Beer

[Greg Aucoin]

Also had Stone Russian Imperial Stout, and it was the first beer by them that I'm a really big fan of.

Been lookin at this one at the store........ gonna go and get one now that it's Aucoin Approved.

Right on, Cookie Monster, you won't be disappointed! You could easily dunk some oatmeal raisin softies in this brew and enjoy every bite/sip.

[Greg Aucoin]

Loved every sip of Peak Organic (Portland, ME) Weiss Principal. Comes in 22 oz. bombers, and despite the 8.6% ABV, a very drinkable, refreshing summer brew, HUGE on flavor. Basically, they combined the best elements from an American Imperial IPA, with lots of citrusy, piney flavors from the dry hopping, and you get the great banana, and spicy clove flavors from the German yeast. Unfiltered. Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin' would be a good comparable, but this is fresher and better overall, which is saying a lot. Doubt it will be in its prime for more than 2 or 3 more weeks, so try it ASAP.

[Craig Cutler]

Just picked up Troegs Perpetual IPA and Hoppin Frog Hoppin to heaven IPA. Hurricane beers

[Greg Aucoin]

Speaking of hurricane beers...

I'm in Wilmington, NC, ready to weather out the storm, and was pleased to see a bunch of beers we don't get in New England.

New Belgium Ranger IPA is the cream of the crop, so far. Pretty much exactly like Green Flash West Coast IPA, using 3 of the 4 hops GFWCIPA uses.

Bell's Two-Hearted Ale really disappointed me, based on what I'd read and heard. Their Hopslam DIPA is amazing, but this beer really fails to produce.

New Belgium Hoptoberfest is decent, if you don't want the awesome aroma or bitterness of the Ranger IPA, but if you're a hophead like me, not worth getting a 6-pack of.

New Belgium Oberon. A good example of a wheat beer. That is all.

Bell's Pale Ale - Terrible. Don't buy it. Ever.

Really wish I were back home, or that growler of Wormtown Be Hoppy IPA could have flown down here with me!!

[Craig Cutler]

Enjoyed both and esp liked the Troegs IPA

[Greg Aucoin]

Super-impressed by what Wormtown Brewery out of Worcester, MA is doing. Their hoppy beers (Be Hoppy IPA, Be Hoppier IPA, and Birthday Brew Double IPA) are better than ever, always being tweaked and extra dry-hopped for aroma and flavor for us hopheads. They just started bottling their beers, and Be Hoppy batches that were bottled were extra dry-hopped, so they'll have a longer, hoppier shelf life . If you see it in local package stores this month, it'll be the freshest, tastiest IPA you can buy.

Their pumpkin ale is top notch, too. Under 5% ABV, not overly spiced like too many others, and sessionable. Opposite end of the the pumpkin ale spectrum of Southern Tier Pumpking, but equally delicious.

Tried the Troeg's Perpetual Imperial Pale Ale again, and it's good, but won't do it for you, if you're a hophead like me. Pretty similar to Wachusett Larry, but not quite as hoppy.

Next up, hopefully getting some cans of Heady Topper IPA from the Alchemist's new cannery (their brewery and pub flooded, and closed for now, sadly), and heading up to Hill Farmstead in VT for some world-class brews!

[Eric Kevorkian]

Crooked Line Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin

Do it.

[Josh Rappeport]

Crooked Line Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin

Do it.

After reading the reviews, I'm game!

Where can this beauty be found?

[Eric Kevorkian]

Other than the store I work at, i'm not sure.

Keep an eye out for it. It's delicious...

[Eric Kevorkian]

What are people sippin' on these days???

Some tasty beers i've had lately...

Wet Willy's Scotch Ale
Dogfish My Antonia - Italian version
Innis and Gunn Highland Cask
Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye

Something to avoid completely: Sam Adams Alpine Springs...disgusting!

Good news is that they are making the Noble Pils a year-round brew!

[Shawn Mullen]

I really didn't like the alpine springs either.

I've got a sixer of City Steam's Naughty Nurse waiting in the fridge for me. That stuff is great.

Just finished the last of the case of Trout River I brought back from VT. Rainbow Red and Hoppin Mad Trout. Two of my old favorites from the Lyndon State days. Great brew....wish I could find it in CT.

[Charlie Holmgren]

Dale's Deviant is surprisingly amazing!

[Eric Kevorkian]

Dale's Deviant is surprisingly amazing!

Heard the same thing...will try one at work tomorrow.

