:I'm surprised you haven't posted here about the other extremely important (not really) Texas beer announcement yet: If you can't beat the system... find someone who will. Just a matter of time before we see a kickstarter I think. quote:Quick Update on the $1,000 fine: Every month you have to upload a Retail Inventory Tracking report to the comptroller (along with a lot of other reports to various agencies) Any-who Tammy received a letter in the mail Saturday that said they did not receive the January report. She said I sent it in and I always PDF the conformation. OOPS! It was not there, she was sure she sent it, but missed it. So, she created the report and sent it in the same day she received the notice (Saturday) First thing Monday, she calls the comptroller and they say you have been fined $1,000, It has been added to your account and you owe it. Tammy asks if there are any options to wave, or reduce the fine, because it was an honest mistake. The lady said Nope, but you can talk to them about making payments. She was on the way to the lab for some tests when she made the call. After she hung up she called me crying hysterically, obviously I could not under stand her and I am asking are you OK, did you get in a wreck, are you hurt, I can't understand you, the the call is lost. I panic and feel helpless, but she calls back and is eventually able to talk and explain what happened. The only thing that upsets me, is when something hurts or upsets the Queen. So I get off the phone and call Rep. James White to see if they can help us out. Also a friend John calls our Senator, then Tammy call our Senator. Over the day we received two calls from the comptroller and they are working with us to see if we can have the fines waved. I pray they can.
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Mar 19, 2014 14:57
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crazyfish posted:Siciliano's. If you make one bottle shop stop, make it Siciliano's. It's not walking distance, but it's worth the detour. Just be aware they are really really expensive. You should go to Kingma's Market on Plainfield instead, as a bonus they have a their own smoker and meat market inside.
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Mar 19, 2014 15:04
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air- posted:If you can't beat the system... find someone who will. Just a matter of time before we see a kickstarter I think. How can a thousand dollar fine sink a business? Feels like they are crying wolf for some attention.
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Mar 19, 2014 15:06
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Sirotan posted:Just be aware they are really really expensive. You should go to Kingma's Market on Plainfield instead, as a bonus they have a their own smoker and meat market inside. I didn't find Siciliano's particularly expensive, but I am from Chicago after all...
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Mar 19, 2014 15:18
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crazyfish posted:I didn't find Siciliano's particularly expensive, but I am from Chicago after all... I paid more than $0.01 for this at Siciliano's, making it one of the worst taste-to-value purchases I've ever made. So in that particular case, the place is VERY overpriced.
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Mar 19, 2014 15:23
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crazyfish posted:I didn't find Siciliano's particularly expensive, but I am from Chicago after all... They're not the worst place I've been, but definitely the most expensive legit* bottle shop I've been to in Michigan. *This excludes the two party stores on Main Street in my college town where they upcharge everything by 100% for the college kids and tried to sell me CBS for $50 once.
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Mar 19, 2014 15:32
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Sirotan posted:Just be aware they are really really expensive. You should go to Kingma's Market on Plainfield instead, as a bonus they have a their own smoker and meat market inside. I'll probably stop by both tomorrow. Is there anything particularly special on the shelves right now in Grand Rapids that isn't available in Chicago?
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Mar 19, 2014 16:45
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Bell's is gonna start distribution of their full lineup to California starting in May. Rad.
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Mar 19, 2014 17:07
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wattershed posted:Bell's is gonna start distribution of their full lineup to California starting in May. Rad. Awesome! Hopefully they mean ALL of California, and not just LA/SF area.
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Mar 19, 2014 17:08
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Capt. Awesome posted:Awesome! Hopefully they mean ALL of California, and not just LA/SF area. The post I saw specifically talked about SD...
