Those other beers thread

**Mazderati** · 08-21-2020, 08:55 PM

Wicked Weed Watermelon Dragon Fruit Burst. The name is a mouthful. The beer is a sour.

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**shroom** · 08-22-2020, 08:17 PM

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**stalefish3169** · 08-22-2020, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by shroom

Looks amazing! I had the GN Berry Shake a few months ago and it was awesome. Unfortunately, haven't seen it again. Yours looks similar tho.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

**east or bust** · 08-22-2020, 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by evdog

One of my all time favorites. Now that Ballast Pt is a craft brewery again I can indulge. This one sat aging for a couple years.

Back story on this?

Also, Delerium is legit.

**Ted Striker** · 08-23-2020, 11:48 AM

Ballast Point was sold to Constellation a few years ago. The founders weren't happy with the way Constellation managed the business, so they quit. Recently, the owners of a small brewery got a bunch of investors together, and bought Ballast Point, returning it to indy status.

**jackstraw** · 08-23-2020, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by Ted Striker

Ballast Point was sold to Constellation a few years ago. The founders weren't happy with the way Constellation managed the business, so they quit. Recently, the owners of a small brewery got a bunch of investors together, and bought Ballast Point, returning it to indy status.

I had no idea. They took a bath on this sale. Numbers aren't public, but there are guesstimates.
"Ballast Point Brewing Company - Wikipedia" https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball...rewing_Company

**Ted Striker** · 08-23-2020, 03:03 PM

wikipedia:
By July 2016, four of the founders of the company, including founder White, chief operating officer Cherney, and CEO Buechler, left the company to "pursue other interests". Marty Birkel was named the new president of the brewery. The departures reportedly stemmed from disputes with the new owner, Constellation Brands, over the status of Ballast Point's distilled spirits operation, which was not part of the sale.[12] After leaving Ballast Point, White and Cherney moved the spirits operation to Cutwater Spirits, a new company they founded in 2017.

I didn't know that part. I had assumed the falling out was more to do with the beer/brewery.

As for Constellation taking a bath, my complete guess is that their expansion wasn't cheap, and the currently insane amount of competition had them losing market share. They, along with Stone, Sierra Nevada, Russian River, and Lagunitas had a lock on the California IPA scene in the late 90s to the mid 00s. The loss of the "indy" factor, and the rise of hundreds of upstarts over the last decade changed the landscape to one that Constellation didn't understand - or at least underestimated.

**jackstraw** · 08-23-2020, 04:38 PM

Hanging at the beach watching the lightning show.

**Ted Striker** · 08-25-2020, 07:31 PM

^^^ that sounds good

Wander makes great sours/saisons/farmhouse ales. This berry version adds a nice crisp tartness.

The pandumbic sucks, but living in a beer mecca makes it suck a little less.

**dookeyXXX** · 08-28-2020, 06:07 PM

My perception and opinion of the lager and pilsner has long been ruined by Big, Corporate beer, who persist (imho) in churning out bland, straw colored brews tailored towards those with absolutely no palate.
My opinion/perception of the lager and pilsner styles was drastically altered when I visited a friend in East German many years ago (Torgau) and then travelled to the Czech Republic. Beers such as Radeberger and Budvar were exceptionall well balanced and had wonderful nuances that made me reconsider my stance on these styles (I am predominantly a California biased hop-head).

Moonraker is perhaps best known for their West Coast/Sierra Foothills take on the NE Haze, for which they have won numerous awards. Since they rarely tend to venture far from the hazy and IPA styles, I knew I had to try this dry hopped pilsner. I was not disappointed. This brew exemplifies everything I dig about the style: it has a clean, crisp (yeah, I know these descriptors are cliche, but they are apropos) overall taste and most off all, a nice, even bitterness from start to finish. No skunk here or stringent aftertaste; just good, clean crispness in abundance.

Dry Hop Pils
Moonraker Brewing Company, Auburn, CA
ABV: 5.8%

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**riser4** · 08-28-2020, 06:22 PM

Shit, I found good local pilsner even in Romania. And it was much needed, since it was 40 fucking degrees Celsius, in the shade.

**abraham** · 08-31-2020, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by dookey67

My perception and opinion of the lager and pilsner has long been ruined by Big, Corporate beer, who persist (imho) in churning out bland, straw colored brews tailored towards those with absolutely no palate.
My opinion/perception of the lager and pilsner styles was drastically altered when I visited a friend in East German many years ago (Torgau) and then travelled to the Czech Republic. Beers such as Radeberger and Budvar were exceptionall well balanced and had wonderful nuances that made me reconsider my stance on these styles (I am predominantly a California biased hop-head).

It feels like craft lagers have been slowly taking over a decent chunk of fridge real estate over the last 2-3 years. Of course it's hard to justify paying $16 for a 4 pack of a lager but I've seen some places doing reasonably priced versions. On the spendier side I do like Wayfinder in Portland.

Slightly undercarbonated but tasty

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**riser4** · 09-01-2020, 06:55 AM

From Spain in February.

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I don't remember much about this beer.

**glademaster** · 09-01-2020, 07:34 AM

PCC has Pfriem Pilsner on sale for $9.29/6 pack at the moment, which is a pretty good deal for such a solid pils.