Tried the Uinta Hop Notch...pretty good.

Noble Pils is back too...tasty.

[Charlie Holmgren]

3 recent favorites:

Resin
Deviant
Palate Wrecker

[Ryan Brunelle]

In my fridge....

Troegs Nugget Nectar
N.E. Gandhi-Bot
Ithica Flower Power
Widmer Pitch Black
Widmer Nelson

......mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Greg Aucoin]

Well, my last epic beer post disappeared into a black hole a month or so ago...soooo

Blatant IPA is dank with Citra hops, unfiltered, dirt cheap for what you get ($5 22oz. bomber) and goes awesome with guacamole. Definitely a go-to beer. Only concern is lack of bottling dates...but mine held up really well for a few weeks in the fridge.

Dale's Deviant is filtered, pretty malty tasting 3 weeks after canning, and absolutely not worth the price ($14+ 4 pack of 16oz.).
Maybe on tap it's good, but I'm done with it. Fresh Gubna crushes it any day of the week, as do dozens of other awesome IPA's.

Willimantic Brewing Co. Bohemian Hopsidy was awwwwesome, full of galaxy (tropical fruit) hop greatness. Pretty friggin' excited about anything new Dave's brewing now with the new-school hops available. Unfiltered, super-fresh, coming soon to a sap house near us for TC Finals...?

VERY pleasantly surprised with the freshest versions of Harpoon's IPA, Leviathan DIPA, cask, extra dry-hopped DIPA, and pretty much every beer on tap at their absolutely sick brewery in Windsor, VT! Well worth the visit and then some! Buuuut, the food sucked wicked bad.

Same goes for the beer at Magic Hat's artifactory in Burlington. Their Encore Wheat IPA brewed for the winter was awesome, on tap. In bottles, it was very average. Looks like they've got an awesome new (and old, bringing back Blind Faith) lineup for spring, and I can't wait to go back and find a new gem in its freshest state. p.s. beers like circus boy hefeweizen go from average to above average when you get them there!

VT pub and brewery had good variety, their sour beer was the best, IPA was dank, but everything was very under-carbonated and didn't hold up well in growlers at all. The stuff I tried from...

Zero gravity brewery (these are all in Burlington/S. Burlington) seemed to have a better grasp on brewing beers that are closer to world class.

Of course, fresh cans of Alchemist Heady Topper DIPA's still took the cake, but most (some, all, everyone???) knows that by now.

Up next, 2-week old bomber of Port Hop-15 DIPA. Yeah, I'm in love with awesome hops...

[Greg Aucoin]

Also, finally had Stone Ruination on tap in a very fresh state, and it's an outstanding beer. Never thought it was worth the price, in bottles, and they don't date them, so it's tough.

pps Northampton Brewery's latest batch of Juggernaut IPA is pretty damn good, well worth a stop in there, if you're in western, MA.

Triple also, if anyone gets any Cantillon bottles, let me know.

Oh yeah...there were more:

Maine Beer Co. Lunch IPA - not as good as the hype, but still a very good, balanced IPA, decent aroma, good flavor, great texture.

Green Flash needs to date their bottles more than anyone! Their Imperial IPA is a GEM! But, then I bought one from another store, and it was an awful, malty mess and I dumped the $7 down the drain whilst shedding a tear.

[Sean Healy]

Green Flash needs to date their bottles more than anyone! Their Imperial IPA is a GEM! But, then I bought one from another store, and it was an awful, malty mess and I dumped the $7 down the drain whilst shedding a tear.

Agree completely, I've had a few different bottles and they've tasted different every time! Had it on tap at the Ginger Man in NYC and it blew me away, one of the best beers I've ever had!

[Greg Aucoin]

Oh yeah, pineapple/mango express!!

[Jeff Wiechowski]

Another great one from Ommegang
Smooth and mellow with a slight malt finish.

[Isaac Chaney]

Long trail double Ipa..fresh mango, pineapple, candy malts on the nose. Very tasty!!

[Andy_Harris]

Guy that I traded phish tickets with today was from VT and surprised me with a can of Heady Topper. That's a pretty solid bonus right there.

[Andy Neal]

Ruthless Rye by Sierra is good...
and RUTHLESS!
hummina hummina hummina

[Jeff LaGrassa]

People that know me personally understand that I am a HUGE beer snob and drink only the highest quality and most expensive craft beers / microbrews in the world.

