Yeah, I guess I should've qualified that with "similar flavor profile". I've actually got a couple 90 minutes in my fridge right now but they seem way more malty than the Hopslam or Double Trouble. Haven't had the Maximus. I need to rectify that.

Yeah I haven't had Hopslam or Double Trouble.

I think the Maximus was the one Bloor didn't like? It was one of the Lagunitas beers.

I officially only bought one drink at the Green Flash event, but had two flights and two Belgian goblets while I was there. I got some free swag including a pint glass, and sat in during Skype meeting with the brewers. I thought their products were above average, but generally a bit too hoppy for the style they were brewing. The Barley wine was the only style I found to be subdued.
I'm glad they are distributing their products here in Nebraska, and I can't wait for the Lagunitas party.

Is 2 Hearted a Double?

I just googled it, and came across the beer advocate page, and man no matter what beer you like, someone there will poo poo it.

So Shiv, I have this Blind Pig and Pliny in my fridge... it's supposed to be consumed as fresh as possible... let's plan a sampler party.

According to a quick browsing of the Beer Advocate list for American Double IPA's, Heady Topper from The Alchemist is available year round, as are Dreadnaught from Three Floyds, Ruination by Stone, Racer X from Bear Republic, Myrcenary from O'Dell and 90 minute IPA from Dogfish Head

That was the Censored Copper Ale. I've never had the Maximus either.

Speaking of Lagunitas, they've put out another run of that Holiday IPA that a lot of us liked.

Black Note will be a brewery-only release. All their 750s are.



I have no idea how but they missed the mark with HopSlam as it's very muted compared to years past. Sweet, boozy mess. None of the overpowering citrus every other year had. Same holds true with this latest batch of Double Trouble... tastes like a pale ale with extra water. Every other release, both of these beers fucking kill it. I was very disappointed.

Meanwhile, Zombie Dust is back!

Topper is the best, followed closely by Lawson's Double Sunshine and Hill-Farmstead's Galaxy and Abner. Something about Vermont... they kick out incredible DIPAs! Fresh Dreadnaught, Myrcenary and Surly Abrasive are all in the conversation as well.

Pliny is a no-brainer but after having it off the tap at the brewpub, I can never drink it out of the bottle again. That beer fades faster than any other IPA/DIPA I've ever had. Anything over 3 weeks, my snobbishness turns up.

Well, the recent release of Bourbon County Coffee (Intelligensia) just dropped yesterday and it's 1-bottle limits everywhere. All releases in the middle of the day, middle of the week, when most people are at work and still sells out in minutes, yes, minutes, because there are a plethora of students and non 9-5ers that are just as much the beer snob as me. Thank god I was on a list for this or I'd be fucked.

When King Henry came out, I got the email at 1:45 on a Thursday (36 bottles, 1 bottle limit, no list, no reservations, GO!). Ran to Binny's, was there at 2:06 and had missed it by 5 minutes. That's 36 people, that were able to get to this particular location, in the MIDDLE OF A THURSDAY, in under 20 minutes.

The Chicago scene is absolutely ridiculous. Things like 120 Minute sell out in under an hour. 120 Minute for Chrissakes.

I think the sweetness of Hopslam is a winner. Its a legit honey flavor instead of say, candy sugar. No, the bitterness isn't completely over the top like a lot of DIPA's but I didn't really expect that from a Bell's beer anyway. Fucking delicious and will knock you on your everloving ass.

But it's usually is a completely unbalanced, tropical, citrusy hop monster, like the name suggests. The honey used to be included for texture/mouthfeel and hardly detectable in the taste for the first few years. Lately, it's becoming more pronounced in all aspects.

I never tried the Hopslam unreleased EP so I'll have to take your word for it.

Sounds like I have two things to make sure of: 1) That I drink these Russian River beers quick (both bottled first week of January), and 2) that a trip to northern VT to bring back a case of Heady Topper is a must for this spring's motocamping trip.

The solution to y'all city dwellers' beer scarcity problem is pretty simple (and terrifying): Move to the suburbs. To wit, I walked into the store by my office and my local store near the house and bought sixers of Hopslam with little to no fanfare. Same with CBS.




Do it sooner rather than later and we can do a trade.

You're gonna love both, Squirg... just get them in the fridge. Blind Pig is terrific.

I was in VT last summer and hit the Alchemist Brewpub (RIP) and hit the Warren Store for Lawson's. Never made it to H-F but their beer was on tap everywhere... still, if you gan get to Greensboro, do it. They growler everything. Ephraim, Abner and Galaxy are all absolutely incredible and they put out amazing Saisons as well.

It's the same crap in the burbs... just not on that grand of a scale. Most of the suburban stores allotments are smaller... and people will drive all day to stock up on special releases. You're seeing more and more store owners keeping things in the back for only their top customers. It used to be all you had to do was ask... that's not necessarily the case anymore.

I hear ya. Right before Derris walked into Hop City yesterday, there were two dudes talking as they walked out, one was bragging that he had amassed 3 cases of HS. Douchey, but whatevs: Maybe he'll throw a good party for his pals.

Chances are he'll want to trade them... and ask for way too much in return. Or ebay... though the market for HS ain't that hot. Have you guys seen CBS's prices on there recently? For real fun, search Isabelle Proximus or anything Cantillon, like Blabaer. It's insanity that people are willing to pay those prices.

Holy shit, I've never looked at ebay for what my bottles are worth. People PAY that shit?

This shit is priceless...

I have a bottle of Wooden Hell which always and without fail goes for $500. Not every beer nerd buys beer to drink. I'd say at least 25% of people you see at releases are looking to profit from it.

I have to force myself to stash good beers. I almost forgot with the Founders Imperial Stout.

Fuck those people.

Fuck those people indeed. Black Tuesday (lots of Bruery beers), Veritas, Wooden Hell, Isabelle, most any Cantillon all go for insane prices. At least you can get Westy 12 at a decent price.

Oh, which reminds me, just wait until March when the monks send these extremely limited "bricks" over. You will never see such madness. It'll be like Tickle Me Elmo Cabbage Patch Sinbad all over again.

I read about that. I don't think I have the will power to even wade in. It is absolutely not 15x better than the other great belgians I can buy every damned day, a quarter mile from my house. But the effort / cash will be 15x more at least. Nerp.

Would be fun to watch the craziness though.