A K 96
3 Floyds Brewing Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Had this at the brewpub on draft today (June 27, 2016). This is a rare misfire from 3F! This is said to be the original Alpha King recipe from 1996, brewed in celebration of their 20th anniversary. The possibilities seem as follows:

1. The original recipe wasn't very good.
2. The original recipe was good but they didn't brew it well this time around.

I'm curious as to which it is. I've been drinking Alpha King since 2004, and it has seemed quite consistent over the years. It's one of my favorite beers, in fact. This bore no resemblance at all.

I've never had a 3F beer before that tasted thin and watery, so this was the first. The flavor just didn't pop. Hops were weak and malt was almost not present at all. I think 3F is very good at tying elements together with impressive harmony, but this seemed disharmonious to me.

That said, it's not as though it tasted horrible. It was drinkable. But it was also the biggest disappointment from 3F I've ever had.

Also, a quick note to the brewpub. The staff is usually friendly and excellent. Today, the hostess was cold and hesitated to seat me at one of many empty tables (the bar was full), since I was by myself. Not good. You never know who is spending a lot of money on your brewpub and on your beer in the store. I'm one such customer.