Palette and the landscape of beer in general. We have to remember that Hopslam isn't a new beer. When it was made for the first time, it was a remarkable beer because things like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was still considered a hoppy beer. I watched a short video of a dude at Lagunitas talking about Hop Stoopid and he said essentially that: when we made it, it was outrageously hoppy for the market, now it's just a well balanced IPA. With Hopslam, it was an outrageously hoppy IPA with a big, sweet backbone. But now that things like Sculpin and other lower-malted IPAs are flourishing, Hopslam is big, sticky, sweet malt bomb with a pretty resiny bite that just doesn't jive with the market at the moment.
Hop Stoopid was one of my first loves. It was always at my local distributor, it was delicious and it was like $4 a bomber. You can't beat that. It was a simpler time!
How was Black Note this year? Never got a chance to try it, but just sent some to my Uncle, so hoping it's good!
I may actually finally get some black note. The place I used to go to in Port Huron is holding some of his rare releases back until his remodeling is finished to do a big event releasing them all, and he told me he'll save me some.
Cantilion makes it to Michigan is such limited quantities that I've never had anything from them. They're very high up on my list of breweries I desperately want to try. Even Tilquin is pretty limited here, at least in my area. I've never had a Hill Farm beer, either. A lot of that, though, is the fact that I just don't do much trading. I need to make a New England trip soon.
Yeah only Cantillion I've had is from people gracious enough to send it to me. Been to HF once. And my brother has been kind enough to bring me bottles home from his trips. Anna is heavenly.
Had a Heady last night that a customer brought in to share with us (along with a BBA Ivan The Terrible which was quite good and surprising because the base beer Ivan The Terrible is ... not good). Always good to have some Heady after not having it for a year plus. Very good beer.
Had an interesting beer the other day called Fruit Face from Mikkeller San Diego. A raspberry coffee Berliner Weisse! It was actually really good even though I don't normally associate raspberry with coffee!
Birthday bomb is probably one of my all time favorite beers. Wish I would of picked up more than one bottle of it.
Had this year's BCBS last night. Was delicious, but only had about a 4oz pour as my friends and I split a bottle before a pregame.
Brewed a double IPA tonight. Single hop, single grain. Galaxy hops, and Golden Promise malt. Added some oats to give it a bit more body. Some orange and lemon peel in the boil. Vermont yeast. This should hopefully be a good one!