Best New Beer You've Tried Recently?

[ChrisTaco]

had My Antonia on tap at DFH last night - probably one of my new favorites for a great spring/summer style

Friend lives near Rehoboth Beach and got me some DFH bottles I can't get here (including their Gin 'jin'), I'm saving it for a rainy day. lol.

[Heathcliff Huxtable]

i want a bottle of that

[thebestever]

i head over to the dfh brewpub every year while at h2o, it's only like a 35 minute drive... and then i purchase oodles of their jin and other flavored vodkas... unfortunately their flavored vodkas have declined in deliciousness over the years. i would only recommend the rum and jin now.

[ChrisTaco]

i head over to the dfh brewpub every year while at h2o, it's only like a 35 minute drive... and then i purchase oodles of their jin and other flavored vodkas... unfortunately their flavored vodkas have declined in deliciousness over the years. i would only recommend the rum and jin now.

TBH I love gin and I'm finding it hard to enjoy the DFH jin. What's really offsetting the taste is the hops. I think they're great for beer, but not so much for a clear alcohol. The hops just seem to over power the juniper/citris undertones that I enjoy from most gins.

[Heathcliff Huxtable]

TBH I love gin and I'm finding it hard to enjoy the DFH jin. What's really offsetting the taste is the hops. I think they're great for beer, but not so much for a clear alcohol. The hops just seem to over power the juniper/citris undertones that I enjoy from most gins.

dammit

[leitmotif]

Had some Life and Limb and Ovila Quad tonight. Plus it was keep the glass night. Life and Limb is awesome every time.

[Assle]

Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale

Cool-looking bottle, smooth beer. Can't really taste the bacon but definitely has a taste like no other beer like I've ever tasted. It's got kind of a sweet taste to it, kinda hard to describe.

[pat_ernzen]

Finally had some Pliny the Elder on tap. It's great, but not anything that blows me away versus a number of other IPA/IIPAs. Had to drink it quick, though. Cool place, but my view on it has been soured slightly. I'll get to that in a bit.

Also, when I was out in California, I swung by the Bruery Provisions. Was just basically running some errands, but wanted to swing in quick and check out the bottles, but didn't know what I was getting into. Got there right before opening and there was a line probably fifty people deep. Didn't realize they were doing daily bottle releases there to celebrate their anniversary. That day it was The Wanderer and at $30 with a one bottle limit, I wouldn't have wanted one anyway. Just sucks, because I would've really liked to check the place out and maybe pickup something pretty unique.

Between that first bar and a small liquor store near my hotel, this is my little haul. Not much, but I didn't have much space and didn't have much time.



One of the Black Phoenix bottles is for my brother, though. Passed on HotD Adam, Fred, RR Redemption, Damnation, Sanctification and others... which contributes to the bad part. Went to drink the HopDevil just a bit ago, an IPA I've been wanting to try for a long time and it didn't go so well. Took one sip and knew something was off. Checked the best by date and I misread it... Turns out it says "Enjoy by July 10 2011". Took another sip and poured it down the drain. Should've noticed that, but didn't expect a place like that to have a year old hop-forward IPA on the shelf and was in a rush. Annoys me, but especially since I passed on others by buying that bottle.

Oh well, the others should be good.

[thebestever]

if you want i can get you fresh hop devil, it's plentiful here... just let me know! also, i am a huge fan of bootleggers, that looks tasty. nice choice!

and fwiw, i love pliny, but it's totally overrated. i love blind pig more, and then happy hops was stellar... i do believe that heady topper is better than pliny as well.

[kenny301]

I always enjoy Hop Devil

[pat_ernzen]

if you want i can get you fresh hop devil, it's plentiful here... just let me know! also, i am a huge fan of bootleggers, that looks tasty. nice choice!

and fwiw, i love pliny, but it's totally overrated. i love blind pig more, and then happy hops was stellar... i do believe that heady topper is better than pliny as well.

Thanks for the offer, but I'm not that concerned with trying HopDevil at the moment. It's just been on my radar for a while and I was excited to give it a try. I've only had one other Bootleggers beer, their Knuckle Sandwich, and it was phenomenal. One of the best hoppy beers I've had. The Black Phoenix is obviously a very different beer, but I'm really looking forward to it, too. Sounds pretty interesting if nothing else.

