The Beer Thread

James wrote:


And jogged by the Great Divide Brewery in Denver several times without stopping a second time I was there.

Next time you are jogging through Denver by Great Divide, you can now jog to the other 7 breweries within a 2 mile radius of Great Divide with Crooked Stave soon to move into the new The Source development.

crooked stave - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/25191

:o

James wrote:
At what point did I criticize it?

I do have a friend (the aforementioned one), who went within the last few years, and said she found it too "touristy". Though she herself was visiting from NYC, so she was only contributing to its touristiness.

Though I haven't been, I can see her point. If you have a place that is a magnet for visitors, clearly it's going to lose some of its local charm, right?

But if you're going to a BELGIAN beer bar in PHILADELPHIA, local charm is probably not a priority.

atomicfront wrote:

James wrote:
Exactly. It's an institution. The Philly beer bar any out of towner is most likely to have heard of and head straight to.

But is still THE place to go? ( haven't been, I'm just asking) I remember a couple of years ago I had a visiting friend  who had previously lived in DC mention going to the Brickskeller, and I had to break it to her that a number of places had surpassed her old favorite.

And gee whiz, the owner knows how to pour beer into proper glassware. Wow, that is quite an accomplishment for an American!

atomicfront wrote:

James wrote:
Here's a good list of Philly beer bars.

http://www.visitphilly.com/articles/philadelphia/top-beer-bars-in-philadelphia/

And here's a great site listing what's on tap in Philly. Wish we had something this good for DC.

http://phillytapfinder.com/


I've only been to Philly once in the last 15 years, for a daytrip. We really should go more. We went to Eulogy and Memphis Taproom. Eulogy was pretty decent, Memphis Taproom was better.

stevewizzle wrote:
for belgian pubs in philly… i'm a big fan of Eulogy.

looking forward to checking out some spots during the homebrew conference, if I can survive the day to make it out.

Well in the first link it says this about monk's:

"

Monk?s Café
The bar that brought Belgian ales to America, Monk?s has won every conceivable award for its Belgian beer and food menu that reads like a novel. The tavern has been named ?One of the Top Five Places in the World to Have a Beer Before You Die? by All About Beer magazine. And owner Tom Peters has been knighted as a Chevalier du Fourquette des Brasseurs, the 500-year-old Belgian brewers guild, and is one of four Ambassadeurs Orval in the U.S., which means Trappist monks have acknowledged his ability to properly serve their beer. "

criticizing a place you have never been seems silly to say the least. 

It is not like there are a bunch of tourists in t-shirts, shorts, and sneakers walking in there.  It is just a place to have good beer and good food.  You are over thinking things.  It is freaking philadelphia.  It isn't like meeting the locals is all that interesting or exciting. 

Compared to the people you meet/observe in a DC craft beer bar, it is.


Think of it this way. Churchkey in DC crushes Mahaffey's in Baltimore on beer selection. But based on local atmosphere, i'll take Mahaffey's any day.

atomicfront wrote:

It is not like there are a bunch of tourists in t-shirts, shorts, and sneakers walking in there.  It is just a place to have good beer and good food.  You are over thinking things.  It is freaking philadelphia.  It isn't like meeting the locals is all that interesting or exciting. 

James wrote:
Compared to the people you meet/observe in a DC craft beer bar, it is.


Think of it this way. Churchkey in DC crushes Mahaffey's in Baltimore on beer selection. But based on local atmosphere, i'll take Mahaffey's any day.

atomicfront wrote:

It is not like there are a bunch of tourists in t-shirts, shorts, and sneakers walking in there.  It is just a place to have good beer and good food.  You are over thinking things.  It is freaking philadelphia.  It isn't like meeting the locals is all that interesting or exciting. 

I never even heard of Mahaffeys.  I really only go to Brewer's Art and Heavy Seas Alehouse for bars that specialize in beer.  Some times pratt street ale house after a game.  Max's is pretty lame place to go.  Food isn't good.  Patrons aren't cool.  I would probably go to Frisco Tap House before Max's. 

James wrote:
Compared to the people you meet/observe in a DC craft beer bar, it is.


Think of it this way. Churchkey in DC crushes Mahaffey's in Baltimore on beer selection. But based on local atmosphere, i'll take Mahaffey's any day.

atomicfront wrote:

It is not like there are a bunch of tourists in t-shirts, shorts, and sneakers walking in there.  It is just a place to have good beer and good food.  You are over thinking things.  It is freaking philadelphia.  It isn't like meeting the locals is all that interesting or exciting. 

As would I, but that's primarily for the three-fors during happy hour.

atomicfront wrote:

James wrote:
Compared to the people you meet/observe in a DC craft beer bar, it is.


Think of it this way. Churchkey in DC crushes Mahaffey's in Baltimore on beer selection. But based on local atmosphere, i'll take Mahaffey's any day.

atomicfront wrote:

It is not like there are a bunch of tourists in t-shirts, shorts, and sneakers walking in there.  It is just a place to have good beer and good food.  You are over thinking things.  It is freaking philadelphia.  It isn't like meeting the locals is all that interesting or exciting. 

