Got this email from Streetcar today: "Few local breweries have made a more anticipated debut release in the last few years than Lord Hobo, whose Boom Sauce drew an incredible amount of critical attention this summer. To paraphrase a conversation we recently had with head brewer Vince Tursi, the original intention was to produce an east coast version of a Port Brewing -influenced IPA, with a more prominent malt backbone to power the barrage of hops. From the initial reactions, it appears that this region's palate has veered toward a more hops-dominant profile in IPAs. To their credit, Lord Hobo took the criticism to heart and decided to pull back the malt. Tonight we'll crack open the current batch, along with "Steal This Can", Lord Hobo's second release, which is one of the component beers for the final blend that is Boom Sauce." Any one notice a change?
Seems I was right when I compared the first batches to Port. The beer was still not right though, absurdly bitter, and it would've been interesting to have this hybrid west/east coast IPA if it was better executed. I still like Mongo and Wipeout as well as ones I've had from brewers at the different locations over the years. Looks like they listened to all the haters and now they will be just another brewery making the same thing as everyone else.
So if they tweaked the recipe that most definitely means that they're past their "65% of the way there" which is promissing. Where they at now? 70% 80%? Wake me up once they actually finalize it and make it affordable... *yawn*
This just makes their whole approach even more confusing to me. I thought they were explicitly saying their plan was to make a widely and readily available version of the NE IPAs that people routinely chase and wait in line for around here. The description of Boom Sauce as "wrapping you in a juice blanket" certainly seems designed to conjure images of Trillium/TreeHouse/etc and not of some sort of malt heavy alternative to those. I have to say I just don't get it. And, while I guess I applaud their bold approach, it seems like they should have used their existing bars to debut, tweak, and nurse some grassroots hype for the beers rather than just declaring them awesome and brewing thousands of barrels out of the gate without, apparently, a sense of what the region is looking for.
I swear probably 9-12 months ago they tweeted / instagrammed a picture of them testing out their own beer alongside some NE IPAs such as Sip of Sunshine, Heady Topper, etc and possibly Pliny while on a west coast trip but I can't find it on any of the accounts so maybe I'm imagining things. Does anyone else remember this? Anyway, my impression was they wanted to do something along those lines and not a Port Brewing Mongo-influenced beer. If that were the case I'd have been way less excited at the outset. Anyway, I keep checking all these threads hoping that someone has tried a new batch and is proclaiming it to be great. Still holding out hope, but until then I won't be buying it again.
100% agree with this. "wrapping you in a juice blanket" and "prominent malt backbone" don't really jive.
I actually enjoy Boom Sauce a great deal and am disappointed to hear they're changing the recipe (although from a business standpoint it seems clear that a change in direction is called for). What's wrong with a prominent malt backbone in an IPA? A little balance is what differentiates East Coast from West Coast IPAs. Ironically, I never liked Lord Hobo (I didn't even like that place when it was the B-Side) or it's owner, but I respect that he put his money where his mouth is. If you're going to hit the wall, you may as well leave a Lanagan-shaped hole...
Same with me. It's not far from where I work so I was hoping for a good place I could stop by on my way home and pick up some beer. My major complaint is that they don't diversify. They only have 4 IPA's and sometimes a sour. My wife isn't a big fan of IPA's so that stops us from going there to hang out and have a tasting (We went for the opening).
He also very publicly said they wouldn't release mediocre beer. Which they're sort of skating around with this change announcement, although it is not in their own words:
Hoping that sometime soon, you trolls can actually stay on the topic of discussion for the thread instead of turning it into a bash fest...doubting that it will happen.