And I could see drinking Pliny all the time if it was readily available, but now that I've had it from a bottle and on tap, I can safely say that I'm very happy with all the hoppy beers I can easily get around here... Myrcenary, Hopslam, Palate Wrecker, Deviant Dale's, Ruination, Double Jack, Mongo, Hercules, Hoptimum, etc... With so many quality options, I'm not that disappointed that Pliny isn't one of them. All that being said, I still wish we got it (and Heady Topper) out here, though, haha.

[evosky]

got a six-pack of New Belgium's Somersault. had two yesterday through the afternoon, not sure how i feel about it yet. definitely citrusy like they say.

[thebestever]

Thanks for the offer, but I'm not that concerned with trying HopDevil at the moment. It's just been on my radar for a while and I was excited to give it a try. I've only had one other Bootleggers beer, their Knuckle Sandwich, and it was phenomenal. One of the best hoppy beers I've had. The Black Phoenix is obviously a very different beer, but I'm really looking forward to it, too. Sounds pretty interesting if nothing else.

And I could see drinking Pliny all the time if it was readily available, but now that I've had it from a bottle and on tap, I can safely say that I'm very happy with all the hoppy beers I can easily get around here... Myrcenary, Hopslam, Palate Wrecker, Deviant Dale's, Ruination, Double Jack, Mongo, Hercules, Hoptimum, etc... With so many quality options, I'm not that disappointed that Pliny isn't one of them. All that being said, I still wish we got it (and Heady Topper) out here, though, haha.

yeah, that is definitely my thoughts as well... i have a ton of super great DIPA's around here that i like just as much... if i am going to russian river, or can get russian river, than i am always going to go for the sours.

we don't get heady topper in CT. :cry: but i have my ways. hah... if you ever do want anything from out east, def let me know! i love trading.

[Der Schaltwerks]

first American pilsner that doesn't suck

[FBMphil]

HopDevil was the first big time IPA in a longggg time that I didn't like, and I can usually find redeeming qualities in anything

[rdubVr6]

first American pilsner that doesn't suck

if you enjoy that try this.



it really is good chit

[Der Schaltwerks]

We get a good supply of Rogue beers, but I've never seen that one.

[Genuine Rolla]

Absolutely love this:

[kweetech]

been drinking a lot of this lately...

[Karmanniac]

Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA (9% ABV)



Malty - almost like a white chocolate malt - and a woody flavor that I've been told is pine. Yummy, highly recommend.

[pat_ernzen]

we don't get heady topper in CT. :cry: but i have my ways. hah... if you ever do want anything from out east, def let me know! i love trading.

Heady Topper is really one of the few beers I'd really try to trade for at this point. The other beers I want are a bit harder to come by and it's unlikely that I'd ever land them. The two big ones being the other two New Glarus R&D beers they've brewed. Would also like to try some Alpine and maybe Cigar City beers, though.

[pat_ernzen]

Drinking this and REALLY enjoying it. Was opening some bottles the other night, letting my brother choose which ones and he said he didn't want to open this as he had it before and didn't think it was very good. Don't know if he had the non-bourbon barrel version or if the age (something like 1.5 to 2 years) has done this beer a lot of good, but I think it's a phenomenal imperial stout.



Beer before that (the other day) was this:



Not a very well known brewery and only available at their brewpub in Wisconsin, but they make a lot of great beer. This isn't my favorite (that likely goes to their Spetsnaz foreign stout, which I drank my bottle of a few weeks back), but it was definitely a very good beer. Pretty complex with lots of flavors I don't normally taste in a porter.

And a fridge shot.



Was taking this for something else and attempted to make it as impressive as possible. Don't normally keep QUITE that much in the fridge and don't normally have the magnum in there, either.

[FBMphil]

Ahhhh Batch 9000 brings back some memories. Mainly, splitting a sixer of it out of the bottle in the backyard with my buddy a couple days after it was released while chain smoking Newports and trying to get with my roommate's recently divorced older sister

[pat_ernzen]

Ahhhh Batch 9000 brings back some memories. Mainly, splitting a sixer of it out of the bottle in the backyard with my buddy a couple days after it was released while chain smoking Newports and trying to get with my roommate's recently divorced older sister

Haha, nice... Oddly, I've never actually had it. And haven't ever had the bottle of Batch 10,000 sitting behind it, either. Bell's just started distributing to AZ just after Batch 9,000 and I wasn't really into beer until after Batch 10,000. Saw them on the shelves and only bought one bottle as I didn't know how special it was. Had two bottles of 9 but sent one to a friend. I do love Bell's, though. Have an older bottle of Expedition Stout and Third Coast in there, too. Think both are like a year and half old now. Had a bottle of each a few months back and their just getting better and better. One of these days I'll open the Batch beers... Just don't know when.

