Lagunitas Hop Stoopid Vs. Drakes Aroma Coma

Do they need to be compared, though? Why not just enjoy each on their own merits?

Also, I find the opposite to be true, personally. Have never been overly impressed with Hop Stoopid anytime I've had it.

 

Have not had Hop Stoopid in 2 years. AC I had last year in a keg. Recipe has changed from the year before. I believe from a new brewer at Drakes. I will seek a bottle of AC and see if it's the same recipe as last year. If so, then it's just okay. I really dug the first year when it came out.

 

Serious (potentially stupid) question: do they distribute kegs of Hop Stoopid? I've been drinking Lagunitas for a good seven years and honestly don't recall ever seeing it on tap anywhere outside of the brewery.

Edit: on topic, I enjoy them both. Would give a slight nod to AC, but am glad they both exist.

 

If my local Costco sold cases of Stoopid it would probably become 90% of my beer expenditure. Could you imagine 12 bombers for $29.89?

On topic...never had AC. Sorry. Lol

 

You can buy Maximus, which I actually may prefer over Stoopid for about that price. It is a large portion of my beer expenditure!

 

Hop Stoopid is one of the most hop-extract reliant west coast IPAs. I think it really shows -- big resin-ey bitterness with less of the floral aroma. It's a fantastic bargain and a great example of how leveraging modern ingredients can deliver a low cost, high quality product. Really glad I don't have to choose this time of year! One of each please!

 

Saw AC in the cooler at my local but for nearly nine bucks!! I passed on it.

 

Cool, thx! Next time I see it on tap, I'm jumping on it!

 

I really liked the first batch of AC and AP. The next batch tasted completely off. Stoopid is simply one of the best bang for the buck going on close to a decade.

 

I've had it on tap a few times, so apparently they do distribute kegs, at least to pubs.

My feeling about Hop Stoopid: it's good to know it's there. A tremendous bargain, lots of IBUs and ABV (if that's what you're looking for) for a mere $4. But not a beer I reach often for some reason.

 

Same here. I'm always pleasantly surprised by how good it is when I have it, but that's not that often. For me, the simple fact that it's so easy to get makes me avoid it. I'd probably drop everything and drive to the nearest bottle shop the second it dropped if it were a seasonal, but it's not. It's the same with a lot of other really great beers out there (see FW, SN, Lagunitas, etc., etc.). I wish it weren't true, but it is.

 

That's unfortunate man. Rarity doesn't affect flavor. I see week old FW Union Jack all over the damn place and that makes me really happy.

 

Aroma Coma changes year to year, and this year's is pretty weak IMO. Tasting really thin, with a not-great hop presence and too much malt on the palate. Last year's was better (though Aroma Prieta was better still).

Hop Stoopid, on the other hands, while a very different beer, is almost always a good big. Great hop aroma, a good balance of malt and bitterness, and it's tough to beat the price.

Alas, at least in my opinion, Aroma Coma has been falling off progressively for the last few years. Same goes for Hopocalypse, too, especially the Black Label. With stuff like Hop Stoopid, Pliny, Double Jack, and recently Sculpin easily gettable in the Bay Area (not to mention local draft selections), it's not a tough choice.

P.S. I still like Drakes (1500 and Denogginizer are tasty). Just sad that their special IPAs have been falling off. Quasar at Jupiter is still tasty, though (which is brewed by Drakes).

 

Agreed on most opinions. The AC has really been a bit of a letdown the last few years. The malt is definitely more forward than previous years.....sadly. Wish the Drake's crew would go back a few years and bring back that hoppy batch. Same goes for the Hopocalypse. Seems like another recipe change on the recent batch. Tasted much sweeter this year.

Hop Stoopid? Two bombers for less then $8? Sweet deal.....for a hoppy experience. Expect nothing less from the beers that are the Lagunitas.

 

hop stoopid is so damn underrated, mahybe because it's so readily available. So frickin' superior, IMO, to so many highly rated IPAs.

 

That's Lagunitas period. They get some initial hype (Original Sucks release, Born Yesterday) and then everyone forgets they produce some solid beers at great prices.

 

Aroma Coma just wasn't that good this year. Drakes fell off the map across the board for me.