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Mar 19, 2014 17:11
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I'm a sour newbie. I drank this Upland Strawberry Lambic a couple nights ago and I'm not sure if I got a bad bottle or if sours aren't for me. I really like the first 75% of the taste when I drink where I get nice strawberry and tart, but is the last 25% (backend) of the drink supposed to taste like how dirty socks smell? This is the best description I can come up with. I know that the sours are going to have some funk, and I may just be an uninitiated rear end in a top hat but it seems like something isn't right. I've got a 11/13/2013 bottle of this I opened: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1170/39372/
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Mar 19, 2014 17:14
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Virigoth posted:I'm a sour newbie. I drank this Upland Strawberry Lambic a couple nights ago and I'm not sure if I got a bad bottle or if sours aren't for me. I really like the first 75% of the taste when I drink where I get nice strawberry and tart, but is the last 25% (backend) of the drink supposed to taste like how dirty socks smell? This is the best description I can come up with. I know that the sours are going to have some funk, and I may just be an uninitiated rear end in a top hat but it seems like something isn't right. I actually blame the strawbeeries for that. I find strawberry sours to have a lot of weird flavors from the fruit, very funky in a different way than yeast-funk. It's not always the case, but I've noticed it quite a few times. That said, I still enjoy them.
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Mar 19, 2014 17:21
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Virigoth posted:I'm a sour newbie. I drank this Upland Strawberry Lambic a couple nights ago and I'm not sure if I got a bad bottle or if sours aren't for me. I really like the first 75% of the taste when I drink where I get nice strawberry and tart, but is the last 25% (backend) of the drink supposed to taste like how dirty socks smell? This is the best description I can come up with. I know that the sours are going to have some funk, and I may just be an uninitiated rear end in a top hat but it seems like something isn't right. Yes, that's pretty normal and is indeed the "funk" you got on the end. "Sour" is a term used too generally; "Wild" is a better descriptor since the yeasts used don't necessarily make things tart in flavor. I think people- especially in the U.S. as these beers become more common- immediately think they should be this Warhead-esque sour bomb and frankly, if that's all a brewery can get out of the beer, it's not a very good one in my opinion. The best- including some of Upland's- have levels beyond just making your lips pucker.
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Mar 19, 2014 17:30
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Virigoth posted:I'm a sour newbie. I drank this Upland Strawberry Lambic a couple nights ago and I'm not sure if I got a bad bottle or if sours aren't for me. I really like the first 75% of the taste when I drink where I get nice strawberry and tart, but is the last 25% (backend) of the drink supposed to taste like how dirty socks smell? This is the best description I can come up with. I know that the sours are going to have some funk, and I may just be an uninitiated rear end in a top hat but it seems like something isn't right. It could either be the strawberries as mentioned or that you just don't like brett. If it turns out you don't like brett, I would suggest more Flemish Red, Oud Bruin, or Berlinerweiss style beers which have the acidity/tartness you like but not much if any brett funk.
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Mar 19, 2014 17:42
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umop apisdn posted:I'll probably stop by both tomorrow. Is there anything particularly special on the shelves right now in Grand Rapids that isn't available in Chicago? Not that I can think of, unless Chicago doesn't get Vivant's seasonal canned releases. Their (quite good) tripel is on shelves now, and they just released a golden brett ale as a brewery-only canned release.
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Mar 19, 2014 17:56
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Schpyder posted:Not that I can think of, unless Chicago doesn't get Vivant's seasonal canned releases. Their (quite good) tripel is on shelves now, and they just released a golden brett ale as a brewery-only canned release. I've sen the tripel on shelves around. Definitely going to pick up some coq d'or, can't wait to get some golden coq in and around my mouth.
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Mar 19, 2014 18:27
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ChickenArise posted:I actually blame the strawbeeries for that. I find strawberry sours to have a lot of weird flavors from the fruit, very funky in a different way than yeast-funk. It's not always the case, but I've noticed it quite a few times. That said, I still enjoy them. danbanana posted:Yes, that's pretty normal and is indeed the "funk" you got on the end. "Sour" is a term used too generally; "Wild" is a better descriptor since the yeasts used don't necessarily make things tart in flavor. I think people- especially in the U.S. as these beers become more common- immediately think they should be this Warhead-esque sour bomb and frankly, if that's all a brewery can get out of the beer, it's not a very good one in my opinion. The best- including some of Upland's- have levels beyond just making your lips pucker. crazyfish posted:It could either be the strawberries as mentioned or that you just don't like brett. If it turns out you don't like brett, I would suggest more Flemish Red, Oud Bruin, or Berlinerweiss style beers which have the acidity/tartness you like but not much if any brett funk. Thanks, I'll grab a couple more styles to try. Only reason I was investigating them is because the homebrew thread has frothing loins over the style.
