Makes a huge difference how fresh PtE is. I had it on tap at the brewery and brought home fresh bottles (kept in a cooler the trip back and right into the fridge) and the bottle I had a week later was noticeably not as good as on tap. I'm getting to the point now where I just don't see the point in trying to track down hoppy beers from the other side of the country. The age and handling really have a detrimental effect on the beer. Drink local, drink fresh.
I generally agree, but I have had good luck with bottles and growlers right from the brewery at RR. I literally had a swingtop growler taste fresh as could be, although a touch undercarbed 2 MONTHS after buying it at the brewery. I did however, have it filled, immerse it in ice within a minute or two of filling, and kept in the low 30s during those 2 months.
All that said, I'm sending some PTE out today in exchange for some Jai Lai and some HT, so...I guess I AM one of those guys seeking out IPAs from across the country.
In the end though, if I want something special and I want a lot of it, I'll just brew it