What are you drinking?

[pkt77242]

Founders Inperial Stout.

 

[palinurus]

Let me know what you think about it. I always struggle with recommending beers that I haven't had before.

Over the past 2 days I bought
4 pack of Founders Imperial Stout
Smuttynose Rock Road (Rocky Road is Smutty's first dessert stout. An indulgent blend of marshmallow Fluff™ and chocolately cacao nibs in a full bodied, sweet stout beer that has been aged on amaretto soaked oak chips. is the description). Could be good or really bad.
Stone Old Guardian Barleywine dry hopped with Pekko Hops

Will do. Tonight's the night. At worst, I'll just have to struggle through a six pack of hoppy beer

Re the second bold, wow! That's worth trying just to see.....

 

[palinurus]

Also has anyone had either
Stone Americano Stout or
Stone Encore 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

It is available by my parents (though sadly not by me) and they are coming to visit next weekend, so trying to decide if I should get some or not. Thanks

Haven't had either one, but based on my liking the Xocoveza by Stone, I'd sure try this one if I could.

 

[pkt77242]

Stone Old Guardian Dry Hopped with Pekko Hops. This is delicious. Like someone mixed a Barleywine and an IIPA.

N: Apricots, peaches, toffee, caramel malt, and some light walnut. Maybe a hint of tangerine as well.
P: Malt is more assertive here. Toffee, caramel malt, pecan praline, some orange marmalade, brown sugar and just a little of the peach and apricot.
F: Bitterness (orange rind?) starts to show up but still plenty of malt with flavors of slightly burned caramel, brown sugar, slight orange and peach sweetness. Bitterness grows stronger as it lingers on the tongue.

Not very true to style as far as barleywines go but it is very good, 91-94 rating. Definitely going to buy at least one more (if not 2 or 3 more). Almost reminds me of a triple IPA.

 

[pkt77242]

Will do. Tonight's the night. At worst, I'll just have to struggle through a six pack of hoppy beer

Re the second bold, wow! That's worth trying just to see.....

Nice. That would be a first world problem right there.

Yes the Rocky Road beer does sound good, I will have it tomorrow night and post my thoughts.

 

[pkt77242]

Haven't had either one, but based on my liking the Xocoveza by Stone, I'd sure try this one if I could.

Thank you. I ended up buying both online from a place by my parents and they are picking them up and bringing with them when they visit.

 

[Cackalacky]

I am really liking the Four Roses. Amazing for the price.

 

[kzoondfi]

I am really liking the Four Roses. Amazing for the price.

Four roses is quite good for the price. If you haven't had it, I think Larceny is very good for its price point as well.

 

[kzoondfi]

I bought a case of hop slam this year. Still one of my go to beers. I liked it better out of the bottles in the past. I feel it is losing its allure somewhat as it is becoming more available and bells is really expanding. They don't quite have the same eccentric and local feel they use to.

 

[CincyDamer]

I bought a case of hop slam this year. Still one of my go to beers. I liked it better out of the bottles in the past. I feel it is losing its allure somewhat as it is becoming more available and bells is really expanding. They don't quite have the same eccentric and local feel they use to.

Feel the beer has changed? Or just your sentiment towards expansion? Starting to wonder with all the craft beer expansion if the quality will decrease.

 

[CincyDamer]

Had pineapple sculpin. Good not great. I'd rank grapefruit, original, then pineapple. Still quality brew.

 

[woolybug25]

Had pineapple sculpin. Good not great. I'd rank grapefruit, original, then pineapple. Still quality brew.

So you don't think any of the Ballast Point brews are great?

Not gonna find too many people that agree with that.

 

[pkt77242]

Feel the beer has changed? Or just your sentiment towards expansion? Starting to wonder with all the craft beer expansion if the quality will decrease.

While I think that it generally happens, I will say that Stone has really kept their quality under control even with massive growth.

ETA: So I think that it is possible but very difficult.

 

[NDinMich]

Finally got into my Hopslam mini keg last night. As good as it always is.

 

[pkt77242]

Finally got into my Hopslam mini keg last night. As good as it always is.

And you were able to get up this morning?



For me, since I was up most of last night with a teething baby:
Starbucks Single Origin Guatemala Casi Cielo
Starbucks Single Origin Rwanda Rift Valley

 

[pkt77242]

So you don't think any of the Ballast Point brews are great?

Not gonna find too many people that agree with that.

I took it as him saying that the Pineapple Sculpin was good but not great (and that he thinks that Grapefruit Sculpin and the standard Sculpin are better than Pineapple Sculpin) not that he was saying that about Ballast Point.

 

[CincyDamer]

I took it as him saying that the Pineapple Sculpin was good but not great (and that he thinks that Grapefruit Sculpin and the standard Sculpin are better than Pineapple Sculpin) not that he was saying that about Ballast Point.

Yup. Ballast point makes great beer.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Had pineapple sculpin. Good not great. I'd rank grapefruit, original, then pineapple. Still quality brew.

Have you had habanero sculpin? If so, where would you put that?

I'm original, habanero, pineapple, grapefruit.

Also, I just had the watermelon dorado yesterday (fiancé picked some up). It'd awful. Really really bad. It isn't too awful going down, but the taste lingers forever. And by taste, I mean it's as if you're drinking crushed up watermelon jolly ranchers. It's sweetness is overpowering and artifical.

 

[woolybug25]

Have you had habanero sculpin? If so, where would you put that?

I'm original, habanero, pineapple, grapefruit.

Also, I just had the watermelon dorado yesterday (fiancé picked some up). It'd awful. Really really bad. It isn't too awful going down, but the taste lingers forever. And by taste, I mean it's as if you're drinking crushed up watermelon jolly ranchers. It's sweetness is overpowering and artifical.

