Whatcha drinking?

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 10:17 pm

Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA. Pretty good take on a New England IPA. Not excellent, either -- it doesn't have that bright fresh taste -- but I'd buy the hell out of this if it came in 12-packs. Alas, it does not, and at 6-pack prices one can do better.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:04 am

Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout. So good.

Scuzz · Post by **Scuzz** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:28 pm

They make a good oatmeal stout as well.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 8:00 pm

Escape to Colorado IPA by Epic Brewing, Denver, CO. Colorado has many decent beers, although they tend towards unmemorable. A 6.2%ABV specimen seemed poised to fit this mold. Brewed with Mosaic hops, this beer brings no complex flavors too the party...just a nice clean bitterness. Hopefully I'll remember this one come summertime.

mori · Post by **mori** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 8:34 pm

Pipeworks Ninja Vs. Unicorn Double India Pale Ale. Pipeworks is another Chicago brewery attempting to invade other markets. This example weighs in 8% ABV and to me this is an old fashioned West Coast IPA using new fangled hops. It is fruity and tropical while possessing the West Coast bitterness. It is good but I think they should stick to Chicago as the price premium is not worth it over just as good local offerings.

Sudy · Post by **Sudy** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:47 pm

Scuzz wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:28 pm They make a good oatmeal stout as well.

They make a good everything.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:48 pm

Yes, agreed. I love everything they put out. Was the last bottle on the shelf too, so I was glad to grab it.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 10:22 pm

The Man IPA by Aleman Brewery, Chicago. A little sweet, a little bitter, a little alcohol (just 6.8% ABV). Very drinkable, not very memorable.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 11:43 pm

mori wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23, 2018 8:34 pm Pipeworks Ninja Vs. Unicorn Double India Pale Ale. Pipeworks is another Chicago brewery attempting to invade other markets. This example weighs in 8% ABV and to me this is an old fashioned West Coast IPA using new fangled hops. It is fruity and tropical while possessing the West Coast bitterness. It is good but I think they should stick to Chicago as the price premium is not worth it over just as good local offerings.

Beer is really becoming a hyperlocal commodity. As of last summer, MA had 147 breweries (defined as "any licensed beer maker that has its own brewery here, is contract brewed here, or originated here and maintains strong roots in the Bay State.") More have opened since then, and we're a small state. If you broaden "local" to include all of New England there are hundreds more. It's getting to the point where I think of anything originating outside of New England as an import.

Z-Corn · Post by **Z-Corn** » Sat Feb 24, 2018 7:20 am

Kraken wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23, 2018 11:43 pmIt's getting to the point where I think of anything originating outside of New England as an import.

Yes, like the good ol' days!

You were only supposed to drink beer from as far away as a horse can travel in one day.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Sun Feb 25, 2018 2:59 pm

Grunsfeld lager by Ravinia Brewing, Chicago. Bright, honey flavored and oozing of summer, the can claims it goes with music, foosball and space walks. I'll have to take their words on the last two, but I can image drinking this on a warm summer night are Ravinia, as a spacer perhaps between real beers as this is only a meager 5.0%.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Sun Feb 25, 2018 3:06 pm

End All IPA by Solemn Oath Brewery, Naperville, IL. This unfiltered beer it just peachy, in that the flavor reminds me of peaches. Given the name, you might expect a more lethal concoction but are only 6.0%, you can drink End All until End of Days with no ill effect.

mori · Post by **mori** » Sun Feb 25, 2018 5:47 pm

Saturday I worked a beer festival for a local brewery. It was outdoors, in Minnesota, in February, in a snow storm. Luckily temperatures hovered in the upper 20s F so there was not much danger of freezing beer lines or frostbite. I think 6 inches of snow fell during the festival. Estimated 10,000 people showed up. And I saw a good number of them slip and fall in the snow and ice. The sad part was I was only able to get a few pours myself from the breweries we were sandwiched between. It was fun but it would of been better if the two guys I was working with were not slackers. I believe I poured 75% of our beer.

mori · Post by **mori** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:25 pm

Lizard King by Pipeworks Brewing, Chicago. This is their most popular beer evidently by how fast it sells around here. I do not understand why. Pours like lemonade. It is 6% ABV so there is more to it than hop infused water, but I cannot figure out what. The can artwork is about the craziest shit I have seen on a malt beverage.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 11:48 am

It's a decent beer, but hardly their best. It does hit a lower price point than most of their other beers (around here, anyway), so that might be the source of it's popularity (plus the artwork, of course).

