My 2 Year Quest for Pliny the Elder

[azmark]

I would guess to each their own,,,some describing balanced as better,,,,,I think a balanced IPA is not an IPA,,,,they should be way hop forward. If I want balanced I'll go with a nice brown beer.

 

[scottieo2]

never heard of Heady Topper until this post. Looks like it is a force to be reckoned with! Slowly creeping up on PTE on BA. Is it only available in the VT area? I don't think I'll be heading up there anytime soon, unless they sell it in Southern VT

It is just now making its way down to MA. I heard you can find it around Boston and the British Beer Company in Walpole had it not too long ago. Definitely worth it if you can get your hands on it.

 

[kaz4121]

@boswell I am actually trying to plan a visit to Northern Cali for early Feb next year to try and be around when Younger hits taps. We collaborate with UC Davis which is only 1-2 hours from Santa Rosa where RR is located.

@azmark you bring up a good point. I don't necessarily believe that "a balanced IPA is not an IPA." I do think that the IPA category has subdivisions, even within the American, English, and Imperial IPA BJCP categories. I enjoy a hop forward beer more often than not, but I do have greater respect for a well balanced DIPA. Something about bringing so many elements into harmony makes a beer like Pliny (and others) stand above the rest.

@scottieo2 I'll have to keep my eyes peeled. I check on The Alchemist Brewery website and they only showed VT as locations where Heady Topper is available. My brother goes to school at BC so I'll tell him to keep his eyes peeled for it.

 

[kaz4121]

Also I had Green Flash West Coast IPA on tap at their brewery which was very good (and ironically available here in MA I've come to find out) but their Imperial IPA was much better IMO. There's a good example of hop forward . . .

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

I think it is interesting how the "best" beers are often beers that most people can't get.

I also think it is interesting how a regional beer is often perceived to be the "best" by people who live in the same region.

How many Californians think Bells, Three Floyds or The Alchemist makes a better DIPA than Russian River? I'm guessing maybe a dozen.

 

[Rau71]

@kaz if you are going to be in Dave, I would make the 1 and a half trip to Sierra Nevada. Last time I went they had Hoptimum in 4 packs and I wish I would have bought them all. So damn good. I have not seen that beer outside of the brewery though.

 

[kaz4121]

Thanks for the advice. I should be seeing west coast trips in my schedule more frequently (every other month or so) since there is new management and I have more opportunity to travel for work. While in SD I wanted to hit up Stone Brewery but unfortunately didn't have time this trip. Upon returning it's going to be #1 on my list.

Sierra Nevada is another place I would like to visit since they have awesome beers. It is fairly close to one of the vet hospitals (Sage) located in Concord, CA but it might be hard to "justify" the 2 hour return trip after having so many delicious beers..