Random Beer Thoughts

[JBP]

We just got Firestone Walker distro here in Maine starting literally yesterday. I picked up the Luponic Distortion and Union Jack cans. Both about 3 weeks old which is fine to me. Luponic was great, but the six pack of Union Jack cans was weird because it tasted like an entirely different beer. I travel to CA frequently for work and drink a lot of UJ out there, and this was nothing like it. Not that it wasn't fresh, just seemed like a totally different malt/hop combo, very confusing. Pretty disappointing after waiting years to be able to buy it here.

 

[Gennycreamale]

Shelf IPA talk: when fresh it's hard to beat Union Jack (for both quality and value) in my opinion. Haven't had Two Hearted in years though.

Totally agree. And I agree with michael age has been an issue, but I finally started seeing six pack cans around here that were canned last month so I've stocked up.

 

[fosterjm]

What price did everyone pay for the 12-pack of Sierra Nevada Beer Camp?

Uh, so I saw it at the store with the same price tag as other SN 12-packs ($14 or so) and it rang up at $29 or so. I pointed this out and they adjusted it at the register.

.... .... did they **** up? lol. Just wondering. I have a feeling they ****** up.

Its 29.99 here by me in So.Cal

 

[fosterjm]

Love this gif.

 

[JulianB1]

We just got Firestone Walker distro here in Maine starting literally yesterday. I picked up the Luponic Distortion and Union Jack cans. Both about 3 weeks old which is fine to me. Luponic was great, but the six pack of Union Jack cans was weird because it tasted like an entirely different beer. I travel to CA frequently for work and drink a lot of UJ out there, and this was nothing like it. Not that it wasn't fresh, just seemed like a totally different malt/hop combo, very confusing. Pretty disappointing after waiting years to be able to buy it here.

It may just be a mental game, but I find that a lot of the best west coast hoppy beers taste a lot different on draft than they do packaged, even when the packaged format is fresh. Fresh draft Pliny the Elder to me is miles better than fresh bottles are, for example. But again that could just be my mind playing tricks on me.

 

[evilc]

It may just be a mental game, but I find that a lot of the best west coast hoppy beers taste a lot different on draft than they do packaged, even when the packaged format is fresh. Fresh draft Pliny the Elder to me is miles better than fresh bottles are, for example. But again that could just be my mind playing tricks on me.

Nah it's legit. Pliny is on tap 11/12 months at O'Briens. Always awesome. Bottles always meh.

 

[JBP]

It may just be a mental game, but I find that a lot of the best west coast hoppy beers taste a lot different on draft than they do packaged, even when the packaged format is fresh. Fresh draft Pliny the Elder to me is miles better than fresh bottles are, for example. But again that could just be my mind playing tricks on me.

Yeah it was only my first can so I'll definitely check again, certainly could be just my imagination. The majority of the FW I drink in CA is actually bottle six packs.

 

[Lutter]

Its 29.99 here by me in So.Cal

 

[JonathanAmes]

Easy Jack is my go to FW shelf banger.

 

[boogercrack]

EJ/DJ/UJ are routinely up to 2 years old around me.

I love them though and it makes me sad.

 

[gregkoko]

Easy Jack is my go to FW shelf banger.

Can't go wrong with Pivo, EJ, or UJ. Haven't had Luponic yet, so I can't speak to that.

 

[furley]

TIL there are more people from Green Bay on TB than let on

last week at the local, 3 rows of Une Anee'. all deep.

this week.. all gone.


those same beers have been there for months on end

 

[Jnorton00]

Can't go wrong with Pivo, EJ, or UJ. Haven't had Luponic yet, so I can't speak to that.

 

[beerherder]

We just got Firestone Walker distro here in Maine starting literally yesterday. I picked up the Luponic Distortion and Union Jack cans. Both about 3 weeks old which is fine to me.

So much fresher than we see in the Bay Area.

 

[JBP]

So much fresher than we see in the Bay Area.

Yeah it was their big distro debut day though. Fully expect to see the usual 3+ month old stuff turding in no time.

 

[cry me]

We just got FW late last year, and it was really nice to get all their stuff fresh. I'm still seeing their IPAs on shelves from November though - so this is how it is (freshest I could find was Pivo from Feb)

 

[arren]

I actually don't mind "old" FW. I bought a two-month-old sixer of Easy Jack recently, and it might be the best "two-month-old" IPA I've had.

