Beer Thread 3: Every Day We Stray Further From Buds Light

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Goons with Spoons > Beer Thread 3: Every Day We Stray Further From Buds Light

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lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Owithey posted:

I have a question about the price of locally brewed beers in the US. I live in the UK and I don't think I've ever paid more than �20 for a bottle of beer, a nice Belgian abbey beer would probably set me back this much.

However recently I've been reading about beer trading and selling beers in the U.S. for upwards of $60. How long has this been happening? and am I missing out on some great new level of beers from the US, or is this similar to the locally brewed beers I can get here in the UK, only with a massive price tag?

I've always been happy with the variety of beers and styles a can get here and around Europe. Just with the incredible prices of the beers in the US, I feel like I'm missing out on something, please set my mind at rest.

The most I've actually paid for a beer at a store was $23 for CCB/Bruery collaboration Marron Acidifie.

What you're probably referring to is the secondary ebay market which can get out of hand pricewise pretty quickly if a beer is deemed a 'whale'

Long story made short: No you're not missing out on anything. There are plenty of fair priced great American beers.

# ¿ Mar 2, 2012 23:07

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 17:23

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

SUPER HASSLER posted:

Totally just heard a dude at the bar say "horse blanket" when explaining Belgian sours to his girlfriend. I'd shake his hand, but it'd be embarrassing for both of us.

This is the sort of thing that happens when the last post you made on SA was four years ago over on PI.

Did you at least ask how the lacing was?

# ¿ Mar 3, 2012 02:20

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

azerdude32 posted:

Just got a beer by Goose Island, Fleur - Belgian Style Ale. It was bottled over a year ago, so it should be good

I have no idea how to review beer, but I'll give it a shot if I remember to post later!

edit: Also, if anyone is looking for Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA, the beer distributor in Portchester, NY has a few on their shelf.

I love Fleur. I still have a bottle I picked up when I went to Chicago last June.

# ¿ Mar 4, 2012 02:56

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Kraven Moorhed posted:

Just for clarification, could you quote that bit where he stated his opinion as fact? Try as I might, I couldn't find any evidence of him doing so.

Anyways, I'd never had a Flying Dog beer before trying out Raging Bitch tonight. To be honest I've avoided them based on the art; however, after tonight I'm a bit more partial towards trying them. Definitely a case of shooting myself in the foot based purely on label aesthetics. Any other must-haves from them, or did I just manage to grab the best one?

Gonzo, Kujo, Double Dog, In-Heat Wheat, Snake dog IPA are all good and worth a taste.

# ¿ Mar 5, 2012 15:58

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Retemnav posted:

Well, after talking last week about how the Mikkeller tasting was underwhelming and how his beer's were all overpriced...I of course found 1 bottle of Beer Geek Brunch Weasel sitting on the shelf of a shop this weekend. So I had to pick that up. Looking forward to drinking fermented weasel shits this week!

It's fermented weasel poo poo coffee. I think its definitely one of his better beers.

# ¿ Mar 5, 2012 17:40

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

air- posted:

I believe OK now gets Jolly Pumpkin too, so someone could chime in for that?

Pass on the E.S. Bam and I wasn't a huge fan of Calabaza Blanca.

Totally get Madrugada Obscura

# ¿ Mar 5, 2012 20:56

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Ubik posted:

According to the people I've asked in the brewery, there are no plans to do any Oatmeal Stout this year. Next year is a possibility, but nothing for sure yet. It's a shame, because Oatmeal Stout is my favorite of the regulars too.

This makes me sad I didn't try the Oatmeal Stout Ice cream float combo

# ¿ Mar 5, 2012 21:43

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Kudosx posted:

Yeah, I really want to try Abrasive, Furious, and Heady Topper...

I'm hoping these are at least half decent.

Edit: Half way through my first can of Bengali Tiger and I will say that it is exactly what I was hoping... half decent. It's not bad... but I don't think I'll buy another 4 pack of it. Now I'm wondering if Resin is any good...

I think resin is good but different than most DIPAs I've had. It is for a lack of a better word very resinous, not so overly hoppy like most DIPAs but a semi sweet syrupy malt hop combo.

# ¿ Mar 7, 2012 05:05

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

bananasinpajamas posted:

I've been sorting this poo poo all loving day. It actually kinda sucks because there's also like 30 other CCB beers so yeah we have maybe 32 taps we'll be using for 60+ beers.

