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

[lb304854]

09, that sounds right. Was it 09 or 10 when they did 1 bottling run of ZD in 22oz bombers before finally doing 12oz bottles in like 2012-ish.

Can't help you there. I only vaguely recall the bombers. I do know it was called Cenotaph for the first draft/growler batch and then they changed it to Zombie Dust the second time around. I vividly remember writing "Zombie Dust aka Cenotaph" on the caps.

I also know it had to be '09 as I didn't get into good beer until then and didn't visit FFF until that summer at the earliest. I wish I had been to the infamous calm Dark Lord Days.

 

[mjohnson171]

I went in the early days because of the food. When the brewpub opened it was the best available food in that area. They were one of the first to do the gourmet burger, seasonal rotating menu in the Region. The only other options were stuff like Chili’s and TGI Fridays.

 

[JCastle1]

This talk of early Zombie Dust reminds me back when people used to hype the **** out of Kern River Citra. I fell for the hype and was totally disappointed ZD was much better.

 

[MikeG1]

you could just buy as much DL as you wanted, by the case

Why would anyone ever do that to themselves?

 

[JulianB1]

Can't help you there. I only vaguely recall the bombers. I do know it was called Cenotaph for the first draft/growler batch and then they changed it to Zombie Dust the second time around. I vividly remember writing "Zombie Dust aka Cenotaph" on the caps.

I also know it had to be '09 as I didn't get into good beer until then and didn't visit FFF until that summer at the earliest. I wish I had been to the infamous calm Dark Lord Days.

I'd be impressed to see all that written legibly on a growler cap.

 

[danbanana]

"busiest day ever"

The dude in the front of that still is a very good friend and the guy who got me into beer beyond just trying random things at Sam's (RIP). I didn't go with him to any of those early DLDs, but he did convince me to go to the 2nd FOBAB in the back area of the old Wrigleyville GI location. He was disappointed that- unlike the previous year- it wasn't SELF-*******-SERVE. I was disappointed I everywhere I looked I saw hunchbacks. That was also my first time having Bourbon County. Also remember getting a pour of Utopias, which was maybe the booziest beer in the world at the time? I don't remember anything else in particular from that day because- again- hunchbacks everywhere.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

09, that sounds right. Was it 09 or 10 when they did 1 bottling run of ZD in 22oz bombers before finally doing 12oz bottles in like 2011/2012-ish.

They didn't do 22oz runs of Zombie Dust until 2015. All of the early bottles were 12oz, and it was a pretty big deal when all at once there was an announcement that Cenotaph was going to be renamed Zombie Dust and, oh yeah, here's the 12oz bottle label. Before ZD the last new 6pk from Floyds was Gumballhead.

Speaking of, that first 22oz run of ZD was around the same time as the 22oz run of Gumballhead. Y'know, "for old times' sake".

 

[JCastle1]

Just randomly remembered The Livery. I remembered there was a ton of hype when they released (their first?) bottles back in 2013. I had some great beers that time and then never heard about them again.

 

[beerindex]

Just randomly remembered The Livery. I remembered there was a ton of hype when they released (their first?) bottles back in 2013. I had some great beers that time and then never heard about them again.

They have a "Tap Feature" in town next month (they are almost never available here), which I'm tempted to check out. From what little I've tried they've never really impressed me, but I have a morbid curiosity about one of their beers, Mueze, a "Lambic Style Sour Bier De Guarde" (sic) according to Hopcat's FB page.

 

[Brew33]

I just saw an Ithaca sour on the shelves called cranbetty or something like that. Got super excited but searched it before grabbing them all. Glad I did as it was a Berliner with Brett. Packaging reminded me of brute and lebleu

Ithaca had some bangers back in the day. A shop near me had a bunch of their 750s on clearance in 2008/2009 and I bought a ton of bottles of White Gold, Brute, and Old Habit.

White Gold was a sneaky great beer.

 

[flyingbison]

... but he did convince me to go to the 2nd FOBAB in the back area of the old Wrigleyville GI location. He was disappointed that- unlike the previous year- it wasn't SELF-*******-SERVE. I was disappointed I everywhere I looked I saw hunchbacks. That was also my first time having Bourbon County. Also remember getting a pour of Utopias, which was maybe the booziest beer in the world at the time? I don't remember anything else in particular from that day because- again- hunchbacks everywhere.

You don't remember that the room was quickly filled with rancid flatulence? Maybe that was a different year.

 

[BadJustin]

Ithaca had some bangers back in the day. A shop near me had a bunch of their 750s on clearance in 2008/2009 and I bought a ton of bottles of White Gold, Brute, and Old Habit.

White Gold was a sneaky great beer.

I got like 3 cases of WG from my friend who was their rep that were over attenuated and he was told to "dispose" of them, he did, to my basement. Daily drinker for a few months.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

Just randomly remembered The Livery. I remembered there was a ton of hype when they released (their first?) bottles back in 2013. I had some great beers that time and then never heard about them again.

Yeahhhhh. Hat tip.

I feel like this was another White Birch scenario where they had a few ride-or-die homers, plus their first bottle release included several sub-100 bottles.

 

[mjohnson171]

Livery still puts out some bangers. But other stuff is just meh. Their stuff is waxed and low bottle count so it has the recipe for beer nerd hype. But still flys under the radar.

