Booze The recommend-a-beer thread

  • Thread starter Thread starter Obediah
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If you go can you pick me up a case of Class V?

If they have it on tap you should be able to get a growler of Citra, as far as I know.
 
The general feeling I get is that the brews in our own back yard are just as good, if not better, than what is getting all the hype back east. I guess we're lucky to be in SoCal where there are way more than enough great breweries that we don't really need to go chase down out of state stuff.

I've gotten my hands on some hyped stuff from the east before and while some of it has been very very good, none of it has blown anything here out of the water. The amount of bickering over "which beer is best" on BA has turned me off of that site. Now I read it just for entertainment value to see how many people just don't "get it". To me, beer is still a regional thing. I'm sure Heady Topper is a damn fine beer, but is it so much better than what is readily available out here? And, if I was over there would I think PtE was far superior to HT? Who cares which beer "is best"? There are a million beers out there that I'll probably never try, what's the use is getting in an online pissing match over it?

I sometimes wonder if BA is actually doing a disservice to craft beer. Not so much the site itself, but this culture of snobbish douches that seems to be growing. For me it's not about hunting down "the best beers" and putting it on my resume, it's about exploring what is out there, drinking good beer, and supporting smaller businesses.

Just my aimless rant.
 
KRBC Citra is next on the bucket list. Still being offered at the brewery? Can you purchase it in a growler? I may go up this weekend.

they brew it two or three times a year, and when released, the Citra can be gone in less than a week. best join their mailing list for updates.
 
Tried a few more drafts...

Great Divide Brewing Co.: Collette Farmhouse Ale 7.3 ABV
Brewery Ommegang: Hennepin Farmhouse Ale 7.7 ABV
Eagle Rock Brewery: Populist Am. Pale Ale 7 ABV
Hanger 24 Brewery: Hanger 24 Orange Wheat Fruit Beer 4.6 ABV

Also found a new Craft Beer Retailer near me called Bottle Craft which also has tables where you can drink their offerings (with an uncapping fee).

Tried out bottles of (that I can remember as I shared a few others with the girl I'm dating and her friends)

Ballast Point Brewing Co.: Pale Ale 4.6 ABV
Ballast Point Brewing Co.: Big Eye IPA 7 ABV
Cerveza Cucapa: Chupacabras Pale Ale 5.8 ABV
Lagunitas Brewing Co.: Lagunitas Sucks Brown Shugga' Substitution Ale 7.75 ABV
Brasserie de Silly: Scotch Silly Scottish Style Ale 8 ABV
 
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The general feeling I get is that the brews in our own back yard are just as good, if not better, than what is getting all the hype back east. I guess we're lucky to be in SoCal where there are way more than enough great breweries that we don't really need to go chase down out of state stuff.

I've gotten my hands on some hyped stuff from the east before and while some of it has been very very good, none of it has blown anything here out of the water. The amount of bickering over "which beer is best" on BA has turned me off of that site. Now I read it just for entertainment value to see how many people just don't "get it". To me, beer is still a regional thing. I'm sure Heady Topper is a damn fine beer, but is it so much better than what is readily available out here? And, if I was over there would I think PtE was far superior to HT? Who cares which beer "is best"? There are a million beers out there that I'll probably never try, what's the use is getting in an online pissing match over it?

I sometimes wonder if BA is actually doing a disservice to craft beer. Not so much the site itself, but this culture of snobbish douches that seems to be growing. For me it's not about hunting down "the best beers" and putting it on my resume, it's about exploring what is out there, drinking good beer, and supporting smaller businesses.

Just my aimless rant.

Very good points. I agree with all you've stated. We're really fortunate to live in CA (most of us) b/c even if you live in BFE you probably have a solid craft brewery operating somewhere nearby and you can get fresh, very well made, delicious beer of all variety. Hell, even the chain grocery markets are stocking Firestone, Lagunitas, Green Flash, Ballast Point, Heretic, Sierra Nevada, Bear Republic, North Coast - the list goes on. And to your point about ballyhoo'd beers from the other coast - I haven't found anything that I go out of my way to ever buy. Though when summer hits I drink a lot of Ommegang Hennepin Saison...
 
