Craft beer Drinkers Unite!

[itw419]

[quote name='mflores' timestamp='1358627325' post='6260615']
just picked up hopslam,
zombie dust and black note - going to be a good weekend
[/quote]

I got the black note and hopslam but you got me on the zombie dust. It's such an awesome beer. I only get it about once a year but its worth the wait.

[_MS22_]

Just got back from a ski trip up north and secured a case of Heady Topper while there, fresh from the brewery!

Any West Coast guys out there want to trade me a few fresh Pliny for some? A little #1 and #2 IPA switch sounds nice for Superbowl weekend.

[shepdog]

My brother and I decided to do some home brewing and went down to the local home brew store. Along with all the home brew material they had a huge cooler with at least 100 craft brews. It was like I died and went to heaven. There were all these beers you guys talk about in this thread. Got some Dogfish Head 90 and then purchased a growler and a double IPA made by the owner. I now have a new hangout.

[FATC1TY]

Been enjoying some good Hopslam this year.. Not as awesome as last year, a bit thin and hot.

Anyways...Black note was good... Black Op's this year was really good. Got some more of that sitting around.

Barrel Aged Bigfoot.. Yes sir.. that was good, as was the BA Rasputin..

Toss some KBS, which I have cellared from last year and I'm ready for a BA showdown!

Anyways... anyone out there with some access to Heady Topper? I've got their proprietary strain of yeast they use that I'm building up a starter colony of for brewing a clone, and I need some fresh Heady to use to compare when I go to clone it.. I'd be happy to trade, or buy it. $4$ even, or not.

If you enjoy some homebrew, I can do that as well. I've got some pretty amazing stuff that has scored well.. Got a Nelson Sauvin Saison going now, man it's unreal good from just the samples!

[Scott@84]

I've been drinking a ton of Nugget Nectar, I love that beer. Others I've had lately, Zombie Dust, Alpa King, Panzer Wolf, New Glarus Moon Man, Spotted Cow, Ghandi Bot, Daisey Cutter, Narwhal, Hop God aged in Chardonnay Barrels, Stone Enjoy By and a few others I can't remember.

I have some New Glarus Apple Ale and Enigma I can't wait to try.

[FATC1TY]

Damn, I want some ZD and Ghandi Bot.

[bppry]

Going to a black note keg tapping on Tuesday night. Was not able to score any in store so I'm pumped.

The barrel aged Bigfoot sounds wonderful.

[esketores]

Today brought home some Troegs Imperial Ale. Never had it, hope it is good.

We have a local called Hoppin Frog. From time to time they do well at the Great American Beer Fest.

Some "craft brewers" are owned by the biggies. Shock Top, Goose Island, Red Hook, Blue Moon...

[GooseHook]

I'm drinking some Palo Santo Maron tonight, by DFH. Highly recommended.

[Scott@84]

Hoppin Frog makes some great beers. I just had some Boris the Crusher, very solid. I need to score some of the barrel aged version.

[FATC1TY]

[quote name='esketores' timestamp='1361050009' post='6441215']
Today brought home some Troegs Imperial Ale. Never had it, hope it is good.

We have a local called Hoppin Frog. From time to time they do well at the Great American Beer Fest.

Some "craft brewers" are owned by the biggies. Shock Top, Goose Island, Red Hook, Blue Moon...
[/quote]

Don't forget breweries like Widmer Brothers and such too..

[_MS22_]

Highly disappointed in HopSlam this year!
Nugget Nectar however is spectacular.

[JBent9610]

[quote name='_MS22_' timestamp='1361302869' post='6459527']
Highly disappointed in HopSlam this year!
Nugget Nectar however is spectacular.
[/quote]

Just curious, what didn't you like about Hopslam this year?

I had very little of it last year, so it's hard for me to compare it to a previous year. I thought this year's had a good honey and citrus taste, but like I said, not much to compare to.

I agree with you that Nugget Nectar is just as good this year as years past. This is one of my favorite seasonal beers. Last year, I was able to find it up to June! Usually it's hard to find in my area by the end of March. Hopback Amber is pretty good too when NN isn't available.

