Disappointment in a local brewery....

[Lonek]

So I finally stopped in at a local micro brewery that has been in business for quite sometime and grabbed a sample case of their beer. Wheat, Hopped Amber, Nut Brown and Pale Ale. Needless to say, I was very taken a back out how crappy the beer tasted to me. I've made all these beers this summer and think mine have tasted far better. Most of their beers had bad after tastes and the Amber tasted scorched. These guys have gotten a lot of praise by normal beer drinkers, I think they've never tasted good beer before this.... At least I got another case of bottles, but I won't be stopping back in there.

 

[Evan!]

Most people are just in awe when places have more than BMC, Bass and Heiny on tap; when they find out that they brew their own, dudes get their panties wet over how "cool" that is. This tends to cloud their judgment a tad.

Our local brewpub actually does great stuff---the brewmaster (very cool guy) is pretty decorated, and is moving on as we speak to his own brand new hop farm and brewery about 20 minutes outside of town (in the middle of wine country-how fitting). I hope they can find someone at the brewpub to take his place that knows what they're doin...

 

[FlyingHorse]

By your location and the beers listed, you're talking about Troegs?

Haven't had their beers in awhile, but I remember liking the Rugged Trail (brown), and being so-so on the other three. Nothing as bad as what you describe, though.

If you want a really good local weizen, try Stoudts.

 

[zoebisch01]

Brewery?

In defense of Troegs, they make some very good brew. I don't recall ever getting a bad one from them. Stoudts is very good. Penn as well.

 

[Lonek]

I didn't want to name names, but yes, Troegs. Stoudts and ABC have great beer. I've had ABC flowing through my veins for the last 10 years almost. And actually I saw Stoudts was named as one of the best places for micro brew in the US on Food Network last year.

 

[1fastdoc]

The local brewery in Winston-Salem leaves a lot to be desired. I've left there with a half full beer on the table twice.

Just got back from Calgary and had a chance to spend some time at Brewster's and Wildwood. Now they make good beer. The brewmaster at Wildwood was also very forthcoming about some of the recipies too. Cool guy.

 

[Bobby_M]

I find the Hopback Amber to be a way-above-average beer.

 

[zoebisch01]

*shrug*

I have had the Mad Elf, Troegenator, Hopback Amber, Nugget Nectar and sampled the Nutbrown. I haven't had a flawed one in terms of standard qualities that most folks look at, can't say they are the BEST brewery out there but fwiw it is all relative. Some days brews just taste totally different to me where I'll like them one day and not care for them too much another. Did you buy the case directly from the brewery?

 

[Lonek]

Maybe I just got an old case of bottles? Hmm, maybe I'll stop back in and talk to them. The Amber was way above in flavor, but the flavor was "off", tasted burnt.

 

[zoebisch01]

Maybe I just got an old case of bottles? Hmm, maybe I'll stop back in and talk to them. The Amber was way above in flavor, but the flavor was "off", tasted burnt.

I had a 6 of them, the Hopback and imo it is on par with many of the other 'hoppy' ales out there. I have never noticed any burned flavor, personally. It has a slight carmel flavor but nothing more than I'be tasted in IPA's. The nutbrown wasn't my cup of tea, although I did find it to be well made. Haven't had the Pale Ale.

 

[homebrewer_99]

You think that's bad, my local insists that Wit is a "seasonal" brew...

 

[zoebisch01]

You think that's bad, my local insists that Wit is a "seasonal" brew...

<insert hearty guffaw here>

 

[Desert_Sky]

i bet they are still making money

 

[Evan!]

You think that's bad, my local insists that Wit is a "seasonal" brew...

That's perfectly reasonable, Bill. Most breweries I know only do light wheat beers in the spring and summer. When you've got limited space and capacity, going seasonal is really a smart thing to do---because the market kind of demands it. Some people don't---I personally can and do drink Expedition in the heat of summer and Whirlwind in the dead of winter---but the market as a whole likes lighter wheat beers in the summer and darker maltier beers in the winter. That's the buying pattern at our store, and when you've got limited capacity, one thing you don't wanna do is buck the market.

 

[Lonek]

Micro places in our area are becoming a "fad" for the upper class. It's allowing for poor beer to passed along as good micro brew, but it's also getting more people aware of beer past BMC... take the good with the bad I guess.

 

[david_42]

There are microbreweries that make ok brews and survive because there isn't any competition. Trask, formerly of McMinneville, made ok brews. Two problems: a McMenamins two doors down, which is in the restored Oregon Hotel, and Golden Valley Brewery, an easy walk down the road. McMinemins makes good brews and Mark, at GVB, makes great ones. Trask is dead.

One of Mark's seasonals is a Belgian. Since it is at the low ABV end, it makes a great summer ale. His 3rd Street Wheat and Golden are year round. They are good intros for the BMC crowd.

 

[TheJadedDog]

I have a local microbrewery near me and there is another one near my in-laws; both make absolute swill that I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. It was very disappointing the first time I went in to each to find out just how bad beer can be.

 

[brewt00l]

i bet they are still making money

As they should be...they do produce some really good beer.

I have found the hopback to be a bit inconsistent when it comes to the hop aroma but outside of that, I haven't had a bad troegs out of several cases and who knows how many pints. I have had their Sunshine Pils (least liked, kinda bland and no where near Prima Pils), Dreamweaver wheat (2nd to least), Pale ale, Troegenator, Hopback, Rugged Trail nut brown, Nugget Nectar & Mad Elf . Nugget Nectar is a killer seasonal brew.

