state your beer, drinkers

[shufon]

Hopslam is pretty notorious for fading really quickly ren and it's already been out for nearly two months now.. I have a hard time judging IPAs like that when I can't get them fresh. I feel like it's the same situation as when east coasters get Sculpin (that's usually not fresh) and don't understand the hype.

[renski]

I feel as long as its properly stored (refrigerated) , they should taste just fine within a few months compared to if they were left on shelf at room temperature. I've noticed certain IPAs do shelf better than others and there are some that I will only drink during it's seasonal release.

[shufon]

Yeah, I usually believe the refrigerating hoppy beers will prolong the life a little but, but I remember reading thread about Hopslam on BA about how it is pretty much dead after 6 weeks, refrigerated or not.. I'll see if I can find it and post a link.

[sacredblue]

[youkinorn2]

Probably going to hit up this thing at Blind Tiger:

Looks like they are going to have some interesting stuff:

lchemist Heady Topper (Double IPA)

Alchemist Petit Mutant (Wild Beer)

Alchemist Farmer’s Daughter (American Farmhouse)

Hill Farmstead Edward (Gravity Cask) (American Pale Ale)

Hill Farmstead Abner (Double IPA)

Hill Farmstead Foster (Rye IPA)

Hill Farmstead Everett (Porter

Hill Farmstead Art (Barrel-Aged Farmhouse Ale)

Lawson’s Finest Fayston Maple Imperial Stout

Lawson’s Finest Double Sunshine (Double IPA)

American Flatbread Narconaut (Black IPA)

American Flatbread London Calling (English-Style Session)

American Flatbread Old Ale

American Flatbread Lunatique (Hoppy Belgian-Style Farmhouse)

Von Trapp Trosten Bier (Black Lager)

[shufon]

Oh fuck dude I'm so jealous of you right now.. all that Hill Farmstead and Alchemist.. drink the shit out of some Heady Topper!

Wow seriously considering skipping classes to come down to the city for that.. haha

[renski]

i'd skip school for beer + cheese.

[soonami]

Yeah that is a killer event that is probably never going to be replicated. It's not like the Stone or Founders, which do events all across the country. These are breweries that don't really bottle and distribute locally (although we get HFH in Philly). This is going to be special. You should definitely get there when it opens because you want to make sure you get some Heady Topper and HFH Abner and LF Double Sunshine (in that order) you won't get too many more opportunities to tick those

[dranoelsy]

Dat Optimator

if the colour brown had a taste, it would probably taste a lot like this

but that doesnt mean i didnt like it

[shufon]

@ren - driving 4 hours each way is the main thing that would hold me back.. it's such a pain in the ass getting down to the city from here.

@soonami - yeah, the lineup is insane.. it's crazy enough to have the opportunity to just try one of the beers in the lineup.. being able to try all of them would be incredible.

Going to call my friend and see what's up with crashing at his place on Wednesday night..

[renski]

got to drink a Ithaca flower powe that was an extra in a trade, might have been not as fresh as I wanted as the hop aroma was there but the taste was a bit mellow.

tried following it up with a bottle of hopslam but I think these bottles are just done. I guess I have to be on time when they are released.

[TheNorthern]

it's blue moon tonight..

[the Repeater]

Yawn. Like, erryday.

[youkinorn2]

Yeah that is a killer event that is probably never going to be replicated. It's not like the Stone or Founders, which do events all across the country. These are breweries that don't really bottle and distribute locally (although we get HFH in Philly). This is going to be special. You should definitely get there when it opens because you want to make sure you get some Heady Topper and HFH Abner and LF Double Sunshine (in that order) you won't get too many more opportunities to tick those

Heady Topper and Petit Mutant are top 2 on my list, I think.

Latter mostly because wild ales have always been hard for me to find and I like them a lot.

I'll definitely get there at 4.

Actually hoping I won't be able to go, though, because that will mean that this freelance gig I'm hoping to get came through. If it doesn't, though (and I'm not optimistic), I'll be there spending too much money I don't have on great beer to wash my sorrows away, ha.

[Stylish Pilot]

Pretty good for a porter. Alcohol smell, but a lot of burnt coffee flavors.

