Favorite Sixpoint Brew

I've yet to see any of the new format Sixpoint brews in Central New York. My local shop has one lonely 4-pack of Resin on the shelf and that's it.

 

let us know what you think after you try it...

Let us know if you'd like help with finding the more rare/esoteric beers. Our rep up in your area can show you the way too...

remember to enjoy it as well! :-)

how are you getting Resin in NC? Just curious....

glad to hear you're liking the new format too!

Isn't Pils great when its done well?

Please send us a private message ASAP. We want to take care of this as soon as possible.

 

I have a source in Virginia AND I travel to Florida many times during the year.

Cheers.

 

When are they going to start distributing in Colorado?

 

probably not for a long time

 

count me in. I'd love to know which Sixpoint beers fall in to this category that I could come across in my neck of the woods.

 

That is very sad

 

Shane, have you ever conducted a side-by-side tasting of Resin 'testing' how it tastes from a can vs. poured into a can?

John Kimmich seems to think that pouring Heady Topper into a glass noticeably oxidizes the hop aroma/flavor (hop essential oils) to impact the flavor of Heady Topper. I wonder if the same could happen for Resin.

Cheers!

Jack

 

Not sure if you are referencing the same video I am, but in that video, John mentions three reasons to drink it from the can and the oxidization is the last reason, and even then, he says it really only matters with the last few sips or so that have been in the glass for 20 minutes or so.
I only say this because I got the sense that it wasn't a huge reason for telling people to drink it from the can.

 

Just one data point: I had a can of Heady Topper which I poured half into a glass and the other half I drank from the can. I personally perceived some difference between the two drinking experiences; particularly in the aroma perception.

I am interested in reading Shane's (@Sixpoint ) view on this topic.

Cheers!

 

Jack, Mark,


I have never seen any credible evidence (i.e. laboratory testing) that proves pouring a cold beer into a glass quickly and noticeably oxidizes the hop aroma and flavor, and therefore one should drink the beer straight from the can. However, I am open to the possibility that this laboratory data exists, but absent any proof, I will remain skeptical.

Most people consume a pint of beer in a half hour or less and its hard to believe oxidation reactions would alter hop flavor and aroma this quickly. However, hop oils and aromas are dissipated with agitation and over time as the carbonation escapes, but that is way different than oxidation, which is a chemical change and transformation of the beer itself. I personally can attest (and laboratory data proves) that excessive agitation facilitates the demise of sensitive and volatile hop oils and compounds, and if that is what Mr. Kimmich was insinuating, then I am aligned with him on that.

And let's be consistent about this - if you are instructing someone to drink directly out of the can, they should drink beer directly out of the bottle as well (because pouring beer out of a bottle would have the same effect as pouring beer out of a can, assuming you poured it identically of course). But you need to take it a step further: draft beer is off limits as well. Because every time you pour the beer out of a tap and into a glass, it would oxidize the flavor and aroma.

I hope by now you see how ridiculous this entire argument is. No more pouring any beer into a glass because it oxidizes hop flavor and aroma? We should get rid of all glassware then, because all it does is create oxidized beer. We should just go back to drinking directly out of the bottle, can, and keg.

The reality is (ceteris paribus) drinking out of a can is worse (flavor wise) than drinking out of a bottle because cans impart a metallic/aluminum taste to whatever you are drinking, whereas glass is neutral to taste. Putting your lips on metal to consume a beverage is not going to enhance a flavor experience. That being said, drinking straight from the bottle OR can is almost always going to be inferior to drinking out of properly cleaned glassware (with a proper pour) because the exterior of beer bottles and cans are not sanitary. Even if you are self-distributing (like the Alchemist) the beer can has likely been touched by at least one set of hands prior to consumption (and perhaps some machinery as well) and putting your lips on it to consume beer, especially at the rim of the can where dust, debris, and dirt collects, is not an appetizing proposition. Bottles don't have this problem of dirt and debris accumulation as much as the can does, simply because the top of a bottle does not have a basin to collect debris. But the problem with bottles is many people grab bottles by the neck of the bottle near the bottlecap, whether when serving or placing them into their refrigerator, loading them into a cooler, etc. Putting your mouth on that is not exactly sanitary either (not to mention that bottle was probably handled by at least several hands or machinery prior to consumption).

So if the choice when drinking your beer is to put your mouth on:

1) the dirty exterior of a metallic-tasting packaging vessel (can)

2) the dirty exterior of a neutral-tasting packaging vessel (bottle)

3) the clean exterior of a neutral drinking vessel (properly cleaned glassware).


IMHO glassware wins hands down, and that is why properly cleaned glassware has been the drinking vessel of choice across dozens of countries for centuries. Shocker!

Perhaps one of the reasons why it says "DRINK FROM THE CAN" is because the beer is unfiltered and often has a lot of particulate matter and floaties in it. To any hardcore beer fan or homebrewer, this is no big deal. But to the average drinker, this is not exactly appetizing either. We consume beer with our eyes before we consume with our nose and mouth, so naturally appearance does have an impact.

There are many debates about how to pour a beer properly, but some experts believe that a slight agitation (also known as "the explosion") allows the beer to release some of its flavors and nuances, and then afterwards the glass should be filled more gently to generate 1-2 inches of foam for most ales and lagers. There is an exception given for hefeweizens given their unique character. But it is interesting to note that Michael Jackson is aligned with my feelings about excessive agitation for some hoppy ales. Some agitation is necessary, but not too much as that might destroy some of the sensitive bitter compounds.

