It’s another form of packaging that Founders/Stone/Oskar Blues can take up shelf space with. Like macros having multiples of the same packaging just different sizing.
Two local northeast Ohio breweries I've been into the last couple weeks: Sibling Revelry Brewing (Westlake, Ohio) Royal Docks Brewing (Canton, Ohio)
Picked up the passion fruit pop! today, excited to try it. Have you had rainbow dome? If so, how much of the apricot comes through? I tried passion dome and I didn’t get that much passion fruit from it. Yeah I’ve had the frucht: blueberry which was pretty good. I saw Or Xata today but the price ($11.99 for a 750 mL) seemed a bit high. Which is another reason I haven’t gotten into too much Bruery stuff, their beers are pretty expensive. Recently tried Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze, which was awesome, and Allagash Curieux, which I surprisingly really liked considering I haven’t liked most of the BBA beers I’ve tried. I think it’s because it was pretty light on the barrel flavor, to my taste at least. I believe that they blend BBA beer with non-BBA beer to make Curieux, so that might be why. If anyone knows any other BBA beers that are light on the bourbon taste, let me know! I’m sipping on an Anderson Valley framboise rose gose right now, and it’s up there with the G&T as my favorite version from them. Love how reasonably priced their goses are too!
The entire Frucht series is flawless. And in terms of nationally available sours, Anderson Valley goses are probably as good as it gets. I think Westbrook is the best "big name" one, but I still think that's limited to like the east coast.
Yeah, we don't get Westbrook here in Michigan (or Midwest?). Frucht is very good but The Bruery is still massively overpriced/over hyped for what they distribute in this area. They all just sit on the shelves here, no one buys them. Also Cigar City's impending distro/roll out in Michigan has fucked up the timing of some more roll out that the brewery I work for was going to do and that was a 'wtf we are in the same industry I never even thought of that' type moment.
You said you recently got into Belma hops, right? I heard that the new Stone Totalitarian Imperial Russian Stout has Belma hops in it.
I've had more or less every beer they have put out, including both Rainbow and Passion Dome. The problem with the dome series is that the oak aging always seems to be more present if you try it after its first bottled. I've noticed that by waiting a few months the oak tends to settle down and more of the fruit profile comes forward. Still, Rainbow Dome is a great spring beer. Enjoy!
Hunahpu's Day was pretty outstanding. Finally got to try Toppling Goliath's Assassin, and I get why people freak out about it. Definitely next level. Other highlights: Mikerphone's Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit w/ Cafe Con Leche 3 Sons' S'Mortal Kombat Aslin - Double Orange Starfish Creature Comforts - Athena Paradiso w/ Tart Cherries, Raspberries, and Cranberries Underwhelming: Fifty Fifty's Apple Brandy Eclipse Arkane Aleworks' Yoda Pants (just way too much ginger for my palate) Other highlights from the last few weeks: Cigar City's Life Is Like... (2014 batch) - damn, that held up amazingly. Garagiste Meadery - Can't You Hear The Thunder - they don't do anything bad Tired Hands - Milkshake IPA (Tangerine Dream) Monkish / Other Half - LAX 2 JFK Hudson Valley - Mirrorshield Sour IPA
Hmm, maybe I'll have to pick up Rainbow Dome then and let it sit for a while. I was attributing it to the dry-hopping being more prominent than the added fruit, wasn't thinking about the oak.
Picked up a bottle of Stoneface’s Russian imperial stout with vanilla and cold brew on my way home from work today. Really fantastic stuff.
I know everyone is anxiously awaiting.... but I found a Jai Alai today at Trader Joes for $1.84. I will report back soon, don't worry!!!
I cannot be more stoked that they're going to be (have brewed) Jai Alai like 50-60 minutes from my apartment. To get that shit 2 weeks old is going to be glorious this summer.
If I ever do open a brewery I’m naming some beers after bands/songs I like in the hopes I get big enough to create a beer with said band(s)
Barrier in New York has had some good luck with that. Already made beers with Thrice and Every Time I Die.
There’s a brewer I’m acquaintances with whose brewery is in a market we are gonna distribute in and he’s and old school hardcore fan and I want to push to collab on a beer and then we can name it something related to, like, black flag or 7Seconds or some shit.