Never did get into that IPA, the beautiful Mrs Gus came home with a bottle of wine and seduced me.

The beer's still there :-)

Man, sometimes I try to read the discussions over at Beer Advocate but that site has some of the biggest douche bag posters of any site I have ever visited. Sure every site gets its occasional troll or attention whore but it does seem like being a complete arrogant fuck is par for the course for that site. You can't go more than a few posts (and I might be being generous here) without having to deal with responders make some condescending type of comment and having the gang join forces and attack the original poster. And its always over such trivial things like spelling or asking a question that was at one point in history already answered over at that site. Honestly, I like using the site as a tool to help me get a general handle on different beers but beyond that I can't handle it. If I ever had to meet these folks in real life, let alone in a situation that involved drinking, I would want to kill just about every one of them. Such arrogant, condescending pieces of shit.

Anyways....

Got to try Rogue's Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout on Nitro Tap when I was just in Vegas and all I have to say to that was that was absolutely one of my best drinking experiences ever. It was already one of my favorite beers and but the tap version just was just so much better. My main complaints about the beer had been its thinness and high effervescence for an oatmeal stout but the tap version totally fixed that. Plus, it took everything I already liked about the beer and made those aspects even better. I also got to try the Barnery Flats Oatmeal Stout (Anderson Valley) on tap the, and it was great, but the Rogue just blew it away.

Bourbon Barrel Aged Token Porter. On tap at Alpine Beer Co.
Pretty good. Vanilla and caramel with a little chocolate. 9.5%.
Yes, it is named after this guy...

That has me thirsty.

Had a Hopslam last night, in addition to a White Rajah and several of those Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye. Probably about to crack open another White Rajah.

Pretty much everybody I meet from San Diego, both brewers and beer fans, tell me to go to Alpine. I expect to be out there sometime this year.

Went to Freshcraft tonight and got to check some new stuff.

Can't remember the name of it but it was Oatmeal Stout with Belgian Yeast from Oskar Blues. Really good and pretty interesting as the Belgian Yeast offered something very unique for the style. That one was my favorite of the night, they need to start canning that. I finally got around to trying Funkwerks Tropic King Imperial Saison without having to buy a bomber of it (it was on tap obviously), that was another pleasant surprise. Breckenridges Vanilla Porter aged in Shanahan Whiskey Barrels, good and better than the actual beer. tasted like a super sweet, super smooth whiskey almost. Some Crooked Stave WWBY on tap and that was a much different experience than the bottled version, imo. I think I preferred the bottled version, the tap version tasted a lot more floral and a little less spicy. And I also tried a Left Hand Milk Stout ice cream float, kinda different but it grew on me.

Actually labelled some brews. Well, I didn't, the missus did.

Looks good for what she called a rushed effort. One of them is the Christmas Pudding Spiced Porter. Tasted it the other week after only 2 weeks in the bottle, and it's good. Need a little time to come together properly, but I'm already planning next year's. Might have to up the fruit/spce/rum additions and maybe see if I can get a stave from a rum barrel to put in the fermenter.

Check out this big pair. The other half of the brewing process!

Shiner Bock tastes weak tonight after a big Duvel and a Rochefort 10, but I guess everything would. A couple Spatens to start off, not a bad way to spend a thirsty Thursday.

Was out in Salt Lake and stopped by Epic Brewing. I was sceptical. I mean, it's Utah, right? Well, they make very good beer. They won a couple of medals at the recent GABF including a bronze for their Double IPA. The brewer GAVE us a case of various bombers, all of which were damn good to excellent. We stopped back on our way out and gave him a few beers he can't get (like Green Flash Dbl Stout and Rayon Vert).
Check 'em out if you get a chance.

Keep seeing the name Epic pop up, saw a bomber or two of theirs on the shelf somewhere, but have yet to check out.

Currently enjoying a Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout from Anderson Valley. Can never go wrong with this one.

Got my hopes up this would be a beer I could talk about, but the Epic brewery I know is in New Zealand, and their beers rate very highly in my opinion.




http://epicbeer.com/

This weekend at my local pub was Russian River 'Tion weekend.
Shitloads of 'Tions.
Redemption, Rejection, Perdition, Damnation and Damnation 23, Defenestration, Salvation, Mortification, Compunction, Sanctification, Supplication, Consecration, Temptation.
Also RR PtE, Blind Pig, Gaffers Bitter and Porter!
Also vintage RR bottles and vintage batches of Supplication and Consecration on tap.

