You guys do realize... (overhyped beers)

[forstmeister]

Who cares if they use an extract for bittering? A lot of IIPAs use it. I know Lagunitas uses it and I am pretty sure Avery does as well.

Exactly. Hop extract is nothing like malt extract. Or is it? Now I am confused...

 

[phenry]

I'm a hopslam lover. But I also knew what day it was showing up on shelves at the beer shop in my town, and there was absolutely no drama involved in walking down the street and picking up a 6 pack. Yeah, not a cheap 6 pack, but for a once a year purchase, it really isn't that bad when it's at its freshest possible in bottles.

I figure it's all just beer. The hyped up ones are the first ones I'll buy if I get the chance, but I'd never go out of my way to get any of them.

 

[chiteface]

I don't really get the freshness thing. It may lose some aroma, but I think the effect is being drastically overstated. I may be wrong, but I thought Bells bottle conditions, so it should get better as it ages, like most high gravity beers. I had some last year that were a year old and they were fantastic.

Are we really able to distinguish between an American Barleywine and an Imperial IPA? I would doubt that more than 10% of us could, and you would never knock a Barleywine because it isn't fresh...idk fresh with high gravity from a bottle seems like a strange argument to me.

 

[ktblunden]

Pliney lost it's wow factor for me when I found out they use hop extract.

Pretty sure Younger is the one made with hop extract, not Elder. They do that by necessity to limit the amount of hop material in order to get to the bitterness levels they need to. Also, what does it matter?

 

[ktblunden]

I don't really get the freshness thing. It may lose some aroma, but I think the effect is being drastically overstated. I may be wrong, but I thought Bells bottle conditions, so it should get better as it ages, like most high gravity beers. I had some last year that were a year old and they were fantastic.

Are we really able to distinguish between an American Barleywine and an Imperial IPA? I would doubt that more than 10% of us could, and you would never knock a Barleywine because it isn't fresh...idk fresh with high gravity from a bottle seems like a strange argument to me.

American Barleywine finishes much sweeter. Most breweries add sugar to IIPA's to get a drier finish. To me, American Barleywine has a heavy bitterness and an emphasis on maltier flavors while IIPA is heavy bitterness and an emphasis on hop flavors. Barleywine also tends to use darker malts. I notice a big dropoff in hop aroma and flavor as IIPAs age. It is an interesting tradeoff with needing to consume such high abv beers young, but some of the standouts on the market really are best as fresh as you can get them.

 

[dpatrickv]

FWIW I very much enjoy Hopslam. Never had Heady Topper.

This. I though Hopslam was f'ing delish when I had it earlier this year.


Headdy Topper was also awesome.

 

[Johnnyhitch1]

I don't really get the freshness thing. It may lose some aroma, but I think the effect is being drastically overstated. I may be wrong, but I thought Bells bottle conditions, so it should get better as it ages, like most high gravity beers. I had some last year that were a year old and they were fantastic.

If youve ever had a fresh heady compared to a month old, damn even a week old youll taste the difference, i never understood why people age IPA and DIPAs, recently was poured a double trouble from last year and i almost puked it was so putrid. Hot fusels, thick dark fruit oxidation and way to astringent...

The only thing "bottle conditioned" means is that they bottled it "still" with addition sugar to carb in the bottle. It also refers to an unfiltered unpasterized beer, hence the ability to secondary ferment in the bottle.

Are we really able to distinguish between an American Barleywine and an Imperial IPA? I would doubt that more than 10% of us could, and you would never knock a Barleywine because it isn't fresh...idk fresh with high gravity from a bottle seems like a strange argument to me.

Sweet caramel, biscuit, toasty malts and darker fruits come from the barleywine with a bigger focus on hop bitterness as a balance to a high FG.

DIPAs will have a lighter flavor, brighter fruits and a focus on the flameout flavor/aroma hops for a brighter citrus/pine/earthy aroma/flavor.

I wouldnt call an aged DIPA a Barleywine though...

 

[phenry]

I don't really get the freshness thing. It may lose some aroma, but I think the effect is being drastically overstated. I may be wrong, but I thought Bells bottle conditions, so it should get better as it ages, like most high gravity beers. I had some last year that were a year old and they were fantastic.

Are we really able to distinguish between an American Barleywine and an Imperial IPA? I would doubt that more than 10% of us could, and you would never knock a Barleywine because it isn't fresh...idk fresh with high gravity from a bottle seems like a strange argument to me.

