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Great Beer....the sequel

In about 2 years time I've gone from drinking any beer I wanted in any quantity, to now barely being able to touch it. Not sure what it is, maybe gluten, but it messes my skin and hair up something fierce.

I'm pretty much relegated to bourbon. Anytime I have more than 2 beers I'm in for it.
 
New 2018 stats from @BeerInsights just out.


Big gainers (vs. 2017): Founders, Firestone Walker, Elysian, Golden Road, Cigar City.


Who's down: Boston, New Belgium, Goose, Deschutes, Ballast Point, Boulevard, Oskar Blues.


Modest growth: Sierra Nevada, Lagunitas, Bell's, Stone.

I enjoy most of them but also try avoiding most of those owned by macro beer companies like Elysian, Goose Island and Ballast Point. Also try to support my local breweries at least once a month.

Just found out that Wicked Weed is owned by AB Inbev. :cry:
 
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So I bought the KBS (founders Kentucky breakfast stout) hype last year and actually really enjoyed it. A guy told me he buys 2 four packs, one to drink now and one to drink the next year. So out of curiosity, I saved one from last year. I bought a 4 pack last week so tonight I drank the one I saved from last year.

Well, if you LOVE the bourbon flavor way more than the coffee or chocolate flavor, then you’ll love a year old kbs beer. They say they continue to age in that year.

Unfortunately, I do not love it. I actually will never save one for a year ever again. :joy:WAY too much bourbon flavor after sitting for a year. Do not recommend.
 
So I bought the KBS (founders Kentucky breakfast stout) hype last year and actually really enjoyed it. A guy told me he buys 2 four packs, one to drink now and one to drink the next year. So out of curiosity, I saved one from last year. I bought a 4 pack last week so tonight I drank the one I saved from last year.

Well, if you LOVE the bourbon flavor way more than the coffee or chocolate flavor, then you’ll love a year old kbs beer. They say they continue to age in that year.

Unfortunately, I do not love it. I actually will never save one for a year ever again. :joy:WAY too much bourbon flavor after sitting for a year. Do not recommend.
Not understanding how bourbon ages outside of a barrel unless we're talking fermentation inside of a bottle?? Is this even possible?
 
Not understanding how bourbon ages outside of a barrel unless we're talking fermentation inside of a bottle?? Is this even possible?

A lot of these new bourbon barrel stouts do change flavor over time in the bottle. Goose island even advertised that on the boxes of their $30 bottle of bourbon county stout this year. It actually says it ages for up to 5 years in the bottle. It’s obviously not soaking up the wood flavor from the barrel anymore since it’s no longer in the barrel, but my guess is the coffee and chocolate flavor decreases over time making it taste as though it did still age in the barrel since the bourbon flavor is more pronounced.
 
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So I bought the KBS (founders Kentucky breakfast stout) hype last year and actually really enjoyed it. A guy told me he buys 2 four packs, one to drink now and one to drink the next year. So out of curiosity, I saved one from last year. I bought a 4 pack last week so tonight I drank the one I saved from last year.

Well, if you LOVE the bourbon flavor way more than the coffee or chocolate flavor, then you’ll love a year old kbs beer. They say they continue to age in that year.

Unfortunately, I do not love it. I actually will never save one for a year ever again. :joy:WAY too much bourbon flavor after sitting for a year. Do not recommend.

I have a four pack from 2014 that I drank this year. The carbonation was about gone, but the flavor was awesome.
 
I also recommend aging most high gravity beers just to see how they change over time. Bells encourages people to drink Hopslam before April, but if you keep it until November or later, it actually takes on sort of a barleywine perspective and is still quite good, IMO.
 
My favorite local beer is this one. Florida Cracker. It is a Belgium style white ale that is smooth and delicious. It is a favorite of the girls on the beach.


enhance
 
Sweetwater 420 strain is the truth

My buddy just had that 2 weeks ago and absolutely loved it. I ended up having 1 or 2 and I liked it a lot too. I like IPA’s, I don’t necessarily love them, so I wouldn’t say I loved it. But for an IPA, it was really good. My buddy said he didn’t feel like it had as much bitterness as most ipa’s but still had some good IPA flavor.
 