Spiritualleader, were you out west? you said you hit Epic on your way back with some Green Flash, were you in SD?
NCR, brewing with High on Fire, nice!
Adam, how is that Friek?

Nope, went skiing at Alta and hit Epic on the way out. Brought the Green Flash out there with me - I boycott buying alcohol in Utah, since I don't support their policy of only allowing 3.2% beer on draft.
I will support Epic, however, as they brew regular strength beer and sell it in bottles.

The brewer happened to stop at the bar on his way to the Big Beers and Belgians fest in Vail a few weeks back. We got talking and he invited us to stop by. Nice dude who used to brew at Kona when they were in Hawaii.

NCR - we get the Epic/New Zealand beers out here and they're pretty solid.
Kind of wonder what'll happen with the two breweries/same name thing.

Every brewery out here sells high point beer.

It's true about the 3.2 draft limit, and its bullshit. But you can buy high point beer in the bottle, in a bar, or directly from the brewery's beer store. And they all have front-end stores. Uinta, Squatters, Wasatch, Epic, Redrock, just to name a few.

We even have a Whiskey and Vodka distillery now, too.

Edit > Also, I don't know how boycotting Utah beer would send any kind of message to our legislature. Our breweries have a enough oppression from our own government to go up against every day as it is. Let alone all the nose-in-the air prejudices from other states. They can use all the support they can get. So what you SHOULD be doing is buying as much of our amazingly awesome beers as you can get your hands on, so our legislators keep getting the message that we have a lucrative and desirable export. Some of the head brewers at the above mentioned places are really good friends of mine - and heavy music supporters. They deserve recognition. They don't deserve to be punished for our back asswards politicians.


/end rant

I liked it and if I ever had the money to spend I'd be happy to get it again (were they to do another release of it) but I don't know if it was truly good enough to justify that price tag.

I have totally fallen in love with Bristol Beer Factory, their Southville Hop is definitely my favourite beer of the moment. Stonking good flavour, lots of bitterness but rounded out by fruity sweetness and a couple of minutes of flavour. YUM
Had a milk stout from them earlier, not as good as the Ultimate stout, but pretty good.

Saving the 2011 special for another day.

Heh. Shit, was I drunk last night or what? I barely remember posting that spew. Don't get me wrong - I read through it, and I mean what I wrote. But I probably woulda phrased it... shorter. Hah. God bless beer. Devil bless my tongue.

You're right, Koi.
And I do support the breweries from Utah that are brewing full-strength beer, but there's no way I'm going to buy a draft beer in a bar in Utah if I can avoid it. I'm not claiming that I'm sending a message, I'm just following a principle. Utah was backwards regarding alcohol long before I showed up, so I don't expect a message from me to have any impact. I just can't support an idiotic law. I mean, is the booze 3.2% too? We both know the answer to that.

Rock on...

This week, a crate of

It's coming...

http://russianriverbrewing.com/new-website-and-younger-release/

I know Beachwood BBQ in Long Beach has been raffling off pints (for charity). Wondering what/if any other L.A. places will be getting kegs.

Is it crazy to take a day off work for one pint of beer?

Alpine is my favorite brewery in town. They consistently have the best beer around and I'm a huge fan of all their IPA's... Nelson, Pure Hoppiness, Duet and Exponential Hoppiness are all golden glasses of pure IPA love.

Speaking of "it's coming..."


http://beernews.org/2012/01/westvleteren-12-shipment-to-u-s-part-of-plan-to-ship-70000-boxes-through-europe-and-north-america/

Westvleteren 12 coming to the US in March.

Speaking of Russian River: Compunction.
Made with Pluots (hybridized Plum/Apricot) and Brett.
Funky. Tart. Incredibly Tasty.

Anyone know where i can get some Dulle Teve from De Dolle in the Denver Metro area? Great forum BTW, new here and its seems there are some right on recommendations and reviews here. Nice work folks! Hope some can help me find what I need for my continuation of my Belgian fix! Can't believe Westlveteren is coming to the USA. Guess packing all those 12's into my socks and praying they made it through customs last year was all for naught. Er, well I haven't seen the price of it here yet and I bet it sells out in a few days. Will have to contact some liquor stores tomorrow to reserve mine!