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mlyday · 11-13-2012, 10:05 AM

I saw those vivant colaborations, but was didnt feel like dropping that much on a unknown. With your raving review, ill have to pick one up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by signpost

I love Fat Tire. My guess is that people that don't like it just aren't a fan of that style. It is an amber ale that doesn't have the hop presence that a lot of American ambers have. Somebody mentioned that it might be too bready. I think it's just right. The truth is Fat Tire is a great beer, but some people just simply don't like it.

The Red Hoptober has been a bit inconsistent, but maybe that is to be expected for the first year of a seasonal release. I have had a couple bottles that had great fresh hop aroma and flavor and were really enjoyable. And then I've had a couple that didn't seem to have much hop character at all, and seemed boring and bland. Maybe it was inconsistency in how the beers were handled. I have a hard time believing is was inconsistency in the brewing/packaging process (NB is huge and thoroughly automated). I have bought some at nice bottle shops and others at Kroger, so I'm sure there is some variance in handling and storage between those.

I'd definitely recommend trying out the Shift pale lager. It is a light lager with almost IPA level hop aroma and flavor. When I first tried it, I couldn't think of anything else I'd had that was similar.

Also, I got lucky and went to a store with an already great beer selection the day after New Belgium's Michigan launch day. They had a couple from the Lips of Faith series. I picked up the Super IPA, which was a collaboration with Alpine Beer Co. out in California. I would rank it right up there with all of the great double IPAs I've tried.

I also picked up a bottle of their Biere de Mars, which I'm going to let age for a few more months, because of the Brettanomyces added at bottling.

One other I'd recommend for anybody interested in Brett beers is a collaboration between New Belgium and Brewery Vivant (out of Grand Rapids). It is called Escoffier Bretta Ale. I bought a 4-pack (16 oz. cans) and drank one. It blew me away. I'm going to age the others and try them at various intervals of time. The side of the can says to age for up to 5 years. The few beers I've tried from Brewery Vivant have been amazing. They are definitely not cheap though (anywhere up to $16 or more for a 4-pack).

mlyday · 11-13-2012, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metanoia

Yeah, it was at our Meijer here in Allen Park just the other day on an end-cap. Picked up a six-pack. They also had the IPA, tripel, Flat Tire, Hoptober, and maybe a couple others.

Our meijer had all those, shift, snowday, and 1554.

**dongemus** · 11-15-2012, 06:51 PM

I didn't see 1554 in the Allen Park Meijer last week when I was there, but I have some friends from Colorado bringing me some tomorrow.

EDIT: 1554 is now at Meijer. It's my favorite so far! Dark, roasty/smoky flavor but still not heavy tasting. This might be a regular around here.

mlyday · 11-19-2012, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dongemus

I didn't see 1554 in the Allen Park Meijer last week when I was there, but I have some friends from Colorado bringing me some tomorrow.

EDIT: 1554 is now at Meijer. It's my favorite so far! Dark, roasty/smoky flavor but still not heavy tasting. This might be a regular around here.

It amazes me how different all the Meijer selection are base on store. Our meijer has a huge beer selection, but the one 10 miles down the road is mostly BMC and a small craft selection.

metanoia · 11-19-2012, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dongemus

I didn't see 1554 in the Allen Park Meijer last week when I was there, but I have some friends from Colorado bringing me some tomorrow.

EDIT: 1554 is now at Meijer. It's my favorite so far! Dark, roasty/smoky flavor but still not heavy tasting. This might be a regular around here.

Awesome, I saw it there the other day too, as well as Snow Day. I'll have to pick up some 1554 next; I've been slowly picking up 6-packs from Meijer and 22oz bottles from Kroger one style at a time. So far I've liked everything I've tasted: Flat Tire, Red Hoptober, Abbey, Trippel, Ranger. I'm glad all these styles showed up real quick, it reminds me of collecting Pokemon cards back in the day!

jpalarchio · 11-21-2012, 06:49 AM

Meijer had 12-packs of Fat Tire for $12.80 this past week, not a bad deal.

By far the best selection I've come across at Meijer has been the one by Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn Hills / Orion Township. At one point they actually had Sam Adams Utopias ("only" $200 I believe). They routinely have things that shock me. Just a crazy beer selection for a mega-mart...

signpost · 11-22-2012, 04:25 AM

Yeah, I was just in that Meijer yesterday. Crazy good beer selection for a place that isn't a dedicated bottle shop.

metanoia · 11-22-2012, 04:39 AM

I almost picked up a 6-pack of 1554 today, but at the last minute decided that a porter would be better with a rich meal like Thanksgiving tomorrow, and decided to go with Founders.

**iaefebs** · 11-22-2012, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by signpost

Yeah, I was just in that Meijer yesterday. Crazy good beer selection for a place that isn't a dedicated bottle shop.

I think that is a different Meijers than what we have in Michigan

jpalarchio · 11-22-2012, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iaefebs

I think that is a different Meijers than what we have in Michigan

Nope, same old Meijer where I can find just about anything (I remember back when they were "Meijer Thrifty Acres").

They re-did this Meijer a few years ago and added all kinds of things you don't normally see like a high end beer and wine section and an olive bar. The liquor aisle has a 42" TV that helps you pick out drink recipes or something.

Not sure if it's a test store or something, the area (minutes from Pontiac) doesn't really strike me as the place for high end groceries.