At the end of the day the beer drinker is free to enjoy the beer however they want. I would never instruct our fans to drink directly from the can though, for I don't want them drinking from an unsanitary surface that imparts a metallic flavor. I believe properly cleaned glassware with a proper pour is the way to go.

Cheers!



Randy Mosher, one of America’s leading experts on the topic, thinks so. Randy’s new book, Tasting Beer: An Insider’s Guide to the World’s Best Drink, was recently published by Storey, which shares a publishing umbrella (Workman) with my own Fearless Critic Media. It’s an excellent book, totally accessible yet technical enough to take readers into some of the basic neuroscience of taste and perception and the chemistry of beer.



At a recent beer-tasting event held at the Workman headquarters, Randy told me that, generally speaking, bottled beer should be poured straight into the dead center of the glass, not into a glass tilted at a 45-degree angle, as is popularly believed. When beer is poured into a tilted glass, Randy argues, the head never fully forms, and you miss out on the beer’s creamy introduction.

True to his word, in Tasting Beer, Randy describes how beer should be poured for judging at a competition: “Pour the beer right down the middle of the glass, wait for the foam to settle, and if needed, pour

a little more.”

The late beer critic Michael Jackson seemed to agree with this generally, although he dissented in the case of ales, which he preferred without too creamy a head. In Ultimate Beer, Jackson writes (of pouring ales): “A gentle, steady pour down the side of the tilted glass will stop the beer from foaming excessively. Steepen the angle and pour more directly to avoid the beer being too flat. Aim for one ‘finger’ of foam. Too much creaminess will rob the beer of its appetizingly bitter character. The hop oils will migrate from the beer itself and hide in the head.”

Mosher and Jackson agree that German-style weizens (wheat beers), which have high levels of carbonation, are an exception to any pouring rule. Writes Mosher: “The traditional method of pouring will amaze and astound your friends. First, rinse a very clean glass with clean water. With the glass in one hand and the bottle in the other, invert both at a steep diagonal angle. As the glass fills, keep the neck of the bottle just above the level of liquid in the glass. If you do it right, you’ll get a full glass with foam right up to the rim. If you do it wrong, well, you may find yourself mopping beer off the table. The final step is to take the near-empty bottle and roll it back and forth on the table, then pick it up and dribble the yeast in a circular motion on top of the foam, where it will melt through and create a cascade of cloudiness through the beer.”

 

I can't speak for aroma, but in direct sunlight, an ipa in a glass does taste different to me more so than it does when I am indoors, drinking it out of a glass. Direct sunlight can, and will, oxidize the beer quickly, but to what degree? Indoors, or out of direct sunlight, I have never had a problem with this. I rarely drink beer in direct sunlight though.

 

Yes, drinking out of a glass in direct sunlight poses another problem. However, that problem is not oxidation, its a different phenomenon known as being "light-struck" and can be mitigated by using a stein with lid or keeping the beer out of direct sunlight.

 

And that is what I get when I post before having a beer. Not sure why I was thinking "skunked" when you were talking about oxidization. I do know the difference. /

 

Question for you regarding too much agitation. In your opinion does a glass with the laser etching create too much agitation for a hoppy beer? I am moving back to the States in two weeks to Dover, Delaware. I use a Duvel glass for many of the beers I drink. I will be drinking Sixpoint beer for the first time including Bengali and Resin. Would a glass without the etching be better suited? I will say my palate isn't at a beer judging level by any means.

 

Agitation mixes air (oxygen) with the beer when it is poured or swished around. That causes oxidation
Cavitation is the release of bubbles when it hits those laser etched marking in the glass. This releases the carbonation ( and aroma, which can be a good thing).

 

It's hard for me to pick a favorite, since Sixpoint tends to be one of my go-to's, but the selection depends on my mood.

Resin
Bengali
Sweet Action
Global Warmer (LOVED this)

I'd say those are my 4 favorites

 

This week it was Crisp very tasty on the beach in Rhode Island around noon each day

 

Shane (@Sixpoint ), I appreciate your conscientious post above.

Have you ever done a side-by-side tasting of Resin: directly from the can and poured into a glass? If so, I would be interested in your personal perceptions of the two drinking experiences.

One comment to your prior post: there is a bit of difference between drinking from a can vs. drinking from a bottle. Drinking from a can permits some perception of the beer aroma but drinking from a bottle permits zero beer aroma via your nose since your lips will completely surround the bottle top (there will be a little bit of aroma from intra-nasal perception).

Cheers!

Jack

 

Jack,

I never drink the Sixpoint beers from the cans for the reasons described above. That being said, I think a side-by-side comparison would much welcome! This week Tuesday I have a Resin tasting session with our brewing team (we are analyzing the latest batch) so I will plan on conducting it then.

Re: can vs bottle drinking, I would argue it depends on how you drink the beer. Many people completely obscure the opening of the can when they drink from it, similar to how they drink from the bottle. Either way the surface area of any circular opening is going to be (pi x r2) so any glassware is going to provide a scale many times that of a bottle or can opening.

cheers!