What’s the Difference? Share your Side-by-Side (2022)

Ah ya I could see the issues in that beer being a result of water chemistry. Hopefully they will work to dial it in on the lagers.

 

They do. I think it just takes time and trial and error.
I know I’ve heard their brewer in an interview say they boil it prior but otherwise just use what they have.
And at the end of the day they approve of what they release and people buy it. So even if someone says “there’s too much minerality in this helles” they would likely not care.

 

I recommend their surge capacity. That one is great.

 

Three way side by side of 2012, 2017, 2022 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot. Notes here:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/cellar-reviews-2022.664094/page-2#post-7457822

 

Keep looking! It was such an enjoyable and well made beer. I went back for more too, god knows the next time we’ll see a fresh black hoppy lager.

 

Not picking a fight here, but most brewers are VERY picky about their water numbers. I don't know many brewers "running what we got".

 

Cross posted from the Cellaruary thread

Another side by side for me, this time bottles of Trappistes Rochefort 10.

The left bottle has been in my cellar since 2010, dated best by 8/2015. The right bottle I just purchased, it was brewed in 2021, best by 9/2026. So roughly a 11.5 year old bottle and 6 month old bottle.

The look of the beers are quite different. 2010 is much darker, and clear (there is a layer of sediment left at the bottom of the bottle), which just a thin ring of head. The 2021 is lighter and color and a bit cloudier. thick creamy head, with amazing head retention, sticks until the bottom of the glass, leaving nice lacing. Aroma and taste on the 2010 is more complex - dark brown sugar, dates, a touch of herbal clove and plum. Similar flavors in the taste, a touch sweet. 2021 has milder notes of all those same flavors, and has a much drier finish. 2010 mouthfeel is a touch thinner, still nicely carbonated. 2021 has a much creamier and softer mouthfeel.

 

I'm able to do this side by side thanks to the generosity of @FBarber thank you! With the help of my wife I did this blind.



Ryeway to Heaven from Revolution, description from the can- Bourbon and rye barrels work together in harmony to breathe life into our Ryewine. This unforgettable ale is brewed with over 60% rye, yielding entirely unique malt- and barrel-derived complexities.

V.S.O.R description from can-Owing to two years in premium rye whiskey barrels, this slightly sweeter blend of our Ryewine oozes with malt-derived complexities reminiscent of maple alongside enough oak to build a bedroom set. With a grist composed of over sixty percent rye, Very Special Old Ryeway is deceptively balanced given its massive body.

Both are sweet, oozing caramel and toffee. Both are very rye forward and have a viscous, sticky body. Sample "A" has a slightly lighter color and is sweeter. Sample "B" has deeper layers, adding hints of chocolate and leather. The sweetness is slightly subdued. Both are amazing beers, but I prefer sample "B" and I think that is V.S.O.R.

I was right. The darker color was a bit of a give away I probably should have done this blindfolded but I think I would have guessed correctly regardless. The brewery describing V.S.O.R. as slightly sweeter almost tripped me up since I didn't perceive it that way. Thanks again Frank, looking forward to finishing these up tonight!

 

Sierra Nevada's Oktoberfest (5.5%) versus Sierra Nevada's Celebration IPA (6.8%):

1) Sierra Nevada's Oktoberfest (5.5%): Strong German and toasty bread flavors. Amber malts. Smooth.
2) Sierra Nevada's Celebration IPA (6.8%): More spiced pine and caramel. More alcohol and bitterness, but milder flavors.

Overall: Originally I thought these two drank a bit similar with the Sierra Nevada hop profile, but as the hoppiness of the Marzen faded over the months, so did the classic Sierra Nevada tangerine and pine soap flavors. This allowed the Marzen to drink much more malty and to style. I actually prefer the Oktoberfest here. I think the malt flavors are more complex and pronounced.

 

Nice one, and a good call on the Marzen. I had the last of my Celebration Ales over the weekend and it seems to have crossed the line of being too old at this point. If I had any more I'd make it a priority to finish them.

Meanwhile I've been enjoying other Oktoberfests that are still drinking fine.

 

Yes! One of the great benefits to Lagers/malts/less hoppy styles is most drink pretty well even when older.

 

Teaser for later…

 

"Here Comes a Regular" Version 3.0
2.9% ABV 8° Plato Czech Pale Lager - For this third iteration, we used a combination of our favorite European malts and put them through an intensive decoction mash to extract the most malt character possible in a 2.9% ABV beer. We also employed a few other process and ingredient twists born from a decade of session
beer brewing. ⁣

vs.

"The Standard"
4.4% ABV 12° plato Czech pale lager - Brewed with soft water, floor-malted Pils malt, and Sterling hops. Double decocted, open-fermented with extended lagering time


I forgot to check the cans when I did this, but I believe they were both canned the same day, or within a day of one another. I wanted to see how their 8° Plato Czech Pale Lager compared to their 12° plato Czech pale lager.

Ideally I would have done this with Tenner, their 10° Plato Czech Pale Lager (4.0% ABV), but this wasn't canned at the time. Although...I believe both are currently on tap in the tap room...

Anyways, didn't really take detailed notes. Just wanted to see if I could tell the two apart blind.

The answer...

...absolutely. The Standard is possibly my favorite craft beer...so given the difference in starting gravity, and my own bias, this was tough on the wee little 8 degree Plato lager.

But it was still completely blind (I don't even think I looked at the glasses), and you could instantly tell the difference. The Standard when fresh is fairly hoppy in my opinion, hits you almost instantly, and you could tell this was a solid Notch pale lager offering overall (their malt character is quite distinct due to how well it's brewed).

"Here Comes a Regular" did not have this, it wasn't bad at all, but the character was more Budweiser like if anything. This is something I noted. I had my roommate try them both side by side and he agreed there was a stark contrast between the two.

I wish I had done this with their first version of "Here Comes a Regular", I recall drinking that and thinking it punched FAR above its weight. And while Version 3.0 was far from tasting like a non-alcoholic brew, it simply couldn't stand up to its stronger older brother.

Regarding appearance, "Here Comes a Regular" is definitely darker. Wish I knew the ingredients and other "twists" they used here for this beer. Unfortunately since I didn't pour these due to the blind tasting, the heads had faded away. Which is something to note that the head faded quickly (although again, I didn't pour it, I typically can get a better head on a beer than most). Took a quick pic of "The Standard" after the second pour to show how the head looks.

You can check out their Instagram account (in mid-January) to see full pours of each beer.

And with that...

Na zdraví!!!

@Crusader @steveh @EnronCFO @Sheppard @MattOC @SunDevilBeer and anyone else I may be missing

 

It's interesting, I don't even put these two beers in the same league or style. The Standard is so hoppy whereas Regular is just light and kinda malty. I can see the macro comparison, but if I can get a cleaner version of Bud with less sweetness and no skunky notes at 2.8% ABV, I'll take it.

 

Interesting side by side, thanks for sharing your impressions. Version one would have been the 2.4% abv, 8% plato one I take it? I wonder if there was a difference in hopping rate between the two beers, which were both Czech/Bohemian style beers as I understand it, aside from the difference in degree of attenuation.