Let's Remember Some Beers (In Memoriam: Old IPAs)

[BadJustin]

Does Bear Republic still brew Racer X? And does Alesmith still do Yulesmith?

IDK about X but I see Racer 5 from time to time here, it's also been quite some time since I've set foot in a LBS.


Also that Schlafly TIPA was the ****, totally forgot about that one.

 

[Jacco Macacco]

And the OG for me that blew my mind, good old Heady and friends

Still happy to see these whenever they randomly appear down here, esp Focal.

 

[EvenMoreJesus]

 

[litheum94]

Racer X

Pretty sure they do. Still listed as a seasonal on their website, and the last Instagram post about it was from July of last year, so probably coming out soon-ish.

 

[Padraig]

These were wild in like 2006.

Was happy to get to try it just 6 years ago at the Mikkeller fest in Copenhagen.

Life moves pretty fast etc. etc.

 

[smithj21541]

Does Bear Republic still brew Racer X? And does Alesmith still do Yulesmith?

Yes racer x is still made. Though been a long time since I picked any up

Now yulesmith! They used to have two versions a winter and a summer. Winter was a big malty red ale and summer was more of a DIPA. I remember trying winter and thinking it was killer! So then I later found the summer version and thought oh cool I liked the last bottle let's have it again. Little did I know it was not the same and almost spit out my first taste, I wasn't that into hoppy west coast beer yet and dumped the rest of the bottle. A year or two passes and I tried it again and it was awesome. Then they dumped the yulesmith brand and started making Alesmith DOUBLE IPA year round. I don't believe I've ever tried that one.

 

[EvenMoreJesus]

Version 1.0

 

[KevSal]

Kind of amazing to think that this was one of the red hot hyped up IPAs back in the day and now it turds it up everywhere.

It used to be really good, I assume it's not anymore, but I wouldn't know since I haven't bought any in years.

i was gonna post this up, back when they had the $8 bombers i always thought was super overpriced, but soo good. i remember thinking $15 6 pack was outrageous lol

 

[smithj21541]

Version 1.0

Or...

Edit: I didn't see the encore part but you get the idea.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

Imagine trying to explain to a hazeboi that Avery Maharaja was hot **** back in the day.

 

[thebandit1]

Imagine trying to explain to a hazeboi that Avery Maharaja was hot **** back in the day.

Fresh Maharaja is still great. Had a pour at the brewery a few weeks ago.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

And the OG for me that blew my mind, good old Heady and friends

This is probably a dumb question: is Heady Topper considered a New England IPA by current standards? I mean, it's quite bitter and only a little hazy. Definitely not juice-like. Or is this like asking if The Stooges were punk?

/ducks

 

[Locker338]

This is probably a dumb question: is Heady Topper considered a New England IPA by current standards? I mean, it's quite bitter and only a little hazy. Definitely not juice-like. Or is this like asking if The Stooges were punk?

/ducks

According to the tickers’ bible still just a regular old fashion double/imperial IPA

https://untappd.com/b/the-alchemist-heady-topper/4691

One that I’d personally take over most juice a-bomb-inations of today

And... BTW this thread is great! Brings back a lot of great memories!

 

[tosh1]

Or is this like asking if The Stooges were punk?

**** is wrong with you?

 

[reverseapachemaster1]

Another now out-of-style IPA that comes to mind is Lone Pint Yellow Rose IPA. This feels like one of the last talked-about non-hazy IPAs in beer circles prior to the onset of Global Juicening.

I remember really loving it when I could get it, but after chatting at my local bar with some visitors from the DFW area it sounds like quality has since taken a noticeable downturn.

I lived in Dallas at the time and this was like the first IPA from Texas people traded for any value. When everything went to haze shitty Texas traders started insisting this beer had been one for the hazebois the whole time.

I felt like after the first two or three batches the beer sent up to DFW never held up in bottles compared to draft. That may not be the brewery's fault. You can always find packages of Yellow Rose sitting in warm storage.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

I lived in Dallas at the time and this was like the first IPA from Texas people traded for any value. When everything went to haze shitty Texas traders started insisting this beer had been one for the hazebois the whole time.

I felt like after the first two or three batches the beer sent up to DFW never held up in bottles compared to draft. That may not be the brewery's fault. You can always find packages of Yellow Rose sitting in warm storage.

