Whatcha drinking?
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Charlatan APA by Maplewood Brewing, Chicago. Once in a while, you stumble across the right beer at the right time. In this case, it was following 5 hours of yard work; I needed something that would be as refreshing as a glass of lemonade but last longer than the 2.5 seconds it takes me to down a glass of Countrytime. The 4 hop blend does include citra, probably providing the effect I'm looking for. 6.1% ABV is ok for an APA
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
I do like Charlatan quite a bit. It's in the regular rotation.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Pile of Face American IPA by Against the Grain Brewery, Louisville, KY. This beer doesn't have much character, middling bitterness with a middling ABV of 6.5. Don't recall how much I paid for the pounder, but it was likely too much.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
I am not an expert on this. The relatives buying it would know. Whether it was the really good stuff or not, I don't recall. Might just be your $50 stuff or something. Whatever it was, their story made the price sound incredible.Jeff V wrote: ↑Sat Apr 25, 2020 2:51 pmNot at border towns. The best deals I got was $30 for something selling north of $50 here. It's worth getting some if you happen to be there, not worth making a booze run though.
Good tequila is the only hard liquor I can drink straight up, therefore the only one that warrants paying for good stuff. It is not a habit though, in recent decades mostly only when a friend has the guys over for cards, food, beer and when we have it, tequila.
And now, I'll leave you drinkers to your drinks and go back to my Diet Mt Dew (techinically, Mt Dew Zero these days; recently unable to find the 12 packs of Mt Dew Citrus Cherry Gamer Fuel (not the energy drink crap, just a flavor of Mt Dew - that was for when game day/driving, not every day consumption).
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Mt. Dew Zero is a damned sight better than Diet Mt. Dew ever dreamed of being.
It's almost as if people are the problem.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
OK, if you're going to post on something I can speak to, I'll come back briefly to this thread.
Long enough at least to generally agree with Isg, don't know if I'd go quite that far, but definitely better. I'm bummed they stopped doing Diet Code Red. I'm really bummed from years ago, they had a diet Supernova. BRING THAT BACK!!!
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Sorry, you're both wrong. Diet Mountain Dew is better than Mountain Dew Zero.Zenn7 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 28, 2020 12:54 am
OK, if you're going to post on something I can speak to, I'll come back briefly to this thread.
Long enough at least to generally agree with Isg, don't know if I'd go quite that far, but definitely better. I'm bummed they stopped doing Diet Code Red. I'm really bummed from years ago, they had a diet Supernova. BRING THAT BACK!!!
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Bridge Crossing Maibock by Arrowhead Ales, New Lenox, IL. Tis the season, but I've had mixed results with the style in the past. Often, it's little more than a slightly darker MGD. Done well though and it can be sublime. Fortunately, that applies to this beer, it has a nice amber color, slight honey/caramel flavor, and, considering the style, a robust 7.0% ABV.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
I think we (Isg and I) can all agree you are mistaken in your assessment.pr0ner wrote: ↑Tue Apr 28, 2020 9:39 amSorry, you're both wrong. Diet Mountain Dew is better than Mountain Dew Zero.Zenn7 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 28, 2020 12:54 am
OK, if you're going to post on something I can speak to, I'll come back briefly to this thread.
Long enough at least to generally agree with Isg, don't know if I'd go quite that far, but definitely better. I'm bummed they stopped doing Diet Code Red. I'm really bummed from years ago, they had a diet Supernova. BRING THAT BACK!!!
That said, my local Kroger had cans and bottles on sale, only has Mt Dew zero in cans and only Diet Dew in 16oz bottles, so I have some of each.
No flavored stuff though. Only diet flavored stuff I can find currently is Baja Blast, which is probably the only Mt Dew flavor I have tried I do not like. There have been others I'm not crazy about (regular flavors, liked the first Xmas dew, but the new one with Cranberry was merely OK; liked the Halloween mystery Dew, not so crazy about the Voltage, white out, pitch black, and the orange one, code red's good, and of course the previously mentioned good ones).
