Notable Releases - DC/NOVA/MD

Pretty certain you're right that NRG was buying direct from Shelton but I'm positive Hop and Wine distributed a number of Shelton products in DC during all those years as well (e.g.'s Kulmbacher, Géants, De Ranke, Mikkeller, Coniston, Ridgeway, Mahr's. Nogne O.. (I've got catalogues listing them and I stocked a number of them)). It's great that we're getting access through Pekko distribution as well.

 

Heavy Sea's the Alpha Effect is surprisingly solid. Once I saw Hazy IPA on the bottle I thought "This must be a marketing stunt". I'm actually pleasantly surprised that they brewed something that resembles the NE style. Not as good as the real deal, maybe in the realm of Born Yesterday, but for 8.99 a sixer I'll be picking it up again if I can find it fresh.

 

I am ready

 

It's pulling an 81 on BA and it's in the realm of Born Yesterday? Uh, yeah sure.

 

I thought the same about the rating. Have you tried the beer?

 

Yeah, I had a Born Yesterday absolutely crush a Lawson's, Ocelot, and some other stuff in a blind tasting..

 

And it was 12/13 a six pack. Loved that beer.

 

I haven't tried it, but 2016's Born Yesterday might literally be the best IPA that's ever been distributed in Washington, DC. It's just a pretty lofty comparison is all!

 

I thought the Alpha Effect was ok, but certainly nowhere near Born Yesterday. If BY is B-list to the Tree Houses/ Trilliums of the world, then Alpha Effect is more like C-list.

 

Maybe it was a lofty comparison. I was mostly surprised for the price point and brewery (overall not a fan of heavy seas). I prefer a C-list $8.99 a sixer beer compared to waiting in line for aslin (b-list IMO) for ~$4 a can or buying a can of singlecut (another B list) for $6.

 

Indeed about value. That's why I go crazy when Lagunitas releases Born Yesterday or High West-ified. Both beers are B+ beers, but A++ in value. Which if you don't have unlimited funds or unlimited time to stand in line and pay $5.50/can at Aslin, getting 6 beers for the price of 2 is pretty damn good. I'm not sure there is a better value out there.

And in this day in age of beer brewing, it would be great if everything we drank was 95+, but it's a great time we live in to be able to grab a solid 88 IPA like a Minute Man, at a reasonable price.

 

I just want to say that Born Yesterday was probably the most surprising beer of 2016 for me. I accidentally stumbled across a stray bottle in the back of my fridge in early February that was bottled in October. And it was still really damn tasty.

I miss that beer. Hope it comes back soon.

 

Agree--not just the best mass-market beer of 2016, but one of the best period. Hope they don't change the recipe, because 2016 blew away the 2015 version.

 

j. wakefield Golden Ticket @ MyLHBS in Seven Corners

 

Anyone hit RAR Dank Day? How is the Pineapple Grenade?

 

Dominion got in both JWB GT and Pi. Also, FWIW, Alewerks Bitterer Valentine at Clarendon TJs.

 

Jenny Said and Mo Shuggie at CBC

 

To answer your question, tbh I have not. But I have way too much beer sitting in my cellar to grab a sixer punching an 81.

 

FWIW, the 81 is probably due in large part to the fact that the Alstrom brothers generally aren't into hazy IPAs. Check out their ratings for HopHands or any of Trillium's hoppy beer. I don't have any idea whether the Heavy Seas beer is any good as I haven't tried it, but the Bros rating on a NE IPA won't sway my opinion one way or another.

 

A bit of pineapple and surprisingly hoppy/bitter despite looking like juice. I liked it.