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

[brian4beer]

We are nearing page 4 and noone mentioned Bullfrog yet...



black cherry bomb
blue cheer
beekeeper


old toad barleywine (ok, was never a sought after whale but might be my favorite bullfrog beer.)

Awesome topic. You forgot Strawberry Fields (with misspelled hang tag) in your obscure Bullfrog whales from the past. All cool ticks.

 

[stakem1]

I think I also ticked that bottle. All I can remember was being surprised at how good it was.

I wonder what the legacy of that beer will be, y'know? It was an epic saison that pretty much disappeared before the Farmhouse Bandwagon really got into town. Is it going to be a ghost story that Serious Knowers tell eachother by the fire?

That brew will likely never have a legacy like others because a certain chairman of the high council of whalesRus deemed it unworthy.

*Gasp* I personally enjoyed it much more than black raspberry lambic

 

[yeahnatenelson]

That brew will likely never have a legacy like others because a certain chairman of the high council of whalesRus deemed it unworthy.

*Gasp* I personally enjoyed it much more than black raspberry lambic

I agree, and TBH I didn't think SBRL was really all that amazing when I had it. My take is that it benefitted from getting praised by the right people and nobody being able to find out for themselves on account of so few bottles released.

I don't think that beer stands up to what are now standard-issue blackberry sours for many breweries across the country. And maybe this is the takeaway of this whole thread: these beers were standouts in their time, but at some point the avant garde becomes the old hat and then there's no need for a Pappy Eclipse or a Woody Brune, etc.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

Speaking of getting praise from the right people...

 

[brian4beer]

Those old school Akkurat ticks that are now off menu and likely never to be seen again:

Velomoteur
Reeds muscat/pinot
Goldackeral

 

[yeahnatenelson]

Those old school Akkurat ticks that are now off menu and likely never to be seen again:

Velomoteur
Reeds muscat/pinot
Goldackeral

Don't forget those gifted low fills that were the source of a lot of controversy a few years ago.

 

[brian4beer]

Don't forget those gifted low fills that were the source of a lot of controversy a few years ago.

Are you referring to the "gifted" unlabeled stolen Reeds? I am not sure any of those actually made it into circulation past the perpetrator. There are a few legit ones out there of the Reeds and Goldackeral but I have never seen a Velo in the "wild".

 

[stupac2]

Skipping a lot here but I still have a few bottles and it's still awesome, Le Bleu is even better, blueberry liquid funk.

I actually remembered that it was LeBleu right before I went to bed. Considered quoting my post and saying "LEBLEU!!!" but you probably beat me anyway.

Speaking of getting praise from the right people...

Never had Kaggen but I liked Konjaks when I had it at Akkurat. Probably not worth trading for, but worth the $25 or whatever it cost on-site.

Those old school Akkurat ticks that are now off menu and likely never to be seen again:

Velomoteur
Reeds muscat/pinot
Goldackeral

I think I lucked into some of the last bottles of Velomoteur and Goldackeral (though I missed the Reeds). Man was Goldackeral ****ing weird. Weird, weird, weird beer.

 

[skrip]

ahh great thread indeed! sooooo many memories!

i loved this when it came out

also those Funky Buddha prescription labels were awesome!

 

[Phin1]

I lucked into a pour of Peconic Reserve back at Zwanze Day in 2014. And it was from a 3L of the 2002 release. The same day, I also got to tick BVDL, opened by GrumpyOldTroll . Quite the bottle share... at Spuyten Duyvil in Brooklyn.

And as yeahnatenelson pointed out, people used to be really into certain Eciplse variants. I remember at an early Captain Lawrence release, there was a few people who put their bottles together to take a photo & were geeking out. Now, I can fill up my gas tank & buy various Eclipses at the same place.

 

[BadJustin]

For those interested Cuvee Castleton is as good as it ever was, at least the bottles that I have had.