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Mar 19, 2014 18:38
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If anyone from Chicago didn't get any Parabola this year, they had a few left at Lush Wines in Roscoe Village when I stopped by last night.
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Mar 19, 2014 18:39
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danbanana posted:Yes, that's pretty normal and is indeed the "funk" you got on the end. "Sour" is a term used too generally; "Wild" is a better descriptor since the yeasts used don't necessarily make things tart in flavor. I think people- especially in the U.S. as these beers become more common- immediately think they should be this Warhead-esque sour bomb and frankly, if that's all a brewery can get out of the beer, it's not a very good one in my opinion. The best- including some of Upland's- have levels beyond just making your lips pucker. This also. I feel like saying "lactic sourness is the new hops" because there have been many a time when I've seen really great beers dismissed because it's "not sour enough" or "not hoppy enough" when that was their sole expectation of what the style should be. There are times when it's absolutely a valid criticism but I feel like a lot of times, people miss the point, especially with a really good gueuze.
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Mar 19, 2014 18:40
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Virigoth posted:I'm a sour newbie. I drank this Upland Strawberry Lambic a couple nights ago and I'm not sure if I got a bad bottle or if sours aren't for me. I really like the first 75% of the taste when I drink where I get nice strawberry and tart, but is the last 25% (backend) of the drink supposed to taste like how dirty socks smell? This is the best description I can come up with. I know that the sours are going to have some funk, and I may just be an uninitiated rear end in a top hat but it seems like something isn't right. I've seen a couple friends have the same dirty socks/dirty panties(?!) reaction to styles in that vein and then come around and become pretty big fans of it. I think it's kind of an acquired taste for a lot of people.
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Mar 19, 2014 19:05
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umop apisdn posted:I'll probably stop by both tomorrow. Is there anything particularly special on the shelves right now in Grand Rapids that isn't available in Chicago? Odd Side's Java Mint Stout and BA Mayan Mocha are pretty good. Don't think of BA Mayan Mocha as a huge stout like Abraxas or Hunahpu, think of it as a thinner sessionable stout (it's only 5.5% ABV) Short's Superfluid should be on the shelves, it's a DIPA that's pretty good. You might even find some of Freedom of '78, their Guava IPA, as well. Most people around here detest Shorts, but I really enjoy most of the IPAs they've been releasing over these past couple years.
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Mar 19, 2014 19:12
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crazyfish posted:This also. I feel like saying "lactic sourness is the new hops" because there have been many a time when I've seen really great beers dismissed because it's "not sour enough" or "not hoppy enough" when that was their sole expectation of what the style should be. There are times when it's absolutely a valid criticism but I feel like a lot of times, people miss the point, especially with a really good gueuze. I wish my homebrews had less lactic character. I'm probably going to start giving primary more of a head start (with the exception of the final piece of my gueuze blend).
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Mar 19, 2014 19:14
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crazyfish posted:This also. I feel like saying "lactic sourness is the new hops" because there have been many a time when I've seen really great beers dismissed because it's "not sour enough" or "not hoppy enough" when that was their sole expectation of what the style should be. There are times when it's absolutely a valid criticism but I feel like a lot of times, people miss the point, especially with a really good gueuze. I agree. The other night I had a Beersel Oude Gueze Vieille and it was just lightly tart and delicious.
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Mar 19, 2014 19:43
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crazyfish posted:This also. I feel like saying "lactic sourness is the new hops" because there have been many a time when I've seen really great beers dismissed because it's "not sour enough" or "not hoppy enough" when that was their sole expectation of what the style should be. There are times when it's absolutely a valid criticism but I feel like a lot of times, people miss the point, especially with a really good gueuze. Pure tartness isn't all I am looking for. Just like I keep telling people with IBU monsters and big stouts: it's not just about in your face flavor, and I'm looking for subtleties. Think that's why I've started to really enjoy St. Arnold's Icon series and well, sessionable stuff in general.
