Rahr BBAWW $16 this year....what?

Have you tried Iron Thistle? It has won multiple awards for good reason. It's a damn good scotch ale...I'd put it on par with Dirty Bastard. Everything else they brew is pretty weak. I agree they will eventually fail if they don't do something soon...too many other options out there now.

 

Perhaps. I'm not a huge fan of Franconia or Four Corners either. But with Lakewood, Community, Peticolas, Revolver, and Martin House, there are plenty of great options in the area. Admittedly, I haven't yet tried some of the newer or smaller places that have popped up around here.

 

This makes me point and laugh even more.

So what I'm hearing is the great beers at the anniversary parties aren't even their own?

If so... lawdy!

 

I believe that was only one year they did this. 2013's was all their stuff as far as I saw. 2012 was the year they had a lot of homebrewers out there along with a lot of one off Rahr offerings.

 

Fwew! Chad really had me worried!!!

 

Hmm maybe, but that's not what Fritz mentioned during our board meetings for NTX Beer Week this year.

 

I don't know what it is whit Rahr. Alot of other semi large or even small Texas breweries are doing a "small batch" experimental series ie: DR, BB, F.U.N, Proam, ect. Rahr should definitely look into this approach. Maybe its cause I live in Houston and don't get the opportunity to try their small batch stuff, but if they would have packaged less BBWW and had it aged longer this would not even be a discussion. Unfortunately money drives business, and they they tried to take advantage of their own past reputation, and failed.

 

Extra time in the barrel would not necessarily help. Actually less time and the bourbon would probably be more apparent along with the alcohol

 

And that's why I'm not a brewer

 

Rahr is on the same level as Real Ale? Where the hell would you have to live for that to be true?

 

I think you misunderstood that.

But the answer to you misunderstanding would be the moon... Real Ale is damn near flawless IMO.

 

Lost track of how many times I'll overhear statements like: "Real Ale is your favorite TX brewery? No way. Fireman 4 and the Rio Blanco Pale are so boring" or... "Eh, St. Arnold is all right, I guess they make a decent Amber and the Lawnmower is ok"

I get that everyone has different palates and understand Danzborin's POV. Point is, everyone also has different levels of accessibility depending on location and perception can be swayed based on that factor in conjunction with taste and whatever else goes into your thought process of what breweries you like/dislike.

 

I consider the price too expensive for this beer. I did buy one to add to the cellar. Typically, at a reasonable price, I'd buy more and likely drink one fresh.

 

That word, flawless, is tricky, especially in discussing beer.

 

I agree but I stand by it with Real Ale.

 

In the past week I have had the '12 & '13 regular Winter Warmer and and BBAWW and an '13 Iron Thistle. Did anyone else get an off flavor from this years beers? I can't pinpoint it, but maybe metallic? This years batches were definitely different, as they are actually some of the Rahr beers that I really like.

 

Yeah, it was really noticeable in the normal winter warmer. Couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was but my guess is either a change in the water or something metal in the equipment is tossing it out. Didn't taste like rust or a fermentation off flavor but I suppose it could be fermentation-related. Acetaldehyde is a fermentation off flavor but tastes particularly metallic. It just didn't have that acetaldehyde taste.

 

In a word, yes.

for me it was almost a milky thick flavor that wouldnt go away even after a scotch.