Controversial Beer Opinions (Round Two)

Barrier, Greenpoint, Singlecut....every "IPA' brewer around

 

There is no such thing as an "experienced" beer drinker, or a "beer veteran". There is only the passage of time, and how people choose to fill that time. Filling it with beer is no achievement.

 

Brewed by August Schell in New Ulm while, IIRC, the label itself (which was for a time owned by Grain Belt and then by Heileman (as GB's purchaser) after the Hauenstein brewery closed) is now owned by a local MN distributor(s) and brewed under contract for them.

But, yeah, for the exact and up-to-date story (as Jack noted) @Chaz and/or @bergbrew as the guys to ask.

 

I assume the vendor(s) you are actually purchasing those American beers from is European (Sweden?) based. How old are those beers typically? How much do they cost?

Cheers!

@Crusader

 

Thank you for taking the time to construct that list. I appreciate the education you provided.

And yes it is popularly debated how long these sorts of beers are 'good' for. They are indeed delicate beers but if the brewery has a very high quality canning line (i.e., very low TPO) and if the beer is not mishandled they can indeed hold up better over time (e.g, a few months). But, those are two significant ifs. FWIW I have had the best luck with 'NEIPA' beers purchasing them directly from my local breweries. YMMV. @JamFuel

Cheers!

Cheers!

 

Unless there is a specific reason for me to look it up (ABV, style, etc) I always try to drink and rate a beer on my own before seeing BA/Untappd/friends reviews.

 

You are doing pretty good there as regards freshness. A well packaged beer which has been stored cold will still be 'good' at up to 3 months.

That is much more than I would be willing to pay but this is your money here and it sounds like this brings you joy.

In the Germany forum @Snowcrash000 just posted a BrewDog experience he had:

"Not to mention that I cannot respect any craft brewery that sets 12-month best-by dates for their IPAs. I bought a can of NEIPA by them a few months ago which tasted like shit because it was 8 months old instead of the 2 months I had presumed. I haven't bought anything by them ever since."

Yup, 8 month old IPAs are 'not good'.

Cheers!

 

I liked Stroh's back when being “fire brewed” was it's claim to fame. I can't compare how it tasted in the 70's vs today since I haven't seen it on a shelf around here for 30 years (Haven't seen Hamm's in stores for at least 20)

 

I don't have a dog in this fight. I just think that people pay exorbitant amounts for beers that taste like fruit juice. Whenever the beer tastes like, or is meant to taste like a different non-alcoholic beverage that isn't taxed like beer is, then you've lost me. Same goes for chocolate milk, coffee or milkshake beers (you know who you are). You want me to pay more money, above and beyond prices that are already inflated by high taxes, for something that is purposefully made to taste like something other than beer? Get outta here!

How's that for a controversial opinion .

 

Going off of 40 year old memories here, but I remember Stroh's as having a fuller “toasty” flavor and more body than High Life.

The last time we had Hamm's around here was 85ish. It came in plastic crates and bottles had puns, jokes, or riddles on the bottom side of the cap. Good beer at a great price, I'd like to have it back.

 

You can find 30pks in the Total Wines around here. I like it because it's slightly more bitter than most AALs.

 

I knew a guy in the 80s who was a big fan, and specifically mentioned the hops as to why.

 

I believe that every brewery should stick to their region. No distribution beyond, say 50, miles, but a heavy presence locally. If you want Stone, you can get Stone ... if you go to San Diego; If you want Bell's, you can get Bell's ... if you go Michigan. And so on.

Having these breweries off shelves would get more local stuff available and would allow local breweries to thrive. What it would also do, in my opinion, is raise the bar. Just because a beer is "local" doesn't mean it's good (this is not the controversial part). If suddenly the average consumer didn't have access to a All Day IPA or a Anti-Hero, they'd have to find a suitable local option, which would mean that local option would have to be good.

Just like I don't have access to Lou Malnati's unless I'm in Chicago, so too should I not have access to Off Color (not like I have great access here anyway). It gives me incentive to revisit Chicago.