The Beer Thread

[StoneTheCrow]

Great post. Seriously.

[sweetcell]

brews i tried this week:

Boulevard's "Long Hard Tripel" - amazing.  everything a tripel should be.  a must-try, if you have the opportunity. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/423/39754

Unibroue's Trois Pistole: long a pers fav, finally got to try it on tap.  complex & delicious.  http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22/30

i have a new trinity of breweries: unibroue, founders, and boulevard.  they can do no wrong. 

also got to try avery's "hog heaven" and lagunita's "hop stoopid" - both are over 100 IBUs, and both did very little for me.  while drinking them i kept thinking to myself "what a waste of hops".  yes, i know, others would think "what a waste of a hog heaven"   i still prefer something with more balance, as opposed to the beer equivalent of suicide wings.

[James Ford]

Unibroue and Founders are definitely top 10 for me. And I've only had the Quad and the DIPA from Boulevard, but both were quite solid....they should expand to the DC area!

I wasn't that impressed by Hog Heaven either. I mean, I wouldn't turn down a free one, but I also wouldn't go out of my way to have one.

brews i tried this week:

Boulevard's "Long Hard Tripel" - amazing.  everything a tripel should be.  a must-try, if you have the opportunity. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/423/39754

Unibroue's Trois Pistole: long a pers fav, finally got to try it on tap.  complex & delicious.  http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22/30

i have a new trinity of breweries: unibroue, founders, and boulevard.  they can do no wrong. 

also got to try avery's "hog heaven" and lagunita's "hop stoopid" - both are over 100 IBUs, and both did very little for me.  while drinking them i kept thinking to myself "what a waste of hops".  yes, i know, others would think "what a waste of a hog heaven"   i still prefer something with more balance, as opposed to the beer equivalent of suicide wings.

[grateful]

I was just about to say the same thing.

Unibroue and Founders are definitely top 10 for me. And I've only had the Quad and the DIPA from Boulevard, but both were quite solid....they should expand to the DC area!

I wasn't that impressed by Hog Heaven either. I mean, I wouldn't turn down a free one, but I also wouldn't go out of my way to have one.

[James Ford]

Maharajah is the ony Avery beer I'd go out of my way to have.

I was just about to say the same thing.

Unibroue and Founders are definitely top 10 for me. And I've only had the Quad and the DIPA from Boulevard, but both were quite solid....they should expand to the DC area!

I wasn't that impressed by Hog Heaven either. I mean, I wouldn't turn down a free one, but I also wouldn't go out of my way to have one.

[sweetcell]

Maharajah is the ony Avery beer I'd go out of my way to have.

i think that's the reason avery has maintained a higher esteem in my mind than they probably deserved - maharaja was the first beer of theirs that i tried, really liked it, so the glow lives on... but it's finally fading.  i've had their Reverand (an average quad, good but nothing special), the Hog Heaven (unimpressive, see above), Beast (18% alcohol, tastes like paint thinner, might be good with 2+ years aging), and Karma ale (my second favorite of theirs... nice stuff, but i won't be ordering it a second time given the options i have).  batting 1.5/4 is good for a ball player but i expect more from a brewery.  it's probably a case of me giving a micro-brewery a little too much leeway.

also, hog heaven has something of a following on a brewing-related board that i follow so i was excited to try it, which only further compounded the disappointment.

[brennser]

for all you DC-based homebrewers

http://dcbeer.com/2012/05/18/3-stars-brewing-announces-plans-for-onsite-homebrew-store/

this is one of those "stunning in its simplicity" ideas - I bet they get just as much traffic for the homebrew supplies as for the beer itself

[sweetcell]

for all you DC-based homebrewers

http://dcbeer.com/2012/05/18/3-stars-brewing-announces-plans-for-onsite-homebrew-store/

this is one of those "stunning in its simplicity" ideas - I bet they get just as much traffic for the homebrew supplies as for the beer itself

... and plenty of cross-selling too: i'll def be picking up some of their beers when i hit them up for supplies.  this idea is indeed brilliant.  location is a lot closer to me than the other options (falls church, frederick or columbia). 

thanks for posting this brennser!

UPDATE: opening date for the supply store = June 1.

[sweetcell]

Unibroue and Founders are definitely top 10 for me. And I've only had the Quad and the DIPA from Boulevard, but both were quite solid....they should expand to the DC area!

how timely - dcbeer.com has a bunch of pre-SAVOR write-ups, including one for Boulevard.  among the tidbits: "Available in DC Market: Soon" and "When news broke that Boulevard would be expanding to the area later this year, I immediately went to my happy zone and celebrated in typical fashion." http://dcbeer.com/2012/05/17/savor-brewery-profile-boulevard-brewing-boulevard_beer-2/


also one on avery: http://dcbeer.com/2012/05/17/savor-brewery-profile-avery-brewing-averybrewingco-2/

[sweetcell]

the missus called me a few moments ago informing me she was in a fancy beer store, asked if i wanted anything and started describing the beers she could see.  she is now on her way home with some founders double trouble, chimay blue and stone RIS.  i'm not saying i'm married to the best woman ever... ok fine.  that's exactly what i'm saying.

[stevewizzle]

Unibroue and Founders are definitely top 10 for me. And I've only had the Quad and the DIPA from Boulevard, but both were quite solid....they should expand to the DC area!

how timely - dcbeer.com has a bunch of pre-SAVOR write-ups, including one for Boulevard.  among the tidbits: "Available in DC Market: Soon" and "When news broke that Boulevard would be expanding to the area later this year, I immediately went to my happy zone and celebrated in typical fashion." http://dcbeer.com/2012/05/17/savor-brewery-profile-boulevard-brewing-boulevard_beer-2/


also one on avery: http://dcbeer.com/2012/05/17/savor-brewery-profile-avery-brewing-averybrewingco-2/

Ahh thank you for this.  Co-workers from KC rave about Boulevard, I've never tried.  I look forward to Savor, and their exclusive Sierra Nevada colab.

[sweetcell]

Confession: I've never had a home brew that I thought was absolutely delicious.

yada: i have no illusions that my early attempts at brewing will be anything more than "practice", but if/when i get a decent drink together i'll be sure to invite you over.

I'll take you up on this!

yada, you free next weekend?  'cause i've got a rye IPA that is pretty damn awesome, IMHO. 

it's my 5th brew so far.  the first two were pretty darn good, especially considering my lack of experience, but weren't worthy of having you over.  #3 is a strong belgian (over 9% abv) that is still aging, it probably won't be ready for another 2 or 3 months (if not more).  #4 was an experimental wheat that didn't really work out.  #5, the rye IPA, is my first home-run.

the offer still stands

[i am gay and i like cats]

i'd love to just sit, and watch you drink it.

[Jaguar]

i'd love to just sit, and watch you drink it.

Maybe they should videotape the event and upload a link here. Don't think that Sweets has a cat but I know he has a dog. Make sure there's some good cute and funny footage of the little furry baby. Who knows, it could go viral. If that happens, than maybe Sweets could start up his own micro-brew. Maybe he could then name the different brews after various forum members based on the type and their personalities. I'd love to know what a Walkie's Cat Mountain Top Brew would taste like or a Whole Yada Lovin'. We already know that a Mad James Ford Hoppin' Wild would be hoppy and very bitter.  Hutch's Backyard Brew would be au natural. Hey, that's a natural. The possibilities are endless! 

[i am gay and i like cats]

awesome!

of course . . . i just wanna see sweetcell naked.