[shufon]

^Never been a fan of Left Hand beers.

Anyway, decided to up my glassware game.. anybody know a good place online to get quality glassware?

[Happy Hooligan]

picked these up today, plus a 6 pack of Ellie Brown...

I'm having that Nelson right now. It's full of fruitiness. Has a real Mango smell to it, very smooth and light.

[concealed]

^Never been a fan of Left Hand beers.

Anyway, decided to up my glassware game.. anybody know a good place online to get quality glassware?

New Belgium had a sweet deal 2 of their globe glasses (used below) for 6$ around xmas time, but I think that's over

I got a tulip at Crate & Barrel for 6$ that is the same as the Stone/Portsmouth tulips I saw at the respective breweries

I wouldn't buy online since they rape you on shipping, you can probably get a tulip glass from Ithaca Beer Co or a local beer bar/liquor store should be able to sell you one, or ask for one from one of your trade partners

Sipping on the Berkshire Brewing "Holidale" Barleywine - it's ok, but I am looking forward to my next Nugget Nectar, went through nearly half the case, and I have a fridge full of beer!

That Vermont tasting in NYC is amazing, I wish I didn't have a full time job in Boston to hold down !

[concealed]

So jealous of you San Diego people who can get Alpine on the regular

I have heard good things about the Stone Belgo Barleywine, definitely going to pick up a couple bottles when it shows up on shelves here

[shufon]

Yeah a couple of tulips is what I'm looking for.. I have looked at the beer stores here and the brewery, but nowhere has them. I might just see if my friend can give/sell me a couple from his bar, or at least pick up some extras from his distributor to give me.

Anyway, had Ithaca Gorges the other night.. almost had every beer from Ithaca now. Decent porter, nothing special.. did hide it's alcohol really well though.

Sipping on this right now.. my friend's Founders Breakfast Stout clone. He told me he thought he put too much coffee in it.. he was right, I could mistake this for cold coffee, but I love coffee, so.. haha, I could drink this stuff every day.

[renski]

HH. that's my favorite IPA at the moment. I could have one daily and not get tired of it. all of their IPAs are great. haven't tried

belgian OG yet.

[thomas_collins]

Not a huge DFH fan, but this is pretty good as far as novelty IPAs go.

[shufon]

@ren - you liking Nelson more than this year's Expo? Expo is getting mad hype on BA, people claiming this year's is better than Younger and whatnot.

Anyway, working on getting a growler of Vuja De

Flower Power and Cascazilla for a growler of that stuff + some other Cigar City bottles

[concealed]

^ bargain

you cant compare nelson to a DIPA (expo)...

[shufon]

Oh I know. The other CC stuff is Guava Grove and Seabass 750s. Also checking to see if he can get me some fresh Jai Alai in a growler, or possibly some of the aged Jai Alai if they have a variation on tap right now.

Apparently he's an Ithaca native who misses the beer.. good news for me

[concealed]

I can get the whole Ithaca lineup here in Boston and I have never even tried Jai Alai, share the wealth

[Arsenal!]

I was lucky enough to come across Rogue's Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout this weekend. Lacked that coffee-like finish that I typically love in oatmeal stouts, but nice chocolate undertones and incredibly smooth.

If anyone has some suggestions for Chicago-based oatmeal stouts, itd be most appreciated.

[shufon]

Jai Alai is good stuff, had it on tap at Rattle n Hum in late 2008 before I even knew anything about Cigar City.

@Arsenal! - Look for New Glarus Road Slush.. I'm assuming you can get that in Chicago. I think Three Floyds does one too but I dunno if it's bottled.

[Arsenal!]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will look into them! Forgot to mention that as Im underage, I can only go for bottles.

[renski]

well technically they call expo a triple. if expo was a year round release i'd drink it everyday, while its seasonal i do tend to indulge as much as i can. nelson is great for a citra rye IPA.

i haven't got to try this years PtY yet, but i can say this years expo is really smooth for a IIIPA and definitely drinkable. 2009 was great, 2010 had the alcohol aftertaste, so they got 2011 to be a winner! my wife does not like the extremely hoppy stuff like i do especially pure/expo but she was able to drink a glass of this years expo.