OT: Craft Beer For Easter/Spring

rcube1994

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Feb 3, 2004
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My "gateway" craft beer recommendations...Victory Golden Monkey, which is a Belgian tripel, Allagash White, a Witbier, and Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. I refer to beers like wheat beers as "gateway beers"; beers that a person drinks in his transition from macro to craft.
Thanks, will look for those.
 

Jumba72

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Nov 27, 2005
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The Balvenie is excellent and worth the money.

The Pappy, not so much. It's good, but it's not THAT good. It pays to know the genetics of bourbon, because it's much more complex than scotch. PVW is Buffalo Trace's W.L. Weller wheated bourbon kept in the barrel extra long. For some reason it achieved a cult status that far surpasses its quality.

Buffalo Trace is an excellent distiller, but PVW is one of those bourbons that you should only buy with other people's money. BT's Eagle Rare is a much better value.
The Pappy's popularity is probably due to its limited availability. BT also distributes McGuillicutty's(sp?) so if your bar or liquor store deals tons of the minty syrup they'll allow you to buy a bottle of the valuable bourbon. It goes for about $2G on the secondary market but if you have such credentials they'll let you have it for $300.

Thanks to the OP for starting this thread. Craft brews nowadays contain too much alcohol, and hops for my taste. I like a smooth malty brew. Great Lakes Brewing products really fill that bill.
 

bigmatt718

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The Pappy's popularity is probably due to its limited availability. BT also distributes McGuillicutty's(sp?) so if your bar or liquor store deals tons of the minty syrup they'll allow you to buy a bottle of the valuable bourbon. It goes for about $2G on the secondary market but if you have such credentials they'll let you have it for $300.

Thanks to the OP for starting this thread. Craft brews nowadays contain too much alcohol, and hops for my taste. I like a smooth malty brew. Great Lakes Brewing products really fill that bill.
Some do, not all. Try to find 2SP Delco Lager or something like that. Not everyone is a hophead in the craft beer world, I personally prefer stouts and porters.
 

Jumba72

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Thanks. Will try and find some at The Thirsty Quaker here in JC.
 
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FELONIOUSMONK

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Apr 1, 2012
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I am a small time drinker but had a Purple Haze craft beer at Destination Dogs in New Brunswick last week. The dawg was perfect and so was the brew.
 
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MulletCork

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Sep 1, 2012
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Had the Abita Big Easy IPA earlier. Good stuff. Recall drinking many Turbodogs in New Orleans before too. Good brews.
 

Leonard23

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Just had some Bruery Or Xata (good light spring beer) & Boulevard Smokestack X Aztec Chocolate 2015....so good
 
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bigmatt718

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Just had some Bruery Or Xata (good light spring beer) & Boulevard Smokestack X Aztec Chocolate 2015....so good
If you can find the Boulevard Rye on Rye on Rye, get it. Out-freaking-standing. Epic from Salt Lake City makes Big Bad Baptist, another dynamite Imperial Stout...their Baptista the Mexican chocolate variant is even better. I'm about to crack open a Firestone Walker Leo vs Ursus DIPA.
 
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Knightmoves

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If you can find the Boulevard Rye on Rye on Rye, get it. Out-freaking-standing. Epic from Salt Lake City makes Big Bad Baptist, another dynamite Imperial Stout...their Baptista the Mexican chocolate variant is even better. I'm about to crack open a Firestone Walker Leo vs Ursus DIPA.

I have a Big Bad Baptist Imp Stout from Epic ready for a bottle share on Tuesday with some friends. Bought it in Asheville a few months ago. Wicked Weed and Funkatorium were amazing stops there.

Speaking of lagers someone mentioned Jack's Abby. That is my top shelf American lager series. I visit the brewery each year on trips to Boston and takeout as many packaged goods as I can. In addition to lagers they have a Baltic Porter series called Framinghammer that is outstanding.
 

bigmatt718

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I have a Big Bad Baptist Imp Stout from Epic ready for a bottle share on Tuesday with some friends. Bought it in Asheville a few months ago. Wicked Weed and Funkatorium were amazing stops there.

Speaking of lagers someone mentioned Jack's Abby. That is my top shelf American lager series. I visit the brewery each year on trips to Boston and takeout as many packaged goods as I can. In addition to lagers they have a Baltic Porter series called Framinghammer that is outstanding.
I love Jack's Abby. They just made a collab ale with Sole up in Allentown called Wicked Philthy, an IPL that I haven't had yet but will very, very soon. Framinghammer is very solid stuff as well. I'm all about the Dark Beers normally...stouts, porters, RIS's, especially Barrel Aged, but will drink nearly any style of beer. Really looking forward to seeing what breweries will be invading Philly Beer Week, what events and tap takeovers are "on tap", pun intended ha. The Triple B will be a hit at your bottle share, I had brought the Big Bad Baptista to one of mine here in Philly right before Christmas last year and everyone raved about it.
 
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bigmatt718

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http://flowingdata.com/2015/10/26/top-brewery-road-trip-routed-algorithmically/

This is my bucket list at some point...if I ever find myself fall into a large amount of money to take off of work for about a year or so, I'm just going to rent an RV and do this trek around the US. It's a list of all the top craft breweries in the Lower 48 by rating on Beer Advocate. It doesn't even include ones I'd hit along the way like The Veil and Hardywood in Richmond, Virginia (VA is probably the fastest growing craft beer state in the US right now), Other Half, Grimm and Finback in Brooklyn, Bissell Brothers in Maine, Two Roads in Connecticut, Golden Road in Los Angeles.
 
