What are some of the harshest beers you've had?

NH Pilgrim's Dole wheatwine is probably the most recent one I can remember where it was so boozy and syrupy that I just couldn't finish the bottle. First time I had Olde School Barleywine, fresh, it was a bit difficult as well, altho I was a barleywine n00b back then.

Edit: weird seeing all the Double Bastard posts. I found it incredibly drinkable.

 

Yeah, DB is a beer I can drink any day in any mood.

 

Tactical Nuclear Penguin is absolutely brutal. I absolutely love big beers, but, obviously at 32% ABV it's gigantic. It is almost all burn...

 

Had a Lost Abbey Angel's Share (Bourbon Barrel) from the bottle that was a real struggle to get down. It was totally flat - I think carbonation would have made the thicky syrupy boozy sweetness a lot more palatable.

 

Agreed. better with age.

 

Mikkeller Black...was not a fan.

 

Ghost Face Killah by the end of the bottle. My first sip left me with a feeling of "Wow what a unique beer!" my last sip was a "Thank god that's over" feeling

 

Brewdog Tokio tasted toxic. It brought back memories from the 80's playing with that plastic bubble toy.

 

One of the worst beers I have consumed.

 

Double down on that. First tasted 2011 the week it came out alongside a '10. The later had chilled out a bit. Storing 2 more '11's for at least a year...hopefully I don't have to breath fire after each one

 

Deshutes BB XXII. I happened to be at the Portland store the day they were going to have a special tasting during a block party. I was bugging the waitress for Abyss (mind you it was the middle of July). She brought me a sampler of XXII without telling me what it was. She later told me that it was XXII and that it probably wouldnt be released. Not good

 

Like a glass of vodka.

 

Lips of Faith Super Cru for me. Harsh in every sense of the word.

 

When I think about my experiences with Double Bastard, I'd have to say that fresh 2011 Double Bastard was much more drinkable than 2010 was, but will still benefit from age. 2010 NEEDED age. It has higher ABV and is and quite good now, but it was harsh when it was fresh (A lot of Stones big beers were harsher than usual during that time period of about 6 months - remember last years Old Guardian? That was nothing like previous vintages I've had.) I bought a half case of fresh 2010 DB in CO and even sprung for a 3L for aging. Then Texas finally started receiving bottles of 2010 in the spring of 2011. Didn't buy any because I was already sitting on several bottles including the 3L. But I will probably try to pick up some more 2011 before it disappears.

2009 DB was excellent fresh. Texas only received kegs because of the word "masturbatory" used on the label. I had a couple glasses at Flying Saucer in Ft Worth, TX. I did have a bottle of 2009 during travel but not until spring of 2010, and it had been stored at room temps. It tasted quite oxidized, but still drinkable.

2007 was excellent in bottles. Had one in Avon, CO in January 2008. That was my first Double Bastard. It was pretty damn good.

 

1) Founders Devil Dancer. Punch-you-in-the-face harsh.
2) Black Hole peat whiskey aged edition. My favorite scotch whiskies are Islays, it's not that I don't like peaty scotch. This kind of whiskey barrel just doesn't work for aging stouts if you ask me. Black Hole in the cognac barrel was delicious.
and of course...

Cave Creek Chile Beer.

 

A perfect example of how subjective this is.

I have loved every iteration of that beer.

Cheers!

 

I'm with you with the Mikeller Black Hole and not just the peat. I've had about 3 bal versions of this mess. They all tasted like boozy ashtray and top soil juice.

 

AGREE!!!

 

surly 5 not really harsh just not a good wild