What's the worst craft brew (commercial) you've had?

[bottlebomber]

Earlier this month a guy brought a Voodoo Doughnut to the homebrew meeting. I already knew what to expect because of this thread. There were 20 in attendance, and not one person was able to finish their approximately 1 oz pour. This is the most hideous beer available, folks. I think it's the home smoked hickory malt that really does it. It literally tastes like you're sucking on the underpants of a hobo who dried his clothes over the camp fire, but forgot to wash out the Denny's bacon mess and Steel Reserve urine.

 

[solbes]

I have to agree, so much was made of this beer, then when I had one, it was very average.

Ya, but try Fat Tire out of a keg and you might change your mind. I find the bottled version about a 5 out of 10, uninteresting and somewhat bland. I'd put the kegged version at an 8.5 if not 9. Very tasty.

 

[GingerBeer515]

I recently tried New Belgium's Belgian Abbey ale. It tasted like someone made Fat Tire with Mothership yeast. It didn't have any of the body or mouthfeel I'd expect from the style and the hops just clashed with the yeast flavors. I have no interest in a second glass of that!

 

[TyroneSweetlick]

Stone IRS Belgo 2011 with the Anise.... Terrible!!!

Yeah, I split a bottle of that with 3 others, and none of us could even finish the few ounces we poured to simply taste it. We tried about 12 Stone beers that night, and it was the only one all of us said was downright nasty.

 

[IffyG]

That's kind of the gose style though. A really light wit that's salted and drank really young. Not everyones thing

Yeah, that beer is brewed to a specific style and then spiked with old bay seasoning. I can understand how it would be off putting if you didn't expect it, but when I had it at the brewery the guy pouring it made sure to explain what it was before letting me have it.

 

[WesleyS]

Stone IRS Belgo 2011 with the Anise.... Terrible!!!

I drank a bottle of this a couple months ago that I bought last year and I wholeheartedly disagree. I thought it was great and had no problems finishing the bottle by myself. But that's just me. Tastes differ.

 

[Apple_Jacker]

Ya, but try Fat Tire out of a keg and you might change your mind. I find the bottled version about a 5 out of 10, uninteresting and somewhat bland. I'd put the kegged version at an 8.5 if not 9. Very tasty.

I can attest to this also. A bottle of fat tire compared to a draft is a might and day difference for me. I didn't think I liked fat tire until I had it out of a tap.

 

[david_42]

The worst I've had was a cask-conditioned red at Rock Bottom in Denver. Smelled and tasted like raw bread dough. Told the bartender to dump it and got something they had in a bottle (as in NOT a Rock Bottom product).

 

[progmac]

The worst I've had was a cask-conditioned red at Rock Bottom in Denver. Smelled and tasted like raw bread dough. Told the bartender to dump it and got something they had in a bottle (as in NOT a Rock Bottom product).

We have a rock bottom here and their beer is not very good. I think I may have sent one back too, iirc.

 

[RainyDay]

The worst I've had was a cask-conditioned red at Rock Bottom in Denver. Smelled and tasted like raw bread dough. Told the bartender to dump it and got something they had in a bottle (as in NOT a Rock Bottom product).

Havent had that, but I think the RB Hop Bomb is one of the best IPAs on the market. I almost always get that, so I cant speak to any of the others.

Moylands Hopsickle is probably the worst beer ive ever had (I would literally take a bud light over it - and I LOVE IPAs!). It ruined me on anything thats has Columbus in it. Disgustingly pungent and tons of ammonia.

I was very disappointed in Mission Brewings Shipwreck IPA too; good pine and citrus aroma, but the Columbus pungency totally over powers all of that after the second sip.

 

[Matteo57]

I drank a bottle of this a couple months ago that I bought last year and I wholeheartedly disagree. I thought it was great and had no problems finishing the bottle by myself. But that's just me. Tastes differ.

I'm glad to hear someone liked it. You are the first I've heard that enjoyed it! I guess you are right on the tastes differ!

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

Sam Adam's Octoberfest tastes like meat.

Shiner Hefeweizen is...it's hard to explain. Bad, but bad is not really enough. It was NOT a hefe, more like boiled bile in a bottle. Horrid.

 

[SS_Brewing_Co]

Anything out of Tioga sequoia tastes like garbage IMO.

 

[Caveman3141]

anything sam adams...can this be considered a craft brewery?
I suspect S.A. to be the budwiser of the so-called craft brew industry. all hype no product........
S.A. cherry wheat is snake oil in a bottle...yuck!

GD51

I think SA's problem is they try to make too many beers. But I think it'd be a gross characterization to say they're all hype and no product since I've had several really good beers from them - Boston Lager, cream stout, Scotch ale, Noble Pils, Old Fezziwig. Their IPAs are pretty decent too but I hardly count them since I'm pretty sure a 1-handed drunk chimp could manage to brew together a drinkable IPA. But still, many decent to good beers which is far more than I can say of Budweiser or even the entire AB-Inbev empire.

Which isn't to say that they don't have some stinkers. Definitely steer away from any of their beers involving wheat or fruit and if they're together....well, I agree that their cherry wheat is pretty vile stuff.

As far as worst *commercial* craft brews... Do Blue Moon and Pilsner Urquell count? I didn't like the Blue Moon pumpkin ale. It smelled good but the taste didn't do it for me and it left a bad aftertaste in my mouth. As for the Urquell I'm pretty sure I just had a skunked bottle (green glass strikes again!) but I've been prejudiced against it ever since.

 

[Kewan]

Leinenkugel's Sunseat Wheat (are they still considered a craft brewery?). Just god awful.

