some damn good IPA's out there

**FussyDutchman** · 03-24-2015, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by telemike

Just picked up a 6'er a few hours ago, never seen anything more than bombers here in VT until today. A bit $ but damn good.

**wasatchback** · 03-24-2015, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by FussyDutchman

Just picked up a 6'er a few hours ago, never seen anything more than bombers here in VT until today. A bit $ but damn good.

A sixer of Enjoy By? Wow is that a first?

I really liked the ones from last spring and summer but the last one I had from December tasted like dirty socks. How's this generation?

Anyone had Lagunitas First Born?

**Doremite** · 03-24-2015, 07:20 PM

I struggle with this beer as well. I guess I get it for what it is... a massive kick in the pallet hop bomb.... If that is what yer looking for.

Not an IPA per se but had a Jacks Abby Hopstitution #3 Calyptra tonight that I was real happy with. Bright and lots of citrusy hops. Realize JA not as far reaching as Stone but heads up to any NE mags.

**FussyDutchman** · 03-24-2015, 07:25 PM

^

A first here for sure. The 12/24 (? date) was not their best, apparently pellet hopped, but the last brew from March was very good imo.

**Doremite** · 03-24-2015, 07:28 PM

for the record I did enjoy March more than the prior two or three I tried. Still big so for me more so just a heavier hitter than I tend to seek out which by no means makes it a bad beer.

**Name Redacted** · 03-25-2015, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by FussyDutchman

^

A first here for sure. The 12/24 (? date) was not their best, apparently pellet hopped, but the last brew from March was very good imo.

Probably over 95% of the beers you drink, including Stone and any other IPA's, are pellet hopped.

**FussyDutchman** · 03-25-2015, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by shredgnar

Probably over 95% of the beers you drink, including Stone and any other IPA's, are pellet hopped.

I was told that they used all pellets for that enjoy by bottling where they typically use at least some full cone. I can't confirm this, just what I was told by the bev mgr at one of the larger local retail shops here.

I am not a brewer so I would defer to someone like Peruvian or others who are in the know, but here in VT, I'd guess that much less than 95% of what I drink locally is brewed exclusively with pellets. I just sent a message to a local brewer I know and asked him the question, I'll post his reply.

**Name Redacted** · 03-25-2015, 08:37 AM

Sierra Nevada, Anchor, and a few big guys, and maybe some nano's use whole leaf. On a large scale, they require specialized equipment, and the benefits are debatable at best.

I'm sure maybe one of the Stone's Enjoy-By beers was a fresh hop/wet hop which was whole cone. But I don't think they use whole cone or leaf hops for most of them. I could be wrong though, it's happened before.

Truth is though, most breweries these days are using pellets.

**strawjack** · 03-25-2015, 10:19 AM

So Stone apparently takes back all the Enjoy By that doesn't sell by that date. My local little store was stuck with some and the distributor said they weren't taking it back. She no longer buys the Enjoy By and I don't blame her. Either the distributor sucks or Stone is screwing them or something else...since I'm getting only one side of the story.

The marketing of this product is a little weird. They are bunching the dates/releases too close to one another imo. And the beer is good, but not great.

**HD333** · 03-25-2015, 10:41 AM

Any hopheads in/near Boston I suggest you hit up Trillium in the Seaport District. They are putting out great beers. UPPERCASE DIPA is the latest I have had and it is great.

**~mikey b** · 03-25-2015, 12:49 PM

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Fkna

**The AD** · 03-25-2015, 01:12 PM

^ That's a good one. OTOH, I just had the Harvest Single Hop with Idaho 7 hops and I didn't like it much. I thought it had more of a Belgian character to it. Not your typical west coast IPA, for sure.

**abraham** · 03-25-2015, 01:18 PM

Not really for the ipa thread since I didn't get to try it. But Seattle people should try holy mountain's beers. I went to the tasting room this weekend and tried most of what was on tap. Nothing was disappointing, the oat brown and rye porter were really good and the Belgian stuff was with having as well.
I think they just recently opened but I'm impressed and gonna watch for their beer

**shroom** · 03-25-2015, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by HD333

Any hopheads in/near Boston I suggest you hit up Trillium in the Seaport District. They are putting out great beers. UPPERCASE DIPA is the latest I have had and it is great.

thanks for that, I might hit that tonight.

anyone have recs in portland, me? I'll be there for a few days and haven't had time to research. I've been told there's a handful of breweries but I don't know shit outside the NW beer scene.