 

[ExPimp]

http://biergotter.org/bif/whitewhale5.html

http://biergotter.org/bif/whitewhale2.html

http://biergotter.org/bif/whitewhale.html

http://biergotter.org/bif/whitewhale3.html

http://biergotter.org/bif/whitewhale4.html

It's funny to look at those and see what is still "desirable" now.

 

[boogercrack]

Don't forget how people used to geek out over Westy XII

A whale for the people

 

[matedog]

Don't forget how people used to geek out over Westy XII

A whale for the people

I went to Bruges and IP traded RR sours and Pliny for Westy back in 2011. It seemed like a trip to Mecca for god tier nectar. Today, I'd just buy St. B. or if I really had to have Westy, just go to Etre.

 

[mborden1]

That reminds me, anyone still care about Brute and... uh, that other one that brewery made? Man, I can't even remember the brewery. Ithaca maybe?

A few years back on BA I BIF'd my last bottle of Brute to a guy who later stiffed me in a trade and now has a bad trader thread here. My wife still hasn't forgiven me for that to this day. Now whenever I buy a beer she is interested that's hard(er) to get (i.e. brewery visit, limited release, etc.) she makes me stipulate whether it's for drinking or trading.

FORTUNATELY A LIF AIN'T A TRADE, AMIRITE?!

 

[Fahmie25]

The Captain Lawrence releases were ridiculous, but those still the most fun releases I've ever been to. Drinking a Brute vert in 30° near-darkness!

Those releases were the best. Oldest killshot I still manage to have on my phone was from a July 2010 captain Lawrence release. Don’t remember if it was castleton or flaming fury.

 

[BadJustin]

A few years back on BA I BIF'd my last bottle of Brute to a guy who later stiffed me in a trade and now has a bad trader thread here. My wife still hasn't forgiven me for that to this day. Now whenever I buy a beer she is interested that's hard(er) to get (i.e. brewery visit, limited release, etc.) she makes me stipulate whether it's for drinking or trading.

FORTUNATELY A LIF AIN'T A TRADE, AMIRITE?!

I remember our first encounter. I was so pumped to get RR 375 C&C'd bottles as I had never had them and had zero luck in trying to trade for them.

 

[FoudreGuy]

The Russian River sours were such a splurge whenever I'd buy one back in the day, not knowing what to expect. Same with Hair of the Dog.

Don't forget how people used to geek out over Westy XII

A whale for the people

In 2010 I went to Belgium (Brussels and Bruges). Visited Cantillon, drank everything there and thought it was tasty. The only thing I brought home with me was a bottle of Westy 12. Whoops.

Next time I was there in 2015 I made sure I did things differently.

TWO WESTY 12s!!!

 

[jivex5k1]

ahh great thread indeed! sooooo many memories!

i loved this when it came out

also those Funky Buddha prescription labels were awesome!

Ouch. RIP Buddha...

 

[mborden1]

I remember our first encounter. I was so pumped to get RR 375 C&C'd bottles as I had never had them and had zero luck in trying to trade for them.

Hahaha when I first traded and landed a 375 of Consecration I was SO PUMPED!!!

 

[matedog]

The Russian River sours were such a splurge whenever I'd buy one back in the day, not knowing what to expect. Same with Hair of the Dog.



In 2010 I went to Belgium (Brussels and Bruges). Visited Cantillon, drank everything there and thought it was tasty. The only thing I brought home with me was a bottle of Westy 12. Whoops.

Next time I was there in 2015 I made sure I did things differently.

TWO WESTY 12s!!!

I guess it's a common tale.

In 2011, I went to Cantillon at that Paris beer shop guy's insistence only knowing Lindemann's up to that point. Mind was blown, but I still only brought back a gueuze/RdG/kriek 375 mix pack. I still have that gueuze. But yeah, came back with 6 Westys. Just drank the last one a few months ago and it was still delicious.

Went back in 2013 and came back with zero Westys and a bunch of Loon seasonals.