Back in the day I probably would've drank it no matter what, but if he can't drink it at all, what's the point? It's a waste of money no matter what, why punish yourself further

Call up a friend and unload it on them! In all honesty I have yet to have a beer I full on drainpoured except for some homebrew gone bad. Suck it up and finish it, it will only make you stronger

# ¿ Mar 7, 2012 22:52

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

funkybottoms posted:

i don't mean this as a criticism of you, but why are people going crazy over Nugget Nectar this year? i don't recall it being that special of a release the past couple years and it's always been fairly easy to find in VA.

talked to the actual beer dude at Stein Market and he made up for the lack of pleasantness from the rest of the crew, which kept me from buying all their Cantillon out of spite. turns out that The Avenue Pub is actually right around the corner, stoked about that, but it's one of those "nobody under 21" places that are apparently common in this neck of the woods, so that kinda sucks.

Around me the first batches of Nugget Nectar go extremely fast. Thankfully Troegs puts out a couple batches when NN is in season so I can usually grab a couple sixers later on

# ¿ Mar 9, 2012 21:42

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

mmmm nugget nectar is so good. How I miss this beer late in the summer. Perfect BBQ ipa if it can last until then.

# ¿ Mar 11, 2012 04:42

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Midorka posted:

I haven't had a bad beer by them yet, I think everything they put out is worth trying at least once. Their big bottles have really blown me away especially the 30th Anniversary Grand Cru.

I'm drinking another Sixpoint Resin now and man am I glad this is a year round beer now. This is a really solid IIPA and it's such a shock when you crack the can open and your smacked with hops from the aroma. This deserves a higher rating than it's aggregated on ratebeer, then again it's not rare so I don't expect it to.

Either I got a bad batch or TASTEBUDS but Resin is way too syrupy and sweet for my tastes as a DIPA. Sucks I was really looking forward to this beer being awesome

# ¿ Mar 17, 2012 07:15

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Midorka posted:

I don't think any beer is worth camping out for at this point. I've had a lot of highly praised beers from Hopslam, Pliny, and Curmudgeons Better Half and while they were all fantastic beers there's been others I've enjoyed more in the same vein. There's a lot of absolutely astounding beers out there and brewery's just keep getting better and better. I'll give every rare beer a shot once, but I don't think I'll ever hunt Pliny, Black Ops, KBS, etc down again. I'm glad to have tried them but I'm happy with the huge variety of more easily available stuff as well, especially at a lower price point.

I agree. I'm past the gather all crazy beer at all costs stage. If I happen to stumble upon KBS at a store I frequent or even if the manager tells me its coming in a specific day, I don't mind going for it. However anything more than that is just too much time and effort when there are a ton of other great options around.

Would I like to try Expo Hoppiness, Black tuesday etc. Absolutely but I'd rather use the money to take a trip out to those places rather than buy a bottle online.

# ¿ Mar 22, 2012 20:19

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

TenaciousTomato posted:

This is my exact plan at the moment, too. The only saison I have drank was the Ommegang Hennepin which was awesome. And the only barley wine I have tried was Weyerbacher's Blithering Idiot, which I was not a big fan of at all.

I also really want to get into Lambics; I know there are a few styles (fruit/geuze/others), any recommendations on where to start with these?

Do yourself a favor and find Saison Dupont. Its a great saison all around.

Barley wine chat: I really liked old ruffian from great divide. Really hoppy and malty but well balanced

VVVVVV Edit: I found dupont in brown 12 ounce bottles I was so happy

lazerwolf fucked around with this message at 03:45 on Mar 23, 2012

# ¿ Mar 23, 2012 02:57

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

OK heady topper is the poo poo. A ton of citrus and grapefruit flavor without being overly bitter. Its not as dry a finish as hop stoopid or pliny but the sweetness doesn't linger. This is seriously a dangerously drinkable dipa

# ¿ Mar 24, 2012 04:00

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Midorka posted:

Are you drinking it from the can or a glass? I would like to get two to try both ways since they recommend it from the can.

Both. First from a glass because I wanted to see what it looked like (just after the lacing obviously). After that straight from the can. Both were good not too much detectable difference.
Its unfiltered and unpasterized as you can tell from the picture

Sorry if this is huge I'all edit it if it is, awful app etc.

lazerwolf fucked around with this message at 14:50 on Mar 24, 2012

# ¿ Mar 24, 2012 14:17

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Yeah it looks like hazy orange juice. Its a bit lighter in color than the picture suggests. Flash seems to darken beer colors for some reason

# ¿ Mar 24, 2012 16:49

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Kudosx posted:

I think I'm going to pick up a bottle of Saison de Lente tomorrow, so I can give Saisons a try. Saisons don't seem to be on tap very often anywhere around me... although I'm pretty sure that's how it is most places. It doesn't seem to be a style that you would drink every single day.

I'm also hoping to stop by the bar and try a few Barleywines, but I'm not 100% sure that's going to happen with how my schedule looks for tomorrow.

What do you folks think of Lindeman's ? I have also never tried a Lambic, and a few local stores get in several kinds of Lindeman's Lambics. How similar are Lambic's to Wild Ales? I tried to read the description of both, but I'm still a bit unsure of how similar they are to each other... although it seems like they are very alike. I've tried some of RR's Wild's and enjoyed them quite a bit, so I'm tempted to pick up a Lindeman's Framboise next time I go to the store.

