Random Beer Thoughts

[bramsdell]

I think this is my issue with it. They clearly use very little bittering hops, and given how yeasty (and malt-sweet) they typically are it just seems like a waste. Yeah, you can get a pretty intense fruity nose, but that doesn't carry very well into the flavor (at least for me) because it's too delicate to compete with the HAAAAAZE.

Even Alvarado, I'd rather drink their clear stuff. I'm not sure I've actually ever found a brewery that makes better hazy beer than clear beer.

This is exactly why I'm pretty tired of the haze game. After the aroma - which, admittedly, can be pretty great - there's nothing there. They're often watery and sweet, but also have a weird thickness that doesn't seem to match anything else. Overall, I'm rarely compelled to drink more than half of a pint can, but upon finishing it, I'm dismayed that I'm left with 3 more pints of a pretty disappointing liquid.

Plus, it seems to me that this profile basically doesn't change from 5% to 9+%. They're extremely similar in nearly every way because it's all just dry hopping and a rather watery body. West coast (or at least drier, more bittered/balanced) IPAs are generally pretty noticeably different at a 5% pale or session IPA than a monster 10% double- or triple-IPA.

 

[2plums4one]

Another odd one from Fonta Flora. A sub 3% mocha stout that's described as being 'thicccc'. Their using some of the best local chocolate and coffee, so I'll have to give it a shot.

passed this up in a store last night, but only cause it was so hot and I couldn't fathom drinking it regardless of the abv. Picked up some carolina gold and whippoorwill instead. Let us know what you think if you try it!

 

[Lutter]

Excited to see people turning on haze. Yas, come back to mama pilsner bb.

 

[2plums4one]

I think this is my issue with it. They clearly use very little bittering hops, and given how yeasty (and malt-sweet) they typically are it just seems like a waste. Yeah, you can get a pretty intense fruity nose, but that doesn't carry very well into the flavor (at least for me) because it's too delicate to compete with the HAAAAAZE.

Even Alvarado, I'd rather drink their clear stuff. I'm not sure I've actually ever found a brewery that makes better hazy beer than clear beer.

Hear that. Though I do enjoy a mosaic/galaxy NE pale ale here and there if it isn't too miilkshak-y

 

[symphonic volenska]

Excited to see people turning on haze. Yas, come back to mama pilsner bb.

Bought a 4 pack of the latest Hoof Hearted haze since I wanted to see what the big deal is about them and a 4 pack of a local brewery hoppy kolsch

Guess which one i regret that also cost over twice the price of the other

 

[gregkoko]

Good to know there are places out there that now have dumber laws than us down here in TX:

No food trucks and annual tours. Craft breweries in N.J. now have a new set of rules to follow.

https://www.nj.com/news/2019/05/no-...nj-now-have-a-new-set-of-rules-to-follow.html

WTF New Jersey?

Ehhh, I can't speak for NJ specifically, but there's been a lot of similar redefining of rules/regulations for the breweries/wineries out here on Long Island as well and I think the greatest oversimplification is the generic a few bad apples ruin the barrel.

Several wineries here had basically become clubs on weekends, bringing in busloads of people, being disruptive, creating typical drunk ******* environments and basically being such complete shitheads to their neighbors that their neighbors had enough and did something about it.

Same goes for food trucks/food sales. If you basically get all of the perks of having food on site, without any of the hassles of being considered a restaurant, why shouldn't you try and do it.

Big picture regulation/government intervention is a separate issue in these discussions, but as breweries continue to pop up, develop, redefine what they're doing (Farm breweries, no onsite, no distribution, tastings only etc.) the laws lag behind and eventually have to catch up.

This is a bit of a crazy situation in New Jersey. Since 1947, the state has limited the number of liquor licenses a town can issue based on population. Basically one license for every 3,000 residents in a town. The market for those licenses has skyrocketed in the years since. Population growth per town isn't increasing exponentially and the licenses become more and more valuable. They regularly go for $400K per depending on where you are. I believe the most expensive one in the state sold for nearly $2M. The most a brewery has to pay for a license is $7500 (200,000-300,000 barrels per year).