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Spent a couple of days in Chicago last week. I drank a ****-ton of Bell's Two Hearted Ale. Believe the hype. It's so good it could be from California......:101smile: Also brought back a gaggle of Founder's Breakfast Stout that I haven't tasted yet. I'm assuming I won't be disappointed.
 
One of the bombers I brought back from Chicago was Three Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf IIPA. There is no way that this thing is a 9% ABV. It drinks WAY too smoothly. And what a massive flavor bomb. Huge floral/piney/fruity hop nose - the sort of thing just draws me in quickly. Very balanced, great mouth-feel, awesome bitter hit with a sweet malt flavor from start to long finish. I love this stuff. I wish I had brought a couple more back. Highly recommended.

Tonight I'll be opening my first Avery Maharaja..........Can't wait.
 
Marin Brewing night tonight at Beachwood Seal Beach starting at 6. On the menu will be White Knuckle DIPA, Brass Knuckle DIPA and 3 Flowers IPA among others. I'll be walking in with a 3 liter bottle of their Quad. One TV, can 99.365% guarantee it will be showing the NCAA games, so no Kings/Blues (I'm DVR'n) but I would bet those will still be pouring Friday into the weekend.
 
Update: 3 Flowers keg was sent to Wood in the Hood (Long Beach BBQ). Great beer, worth trying. Grab the Brass Knuckle and Wimpy Session IPA (Marin/Green Flash collab) at Seal while you can. Top notch. The Habanero Sculpin from Ballast didn't suck either, just enough spice. The Platypus Venom Imperial Stout from Marin was heavy on the licorice; if you like that in a imp. stout, get it.

Always stay updated:

http://beachwoodbbq.com/hopcam.html
 
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Avery Brewing The Maharaja IIPA...Got to have my first last night and I was not disappointed. First off, the nose was exquisite. I just wanted to keep breathing in the aromas of fruits and resiny evergreen pine with that stiff malt backbone in the background. I knew before the first quaff that I was going to love this beer. First taste and I was instantly reminded of Drake's Denogginizer - only better. A lot better. And I LOVE Denogginizer. And being that Denogginizer is my GF's favorite beer, I HAD to share. Like me, she fell in love with The Maharaja. If you dig big IPA's, this is a real winner. And by big, I mean BIG. It clocks in at 10.4% ABV, but you'd swear you're drinking a 6.5%. It is just so eloquently balanced. Sublime brew. I will seek this out always and when I find it I will buy it by the case. HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended.
 
Tried on Tap...
-Kiuchi Brewery: Hitachino Nest Commemorative Ale (9 ABV)
-Kiuchi Brewery: Hitachino Nest Red Rice Pale Ale (7 ABV)

-Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.: St. Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition (5.0 ABV)
Very bitter but it paired well with the sweetness of the dish I had of Chinese Chicken Salad which contained mandarin orange slices and candied peanut brittle pieces.
 
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Putting down a Caldera Mogli for the Minny game. Oak-aged Imperial Porter w/ Chocolate. 8.5%. New batch recently hit the SoCal area. Pricey, but yum.

Caldera+Mogli.jpg
 
Cracked open a bottle of KRBC Winter Ale. Hoppy deliciousness. Not as malty as I remember Citra, with a bit more biting hoppy dryness. Excellent. Jesus F I wish KRBC would have better distribution. Speaking of which, I snagged a bottle of JOIPA which was sitting all by its lonesome on a shelf at Total Wine. Don't know how old it is and didn't see anymore in the whole store, but it's the first bottle I've seen of it in a year. If there was more there I probably would have bought the whole lot.
 
impossible if they were that old. unless you were being sarcastic....

the other day I was surprised to see bottles of Isabella Blonde at a local shop. first time I had seen those ales out here ever. usually see just the JO, V and the Winter. once found an anniversary release a few years back before their Citras put KRBC on the map for all to see.
 
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