 

[JCastle1]

I actually don't mind "old" FW. I bought a two-month-old sixer of Easy Jack recently, and it might be the best "two-month-old" IPA I've had.

Same here. All this FW talk got me in the mood, brb...

 

[RayP]

It's on the box somewhere. I can't remember exactly which side though.

Srs? I never knew it was on the box. I usually just open the box... but whether it be cans or bottles, I don't think I've ever bought Two Hearted that was older than 30 or so days. Even out in the sticks.

 

[wethorseblanket]

Anyone know this guy?

http://komonews.com/news/local/feds-seattle-bound-passengers-quest-for-beer-forced-flight-to-divert

 

[SSTroller]

Srs? I never knew it was on the box. I usually just open the box... but whether it be cans or bottles, I don't think I've ever bought Two Hearted that was older than 30 or so days. Even out in the sticks.

Yup. As steimie said, it's in one of the corners.
Now you can be like me and look like the weirdo in the aisle that keeps turning the box over and over trying to find it. I've gotten a lot of odd looks and even questions of "What are you looking for?"

 

[Splodey]

So John Mallet from Bells is making a low key visit to Australia to judge at the beer awards. Apparently he's agreed to bring "some" beer for an event which I've been asked to host.

I don't know a heap about them outside of Hopslam/Two hearted/Oberon reputation. Is there anything I should know? I don't think many peeps know about them here in Australia so I'm sure I can wing it, but given I won't have much time to prepare between now and Sunday... Anyone have any good tidbits that'll make me look like an expert?

Get me some ******* BBA Expedition.

 

[SeaWatchman]

TIL there are more people from Green Bay on TB than let on

last week at the local, 3 rows of Une Anee'. all deep.

this week.. all gone.


those same beers have been there for months on end

Well it's certainly not people from TBS drinking them.

 

[JBP]

Yup. As steimie said, it's in one of the corners.
Now you can be like me and look like the weirdo in the aisle that keeps turning the box over and over trying to find it. I've gotten a lot of odd looks and even questions of "What are you looking for?"

I've had store employees ask me if I'm a brewery rep before just because of how dilligent I am looking for freshness dates on stuff...

 

[SeaWatchman]

Yup. As steimie said, it's in one of the corners.
Now you can be like me and look like the weirdo in the aisle that keeps turning the box over and over trying to find it. I've gotten a lot of odd looks and even questions of "What are you looking for?"

I refuse to buy any beers without a freshness/bottle date indication. I was even at a local brewpub here ready to pick up a sixpack from their shop and they didn't have date on it. When I asked when it had been canned they said they weren't sure.

 

[JulianB1]

Yeungling Summer Wheat is a ******* good beer that I'd crush again on any occasion, especially a warm day like today. Honestly we drank it at the same time as Live Oak Hefeweizen and it wasn't far off. Clean, no off flavors, nice banana esters, a really well-executed beer.

 

[Snarf1]

Yeungling Summer Wheat is a ******* good beer that I'd crush again on any occasion, especially a warm day like today. Honestly we drank it at the same time as Live Oak Hefeweizen and it wasn't far off. Clean, no off flavors, nice banana esters, a really well-executed beer.

I knew Live Oak couldn't possibly be as good as people were making it out to be.

 

[JulianB1]

I knew Live Oak couldn't possibly be as good as people were making it out to be.

I really like it, it's one of the best US-made examples of a hefeweizen and in fact I like it more than most German examples, but that's maybe because I like mine really banana-forward rather than having a lot of clove esters. But like a lot of examples it shows that the difference between the "higher end" stuff and things that are available off the shelft (also insert Kellerweis here in place of the Yeungling) can often be minimal.

That being said, Live Oak Hefe is in 6-packs of cans that can be had as extras or for good locals. It's not like some dumb ass stout that costs $300 on the secondary market and is marginally better than BCBS, if at all. Live Oak deserves their reputation for producing excellent US-brewed examples of German style beers. Thankfully they don't trade like Tree House cans.

 

[CornAndBeer]

Need to get off my lazy ass and send BusinessSloth these Agullons so I can try that Live Oak Hefe...

 

[SeaWatchman]

I knew Live Oak couldn't possibly be as good as people were making it out to be.

Or Yuengling is just the best craft brewery in America.