Saison de lente is an excellent choice. Hope you enjoy it.

Libdemans lambics are very very sweet compared to other lambics. Be prepared for that

# ¿ Mar 24, 2012 23:07

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

If anyone goes to Burlington Vermont I highly recommend going to the farmhouse tap and grill. Amazing beer selections, they even have an extensive cellar collection. I had hill farmstead society & solitude #3 dipa and stillwater Bordeaux barrel aged autumnal which is their amber farmhouse. Both amazing beers

# ¿ Mar 25, 2012 01:58

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Kudosx posted:

How was the Society & Solitude? I'm curious if Hill Farmstead IPAs live up to the hype, as I've heard really good things about them.

I know you said it was amazing, but how would you compare it to say... Heady Topper?

S&S finished very dry compared to heady. Both are solid beers but heady seems to have a coat your whole mouth feel.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2012 04:03

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

I was talking to the guy at the Alchemist Cannery about the hop profile for Heady Topper. He mentioned they use hop extract, is this really a thing?

# ¿ Mar 27, 2012 14:32

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

What do they do to get it? Is it just boil a bunch of hops, filter the hop tea from the hops and then boil off excess water?

# ¿ Mar 27, 2012 14:59

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Do you usually use it to boost IBU beyond the limits that you could normally get from actually boiling hops? I figure you'd hit a saturation point with normal hop utilization and this could push you past that point?

lazerwolf fucked around with this message at 17:25 on Mar 27, 2012

# ¿ Mar 27, 2012 17:20

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Ubik posted:

If you want to try a super-fun experiment, taste a spoon of hop extract. It tastes like burning!

That doesn't sound like fun at all!

I guess if your company is just brewing a DIPA all the time, you don't want to waste the gallons upon gallons of water soaked up by whole/plug/pellet hops. However does extract fade less over time or is it still subject to the same 1-3 months ideal freshness range for IPA/DIPA

# ¿ Mar 27, 2012 22:13

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Correct me if I'm wrong but each breweries version of Saison du Buff is different right? I've only had the Stone offering the first time it rolled around and I loved it.

# ¿ Mar 29, 2012 14:31

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

WaffleStomp posted:

Half Acre is starting to pop up on draft around Philly and the surrounding suburbs. I've only been able to have Daisy Cutter so far, but drat does it kick rear end. If this made it out here in bottles and was priced well, it would be my go-to pale ale instead of Yard's Philly pale.

Half Acre does cans! Yeah I'm super pumped to get Daisy Cutter on draft now. One of the best places from my chicago trip was Half Acre

# ¿ Mar 29, 2012 21:15

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Vertigo posted:

Bottle shop got ONE bottle of Firestone Walker XV in... saving it for me.

Hopefully it's as good as I hope it is.

The place I go has a big floor display of 2 or 3 cases of it...

I just drank my bottle of it last night. Lots of oak and a touch of barleywine undertones, I think at least 4 of the beers in the blend are BA barleywines of sorts. The first glass of it was good but I should have tried to finish off the bottle. I just can't enjoy 12% bombers any more.

# ¿ Apr 2, 2012 15:24

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Midorka posted:

Curious, where in the world do you get any idea of a stout from Shark Attack?

Yeah wondering the same about it. Shark attack is delicious but I'm not getting any stout-ness from it. Definitely some caramel sweetness from the malts. I love a good hoppy red any other suggestions? I've had shark attack, long trail centennial red, GF hop hed red, Nugget nectar

VVV One of my all time favorite beers, how could I forget!

lazerwolf fucked around with this message at 17:14 on Apr 4, 2012

# ¿ Apr 4, 2012 17:08

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

danbanana posted:

also: pliny (elder) is horribly overrated in my opinion. i'm pretty sure i've said that here but i'll say it again: there's lots of better IPAs available in the midwest that i'd rather have.

I'd say its worth having once if he can get it relatively easily which appears to be the case. I really like it but I agree there's a lot better IPA/DIPA everywhere

# ¿ Apr 4, 2012 21:42

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Midorka posted:

Not by me at least. I think Victory may have the best American made tripel in all honesty. I've drank it near 100 times but never properly out of a proper glass while evaluating it. I've drank it hundreds of times to get drunk, or out of dirty bar lines in shaker glasses, but the first time I drank it out of a tulip I realized how great of a beer it was, not just a cheap drunk night.

Flying Fish's Exit 4 comes close, but it's a different presentation and flavor profile to really compare in my opinion. It did with a GABF Gold though in 2009 if that means anything.