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Collective Arts? Wow, I'm surprised to see some Canadian stuff like that make its way there.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
G.O.A.T. Dopplebock by Urban Renewal Brewing, Chicago. It's not exactly season for this beer, and that might account for it's flatness. The flavor is ok, but the grains are kind of muddied and don't put forth the robust flavor it's deep brown color suggests. 7.6% ABV is good for a dopplebock, I just wish the flavor was more explosive -- I really need to find a replacement for my long-lamented Autumnal Fire and this ain't it. I might be willing to give a fresh batch a shot in the fall, though.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Life Is What Happens When You're Busy Making Other Plans, a pilsner from Threes and Smith & Lentz. The Smith & Lentz brewery was hit by a tornado shortly before the shutdown, so a portion of the proceeds go to their tornado recovery fund.
Very different from Threes' regular pilsner, Vliet. LIWHWYBMOP is more of a standard pilsner, with a less bitter flavor profile. Tasty, but not amazing.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Dryft Mosaic IPA by Penrose Brewing, Geneva, IL. Trying to score multiple points here, supporting my local treasure, Flight Bottle Shop while also supporting a brewery I pass by on the way to work every day. Penrose is hit-or-miss. Mosaic hopped beers are mostly miss. I'll leave it to you decide where the axe falls on this 6.3% effort.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
I'm into the *PA thing but my go-to is this lagered ale. I know they've made their way into NY but are currently only shipping within Ontario. The company is a really nice story, as well.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
At this moment, Pikesville on a big rock.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Ever since the covfefe virus got real, I've been keeping my packy runs fast and infrequent, which means I just grab and go without shopping new things. Today I was loading up some familiar 4-packs when a clerk asked me if I like NEIPAs. Well yes, yes I do. He pointed out something from a new local brewer that he thinks is the bee's knees. It was a DIPA (NEDIPA, I guess) at a JeffV-pleasing 9% ABV for $21 per 4-pack. Heh. Dude doesn't know me very well. First, I can't drink anything over 8% without getting schwocked (6.5-7% is my sweet spot), and I don't like to get schwocked. Second, I won't pay more than $4 per can.
I'm sure it was a fine beer. Maybe a great beer. But tonight I'm enjoying my old fave Lawson's Sip of Sunshine.
I'm sure it was a fine beer. Maybe a great beer. But tonight I'm enjoying my old fave Lawson's Sip of Sunshine.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Sounds like I should be expecting a package in the mail from Kraken...
I went cheap on my Flight run yesterday with a 6 pack at around $18. So I'm not really expecting great things of this batch (at least one is a re-buy though of something I like). So to start off, I have Evil Cousin DIPA by Heretic. I'm sure I was motivated by the price, while I like their name, I've yet find any of Heretic's beers more worthy than a "meh." And so it goes. Flavor profile is more like a single, not double. No developed richness in flavor. It is bitter and nothing else, but not really the good bitter that lights up your mouth, more like an old shoe. And 8% ABV is not a deal maker when it comes to DIPAs.
I went cheap on my Flight run yesterday with a 6 pack at around $18. So I'm not really expecting great things of this batch (at least one is a re-buy though of something I like). So to start off, I have Evil Cousin DIPA by Heretic. I'm sure I was motivated by the price, while I like their name, I've yet find any of Heretic's beers more worthy than a "meh." And so it goes. Flavor profile is more like a single, not double. No developed richness in flavor. It is bitter and nothing else, but not really the good bitter that lights up your mouth, more like an old shoe. And 8% ABV is not a deal maker when it comes to DIPAs.
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- Kraken
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
For my birthday last month, Wife gave me "growler credits" -- a promise to pay for up to 9 growlers of fresh beer. I have no idea how she arrived at nine.
MA has a stupid law that says breweries can only sell and refill their own growlers. One cannot have a generic bottle, or one from a rival, filled at any brewery or brewpub. So growler shopping is a bigger headache than it should be, and they are correspondingly unpopular.
The industry counters with "crowlers" -- 32-oz cans (half-growlers) filled from the tap. I've been watching local brewer Widowmaker's website, and on Friday they finally offered crowlers of Blue Comet, one of my favorite NEIPAs. I blew two growler credits on four crowlers, and that's what I'm enjoying tonight. Filled yesterday, this is as close as I can get to fresh draft beer at home.
It's as delicious as it sounds. $12 per crowler is $6 per pint, which is pricey for canned beer but a good price for draft. (The same beer in pounders is $15/4-pack, vs $24 for the crowler equivalent.) I won't splurge on that draft-beer premium often, but I have seven growler credits left. With a little luck, if we all keep isolating, bars will be able to start reopening in June.
