The Official Beer Appreciation Thread

[Weave]

In Brussels. Westvleteren in hand. Awesome.

 

Can we start that beer pass thingy like, now?

[Claude_Verret]

Can we start that beer pass thingy like, now?

I haven't forgot about you guys and starting that up, but can't promise westies. Was at Cantillion earlier today.

[Weave]

I haven't forgot about you guys and starting that up, but can't promise westies. Was at Cantillion earlier today.

 

Oh.  Cantillion will do, I guess.  :D

[inkman]

http://www.instagram.com/p/BBY-nPTq0bh/

[MattPie]

http://www.instagram.com/p/BBY-nPTq0bh/

 

I've had that, and it's good in a novel way, but by the end of the 750, I wasn't hankering to open another. How did you feel about it?

[inkman]

I've had that, and it's good in a novel way, but by the end of the 750, I wasn't hankering to open another. How did you feel about it?

Well I did open another. I really liked it. At 10% ABV, not sure I'd want more than 2 or 3. Could end up in a bad way pretty quick. Not to mention the $17 price tag on a four pack.

[The Dominator]

Flying Bison spot coffee stout. Very good

[bunomatic]

Just had 2 pints of the house draft down at the Oxy. Real cheap but real cold and real friggin satisfying. 

[darksabre]

Flying Bison spot coffee stout. Very good

I've been meaning to grab some of that. Glad to hear it's good.

[darksabre]

Yes.

 

[MattPie]

Victory and Southern Tier to unite under a single holding company.

http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/victory-brewing-company-and-southern-tier-brewing-unite-under-new-holding-company-2097138.htm

[sabills]

Going to the West Coast in April. Planning on hitting : Ballast Point, Stone, Russian River, maybe Sierra Nevada, maybe Anchor. Anyone got any suggestions of good, smaller places? Heading from San Diego up to Portland over about 2 weeks.

Victory and Southern Tier to unite under a single holding company.

http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/victory-brewing-company-and-southern-tier-brewing-unite-under-new-holding-company-2097138.htm

This worries me a bit, but maybe it will enable STBC to ward off the bigger guys easier.

Edited February 16, 2016 by sabills

[LTS]

Going to the West Coast in April. Planning on hitting : Ballast Point, Stone, Russian River, maybe Sierra Nevada, maybe Anchor. Anyone got any suggestions of good, smaller places? Heading from San Diego up to Portland over about 2 weeks.

This worries me a bit, but maybe it will enable STBC to ward off the bigger guys easier.

 

Go to Firestone Walker if you can (Casa Nobles).  They aren't smaller but love the beer and I've heard their tasting room/tour experience is excellent.  If you are in Orange County you should go to The Bruery.  It's an awesome stop as well.

 

If you are in Portland hit up Bailey's Tap Room. (They feature all local beer, or at least did a few years back when I was there.)

[MattPie]

Going to the West Coast in April. Planning on hitting : Ballast Point, Stone, Russian River, maybe Sierra Nevada, maybe Anchor. Anyone got any suggestions of good, smaller places? Heading from San Diego up to Portland over about 2 weeks.

This worries me a bit, but maybe it will enable STBC to ward off the bigger guys easier.

 

Stone is in SD.

[sabills]

Stone is in SD.

 

On the list for sure, I think we're gonna do dinner there our first night, I hear the restaurant is pretty good.

 

Go to Firestone Walker if you can (Casa Nobles).  They aren't smaller but love the beer and I've heard their tasting room/tour experience is excellent.  If you are in Orange County you should go to The Bruery.  It's an awesome stop as well.

 

If you are in Portland hit up Bailey's Tap Room. (They feature all local beer, or at least did a few years back when I was there.)

I think we'll do a stop in to FW, though the lady isn't big on the aged brews, so maybe just a pint if its close to another thing we're hitting. I'll keep the other two in mind, we're doing LA for a day as well as Portland, so we can probably make it work.

[Weave]

Victory and Southern Tier to unite under a single holding company.

http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/victory-brewing-company-and-southern-tier-brewing-unite-under-new-holding-company-2097138.htm

 

 

Going to the West Coast in April. Planning on hitting : Ballast Point, Stone, Russian River, maybe Sierra Nevada, maybe Anchor. Anyone got any suggestions of good, smaller places? Heading from San Diego up to Portland over about 2 weeks.

This worries me a bit, but maybe it will enable STBC to ward off the bigger guys easier.

 

IMO mergification was inevitable after ST hooked up with that holding company a year or two ago.  I expect it will lead to a monster sale to a big brewery eventually.  Seems like that was the plan all along to me.

