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Dude

Dude

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Three Floyds Alpha King: Great stuff. Had two of these and would have been happy with drinking that the rest of the night.

Victory Hop Devil: Really liked it. Pronounced hop nose and overall pretty darn tasty. This was off the draught, which I hadn't had before tonight.

Lancaster Winter Warmer: had a sip of this and thanked my lucky stars afterward I didn't order it on my own. I am convinced the spices used in winter type seasonals make the beer taste like dog food. Check out a post I made last year around this time for a Great Lakes Winter seasonal--I said the exact same thing. I hated this beer.

St. George American Brown (You may recall me talking about this place--Sam and I volunteered some time bottling it, it is about 5 minutes away from my house): Really fuggin good. If anyone is interested in a brew swap, let me know and I'll send off a Dragon pack of this stuff. The dragon pack has a mix of the English Brown, the American brown, the seasonal Maibock, a porter, a lager, and another random beer made by them. Worth it. :D
 
Second time I've had Hop Devil, and the second time I've been underwhelmed. I agree that it has a pronounced hop aroma, but that's about it.

I really like Alpha King. Where Hop Devil promises, Alpha King delivers. :D
 
Last night I tried the Mad River Brewing Jamaica Red Ale. It was surprisingly great. It came in one of those World Market variety packs (like the one ORRELSE previously mentioned) that I got for Christmas and most of the other beers in the box have been pretty average so far. The Jamaica Red was pretty damn good - I'd buy it again.

The only other other one I really liked from this box so far was Northern Brewing Co. Red Seal Ale. Also very tasty . . .

My affinity for IPA has spoiled my palate a bit, I'm afraid. Some beers I've tried recently are probably very good beers but if they aren't 'all hopped up' they just don't do it for me. They subsequently get dismissed on grounds of tasting too malty and when I finish them I run to the fridge for an IPA to set things straight in my mouth again. The bitterness of the IPA washes down the maltiness, I feel relieved, and my preference for hoppy beer is even further reinforced. It's a vicious circle . . .
 
AllHoppedUp said:
Last night I tried the Mad River Brewing Jamaica Red Ale. It was surprisingly great. It came in one of those World Market variety packs (like the one ORRELSE previously mentioned) that I got for Christmas and most of the other beers in the box have been pretty average so far. The Jamaica Red was pretty damn good - I'd buy it again.
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I'll have to make sure to get that one--I'm headed over there today to get another one of those packs. I enjoyed that Breckenridge oatmeal stout so much I want another one. Hopefully I can find a pack with both of them! SWMBO won't like me buying two--especially with the beer I have on tap right now. Yikes....

AllHoppedUp said:
My affinity for IPA has spoiled my palate a bit, I'm afraid. Some beers I've tried recently are probably very good beers but if they aren't 'all hopped up' they just don't do it for me.
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I feel the same way--but I go into different cycles with tastes. Right now I can't get enough stouts and porters. Although the Alpha King was really happening last night. :D
I do have to admit I only ordered another 3 Floyds because the Brooklyn Chocolate Stout was gone.....
 
Picked up a sixxer of Brooklyn's Black Chocolate Stout. This isn't the first time I've had it, but it always blows me away.
 
The Optimator is a black and tan look with a slight chocolate taste but smooth, I feel like Im running through and Irish field of flowers, um er I mean Pubs
 
XTrmXJ said:
The Optimator is a black and tan look with a slight chocolate taste but smooth, I feel like Im running through and Irish field of flowers, um er I mean Pubs
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Who makes that?

Bought 2 more samplers from World Market yesterday, another American Microbrews and one I hadn't seen the last time, called Winter Brews. Here are some of the ones I got to sample last night while watching football:

Brooklyn East India Pale Ale--Very nice. I'd drink this again for sure. I've seen it around here in sixxers before, so I'll be picking some of this up.

Geary Pale Ale-Yecch. Bland. Very little hop presence, very little flavor. Had that wierd funk I taste in some of the English beers, like maybe it was old. I didn't like this one at all.

Mongoose IPA-This was pretty darn good. It was bottle conditioned and had a nice flavor and nice hop usage. When I went on the website to get the specs on it, it contradicted what kinds of hops were in it though. I don't know what was in it but it was a good brew.

And now the highlight of the night.....

St. George Brewing Co. (yes here in Hampton) Winter Stout-This is a seasonal Imperial Stout that Andy (the brewmaster) experimented with. Jon, Sam and I got to sample this from the aging tank at a homebrew club meeting that was held at the brewery a few months back. Well that sucker was good then--it is out of this world now. St. George's beers are generally pretty good, this one was pure sensory overload. Thick, sweet, pretty much perfect. If the brewery wasn't closed I'd be over there buying up cases of this. I can't rave enough about this one guys. If you have a World Market near you, pick up the Winter Brews sampler, and make sure the bottle with teh purple label is in it. You WILL NOT regret it. :D
 
Tried my last beer from my sampler last night. It was Mendocino Brewing Co. Eye of the Hawk Select Ale. It was good but nothing to write home about. The label said it wins lots of awards and is "a favorite at the Great British Beer Festival." So, again, probably a very good beer for its particular style category but not hoppy enough for me.

