High expectations, but a very big disappointment?

Fresh Darklord (bottle) is a disappointment in my opinion. Aged for about 2-3 years and it is great.

 

Ruination, to me, was just bitter and way too light with out any full flavor of hops. I did not enjoy it whatsoever.

 

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout bought a case based on reviews after 2 gave it away No Shit. Bad case possibly but High Hopes major let down.

 

Opened a '10 Black Ops at DLD that was pretty disappointing. Not a bad beer, just not great.

 

As with others, PtE. It's an excellent beer, don't get me wrong. Just didn't live up to the hype for me.

Next would be pretty much all DFH. 60, 90 and Chicory Stout are all decent but the rest were approaching drain pour territory. Palo Santo Marron is one i haven't made my mind up on yet. It seemed very boozy which threw me way off. Some say it's better with age, 3 of 4 are in the cellar. I guess i'm not that "off centered".

 

Smuttynose Maibock. It tasted like Sunny D and Everclear.

 

This has happened to me on a lot of beers. Luckily, few have been downright awful - but I find a lot of highly acclaimed beers to be underwhelming and I find myself scratching my head saying "I don't see what the big deal is here-I've had other examples of this style that are much better than this beer" Some in my top 50 -rdevs are: DFH 60 minute, Great Divide Double Hercules, Bells Two Hearted, Firestone Walker Parabola, Stone IPA, Columbus IPA, Rochefort 10, and COAST Boy King. Other than Boy King (growler)- I hava had all of those IPAs several times fresh and not so fresh-just VERY underwhelming for me.

As far as your infected Abyss goes - Abyss is pretty rich in flavor- but nothing extreme for a partially barrel aged RIS. If you were getting anything off or funky in the flavor or aroma it was probaby infected.

 

Agreed. Pliny is the epitome of a disappointment for me. Dark Lord is 2nd place. 3rd is Black Tuesday. Now I know that'll get some boos, of the non- Fram variety.

 

COMPLETELY disagree with Peche Mortel, one of the single best stouts I've ever had. Sculpin was good, but not worth the hype, IMO, but definitely not a disappointment.

 

Sculpin is still a pretty good IPA, but it's nowhere near as good as it used to be, either they changed something or my palate has changed. OK not great.

Maharaja an overly sweet mess of a DIPA, tastes like it was brewed with candied fruit. To me undrinkable.

 

Sculpin on tap in mid 2010 was one of the best tropical fruit bombs I have tried so far. Bottles have not come anywhere close to that experience.

 

I'm a big fan of Oskar Blues, but I was disappointed with Deviant Dale's. Just didn't do it for me. I will try it again soon on the off chance I had a bad can, but several of my drinking friends were also unimpressed.

 

Arctic Devil Barleywine...MEH and over priced...

 

Agreed, not the same beer it once was. Not only on tap but when you got a fresh bottle of the old bottle label....WOW...just wow

 

Deviant Dale's and Palate Wrecker. Both extremely overpriced in my area. Not worth the cash!

 

Delirium Tremens...kept it for months and didn't open until passing the CPA exam...then didn't like it very much

 

It's on the low end of the Imperial spectrum (7.7%), and was never branded as an imperial (read the label). Others placed it there. I was always under the impression that this beer was somewhat of pioneer in the realm of beefing up the IPA. Either way it's a tremendous beer.

 

I agree that they are very expensive. I found Palate Wrecker to be worth the price tag (more so than Dale's, but still expensive).

 

DFH 120 min, absolutely horrible especially for the price

 

Sculpin....the stuff isn't bad, but I don't see how it's the #1 IPA. I'll take White Rajah, Two Hearted, Smutty IPA, Columbus IPA, 60 min, Racer 5, Stone IPA, Centennial, Green Flash WCIPA, Titan, Odell, Loose Cannon and others I'm sure I'm forgetting before it. It probably doesn't help that a bomber cost me $9-$10 and I can get all the others in 4-6 packs for the same price.

I thought Alesmith IPA was also pretty average.