Definitely a good read and nice to know that Koch isn't out of touch and keeps a really even head about all of the BS that goes on in the craft brew world. Definitely a respectable guy, at least I'm inferring that from the interview.

Had a work thing off site today (actually in your neck of the woods) and just checked twitter. Looks like it came and went this afternoon.

Fucking RACKET I tells ya.

My local store got 3 cases of CBH at 2:30 yesterday and it was gone in under 30 minutes. Not surprising. Thankfully, this one wasn't high on my list....

Me neither although it certainly sounds like it would be good. And there must be more coming here next week--The guy at Total Wine said they were getting "a few bottles" next week, shoved a piece of paper in front of me to fill out and told me I had just reserved one of them. If you say so, Chief.

Dammit Odds, I edited your post instead of quoting it. My apologies.

No problem. Black Biscuit should be the next backstage release and that one is a stone cold killer!

Have got through a couple of those my wife bought me last week:


Caldera IPA: I dig the hell out of this!!! It tastes like the can looks. It's bright, crisp, fruity, weedy, and super-drinkable. This is going to be great for pre-Nats games here in a couple of months. I am pretty sure I have found my go-to six pack IPA for the spring/summer months.


Weyerbacher Double Simcoe: Pretty much what Cap said here--nothing real special. I drank it and couldn't tell you anything that distinguishes this from the 100 or so other perfectly acceptable IPAs on the local shelf. I'm sure it is just fine, but nothing special in my book.


Southern Tier 2X IPA: I don't know what to think about these Southern Tier guys. I don't think I have been disappointed by anything of theirs that I have had, though I haven't been absolutely blown away either--it does seem like they have a lot out there. This was a decent beer--big hops, very floral, no real spice behind it, so if that is your thing I wouldn't recommend this. I didn't like it as much as that Caldera, just wasn't as crisp--almost seemed like it was a bit watery by comparison but for something as overhopped as this it was still pretty drinkable. Not my favorite, just average I suppose.

I didn't try many new beers outside of the brewery tours and local beers during my home brew club trip to Lawrence, KS today, but I had a few choice beers:

New Glarus Spotted Cow
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale
Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye
Cain's Best Bitter

I have a whole shit ton of beer I will mention through out the next few weeks.

Where did you get a spotted cow?!

One recent...

Great Divide - Belgian Style Yeti

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. This was reeeeally fucking good. Thick, sweetish, but complex. Not as good as Burb County or KBS, but shitballs, very interesting and very good. It inspired me to wash my motorcycle for the first time in almost 2 years, so for that alone I owe it. A


And now, some shots from the amazing little craft beer store in Belmont Center.

The Can Section...



Long shot...


Part of the domestics section...



So in their belgian section, I found 2 that I fell in LOVE with in Belgium, that I have not seen anywhere else here... Achel Brown (real trappist product) and Straffe Hendrick Quad, the one I had on tap at the brewery in Brugge. Can't wait to have them. Of course I got more, too, - found more from Crooked Line, Six Point, and a local I've never heard of. If that store were closer I would be in T-r-o-u-b-l-e.

A person sitting in front of me on the Beer Bus had one with him, it was one of the rare beers of the trip that wasn't home brewed that was shared with others on the bus. The bottle didn't last long.

I went to a party this weekend at the home of one of my wife's work friends. When I got there the hostess asked me what I would have to drink.

"What kind of beer do you have?"
"Miller Lite."
I paused to wait and see if there were any other offerings coming up.

"Oh man, you're a BUD Light guy, huh?!"
"No, Miller Lite is fine." I smiled and took the Miller Lite.
Thankfully I did not ask for "anything better" or say something equally rude. I tend to forget sometimes that most folks don't drink like we in this thread do.

Actually, the Miller Lite was kinda perfect for that night. Tasted like college.

But it made me realize that I am, in fact, kinda a fucking snob.