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Stone double ipa called Fear Movie Lions is a awesome New England style ipa. Idk where they come up with the names for some of these beers but the beer itself overcomes it.
 
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FWIW, last time I checked there was plenty of KBS still available at the Whole Foods in Lexington. Not sure if they're producing more of that stuff or what, but it's a lot easier to get than it used to be.
 
That I've sampled and likely available in KY: Sixpoint Puff
Best of the style: Heady Topper. I plan on making a trip to VT especially for this brew.

A few good ones I've had are Boss Tweed and M-43 .. both great beers . And the kings of all NE IPA's in Ohio , anything from Sixth Sense , Jackson Oh. They are the very best . Murk Juice , Murkimus Jucimus , and many other varieties .
 
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Had a great can of Hazy Ms Daisy from ( sp?? ) Zigtag brewery outside Columbus , the can was great , bought 12 bottles at Jungle Jimmies and they were flat or bad or ?? something. 450North makes a Sour IPA that was great .. called " sapphire"
 
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Had a great can of Hazy Ms Daisy from ( sp?? ) Zigtag brewery outside Columbus , the can was great , bought 12 bottles at Jungle Jimmies and they were flat or bad or ?? something. 450North makes a Sour IPA that was great .. called " sapphire"
I love Jungle Jim's store in Cincy Eastgate. Spent $110+ on craft beer there a few years back. I have good friends who live nearby.
 
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My favorite local beer is this one. Florida Cracker. It is a Belgium style white ale that is smooth and delicious. It is a favorite of the girls on the beach.


enhance
Cigar City Brewing also makes Maduro, a brown ale. Absolutely delicious if you like a heavier beer.
 
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I usually like most everything Sierra Nevada makes but that brut ipa sucks ass. Save your money
Amyloglucosidase enzyme is responsible for the dryness. This enzyme first appeared in imperial stouts as a means for controlling sweetness.

Having said that, I'm not a fan of the style. Sierra Nevada's Brut interpretation also leaves much to be desired.
 
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FWIW, last time I checked there was plenty of KBS still available at the Whole Foods in Lexington. Not sure if they're producing more of that stuff or what, but it's a lot easier to get than it used to be.

It has been out a lot longer this year than in years past. I can actually still find bottles of CBS. Probably because it’s priced so high.
 
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Thin margins in this business so it makes sense and the best beer marketing companies don't necessarily make the best beers anyway. Sam Adams for example.
Sam Adams is what I define as Big Beer Junior. The firm is publicly traded. I had a chance to buy into their DRiPs back during the late-90s and should have. They aren't "Big Beer", but still attempt major mainstream appeal. I love Boston Lager on game day in the bottle. Can easily down a six during Cats football games and cheer or curse at the TV with reckless abandon. Love the taste, but only in a bottle. Crazy, I know.

Locally speaking, we see more and more formerly AB-InBev-only bars serving Boston Beer brews mainly because these products are not Bud, Busch, etc,. and millennials prefer it over Coors or Bud swill. Sort of a Tweener brand. They occasionally brew good suds. Imperial White and Nitros are absolutely killer Samuel Adams high-end brews. Black Harbor Stout is amazing. Drank in Little Rock a few years back. Their Utopia style is the stuff of legend.

Dirty little secret: Many Samuel Adams beers are contract brewed.
 
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Thin margins in this business so it makes sense and the best beer marketing companies don't necessarily make the best beers anyway. Sam Adams for example.

Not disagreeing...my only concern is maintaining the quality...Goose Island sold to one of the big beverage boys but one of the reasons was they have them handle the mass appeal beers and the brewers could focus more on the specialty beers such as the Goose Island Bourbon County offerings.
 
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