 

[lb304854]

So many memories of great times. Ah, when beer was fun. I got to try a lot of great RAARE beer thanks to a lot of cool people. I probably didn't pull my weight.

I was really proud of myself for tracking down that Perseguidor 4 for Dunt and SpdKilz's 'vertical'. P4 wasn't even that good. Then SpdKilz made us get an entire vegetarian pizza and proceeded to only eat from the one with meat on it.

 

[FoudreGuy]

I guess it's a common tale.

In 2011, I went to Cantillon at that Paris beer shop guy's insistence only knowing Lindemann's up to that point. Mind was blown, but I still only brought back a gueuze/RdG/kriek 375 mix pack. I still have that gueuze. But yeah, came back with 6 Westys. Just drank the last one a few months ago and it was still delicious.

Went back in 2013 and came back with zero Westys and a bunch of Loon seasonals.

I brought back ONE bottle. I was so freaked out about that breaking in my luggage that I didn't even consider bringing anything else home.

When we went back they only had the regular releases for sale, but still, 15 Euro for a three pack of 750s geueze/RdG/kriek is the best bargain in beer.

 

[stupac2]

I guess it's a common tale.

In 2011, I went to Cantillon at that Paris beer shop guy's insistence only knowing Lindemann's up to that point. Mind was blown, but I still only brought back a gueuze/RdG/kriek 375 mix pack. I still have that gueuze. But yeah, came back with 6 Westys. Just drank the last one a few months ago and it was still delicious.

Went back in 2013 and came back with zero Westys and a bunch of Loon seasonals.

My first trip overseas was timed with the Framboos re-release. Came back with 6 bottles of that, some A&T, some old-ass Westies, probably some other crazy lambic I don't even remember... It was absurd. Most recent trip I felt lucky to snag some St Lam in Paris, and it's probably just getting worse.

 

[jedwards]

Those releases were the best. Oldest killshot I still manage to have on my phone was from a July 2010 captain Lawrence release. Don’t remember if it was castleton or flaming fury.

That was CdC, batch 4! *squinting at pic, trying to remember what I brought*

 

[stakem1]

Wasnt Stonewall Ale the only thing Stone ever released that became highly sought after?

Wait, nevermind who could forget VE 02-02-02 hah

 

[Lutter]

Ouch. RIP Buddha...

The Funky Buddha Lounge (where the RX labels are from) is still alive, well, and not part of the Constellation sale (that was Funky Buddha Brewery, which is a separate facility that had the same owners).

They still brew their own beer as "The Funky Buddha Lounge & Brewery" well as having "Funky Buddha Brewery" (from Pompano Beach, now under Constellation ownership) beers on as "Guest Taps".

http://thefunkybuddha.com/beer/

They even make Maple Bacon Coffee Porter themselves and market as "MBCP". Heh. I do think part of their agreement was that they do not distribute so as to confuse consumers (also last time I checked they were still on a 1BBL system).... but that weird little brewery/homebrew shop/hookah lounge is indeed alive and well.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

I feel like the existence of a lot of these old whales we're gushing on but nobody else cares about now can be traced to head brewers grinding in boilerplate brewpubs in the late '90's to late '00's being given latitude to **** around in lieu of, y'know, getting paid a decent salary.

I'm thinking Terry Hawbaker-era Bullfrog, Flossmoor Station with Todd Ashman (Original Eclipse Stout) and then Matt Van Wyk (original Wooden Hell), and maybe to a lesser extent guys like Tomme Arthur doing the early wood-aged projects at Pizza Port.

Maybe Southampton? I really don't know much about that place outside of their tiny bottle releases of IRS and the like.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

The Funky Buddha Lounge (where the RX labels are from) is still alive, well, and not part of the Constellation sale (that was Funky Buddha Brewery, which is a separate facility that had the same owners).

Sounds familiar.

 

[lb304854]

Wasnt Stonewall Ale the only thing Stone ever released that became highly sought after?