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 7:48 pm

No Middle Ground Ale with Coffee Added by Sierra Nevada. This came in a mix pack and inn back to back taste test was very similar to Goose Island Fulton St. At 6.9% it's more of a coffee flavored beer than Goose Island's 5.5% beer flavored coffee.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:45 pm

Widowmaker 50-Year Storm IPA. Heretofore Widowmaker has only been available in the taproom. Now the 110 Grill, less than a mile from the brewery, has it on tap, so apparently they're starting to distribute kegs. I was delighted to have one with my cheesesteak sub tonight. Can't get any fresher or more local than that.

Now it's Down the Road Dreamtime New England IPA from a 4-pack I bought a few months ago. Even though it was refrigerated the whole time, age was not kind to this beer; there's a good quarter inch of sediment at the bottom of my glass. By the taste of things all the hops precipitated out. Quite disappointing after the Widowmaker.

Scuzz · Post by **Scuzz** » Fri Mar 02, 2018 1:17 pm

I had one of these last night. A red tinged 6.2% Northwest Pale Ale. And it was really good.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Fri Mar 02, 2018 8:16 pm

Alternate Dimension Altbier by Joesephs Brewing (aka Trader Joe's), San Jose, CA. A new one at TJs, decided to take chance at this $7/6 beer. Like others they make, it's a resounding meh. The Boatswain beers are better and a better value.

This is not my favorite style, and I can't really say much bad about it except there is nothing good to say. 5.6% ABV is just more meh. I'm planning to make ribs Sunday, and beer I don't want to drink is perfect for cooking. I'll use the rest for that.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Sat Mar 03, 2018 4:45 pm

Know Good IPA by Sierra Nevada. Another member of their IPA mix pack, this American IPA has a citrus/floral flavor with a bitter finish. Light bodied and low in alcohol (just 6.2%), I'm okay in calling this a light beer.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Sat Mar 03, 2018 5:13 pm

Flipside Red IPA by Sierra Nevada. Tastes like a middling red ale; caramel flavors and heavier malt. It's a decent red ale, not sure I'd call it an IPA. Only 6.2% ABV, so if you're looking to get your Irish up, this won't do it.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:05 pm

Barroom Hero by Magic Hat Brewing, S. Burlington, VT. The can (comes in pounders) says it's in collaboration with Dropkick Murphys. I don't think that band brought anything to the table, if anything they took all the alcohol and what they left behind is a 4.2% swill reminiscent of Schlitz Dark. I'm pretty sure I'll be abandoning the last 3 cans in this 4 pack at an Amateur Night party I'm attending in a few weeks.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:49 pm

Maggie's Irish Ale by Sauguatuck Brewing Co., Douglas, MI. It seems the makers of seasonal Red/Irish ales are kowtowing to local anti-shitfaced laws this year. Clocking in at an anemic 5.4% ABV, if you want to be riled up come St. Paddy's Day, you best start now and not let up. Otherwise, it's an adequate representative of its ilk...malty, not hoppy in the least. No sweetness or caramel flavors, just malt. It is drinkable, however. This is the second time in the past month the normally excellent Saugatuck Brewing has failed to impress...a sad trend for sure.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Tue Mar 06, 2018 10:07 pm

Rambler Red IPA by Goose Island Brewery, Chicago. Finally, something that calls itself a "red IPA" and taste like an IPA and not a run-of-the-mill red ale. 6.7% ABV is better than many of the poseurs tried this season.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Tue Mar 06, 2018 11:24 pm

I just saw this for the first time last weekend, and I wish I'd found it sooner, if indeed it has been around all winter, because I like it better than the Shipyard Nightwind that was my go-to beer this season. The brewer describes it as a cross between a brown ale and an IPA but it tastes more like a stout to me. "Hoppy"? Not so much, but well balanced, smooth and creamy.