I would therefore like to give a HUGE shout-out to Phil Vilmorin and Jason "Cutt" Land for providing me three of my "bucket list" beers at the Vibram Open this past weekend...these are three beers that I've been yearning for years, (and in the case of Westvleteren, more than a decade) to try.

1) Westvleteren 12. This is the #2 rated beer in the world at Beer Advocate, and it used to be #1 at BA for many years, up until very recently. It is made in Belgium by Trappist monks in a monastery, and only a small amount is produced each year. Phil brought a few bottles back to the states after a business trip to Europe, and it is totally worth all the hype.

2) Heady Topper from The Alchemist Brewery in Vermont, which is the #3 rated beer in the world at Beer Advocate. Despite also being produced in small quantities, most New Englanders have decent access to this beer. In Pennsylvania, it's nearly impossible to find. Many folks consider it the best American Double / Imperial IPA in the world, and given the unique combinations of hops in it which taste like no other IPA I've ever had, I'm inclined to agree. Another interesting thing about this beer is that it comes in 16 oz. bomber cans.

3) Founders Brewing Company Kentucky Breakfast Stout. This one is #10 on the BA list, and it's also somewhat hard to find - it's typically only available at the brewery in Michigan. I've had Founders Breakfast Stout before, but never the Kentucky Breakfast Stout, which is an entirely different beer. KBS has the typical chocolate and coffee notes you get from a stout, but insane bourbon undertones from aging in bourbon barrels.

THANKS GUYS!!!

[Charlie Holmgren]

I've come to the temporary conclusion that Troeg's Perpetual IPA and Ithaca's Flower Power are 2 of my favorite session IPAs. I find myself buying them at the store more than any other craft out there. Always good. Never get tired of them.

[Greg Aucoin]

I need to come back to the Perpetual IPA for a 2nd try. I remember it as good, but nothing I'd rush to buy again soon.
Fresh Flower Power is amazing!
I wish they'd stamp a "bottled on" date on it...or better yet, can it!
The notched "drink by" month isn't exact enough for me, for a beer with such a short shelf life. But, I guess if you buy one now notched for Jan. or so, it'd be decent. Road trip to the brewery to get growlers...hmmm

[Eric Kevorkian]

I've come to the temporary conclusion that Troeg's Perpetual IPA and Ithaca's Flower Power are 2 of my favorite session IPAs. I find myself buying them at the store more than any other craft out there. Always good. Never get tired of them.

We have what I would consider a pretty damn good selection of craft beers at our store but those two, as well as the Southern Tier 2XIPA, seem to be what I grab a good majority of the time when I have to go "stock the cooler"

Tried Worm Town Hopulence the other night - Yum! If you haven't tried it yet...Meadowlark IPA by Pretty Things - Phenomenal.

The Lagunitas Fractional IPA has been staring at me every time I walk by it...i'm going to have to try it tonight.

My Heady Topper delivery was delayed until October 4th unless I can get up there sooner.

[Jeff LaGrassa]

I'm sure you know this, but Heady Topper is technically an American Double / Imperial IPA and not really a "session IPA." But at 'only' 8.0% abv, the lines between an American Double and American IPA are very blurry.

And while I'm very proud to see a Pennsylvania beer make the list of such a great homebrewer like Charlie, I don't find Troeg's Perpetual IPA to be anything special. Now, I've had the good fortune to drink Flower Power on tap only a day or two after it was kegged, and I've never had anything so fresh tasting, so that one I definitely agree with.

If I had to put my endorsement behind an American IPA, I'd choose either Ballast Point Sculpin IPA or Bell's Two Hearted Ale. But that's also what I have easiest access to and have been drinking all summer.

[Eric Kevorkian]

Sculpin's gotta be fresh too IMO

[Greg Aucoin]

Yeah, Sculpin's amazing, but yet another one that needs a date.
Founder's Double Trouble is in the same class, as far as I'm concerned, and they date their bottles. It has a nice shelf life of 6-8 weeks or so...but sooner the better, obviously.

That Wormtown Hopulence was bottled in July, Eric.
You should have tasted in the day they bottled it!
A week or two later, I noticed a huge difference.
I can only imagine how good freshly kegged two-hearted, Hopslam (as good as it gets, IMO), and west coast IPA's taste.
Lagunitas out of bottles here is decent to very good, but it must be straight up dank out west! Same for Green Flash WCIPA; there was one keg of it at Armsby a couple years ago that was unreal and had the hop aromas and flavors in full bloom.