Other Half Brewing Thread (Jan 2016)

As much as I love OH, there is so much great beer in NYC. Don't fall into the trap of having to get all the limited stuff. Limited doesn't need necessarily mean better. You don't need a car to walk to your local bottle shop and buy stuff that doesn't require waiting in line for hours.

And be happy you live in a city that has an awesome mass transit system, you can drink until you can't stand up any more and not have to worry about DWI.

 

The problem is sometimes limited is better and this 2nd Anniversary is worth it. One of the best beers they have released in my opinion.

 

There are loads of other great beers available in NY. Don't deprive yourself my man. Drown your tears into a pint of Singlecut.

 

It's definitely a combination at times. I'd love to say that there are better IPAs regularly available in NYC besides hard-to-get OH and Grimm cans, but I just don't think it's true. Really good? Definitely. But these guys are, at their best, brewing near-perfect beers, and that's a craving that's hard to overcome. Additionally, we are also lucky to be able to find most of these hard-to-get beers on draft, especially if you're willing to travel a bit, but there is something terrific about cracking one in the comfort of one's home.

Thus ends my privileged complaint of the day.

 

Crazy line yesterday, but my wife and I met some good folks and the time passed quickly. Plus we had hand warmers. Anniversary DIPA is aces. Word is that St. Gambrinus has keg. I bet others do too.

 

I get it but my point is simply that we are at a disadvantage. I enjoy plenty of other local beers but you can deny that, as @tynian16 says above, much of the time the "best" stuff is the limited stuff. Singlecut is great but there's a reason (at least in my opinion) why it doesn't sell out as soon as it hits shelves.

 

Yea this is definitely annoying. There are times I'd love to go to Carton or Kane (like for Irregular Coffee) but renting a car or taking the ferry costs more than trading for it, and takes more time too. Agree on Singlecut too - some of their beers are great, especially Mo Shuggie, but for me they don't rise to the level of Grimm or OH's best stuff. They also cost significantly more at $7 a bottle.

Also, I'm drinking my first Second Anniversary, and I have to say I'm blown away. This is probably my favorite beer of theirs and unlike 2 weeks ago for Oat Overdose, which I didn't love, I'm happy I chose to wait for it. That being said, a few "regular" releases in a row would be welcome.

 

I agree and disagree. If we use the term IPA in a broad and general sense, yes, there are a lot of great IPA's sitting on shelves that anyone can go grab and enjoy without the burden of waiting hours on a line.

I feel with the current trends in craft beer the IPA has broken down into so many "sub categories" if you will. Mostly regional. When I'm craving that hazy, juicy, fruity IPA that the New England area has become popularized with, I feel the options become more narrowed down. Maybe Singlecut beers would suffice, but my local shops don't get it in all that often and freshness could be an issue if they do have it, depends. Most of breweries that make great IPA's that fit that criteria can only be purchased at the breweries themselves (OH, TH, Trill., etc.). Grimm, Barrier, and Grey Sail make it to shops but even that you have to plan out due to severely limited quantities.

Still I understand it is my choice to wait in line for something that I am in no way entitled to, I have never been one of the complainers however.

Also, I am strictly speaking of purchasing beer in the form of bottles and cans and taking it home, not growlers or drafts from bars FYI.

 

This is what I say to me self every two weeks and it's always a mess

 

The last 3 release have had something new and sought after. Supparillo, Oat Overdose and the Second Anniversary. Not sure AGE and Equinox will bring out the same crowds. Equinox is generally considered by most people to be their least favorite of the single hop series and AGE is a regular rotation beer. But who knows these crazy lines could be the new normal.

 

It doesn't help that Augie doesn't want to distribute out of NJ either

 

Hmm not so sure about that.New Jersey is his focus, as it should be. I'm seeing plenty of boat beer (kegs) recently and with the smutlab contracting, carton is becoming much more regular in the city.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see more of their cans more readily available but I understand the focus. Just as Other Half and Grimm are not tryjng to expand their distribution to include central and south jersey.