AHU
 
Damn! I have a World Market practically across the boulevard from where I work! I could walk there on a nice day and I haven't set foot in the place. Guess where I'm going during lunch tomorrow?!

I thought Victory Hop Devil wasn't bad, but not worth the price. It is about $1-$1.50 more expensive than comparable micros here. For less money I can get Three Floyds Alpha King, one of my Summer favorites, which beats it out for hop flavor and aroma, in my book.

I can't get the Lancaster Winter Warmer or St. George American Brown here. I wish I could; they both sound tasty! I actually like Winter warmers. For instance, I like Great Lakes' offering and look forward to it each year. Same with Sam Adams, Goose Island, Pyramid, Sam Smith's and, of course, Samichlaus.

IMHO, Great Lakes' has the best label for a winter beer, period!

I really wish I could get Brooklyn Brewing's beers here. I've seen Garrett Oliver on TV and read some of his reviews in All About Beer and have always wanted to try one of his brews.
 
Rhoobarb said:
I can't get the Lancaster Winter Warmer or St. George American Brown here. I wish I could; they both sound tasty! I actually like Winter warmers. For instance, I like Great Lakes' offering and look forward to it each year. Same with Sam Adams, Goose Island, Pyramid, Sam Smith's and, of course, Samichlaus.
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I hated both of those. Same dog food flavor in both of them. I don't know what is wrong with my tastebuds. :confused:


Rhoobarb said:
IMHO, Great Lakes' has the best label for a winter beer, period!
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Cause you are a TRAIN freak!!!! It IS a cool label though, I definitely agree.

Rhoobarb said:
I really wish I could get Brooklyn Brewing's beers here. I've seen Garrett Oliver on TV and read some of his reviews in All About Beer and have always wanted to try one of his brews.
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The East India Pale is pretty darn good too.

Dude let's work out a beer trade, if you want. I'll pick up a dragon pack (St. George's variety) for you, I have 2 bottles of Black Chocolate Stout from Brooklyn--I'll send you one of those two (I gotta save the other one to compare with next years batch!) and we'll discuss in some PMs what I can't get here that you might have up there.....Cool?
 
that is a cool label for a Christmas ale, and it does help that your a Lionel train FREAK! :^)

Brooklyn is good brews. i've had 'em in NYC and a friend is in a beer of the month club. he's got that stout, lager, and one other. he likes to share, so i'm lucky!
 
ORRELSE said:
I hated both of those. Same dog food flavor in both of them.
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Okay, I'm not gonna ask how you know what dog food tastes like.;)

ORRELSE said:
Cause you are a TRAIN freak!!!!...
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DeRoux's Broux said:
...and it does help that your a Lionel train FREAK!
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Not Lionel... that's my buddy's scale. I'm into HO scale models, Lionels are O scale 'toy' trains. But I digress...

ORRELSE said:
Dude let's work out a beer trade...
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I was thinking the same thing. PM me!:)

BTW, World Market was mentioned before. The one near me is called Cost Plus World Market. Are we talking the same thing here?
 
Rhoobarb said:
I was thinking the same thing. PM me!:)

BTW, World Market was mentioned before. The one near me is called Cost Plus World Market. Are we talking the same thing here?
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Yeah, I think so. I'm telling ya, find the microbrew 10 packs, they should have a couple different ones too--but the way you talk about winter warmer beers, you'll be shooting sparks out of your ass when you see the "Winter Brews" pack. AND MAKE SURE YOU GET ONE WITH THE ST. GEORGE WINTER STOUT, purple label.

PM coming soon....BTW...do you have access to Stone Ruination or Hop Rod Rye? :D
 
ORRELSE said:
...you'll be shooting sparks out of your ass when you see the "Winter Brews" pack. ...
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ROTFLOL!:D
ORRELSE said:
...do you have access to Stone Ruination or Hop Rod Rye? :D
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Stone Ruination, I don't think I ever seen it here. Hop Rod Rye - hell, yeah!

I'm on my way over to the WM now!
****
Just got back and the variety packs here are apparently different from what you get there. Neither of the Winter Warmers you had listed were available. Most of the selections were ones you can get in sixers here. But, I picked up a 10-pack anyway for $14.99. The one I got had Great Divide St. Bridget’s Robust Porter, Avery Elle’s Brown Ale, Two Brothers Domain DuPage French Country Ale, Left Hand Black Jack Porter, Ska Nut Brown Ale, Otter Creek Alpine Ale, Lakefront Brewing Holiday Spiced Lager, McTarnahan’s Mac Frost, Boulder Brewing Planet Porter, McTarnahan’s Highlander Pale Ale.

I also picked up a bottle of St. Peter's Cream Stout and they had a great deal on pint glasses from different brewerys - $2.99 a piece. I sorta collect ones I like. I picked up three, including one from Brooklyn Brewing!
 
brewsmith said:
Does this mean I have to send you a sampler like I did DeRoux?;)
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Hells yeah!!!!!!!!! :p

If you do that--I'll send you a dragon pack. I don't think you'll be disappointed with St. George's stuff. Or of course I can try to find soemthing else you like--but our beer selection in Hampton is spotty.