I never even heard of Mahaffeys.  I really only go to Brewer's Art and Heavy Seas Alehouse for bars that specialize in beer.  Some times pratt street ale house after a game.  Max's is pretty lame place to go.  Food isn't good.  Patrons aren't cool.  I would probably go to Frisco Tap House before Max's. 

there is a pratt street ale house in columbia now too.  I frequent Frisco but that's because it's down the street!

stevewizzle wrote:
crooked stave - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/25191

:o

And it looks like you will soon be able to get Crooked Stave on the east coast.  Well, New York at least: http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/2013/02/crooked_stave_will_triple_in_size_in_2013_sell_sour_beers_out_of_state.php

Relaxer wrote:
Oh man, I am so excited to see this. Been wanting to see PD for years.

Black Cat
Fri Mar 29::
Surly and 3 Floyds present:
PIG DESTROYER, DARKEST HOUR

wait, what?  does this mean the black cat will be serving surley and 3F that night?  as if i needed another reason to make it to that show…

sweetcell wrote:

Relaxer wrote:
Oh man, I am so excited to see this. Been wanting to see PD for years.

Black Cat
Fri Mar 29::
Surly and 3 Floyds present:
PIG DESTROYER, DARKEST HOUR

wait, what?  does this mean the black cat will be serving surley and 3F that night?  as if i needed another reason to make it to that show…

They're at least serving a collab beer between the 2:

http://beerpulse.com/2013/02/three-floyds-permanent-funeral-to-be-featured-at-pig-destroyer-show-during-cbc/

Received another shipment of Surly Abrasive this weekend, I will say this beer might be just as tasty as Heady. It's pretty unbelievable how delicious it is.

tap take-overs at the Iron Horse, 2 blocks south of Verizon Center:

Troegs Brewing Co. ? February 21

Harpoon Brewery ? March 7

Old Dominion Brewing Co. ? March 21

Brunehaut ? St. Martin ? April 4

Evolution Craft Brewing Co. ? April 18

Devils Backbone Brewing Co. - May 2

Stone Brewing Co. ? May 16

http://ironhorsedc.com/events/

http://21st-amendment.com/beers/marooned-on-hog-island/

Drank this over the weekend.  Wonderful strong, smoky stout.  Highly recommend.

Yes, Denver/Boulder/Fort Collins/Rocky Mountain National Park tops my wishlist for my next vacation. But it looks doubtful for 2013. :(

Lazer wrote:

James wrote:


And jogged by the Great Divide Brewery in Denver several times without stopping a second time I was there.

Next time you are jogging through Denver by Great Divide, you can now jog to the other 7 breweries within a 2 mile radius of Great Divide with Crooked Stave soon to move into the new The Source development.

finally had my first hopslam last night, on draft at the iron horse.  really good DIPA, but not the best i've ever had.  i'll definitely give it another chance but it doesn't come close to unseating heady topper as my #1.  it might be in my top 5… not sure.  since this appears to be an off year, i'll withhold my verdict.

i was at the iron horse for the monthly meeting of the DC homebrewers club.  it was the annual "high gravity" meeting - everyone brought their barleywines, IIPAs/DIPAs, big belgians, imperial stouts, etc.  there was some really delicious stuff being passed around.  yes, i stumbled home.

I was told they started brewing it on different equipment in 2012. No idea if that could be the reason it's off, or if it was off last year as well.

I can't remember what year I first had it, but it's definitely not as good as it used to be. Same goes for Nugget Nectar, and that coincides with their brewery location move.

Or maybe it's just that nothing tastes all that amazing once you've had Heady Topper.

sweetcell wrote:
finally had my first hopslam last night, on draft at the iron horse.  really good DIPA, but not the best i've ever had.  i'll definitely give it another chance but it doesn't come close to unseating heady topper as my #1.  it might be in my top 5… not sure.  since this appears to be an off year, i'll withhold my verdict.

i was at the iron horse for the monthly meeting of the DC homebrewers club.  it was the annual "high gravity" meeting - everyone brought their barleywines, IIPAs/DIPAs, big belgians, imperial stouts, etc.  there was some really delicious stuff being passed around.  yes, i stumbled home.

James wrote:
I was told they started brewing it on different equipment in 2012. No idea if that could be the reason it's off, or if it was off last year as well.

I can't remember what year I first had it, but it's definitely not as good as it used to be. Same goes for Nugget Nectar, and that coincides with their brewery location move.

Or maybe it's just that nothing tastes all that amazing once you've had Heady Topper.

sweetcell wrote:
finally had my first hopslam last night, on draft at the iron horse.  really good DIPA, but not the best i've ever had.  i'll definitely give it another chance but it doesn't come close to unseating heady topper as my #1.  it might be in my top 5… not sure.  since this appears to be an off year, i'll withhold my verdict.

i was at the iron horse for the monthly meeting of the DC homebrewers club.  it was the annual "high gravity" meeting - everyone brought their barleywines, IIPAs/DIPAs, big belgians, imperial stouts, etc.  there was some really delicious stuff being passed around.  yes, i stumbled home.

I think it's a combo of bad quality control this year mixed with there are a just a lot much BETTER beers than Hopslam. Five years ago, it was absolutely epic… Now it's just another decent DIPA.

bummed I couldn't make it to high-gravity night.  worked till 9, and back at it 7am today…

i feel nugget nectar is more about the malt to hop balance, but that's just me.  hopslam is an assault of bitterness, and that can get old after you've tried so many hop-bombs.  wasn't someone on here saying your threshold for bitterness is decreased with the more hoppy beers you drink? makes sense.  i wonder if IPAs will soon become just your average tasting beer to beerheads.

I am trying to make my first lager.  Hopefully the corner of my basement is cold enough.