The Official Beer Appreciation Thread

[Claude_Verret]

Community Beer Works out of Buffalo recently came in second at NIPAC, which is apparently a national IPA competition thingy. They beat big guys like Bear Republic and Founders, too. Cool to see a local, and new, brewery do so well.

 

Also, Flower Power is awesome, just had one on Tuesday for the first time in quite a while. Forgot how good it was.

 

Cool to see them doing well. I tried their APA at the Blue Monk when I was in town in January and thought it was just ok. To me it tasted like a lot of homebrewed APA's I've tried. It wasn't bad, but some flaws were apparent, the biggest being a lot of chill haze.

[sabills]

Cool to see them doing well. I tried their APA at the Blue Monk when I was in town in January and thought it was just ok. To me it tasted like a lot of homebrewed APA's I've tried. It wasn't bad, but some flaws were apparent, the biggest being a lot of chill haze.

That was probably 'Frank' right? I'd agree, that one doesn't do a lot for me.The brown ale they have, 'The Whale', is really good, though. They also had some nice small batch stuff last summer for the Elmwood Arts Festival that was tasty.

[LTS]

I'll be sitting at The Old Toad tonight drinking plenty of good beer while the Sabres are playing. Of course there are no TV's there.. so I won't see the game.

[Eleven]

I'll be sitting at The Old Toad tonight drinking plenty of good beer while the Sabres are playing. Of course there are no TV's there.. so I won't see the game.

 

I like that bourbon menu.

[Weave]

Anyone had Southern Tiers' new flagship beer called Live yet?

 

Bottle conditioned American pale ale. The Blue Monk got the first keg last weekend. I wasn't able to get there to try it but friends who did said it is an absolutely fantastic beer. TONS of hop character. Bottles are out now but I haven't seen it on draft yet. My sources tell me draft in my neck of the woods will be available next week.

Edited March 23, 2013 by weave

[elj4176]

Anyone had Southern Tiers' new flagship beer called Live yet?

 

Bottle conditioned American pale ale. The Blue Monk got the first keg last weekend. I wasn't able to get there to try it but friends who did said it is an absolutely fantastic beer. TONS of hop character. Bottles are out now but I haven't seen it on draft yet. My sources tell me draft in my neck of the woods will be available next week.

Had it at the brewery not too long ago. Pretty good.

 

Just picked up some Victory Prima Pils, Great Lakes Alchemy Hour Double IPA and Mean Manalishi Double IPA from Hoppin' Frog.

 

edit - just poured the Alchemy Hour - wow. Very nice beer! 9.4%,

 

From the bottle: 'a flash of Mosaic hops and a kiss of honey malt..'

Edited March 23, 2013 by elj4176

[Weave]

Had it at the brewery not too long ago. Pretty good.

 

Just picked up some Victory Prima Pils, Great Lakes Alchemy Hour Double IPA and Mean Manalishi Double IPA from Hoppin' Frog.

 

edit - just poured the Alchemy Hour - wow. Very nice beer! 9.4%,

 

From the bottle: 'a flash of Mosaic hops and a kiss of honey malt..'

 

On the subject of Live, my local "contact" is a ditributor with personal connections to the brewey. He told me that ST spent a ton of time, effort, and money into developing this beer. Way, way more than any beer they've ever made before. They went all out with market panel blind tastings, dozens of variations on the beer. I guess it was an all out effort using methods the biggest breweries use to create a flagship that would make a huge splash in the marketplace.

[elj4176]

I believe it. I liked it enough to bring a growler of it back to Ohio with me.

 

Can you get Great Lakes and Hoppin' Frog brews? If you want anything specific from Hoppin' frog let me know. Maybe we can do a beer trade with something I can't get here?

[darksabre]

I'll be sitting at The Old Toad tonight drinking plenty of good beer while the Sabres are playing. Of course there are no TV's there.. so I won't see the game.

 

Love Old Toad. It's basically the only thing i regret about my girlfriend moving out of the Park Ave district.

[Weave]

I believe it. I liked it enough to bring a growler of it back to Ohio with me.

 

Can you get Great Lakes and Hoppin' Frog brews? If you want anything specific from Hoppin' frog let me know. Maybe we can do a beer trade with something I can't get here?

 

We get both in western NY. But thanks for the offer.

 

well....... if you get Founders beers in Mansfield.... I'm not sure what I get here that you can't in your location.

 

Speaking of Mansfield, spent a night there a couple years ago. Cool little race track you folks have there.

[elj4176]

We get both in western NY. But thanks for the offer.

 

well....... if you get Founders beers in Mansfield.... I'm not sure what I get here that you can't in your location.

 

Speaking of Mansfield, spent a night there a couple years ago. Cool little race track you folks have there.

I can get some Founders stuff. Which ones are you looking for?

 

As for Hoppin' Frog - I can get whatever. One of the brewers is the pres of our brewclub and he brings all kinds of stuff. Goose Juice is one of his beers. They take BORIS and their IPA and and mix half and half in a container filed with coffee beans. The container is a tall, clear pvc tube with a spigot at the bottom. One glass of that is enough but man is it good.

 

I think there are some newer small craft breweries up that way that might not distribute to OH. Maybe not.

 

Which track? The paved oval or mid-ohio road course? They haven't run any races at the oval in a couple of years.

[Weave]

I can get some Founders stuff. Which ones are you looking for?

 

As for Hoppin' Frog - I can get whatever. One of the brewers is the pres of our brewclub and he brings all kinds of stuff. Goose Juice is one of his beers. They take BORIS and their IPA and and mix half and half in a container filed with coffee beans. The container is a tall, clear pvc tube with a spigot at the bottom. One glass of that is enough but man is it good.

 

I think there are some newer small craft breweries up that way that might not distribute to OH. Maybe not.

