NEBC - Fuzzy Baby Ducks IPA

They release it very occasionally due to the limited availability of Citra and only on tap at the brewery and within the immediate area of New Haven. I believe they're only scheduled to release one more batch before the next hop contracts come up (November-ish).

 

It's definitely that good, but there have only been two batches so far. Growlers for the most recent one (a few months ago) sold out in less than 24 hours. Start following NEBCO on Facebook and you should get the announcement whenever they release more.

I was kind of surprised that there wasn't more trading buzz around the last batch of this, but I think everyone around here just wants to drink it all rather than bother trading growlers. Now that they're offing 32oz growlers, though, that might change. It's well worth seeking out, that's for sure.

 

i think people are afraid that we're just being homers. i don't care; would rather drink FBD than trade. i can't think of anything at all that i could trade FBD for that i couldn't get with something worse than FBD.

 

Exactly. I'm absolutely a NEBCO homer, but despite all the time I spend talking up how awesome their beers are are I trade them relatively rarely. Almost all of their limited release beers drink far better than they trade, which isn't something I would say about most other breweries.

 

they're also not prolific enough for HF level hype. HF pale ales are as good or better than NEBCO's, but they make so many of them and so often that i can part with a growler (though i haven't yet; i've just extra'd HF). as such, they're proven on the trading market and they trade appropriately (ie you can get something worth the trek and the loss of 1/2 of your stash of the best available pale ale).

"proven" is indeed a big thing too... honestly, as big a homer as i am, with just 2 FBD batches down, i can't say that i'm 100% confident that the next batch will be "as good". the first batch was good enough for rarities, but i don't know that every NEBCO hoppy offering will be.

(that said, after i tried batch 1 coriolis i was pretty convinced that every new hoppy NEBCO beer would be world class, and recent mosaic / galaxy batches haven't disappointed. can't wait for next coriolis...)

 

I think it's hard for anyone outside of CT to get excited for a beer that never gets out of state and where most of the reviews come from CT.

And offering a half homer/half outsider opinion (born/raised in CT but live in Philly) I've never found that NEBCO is nearly as highly rated outside of CT than in CT. I know that happens with a lot of breweries, but it seems extreme in the case of NEBCO.

 

as a homer/good friend of Matt's, I've also worked in the industry for 10+ years and would have no problem telling him one of his beers sucked. I like Heady better than Gandhi but I liked Coriolis more than Heady, blah blah blah, HF is soooo hip, who gives a shit. We are all spoiled with the abundance of great beer right now...Remember when Hop Wallop blew our minds?? Drink local beer, support your local pubs and breweries, don't believe the hype!

 

yeah i think the recent hoppy beers have been as good or better than HF and heady, at least FBD and coriolis (galaxy and supernaut weren't as much to my taste, but i think that's just preference).

the point isn't that HF or alchemist is better, it's that NEBCO just doesn't make enough of these pale ales to command big trade value or generate toooo big a demand. they will eventually i think.

 

It gets talked about plenty by locals but is overshadowed by the non-local demand for the big 3 in VT. There's lots of world class beer being swept under the rug in New England.

 

NEBCo is awesome!! Just don't judge them by Sea Hag.

 

Or just don't judge them by old Sea Hag which is around plenty of places in eastern CT.

 

iso this would love to try this

 

Agree, the new formula is very tasty. I suggest everyone to revisit Sea Hag, and if you're like me you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

I agree. The new Hag is very nice.

 

Never had the old sea hag but I can't imagine you'd say the same now. Hopefully they'll make there way back to RI (and farther) when they expand in the next few years.

 

Not exactly sure how this contributes to the thread at all...

Why trade a beer when it's in your backyard, incredibly good, and not overly saught? If people are looking, sure! If not, oh well...
Fuzzy Baby Ducks: the best beer to overhear being ordered at a bar

 

The most current iteration of Sea Hag is incredible. I had the old version about 3 summers ago and wasnt impressed. Picked up a growler of the latest Sea Hag about a month ago and was blown away.

 

Are the cans of the new Sea Hag any different?

 

well, i think the label changed a few months ago (?), but the beer has been steadily changing recipe for awhile (according to rob).

if you've had it on tap or in cans recently and it was even close to fresh, you've had the new recipe. then again, if it *wasn't* fresh, that's an entirely different problem and i'd say you haven't "really had it".

it's not like so mindblowingly good that it's impossible for you to dislike it (is any beer?). but it's really good.