 

[humann_brewing]

Alright, you got me. But seeing that I don't think it is the holy grail of beer, not even close, I probably come off as hating it.

Seriously though, the absolute worst craft beer I've had, at least in recent memory, was a "Rye Cream Ale" from a small brewpub in Visalia, Brewbaker's. I swear they served me a glass full of loogies; so bad, I asked them to take it back.

That does sound bad, never been down there myself

 

[jdozer]

Sam adams cherry wheat, nastier than homemade sin.

 

[kylevester]

Sam adams cherry wheat, nastier than homemade sin.

I don't think this is so bad if I pour it into a glass first. A lot of the aroma and whatnot goes away then. From the bottle, it's pretty bad, but if you pour it into a glass like it's meant, it's much better.

 

[fosgate]

Mercenary Double IPA from Odell brewing, Turned me off from ever liking an IPA again. Felt like hop flavored battery acid in my mouth. Would rather boil and eat my shoes than to let that stuff hold my mouth hostage again. I did find out my cats are extra clingy though if you spill some on your jeans. Maybe not so good if your walking around mountain lion territory.

 

[bottlebomber]

Mercenary Double IPA from Odell brewing, Turned me off from ever liking an IPA again.

Chances are you didn't like them to begin with. That's a very well regarded beer.

 

[pnihan]

Southern Tier - Imperial Creme Brule - too sweet for me when i was drinking it. Andygator (on tap) haven't had it in a bottle but every time i had it on tap (in same joint), it was bad. BYO just ran a piece on it, singing it's praise so I am willing to give the bottle a shot in case the place i drank it at wasn't taking care of their lines or their kegs.

I couldn't agree more. I did have it in the bottle, it's just too much.

 

[CGVT]

Is Leinenkugal considered craft?

I pretty much don't care for anything they make, but that nasty-assed Fruity Pebbles tasting Sunset Wheat is the worst beer in the history of beer.

Leinenkugel's Sunseat Wheat (are they still considered a craft brewery?). Just god awful.

 

[fosgate]

I'd definitely not a hop head. Not that I don't like hops. I enjoy the smell and slight bitterness and aroma of hops. I'm sure with all the preservatives value of hops they keep well but I prefer to taste grain and not flowers.

 

[Caucasian]

Black magic stout from oggis pizza and beer, tasted like dog food.

 

[grimstuff]

I don't really like the idea of bashing craft brews, but what the hell. Not a fan of Eel River Brewing Co. I've had their porter, imperial stout, and Triple Exultation. Just underwhelming. Any brewery that says on their website "Finest California Microbrewery" with a straight face needs to calibrate. We have some of the country's best breweries in California, and Eel River ain't one of them. But I chalk this up to the isolation of them being based in Fortuna, which might as well be on the moon.

If a brewery is all in my face about being organic, that's a warning sign. Alone, it has no bearing on quality and taste. IMO, beer should stand on its own. If the best thing they can say about their beer is that it's organic, you know it's going to be forgettable. If it's good AND organic, that's just a bonus.

Side rant not having to do with Eel River: Around where I live, "some" breweries are nuts about being organic, but their beers are very mediocre... dull, characterless, but all-organic. People who know good beer go to other brewpubs, while the hippies and hill rats* go to the organic one. "Some" breweries sell one of their beers in six-pack cans around town, and it costs like twelve bucks. (That's about $3 worth of beer and $9 worth of organic-ness.)


*Hill Rats: "Seasonal gardeners".

 

[bottlebomber]

Man, I can't remember having any of their other beers, but the ER Triple X pitcher I had in the brewery was one of my most memorable beer drinking experiences. I'll have to try the others. One thing I will say about them is I've tried emailing them to get information on the brewing process, and they never will respond, which is kind of douchey.

 

[grimstuff]

Man, I can't remember having any of their other beers, but the ER Triple X pitcher I had in the brewery was one of my most memorable beer drinking experiences. I'll have to try the others. One thing I will say about them is I've tried emailing them to get information on the brewing process, and they never will respond, which is kind of douchey.

Owing to Bottles vs. Draft? I don't know... it's been a while since I had their beers, so if someone were to push one in my face i wouldn't decline, but one bad experience lasts a long time otherwise...

But you're another Ukiah resident... how do you feel about organic brews in general?

 

[bottlebomber]

Owing to Bottles vs. Draft? I don't know... it's been a while since I had their beers, so if someone were to push one in my face i wouldn't decline, but one bad experience lasts a long time otherwise...

But you're another Ukiah resident... how do you feel about organic brews in general?

I feel ok about organic brews... Lol. Are we talking about some place in particular?

 

[grimstuff]

I feel ok about organic brews... Lol. Are we talking about some place in particular?

Ya you know, the one in UKIAH. The UKIAH one. lol...

 

[bottlebomber]

Ya you know, the one in UKIAH. The UKIAH one. lol...

That's a whole discussion in itself. When the place opened, the beer was great. And since then it's gone from amazing to beer that will actually make you physically ill. 2 years ago they had a brewer there, AJ, who was very talented though he didn't play well with others and had to go. Then their beer went back to being crap. Now they have a new guy who they took off the floor and taught him how to make beer. He literally has no brewing background, but I've spoke with him several times and he has huge potential I feel. I actually see a glimmer of hope for that place for the first time in a long while. The new owner seems very unpretentious and down to earth. The beer is still far from great, but not bad either. And this guy seems like he's going to stick around, so I'm hoping for good things. I think they really need to quit it with their wheat beer styles though, they really don't have it going in with those. I've never had one that I liked, and it's not because I don't like the style.