Aslin Beer Co. (2019)

Discussion in 'Mid-Atlantic' started by Slack, Feb 28, 2019.

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  1. Topease

    Topease Crusader (474) Nov 18, 2016 Maryland
    Trader

    It would make sense for OH to continue their relationship with DTC and Wine Source in Baltimore after they are fully up and running in DC. Can't imagine those weekly drops would just cease.
     
  2. Sheppard

    Sheppard Grand Pooh-Bah (3,282) Mar 16, 2013 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    In terms of actually visiting a brewery, they're still the preeminent brewery inside the beltway. I'm not really a stout guy, but they seem to be the only ones doing that on a prolific level. As far as IPAs, I do think Bluejacket has improved substantially to the point where their worst IPA is solid and most of their options are good with one or two being great at a given time. This is from someone who goes there as an open-minded skeptic every time. Maybe now that I have more expectations, I can judge them more harshly.

    In terms of other breweries sending beer to the area, I think that Solace, with Partly Cloudy, has done a great job of getting a lot of touch points. I'm not the biggest El Dorado or Simcoe guy, but every time I have it, I am left impressed. It's in so many regular bars, it's kind of become the de facto IPA on tap for NoVA and DC. I honestly haven't bought Adroit Theory cans (price being the same issue I would have at Aslin) but I've been consistently impressed when I've had them on tap (and humored by their copy).

    Lastly, Commonwealth has been carpet bombing NoVA, at least, with cans. Some have been very good. Overall, I've found it to be a mixed bag and it's really frustrating to me to see new cans every week because I value knowing what I am getting myself into. I'd rather have consistency at this point (i.e. dialed in beers) than constant newness. If I'm buying a four pack, I want to purchase it with a certain threshold of confidence. I usually have to check in with someone who lives in Norfolk and has them regularly before pulling the trigger.

    My overall point is just that Aslin has stuck to this strategy or made this assumption that people will come to the brewery (and with the new brewery, that more people will come). I do think they still make the best beer in the immediate vicinity (at least for IPAs, Stouts, berliners). They're not the only brewery making at least some great product. Furthermore, other breweries are succeeding with having more touch points at retail, whether through draft at bars or at the LBS. As quality grows in close vicinity to home/places people go out, does it still make sense to go out of the way to get to Aslin? Driving around here stinks. The Metro can be inconsistent. In terms of non-brewery strategy, Aslin has mostly sent beer to beer bars. Will they expand that at all? How will they lure people to the brewery? I think the main thing they need to do is figure out how to make sure people still "need to have Aslin."

    ^wow this last paragraph reads like a knockoff HBS case
     
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  3. Slack

    Slack Pooh-Bah (1,974) Feb 14, 2012 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I don't sell bottles in any market place but trying to trade in that group is essentially a nonstarter unless it is a rare bourbon or beer. Prices vary from a few dollars over cost for available/less desirable stuff to a $100+ up charge.
     
  4. hoppytobehere

    hoppytobehere Pooh-Bah (1,982) Aug 10, 2012 District of Columbia
    Pooh-Bah Society

    My experience is unique but in 2016 I used to drive 45 to 60 min out to Herndon about once a month to get my Aslin fix.

    Now it's almost 4 years later and I have only been to their new taproom once. It is only a 10 minute drive from my work. I still think they make some of the best NE style IPAs around but my tastes have changed and when I do want something in that style, I can usually find something in my neighborhood at Craft Beer Cellar to scratch that itch.

    Now if they ever start producing world class lagers like they said they will, they might get more of my business. But I'm not holding my breath.
     
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  5. Sheppard

    Sheppard Grand Pooh-Bah (3,282) Mar 16, 2013 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    What is scratching your itch?
     
  6. Goobawl

    Goobawl Initiate (0) Jan 24, 2015 Maryland

    Ditto, used to make two trips a month from upper Montgomery county to Herndon, now I’ve only been to the new taproom once and that was only because I was in the area. Have better options much closer and have no need to make the trip anymore.
     
  7. Sheppard

    Sheppard Grand Pooh-Bah (3,282) Mar 16, 2013 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    So re-visiting this post-450 North getting busted for not having the advertised ABV on their Slurpee series. Has anyone (or friends) had these stouts tested? It seems like this question of the ABV died down real quick...

    (I just messaged pastryboi311 if he actually tested the beers)
     
  8. DCRealAleGuru

    DCRealAleGuru Initiate (0) Feb 16, 2016 District of Columbia

    Anyone try the recent IPAs? Any thoughts?

    I tried the amber lager and thought it was very nice.
     
  9. joerooster

    joerooster Initiate (0) May 15, 2018 Virginia

    Any idea what 450 was claiming the ABV was vs what it was tested at?

    As inconsistent as Aslin has been from batch to batch, I can’t imagine they have all those stouts with various adjuncts/flavorings/barrels and have them all come in at 16.5% or 15%. I don’t really drink those beers so not sure if they taste and feel like 16.5/15%.
     
  10. Sheppard

    Sheppard Grand Pooh-Bah (3,282) Mar 16, 2013 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I believe they were advertising 8% and 10% respectively on the slushies and the one that was tested (the 8%) came in at 2.6%. I don't drink the big stouts either. Given the follow through and subsequent backlash with 450 North, it was interesting to me that this thread just moved on real quick and got excited about the Black Friday releases. It was just a flash in the pan.
     
  11. coquet

    coquet Zealot (618) Aug 31, 2014 Virginia
    Trader

    Big stouts are my jam, and I've had more than a few from Aslin. While I love the taste of them, I've long harbored suspicions that the ABV on those is much lower than listed. To my tastes, there is a huge difference in heat between Aslin's megastouts and beers with a similar ABV from other breweries (e.g., Dogfish Head, The Bruery). The Aslin stuff just tastes so much smoother and sweeter, drinking like a less-artificial version of Southern Tier's Blackwater Series, all of which clock in around 10%. I'd be curious to hear if anything more comes from this. I have to wonder whether the reason this chatter died so quickly is because, like me, everyone is already under the silent assumption that Aslin is fudging the numbers.
     
  12. joerooster

    joerooster Initiate (0) May 15, 2018 Virginia

    I don’t think there is any way Aslin’s beers have the correct abv on them. They have nearly 30 beers at 16.5% and the same at 15%. Not saying the variance is as big as 450 N but there has to be some with aslin and it may be within the legal amount for all I know.
     
  13. mig100

    mig100 Pooh-Bah (2,633) Aug 3, 2014 Texas
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Was in town visiting family and tried several on draft and in cans. Still not quite there, not burny anymore, but just not on the level of what they used to be flavor-wise.

    Stouts are still great, had the recent batches of Bale, Juan de Bolas and Moonshield. As others have said, I think these are in the 10-12.5% range, definitely not 15%.

    Also had Tiny Thugs and Crumb Snatchers, the recent BA bottles, and they were pretty damn good, but not great. Those abv's seem a lot more accurate (16.5%) and you can definitely taste and feel the heat.
     
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