some damn good IPA's out there

[abraham]

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.
.

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.

[schuss]

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.

[Hugh Conway]

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.

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 laws

[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!

[RootSkier]

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.

[Hugh Conway]

^ 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!

Apparently down here there's one distributor of Drake's for beer/booze stores and a seperate one for "health food" stores or so the story goes. the beer/booze store dude showed up last week with the in the beer back of a pickup truck.... :nonono:

I've had good luck with Whole Foods as well; Bevmo has shitty storage.

[snapt]

SIerra Nevada Torpedo now available in a tall can, oh boy...

[Crass3000]

The biggest bullshit of any IPAs is that they don't have date labels. Great for any stouts but horrible and really bad for your local beer store to sell you an old IPA.

[Mustonen]

The biggest bullshit of any IPAs is that they don't have date labels. Great for any stouts but horrible and really bad for your local beer store to sell you an old IPA.

Hear hear. Even worse to get one at a bar or restaurant, IMO. Most of my favorite IPAs come with date labels (Bells, founders, SN), so at least you have the opportunity to change your mind or dig for a fresh batch at the local store. You kind of have to play the snooty asshole beer snob card when they serve you stale old shit at a restaurant, though.

[guroo270]

I didn't find any answers to my question, but may have missed them. If there weren't any, I'll be kind and let you guys know that there is still a keg of Pliny the Younger in CO. Lucky Pie in Louisville has it, but is not letting anyone know when they are tapping it until they randomly announce it on FB. Friend them to find out if you want. I'll be there.

[SchralphMacchio]

^ I hope you enjoy it, but I've had several beers this season that are drinking better than the Younger. Not that it sucks - it's very good - it's just a "what's the big deal" kind of thing.

For anyone who lives in Oregon or Washington, ask your local distributors/bar to try to get some Boneyard Notorious IIIPA or Hop Venom IIPA. Or the Cascadian Dark Ale, or any of their other ones. I thought the Notorious was more interesting than Pliny the Younger this year.

I'm still trying to get a hold of that Drake's black label ... 12.5%!!!

[SchralphMacchio]

YFC. 12.5% ABV? When's it hit stores...

so it's not hitting stores. I found out that it released on Feb 4 but only at the brewery. Bottles sold out that weekend, and I think the only place with kegs is ... the brewery. I called Beer Revolution in Oakland and they told me that only the Drakes barrel house has it. Too bad I didn't find out about it sooner - now I am subscribed to Drake's FB page

gonna try to taste it at the barrel house soon - hopefully they don't run out in the next few days ...

[Hugh Conway]

gonna try to taste it at the barrel house soon - hopefully they don't run out in the next few days ...

Curious to hear about this, might make a trip out of the lair

[uglymoney]

The biggest bullshit of any IPAs is that they don't have date labels. Great for any stouts but horrible and really bad for your local beer store to sell you an old IPA.

Nail hit on head.

[SchralphMacchio]

Curious to hear about this, might make a trip out of the lair

I called and they said it should be going for another week, hopefully more - they don't think they will run out this weekend.

I'm going to try to go Friday night - they are tapping a keg of 2010 Jolly Rodger that was aged in a Jack Daniels barrel. Last year it was more of an Imperial Red than black IPA, with two-row barley, CaraRed, and chocolate malts. If it ends up anything like their other bourbon barrel beers it should be fantastic!


Here's the info on Jolly Rodger 2010

Be prepared for a big, malty, red ale, with a huge hop aroma. We mashed in with plenty of two-row barley, CaraRed and Chocolate malt for body and flavor. Then we hopped it up with Columbus for bittering, then for flavor and aroma – lots of Chinook and Cascade. Finally we dry-hopped in the fermenter with loads more Chinook and Cascade.

[jm2e]

Here's my IPA blog:
Moved from FtC to Raleigh last summer. Painful as I'm a decades long Odell's guy. I've never really been super fond of anything from NBB the "famous" NOCO brewery and have always held every beer up to Odell's as The Bar which is seldom met. Brought just a couple sixers of Odell's IPA and Myrcenary with me and have been drinking one on special occasions. Meanwhile, I've been trying to convince myself that Ranger can meet my beer needs. It's alright, but I don't love it. Just hoping it will grow on me. Unfortunately, every time I crack one of the few remaining Odell's, it's both a wonderful and disappointing moment. So wonderful, yet a reminder that Ranger can never fill that void.
Tried out the New Belgium BELGO last week. What's this? A hoppy IPA with nice yeasty depth? This is the IPA from NBB that just may help me survive the Southeast. Not an Odell's, but definitely worth drinking. BELGO FTW.
The end.

[stapes]

I'm with ya jm2e. Complete Odell's fanboy and basically think NBB sucks balls. Grew to despise them while living in FTC. Doesn't help that a handful of close friends work at Odell's. But still, just a bigger fan of that style of brewing compared to NBB.

Just finished an Odell's IPA quarter barrel in the kegerator, debating what to do next.

Did a nice little run of Avery, Upslope and Asher this Saturday. Avery's Dry-Hopped IPA was delicious. Upslope's Double IPA got me all loopy. And Asher's IPA was icing on the cake.

[stapes]

I didn't find any answers to my question, but may have missed them. If there weren't any, I'll be kind and let you guys know that there is still a keg of Pliny the Younger in CO. Lucky Pie in Louisville has it, but is not letting anyone know when they are tapping it until they randomly announce it on FB. Friend them to find out if you want. I'll be there.

Good to know. Apparently Backcountry Pizza in Boulder had one last Saturday and I've heard may be tapping another this weekend?!?!? Who knows though....

Oskar Blues Liquid and Solids gets 2 Elder kegs a month FWIW.

[milton]

Yum, the Mrs. got me a bottle of Lawsons Finest Chinookerd IPA for v-day. Damn good.

[guroo270]

Lucky... all I got was a MacBook Pro.

[Mustonen]

Yum, the Mrs. got me a bottle of Lawsons Finest Chinookerd IPA for v-day. Damn good.

Lucky... all I got was a MacBook Pro.

WTF? I got some candy and construction paper cards from my kids, and figured that was more than enough tribute to the greeting card holiday.

[guroo270]

Don't get your panties into too much a bunch. Part of it was so that my wife could play Sims 3 since our older mac didn't have enough room for it, and she spilled a whole beer into the keyboard of another macbook. With Sims on this bitch, I'll only get to use it while being a stay at home dog dad.

[stapes]

Pliny the Younger tapping at Backcountry Pizza and Taphouse in Boulder. Sunday the 19th. Starts at noon. First 191 people there can buy a $10 ticket for a 10 oz pour.

Thinking I'll skip this though. Got other things to do on a Sunday morning than wait in line for 10 oz of beer.

I mean, I love the Elder, is the Younger THAT good??

[madmike]

http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociet...ounger_now.php

Some info on Younger for the Colorado mags.

[mtflyer]

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.

Seconded. Anything from the Blackfoot is delicious.