 

Which track? The paved oval or mid-ohio road course? They haven't run any races at the oval in a couple of years.

 

well, both actually. Must have been one of the last years for that little oval.

[Claude_Verret]

I'm a big fan of Southern Tier so looking forward to trying the Live APA. ST is available down here so I'll be on the lookout.

 

Tonight I'm enjoying the brand new release from New Belgium, their Rampant double IPA. I scoured the stores all week and finally found some yesterday. I'm really enjoying this beer, its definitely a double IPA at 8.5%, but still very drinkable with all those IBU's.

[darksabre]

Grabbed a six pack of Anchor Bock Beer at Wegmans today. Tasty brew! A little more hop flavor than I'm used to from a Bock and a few interesting spice notes I can't finger. But good.

[bunomatic]

I'm enjoying a Molson Exel. Although it lacks the buzz its surprisingly refreshing and quite satisfying.I bought it on a whim this afternoon at the grocers. I think I'll explore more of these non alc. brands for times I'm the DD or when I'm just not into drunking.

[Braedon]

Who here has had Ballast Point Sculpin IPA? I tempered may expectations only because of the hype behind this beer but I have to say it lives up to it's 100 rating.

[Weave]

Who here has had Ballast Point Sculpin IPA? I tempered may expectations only because of the hype behind this beer but I have to say it lives up to it's 100 rating.

 

I've had it but it was long enough ago that I cannot vouch for how good it was. I do not recall being WOWED by it.

[Claude_Verret]

Who here has had Ballast Point Sculpin IPA? I tempered may expectations only because of the hype behind this beer but I have to say it lives up to it's 100 rating.

 

I've had it. Its no Pliny or union jack, but its damn good.

[LTS]

I like that bourbon menu.

 

Indeed. It's pretty good. The Scotch menu is pretty serious as well.

 

Love Old Toad. It's basically the only thing i regret about my girlfriend moving out of the Park Ave district.

 

Ahh that would do it. We had a great time last night. The beer selection was not the best but they'll always have their OT20 DIPA on tap and that beer is heavenly... the $5.25/pint just makes it better.

 

Who here has had Ballast Point Sculpin IPA? I tempered may expectations only because of the hype behind this beer but I have to say it lives up to it's 100 rating.

 

It's an exceptional beer in my opinion. Would I call it my favorite? I don't think so, but from a technical perspective it's done right.

 

I've had it. Its no Pliny or union jack, but its damn good.

 

Not a huge Pliny fan. It's one of those beers that I think is overrated. It's pretty thin lacking the body I prefer in a beer. Union Jack.. that's another story. :)

[Claude_Verret]

Not a huge Pliny fan. It's one of those beers that I think is overrated. It's pretty thin lacking the body I prefer in a beer. Union Jack.. that's another story. :)

 

Blasphemy! ;) Actually, that's what I like about Pliny the most, its an 8.0% beer and it still remains exceptionally drinkable. The hop aroma and flavor is off the charts. In my opinion this beer doesn't get enough credit and its a shame that its not more widely available, but I understand why its not.

Edited March 24, 2013 by Claude_Verret

[Weave]

Was in Lewiston for the afternnon. Stopped in at a favorite hangout when we are there, The Lewiston Village Pub. 40 beers on draft and an equally large bottle selection.

 

Had an Innis and Gunn Barrel Aged Scotch ale and Founders Centennial IPA. The Scotch ale was smooth as silk and deliciously complex. The IPA was loaded with piny, citrucy hop flavors.

[sabills]

Who here has had Ballast Point Sculpin IPA? I tempered may expectations only because of the hype behind this beer but I have to say it lives up to it's 100 rating.

 

Just had that for the first time Friday night. I'd never had it before, but I had got it as my first beer on a whim, and then got about 3 more before I left. Delicious.

[MattPie]

Southeast Asia Beer review:

Sing-ha (Thailand): yellow beer

Chaing (Thailand): yellow beer, with slightly more flavor than Sing-ha

Tiger (Singapore): yellow beer

BeerLao (Laos): yellow beer, with a little bit of incense which was a nice change

Cambodia (Cambodia): yellow beer

Kingdom Light (Cambodia): yellow beer

Kingdom Dark (Cambodia): an OK amber, with notes of caramel and licorice

 

Also, Burmese cigarettes are like little cigars made with green-ish tobacco. Not bad.

Edited March 25, 2013 by MattPie

[darksabre]

Southeast Asia Beer review:

Sing-ha (Thailand): yellow beer

Chaing (Thailand): yellow beer, with slightly more flavor than Sing-ha

Tiger (Singapore): yellow beer

BeerLao (Laos): yellow beer, with a little bit of incense which was a nice change

Cambodia (Cambodia): yellow beer

Kingdom Light (Cambodia): yellow beer

Kingdom Dark (Cambodia): an OK amber, with notes of caramel and licorice

 

Also, Burmese cigarettes are like little cigars made with green-ish tobacco. Not bad.

 

I dig BeerLao. It's pretty decent.

 

I hate to admit it but one of the things I've always wanted to do was try other countries cigarettes. I'm curious to see what is popular and how different it is from America. And I'm not even a smoker beyond cigars and pipes.

[MattPie]

I dig BeerLao. It's pretty decent.

 

I hate to admit it but one of the things I've always wanted to do was try other countries cigarettes. I'm curious to see what is popular and how different it is from America. And I'm not even a smoker beyond cigars and pipes.

 

I think the cigarettes were probably the first thing I've smoked in years. I was at one of the villages (the Karen tribe, with the women with the copper coils on their necks), and they were roughly $4 for 20 (bound in a rubber band). The odd think is they look like a small cigar with the tapered end, but you light the tapered part.