some damn good IPA's out there

**uglymoney** · 02-06-2013, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by guroo270

From the lack of responses, I just have to ask... You guys DO know you aren't supposed to drink craft beer in a frosty frozen mug, right? Anyone that doesn't believe me really should experiment for themselves. Although I no longer believe it to be a craft brew, I did this with a Sierra Nevada PA. Take one beer, pour half of it in a frozen mug, the other half in a room temperature mug. Try both. You'll be amazed. Or for the ones that need citations.

http://www.craftbeer.com/craft-beer-...beer-retailers

Of course but that is still a thirst inducing picture since I can't smell the difference through the intertubes. I love IPA's from a can. Maybe I'll post a proper picture later since I have a double in my insulated garage at the perfect temperature.

**gatorboy** · 02-06-2013, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by guroo270

From the lack of responses, I just have to ask... You guys DO know you aren't supposed to drink craft beer in a frosty frozen mug, right? Anyone that doesn't believe me really should experiment for themselves. Although I no longer believe it to be a craft brew, I did this with a Sierra Nevada PA. Take one beer, pour half of it in a frozen mug, the other half in a room temperature mug. Try both. You'll be amazed. Or for the ones that need citations.

http://www.craftbeer.com/craft-beer-...beer-retailers

Different stroke for different folks.

Example: My 65 yr. old mom has drank beer from a chilled mug all her life. Up to two years ago, it was Miller High-Life Light (or similar), but now it's only IPA's and such. Am I supposed to tell her that the chilled mug is wrong?

Well, I did....and she told me to STFU.

**guroo270** · 02-06-2013, 10:39 AM

Coming from someone that drank Miller High Life Light, she probably likes what the frozen mug does to beer. My dad doesn't like beer all that much at all, but when he has sushi, he has a kirin ichiban in a frozen mug. I had him try it out of the mug first, then the bottle. He said the bottled kirin had, "I don't know... too much beer flavor."

So yes, different strokes for different folks, but the proper temperature to drink the big guys, DIPA's, Trippels, Quads, and other big Belgian beers is somewhere around 41-47 degrees, and in a frozen mug it takes about 45 mins to reach those temperatures.

But I agree, different strokes for different folks. Thank god a frozen mug doesn't change the ABV.

**stapes** · 02-12-2013, 06:26 PM

Any of you CA guys had Younger yet?

First CO pouring I've seen so far at Backcountry Pizza:
http://www.facebook.com/events/289449934516453/

Hoping for more. Post'em up if you hear of any!

**snapt** · 02-12-2013, 07:24 PM

Yah. Santa Rosa is full of portlandia types right now.

**splitter** · 02-13-2013, 08:23 AM

Nebuchadnezzar - American-style Imperial IPA from Omnipollo out of Sweden. It's gone now.

Nebuchadnezzar by chadbrownimages, on Flickr

**SchralphMacchio** · 02-13-2013, 09:11 AM

I had the Younger on Saturday.

Better this year than it was last year, but not the star of the show. Flying Dog Single Hop Galaxy IIIPA was really nice. 21st Amendment Nelson Jade and Helga hop IIIPA was very smooth. Knee Deep Simtra always kills it, but Jeremy brought a new one this year called "The Blend," which is kind of a cross between Simtra and Hop Shortage with respect to malt characteristic, brightness, and funk. Drakes Hopocalypse Black Label was another huge hit that ran out pretty much immediately.

I think I tasted about 40 IIPAs and IIIPAs on Saturday, and by far, the new up and comer that absolutely stole my heart was the Cervezeria de Mateveza Jump the Shark IIPA. They claimed 8.5% ABV and 185 IBUs. Cloudy bright orange pour that starts off with really thick mouthfeel, huge nose, good amount of fruit profile, and transitions into a bitter tree bark mate finish. Stunning.

Kern River Citra IIPA was great this year (I didn't get to try it last year before it tapped out).

Too much other beers to even write about ... this year's festival was 82 IIPAs between 8 and 12.5% ABV, and I "only" got to taste about half. My tongue hurt for the next 36 hours after that ...