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Mar 19, 2014 19:48
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crazyfish posted:This also. I feel like saying "lactic sourness is the new hops" because there have been many a time when I've seen really great beers dismissed because it's "not sour enough" or "not hoppy enough" when that was their sole expectation of what the style should be. There are times when it's absolutely a valid criticism but I feel like a lot of times, people miss the point, especially with a really good gueuze. I drank my bottle of Sahalie by Ale Apothecary with two friends, and both of them made the comment "this could be quite a bit more sour". Not every sour has to be melt-your-face levels of sour, drat it! The subtle flavors in sours are my favorite part about them.
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Mar 19, 2014 19:58
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I'm going to be "that guy" and post my cellar beer fairly early since I'm going to see Book of Mormon tonight and otherwise it would have to wait until tomorrow. Not really anything super special, I drank a NEBCO Chardonneighbor of the Beast, which is their normal 668 Belgian Strong aged in chardonnay barrels with some Brettanomyces thrown in for good measure. They don't mention anything about any other bugs being in this, but I'm definitely getting a sourness out of it I don't remember tasting when I had this for the first time a while ago. Overall it's pretty good but it's extremely difficult for me to pick up any significant amount of chardonnay and even really much oak - not that I'm really complaining, the buttery flavors I associated with chardonnay aren't really something I'd be looking for in a beer. I'm not 100% sure I'd buy any more of these if they became available, since they're $10 a 375 ml bottle and I feel like I could get a better experience just buying Rayon Vert. Overall, beer had terrible lacing, so I give it a F+.
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Mar 19, 2014 20:55
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RiggenBlaque posted:Not really anything super special, I drank a NEBCO Chardonneighbor of the Beast, which is their normal 668 Belgian Strong aged in chardonnay barrels with some Brettanomyces thrown in for good measure. They don't mention anything about any other bugs being in this, but I'm definitely getting a sourness out of it I don't remember tasting when I had this for the first time a while ago. Depending on the strain of Brett, more tartness can develop. The biggest example of this I've had is Vivant's Escoffier, which tasted overly sweet and light on Brett when young. Six or so months later, it turned into a tart, funky delicious thing. Basically, it seems like they just canned it before it matured but it definitely got more tart with time.
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Mar 19, 2014 21:10
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air- posted:Pure tartness isn't all I am looking for. Just like I keep telling people with IBU monsters and big stouts: it's not just about in your face flavor, and I'm looking for subtleties. Think that's why I've started to really enjoy St. Arnold's Icon series and well, sessionable stuff in general. Agreed. I had Upland's Kiwi Lambic and was put off by how sour it was. No depth or complexity, just teeth-peeling sourness and a little kiwi. Like IPAs there's definitely a learning curve for sour beers. For those getting into sour beers, I recommend any of Jolly Pumpkin's offerings as a good starter. They're not too tart, are reasonably complex, and have a lot of flavor.
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Mar 19, 2014 21:38
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Lt_Tofu posted:How can a thousand dollar fine sink a business? Feels like they are crying wolf for some attention. Any business that can't take a $1000 expense, especially one that can be paid in installments, is not a business that's likely to be around for very long.
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Mar 19, 2014 21:45
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RiggenBlaque posted:I'm going to be "that guy" and post my cellar beer fairly early since I'm going to see Book of Mormon tonight and otherwise it would have to wait until tomorrow. How long have you been holding onto that? I've wanted to try it for a while but it seems like they haven't released it recently.
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Mar 19, 2014 22:31
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RiggenBlaque posted:Not really anything super special, I drank a NEBCO Chardonneighbor of the Beast, which is their normal 668 Belgian Strong aged in chardonnay barrels with some Brettanomyces thrown in for good measure. They don't mention anything about any other bugs being in this, but I'm definitely getting a sourness out of it I don't remember tasting when I had this for the first time a while ago. Overall it's pretty good but it's extremely difficult for me to pick up any significant amount of chardonnay and even really much oak - not that I'm really complaining, the buttery flavors I associated with chardonnay aren't really something I'd be looking for in a beer. I'm not 100% sure I'd buy any more of these if they became available, since they're $10 a 375 ml bottle and I feel like I could get a better experience just buying Rayon Vert. Did it say which strain of Brett? That matters a lot too. Virigoth posted:Thanks, I'll grab a couple more styles to try. Only reason I was investigating them is because the homebrew thread has frothing loins over the style. Get a Duchesse, a great beginner sour that I still love.