MA has a stupid law that says breweries can only sell and refill their own growlers. One cannot have a generic bottle, or one from a rival, filled at any brewery or brewpub. So growler shopping is a bigger headache than it should be, and they are correspondingly unpopular.
The industry counters with "crowlers" -- 32-oz cans (half-growlers) filled from the tap. I've been watching local brewer Widowmaker's website, and on Friday they finally offered crowlers of Blue Comet, one of my favorite NEIPAs. I blew two growler credits on four crowlers, and that's what I'm enjoying tonight. Filled yesterday, this is as close as I can get to fresh draft beer at home.
It's as delicious as it sounds. $12 per crowler is $6 per pint, which is pricey for canned beer but a good price for draft. (The same beer in pounders is $15/4-pack, vs $24 for the crowler equivalent.) I won't splurge on that draft-beer premium often, but I have seven growler credits left. With a little luck, if we all keep isolating, bars will be able to start reopening in June.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Yeah, I don't get the insane pricing for Crowlers. I've seen them as high as $30 for something really potent, and as cheap for $6 for a Miller Lite equivalent. But the average price is $15-23, meaning your paying bar price and not carry out price. Also (and this is why I don't buy Growlers either) doesn't the act of pouring it from a tap release much of the fizz? My fear is storing it for any amount of time (lets say I don't drink it immediately when I get home) will cause it to be flat.
I have been tempted from time to time when Rock Bottom has growler sales for $10. Their beer is generally credible, and that seems a good price point. I've not pulled the trigger though because we more often go there in the summer time, when my walk-in beer cooler is malfunctioning and to store a bottle that big in our fridge would mean the kid's milk has to go.
I have been tempted from time to time when Rock Bottom has growler sales for $10. Their beer is generally credible, and that seems a good price point. I've not pulled the trigger though because we more often go there in the summer time, when my walk-in beer cooler is malfunctioning and to store a bottle that big in our fridge would mean the kid's milk has to go.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
I've seen Collective Arts pop up in the Washington, DC area for a couple years now.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
A place that fills them properly will use a tube that reaches to the bottom of the growler, minimizing splashing and purging oxygen from the growler at the same time. You should be able to get three days without any loss in quality.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Thanks, maybe I'll pick one up next time I see one I consider a good deal. Use to go to Rock Bottom a lot (it was Gordon Biersch much of the time) when I lived in Bolingbrook, not so much now. And even if they open restaurants and bars, unless there's a vaccine I'd consider such places to be akin to playing Russian roulette.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
You can extend that a little further if you store the bottle on its side, so that the liquid tightens the seal with the cap. It's not an issue with crowlers (cans) because the seal is tight. I drank all four of my crowlers within two days, so the beer was still nice and creamy as a fresh-poured draft.
It's funny you should mention Rock Bottom; I actually have an RB growler in the pantry from the long-ago days when there was a RB near us. I'd have to go into Boston to get it filled now.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
I just did an email search on Rock Bottom and discovered they've been closed since 3/17. I would have though they might have growler deals to go with carryout food but that seems not to be the case.
When GB flipped to RB, my loyalty card was upgraded to whatever the RB premier card is.
When GB flipped to RB, my loyalty card was upgraded to whatever the RB premier card is.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Really? Interesting. Have to say they're one of the consistently popular micros. They've mostly been brewing IPAs, at least early on, but they've recently started to diversify.
I find they put out good beer, but man if they aren't one of the more expensive ones, due to their whole organic angle. As a result, I only ever get it if it's an option at a restaurant.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Yep. It's almost exclusively IPAs of theirs that I've tried, but I've found them all to be uniformly good to very good.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
I have had breweries tell me that here, while other have no problem filling some other breweries growlers. They just put duck tape over the other breweries logo and attach their own tag.Kraken wrote: ↑Sun May 03, 2020 10:25 pm MA has a stupid law that says breweries can only sell and refill their own growlers. One cannot have a generic bottle, or one from a rival, filled at any brewery or brewpub. So growler shopping is a bigger headache than it should be, and they are correspondingly unpopular.
The industry counters with "crowlers" -- 32-oz cans (half-growlers) filled from the tap.