**schuss** · 02-13-2013, 01:07 PM

Saturday and Sunday at Beer Week were rough on the liver, even though all the time was spent at Beer Revolution:

Day 1: Wine Barrel Aged Beer
Standouts -
Upright - Wonderful light sour with some boysenberry and a few other fruit notes. Seemed to be unfiltered, so the taste experience was somewhere between a hefe and a sort of framboisey thing.
Bear Republic Cuvee - Sour+Champagne+Bear Republic ale- what else do you want?
Deschutes Abyss - Aptly named, this thing is a monster from which light does not escape, a clean imperial stout, subtly chocolate, passed through 3 barrels - normal oak, pinot(I think) and bourbon. Flavored well enough to stand up to the bourbon, this was just awesome.
Day 2 - Sierra Nevada Tap Takeover
Standouts -
My drunkenness - serious sunday shenanigans, though it was mainly due to how many REALLY GOOD beers were there.
Ovila Quad - Deep, belgian and plummy. Delicious dark depth demands delight.
Super Rocket V8 - Big nasty imperial porter with a big enough taste to complement the serious bourbon barreling. A love note for high octane beer lovers.
Snow Cone - Belgian IPA, a really nice light and creamy IPA with nice light hop notes but not the oppressive bouquet some like to add to their beers.
French Saison - A big strong light saison with great flavor. Creamy and delicious with a clean finish.
2x4 - If you love beer, you'll love this, as it has deep, cloying beer flavors that claw at your taste buds (it's a quad and a dubbel).
Almost standout - Ch-Ch-Cherry Bomb - really light cherry flavors mixed with a dark amber. Very delicate though, which doesn't mix well with the beer style they chose.

**Harry Caray** · 02-13-2013, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by guroo270

From the lack of responses, I just have to ask... You guys DO know you aren't supposed to drink craft beer in a frosty frozen mug, right? Anyone that doesn't believe me really should experiment for themselves. Although I no longer believe it to be a craft brew, I did this with a Sierra Nevada PA. Take one beer, pour half of it in a frozen mug, the other half in a room temperature mug. Try both. You'll be amazed. Or for the ones that need citations.

http://www.craftbeer.com/craft-beer-...beer-retailers

I find it perfect to put a pint glass in the freezer for 15-20 minutes while I'm making dinner. I don't believe that I'm numbing my taste-buds or frosting the glass too much at that point.

**DickMerkin** · 02-13-2013, 07:32 PM

Frosty mugs: Making shitty beer taste good since xxxx....

If you enjoy your craft beer from a frosty mug, go ahead with your bad self. I like mine good and cold, but I don't like drinking a beer slushie which often happens...

**SchralphMacchio** · 02-14-2013, 07:56 PM

Further reinforces my opinion and prejudices around East Coast IPAs ...

But the local Terrapin Hopsecutioner is actually pretty nice, could use a touch more citrus and residual mouthfeel but I appreciatr the overall cleanliness of the beer. And I still need to try the Ithaca Flower Power

**schuss** · 02-15-2013, 09:52 AM

Dude, even I'm not a fan of Smutty. Only their big beer series (Big A, Really Old Brown Dog) is really worth it. The rest is...meh. Best IPA's are Maine or VT

**The AD** · 02-15-2013, 02:45 PM

Is that Bartles and Jaymes on the label?

**fool** · 02-15-2013, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by SchralphMacchio

But the local Terrapin Hopsecutioner is actually pretty nice, could use a touch more citrus and residual mouthfeel but I appreciatr the overall cleanliness of the beer. And I still need to try the Ithaca Flower Power

"Local"? You in the South right now, Schralph? Hopsecutioner is solid, but for everyday drinking I'm partial to Sweetwater IPA: not crazy hoppy, but fantastic. Especially on draft...at the brewery.