[sabills]

IMO mergification was inevitable after ST hooked up with that holding company a year or two ago.  I expect it will lead to a monster sale to a big brewery eventually.  Seems like that was the plan all along to me.

Certainly possible, and would be sad. I've essentially accepted that this will happen with breweries over the next few years; its an industry that is too big not to sell out. I figure you'll end up with essentially 3 classes of craft. Big Beer craft; owned at least partially by AB-Inbev and the like, Big Craft Beer - a few holdouts of the craft beer movement that make it big enough to sustain themselves (Sam Adams is who I'm thinking of here, but maybe Sierra Nevada, Dogfishhead, something of that sort), and Local Craft - breweries small enough to stay under the radar until they grow big enough to fall under one of the other two categories.

 

And I guess I'm ok with that. As much as I hate giving money to AB-InBev, if they allow the breweries to operate in their own way and not turn everything into ShockTop and Blue Moon, what do I really care? Goose Island is owned by them, its still pretty good. Elysian is too, and I love  me some Dayglow. The quality of some will fall off, so I'll stop drinking them, but good beer is good beer.

[beerme1]

I've kind of skipped this thread because I like beer. No doubt in my mind Southern Tier regular IPA has been mentioned here and at $15 a 12 pack it's a real deal. But I want to give mention to a real smooth easy going IPA called Backseat Berner by a company called Otter Creek that is fantastic! Pricier at $10 a six but if you're not swilling Bud Ice that night, this is a pleasure. 

[darksabre]

I've kind of skipped this thread because I like beer. No doubt in my mind Southern Tier regular IPA has been mentioned here and at $15 a 12 pack it's a real deal. But I want to give mention to a real smooth easy going IPA called Backseat Berner by a company called Otter Creek that is fantastic! Pricier at $10 a six but if you're not swilling Bud Ice that night, this is a pleasure. 

I bought a variety pack with the Backseat Berner in it a while back and I have to agree. Excellent beer. 

Edited February 16, 2016 by d4rksabre

[MattPie]

I've kind of skipped this thread because I like beer. No doubt in my mind Southern Tier regular IPA has been mentioned here and at $15 a 12 pack it's a real deal. But I want to give mention to a real smooth easy going IPA called Backseat Berner by a company called Otter Creek that is fantastic! Pricier at $10 a six but if you're not swilling Bud Ice that night, this is a pleasure. 

 

Otter Creek is often good. Their porter has been around forever and holds up reasonably well. Kind Ryed, Fresh Slice, and Over Easy are nice beers too.

[LTS]

On the list for sure, I think we're gonna do dinner there our first night, I hear the restaurant is pretty good.

 

I think we'll do a stop in to FW, though the lady isn't big on the aged brews, so maybe just a pint if its close to another thing we're hitting. I'll keep the other two in mind, we're doing LA for a day as well as Portland, so we can probably make it work.

 

FW is not just aged beers.  Easy Jack is one of my favorites... they just happen to also be excellent at bigger beers as well!

 

By the way Port Brewing/Lost Abbey is probably worth the stop.

[beerme1]

Otter Creek is often good. Their porter has been around forever and holds up reasonably well. Kind Ryed, Fresh Slice, and Over Easy are nice beers too.

 

 

Maybe I'll try something else from them as well then. Thanks!

[SwampD]

Sipping on a Founders Porter.

 

Dark, Rich & Sexy,... I agree.

[LTS]

After this past weekend in Pittsburgh I was able to grab some beers not in the WNY area.

 

Always been a fan of Deschutes... Black Butte Porter is amazing.  Brought home their Fresh Squeezed IPA... BAM.. that's a seriously good beer.

 

Dirty Little Freak from Duclaw is interesting.  I'm not sold on DuClaw though.  A little too much flash without the amazing quality to back it up.  Not horrible beers but nothing spectacular.

[Claude_Verret]

After this past weekend in Pittsburgh I was able to grab some beers not in the WNY area.

 

Always been a fan of Deschutes... Black Butte Porter is amazing. Brought home their Fresh Squeezed IPA... BAM.. that's a seriously good beer.

 

Dirty Little Freak from Duclaw is interesting. I'm not sold on DuClaw though. A little too much flash without the amazing quality to back it up. Not horrible beers but nothing spectacular.

 

My wife likes Dirty little freak (coconut caramel?) and Sweet Baby Jesus (peanut butter Porter?) from Duclaw. I may have the names and styles reversed, but I like the peanut butter Porter for a few sips, but wouldn't want a pint or more.