Rush River IPA tonight. Red Hook if I run out.
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Rush River IPA tonight. Red Hook if I run out.
You tried "back in black" from 21st amendment? It's goodQuote:
Originally Posted by The AD
Pliny the Younger available today
Some damn fine tasty IPAs are mentioned in this thread!!!
I've gotta check out that "Pako's Eye-P.A." from Snake River Brewery. How in hell do I get a hold of that stuff?? I wonder if they will ship out? I've never tried getting alcohol shipped before. Seems there might be USPS rules (ATF laws, etc) against it...but maybe ok as FedEx or UPS??
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Haven't read this whole thread, so don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but right now I'm enjoying Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye. I'm usually not an IPA guy, and I'm not the biggest fan of SN, but this stuff is pretty tasty.
12 pack for 12.99 makes me a fan.Quote:
Originally Posted by mmmm...pow!
Also, had a Odell's Black IPA the other day which was pretty damn good as well.
AK, you can't ship beer with Fedex or UPS but if it breaks or they figure it out they just confiscate it. You have to be a licensed shipper but one beer packaged well is pretty easy to pull off.
meh. Widmer O'Ryeley Rotator >>> in the IPA stakes and roughly the same price.Quote:
Originally Posted by mmmm...pow!
Been rocking the Stone IPA lately...so delicious!
Edit: It was Stone, not Rogue. Don't know what I was thinking.
Surprised to see no mention of Kern Citra or some of the Alpine beers, Ballast Point Sculpin, Surly Abrasive, Surly Wet, Surly Furious, Alchemist Heady Topper, Three Floyds Zombie Dust or quite a few from them, etc. There are so many good beers. Pliny the Elder isn't bad but I think it's a little hyped. Wish I could try Pliny the Younger. Have had Ska Modus Hoperandi and didn't care for it but no idea how old it was. PAs, IPAs, and DIPAs really need to be drank ASAP after bottling/canning. The flavor profile on even a month old beer isn't going to be as good even it it's been kept in proper conditions. Really hard to compare the tops of the styles objectively as everybody has a different pallette. I'm a sucker for a REALLY tropical IPA (not to say I don't like most though). IPAs really need to have dates on the cans/bottles. There are so many good ones out there so there is no reason to be drinking an older one.
Edit: Minneapolis Town Hall "Masala Mama" is a great IPA. Really a great brewery. Just happens to be barrell aged beer week in the next few weeks. Some nice growlers to be had during barrel aged week. They have two or three beers that seem to slide in and out of the top 100 beers on BeerAdvocate. Check out all the different beers MTH brews on BeerAdvocate and I've never had a bad one. Definately either Surly or Town Hall are the top breweries in Minnesota.
Go on the Snake River website. If I remember correctly they are one of the few breweries that will actually ship to you. Not sure where you are given only the Surfers reference. Their Zonker Stout is pretty damn good for how under the radar it is. Keep in mind it's not an RIS but still a great stout in the 6% or so category. As for shipping beer you just need to make sure it's packed well, temps are such that it won't freeze, and use UPS or Fedex. It is against the law but they tend to turn their head given all the revenue they generate from it. People typically say they are shipping snow globes, fancy olive oil, or anything else that might sound like a legal liquid to ship. You can also put in a box or two of skittles or something to mask the sound of the liquid (I've even seen empty pill bottles with a little gravel in them used).Quote:
Originally Posted by Alaskan Rover
Quote:
Originally Posted by fool
Quote:
Originally Posted by The AD
I've been so so on blacks, but the two this year that I really like areQuote:
Originally Posted by Hugh Conway
Drake's Jolly RoDger - it was a damn straight winner last year, and this year's is almost as good
Alchemist/Ninkasi/Stone More Brown than Black - yes. oh yes.
Ummm, actually quite a few of those were mentioned in this thread. Alpine's Nelson Sauvin was heavily praised, I'm sure someone reviewed Sculpin (possibly me, as I think it's too lignified and not bright enough), Surly has been talked about a lot, I'm pretty sure someone mentioned the Alchemist ... but hey, that's what IPA does for us, withers the memory a bit.Quote:
Originally Posted by Crass3000
Who else is stoked for SF Beer Week? Yeah, I know you guys outside of Cali don't really pay attention, but all of the Northern California and San Diego brewers are bringing their best up here for Beer Week:
http://www.sfbeerweek.org/schedule
oh yeah, on the topic of [ipa]Nelson Sauvin hops[/ipa] ...
I did NOT enjoy this IPA last week:
http://www.ratebeer.com/beerimages/145410.jpg
100% nelson sauvin brew - looked interesting!
It tasted like herbal flower soap and I nearly spit it out on first try. Incredibly light foamy head, needed to get to near room temperature before it was drinkable, but then it tasted dried lavender, dried leaves and bitter tree bark and ... cat's piss.