I just cracked open an Oak Aged Unearthly by Southern Tier, whoever said it was a sweeter Unearthly was right. Where the gently caress is the hops in this? If I drank it blind I would think it was an oak aged barleywine, and no not the west coast styles. I am not drain pouring it, but gently caress is it a horrible sweet mess.

well it is oak aged and hops fade over time...

That's why I'm not the biggest fan of wood aged Ipa, kinda defeats the point of an IPA in my opinion

# ¿ Apr 6, 2012 04:35

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Kudosx posted:

Speaking of wood aged IPAs, what is everyone's opinion on CCB's wood aged IPAs? I've heard they're much, much better than your typical wood aged IPAs, but I don't have access to CCB so I have no experience with them.

I've only had humidor ipa and it tastes like its name suggests. Lots of cedar flavor, it was definitely different than anything I've ever had. Not sure if I liked it or not

# ¿ Apr 6, 2012 04:46

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

internet celebrity posted:

I completely missed out on KBS this year but I'm still curious about the style. What are some good bourbon barrel aged imperial stouts I can find in southeastern North Carolina? I've had Dragon's Milk and it was way too sweet for me, tasted more like Bailey's than beer.

It's not bourbon barrel aged but have you has any of the oaked yeti varieties? I'm not too sure if there is a year round available bourbon aged stout or at least one that doesn't cost you an arm and a leg or doesn't fly off the shelves the day after its stocked

# ¿ Apr 6, 2012 14:54

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

My dad only drinks coors lite and I hated the taste. I tried guiness for the first time and I was blown away by how different beer could be. A lot of Sam adams when I first got into beer help diversify my tastes

# ¿ Apr 8, 2012 23:57

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Midorka posted:

I had Double Trouble once and said never again, the hop blend reminded me of onions.

*TASTEBUDS* I thought double trouble was solid. Not the best but nothing like onions.

Drinking Ommegang Aphrodite right now, I was actually surprised that this beer pours red. Very light on the malt sweetness, a nice subtle tart flavor from the Brett, overall a nice change of pace from the canned double ipas I've been drinking (heady topper, deviant dales, resin)

# ¿ Apr 12, 2012 01:09

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Angry Grimace posted:

I think I just hate Barleywines. I've disliked all of the ones I've had.

I am along the same sentiment as you except add in Quads as well. I think the sweeter flavors of those beers don't sit well with my palate just yet.

# ¿ Apr 12, 2012 14:56

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Recently I did have a 2010 Great Divide Old Ruffian which I enjoyed far more than most barleywines. I guess I prefer a hoppier barleywine to a maltier one

# ¿ Apr 12, 2012 17:02

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

FreelanceSocialist posted:

How does Mikkeller Beer Hop Breakfast measure up? We've had some on the shelf for a few weeks.

I wasn't overly fond of it. It was just a hoppier coffee stout. Meh not worth the 'Mikkeller price'. Just buy some Yeti or Storm king.

Content: I think tonight I might open up year old Victory at Sea and see what has mellowed out of it

lazerwolf fucked around with this message at 15:37 on Apr 13, 2012

# ¿ Apr 13, 2012 15:33

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

two_beer_bishes posted:

I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned but I think their brown ale is the best brown on the market. Everyone I serve it to has fallen in love with it. I haven't had any of their big bottles but their IPA and lager are both great, although I don't love the pennant ale. Definitely one of my favorite breweries!

I don't often go for brown ales but Cigar City's Espresso Brown is by far the best I've ever had, their Maduro brown isn't far behind that one

Vertigo posted:

Elysian made it to PA finally.

Grabbed a case of Dragonstooth today.

Glad to see new breweries show up here

Elysian has been in Jersey for as long as I've been into craft beer. Sort of strange it took them this long to get into PA. They have some solid stuff

# ¿ Apr 13, 2012 17:22

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Kudosx posted:

What kind of price are mikkeller/cantillon beers? I always hear people say Mikkeller is rather expensive for what it is... was just curious about what kind of pricing that was. I haven't actually seen any in store, so I haven't been able to notice first hand.

I think mikkeller's small bottle 12 oz stuff is far more pricey than their bomber stuff. Around me Beer Geek Breakfast is 9.99, Brunch is 14.99. but at the same time Green Gold IPA is like 4-5.99.

# ¿ Apr 13, 2012 21:50

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 17:23

lazerwolf: Dec 22, 2009; Orange and Black

Stroop There It Is posted:

Question for all: what is the best beer to go along with spring/summer grilling?

I'm thinking something crisp and light, maybe citrusy. Like Sam Adams Alpine Spring, if it stood out more.

Any good pale ale or ipa. Headwaters pale from victory is my go to grilling beer

Good call on saison as well

# ¿ Apr 14, 2012 19:58

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Goons with Spoons > Beer Thread 3: Every Day We Stray Further From Buds Light

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