PM me with a list and I'll see if I can find it!!!!

Sam75 said:
We need a writeup on the Vertical Epic!
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Will do....

I know you are huge fan of Stone's stuff--with good reason. Not had a bad one by them yet.
 
Sam75 said:
We need a writeup on the Vertical Epic!

Sam, man, I sorry, this is by far the best tasting beer Ive ever had, It gave me a hard on.. It was orgasmic, it tizzled my taste buds like like my ex GF used to, I will have to buy a case of this stuff for when you get back, B will give you a better description than what I did...
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Click to expand...
 
XTrmXJ said:
Sam75 said:
We need a writeup on the Vertical Epic!
Click to expand...

Sam, man, I sorry, this is by far the best tasting beer Ive ever had, It gave me a hard on.. It was orgasmic, it tizzled my taste buds like like my ex GF used to, I will have to buy a case of this stuff for when you get back, B will give you a better description than what I did...
Click to expand...

Don't know if I can beat that! ;)

The details are a bit hazy on the Vertical Epic, (it was 05 I believe, all the recipes are different) but it was pretty hot but also had a residual sweetness that was balanced nicely with a good hop bitterness that was there, just not too prominent. I liken it almost to something like a darker belgian ale.

On another note--St. George's is officially OUT of Winter stout. No keg for me. :mad: :( I guess the Dragon packs have one bottle in it now, but the kegs and bottles are gone. I was talking to the brewmaster today and he said he was honestly surprised at how fast the stuff sold. He said it went so quick it made his head spin. I did get to try a sample of one they had in the taproom that was aged on rum soaked oak chips. I could quote XtrmXJ's post verbatim on how that beer tickled my senses. :D

I bottled over at the brewery today (Nut Brown, nothing like 4 beers before 10 in the morning!) and it sounds like St. George's is really growing. They are getting some distribution in NC now--Walker and you NC guys need to look out for it. Honestly they don't make a bad beer.
 
First observation is I need to find a better beverage store... I work 35 miles from where I live and am going to pay a visit to some of their stores... my options to purchase today were ok, but looking for MUCH more variety...

Regardless...

The fridge now has a 6 of Two Brothers Prairie Path Golden Ale, and a 6 of Three Floyds Robert Bruce. Those are my samplers for this weekend... My goal is to sample two new 6's every weekend from here on in... Of course, like the rocket scientist I tend to be sometimes :rolleyes: I didn't check the forums for either of these until I got back. Then again that might be a good thing... Read some on the Robert Bruce and REALLY looking forward to that, search didn't show anything on Two Brothers... any input?

Replacement equipment will be ordered soon and brewing will resume asap... I did pick up a quick 6 of Leinie's Berry Weiss just for fun last weekend and got into it last night. Pretty refreshing, would be a good summer beer. I'd like to try to create something like it on my own. Any suggestions?

Thanks for all the terrific input, you guys rock! :rockin:

Ize
 
Dude said:
Don't know if I can beat that! ;)


On another note--St. George's is officially OUT of Winter stout. No keg for me. :mad: :( I guess the Dragon packs have one bottle in it now
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i almost bought a dragon pack today...i was checking out a yuppie farm fresh to see if they had any different beers then my local one, turns out they had less micro's and a HUGE wine selection (stupid rich people, when are they gonna realize beer is not just for losers) any whoo i think ill get one today, they better be good!!!
 
The Robert Bruce is a righteous beer. I had a hearty meal beforehand, so I wasn't sure how it would go down. Pleasantly pleased. Good and malty, but a smooth finish. Not overly filling... I can see how this would go well with some form of chocolate... Enjoyed 3 of the 6 and called it a night. (We were kid free so we chose to do what a lot of adults might choose to do when they get a break from the kids... watched tv and got some sleep! :D )

I'll crack the Two Brothers tonight....

On another quick note, who knows what about the beers from Boulder Brewing? the store I was at yesterday had the proverbial Sh#* Load of them... Any recommendations?

:mug: Ize
 
Bjorn Borg said:
i almost bought a dragon pack today...i was checking out a yuppie farm fresh to see if they had any different beers then my local one, turns out they had less micro's and a HUGE wine selection (stupid rich people, when are they gonna realize beer is not just for losers) any whoo i think ill get one today, they better be good!!!
Click to expand...

Where do you live?
 
Finally got to the Two Brothers Prairie Path Golden Ale tonight. Not bad, wasn't sure at first, second was better, third was good, but enuf. I think it just needs to be really cold. (I'll have to check the temp on that fridge again, methinks she be driftin...) It would be a good warm weather beer. LOTS of head tho, no matter how i poured the damn thing... Tasty none the less. However, the Robert the Bruce was the winner this weekend...

Another lesson learned too, I'll be checking the bottles thoroughly from here on in... on the Two Brothers I found stamped at the bottom: "Best By 1/12/06"

Bummer. Another reason to find a better beverage store...

All in all a pretty successful sampling weekend... so many beers, so little time...

:mug: Ize
 

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