[FATC1TY]

Hopslam is fine this year.

People just complain about it because I think our palettes change. I thought this year was slightly more boozy and thin, with a reduced hop aroma. There, I said it. That said, however, it's still a good beer. It's not as awesome because of all the awesome stuff that has come out since Hopslam was first ever put out and got loved so much.

The beer is a great beer, and 10%? That beer hides it well.. Better than most.

The award right now for amazing IPA's goes to Lagunitas... Sucks is so, so, so good. It does not suck, at all. It's flat out insanely good.

[itw419]

[quote name='FATC1TY' timestamp='1361317059' post='6461005']
Hopslam is fine this year.

People just complain about it because I think our palettes change. I thought this year was slightly more boozy and thin, with a reduced hop aroma. There, I said it. That said, however, it's still a good beer. It's not as awesome because of all the awesome stuff that has come out since Hopslam was first ever put out and got loved so much.

The beer is a great beer, and 10%? That beer hides it well.. Better than most.

The award right now for amazing IPA's goes to Lagunitas... Sucks is so, so, so good. It does not suck, at all. It's flat out insanely good.
[/quote]

Totally agree. Sucks is awesome.

[Scott@84]

[quote name='FATC1TY' timestamp='1361317059' post='6461005']
Hopslam is fine this year.

People just complain about it because I think our palettes change. I thought this year was slightly more boozy and thin, with a reduced hop aroma. There, I said it. That said, however, it's still a good beer. It's not as awesome because of all the awesome stuff that has come out since Hopslam was first ever put out and got loved so much.

The beer is a great beer, and 10%? That beer hides it well.. Better than most.

The award right now for amazing IPA's goes to Lagunitas... Sucks is so, so, so good. It does not suck, at all. It's flat out insanely good.
[/quote]


Sucks is awesome.

[_MS22_]

I just thought this years was hotter and sweeter than the last few years. Maybe I've been really spoiled with Heady Topper and Pliny abound lately but for some reason I was just disappointed. I've driven 3+ hours for a case of this years ago but have since found more readily available subsitutes. My KBS guy though, yeah I drive 4 hours once a year for a case, worth every mile!

One of my local bars with a big Bells account is tapping a Hopslam sixtel privately next week so maybe it'll be better.

Another vote for Sucks, great brew.

The other disappointment as of late was a bottle of Vanilla BCS. Just too much. Wish I traded it off for another CBS backup, only two left and one is getting opened this weekend.

[JBent9610]

Wow, you have access to Heady and Pliny? I envy you. Those two, along with Zombie Dust, are highest on my list of wanting to try most.

+1 for Sucks. Another excellent beer from Lagunitas.

[_MS22_]

[quote name='JBent9610' timestamp='1361406812' post='6468387']
Wow, you have access to Heady and Pliny? I envy you. Those two, along with Zombie Dust, are highest on my list of wanting to try most.

+1 for Sucks. Another excellent beer from Lagunitas.
[/quote]

My brothers and I head up to Jay peak and Mad River the first week of every March so PM me your addy and I'll send some fresh Heady once I get back from VT in a couple weeks. We literally stalk every beer place up there and amass a few cases. And I run a few races up there in the summer and fall so I get it every couple months. As for the Pliny I have a guy that sends me 3 every month. Not much but enough.

[itw419]

I finally had the chance to try Heady Topper and Russian River Supplication this weekend. Both beers were awesome and live up to their hype.

[FATC1TY]

[quote name='_MS22_' timestamp='1361419395' post='6469761']
[quote name='JBent9610' timestamp='1361406812' post='6468387']
Wow, you have access to Heady and Pliny? I envy you. Those two, along with Zombie Dust, are highest on my list of wanting to try most.