The first time I had hopslam it was 4 months old, and I really didn't understand why people thought it was so great. Next time I had it, it was three weeks past the bottling date. Then I understood why people thought it was great. Huge simcoe aroma packed into 12 oz of glass. I have yet to taste a barleywine like that, but if I ever did, I might have to say I actually do like barleywines.

 

[smizak]

I don't really get the freshness thing. It may lose some aroma, but I think the effect is being drastically overstated. I may be wrong, but I thought Bells bottle conditions, so it should get better as it ages, like most high gravity beers. I had some last year that were a year old and they were fantastic.

I bet you learned this myth from this site. It just won't die I guess. Somebody with 50,000 posts says it and now it's gospel.

90% of beer styles are best fresh.

 

[chiteface]

I bet you learned this myth from this site. It just won't die I guess. Somebody with 50,000 posts says it and now it's gospel.

90% of beer styles are best fresh.

No I am just speaking from experience. I think the beer changes but I don't think it is better or worse really.

 

[chiteface]

If youve ever had a fresh heady compared to a month old, damn even a week old youll taste the difference, i never understood why people age IPA and DIPAs, recently was poured a double trouble from last year and i almost puked it was so putrid. Hot fusels, thick dark fruit oxidation and way to astringent...

The only thing "bottle conditioned" means is that they bottled it "still" with addition sugar to carb in the bottle. It also refers to an unfiltered unpasterized beer, hence the ability to secondary ferment in the bottle.

Sweet caramel, biscuit, toasty malts and darker fruits come from the barleywine with a bigger focus on hop bitterness as a balance to a high FG.

DIPAs will have a lighter flavor, brighter fruits and a focus on the flameout flavor/aroma hops for a brighter citrus/pine/earthy aroma/flavor.

I wouldnt call an aged DIPA a Barleywine though...

Yes and bottle conditioning also provides more depth of flavor than force Carb, which is why Founders beers for example taste cleaner and the Bells has more "character". I am aware of what the styles are and didnt call an aged DIPA a barley. I just meant most of you couldn't tell the difference in a blind taste test.

 

[dannypo]

Yes and bottle conditioning also provides more depth of flavor than force Carb, which is why Founders beers for example taste cleaner and the Bells has more "character". I am aware of what the styles are and didnt call an aged DIPA a barley. I just meant most of you couldn't tell the difference in a blind taste test.

That'd just another myth. Bottle conditioning adds carbonation and not much else. The difference is nonexistent to negligable.

 

[chiteface]

That'd just another myth. Bottle conditioning adds carbonation and not much else. The difference is nonexistent to negligable.

Nonsense. The yeast content is higher and they have been more active. That will impact the taste. Furthermore they have been sitting in the bottle longer, which, even though I disagree that it will make the beer inferior, will impact aroma. Furthermore force carbing and bottle carbing have a different mouthfeel due to the way the CO2 is infused into the wort.
I'm sorry for ruining everyone's beer douchery. I will sign off and continue to enjoy my crappy year old Hopslam. Worst thread ever.

 

[forstmeister]

Nonsense. The yeast content is higher and they have been more active. That will impact the taste. Furthermore they have been sitting in the bottle longer, which, even though I disagree that it will make the beer inferior, will impact aroma. Furthermore force carbing and bottle carbing have a different mouthfeel due to the way the CO2 is infused into the wort.
I'm sorry for ruining everyone's beer douchery. I will sign off and continue to enjoy my crappy year old Hopslam. Worst thread ever.

I can't help but think of this guy...

 

[jbaysurfer]

I'm sorry for ruining everyone's beer douchery. I will sign off and continue to enjoy my crappy year old Hopslam. Worst thread ever.

Ever notice it's only douchery when someone else says it?

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Picked up a case of HT last thursday from the brewery. Decided it wasn't worth the coinage after drinking a 4-pack with a friend, sold the rest to a Montreal homebrew club member.

I'd take Pliny in a heartbeat over HT.

MC

 

[Brewenstein]

Zombie Dust. Waaayyyy overrated And ridiculously priced. Nuff said :rockin:.

 

[forstmeister]

Zombie Dust. Waaayyyy overrated And ridiculously priced. Nuff said :rockin:.

It's not that pricey. You can get it directly from the brewery for $35 out the door. In the store it's probably worse I suppose.

 

[nickydballs]

HT is excellent and I didn't think it was that expensive...$14/4 pack. What a great beer

 

[Brewenstein]

It's not that pricey. You can get it directly from the brewery for $35 out the door. In the store it's probably worse I suppose.

$18/six pack by me .

