Tasting Little Sumpin Sumpin: A tale of dispair

[Barley_Bob]

American Pale Wheat is one of my favorite styles, and I don't know that I would always pick the Pale Wheat off of a menu, but it's a standby. I finally got the chance to try Little Sumpin Sumpin for the first time and on draft the other day, and I was pretty excited. The only problem is that I didn't like it. Certainly, it had excellent body and it was a smooth drinker, but I was overwhelmed by basil. It was not great. Looking at clone recipes, I'm not really sure where it's coming from. I have determined over time that I'm not fond of Centennial, and it does tend to come across to me as catty or basil, but, in the clone recipes I've looked at, Centennial is only making up a small portion of the hop bill for the beer. Lagunitas IPA is all Centennial, and I liked it better than this. So, what the heck is going on! Am I losing it?! This should have been a glorious moment. Please tell me someone else feels this way or that it was keg lines or some similar bugbear. :beard:

 

[Demus]

I love that beer and get ZERO basil-like flavor. See if you can get a bottle somewhere before you write it off. Could've been questionable handling of it at the bar...
That said, you may indeed just not like the flavor of centenial. Try brewing a smaller batch with a different hop...


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[NTexBrewer]

Definitely try it again. May be a bad beer or something.

Our bottle shop sells singles so I bought a Tank 7 farmhouse since I like the style and it had great reviews. Tasted terrible, could not finish it. Must of been a bad beer because I tried it again at a beer festival and it was a completely different beer.


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[Teromous]

The only problem is that I didn't like it. Certainly, it had excellent body and it was a smooth drinker, but I was overwhelmed by basil. It was not great. Looking at clone recipes, I'm not really sure where it's coming from.

I love that beer and get ZERO basil-like flavor.

I can't say that I've tasted anything like basil in this beer either. Are you sure it wasn't something you ate before drinking?

I'm not fond of Centennial, and it does tend to come across to me as catty or basil

I'm not sure if you're saying that those are two flavors or scents that you noticed, or if you are saying that they are similar. To me basil is nothing like the "catty" smell that comes from hops.

 

[Barley_Bob]

I can't say that I've tasted anything like basil in this beer either. Are you sure it wasn't something you ate before drinking?

I hadn't eaten anything yet when I drank it.

I'm not sure if you're saying that those are two flavors or scents that you noticed, or if you are saying that they are similar. To me basil is nothing like the "catty" smell that comes from hops.

I definitely get a little bit of both, but maybe in different balance? In the past, Centennial has come across mostly as catty but with a bit of basil (Two-Hearted did not live up to the short story for me). This beer was straight up malt and basil.

I guess I'll have to try it again. In the mean time, I'm going to 3 Floyds in Munster sometime this summer, and it's just going to have to be twice as awesome.

 

[DSorenson]

I would hate to think that this is the reason, but...

Didn't Lagunitas just start brewing in Chicago?

Perhaps the new brewery isn't up to snuff yet and accidentally slipped out a sub par batch.

 

[Demus]

I've brewed for years and drank even longer; this is the first time I've ever heard of a basil-like off flavor. Are you certain you know what basil tastes like? Catty is generally harsh and astringent. Basil is neither. To me it's a sweet, almost minty flavor. I've heard a few hop varieties described as having minty notes, but not centennial. But again, each palate is unique. If there's a flavor you don't like and you isolate it to centennial hops, it's a pretty easy fix. Don't brew with them! ;-)


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[worlddivides]

So far I'm yet to taste a Lagunitas beer that wasn't absolutely delicious. My favorite beer of theirs so far is the Undercover Investigation Shut-down IPA.

Just from the point of view of a long-time major beer drinker, I can't say I have ever tasted a beer (or other alcoholic beverage for that matter) that tasted like basil.

I'm siding with the others who think you might have just had a random bottle that was bad (or a bad batch?).

 

[drainbamage]

I had one bottle in a 6-pack of the regular IPA that I couldn't pinpoint the flavor at the time, but yeah, basil is a fairly good description. It wasn't exactly bad (I like basil), it just didn't taste like the IPA usually does. Since it was only 1 out of 6, I just chalked it up to an off bottle.

 

[benco]

Little sumpin is one of my favorite beers. I've only had in the bottle, no basil. Something could have been in the beer lines.

 

[Hello]

No basil taste to me. I'd get a bottle too to see if you get the same taste. Maybe you just hate the hop, which happens.

 

[Gameface]

Little Sompin Sompin is one of my favorites.

Thai Basil Chicken is also one of my favorites.

But I don't taste a connection.

Maybe you just need a little Sriracha sauce in your beer? It works for my Thai basil chicken.

 

[catdaddy66]

I tried A Lil Sumpin Sumpin on the recommendation of a friend. I love it and plan on making a clone in the near future. It's my favorite IPA after Bell's Two Hearted Ale.

I'd give a try but from the bottle next time (I'm assuming it was on tap from the place you tried initially), I hope you're pleasantly surprised. It's pretty awesome IMO.


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[norcalniner]

I've never experienced a basil flavor in LSS. I, too, wonder if the beer came from Petaluma or Chicago. If it's from the windy city, maybe they're still getting their ducks in row. Petaluma water comes from the Russian River watershed so maybe it's a difference in water chemistry. Maybe it was stored improperly? IDK

 

[Barley_Bob]

You guys are rebuilding my optimism. I was in Chicago at the time at a restaurant called The Southern, which is an upscale bbq place. It was good, but not amazing. The bar took rye whiskey really seriously. Maybe that was to the neglect of their beer?

I wish this problem were a little easier to solve, but I suppose personal taste is almost impossible to quantify. I'm just going to have to pick up a bottle and try it again. Based on all of your responses, it sounds like this really is an abnormal taste. If it's not abnormal, and the beer really does taste like that to me, that's good information for me to have in my back pocket.

It would also be really interesting to know how a basil off flavor can occur...

 

[catdaddy66]

Just ordered ingredients for this clone from NB. Can't wait to get this one in the primary! It will be my second wheat beer in my last three batches.


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[Talgrath]

I'm kind of with you here, actually. I don't know exactly what it is, but I don't taste the elements other people do in Sumpin Sumpin. To me the beer is just overpowered by a sort of bitter flavor that I can't quite describe; I haven't had the beer on draft, only bottled though. Also, as a note, I'm on the west coast, so the Chicago brewery wouldn't be the source here.

 

[ricshayne]

Dude you need a new pub. Sumpin Sumpin is a grade A classic. One of my all time favorite beers. Never got any basil, get a fresh bottle and enjoy

 

[catdaddy66]

Bottled my clone of this yesterday and I must say... An aroma explosion of tropical fruit!!! The most delicious smell I've ever gotten from any of my homebrews. Can't wait to try it in ten days!


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[worlddivides]

I just bought a six pack of this and drank two of them. AMAZING stuff as usual.

I can't even imagine what this would taste like with basil in it.

 

[catdaddy66]

Just drank my first two clone's of A Lil Sumpin Sumpin... Awesome! Still not as aggressive on the aroma and flavor of the hops but much closer than my last IPA clone. And it came in at 9% abv!!! Good stuff!


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[Barley_Bob]

So, I finally got a sixer of Lil Sumpin Sumpin, and it definitely does not taste like basil! I have to vote that something was up with the pub's keg or kegging. I'm glad to finally have this one wrapped up, and thanks for all of the thoughts and support in my moment of need.

 

[zach976]

My vote is for dirty keg lines or something in the draft system.


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[Barley_Bob]

I have to say, I like this beer, but Gumballhead is significantly better. It's not even close. Any other thoughts on that or on beeradvocate's list?