+1 for Sucks. Another excellent beer from Lagunitas.
[/quote]

My brothers and I head up to Jay peak and Mad River the first week of every March so PM me your addy and I'll send some fresh Heady once I get back from VT in a couple weeks. We literally stalk every beer place up there and amass a few cases. And I run a few races up there in the summer and fall so I get it every couple months. As for the Pliny I have a guy that sends me 3 every month. Not much but enough.
[/quote]

I would LOVE some Heady. I'll be happy to pay/trade ya some southern beers for it. I actually need some as I'm the midst of cloning the beer on the homebrew level. I've harvested some yeast from Heady.. but need some to use as a comparison when I brew and after it's done for a side by side.

[Scott@84]

I just picked up some Fatheads Oompa Loompa, really damn good. Also grabbed a few bottles of Goose Island Sofie.

[RSTONEY]

Only a couple weeks till kbs is back!!!

[_MS22_]

Back?

It never left. I still have bottles from 09 (two),10 (four), 11 (four), and 2012 (like 17 or so)!! Not to mention the ever elusive CBS bottles I have left. Gonna crack one soon though.

[jlt73]

[quote name='JBent9610' timestamp='1361406812' post='6468387']
Wow, you have access to Heady and Pliny? I envy you. Those two, along with Zombie Dust, are highest on my list of wanting to try most.

+1 for Sucks. Another excellent beer from Lagunitas.
[/quote]

Zombie dust is very good. I work a few blocks away from the three floyds brewery

[Tampajoe3]

I like a Hefe like one of my firsts, [b]Konig Ludwig Weissbier.[/b]
Near my old hometown there was [b]Stoudt's[/b] Heifer in Wheat.
If anyone has any recommendations like these let me know.

Had a tasty one at Cincinnati's Brew Ha-Ha a couple of years ago from [b]Abita[/b] called Purple Haze. It was the only one that I could remember.

[GHIN n Juice]

Polygamy Porter from Wasatch Brewery in Park City Utah.

[FATC1TY]

[quote name='_MS22_' timestamp='1362372801' post='6542799']
Back?

It never left. I still have bottles from 09 (two),10 (four), 11 (four), and 2012 (like 17 or so)!! Not to mention the ever elusive CBS bottles I have left. Gonna crack one soon though.
[/quote]

Lucky SOB.

[seasuks]

My haul today:

4 Peche Mortel Coffee Stout
2 Karl Strauss Barrel Aged Wreck Alley Stout
2 Green Flash Silvia Stout (barrel aged double stout)
2 Green Flash Sleepin' with Shaggy (barrel aged barleywine)

I currently have somewhere around 23 cases of beer in my "cellar" which is really a dark closet. I'm not a hophead. I'm a malt guy and if it's barrel aged, even better, so it's full of stouts, barleywines, and old ales to include Deschutes The Abyss (2009-2012 vertical at least three of each), Stone Old Guardian, and a bunch of Firestone Walker Proprietor Series...Parabola, Sucaba, XV, XVI, and Double DBA.

In my opinion, for the money, nobody is doing it better than Firestone Walker right now. Especially the barrel aged stuff. It's incredible.

All of that being said, if I could get Bell's Two Hearted and Founders Breakfast Stout on a regular basis here in San Diego, I honestly don't know if I'd drink anything else.

Like I said, not a hophead but I think Two Hearted is one of the best, most balanced beers out there. When I get FBS, I actually drink it for breakfast while watching my Carolina Gamecocks play football at 9am out here in Cali.

If anyone wants to do some trades for west coast stuff, just shoot me a message. I'm more than game.

[RolandofGilead]

[quote name='seasuks' timestamp='1363321052' post='6615255']
All of that being said, if I could get Bell's Two Hearted and Founders Breakfast Stout on a regular basis here in San Diego, I honestly don't know if I'd drink anything else.

Like I said, not a hophead but I think Two Hearted is one of the best, most balanced beers out there. When I get FBS, I actually drink it for breakfast while watching my Carolina Gamecocks play football at 9am out here in Cali.
[/quote]

I agree that Bell's Two Hearted Ale is great but I wouldn't call it well balanced in the hoppiness-maltyness sense. Toward that end, the Bell's Christmas Ale was one of the most balanced beers I've ever had. It was a real treat.