Ugh, I need to get back to the Widmer Nelson Imperial asap just to flush my memory of associating Nelson Sauvin hops to cat's piss.
Not 15 posts above yours....Quote:
Originally Posted by Crass3000
Had some Furious at around the same time --> didn't think it was quite as interesting as the wet, but still very good.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mustonen
I forgot how much of a kick Hopslam really has... sat down with some Hopslam while finishing off my taxes last night - not the best idea ever. Finish taxes, THEN drink boozy beer has to be right up there with "post, THEN smoke crack" in the great order of operations table of the world.
Shit beer
I'm actually pretty impressed w/ Tommyknocker's Hop Strike. That's good beer - actually tastes like an IPA with some dark notes rather than a muddled brown.Quote:
Originally Posted by SchralphMacchio
He'brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A. can also be very, very good. Lots of rye in that one, though.
I have a theory about IPA drinkers. They are generally not very well travelled, have never left the USA, thus have never tried beer from other places, esp. the old world. Their first experience with beer was with a beer bong in high school or college, with Bud or some other American lager, where they then got sick and threw up. Thus as a reaction, in their adult years they are attracted to the opposite type of beer, the IPA. But it is an unsophisticated taste as it is borne out of a very limited experience and an unseasoned palette. IPA's are not subtle and are basically a poseurs beer for those who want to appear to have good taste in beer, without actually having good taste in beer. IPA is the pinnacle of the American crap beer pyramid.
The IPA connoisseur is analogous to a connoisseur of chilli. Sure there are many different styles and flavors of chili, but the food in itself is not very good.
Do you have any friends?
Does anyone know who got a keg of Pliny the younger near vail? I really don't want to miss it again this year.
To add- uintas brewery's dubhe imperial black ipa is a winner. Other faves of mine are green flash west coast ipa, Breckinridges 471 ipa, and pliny.
Probably so.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMessenger
None of us in this thread have ever been on the Belgian abbey trails, or tasted banner Bordeaux and Rhone wines, Napa wines by Phelps, Martini, Caymus, Duckhorn, or tiny bouquet wineries from marquee years, 23 year old bourbons, 25 year old armagnacs and cognacs, single and double malted scotches. None of us even know what the fuck a "Calvados" is, and especially not those from the 1960's, not even the ones that some of us have in our cellars. We just like drinking water with our high fructose corn syrup and eating processed meat with our soy fat. Seriously.
So please leave us alone because we are a bunch of uncouth heathens.
Sorry, I drink beers I like. I'm not concerned that those beers may be "unsophisticated" or "not subtle." And I kind of doubt anyone posting in this thread only drinks IPAs.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMessenger
People always feel the need to criticize what is popular. Ipa are not the only beer, but I usually choose them over others because I am interested in trying the different hop profiles and balances. Arguing aboutthe some thing as subjective as taste is a waste of time.
So what's the big deal over Pliny the Younger?
The big deal? Is that it's a bunch of people circle jerking in Star Wars costumes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hugh Conway
I mean, I love the beer. It's one of the best I've ever had - pretty mindblowing. But seriously ... here is the blog update from the RR website today:
Quote:
The first 4 days of the annual return of Pliny the Younger has been outstanding! Though the lines have been quite long (up to a 5 hour wait over the weekend), the weather has held up for us... until this morning. But I did see a few hearty souls in their camping chairs and rain gear huddled up next to the building waiting to be the first inside to drink Younger from the source! Kudos to you die-hard beer fans!
wait was ~20 minutes today in the afternoon (mostly because of the hangerson who showed up with groups and ... didn't order beer? WTF?) and it was good, but I think Elder is a better beer.Quote:
Originally Posted by SchralphMacchio
^ did you let it warm up a bit to let the malts run a little more? Of course it varies from year to year / batch to batch. I had a disappointing bottle of Drakes the other day, when on some days I can be blown away.
WRT to the Younger, I didn't think the 2011 was as good as the 2010. 2010 had a very very long finish, maybe 15+ seconds. I'm all about seeing how a beer changes as it breathes and also warms up. Most fine beers are served too cold IMO.
I like most beers served ice cold, so I can get a feel for the entire profile as it warms up. It's a journey... If it isn't served ice cold I feel like I missed the first half.Quote:
Originally Posted by SchralphMacchio
As mentioned, SN Ruthless Rye and Widmer Rotator are quite tasty and have been heavy in my "easy to find in my local grocery store" beer rotation.
Strong beer month at 21st Amendment/Magnolia. Magnolia is 2 blocks away.
Ouch.
