THE BEER THREAD(?)----->!!!

[Gearmond]

Fatheads Bumble Berry is now available.

i am very happy about it. last night was a very good night

[jrmy]

I visited my friends' store yesterday, and found that they had made some convenient little seasonal mixes. I'm a sucker for a mix-a-six. So I picked one up, as well as a 12 of the Sierra Nevada Summer Camp mix.

Having friends who own a liquor store is proving to be a VERY mixed blessing!

Anyhow, I was most interested in the Newcastle Werewolf and Magic Hat Hex, but am coming off a bad cold, so my palate is all effed up. They both tasted o.k., but I couldn't help but feel that I was missing half of the actual flavor. DAMN YOUSE, STUPID HEAD COLD!!!

My friend and I also had an interesting conversation about the gimmickiness of most seasonal beers (he was talking about how one of the reps they deal with was actively dissing the seasonal offering, while saying, "It sucks, but people buy it by the truckload."). Me, I'm always up to try one - I know it's a gimmick, but there are so many beers out there, trying something new once or twice a season feels like a fun gamble. Unless it's truly horrible, hey - it was still a beer.

[Gearmond]

maybe the reason seasonals suck is because people (read: microbreweries) are so obsessed with stouts and IPAs that they don't know how to do any other style well.

[CBA]

Seasonals "suck" because every brewery wants to make some money. So you can put out some shit and cashe in, or you can put some time into what you're doing and do it right.

Dogfish Head Punk'n is a great example of doing seasonals right. Just about every other pumpkin beer has it wrong.


Great Lakes always does a solid Oktoberfest, as does Bell's. Same goes for Christmas for both of those breweries.

C

[Gearmond]

actually i'd say the opposite for Dogfish Head.

Ace has a pumpkin cider i wanna try, and pumking is available now >:3

[Caesar]

actually i'd say the opposite for Dogfish Head.

Ace has a pumpkin cider i wanna try, and pumking is available now >:3

The DFH Punkin is the only seasonal of their's I like. Just got a 12 pk of the Sierra Nevada Tumbler, but I'm 3/4 of the way through a bottle Kraken rum.

[jrmy]

Dogfish Head actually pulled out of RI. Which is kind of annoying.

[Caesar]

They'll be back, they just got a bunch of containers that should pump up their output.

[jrmy]

They'll be back, they just got a bunch of containers that should pump up their output.

That's cool. I think beer distribution contracts are on a yearly basis, right? So maybe in 2013...

[CBA]

It's funny 'cuz I'm not a fan of Dogfish Head anyway. I do love the Punk'n... the best pumpkin ale... other than that, I find their other offerings pretty sub-par.

I think we've talked about this like three times already in the Beer Thread.


C

[phantasmagorovich]

What's up with that werewolf? Looks interesting and being british there is at least some slight hope to find this over here.

[jrmy]

What's up with that werewolf? Looks interesting and being british there is at least some slight hope to find this over here.

It was all right, certainly not bad. But I had a horrible cold when I had it, so it's hard to tell how much that was messing with my taste buds - I still can't smell a damned thing, so I can't say that I was a reliable judge. I'm starting to clear up, though, so maybe I'll get another one next week to double-check.

[Gearmond]

Shipyard's pumpkin ale is quite good.

and tumbler is rly good too, but there are better beers for the same price, imo

[snipelfritz]

Actually having Blue Moon pumpkin ale right now. It's okay.

[RoyalPalmer]

Whoa forgot about this thread. Just got a beer fridge. Currently taking up residence for the next year;
Great Divide Oaked Espresso Yeti
Great Divide Smoked Baltic Porter
Deschutes Black Buttes XXIV Birthday

Bells Oarsman is a great summer seasonal. So tart and refreshing