Bars and restaurants are paying insane fees for their liquor licenses and now tasting rooms at breweries have essentially become bars themselves when they're open but paying a fraction of the cost in licensing. The bars and restaurant owners have payed lobbyists to cut off the breweries before they further lose money. It's a really crazy situation that nobody really has an answer to. NJ could cut the liquor license fee down to something more reasonable but then current owners would never be able to sell their licenses and would lose out on the hundreds of thousands of dollars they've invested. The state could buy back current licenses or provide tax relief for X amount of years down the road but then the taxpayers are paying to provide relief to these bar and restaurant owners so they can then go and pay them more money when they go out to eat.

 

[Lutter]

This is a bit of a crazy situation in New Jersey. Since 1947, the state has limited the number of liquor licenses a town can issue based on population. Basically one license for every 3,000 residents in a town. The market for those licenses has skyrocketed in the years since. Population growth per town isn't increasing exponentially and the licenses become more and more valuable. They regularly go for $400K per depending on where you are. I believe the most expensive one in the state sold for nearly $2M. The most a brewery has to pay for a license is $7500 (200,000-300,000 barrels per year).

Bars and restaurants are paying insane fees for their liquor licenses and now tasting rooms at breweries have essentially become bars themselves when they're open but paying a fraction of the cost in licensing. The bars and restaurant owners have payed lobbyists to cut off the breweries before they further lose money. It's a really crazy situation that nobody really has an answer to. NJ could cut the liquor license fee down to something more reasonable but then current owners would never be able to sell their licenses and would lose out on the hundreds of thousands of dollars they've invested. The state could buy back current licenses or provide tax relief for X amount of years down the road but then the taxpayers are paying to provide relief to these bar and restaurant owners so they can then go and pay them more money when they go out to eat.

I can see why there's no distilleries in NJ now. That would be lucrative AF compared to paying for a liquor license.

 

[JulianB1]

This is a bit of a crazy situation in New Jersey. Since 1947, the state has limited the number of liquor licenses a town can issue based on population. Basically one license for every 3,000 residents in a town. The market for those licenses has skyrocketed in the years since. Population growth per town isn't increasing exponentially and the licenses become more and more valuable. They regularly go for $400K per depending on where you are. I believe the most expensive one in the state sold for nearly $2M. The most a brewery has to pay for a license is $7500 (200,000-300,000 barrels per year).

Bars and restaurants are paying insane fees for their liquor licenses and now tasting rooms at breweries have essentially become bars themselves when they're open but paying a fraction of the cost in licensing. The bars and restaurant owners have payed lobbyists to cut off the breweries before they further lose money. It's a really crazy situation that nobody really has an answer to. NJ could cut the liquor license fee down to something more reasonable but then current owners would never be able to sell their licenses and would lose out on the hundreds of thousands of dollars they've invested. The state could buy back current licenses or provide tax relief for X amount of years down the road but then the taxpayers are paying to provide relief to these bar and restaurant owners so they can then go and pay them more money when they go out to eat.

Ahhhh, the joys of rent-seeking.

**** like this and zoning/NIBMYism/etc is why I'm a neoliberal now.

 

[gregkoko]

Very similar to what's going on in NYC with taxi medallions being next to worthless once ride sharing apps became the new norm

 

[FTowne1]

Bought a 4 pack of the latest Hoof Hearted haze since I wanted to see what the big deal is about them and a 4 pack of a local brewery hoppy kolsch

Guess which one i regret that also cost over twice the price of the other

Yeah, but did they use lactose in the kolsch?

