Flying Dog: Like it? Love it? Hate it?

They make fantastic beers. I would say my favorite is their Single Hop Citra.

Yet their Gonzo Imperial Porter is awesome as well.

For some reason I caved in and bought their Old Bay beer. Glad I did. I could pound that stuff all night. Consider yourself lucky you live near there.

 

Like most, love a few, hate a few. They were important to me devoping my tastes but something I rarely turn to anymore outside of the Brewer's Reserve stuff.

 

Gonzo is one of the first beers that showed me the capabilities of craft beer. Yes I was drawn in by the label and the ode to Hunter Thompson, but beyond the label was a great beer.

The rest of their stuff is middle of the pack, rather uninspiring craft fair IMO.

Personally I like their labels/packaging, but I understand its a hate it or love it type afair. I used to burn pretty hard in college so maybe that contributes to my affection.

 

Ha, with brews like Doggie style wants not to like

 

Middling, uninspired, riding the coattails of clever names and a little marketing.

 

I voted "like it", they have a few beers i really love - Gonzo, Double Dog, Snake Dog - and a bunch that are just O.K.. Dead Rise was a lot better than I thought it would be, but once you pair it with anything that also has Old Bay, you don't even notice it in the beer, so why bother? A few of their beers leave me wanting something more - In Heat, Doggie Style, Tire Bite. I really wish they sent more stuff to DE, they have a lot of newer beers, and some older seasonals we never see here

 

Like Doggie Style. I think Gonzo, Raging Bitch, Kujo, and Horn Dog are excellent. The single hop IPAs have been solid. Can't think of many misfires. I guess that makes them pretty good to me.

 

I love Citra hops so... Flying Dog Single Hop Imperial IPA Citra - on tap - is phenomenal and I love it..so.. I like Flying Dog.

 

Do you mean the Brewhouse Rarities? They've released the 2015 line-up:

• Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout

• Earl Grey Black Wheat

• Sriracha Pale Ale

• Maibock

• Juniper White IPA

• India Pale Lager

• Spiced Pear Ale

• Smoked Belgian Stout

But the best part is, is that they are all going to be released in 6-packs.

Also, the single-hop series is awesome. I just want them to bring back the Chinook, Nelson Sauvin, and Sorachi Ace, since I never was able to find them in bottles. I love that they release everything in six-packs, with almost no bombers. I hated when they had some of the earlier Brewhouse Rarity bottlings in only C&C bombers (they weren't some of the better ones even). Also, they need to do some more BA Horn Dog and Gonzo that hits distribution and isn't limited to 250 bottles at the brewery. Sorry, but I'm not driving 2+ hours for the possibility of getting them, when there are at least that many people nearby that would likely want them and have to put in much less effort to get them. Also, BA Gonzo had been distributed 2 years ago. Also, their secret society (Junto Society) is catered toward those that live nearby, since they get to taste brewery-only stuff and talk with the brewers at a once-a-month party. At least they get growlers of each Brewhouse Rarity when they come out.

They are what I bring to parties in MD (despite originally being from CO). For everyone that complains about beers coming in bombers, Flying Dog puts 99% of their stuff into six-packs and at a reasonable price (at least in MD). Great seasonals and a solid-core line-up. If you buy cases and six-packs, then Flying Dog is your brewery for MD beer.

 

I'll go with "like." Most everything they make is enjoyable but nothing so far has struck me as excellent or exceptional.

Kujo is my favorite Flying Dog beer.

 

I think Flying Dog is a pretty solid brewery. I guess if I was giving them a letter grade it would sit somewhere near a B+. There are too many people on BA who only have good things to say about breweries that have an "It" beer. I have yet to find a beer from them that I really disliked. In fact I had their mango habanero IPA on tap in Pittsburgh...which happens to be one of the most satisfying beers I've ever had. I don't usually go out of my way to buy their 6packs but, one of their beers frequently ends up in my mix a 6's.

 

Not to shit on FD, I think they are solid, but I think saying we are wrapped up in hype isn't in play here.

Victory
Stone
Great Divide
Lagunitas
Southern Tier

Breweries who I strongly prefer to FD who are not known for whalez in the least bit. All their highly rated beers have large distro and relatively high production levels.

 

I like it. I specifically LOVE their Gonzo, but I haven't seen it in MI for 2 years...

 

Gonzo is definitely underrated. Real good stuff!

 

Thought the Gonzo was decent; the rest have been middle of the road for me, though my sample size has been small. I am interested in trying their 2015 Brewhouse Rarities - particularly the Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout and Smoked Belgian Stout

 

I love them all and they each have their own place, but I think at the end of the day I might agree with you there. I will say that I am a mix-six guy and rarely buy a regular six-pack, so that colors my perspective a bit. However, some on your list are closer to Flying Dog than others (most like FD to least):

Tier 1
Lagunitas: Possibly the closest to FD in that most are in six-packs, with just a few awesomely priced bombers.
Victory: A bunch of draft-only, some big bottles, but mostly six-pack stuff. Do different styles than most.

Tier 2
Great Divide: Yeti series, 9 YR beers, 12 seasonals, Anniversary, and the rare BA version of some seasonals.
Southern Tier: Blackwater series, limited bombers, and bomber seasonals.

Tier 3
Stone: Tons of collaborations in bombers, Quingenti Millilitre releases, Anniversary beers, and multiple ageable bombers.

Flying Dog collaborations: Brewer's Art (2011), FW (Savor '14), Brewdog (not really one, '13), and Evolution ('13).
Flying Dog: 11 YR, 9 seasonal, single-hop series, brewhouse rarities, and BA Gonzo/Horn Dog

 

Sriracha Pale Ale? I fucking love sriracha and put it on way too many things (at least my stomach says so), but that just sounds nasty. I would try it given my affinity for sriracha, but that just sounds so wrong.

Oh and in regards to the question at hand - I just "like" Flying Dog. All I get access to is their regular line up and ill occasionally pick a sixer up. I do remember Gonzo being one of the beers that I first started drinking when I got into craft beer and still have a soft spot for it.

 

I think Flying Dog makes some pretty good beer, however I rarely pick up any of their beers. I cannot tell you the last time I bought a bottle. The names/labels are a bit obnoxious. I appreciate Ralph Steadman, but the labels are just overkill. If there is a reason why I avoid the brewery it is because of the labeling, it just turns me off.

 

I thoroughly enjoy the Raging Bitch. I am easily amused that people don't drink it or like it because of the name.