Wait, nevermind who could forget VE 02-02-02 hah

Stonewall was really good the one time I tried it at a few years old.

 

[Lutter]

Sounds familiar.

There's a big difference between a gigantic, profitable brewpub in Downtown Chicago and a ~1500 sq ft bar with a 1BBL system in a strip mall tho.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

Wasnt Stonewall Ale the only thing Stone ever released that became highly sought after?

Wait, nevermind who could forget VE 02-02-02 hah

LEL Diagonal Epic.

I seem to remember a few anniversary beers having some shine on them. Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, maybe?

Stonewall was really good the one time I tried it at a few years old.

Yeah, Stonewall was *the* rare/good one from Stone.

 

[pugsandsuds]

Wasnt Stonewall Ale the only thing Stone ever released that became highly sought after?

Wait, nevermind who could forget VE 02-02-02 hah

The first 500 mL BA beer they did was a big deal from what I remember. That one might have wound up being infected (seems like most of their BA releases were) but I think there was a lottery/pre-trade/excitement mentality for it.

 

[jivex5k1]

The Funky Buddha Lounge (where the RX labels are from) is still alive, well, and not part of the Constellation sale (that was Funky Buddha Brewery, which is a separate facility that had the same owners).

They still brew their own beer as "The Funky Buddha Lounge & Brewery" well as having "Funky Buddha Brewery" (from Pompano Beach, now under Constellation ownership) beers on as "Guest Taps".

http://thefunkybuddha.com/beer/

They even make Maple Bacon Coffee Porter themselves and market as "MBCP". Heh. I do think part of their agreement was that they do not distribute so as to confuse consumers (also last time I checked they were still on a 1BBL system).... but that weird little brewery/homebrew shop/hookah lounge is indeed alive and well.

Lutter, that was my hang out for years. I saw it go from awesome to terrible and it's a ghost of what it was. To suggest it's alive and well is laughable, they don't even get the open mic crowd like they used to.
Their most popular night is the dungeons and dragons night that happens once a month, just let that sink in.

It all started when Oakland opened, the head brewer, Kevin left and went to barrel of Monks. He's the one who made those Rx bottles. They still had Morgan after that and the beer survived but eventually he left too and went to salt water. He had been working with a new brewer, also named Kevin, and he was able to fill the shoes. In fact he even brought the berliners back up to snuff which used to be brewed by a guy named Phil who randomly stopped helping them. Well the pattern continues, Kevin left and also went to barrel of Monks and then we enter the realm of Donald..

Donald had some okay beers, but the staff was still really cool to chill with. In comes a new manager who causally wrecks the place entirely causing the staff to entirely leave. That made the regulars leave.

Donald went MIA, something related to owing people money, so now Scott is the brewer. He's okay, very nice, but sub par beer. With none of the same quality and the chill bartenders gone they lost the majority of their business.

**** Ryan Sentz, he never paid his Brewers enough, made a fortune off Kevin's beers, and then sold it all. Their beers are complete **** now and I lost my local spot of 4+ years.

 

[FoudreGuy]

Surprised Henry didn't have this pulled from Untappd. Heh.

 

[Lutter]

Lutter, that was my hang out for years. I saw it go from awesome to terrible and it's a ghost of what it was. To suggest it's alive and well is laughable, they don't even get the open mic crowd like they used to.
Their most popular night is the dungeons and dragons night that happens once a month, just let that sink in.

It all started when Oakland opened, the head brewer, Kevin left and went to barrel of Monks. He's the one who made those Rx bottles. They still had Morgan after that and the beer survived but eventually he left too and went to salt water. He had been working with a new brewer, also named Kevin, and he was able to fill the shoes. In fact he even brought the berliners back up to snuff which used to be brewed by a guy named Phil who randomly stopped helping them. Well the pattern continues, Kevin left and also went to barrel of Monks and then we enter the realm of Donald..