 

[stupac2]

Hear that. Though I do enjoy a mosaic/galaxy NE pale ale here and there if it isn't too miilkshak-y

There's a big difference between "unfiltered" and "hazy". Like, how much does Heady Topper really have in common with even a good example of a beer that proudly calls itself "Hazy"? Besides opacity, nothing much. I'd say the same is true for the other parts of the Vermont Triumvirate that started the whole damned "NE IPA" ********, they're not actually all that similar to the stuff that claims to be inspired by them.

 

[sjstraub]

Very similar to what's going on in NYC with taxi medallions being next to worthless once ride sharing apps became the new norm

There was a great NYT daily podcast on this. It appears that ride sharing may be about 10% of the issue.

 

[nathanmiller]

Very similar to what's going on in NYC with taxi medallions being next to worthless once ride sharing apps became the new norm

IT TURNS OUT IT WASN'T RIDE SHARING THAT IS TO BLAME!!

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/19/nyregion/nyc-taxis-medallions-suicides.html

tl;dr: it was basically an artificial housing-esque bubble propped up by bankers and other unscrupulous profiteers

 

[gregkoko]

There was a great NYT daily podcast on this. It appears that ride sharing may be about 10% of the issue.

IT TURNS OUT IT WASN'T RIDE SHARING THAT IS TO BLAME!!

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/19/nyregion/nyc-taxis-medallions-suicides.html

tl;dr: it was basically an artificial housing-esque bubble propped up by bankers and other unscrupulous profiteers

Jesus that's awful

 

[furley]

y'all motherfuckers need more blind tastings

 

[jimctin]

There is a reason.

The sheriff always gets shot, but not the deputy.

Not enough appreciation for this post

 

[Lutter]

 

[sjstraub]

 

[Kasher]

I would wash down a "traditional" beer with a Cherry/Blackberry Berlineweisse slushie if I was stupid enough to find myself in Florida at any time of year.

Sounds refreshing AF. I am wrong with beer.

 

[MikeJones]

Sounds refreshing AF.

I keep waiting for one of the breweries by me to start doing it during the summer. No such luck though.

 

[falc0n26001]

In Portland you can get an iceberg, which is a Rainier with a frozen margarita floated on top. It’s delicious.

 

[Lutter]

I love making fruited sour or IPA sorbet.

Jai Alai and orange juice with simple syrup.... drop that **** in the ice cream maker.

I've also used fresh watermelon juice (literally blended watermelon cubes) and both Hibernal Dichotomous (Watermelon Saison) and Hell or High Watermelon as well.

**** is a crowd pleaser at tastings.

 

[litheum94]

In Portland you can get an iceberg, which is a Rainier with a frozen margarita floated on top. It’s delicious.

Yep. I frequent Bunk Bar during the summer solely for their icebergs (having great sandwiches also helps).

 

[RyanG1]

Homie 1: "Did this close?"

Homie 2: "Nope, are you down?

Homie 1: "Maybe, let me check with my cellar partner."

 

[JulianB1]

The lineup of beers is derivative and cliched, but I don't personally have any problem with beer slushies, beer cocktails, glitter beer, any of that stuff, so long as it stays at the tasting room. My general thought is that if it's just stuff for people to drink while they are there, anything goes and knock yourself out. It's when it starts turning into a packaged product and has Instagram hype releases that it really goes off the rails.

 

[reverseapachemaster1]

The lineup of beers is derivative and cliched, but I don't personally have any problem with beer slushies, beer cocktails, glitter beer, any of that stuff, so long as it stays at the tasting room. My general thought is that if it's just stuff for people to drink while they are there, anything goes and knock yourself out. It's when it starts turning into a packaged product and has Instagram hype releases that it really goes off the rails.

So you're saying you have a problem with all of it

 

[jammery]

But mead slushies are the truth.

 

[Lutter]

https://beerstreetjournal.com/8th-state-rich-af-imperial-stout/

FFS What are we even doing?

 

[furley]

https://beerstreetjournal.com/8th-state-rich-af-imperial-stout/

FFS What are we even doing?

but how does it taste?

 

[Lutter]

but how does it taste?

It probably tastes pretty ROE-bust.