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:47 pm

Rejoice! You can now get drunk on Sundays in Indiana.

The first Sunday that Hoosiers can legally buy alcohol.

Area liquor stores were so busy that owners felt like it was a Friday or Saturday night. Many shoppers said they had to buy something today just for the sake of being a part of history.

Sunday alcohol sales have been outlawed in the Hoosier State since 1816, but on Mar. 4, 2018, people can walk into an Indiana grocery, convenience, drug and/or liquor store and buy alcoholic beverages.

The new law allows Sunday alcohol sales from noon to 8 p.m.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat Mar 10, 2018 11:50 pm

Sam Adams New England IPA. Like SN's Hazy Little Thing, it's not the best take on the style, but not half bad, either. Like the SN brew, I'd buy this regularly if they put it out in 12-packs. Sam decided to package theirs in 16-oz can 4-packs instead, probably targeting the boutique/micro market. And they might be able to compete in that space if it were a DIPA. But it's not, and there are too many bigger better brews on the same shelf. I'd call it a marketing misfire. Too bad; it's a decent beer that could do quite well in the cheap 12-pack arena where Sam usually sells. But they periodically try to court craft beer credibility, and this one is not special enough to do that. At $10 it's cheaper than most of the 4-pack beers it wants to run with. But I'll probably choose a 6-pack of Hazy Little Thing over this one.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Sat Mar 10, 2018 11:55 pm

Moliere wrote: ↑Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:47 pm Rejoice! You can now get drunk on Sundays in Indiana.

The first Sunday that Hoosiers can legally buy alcohol.

Area liquor stores were so busy that owners felt like it was a Friday or Saturday night. Many shoppers said they had to buy something today just for the sake of being a part of history.

Sunday alcohol sales have been outlawed in the Hoosier State since 1816, but on Mar. 4, 2018, people can walk into an Indiana grocery, convenience, drug and/or liquor store and buy alcoholic beverages.

The new law allows Sunday alcohol sales from noon to 8 p.m.

Small consolation after you've been on a Saturday bender and wake on Sunday to find yourself in Indiana.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Sun Mar 11, 2018 12:03 am

Preseason Lager by Goose Island. I didn't know there was a lager season. But it appears so. One would guess that an in-season lager would be full flavor and fermented to a nice alcohol level. It follows then that a preseason lager would be none of these. And that describes this beer perfectly. Flavor free and an anemic 5.9% ABV makes this worthless file in their spring mix pack.

mori · Post by **mori** » Sun Mar 11, 2018 12:12 am

Jeff V wrote: ↑Sat Mar 10, 2018 11:55 pm
Moliere wrote: ↑Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:47 pm Rejoice! You can now get drunk on Sundays in Indiana.

The first Sunday that Hoosiers can legally buy alcohol.

Area liquor stores were so busy that owners felt like it was a Friday or Saturday night. Many shoppers said they had to buy something today just for the sake of being a part of history.

Sunday alcohol sales have been outlawed in the Hoosier State since 1816, but on Mar. 4, 2018, people can walk into an Indiana grocery, convenience, drug and/or liquor store and buy alcoholic beverages.

The new law allows Sunday alcohol sales from noon to 8 p.m.

Small consolation after you've been on a Saturday bender and wake on Sunday to find yourself in Indiana.