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Mar 19, 2014 22:48
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 Beer: Oude Geuze 2009 Vintage Brewery: Drie Fonteinen This is probably the oldest beer in my cellar so I thought it would be great to crack open for our new tradition. After drinking it, I can say without a doubt that this could have been held onto for much longer and still retain what makes a Geuze great. I get tons of a mineral flintiness going on, which is something I love in a Geuze. When you sit on a lot of American sours for too long, they seem to develop this strong lactic sourness that isn't exactly pleasant to drink. This isn't the case with 3F's Oude Gueze - the tart sourness is still present, but it's not overbearing in the flavor profile. There's also a great dry quality. Is there much else to say about this beer? It's one of the best Gueze in the world and everybody should have a few gathering dust in the back of a closet to be enjoyed in 10 years.
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Mar 19, 2014 23:58
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Podima posted:How long have you been holding onto that? I've wanted to try it for a while but it seems like they haven't released it recently. I think the last time it came out was June 2013
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Mar 20, 2014 00:13
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What's with beer stores lying about stock? I called a place about a beer last week that they said, "Came and went." Stroll through today and it's on the shelf. There was not a second delivery. Similar thing with a different store saying they hadn't gotten a beer in but it was on the shelf when I rolled through not more than 20 minutes later (and well after normal delivery hours). wtf, I shop at these stores regularly and this really makes me not want to buy there anymore.
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Mar 20, 2014 02:07
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Uuudar posted:What's with beer stores lying about stock? I called a place about a beer last week that they said, "Came and went." Stroll through today and it's on the shelf. There was not a second delivery. Similar thing with a different store saying they hadn't gotten a beer in but it was on the shelf when I rolled through not more than 20 minutes later (and well after normal delivery hours). wtf, I shop at these stores regularly and this really makes me not want to buy there anymore. Everyone I've talked to who works at a beer store gets dozens of calls from truck chasers who only waste the employees' time. Even if you're a local who shops there a lot, they might not have known who you were when you called. I bet if you had called about a shelf beer, they would have given you a real answer.
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Mar 20, 2014 02:18
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Virigoth posted:I'm a sour newbie. I drank this Upland Strawberry Lambic a couple nights ago and I'm not sure if I got a bad bottle or if sours aren't for me. I really like the first 75% of the taste when I drink where I get nice strawberry and tart, but is the last 25% (backend) of the drink supposed to taste like how dirty socks smell? This is the best description I can come up with. I know that the sours are going to have some funk, and I may just be an uninitiated rear end in a top hat but it seems like something isn't right. That sucks that you did't dig it. I personally love Upland's sours, never had a bad one. I hope Mikey Purp likes the Strawberry Lambic I sent him! Kiwi is by far the most sour one I've had so far though.
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Mar 20, 2014 02:30
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 (enjoy my sweet-rear end ~retro~ lightning lamp) Beer: Otto Brewery: Victory Bottled: September 2011 So for our inaugural cellar raid night, I decided to open this - it might not be a whale, but it's the very first beer I ever purposely cellared. Back when this came out I was just starting to really get into beer, and bought a bottle of this. When I opened it, I was already a few beers into a Friday night, but it completely blew my mind with the depth of flavors and smokiness. I distinctly remember taking a drink and walking away to get something from the kitchen, and then on the way back going "holy poo poo there's even MORE flavors coming out now from that mouthful!" The bottle said it would improve with time over 5 years, so what the hell? I went back and bought two more - and here we are. I don't have any fancy notes to compare to what it tasted like before, but this is really drat smooth to drink now - the smokiness is awesome, like what you get in your mouth while sitting around a campfire eating fresh grilled food. At first I thought it was a little overpoweringly sweet, but as it warmed up the smoke's come to the fore. It's still a little on the sweet side, but the smoke is definitely balancing it out - it's a rich smokiness, for lack of a better descriptor. Good stuff! Looking forward to trying the second bottle at the five-year mark!
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Mar 20, 2014 02:33
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