I straight up disliked the habanero sculpin. I don't even get beers like that. Must be acquired taste or something.

Sorry CinciDamer, had a bit of dyslexia when reading your post. I was also pretty turnt.

 

[CincyDamer]

I straight up disliked the habanero sculpin. I don't even get beers like that. Must be acquired taste or something.

Sorry CinciDamer, had a bit of dyslexia when reading your post. I was also pretty turnt.

No worries.

Have not had the habanero. Thought about picking it up but I'm normally not a fan of habanero or jalapeño in beers. I'll give it a shot though.

 

[NDinMich]

And you were able to get up this morning?



For me, since I was up most of last night with a teething baby:
Starbucks Single Origin Guatemala Casi Cielo
Starbucks Single Origin Rwanda Rift Valley

This morning wasnt bad but the Hopslam was a day drinkin thing yesterday...night was rough.

I have had the habanero sculpin and I am with Wooly, found it undrinkable. But to each, their own. Was BS'ing with a bartender a while ago who told me they've used habanero sculpin in bloody marys. Thought that was a good idea if done right.

 

[pkt77242]

Bell's Hopslam DIPA from a pint glass.

Can people explain to me the love for this beer? I really want to understand it(and I believe that it is my third year having it). I think that the beer is a great beer (89-92 maybe 93 tops) but for $20 for a six pack it seems to me to fall short on QPR. Am I missing something? Do I have IPA fatigue?

 

[palinurus]

Troeg's Nugget Nectar -- 7.5 % Alchol/ 93 IBU:

Caveat up front: I haven't had a lot of Amber Ales; Bell's Amber and Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale are the two, I recall having had.

Highly carbonated, foam sticks to the glass -- used a snifter.

On the nose, floral, pine, citrus/grapefruit, almost woody.

Taste -- Kind of odd: at first, slightly malt forward, almost a tinny taste, not completely unpleasant. I'm thinking, "what the heck is this?" But then I liked it more as it went along. Malt, then pine, grass, citrus, hoppy and quite bitter. By the end, I'm thinking, "pretty good." Dry finish; aftertaste -- both malt and bitterness.

Bottom line: I liked it well enough, but not as much as Red Rocket or Bell's. Need to drink another.

 

[palinurus]

Templeton Rye, neat.

 

[woolybug25]

Bell's Hopslam DIPA from a pint glass.

Can people explain to me the love for this beer? I really want to understand it(and I believe that it is my third year having it). I think that the beer is a great beer (89-92 maybe 93 tops) but for $20 for a six pack it seems to me to fall short on QPR. Am I missing something? Do I have IPA fatigue?

First of all, I think I just like the taste of it more than you apparently. As I would put it at a 93 as a floor (it's rated at 98). In addition, it's really not that over priced when you consider its seasonal. (I.e. Supply & demand) Secondly, I routinely pay 12-15 bucks a pop for 22's of beers like Three Floyds Cimmerian Sabertooth Berzerker. So a sixer of a higher rates beer (98 vs 93), that's seasonal and has a slightly higher alcohol content (you drink less) seems reasonable.

 

[palinurus]

Thank you. I ended up buying both online from a place by my parents and they are picking them up and bringing with them when they visit.

I may be biased on this, but I like many chocolate stouts; same with oatmeal stouts -- Terrapin Coffee Oatmeal Stout is one of my favorites (though maybe I just like coffee stouts). From what I read, this one -- the one you're getting -- has a hoppy element that you may well like. Sounds interesting. Hope it's good.

 

[palinurus]

Speaking of chocolate stouts, picked up Rogue's Chocolate Stout today. Valentine's Day is for chocolate, after all.

 

[woolybug25]

I drank a chocolate beer once in my life. Don't even remember what it was, but I was 16 and my buddy lifted a case off a truck when the driver wasn't looking. We skipped out of school with a case of beer and a dream. Got to my place, cracked one open, and couldn't even finish it. We went back to school rather than drinking any more of them.

Ironically... Chocolate stout may have single handily turned my academics around.

 

[pkt77242]

First of all, I think I just like the taste of it more than you apparently. As I would put it at a 93 as a floor (it's rated at 98). In addition, it's really not that over priced when you consider its seasonal. (I.e. Supply & demand) Secondly, I routinely pay 12-15 bucks a pop for 22's of beers like Three Floyds Cimmerian Sabertooth Berzerker. So a sixer of a higher rates beer (98 vs 93), that's seasonal and has a slightly higher alcohol content (you drink less) seems reasonable.

Thank you, that is an absolutely fair assessment. I guess I compare it to Stone Enjoy By which I prefer and is a 6 pack for $16. Now I can understand that not everyone prefers Stone Enjoy By but it is very similar in ratings to Bell's Hopslam and is pretty limited (though not as limited as Hopslam).

 

[pkt77242]

Troeg's Nugget Nectar -- 7.5 % Alchol/ 93 IBU:

Caveat up front: I haven't had a lot of Amber Ales; Bell's Amber and Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale are the two, I recall having had.

Highly carbonated, foam sticks to the glass -- used a snifter.

On the nose, floral, pine, citrus/grapefruit, almost woody.

Taste -- Kind of odd: at first, slightly malt forward, almost a tinny taste, not completely unpleasant. I'm thinking, "what the heck is this?" But then I liked it more as it went along. Malt, then pine, grass, citrus, hoppy and quite bitter. By the end, I'm thinking, "pretty good." Dry finish; aftertaste -- both malt and bitterness.

Bottom line: I liked it well enough, but not as much as Red Rocket or Bell's. Need to drink another.

Thank you for the notes, and sorry that you didn't like it more. Is Green Flash available by you?