Latest Pipeworks Releases and Updates (2018)

Good call, also merged with the pipeworks thread so he can get answers from the source.

 

I'd find some Emerald Grouper on tap around town and save the bottle to open with a friend. Even if its faded a bit by the time you crack it I'm sure you're friend will appreciate the gesture. I've been drinking EG on draft this week by my office and it's really nice on draft.

 

Thanks everyone. I'm not in the Chicago area, so I'm not going to find it on tap anywhere, just lucky to score a bottle. I'll probably save it to share anyway, and hope it doesn't fade.

 

This could be the 9.5 talking but I'm totally feeling Fairy Basslet. I'm going solely off memory but I don't recall this long lasting and smooth of a hop finish in the other fish series I've had (each great). This bomber may last the hour as a result. Well done.

 

Still both of the most recent fish beers at WF Depaul, fyi guys.

 

Thanks for the update. Can't seem to find it on the South Side, so I guess I will take a stop at WF tomorrow before work.

 

Just a heads up, there are at least three to four cases of each fish beer, Emerald Grouper and Fairy Basslet, at the new Binny's in Lincolnwood that just opened this week. Just stopped by this afternoon.

 

And both still at Bottles & Cans.

 

Throwin out props to PW for lil citra... Great addition to the can lineup.

 

Picked up a four pack and drank one as soon as I got home. Really enjoyed it - and it went quick! Going to crush a bunch of these.

 

Was able to get a Fairy at my store yesterday, honestly not my favorite of the fish beers. I felt the same about Emerald though too.

Does anyone else see a big difference between the latest batches and like, Sure Bet or Spotted Puffer? Those were fire.

 

I was just talking about this. The latest batch of Emerald Grouper is still a great beer, but I thought this EG was not as good the last batch of Square Grouper, or at least my memory of how good Square Grouper was when I had it last year. Could be that my expectations are so high based on what I remember, I don't know.

 

I think I remember the previous batches being a lot sweeter and more "full" tasting, whatever that means. I think there's a bit less of that in the more recent ones.

Who knows though, I could be totally wrong.

 

I kind of felt the same way about Crimson Snapper.

 

For anyone downtown or coming downtown over the weekend Jackson Tavern still has Emerald Grouper and Lizard King on draft as well as Half Acre's Beer Hates Astronauts. Talking with one of the bartenders today she expects EG to kick tonight or tomorrow and then they'll throw Fairy Basslet on. Unrelated, First Draft on Clark St. downtown has Zombie Dust (16oz/$7.50) and Rodenbach Alexander (12oz./$11) on draft now.

 

Just had Emerald Grouper on tap at Jackson Tavern. A lot different from Square Grouper. EG (to me) had a lot peach flavor sticking out along with the mango. It seemed like SQ was a more prevalent mango flavor and aroma that dominated the other fruit flavors. Also EG has a subtle honey taste to it while SQ had a lot more honey going on which surprised me as a welcoming bonus for a IIPA (I normally don't like sweet shit!)

Last year, SQ and Crimson Snapper was totally different and a better beer from this year's batch. I just realized that EG is Mosaic and Amarillo hops. Wasn't SQ just Citra? I am a huge...huge Pipeworks fan/supporter. Last year, Crimson and Square fish series were my favorite IIPA's. This year, I don't know man... Something is missing.

 

Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe

Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe and Galaxy

It's the same beer except for possibly Galaxy hops which was there in the original SG recipe (was it there in all SG batches? uncertain). A thread above mentions someone saying that galaxy hops have been difficult for PW to source it seems hence why it was not added to EG possibly.