The Beer Thread

How about we kick Harpoon and Boston Brewing off the list because of their mediocrity?  ;)

Sierra Nevada and New Belgium are opening second breweries, both in Asheville (hey sweetcell: job opportunity!). Have to kick them off the list too.

If you're looking for some beer/food truck activity Saturday afternoon:

http://dcbeer.com/2012/03/15/livingsocial-announces-craft-beer-and-food-truck-festival-pre-sale-tickets-on-now/

renton007 wrote:
If you're looking for some beer/food truck activity Saturday afternoon:

http://dcbeer.com/2012/03/15/livingsocial-announces-craft-beer-and-food-truck-festival-pre-sale-tickets-on-now/

Once you cut out the stuff that's not worth drinking, you'd be better off staying home.

<s>Great Lakes
Jack?s Cider
Redstone
Evolution
Saranac
Sam Adam
New Belgium
Sierra Nevada
Magic Hat
Harpoon
Flying Dog
Leinenkugel/Blue Moon
Pilsner Urquell/Peroni
Woodchuck
Yeungling
Crown Imports (Negra Modelo, Modelo Especial)
Pabst Blue Ribbon</s>

I agree that the ones you crossed out are underwhelming except for Saranc but there are some solid gems like Ommegang, Dogfish Head and Lagunitas. 

wondered on down to the local draft emporium last night and had me some:
- Old Rasputin (tap): delicious.  should come with a knife and fork. 
- Victory Helios: they've re-branded their "V-Saison".  y'all gotta try this - might be my new favorite summer beer.  amazing subtle fruit flavors, some spice, nice hoppiness, sweet start and a crisp finish - downright complex.  gawd i hope it becomes a regular offering there 'cause i could see myself having one of these every time i drop in.  also made for a great break between the Rasputin and:
- Breckenridge '72 Imperial Chocolate Cream Stout (tap): another winner.  not too chocolate-y.
- Chimay blue (bottle): just because.  great way to finish the evening.

Hope those were small portions, or you probably aren't feeling so well right now. :)

There's another shipment of Williamsburg Alewerks Bitter Valentine just in at select beer locations. Act fast, these will be gone very quickly. I haven't had any yet, but its received raves on beeradvocate and ratebeer.

Fair Lakes Whole Foods is adding six more draft lines Friday, bringing their total to 16.

At $3.99 per draft ($7.99 for the really pricey stuff ), who needs to go to a real bar?

James wrote:

How about we kick Harpoon and Boston Brewing off the list because of their mediocrity?&nbsp; ;)

lol.  my visit to harpoon convinced me that they do make interesting beers: they are mostly in their "Leviathan" series.  harpoon's regular offering are indeed rather dull, with the possible exception of their new rye IPA.  harpoon is proud of the unique yeast strain but it's been criticized for being boring.  so makes sense that their best stuff is either a rye IPA (most of the flavor doesn't come from yeast), strong beers (same thing: malts and hops provide the strong flavors), and their belgians like the quad (they use a different yeast for these).  essentially, harpoon is good when is isn't trying to be harpoon ;D

i make no excuse for Boston Brewing.  however, i haven't tried their Barrel Room Collection nor the Hallertau Imperial Pilsner which looks interesting and gets good reviews.

James wrote:
Hope those were small portions, or you probably aren&#039;t feeling so well right now. :)

the two stouts were 8 oz pours, the helios was maybe 10 (came it its own glass, had a funny egg-like shape to it) and the chimay was an 11.2 oz bottle.  so not outta control and i was there for over 2 hours… but it's a good thing i was within walking distance of the hotel.

sweetcell wrote:
in other news:

Frederick Beer Week 2012
May 11-19
http://frederickbeer.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frederick-Beer-Week/189388711096750?sk=wall
(not a lot of info yet, more announcements to come.&nbsp; very much geared towards craft &amp; home brews)

website updated.

the kick-off event to Fredneck beer week is the Brewers Assoc of MD "Maryland Craft Beer Festival" - http://www.craftbeer.com/pages/news-and-events/calendar/show?title=brewers-assoc-of-md-maryland-craft-beer-festival (or http://www.mdcraftbeerfestival.com/)

Admittedly, I've only had two Harpoon beers. IPA=mediocre and barleywine (part of Leviathan series)=mediocre.

Others seem to agree.

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/harpoon-ipa/694/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/harpoon-leviathan-barleywine-style-ale/134254/

the barleywine does better over at beeradvocate: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/10097/63719 - the Bros give it a 93.  i've got a 4-pack in the cellar that i'll be sitting on for at least a year.  barleywines do a lot better with some aging.

the ipa is indeed mediocre, and that's being generous.  it's also their best-selling beer. *sigh*.

dubbel post.

I bought two a year ago and cellared one of them.

If you want to give more cred to the two dorky brothers who started the website and gave it a 93 over the 95 other reviewers who have given it an average of 84, go right ahead.

Either way, its 3.75 score is below the current 3.88 average for the English barleywine style.

rAvg: 3.75
pDev: 12%
High: 4.53
Low: 1.73



weighted rank (WR) = (v ÷ (v+m)) × R + (m ÷ (v+m)) × C

where:
R = review average for the beer
v = number of reviews for the beer
m = minimum reviews required to be considered (currently 10)
C = the mean across the list (currently 3.88)
But enough nerd talk. Let's drink a beer!

sweetcell wrote:
the barleywine does better over at beeradvocate: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/10097/63719 - the Bros give it a 93.&nbsp; i&#039;ve got a 4-pack in the cellar that i&#039;ll be sitting on for at least a year.&nbsp; barleywines do a lot better with some aging.

the ipa is indeed mediocre, and that&#039;s being generous.&nbsp; it&#039;s also their best-selling beer. *sigh*.

this might be more of interest for Baltimorians:

5th annual DuClaw Real Ale Festival
Saturday, Sept 8 (12 - 4 pm)
Bel Air, MD
http://www.realalefest.com/

$55 for all you can drink (real ale) and eat (roast pig and more).  shuttle busses available.

I'll be high atop Old Rag tomorrow drinking a Dales with my lunch.

No 420 for me, lol.

old rag  = mountain  = awesome

BB&T presents Brew at the Zoo
Saturday, May 26, 2012 - Sunday, May 27, 2012
1 p.m.- 7 p.m.
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
http://www.marylandzoo.org/2012/02/brew-at-the-zoo/

Buy Early, Get a FREE Hat! Purchase any general admission or VIP Brew ticket before April 30, 2012, and you'll receive a FREE Brew at the Zoo hat.

James wrote:
I&#039;ll be high

No 420 for me, lol.

uh huh.

Hope they keep the price low, the quality high, and keep the six pack format. 32oz of that stuff is alot to drink.

"On Lagunitas Sucks (paraphrased):

Lagunitas is also ?working hard? to put Lagunitas Sucks in 32 oz. stubby (squat) bottles. ?We?re going to cram it in next to the Schlitz malt Liquor and all the ?Hood beers.?? It will be a year-round release with varied packaging beginning this fall. Gives credit to Les Claypool and Primus who put out bumper stickers that said ?Primus Sucks.? Had wanted to do a beer called ?Lagunitas Sucks? for 10-12 years and finally had the opportunity when the company ran up against capacity and couldn?t produce some of its usual beers this past winter."

Drinking the last of my 2009 Bourbon County beers tonight. I'm not one to store beers but I wish I had more of these lying around.