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bigmatt718

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G$$

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Did well with KBS so one big bottle goes to Niece's for Easter along with a 2015 Abyss from Deschutes. Sat is Central Waters Special Reserve stout. Got a four pack at Wegmans.

Love the Big Bad Baptist and glad it made it to NJ. Have a Double Barrel Baptist but whiffed on the Big Bad Baptista.

Also really like Speedway Stout and Imperial Biscotti Break.

Scored three Parabolas last year but was unimpressed. Good but over hyped imho. Cellared the other two.

Hopping Frog BORIS and DORIS are nice stouts but a little hoppy for me. I like them with a year on them as it takes a little of the hop out (not all!)
 
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bigmatt718

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Did well with KBS so one big bottle goes to Niece's for Easter along with a 2015 Abyss from Deschutes. Sat is Central Waters Special Reserve stout. Got a four pack at Wegmans.

Love the Big Bad Baptist and glad it made it to NJ. Have a Double Barrel Baptist but whiffed on the Big Bad Baptista.

Also really like Speedway Stout and Imperial Biscotti Break.

Scored three Parabolas last year but was unimpressed. Good but over hyped imho. Cellared the other two.

Hopping Frog BORIS and DORIS are nice stouts but a little hoppy for me. I like them with a year on them as it takes a little of the hop out (not all!)
Keep your fingers crossed that Prairie and Perennial are available in NJ at some point soon. Prairie's Bomb Series and Apple Brandy Barrel Noir and Perennial Sump/Abraxas are Stouts to definitely add to the list if you are a dark beer fan like myself. Avery also kills it with the Imperial Stouts like Uncle Jacob's and Tweak.
 
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G$$

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Had Prairie Bomb beers and liked them a lot. Avery has been sort of hit or miss with me - really really liked the Callipygian and like Tweak and Mephistopheles but didn't like Samaels (sp) as it was too sweet.

Also BA Ten Fidy was one of my all time favorites. Have two cans left but not ageing them. Good just the way they are.
 
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bigmatt718

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Had Prairie Bomb beers and liked them a lot. Avery has been sort of hit or miss with me - really really liked the Callipygian and like Tweak and Mephistopheles but didn't like Samaels (sp) as it was too sweet.

Also BA Ten Fidy was one of my all time favorites. Have two cans left but not ageing them. Good just the way they are.
I really, really hope Rum BA Ten Fidy and Death by Coconut make it out here next fall. Absolutely outstanding. Almanac Barbury Coast is another one I highly recommend for the stouts/porters, also Lagunitas High Westified when it comes out in November/December.
 

rurichdog

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Just found out my wife's uncle is diagnosed alcoholic so now I've been "asked" to put all my beer & wine I bought for the gathering under lock & key. Gotta love it...
 

bigmatt718

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Just found out my wife's uncle is diagnosed alcoholic so now I've been "asked" to put all my beer & wine I bought for the gathering under lock & key. Gotta love it...
If they are Stouts/Porters/Belgians with 8%+ ABV or above, or any Sours will age magnificantly via cellaring. IPAs, not so much.
 

G$$

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Second your Launitas High Westified. Gave up on it and then went to North Plainfield SBR and they had three sitting out with the single beers. Got one left.

Not everything improves with age although you provide a good guide. I tried ageing KBS but found it was better "fresh". It didn't get bad but I just liked it better.

I have GI BCS (14), Bell's Expedition(12) and Deschutes Abyss (9) aging. Started two years ago. It's been fun.
 
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bigmatt718

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RU4Real could help me out on this one, or any fans of rye whiskey for that matter. What are your thoughts on Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey? Heard they age Sump/21/Abraxas in it and I'd like to get some feedback on if it is a quality rye whiskey or not. Me being from Philly, the name alone piqued my interest...might have to seek that one out lol.
 
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Jack's Goal Line Stand in Long Branch has a small keg of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout that they were tapping at 5 pm on Fri. (4/14). Only 50 pours available. Not sure if any left, but if you're in the area....
 
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Leonard23

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Brooklyn Intensified Coffee Porter today
http://flowingdata.com/2015/10/26/top-brewery-road-trip-routed-algorithmically/

This is my bucket list at some point...if I ever find myself fall into a large amount of money to take off of work for about a year or so, I'm just going to rent an RV and do this trek around the US. It's a list of all the top craft breweries in the Lower 48 by rating on Beer Advocate. It doesn't even include ones I'd hit along the way like The Veil and Hardywood in Richmond, Virginia (VA is probably the fastest growing craft beer state in the US right now), Other Half, Grimm and Finback in Brooklyn, Bissell Brothers in Maine, Two Roads in Connecticut, Golden Road in Los Angeles.
I bought some Hardywood Gingerbread Stout at Frank And Dot's Beer Depot Beer Store in Easton, Pa a few weeks ago (might have some left). It was good. At Trillium, I bought 3 Trillbomb's, a collab between Trillium & Prairie, which was good but not as good as regular Prairie Bomb.
Keep your fingers crossed that Prairie and Perennial are available in NJ at some point soon. Prairie's Bomb Series and Apple Brandy Barrel Noir and Perennial Sump/Abraxas are Stouts to definitely add to the list if you are a dark beer fan like myself. Avery also kills it with the Imperial Stouts like Uncle Jacob's and Tweak.
They really need to come to NJ.
 
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G$$

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KBS fresh to me is overrated.

Respectfully disagree. I have tried it fresh, one year and two year side by side and I am fine with fresh. But, to each his own.

Now BCS at three years is a diff story.
 

bigmatt718

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PA is a state where the grocery stores have better beer than 90% of bars do. I was drinking Stone Enjoy By 4.20 and Evil Twin Yin and Yang on draft at Whole Foods Logan Square last night.