Bay Area Supermarket & Bottleshop Thread (Q2 2018)

Why do you guys suppose our bay area supermarket/bottleshop thread has so much less activity than the LA supermarket/bottle shop thread?

 

Harder for people (SF-based) to get around and people more protective of their honeyholes?

 

less exciting releases in bottleshops around here compared to the bottle logic and cellador of LA?

 

22,000,000 vs 7,000,000

 

BC in the Bay Area we still truck chase for a flippin IPA that is the same as the other ipa just uses Hop #57680 this time where last time used #78934

 

Total Wine coupon, Bay Area locations only, lasts the rest of 2018

http://www.totalwine.com/media/sys_master/cmsmedia/h7f/hb5/11269124358174.jpg

 

Disagree. Based on the years I lived in the LA area, I would say there’s much more truck chasing there compared to the Bay. Craft beer consumers seem to be more motivated to seek limited releases there despite the larger geographic area. Perhaps is due to the years of lacking good breweries that consumers had no choice but to seek shelf offerings. Here in the bay, beers like Abraxas that would be sold out in an instant in LA end up turding on shelves.

 

Picked up Waldo's Special Ale at Hoppy's Food Mart in Sunnyvale.

 

Beer on shelves just isn't good. Abraxas is now on shelves? Turd.

 

When I tried Abraxas on tap at Beer Rev's 7th Anniversary, I thought it was gross. So there's that.

 

For the first year I can remember, BCBS is shelf-turding pretty hard. I see it at a lot of stores I've visited, although I feel like a lot of it is because of how they raised prices so much this year. BevMo has stacks of it for $15 (although it's on "sale" for $13 now)

Also saw Waldo and KBS (4-packs) at Bayshore BevMo today. I picked up Firestone Lager there, since not many places are carrying it.

 

I can see that. How do you feel about other spiced stouts like Stone Xocoveza, Prairie Bomb, or Huna?

 

Xocoveza may be my favorite stout of all time. There's something about the balance that's really well done, and is infinitely drinkable.

Bomb! is a little strange - sometimes I really enjoy it, and other times, it falls flat. I've mostly only had it on tap, though. I take issue with a $10 bottle of non-BA 12oz beer. Pirate Bomb has been my favorite iteration though.

Haven't tried Huna.

From what I remember of Abraxas, it had this syrupy sweetness that was really off-putting. I didn't even finish my glass.

 

KBS bombers at Costco Santa Cruz for $15.88.

Then I found this at Trader Joe's in Los Gatos:

 

HIGHLY ACCLAIMEd

 

TJ's is THE SPOT for beer value, break open any pack with no marking up on singles. Saw these at Berkeley Bowl West but of course they were way more expensive with the singles markup as well.

 

I popped open a bottle of this year's KBS and found it very enjoyable especially when compared to some of the previous vintages I've had.

 

Me too . . . it's actually the first year I've really enjoyed it.

 

I've given the whole pastry stout craze a try and I think I've just about given up on them. Most end up being too busy. I prefer stouts with, at most, one or two adjuncts so I'm pretty happy that KBS came out good since it's affordable.