Oh, and those two bottom drawers contain almost 300oz of Stone Vertical Epics back to '06.

[pat_ernzen]

12.86oz is FAR too small for such a beer. ;_;



Was a batch 007. Don't know what they're onto now, but god damn. So very tasty. Think I've caught the sour bug, too... which isn't necessarily a good thing, given the price of these beers (this thing runs like $14 a bottle, right?).

[odj]

Damn, Pat... That is a fridge shot if I've ever seen one!

Finally got around to drinking this tonight:



It's very interesting. Lots of wine flavor. Think I like it . More carbonation than I usually like, but it works here.

Had this in KY when I was there this weekend. Pretty solid apa. Wanted to get more but time was limited.

[pat_ernzen]

Damn, Pat... That is a fridge shot if I've ever seen one!

Finally got around to drinking this tonight:

Thanks, man! Like I said, padding the photo a bit, but then, there is a FW15, a couple Black Xantus brews back there, a Black Butte XXII, a Sucaba/Abacus and so many more back there... So if anything, I think it kind of underplays the greatness of my fridge. And kind of funny that you were having the Elder Brett... no joke, I was watching a YouTube review of it when I saw your post (both surprised me, actually) and almost opened my bottle the other day. Love the label and am really looking forward to cracking it.

[odj]

It's really good. Just finished it while hanging out with the wife and dog in the back yard. I have a picky palate, but it's a keeper. Let me know what you think when you do open it.

As a total aside: After the Big Bad Baptist I went through Total Wine's fairly prodigious chocolate stout selection, and haven't had anything nearly as good. Even a $16 bottle of nastiness that I can't remember off of the top of my slightly buzzed head. The Baptist reminds me of my favorite Michel Cluizel chocolate bars. Yum yum.

[odj]

Oh, and you should see my pathetic beer fridge right now. Had a big party for my radio show's 10 year anniversary last month, and my buddies at DC Brau were kind enough to donate a keg each of Penn Quarter Porter and Corruption IPA, so I got left with a lot of the crap the non beer dorks brought. I'm just hoping visitors drink all of the Heineken and such. That crap gives me a headache these days...

[pat_ernzen]

So, based on that post, I'm guessing you had the Epic/DC Brau collab beer? Their pumpkin beer? That was probably the best pumpkin beer I had all year and such a good value. Had it on tap a few times and wish I would've picked up a few bottles.

[odj]

So, based on that post, I'm guessing you had the Epic/DC Brau collab beer? Their pumpkin beer? That was probably the best pumpkin beer I had all year and such a good value. Had it on tap a few times and wish I would've picked up a few bottles.

Definitely. That's the only pumpkin beer I've had that I've truly liked. I've got a bottle stashed away in the closet, along with a few batch 3 & 4 Baptists and some Founder's Breakfast Stout.

[pat_ernzen]

Nice. It was on tap at a local spot for like $3 a pint... such a good deal. Bottles were pretty cheap, too. When I bought my bottles of Baptist, I thought it was an ultra-rare brew, but then they apparently upped production. I've never actually had it out of a bottle, but have it on tap at least a half dozen times. Bought a few bottles and sent them off to people in trades. Happy to have a bottle of Release #2, though, as I feel like it's a beer that will really improve with age.

Next time I'm in Wisconsin, I'm going to really seek out Founder's and Three Floyds. I've had a little of both, but there's still so much more I want to try. Breakfast Stout being one of them.

[odj]

Oh and scratch that on not liking any of my stout scores. Not as flavorful as the Baptist, but this is way tasty. Kinda a muted version of the aforementioned.

[thebestever]

Heady Topper is really one of the few beers I'd really try to trade for at this point. The other beers I want are a bit harder to come by and it's unlikely that I'd ever land them. The two big ones being the other two New Glarus R&D beers they've brewed. Would also like to try some Alpine and maybe Cigar City beers, though.

next time i get some HT i will let you know.

[Karmanniac]

...would also like to try some Alpine and maybe Cigar City beers, though.

Oh yeah, I had Cigar City's Maduro Brown Ale over Christmas vacay (Sanibel Island) and it was pretty good. I didn't get to pair it with a cigar (as recommended) because I was around my parents the whole time and my mom still gives me s**t for smoking. (I'm 44...)