In retrospect I feel like Yellow Rose was like a promising hair metal band releasing their first album right after the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video debuted on MTV. West Coast IPA 2.0 is over, hazebois are the foreseeable future.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

Southwest talkbeerians: do these still bang???

 

[Lutter]

Southwest talkbeerians: do these still bang???

Indeed they do. I wish these would come to Texas, but always stock up when I'm in NM or CO (La Cumbre is available in Denver now!).

 

[mjohnson171]

These 2 from Ohio got me all hot and bothered 10 years ago. Many of my first beer trades were for 6 packs of these.

 

[pen15clubmember]

RIP...like ~10 years ago, but apparently a place called Ruckus still makes it.

This was one of the best IPAs made in PA (not the highest bar) when I moved there in '08

 

[thebandit1]

Southwest talkbeerians: do these still bang???

I buy Elevated all the time. It’s still fantastic.

 

[rpbuckeye]

These 2 from Ohio got me all hot and bothered 10 years ago. Many of my first beer trades were for 6 packs of these.
View attachment 7266

Head Hunter still bangs. White Rajah doesn't have dates unless the case is sitting out. Brew Kettle is building a new brewery and WR is supposed to be canned. Hopefully with clear dates.

 

[ripps1]

I buy Elevated all the time. It’s still fantastic.

Same.

 

[davey101]

I’ll piggy-back to add this:

Completely blew my mind when I had it in the mid-2000s. I still remember paying like $45 for a case and thinking how nuts it was considering Coors Light was $16 for a thirty pack.

The OG for me. Someone buying 19 year old me 60/90 minute fully converted me.

 

[FTowne1]

The OG for me. Someone buying 19 year old me 60/90 minute fully converted me.

19 year old me would've gagged if I drank an IPA. I was drinking Cisco, malt liquor, and OG Brass Monkey mixed with Sprite.

 

[davey101]

How about some devil's lettuce? This used to be pretty divisive back in the day.

 

[gueuzelife]

Version 1.0

Those bombers were so good.

 

[thebandit1]

How about some devil's lettuce? This used to be pretty divisive back in the day.

Tasted like garlic and green onions.

Gross.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

Straight hop juice.

 

[CSO]

I don’t think this one made many waves outside of the Chicago burbs, but it was pretty much my introduction to the hop wars. I miss that innocence.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

I don’t think this one made many waves outside of the Chicago burbs, but it was pretty much my introduction to the hop wars. I miss that innocence.

I remember there being a release festival that was, for the time, incredibly overpriced. But you got guaranteed Hop Juice and...for a limited time....Hop Juice BLACK!

 

[CSO]

I remember there being a release festival that was, for the time, incredibly overpriced. But you got guaranteed Hop Juice and...for a limited time....Hop Juice BLACK!

Yes, and it was a damn shame when the picturesque Warrenville parking lot festival was replaced by the Roundhouse.

In Memoriam: Black IPA’s will need to be your next trip down memory lane. Should be good for 6 or 7 replies.

 

[boogercrack]

In Memoriam: Black IPA’s will need to be your next trip down memory lane. Should be good for 6 or 7 replies.

Good riddance.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

In Memoriam: Black IPA’s will need to be your next trip down memory lane. Should be good for 6 or 7 replies.

Good riddance.

They're called Cascadian Dark Ales. Respect terroir.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

Speaking of IPA sub-genres that have been wiped off the goddamn earth...

 

[Zimm]

Speaking of wet hopped beers... This beer still bangs when fresh. Unfortunately, it seems like it sits on the shelf a lot of places. Hopefully it's all gone by the time next year's comes out.

I distinctly remember having that beer one night and swore it was the best beer of the year. I remember I was cleaning and rocking out to some jams but had to stop everything to sit down to process how amazing it was. I have some nice tasting notes that I will go look for. 2012 or 2013 if I remember correctly. Now every time I see it its old.

 

[tosh1]

Speaking of IPA sub-genres that have been wiped off the goddamn earth...

Those earlier Bitter Monk versions were ****ing ace.

 

[litheum94]

Those earlier Bitter Monk versions were ****ing ace.

Definitely the best example of that style I've ever had. Though I did also enjoy Stone's Cali-Belgique.

 

[Zimm]

All the ones I thought of were mentioneD already but the the first time I had Alesmith IPA I went to order more online.

I remember people went nuts for Victory Dirt Wolf too but I thought it tasted like cat piss.

 

[pen15clubmember]

Tasted like garlic and green onions.

Gross.

Someone say onions?