Biggest Hype-Beer That Was a Total Letdown?

This maybe controversial because it was so well received, but considering there was an anticipation post on ba basically before the trees were planted to grow the peaches that went into starkellar peach, I have to go with starkellar peach. Although I think I've preferred the fruit free version of every noble star release so far, so i guess fruit isn't my thing

 

National: the infused Sculpin varieties

Midwest: Starkellar Peach

 

I wouldn't quite say total letdown but Hawaiian Speedway stout to me was underwhelming. I was expecting it to be as good as Vietnamese Speedway NOT even close.

 

Surly Wet. My four cans were lager-like, but I guess there were issues with the cans...

 

Last batch of Sticker Fight, the previous batch was just so good...

 

A couple of comments on beers that others have posted.

Starkeller Peach - I was pretty close to listing that one too. It wasn't bad, but it basically tasted like a mimosa made with fresh, unsweetened orange juice. I didn't understand the hype.

BA Buffalo Sweat w/Vanilla and Cinnamon - It definitely wasn't what I expected, but I actually liked it for what it was. I think I'm in the minority. I had a much bigger issue with the standard BA version. It was really thin and the bourbon was so far in the background that it just gave it a weird aftertaste. I wasn't a fan.

 

2014 Abrasive- carb issues
2015 Abrasive- missing IBUs
2013 and 2015 Wet
Every Surly Anniversary since Five- Pentagram has become a tired beer
SARA Fruit Punch B2- can't believe people gave up big bottles for this bust. Stick to Cellarman.
3 Sons BA Summation- the "KBBS Killer" was water thin and had a homebrew carb.

 

I'm with you on that. I'd take the french toast can over the BA that feels like it was run through a car transmission.

 

Midwest: Schell's Stag Series Cave Aged Barrel Aged Lager, (purchased at Heritage Liquor) was a beer I was really looking forward to the release & trying this brew after I took the brewery tour at Schell's during Christmas break 2014. I was excited, as it was aged in Jack Daniel's barrels, one of my favorites. It might have been just a bad batch, but the two words to describe it would be Drain pour. I just couldn't get past the skunked taste that it had on the nose & the flavor coming from the barrel aging was unbearable. I couldn't even force myself to drink anymore after my first few sips. Sent the remainder as a gift to a trade buddy in CO.

National: Oskar Blues Death by Coconut, (also purchased at Heritage Liquor) was another hyped beer that I thought would be delicious, but after purchasing a 4-pack at Beer Geek Christmas, This one was also another Drain pour for me. I must have gotten another bad batch, based on the score that this beer gets. Stale smelling nose with a very dry, bitter coconut flavor that I just couldn't get past. I might need to stick to buying a mixed 6-pack to try some of the unknowns that I haven't tried previously, and make my decisions based on that.

 

If the question was most over hyped brewery, you really hit the nail on the head!
Surly's been cutting corners for quite some time now, but the Fan Boy nation has their head so far up that they can't smell the coffee or see the light of day anymore.

 

Axeman was the first new Surly beer since 2010 that impressed me. I miss 2012 Wet, and the 2013 version of Abrasive that was brewed regularly during the Winter. I miss releases like Four. Putting Darkness into barrels for three months just so you can dip it into gold wax and call it BA is laughable.

 

Quick... someone check public records at the FTC... they've obviously been bought up by ABI!

 

Or people just like different things than you. Guess I'm just a fanboy.

 

Back in his day, Surly had to bring their hops in by horseback and lonewolf had to trudge 2 miles through 4 feet of snow to get a beer from them.

Now, there are snowplows and trucks and our pets' heads are falling off. It's not the same, I tell you! IT'S NOT THE SAME!

 

In fairness to Surly, I interpret the present state as a manifest of their business model changing and evolving into a brewery like Boulevard, Stone, Bells, Founders, Magic Hat, or Dogfishhead. I don't expect them to release anything new or inspiring like they did in prior to 2011, I see that role belonging to the smaller, more independent breweries.

The positives to that change in my opinion are the destination brewery, the option to have a Surly flagship beer at most restaurants, a lot more people being employed by Surly, and it really did a lot to the overall revival of University along with the rail line.

Selfishly, I miss them them pushing the envelope like they did with OG Abrasive, Wet, Five, and Four.

 

Fair to say. Clear that people have not enjoyed their one offs, anniversary and random beers as much as the past, but their core line up continues to be great. Now, if they will can Cacao Bender I'd be happy.

 

This year's Wet wasn't bad. Born Yesterday and Deschute's Fresh Squeezed were both better though. No arguments on the anniversary beers, they have really fallen flat of late. I am still really digging this year's Abrasive, but I am a sucker for Citra hops.

 

Lagunitas High West-ified Imperial Coffee Stout

Surly Wet

 

Not that it was the "biggest" of hypes. But the Clown Shoe's MN only beers we got that most here seem to talk and ask about were pretty unappealing to me. Ride the Wendigo was pretty bad to my palate.

 

Have you HAD this year's BA Darkness? One of the best Barrel-aged beers I've had. If that's laughable, maybe I just don't get the joke...