**SchralphMacchio** · 02-15-2013, 05:41 PM

I work in the boonies 20 miles east of Atlanta several days out of the month ... I've decided, as of this last trip, to always stay in Decatur for these visits. Plenty of places to get a decent beer in a 3 block radius, and am easy drive to Conyers or Midtown ATL ... sounds good to me.

Back in SF now, up to Tahoe tonight, probably back in Conyers in 10 days ... what part of the 404 are you in?

**stapes** · 02-25-2013, 08:09 PM

Had Younger for the first time on Saturday. Wish I could've had more than one. I just wanted to smell it! Spent half the time just sticking my nose in the glass. Great aroma. Easily the most well-balanced and non-boozy triple IPA I've ever tasted.

Have 3 bottles of Elder in the fridge I'm trying to hold onto until my dad gets out here next week.

**BraddA** · 02-25-2013, 08:23 PM

^^^ Well how many triples have you had?

I've always found it too sweet to be taken seriously, but haven't had this year's iteration. Now the Elder, otoh...

**HD333** · 02-25-2013, 08:39 PM

Wife brought me home a bomber of Ruination tonight, it had been awhile. Good stuff.

**stapes** · 02-25-2013, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by BraddA

^^^ Well how many triples have you had?

I've always found it too sweet to be taken seriously, but haven't had this year's iteration. Now the Elder, otoh...

Ha. Good point. Off the top of my head in recent memory, one from Hoppin' Frog and Green Flash Green Bullet Triple. I guess I should have said for any beer with an ABV of 10% or more. That would include some Imperials and the like in there. Yea, still haven't decided if it is that much better, if any, than the Elder, or if it is just the hype. I didn't find it overly sweet. I'm glad I got to try it this year and will probably try to get a pour next year as well.

Okay now I'm going to have to sample all the triple IPAs I can get my hands on

I was just joking with a buddy about doing our own strong ale fest since Avery's sold out...

**BraddA** · 02-26-2013, 03:42 PM

^^^There were a few tickets kicking around CL a few weeks ago when I was looking to pick up an extra for my brother. May be worth a look.

Hugh Conway · 02-26-2013, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by BraddA

^^^ Well how many triples have you had?

I've always found it too sweet to be taken seriously, but haven't had this year's iteration. Now the Elder, otoh...

You had the knee deep TIPAs?

**BraddA** · 02-26-2013, 04:34 PM

^^^No, I need to beer-travel more.
Are they the folks that work with UC Davis' brewing program?

**guroo270** · 02-26-2013, 05:06 PM

Went to Lucky Pie Louisville with MotherFucker last Saturday for their Pliny the Younger and Elder tapping. We got to the 1130 ticket line at 11 and I jumped out of the car because I saw people parking and didn't want to get fucked. The line looked to be about 50-60 people long and we weren't sure if we were gonna get any. We waited, we get inside and the owner starts counting people from the bar back and says, "It looks like the ticket sales are gonna stop right about here" as he puts his arm between us and the group ahead of us... we remained persistent.

As promised, the bar keep says they're all out when we get there.

But wait! What's this? A stand up guy interrupts our bitching and says he had two tickets by mistake, one stuck to the other, ticket number 27, my lucky number. So MoFo and I decide to split it. We enjoy a couple Pliny the Elders while we wait for the 1PM tapping, order a pizza, yuck it up with the guy that sold us the ticket and the bar keeps that just so happen to be there on their day off "in case they need back up."

They serve everyone with a ticket, and the bartenders knew I was the one that got cut off, so they pour me one, too. Praise Christ. A little while later, they seem to be pouring MORE from the PTY keg. What's this? We started off getting cut off, and left the place with probably more PTY in our bellies than anyone. It was a perfect trip. The wait, the suspense, the let down, the elation, the beer.

Now, on a tasting note, PTY was the best beer I've ever had. Before this, PTE was the best I'd had, and to be honest, I'm still not %100 sure that they didn't bait and switch us. I thought PTY was exactly how I remember PTE tasting, but they had Blind Pig also, so we got all three and they were different, so whateva. Russian River Brewery makes the best beer evah!