$100 to spend at your local bottle shop

Going off what I saw on shelves the last time I was in MA, which was a couple weeks ago:

Boulevard Saison Brett: $12
Hoppin' Frog BA Naked Evil: $24
Bruery Fruet: $36

That does put you about $10 over budget, but I think it would be worthwhile to get a few special occasion beers for your birthday.

 

Pretty Things Meadowlark IPA
Anything Jacks Abby
Maine Beer just sent down another shipment of fresh Zoe

 

Oh, I passed on it, too, for that very reason.

But your birthday is a time to throw reason out the window and try things you ordinarily wouldn't. At least that's what I tell my wife when mine is coming up.

 

Hm... let me think about what caught my eye most recently at Yankee... Missed Goose Island Juliet by a couple weeks otherwise I'd suggest that. I didn't see any Meadowlark IPA when I was there a couple days ago... The Bruery has had my interest lately, but the two limited bottles they have are Fruet, which as you've stated is a bit pricey, I was given a bottle as a gift, not sure I'd get it otherwise, or the White Oak if you are interested in that. I wasn't. As far as limited releases/specialty beers, nothing major jumped out at me. I'd almost suggest setting whatever you have left over aside, saving it strictly for beer, and hold out for some other limited releases coming out in the next few weeks/months.

Honestly one of my favorite Mass exclusive's right now has been Notch Brewing. Small brewery focused solely on session beers, but their Session Ale and Saison knock it out of the park. It's worth checking out if you haven't already, but at $5 for a bomber it wont put much of a dent in the remaining $63.

 

I was given a bottle of Fruet last month for my own birthday, then found a bottle of Cuir on the shelf and decided $22 was worth splurging on. So now I have the 3rd and 4th anniversary. Probably wont be drinking them for quite some time though. They could/should be aged for quite some time before drinking anyway, so consider it an investment.

 

I think I would buy one of those enormous 3L ``double magnums'' of Chimay Blue (just for the heck of it).

 

Why not throw in a bottle of St Bernardus 12 with the Westy/Rochefort/Chimay tasting? I got a bottle a Bauer a week or so ago for $15.

 

A hundred bucks, screw the bottles store, just walk into the aquarium and ask where the wales at...bro.

 

Agreed. Getting money/gift certificates for beer is a license to try beers you'd love to try but would otherwise pass by due to price.

 

Oktoberfest mini-kegs

 

Speaking of mini-kegs, didn't the Two Hearted ones just come out? Go for it!

 

Let me know what you think of the Mayflower Porter. Bought some Founders Porter instead...curious as to how an American English Porter compares.

I've only had the Floral IPA and Oatmeal Stout from the SN Beer Camp pack I bought. So far, the Oatmeal Stout is my favorite from the release...trying the Imperial Pilsner and Imperial Red tonight.

 

For what it's worth, which probably isn't much, it was my least favorite in the pack. It wasn't bad just extremely meh.

 

not my local shop, but it would be six 4packs of Heady and 2 Lawsons Double Sunshines

 

Throw a Pannepot or two in the mix