 

[JGlitz87]

Oh man. La Muerta, Witicus, Woodicus, Fortuna Roja, Ananke... They had a thing going on. Probably still do!

Sadly their sours have fallen off a bit since they scaled up. Overall their stuff is good, but they have been eclipsed in their own city by Weathered Souls in my/most Texans opinions.

 

[davey101]

Ithaca had some bangers back in the day. A shop near me had a bunch of their 750s on clearance in 2008/2009 and I bought a ton of bottles of White Gold, Brute, and Old Habit.

White Gold was a sneaky great beer.

Even just fresh Flower Power got me all excited.

 

[jtclockwork]

Sadly their sours have fallen off a bit since they scaled up. Overall their stuff is good, but they have been eclipsed in their own city by Weathered Souls in my/most Texans opinions.

I still have a Witicus and a really old La Muerta (I think batch 2, possibly batch 1).

 

[Lutter]

Along the same lines, we always used to see Freetail beers being traded/BIFed back around 2011-13 and I haven't heard a word about that brewery in what feels like years.

Unfortunately their sour program went to shhiiit a couple years back when the brewer that started their sour program left. They put out some terrible beers in the meantime... But seems to be slowly recovering?

They just released Raspberry Ananke but I’ve yet to try it. Have heard good things about Texas Harvest as well.

 

[gregkoko]

Even just fresh Flower Power got me all excited.

I rode hard for fresh Flower Power back in the day

 

[Der Fuchs]

Speaking of freetail, I need to track down an empty bottle of the LA Muerta that has Lemmy on the label from the series they did a bit back.

 

[Bill2]

Anyone remember the 6.0% 60IBU ZD vs. the now 6.2% 50IBU pastry IPA they're calling a "pale ale"?

 

[jmgrub]

Sadly their sours have fallen off a bit since they scaled up. Overall their stuff is good, but they have been eclipsed in their own city by Weathered Souls in my/most Texans opinions.

Was pretty impressed by Weathered Souls when Panda and ckowalski took me a couple months ago. Everything I had, from the gose to the pastry stout, was very well done.

 

[mattafett]

Can't help you there. I only vaguely recall the bombers. I do know it was called Cenotaph for the first draft/growler batch and then they changed it to Zombie Dust the second time around. I vividly remember writing "Zombie Dust aka Cenotaph" on the caps.

I also know it had to be '09 as I didn't get into good beer until then and didn't visit FFF until that summer at the earliest. I wish I had been to the infamous calm Dark Lord Days.

This talk of early Zombie Dust reminds me back when people used to hype the **** out of Kern River Citra. I fell for the hype and was totally disappointed ZD was much better.

They didn't do 22oz runs of Zombie Dust until 2015. All of the early bottles were 12oz, and it was a pretty big deal when all at once there was an announcement that Cenotaph was going to be renamed Zombie Dust and, oh yeah, here's the 12oz bottle label. Before ZD the last new 6pk from Floyds was Gumballhead.

Speaking of, that first 22oz run of ZD was around the same time as the 22oz run of Gumballhead. Y'know, "for old times' sake".

Anyone remember the 6.0% 60IBU ZD vs. the now 6.2% 50IBU pastry IPA they're calling a "pale ale"?

I've still never had a full bottle of ZD. Have only ever split bottles.

 

[FoudreGuy]

Anyone remember the 6.0% 60IBU ZD vs. the now 6.2% 50IBU pastry IPA they're calling a "pale ale"?

I had ZD 12 oz bottles in early 2013 and late 2014 so whichever versions those were. It was fine but I still think Gumball Head is the better FFF pale.

 

[matedog]

Small anecdote, was in NYC a week ago and did a random stop to a bottle shop. Sure enough they had fresh Sip of Sunshine and Westbrook Gose on the shelves. It was like the 2013 hotness, but now readily available. It's a better time to be into beer...I think.

 

[jmgrub]

Small anecdote, was in NYC a week ago and did a random stop to a bottle shop. Sure enough they had fresh Sip of Sunshine and Westbrook Gose on the shelves. It was like the 2013 hotness, but now readily available. It's a better time to be into beer...I think.

Nobody cares about those anymore since they are now readily available.

 

[regularjohn]

Small anecdote, was in NYC a week ago and did a random stop to a bottle shop. Sure enough they had fresh Sip of Sunshine and Westbrook Gose on the shelves. It was like the 2013 hotness, but now readily available. It's a better time to be into beer...I think.

NYC distro was hit or miss years ago now its amazing. So easy to find HF on tap around the city as well.

 

[user 307594]

Small anecdote, was in NYC a week ago and did a random stop to a bottle shop. Sure enough they had fresh Sip of Sunshine and Westbrook Gose on the shelves. It was like the 2013 hotness, but now readily available. It's a better time to be into beer...I think.

Was excited to run into westbrook gose down in saratoga couple weeks ago, bought a case for the summer.

 

[MikeG1]

NYC distro was hit or miss years ago now its amazing. So easy to find HF on tap around the city as well.

BGH has 2 or 3 HF on tap right now.

 

[FoudreGuy]

My parents were in NYC last Fall for the Seahawks game and I was scoping out places for them to go drink. I was pleasantly surprised at how many places had HF on tap.