some damn good IPA's out there

[Name Redacted]

Found a few of these waiting for me at work today:

[bodywhomper]

I've had this 3 times now and I really like it. A really unique beer. Obviously not a session beer, but worth a try for any IPA lover. In fact, all of Fort George's beers are excellent. Omegatex is unreal. Their OPA is a staple in my fridge

I'm also a fan of fort George. I also appreciate the back story behind their canning.

Somebody was mentioning coffee ipa's; not an ipa, but SN is bottling a coffee stout right now. It's pretty tasty.

[~mikey b]

Tioga Sequoia has a great breakfast stout with coffee. Makes a damn good float with vanilla ice cream.

[abraham]

Are they the ones who make hops of wrath? I picked up a bottle of that when I was visiting and really liked it. Don't recall if it was a pale or an ipa though.

Currently in Copenhagen, there are to many good beers to try even just casually. And they added up to a 3 mile detour on the walk back to the hotel. Some of the best US style ipas I've had a chance to try in Europe. And the Christmas ales, yum.

I think there is a hop that I do not like the taste of, it seems to register as a bit cheesy though it could be the yeast. It isn't enough to ruin the beer for me. Mainly I noticed it in cutthroat, both on tap and in bottles, I tasted it again in an ipa last night. Any thoughts on what I an tasting? I'd like to figure out what makes the flavor.
I guess if anyone REALLY wants a bottle of something brought back to the states send me a pm. Preference to Seattle area mags to avoid shipping.

[~mikey b]

No. Dust Bowl does Hops of Wrath.

T-S does General Sherman IPA, 99 Golden Ale, Sugar Pine Porter, Half Dome Pale.

[abraham]

Ah ok. I saw the General Sherman but didn't pick it up. Maybe next time.

[~mikey b]

Also Double Dry Hopped General Sherman.

[fool]

Going to be in the San Diego area next week: best breweries/pubs to visit? Thinking Stone for sure. And while we're at it, best mexican/margs, and cocktail spots?

[The AD]

Going to be in the San Diego area next week: best breweries/pubs to visit? Thinking Stone for sure.

There are so many. I'll be down there in a couple weeks and one I'm anxious to try is Mike Hess. Haven't been there before, but have heard good things. Keep in mind Stone also has a location near the airport ("Liberty Station") that might be more convenient than going all the way out to Escondido.

[SchralphMacchio]

Currently in Copenhagen, there are to many good beers to try even just casually. And they added up to a 3 mile detour on the walk back to the hotel. Some of the best US style ipas I've had a chance to try in Europe.

I'm not too familiar with Danish craft beers (have only had the majors like Carlsberg, Tuborg, Aass) ... but to the north, I think that beers made by Nogne O ("Naked Island"), Haand, and Aegir are pretty damn good.

Going to be in the San Diego area next week: best breweries/pubs to visit?

I've been to Alpine ... funky experience but great beer.
I haven't been to some of the new hot ones: Noble, Twisted Manzanita, Monkey Paw.
Other classics: Stone, Pizza Port, Alesmith

The breweries are spread out between north county (mostly around Escondido/Santee area), coastal San Diego, and east county ... not always close together for quick hits, so you should try to stack your visits with nearby breweries. I can't keep track of what is where ... the other mags and and Internet search would get you 100% of the way there.

EDIT: awww shit, Noble is in OC, not SD. My bad.

[bodywhomper]

Pizza port!!!!!

[powdork]

Green Flash

[TahoeJ]

+1 on Pizza Port. Only tried a few of their beers but I've liked them all so far.

[sb]

Just a few of the dead soldiers from Sat beer tasting. The Pliny clone killd it.

[fool]

Solid, thanks, guys. Just spent the night in Encinitas and now heading South. Pics to follow.

[bodywhomper]

SN's marketing the celebration ale as an IPA this year. As always, it's pretty damn good.

[~mikey b]

They started that last year. Fresh Hop IPA. Always was IPA maybe not fresh hop. At least it's not some fkn Winter spiced bullshit. I love that beer.

[bodywhomper]

my memory is that it's been labeled simply as "celebration ale" or "fresh hop ale". their marketing spew on their website claims that it was one of the earliest examples of a west coast ipa.

[~mikey b]

It was labeled that - until last year. I used to sorta work at a beer store so I sorta know... The west coast IPA claim is bullshit cuz they just started claiming that this year.

Marketeers! Hey there! High there! Ho there!

[powdork]

whatever they call it, it's one of my favorites.

[~mikey b]

'Zactly

[The AD]

The west coast IPA claim is bullshit cuz they just started claiming that this year.

I don't think it's totally BS. It's a bit of a trend setter. SN started brewing it in 1981. I'd say Anchor Liberty has a better claim to the title, but Celebration is more along the lines of what we think of today as a "West Coast IPA."

[~mikey b]

Just saying it was never marketed that way until now.

[bodywhomper]

my beer judge friend claims that it doesn't match the current tasting of a west coast ipa; stating that it falls in a gray area between the styles. i'm not a judge. the case at home was ~$12, which was pretty nice deal and makes the decision easy.

telemike, did you work for alaska brewing company in juneau, ak?

i want to hear more about pizza port! for several years, the pizza ports used to dominate the double ipa fest in the bay area.

SN also is bottling a boomerang IPA, which i'm not as excited about.

there are two breweries in nevada city now. both yummy. one does british style IPA (the owner is apparently toying with the idea of busting out his castk engines), the other does a west coast style. both are super good yummy.

[SchralphMacchio]

Just because they didn't initially position the product that way doesn't mean it isn't true, whether by chance or intention. Volvo didn't originally position their cars as the safest on the road, until they realized that old people who like driving boxes on wheels don't get into accidents, therefore making their brand statistically safe and a reason to differentiate and position relative to other brands. (Just parroting what I was told in a b-school marketing class, it could be just as untrue as Mark Twain's coldest winter in San Francisco quote)