Just found out that the first ever Grand Rapids Beer Week starts today. I'm not sure if I'll have a chance to participate, but I will try. There are a lot of good breweries around here, including Founders and Bells, which seem to be a liked by the Obner crowd, and more opening up.

List of participating breweries for SAVOR this year is out. Not sure how much tickets will be, but hopefully they will keep GA reasonable and try to make money on the limited salons. List of participants here http://www.savorcraftbeer.com/beer-food/savor-breweries/

Well, here is my answer. Not exactly cheap.

I love that store. I need to get over there again sometime. The ladies who run it are really nice too.

My friend Sam Riggins will be with Nebraska Brewing Company this year at SAVOR, since the brewery is attending some Firestone Walker event in California that weekend. He's pretty excited about getting to attend it this year. He usually has to attend the regional events or brew beer during the big beer events.


I forgot to mention that I was able to try Elder Brett: A Saison-Brett Golden Ale from Epic Brewing Co. in Utah this weekend.
It gets high marks for overall taste from Rate Beer and has one of the best bottle designs I have seen in a while.

I still say they owe me royalties for use of my image.

just the name of the beer sounds up my alley. For warm weather beers, I really dig Saisons and Golden Ales.

Recents...

Westmalle Trappist Tripel - Holy fuck, this is good. Every mouthful is like fifty different flavors. Just damn.

Bell's Winter Ale - Have been meaning to buy this since I figured my wife would like it. It's a good solid product, low ABV, nice flavor. Slice up an orange and you could kill a six in an hour.

Sierra Ruthless Rye - I have to admit, I thought the first one I had was somewhere between "just ok" and "openly terrible" and was kicking myself for buying a six instead of just say, a bomber of something decent. But I had another one last night while we were cutting the pod and settled on "merely alright".

The Bloors went out with the Derris' on Saturday...

Allagash Dubbel - Had this at Derris before we went out to eat. Not really much to it, no funk no really complex flavors. Just sorta there. Meh.

The place we ate had a pretty decent beer list, I had the:

Gouden Carolus "Hopsinjoor," A Belgian IPA, this was pretty fucking delish. Not quite as good as the Bittersweet Symphony for the style, but in the same neighborhood. Funk & hops.

I thought the Sierra Nevada Ruthless rye was decent, but not outstanding. The hops are well balanced and it is essentially a session beer at 6.6 ABV.
I was glad it wasn't a hop bomb and thought the pepper notes from the rye really balanced well with the citrus from the whole cone hops.

The Hopsinjoor is fantastic. I don't think I have had a bad beer made by Brouwerij Het Anker yet.

Must've had 15 of those in Belgium. They are EVERYWHERE. Grocery store, taco joint, lunch place along the bike trails, just everywhere. And when the place only had 5 beers to chose from, and I'd already had them all... it was Westmalle Tripel.

So basically you were hammered the whole time?

Had a tasting over the weekend.

Sixpoint Bolshoi (2005)
Bottleworks VII (2006)
Bligh's Barleywine
Abacus (2010)
Churchill's Finest Hour (2011)
Double Barrel Aged Zhukov's
Rascal Creek Old Incinerator Barleywine (2004)
Three Floyd's Cuvee Du Viking
Dark Lord (2008)
CBS

Churchill's was the standout for stouts with CBS and DBA Zhukov's closely behind. Shockingly the near 7 year old Bolshoi still had legs to it and was delicious once it warmed up. The Issaquah Bottleworks VII was half sludgy yeast in the bottom. More evidence to drink your beer sooner than way later! For the Barleywines... Abacus just continues to age gracefully.

The second beer from a defunct brewery, Old Incinerator, was pretty decent as well. Lots of oxidation but the brandy barrel was still evident. I have another bottle which I believe to be the last bottle in existence.

Yeah.

Breakfast, bike 15 miles slowly, and then lunch with 2 beers, followed by 15 more miles. Then 2 more with dinner. Rinse repeat.