Donald had some okay beers, but the staff was still really cool to chill with. In comes a new manager who causally wrecks the place entirely causing the staff to entirely leave. That made the regulars leave.

Donald went MIA, something related to owing people money, so now Scott is the brewer. He's okay, very nice, but sub par beer. With none of the same quality and the chill bartenders gone they lost the majority of their business.

**** Ryan Sentz, he never paid his Brewers enough, made a fortune off Kevin's beers, and then sold it all. Their beers are complete **** now and I lost my local spot of 4+ years.

I honestly haven't physically been inside since before the brewery opened so I didn't know it was that bad.

I've heard about the low pay (at the brewery) from a buddy that used to work at Jester King that worked there for a year or so (that have since left for another S Florida brewery. The cycle continues, heh)

 

[yeahnatenelson]

...He had been working with a new brewer, also named Kevin, and he was able to fill the shoes. In fact he even brought the berliners back up to snuff which used to be brewed by a guy named Phil who randomly stopped helping them.

Was it because they were a profitable business and he was an unpaid "helper"?

 

[stupac2]

Stonewall was really good the one time I tried it at a few years old.

Another one I randomly stumbled onto, it was doing okay last year. Definitely not worth seeking out, though.

The first 500 mL BA beer they did was a big deal from what I remember. That one might have wound up being infected (seems like most of their BA releases were) but I think there was a lottery/pre-trade/excitement mentality for it.

Man I remember that. IIRC my wife and I both scored and we got something nice for the one we traded. Pretty funny how every one of those QMs afterward was a giant "who gives a ****?" That might've been Stone's jumping the shark moment, it certainly feels like nothing they've done afterward (with the possible short exception of "Drink Before") has moved the needle at all. (I'm aware they're still a force with the plebs, but they used to have neckbeard cred!)

 

[sacrelicio]

The first 500 mL BA beer they did was a big deal from what I remember. That one might have wound up being infected (seems like most of their BA releases were) but I think there was a lottery/pre-trade/excitement mentality for it.

Yeah Stygian Descent maybe? I saw that at the store for way to much money recently.

 

[jivex5k1]

Was it because they were a profitable business and he was an unpaid "helper"?

I don't really know why he left or if he was paid. I just remember back in the good days he was friends with Morgan, and Morgan said he did the berliners. It was before the big brewery was opened, I think he stopped before that even happened but I'm not certain. What I do know is after he stopped the berliners stopped being good until the second Kevin figured out how to do sour mashes. He got them down pat and the lounge was still going strong then. The regulars and bartenders were the best and it really did feel like a family. It's sad what it has become. I went last week to check in, the beers were bad and no one was there. The one new bartender that's actually cool said they are rebranding the place soon but who knows.

I made a post here somewhere that says something like I'm sitting in a room with strangers that was about it. Here it is:

So I went to the Funky Buddha Lounge last night...it's dead man. All the bartenders I knew and loved have recently quit due to a new manager being a major pain in the ass. It really sucks, the last manager was awesome but apparently they don't pay for **** at the lounge. There's been a lot of turnover throughout the past 4 years but I think this is the end, and it's kind of sad. Even with the turnover they hired solid people who were down to earth for the most part and liked to ******** about more than beer. That **** is gone.

It used to be like cheers, everyone knew my name, big tips and tons of comp'd beers, no need to hold a card or any of that ****, it's all gone now. I walk in to some guy I've never seen before in an empty bar and asks for my card up front, it's all just crumbling to ash.

The golden lining is the homebrew store it's attached to is still nice, the brewer works there and he's a down to earth dude. I hope they get enough business to keep it open.

Reading this post it kind of sounds like I'm overreacting to having my card taken up front, but there's a palpable change about. No longer is grateful dead or bone thugs n harmony playing over the radio... Instead it's some sad, slow jazz with the lights so dim they suck the energy right out of the room. I'm in a dark room filled with strangers now, one more beer closer to my grave.

That was from 2016, it's gotten worse since then.