You could be right, but here's a story for you. A friend was born and raised in England. When he moved here, he was walking down the street one day and smelled this foul odor emanating from a local restaurant. He thought 'what is that horrible stench?' When he found the source, it turned out to be Kentucky Fried Chicken. He made a mental note to never eat there. But every day he had to walk by KFC on his way to work, and every day the smell became a little less offensive, until one day it seemed to actually smell good. So he went inside and tried some. He wasn't particularly impressed, but just like the smell, the taste grew on him until he was addicted to the stuff. He'd go there all the time. He actually had to quit KFC like you'd quit smoking or drinking.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMessenger
I'm kinda that way with the over-the-top PNW/American style of IPA. I'm originally from the midwest, and very well travelled compared to 90% of Americans - including actually living in other countries. At first I thought PNW (and NorCal) IPA was a particularly unbalanced interpretation of the genre, but over time I became a major hop-head. Now, to me, beer=IPA. It's not because I don't know any better. It's because I like it.
Rush River Double Bubble Imperial IPA, Yummy.
Holy shit, too many good beers at DIPA festival today.
Some highlights:
Half Moon Bay Double Overhead
Knee Deep Hoptologist
Lagunitas SF Fusion
Maui Brewing Double Overhead
Port Mongo
Triple Rock Rodgers Last Stand and IIMAXX
Russian River Pliny the Younger
Bear Republic Cafe Racer 15 and Racer X
Deschutes Hop Henge Experimental
Boneyard Hop Venom, Cascadian Dark Ale, and Notorious
Flying Dog Imperial Centenial
and guess what - Pliny was not the best beer in that list. Triple Rock Rodgers Last Stand for the win (they took silver today in the IIIPA contest, Drakes won gold with Hopocalypse Black Label, but it ran dry within 1 hour of opening so I missed out)
yes, oh yesssssss (from the Drake's Facebook page)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net...70960516_n.jpg
YFC. 12.5% ABV? When's it hit stores...
Knee Deep Hoptologist? I've been unimpressed by the bottles, but that could be handling.
I'm happy the rye thing is cool again - probably those mad Men retards but if it means more rye IPA and people who know what an old fashioned is I'm for it. The ruthless rye just made it to AK and now I'll look for the widmer.Quote:
Originally Posted by MarsB
any of the rotators so far have been good. He'brew Lenny's RIPA is worth a rye as wellQuote:
Originally Posted by flyman683
I think it's possibly a bottling issue. I had 1 bottle of Knee Deep in Powder about 3 weeks ago and it was awful, nothing like the Simtra triple IPA or Hoptologist double that I had yesterday.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hugh Conway
I talked to the head brewer Jeremy Warren about it after Hoptologist won gold (really cool dude by the way - he has been hanging out at Drakes with his Dad since they opened). They're only 1+ year into their operation and not everything is totally dialed yet. We talked about different sources of contamination & taints and he ruled out a few possibilities but expressed real concern about potential hop taints and bottle contamination. I don't know anything about brewery operations and QC, but he invited me to come check out the operation and have a few beers on him as well for giving him honest feedback and being a passionate beer and snow lover (he is also a snowboarder).
So anyways, I kind of got the young independent ski/board manufacturer vibe from him, like Kieth from Praxis and Ben Harmon from Sentury, so I hope he's able to dial in his operation and be successful, because the two Knee Deeps I tried yesterday were fantastic.
Dude must be old. The first KFC opened in England in 1964.Quote:
Originally Posted by pisteoff
Yeah I had one of their beers a couple weeks ago that seemed off. I saved the bottle to send an email with store, date and beer but I forgot now I just have to find it.Quote:
Originally Posted by SchralphMacchio
Sorry I didn't make it to the DIPA fest, I was still fighting off the hangover from the night before at the opener. Winner for me: Sierra Brown Saison - was a weird mix of a flemish sour saison aged in bourbon barrels. I could have drank about a gallon of that.
after speaking to my local liquor store owner, it sounds like some of the problems I've had with Knee Deep and Drake's inconsistency may be the crackhead distributor locally. fuck liquor lawsQuote:
Originally Posted by SchralphMacchio
^ Yeah it's actually one of the bigger reasons I buy from Whole Foods - it seems that they get stuff pretty fresh from distribution. Temperature control and age with West Coast IPAs is super critical. I had the toughest time explaining to my friend how Maui Big Swell was so fantastic - he never ever got hints of pineapple or papaya - until he told me the date codes off his cans were almost 3 months old!
Chalk up another winner from SN in the Ruthless Rye. I don't know why but I never go wrong with SNPA/Celebration/Ruthless Rye. So good and at around $6/sixer it's hard to beat. I realize it's not Hugh approved, but I do live in MT and none of the bigger NW brewers do all that much for me.
Also, I know probably only one person reading this thread has ever tasted it, but I still think Blackfoot River Brewing's (Helena, MT) is among the best I've ever tasted.