Been there. Eating eggs and grits at the Pancake House served by the local trailer trash while navigating yourself across the state broke and drunk. The Bottle Rockets song may give insight on the experience.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Sun Mar 11, 2018 4:23 pm

Xavier McDaniel IPA by Buckle Down Brewing, Lyons, IL. Don't know who Xavier McDaniel is, but from the yellow silhouette on the can I assume he is a model for shooting range targets. As for the beer, it seems they took my advice and stopped using Des Plaines River water...this is the first of their beers I've had that doesn't seem tainted by toxins. Coming off a bitter double IPA, this beer tastes sweet and honeyed. 7.5 % ABV is nice for an IPA.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Sun Mar 11, 2018 5:22 pm

British Invasion British Style IPA by Shortfuse Brewing Company, Schiller Park, IL. You'd think that with British in its name (twice!) the ingredients wouldn't list American hops. A slightly sweet but otherwise forgettable beer, it does have a 7.5%ABV going for it.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Mon Mar 12, 2018 7:59 pm

Distorter Porter by Greenbush Brewery, Sawyer, MI. Well, or was bound to happen I guess. Until now, I've loved everything from this brewery. Porters tend to have a low approval rating with me, some I like a lot but most not at all. This falls into the later.

The bottle claims "a stout-ish porter with a touch of porter-ish stout." In reality, it's nothing so complex. Think burnt barley, because that's all I get from the monosyllabic taste profile.

7.2% ABV can't even bail out this beer. Now I have a problem building...too many unpalatable seasonal beers. I'll foist them on my friends this Saturday, but with all this trash, there'll be nothing decent for me to drink!

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:26 pm

Boiler Gold American Golden Ale by People's Brewing, Lafayette, IN. Usually I avoid this style as it's often code for "Let's do an imitation PBR". This one has a nice flavor though and is drinkable. The apparent no ABV is a concern though. This beer does have some proceeds going to Purdue University, and I recall booing there once for a football game. We asked some people if they copious direct us to a bar or other booze-selling establishment and they looked at us like we had 3 heads. We wound up having to go to a supermarket at a nearby town. So I assume they still don't actually allow beer there. Except maybe on Sundays.

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 9:40 pm

My in-laws picked us up a bottle of Grangestone 12-year single malt whisky. Took a bit of googling to figure out what this is.

There's no distillery in Scotland named Grangestone, but "single malt" means that it's from a single distillery, not a blend. The internet's best guess is that it comes from Kininvie, a distillery that primarily produces whisky for blends.

Anyway, it's a very decent Speyside, with clear floral notes. It's quite cheap as single malts go (~$35 online), and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it at that price.

mori · Post by **mori** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 10:11 pm

Sounds like a private label for Total Wine.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Thu Mar 15, 2018 10:00 pm

21st Anniversary IPA by Two Brothers, Warrenville, IL. Bitter with a slight peach flavor, add 8.2% ABV it's a nice celebration beer, unlike the dreck they produced in pilsner form last year.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Fri Mar 16, 2018 1:27 am

Big Rig Midnight Kissed My Cow Double Chocolate Milk Stout (lol the name). Very good stuff. Bought two. Glad I did.

mori · Post by **mori** » Sat Mar 17, 2018 8:55 pm

Drank several Irish stouts at my local brewery today but now I have settled in on Toppling Goliath Brewing Golden Nugget IPA. I have not had this beer in years as I avoided the Florida contract brewed crap over the last few years. But now we are getting cans directly from Decorah, IA. And it is good as I remember. They seem to have taken this IPA towards the "Haze Bro" end of the spectrum as far as appearance but still has a proper IPA attenuation and bitterness. This will be a regular in my IPA rotation.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Sat Mar 17, 2018 11:04 pm

mori wrote: ↑Sat Mar 17, 2018 8:55 pm Drank several Irish stouts at my local brewery today but now I have settled in on Toppling Goliath Brewing Golden Nugget IPA. I have not had this beer in years as I avoided the Florida contract brewed crap over the last few years. But now we are getting cans directly from Decorah, IA. And it is good as I remember. They seem to have taken this IPA towards the "Haze Bro" end of the spectrum as far as appearance but still has a proper IPA attenuation and bitterness. This will be a regular in my IPA rotation.

I read something about how they were having some trouble getting beers from the new facilities to be clear. They were happy with the taste, but not the appearance. They said they'd get it figured out, though. I don't know enough about the process to say for sure, but I can say that the Pseudo Sue I've had from the new Decorah facility was very cloudy.