 

[Rhoobarb]

You might have gotten some old cases. FWIW, I picked up a case of Hopback Amber when I was in PA last year, as I had heard and read so many good things about it. I was sorely dissapointed - it had no hop aroma and an off flavor that I was pretty certain was from sitting too long at room temperature in the ghastly PA 'beer store' I went to. (How do you PA folks stomach those depressing, overpriced places?). I could see where someone might call it 'burnt'.

I'd really like to try it fresh.

 

[brewt00l]

I was sorely dissapointed - it had no hop aroma and an off flavor that I was pretty certain was from sitting too long at room temperature in the ghastly PA 'beer store' I went to. (How do you PA folks stomach those depressing, overpriced places?). I could see where someone might call it 'burnt'.

I'd really like to try it fresh.

As a resident, you learn where not to shop very quickly....especially the places that have little to no turnover in their stock. That said, I can get Stone IPA for $27 bucks a case and it's the 6 pack purchases @ 10 bucks that I think suck it big time. On the plus side, we do have some of the best selection in the area and a really excellent "beer culture" from what I have experienced.

 

[FlyingHorse]

You might have gotten some old cases.

My first thought too...but AT THE BREWERY? They'd have to be pretty poorly run to sell old mishandled beer from their own front door.

...the ghastly PA 'beer store' I went to. (How do you PA folks stomach those depressing, overpriced places?).

In the bigger cities, you search and search until you find a good one. A few have amazing selections, though since they have to sell whole cases you wonder how often they can turn some of the high-priced, unusual items.

If you can't find a good distributor (or even if you can), you homebrew

 

[homebrewer_99]

That's perfectly reasonable, Bill. Most breweries I know only do light wheat beers in the spring and summer. When you've got limited space and capacity, going seasonal is really a smart thing to do---because the market kind of demands it. Some people don't---I personally can and do drink Expedition in the heat of summer and Whirlwind in the dead of winter---but the market as a whole likes lighter wheat beers in the summer and darker maltier beers in the winter. That's the buying pattern at our store, and when you've got limited capacity, one thing you don't wanna do is buck the market.

I see your point, and I didn't tell you the entire story...they are still making/selling Weizens. No significant difference....and oh, yeah, it is summer...

They're bad about it too. 14 beers on the menu and everyone you select is out...WTF??

I told them I won't be back.

 

[Rook]

I'm blessed to live in the PacificNW, and that means that there are breweries all over the place near where I live. The more popular Craft Breweries (Pyramid, Redhook) are decent, some of the smaller ones (Boundary Bay, Diamond Knot) make phenomenal beer, and some of the locally popular ones (particularly Pike Brewing) makes beer that I just don't like. Everything they do is very middle of the road, uninspired or creative, just kinda blah. It leaves me with no reason for going to their brewery.

 

[Rhoobarb]

...In the bigger cities, you search and search until you find a good one. A few have amazing selections, though since they have to sell whole cases you wonder how often they can turn some of the high-priced, unusual items...

Gosh, I'd hope so. We were in the York area and everyplace we went to was open-air, cement floors, dark, dank - just depressing.

Didn't mean for this to come off as a smack at PA; sorry if it did. I'd like to try the Hopback fresh on tap.

Maybe the brewery just sells stuff it gets back after shelf rotation at the retail stores?

 

[zoebisch01]

Gosh, I'd hope so. We were in the York area and everyplace we went to was open-air, cement floors, dark, dank - just depressing.

Didn't mean for this to come off as a smack at PA; sorry if it did. I'd like to try the Hopback fresh on tap.

Lol, no offense taken. I do know the type of distro you are referring to! Close to where I live (State College) it is a college town so turn over is rarely a problem save for the really high priced stuff, which still seems to do well. The three 'big' distro's here are really good, the master for Troegs refridgerates all of their beer save for a meager "out front" selection. The other main one refridgerates most of their stock as well. Another one that I frequent has no refridgeration but really moves their stock and is air conditioned anyways. The bottle shops are much more of a gamble for several reasons.

As for the Hopback, it is good. The Nugget Nectar is better imo, but is seasonal.

 

[zoebisch01]

My first thought too...but AT THE BREWERY? They'd have to be pretty poorly run to sell old mishandled beer from their own front door.

Yeah that really amazes me. I have yet to have from them what I would consider 'bad' or 'flawed'.

 

[CBBaron]

My BIL brought me a 6 or Troegs Oatmeal Stout and Double Bock. I thought both were really good. However I know how average or poor beer can be passed off as premium by a micro. Our company Christmas party was at the local Rock Bottom Brewery. The best beer was average and their Porter was horrible, watery and tasteless, and I usually love porters.
Craig

 

[zoebisch01]

My BIL brought me a 6 or Troegs Oatmeal Stout and Double Bock. I thought both were really good. However I know how average or poor beer can be passed off as premium by a micro. Our company Christmas party was at the local Rock Bottom Brewery. The best beer was average and their Porter was horrible, watery and tasteless, and I usually love porters.
Craig

Ugh, don't get me started on Rock Bottom. I went to one in Chicago and man it was pretty terrible imo. I tried several offerings, hoping that it was just the one beer. They were all poor, and so were the ones the other guys got.

 

[brewt00l]

Ugh, don't get me started on Rock Bottom. I went to one in Chicago and man it was pretty terrible imo. I tried several offerings, hoping that it was just the one beer. They were all poor, and so were the ones the other guys got.

There is a Rock Bottom in the King of Prussia mall out my way...I will only say that I found the name pretty descriptive.

 

[zoebisch01]

There is a Rock Bottom in the King of Prussia mall out my way...I will only say that I found the name pretty descriptive.

....ba-dum-bum!

True that.