Crowlers started slow here, just one place doing it. Now they almost all do it. I asked a few breweries that weren't doing it and they said the machines were expensive, but I think they just didn't want to make the investment. A 32oz crowler should last 7-10 days in your fridge, no growler will do that.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
The crowler filling machines list at about $4,000.
To fill a growler using best practices with equipment already in place costs about a nickle worth of tubing. At that price you don't even have to clean it, just throw it away and replace it every day.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
There is no doubt that growlers are a great deal for the breweries. But until you can can/bottle your product you need to have some way of selling to people who either don't want to deal with growlers or who want several different beers and not just one.
I usually hit the breweries with the family, my wife and two daughters. While my oldest daughter and I have pretty close tastes (except for the sours, she likes sours), my wife and the youngest have limited options. Crowlers make for sales, whereas if I do remember to take my growler it will get filled with something I want, not something they want. Yea, I am that guy.
Now I assume crowlers are 32oz, but several places around here are now doing 16oz cans on site as well.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
I somehow missed this comment before...Rumpy wrote:Collective Arts? Wow, I'm surprised to see some Canadian stuff like that make its way there.
I've been able to get a pretty broad spectrum of offerings from Collective Arts in central CT for a couple years now. I've tried a lot of their IPAs, and was doing a pretty good job of keeping up with the IPA # series for a while, but I've fallen behind recently. They're definitely a solid brewery.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
That'd be a brewery that would maybe change Jeff's mind about Canadian beersdisarm wrote: ↑Mon May 04, 2020 9:44 pmI somehow missed this comment before...Rumpy wrote:Collective Arts? Wow, I'm surprised to see some Canadian stuff like that make its way there.
I've been able to get a pretty broad spectrum of offerings from Collective Arts in central CT for a couple years now. I've tried a lot of their IPAs, and was doing a pretty good job of keeping up with the IPA # series for a while, but I've fallen behind recently. They're definitely a solid brewery.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
I dunno...Binny's apparently carries 10 of their beers, and just looking at the specs, Radio the Mothership at $14/4 is the only one that piques my interest.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Still, I think it could change your perception. I think you have older memories of Canadian beer and you apply that to all of our beers. I think you'd be quite surprised. Our beer landscape has changed a lot, and we have a lot more micros everywhere, and this brewery is one of the more popular ones. Give it a try and make yourself new memories.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
That's because they're using American hops.
Global News.ca
Global News.ca
As local craft breweries have become the toast of the town in British Columbia, many hop farmers say the success has been tough to swallow.
Hop farmers say they’ve been forced to shut down a third of their crops because of a lack of demand. They blame a lack of support from local breweries and the provincial government.
...
Stewart says local farmers won’t survive unless the government introduces new incentives for local breweries to make the switch, similar to those found in the wine industry.
While some local breweries turn to area farms for unique varieties of hops, most still by the bulk of the ingredient from the United States or Europe.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
This weekend, I had a special release from The Veil called ChillBDay. Was supposed to be part of their 4th anniversary celebrations. Here's part of the description: "It’s a double dry-hopped DIPA brewed with Citra, Galaxy, Enigma, Mosaic, Motueka, El Dorado, Simcoe, Wakatu, and Nelson!" 9 hop varieties! And yes, it's a truly fantastic brew, coming in at a solid 8% ABV.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
The other day I had one of those packets of CountryTime sugar-free lemonade.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
I've heard they're even better if you mix them with water.
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
As sad as that is, I don't find it surprising. The industry has had a tough uphill climb in Canada. Still, that's only one province and I'm unsure if it's the same in other provinces. It's sometimes much cheaper to buy in bulk from elsewhere.Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Tue May 05, 2020 12:26 pm That's because they're using American hops.
Global News.ca
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Re: Whatcha drinking?
Well, it's been more than 10 years now (time flies!) since I was in Montreal and trying things not Molson or Labatts. They mostly reminded me of some of the small (pre-micro) breweries here like Point and Leinenkugel, slightly different but not really a radical departure from the majors.Rumpy wrote: ↑Tue May 05, 2020 12:23 pmStill, I think it could change your perception. I think you have older memories of Canadian beer and you apply that to all of our beers. I think you'd be quite surprised. Our beer landscape has changed a lot, and we have a lot more micros everywhere, and this brewery is one of the more popular ones. Give it a try and make yourself new memories.
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