Overrated Beers?

I'm confused what your critique is? Are you just saying that you prefer the flavors from some of the new hops?

Julius was a weird one for me. It didn't taste at all like I expected based on the way people describe TH beer. There was way more bitterness than I expected. Haze, on the other hand, really helped me understand why people love tree house. Its still not my preferred style of IPA, but with Haze I totally got it

 

Pretty much. Think of it as a beer that came out 12 years ago like a cassette to a CD. Yeah, it's a good beer, but the technology, dry hop scientific understanding, new cultivated hop styles, etc. have all improved over the last decade. If you're still producing Heady, you need to stick with the same recipe or it's now a different beer. Not doubting it was a great beer for its time, but it's 12 years later and so much has changed for that style of beer. There are a lot of better hazies from reputable breweries that take the flavor to the next level. I give them credit for what they did.

Think about it this way. What else does Alchemist brew besides Heady that you know of? I can only think of Focal Banger. If they really have 2 beers that they're known for, what is helping them move into the future of brewing in the US market?

 

I'm a long way from alchemist so I don't know much about their beers. But in the case of Pliny I'd say that it's rare and notable when I come across a west coast dipa that is as good or better than fresh Pliny

 

This thread is making me want some Heady Topper

 

Agreed. It's beers like Pliny that I enjoy getting when I can because it's that classic DIPA. Same thing with Dinner or Second Dinner from Maine Beer Co. I just can't say the same about a Hazy. Just feels like with a Hazy, there's no classic, but maybe I need to wait another 10 years and see. When I go to Tree House, I'm not going to buy the classic Julius or King Julius, I'm looking to see what else they've brewed that I haven't had.

 

Sorry, I wrote that text to get the point across that there are a lot of great hazies out there from reputable breweries as opposed to all those small breweries that follow trends and slap together crap beer. A lot of local breweries around me that make hazies because that's what the people want and they do a crap job of making them.

 

Definitely sounds like a lot of it is your relationship to the hazy ipa "style". I can certainly understand the notion that it's hard to pinpoint a "classic" in the space because it's changing often and so much of the culture around the style is about new beers every week and constantly experimenting. Is Heady even the same style of beer as Julius? Is it the same style as Other Half or Monkish? I don't really know the answer to those questions, but you throw in the milkshake and the fruited and the other Hazy variations and I have no problem getting why someone would have a hard time seeing Heady as a 'classic hazy' if their preferences were for a different substyle

 

Anything From Maine Beer Company

 

It's such a broad category and you're right on about that. There are breweries that literally use the same base beer and dry hop it differently and call it a different beer so yeah, it's an ever changing style. That's why I think there's no classic hazy or should have a sought-after hazy at this point because it changes on a weekly basis. It also sucks when a place has this 'sought after beer' and are selling it for $18 a can. I'm sure the brewery is not seeing that profit.

According to the 2021 BJCP guidelines, Heady Topper was believed to be the original inspiration in the 2010s. It's not listed as a commercial example of the style though, but lists Julius, Hill Farmstead Susan, Trillium Congress Street, and WeldWerks Juicy Bits.

The fruited, milkshake hazies are in a category of their own, either Fruit Beer, Specialty Fruit Beer, or Specialty Spice Beer.

 

Me too

 

F**k their weird a$$ serving size bottles at the price they want.

Also... and I may break my word on this soon... Prairie stouts. Overpriced for the bottle size you get.

 

I don't see anything weird about their 500mL bottles. See them from tons of places.

 

I'd like to take a little ride in the "Way Back Machine" to San Diego and drink a fresh draft Green Flash West Coast IPA , as a newly released beer. I'll bet I would love it! It was groundbreaking and I think I can still taste it from back in the day.....

 

I miss traditional west coast IPAs!

 

This is a beer you really needed to try before 2010 to appreciate. It was a standout beer in the early 2000s, but in today's market it isn't anything special.

I would agree that I would also prefer KBS, however KBS is barrel aged and Dark Lord is not, so not exactly a fair comparison.

You had to have it in 2013 or 2014 when Cory King was still there.