**Name Redacted** · 03-25-2015, 02:01 PM

I was in Portland a few years ago. There's Allagash, shipyard, Gritty Mcduff's, Sebago, and a few more probably. I would say Allagash, which is a little out of town, would be first on my list. Sebago was pretty good, Gritty's was classic, but not outstanding, Shipyard might be cool for the tour.

One place that you must go to was Novare Res Bier Café. One of the best beer bars I've been to. Great selection of rare bottles and a nice menu.

**Peruvian** · 03-25-2015, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by shroom

thanks for that, I might hit that tonight.

anyone have recs in portland, me? I'll be there for a few days and haven't had time to research. I've been told there's a handful of breweries but I don't know shit outside the NW beer scene.

Portland is a fucking beer mecca. Start at the Great Lost Bear or Novartis Ries and sample beers from local brewers. Then go to Rising Tide, shipyard, Allegany, Bissell Bros (absolutely have The Substance), Peak Organic.....you get the idea.

Shredgnar beat me to it.

**Peruvian** · 03-25-2015, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by FussyDutchman

I was told that they used all pellets for that enjoy by bottling where they typically use at least some full cone. I can't confirm this, just what I was told by the bev mgr at one of the larger local retail shops here.

I am not a brewer so I would defer to someone like Peruvian or others who are in the know, but here in VT, I'd guess that much less than 95% of what I drink locally is brewed exclusively with pellets. I just sent a message to a local brewer I know and asked him the question, I'll post his reply.

I don't have a breakdown but pro brewers use both. Anchor, SN, Deschutes and others uses only cone. But many craft brewers use pellets due to ease, reduced shipping costs, storage, and system limits.

**Doremite** · 03-25-2015, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by shroom

thanks for that, I might hit that tonight.

anyone have recs in portland, me? I'll be there for a few days and haven't had time to research. I've been told there's a handful of breweries but I don't know shit outside the NW beer scene.

Surprised no one mentioning Maine Beer Co. When fresh it is amazing. Allagash can be fun but hit or miss depending on what you enjoy. Novare Res is a MUST for some proper stool time. Curious about Bissell myself.

**Name Redacted** · 03-25-2015, 05:05 PM

Didn't make it to Maine Beer Co. But Marshal Warf was in some small ass town north of Portland and they were pretty good too. Belfast maybe? My list was by no means definitive, except for Novare Res.

**Viva** · 03-25-2015, 06:28 PM

Went back home for a couple of days and tried a couple pints of this. Great fucking beer:

**Captain Awesome** · 03-25-2015, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by Doremite

Surprised no one mentioning Maine Beer Co. When fresh it is amazing. Allagash can be fun but hit or miss depending on what you enjoy. Novare Res is a MUST for some proper stool time. Curious about Bissell myself.

If you're headed up through Freeport (Maine Beer Co.) it's probably worth the extra 10 minutes or so to get to Brunswick and try Ebenezer's on for size, too.

**mall walker** · 03-25-2015, 10:46 PM

Maine Beer Company's Lunch IPA and MO Pale Ale are both very fucking good.

**strawjack** · 03-26-2015, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by mbillie1

Maine Beer Company's Lunch IPA and MO Pale Ale are both very fucking good.

Yeah, Lunch is very good.

Fussy turned me on to Bissell and that is damn good stuff! The Substance is awesome and the Swish is even better. The problem is trying to get it.

We have a half empty warehouse in Portland and Rising Tide is interested in leasing it. That wouldn't suck!

**shroom** · 03-26-2015, 11:42 AM

pit stop at the Portsmouth Brewery on the way up. never been a rye guy but the smuttynose rhye IPA was a super smooth drink. also a fan of the royal imply stout at 12%; bringin the afternoon buzz.