 

[forstmeister]

$18/six pack by me .

Sorry, I meant to specify that $35 is for 24 beers.

 

[BeerBDrew]

OK, so best I can tell, the idea here is to compare a couple of beers (presumably by tasting them, which is of course, a completely subjective, impossible to quantify thing) to their respective "hype" in an attempt to determine if said beers live up to, surpass, or fail to live up to their "hype", which by the way, is a completely nebulous, impossible to quantify thing. I hereby declare this thread stupid

IMHO, Hopslam is gorgeous each and every season. I have not had the opportunity to try HT or PtE, as i live in St. Louis.

 

[jason91notch]

OB Gubna>Pliney the Elder. my .02.

 

[Ailstock]

OB Gubna>Pliney the Elder. my .02.

Lots of IPA's/IIPA's>Pliny

 

[WesleyS]

Lots of IPA's/IIPA's>Pliny

This^

 

[TriggerFingers]

I kind of felt that way when I had my first PTE (and yes it was 2 weeks old so it was fresh). I was waiting for the clouds to open or my face to melt, but they really didn't. Fortunately, I was able to drink 5 more over the course of 2 days and began to appreciate it for what it was trying to do--not for the hype. It grew on me.

 

[jbaysurfer]

OB Gubna>Pliney the Elder. my .02.

It's also NOT a DIPA IMHO, it's a malty as hell sweet finishing American Barleywine.

Deviant Dales and Pliny is far fairer comparison.

Again, JMHO, I think Barleywines don't sell as well as DIPAs so brewers are calling their hoppy American Barleywines by another name for sale purposes.

I know a brewmaster who's best selling beer is an IPA and one batch he labeled as a "Bitter". It went from his best selling beer to his worst by making that change. He changed back ASAP.

Edit, I DO love Gubna. I just don't think it resembles a DIPA much at all.

 

[jbaysurfer]

OK, so best I can tell, the idea here is to compare a couple of beers (presumably by tasting them, which is of course, a completely subjective, impossible to quantify thing) to their respective "hype" in an attempt to determine if said beers live up to, surpass, or fail to live up to their "hype", which by the way, is a completely nebulous, impossible to quantify thing. I hereby declare this thread stupid

IMHO, Hopslam is gorgeous each and every season. I have not had the opportunity to try HT or PtE, as i live in St. Louis.

I want to trade PTE with you for Hopslam. I'll get it too you fresh and cool. I like your honesty here. This has turned into a "bash the beer you can't really get" thread....but it's still fun (shoutout for the OP )

It's beer. Drink it! It's only going to make you younger and better looking in your head, not in real life.

 

[aiptasia]

Previous Hopslams: Decent. High priced.
2013 Hopslam: Watered down. Price still sky high.
Heady Topper: Underwhelming, enjoyed a late May can two days ago. Not worth driving to the New England area to find any.
Zombie Dust: Meh, watery. Not my favorite. Better as a summer lawnmowerbeer for my tastes.
Pliny: Underwhelming. No flaws but no character either. I like Blind Pig better.

Breweries doing something right this year:

Stillwater: Pretty much everything but their pre-prohibition ale has been stunning this year. Anything in the farmhouse ale or saison variety of beers amazed me.
Lagunitas: Lagunitas Sucks 2013 is, thus far, the IPA of the year. Brown shugga is always on deck in my house, too.
Cigar City: Hunahpu 2013 is amazing. I managed to squirrel a Brandy barrel aged one away for safe keeping. Muhahaha. Their version of Homefront is good too.
Clown Shoes: El Luchador En Fuego. Never heard of it? Good. Shaddap and buy it on the down low while you can. Don't want it? Send them to meeee!
Green Room: Secret Spot, their RIS aged in Maker's Mark barrels. Good luck finding it.

 

[trujunglist]

I love a fresh bottle of Pliny. It's a very well-rounded beer. I've had a lot of Sculpin, mostly draft, and it's just not as well-rounded. Hop Stoopid is nice, but not quite there. Lagunitas Sucks is not my favorite; if Hopslam tastes like that, then no thanks. Never had HT, but a friend lives about 20 miles away from Waterbury, so when I go to visit him (sometime this year I think) I will have to check that out and hit up Ben and Jerry's afterwards. If I can buy a case I will do so and ship it back home just so I can give them to deserving friends.

Can anyone recommend some good DIPAs or IPAs that can be found easily in Southern California? I tried Surf South Swell DIPA and I thought that was really good, one of my favorites as of late, but haven't had a lot that really matched the quality of Pliny.