I picked some up yesterday that was canned on August 22.

**jackstraw** · 09-01-2020, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by dookey67

My perception and opinion of the lager and pilsner has long been ruined by Big, Corporate beer, who persist (imho) in churning out bland, straw colored brews tailored towards those with absolutely no palate.

Exactly.

I have no preconceived prejudices against any style beer produced by the microbreweries.

**riser4** · 09-01-2020, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by glademaster

PCC has Pfriem Pilsner on sale for $9.29/6 pack at the moment, which is a pretty good deal for such a solid pils.

I picked some up yesterday that was canned on August 22.

I'd love to try that. And their Helles Lager. How's that?

**dookeyXXX** · 09-01-2020, 07:11 PM

Finer Things dry-hopped lager
Fieldwork Brewing Company, Berkeley, CA
ABV: 4.2%
Hops: Mosaic

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**evdog** · 09-02-2020, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by Ted Striker

As for Constellation taking a bath, my complete guess is that their expansion wasn't cheap, and the currently insane amount of competition had them losing market share. They, along with Stone, Sierra Nevada, Russian River, and Lagunitas had a lock on the California IPA scene in the late 90s to the mid 00s. The loss of the "indy" factor, and the rise of hundreds of upstarts over the last decade changed the landscape to one that Constellation didn't understand - or at least underestimated.

Pretty much spot on. I think Constellation both failed to understand, and underestimated the market. It wasn't just the physical expansion that was costly, they were determined to distribute in all 50 states immediately and they played it terribly. They assumed they could walk into new markets with the same brand recognition they had in Socal and that people would snap up product just like at home. So they ramped up production massively and used Constellation's distribution network to push their production beers onto shelves and restaurant/bar taps for mass sales. Those beers are decent but not amazing and some are on the expensive side. So Ballast Pt couldn't compete well on quality or price, and they were not the local guy in these markets so they lacked the loyalty their local competition enjoyed. At the same time they didn't do much to attract hard core craft beer fans by developing local presence or offering high end beers. Those fans can help bring a lot of casual customers to the brand but they are also the customers who would care about the indy factor. So Ballast Pt didn't get any traction there. Basically, they got their ass kicked.

What they underestimated was their home market. In San Diego a lot of craft beer drinkers stopped supporting Ballast Pt based on the lost indy factor so they lost a lot of market share at home. They'd raised prices before their sale, dumbed down the hop profile in some beers like Sculpin, and new management they brought in treated some employees like shit. You've probably heard the saying that private equity ruins everything. This wasn't a private equity deal but the result was the same. Constellation ruined what was a foundation of the local brewing and home brewing scene. We have around 140 breweries in SD County including a bunch that are excellent, so why would you support a company that is no longer locally owned and is charging more for a product that isn't as good? I don't think Constellation saw that coming at all.

A lot of people were smugly watching their ship sink. And were ecstatic when BP was sold back to a craft brewery at a huge loss to Constellation. Hopefully this puts the brakes on further brewery sales to macros. So yeah, I'll buy their stuff again now they're craft owned. And one of these days I'll set foot in Home Brew Mart again.

Originally Posted by dookey67

My perception and opinion of the lager and pilsner has long been ruined by Big, Corporate beer, who persist (imho) in churning out bland, straw colored brews tailored towards those with absolutely no palate.
My opinion/perception of the lager and pilsner styles was drastically altered when I visited a friend in East German many years ago (Torgau) and then travelled to the Czech Republic. Beers such as Radeberger and Budvar were exceptionall well balanced and had wonderful nuances that made me reconsider my stance on these styles (I am predominantly a California biased hop-head).

A shop here has often stocked some really good German and Czech pilsners. I definitely like them although I tend not to buy them often with all the great IPAs around. One of the best pils I've had was Panzer Pilsner by Port Brewing. It was seasonal and I haven't seen it in years, but it was excellent and made even better by the label which poked fun at ze Germans. I should be drinking more pils with the heat we've been having.

**dookeyXXX** · 09-02-2020, 09:18 AM

^I am just tossing out uninformed thoughts here, but this seems to be the case whenever Big/Corporate Beer or Corporate Investment Groups buy a small, well-respected craft brewery.
I feel the same or similar thing(s) happened to Red Hook, Anchor Steam, Red Tail Ale (Mendocino Brewing), Red Nectar (Humboldt Brewing), Elysian, 10 Barrel, Founders, Firestone Walker, Green Flash, Saint Archer, and others...but, again, I am just surmising here...

**evdog** · 09-02-2020, 10:20 AM

Probably a similar intent but I'd never paid attention to most of those deals and they didn't seem to get pushed as aggressively. Or fail as spectacularly. I don't think any had the size for the acquiring big beer co to try to pull off what Consellation tried to do with Ballast Point.

FWIW, Saint Archer was never a respected craft brewery. It was created for the sole purpose of being sold to a big brewery. They created some "meh" beers, very production friendly and safe with generic names and threw 20 surfers and skateboarders up on their website as "ambassadors". Because the marketing is obviously more important than having a good product.

Green Flash had a failure but they had brought in an investor to fund expansion, it wasn't really an acquisition until they had to sell off to stay alive after their expansion failed.