Alpine Nelson 2017

This guy's going to look back on his sartorial choices with regret.

 

6pks of Duet and Windows Up for $12 is a pretty sweet deal down here. While the "local" selling point helps, the beer it's going up against isn't that hard to beat.

 

I'm just amazed this thread hasn't gotten LAAARGE, Yet.

 

Count me in as a Green Flash hater and a lover of the beer formerly known as Alpine. Not only was the Alpine brewery/bar such a cool place with great food, their beer was amazing and ahead of its time. Nelson single-handedly made Nelson Sauvin my favorite hop (still is to this day).

Naturally, I was very happy when Alpine made its way to Chicago...until I tried these facsimiles. They're all average to terrible, and because I love Nelson so much, that one was by far the worst of the bunch to me. It's a day-and-night difference (honestly they all are), and it cemented that Green Flash was a very mediocre brewery at best (Rayon Vert was a cool poor-man's Orval, however), and that they had completely obliterated the reputation of one of the best breweries around.

 

Lures is a pretty great bar, too. They always have a good selection of beer. Highly recommend dropping by if you're in the area.

 

Dreaming of the original in my fridge on this 4th of July....

 

Nelson is still a top notch beer even with all the other outstanding ipas out there. They do a pretty good job of keeping it on tap at the tasting room almost year round. If they dont have it then they might have Not Nelson which is also awesome. Same grain bill as Nelson just different hops.
I dont think ive tasted the bottles from green flash but for anyone who is getting these over priced bombers that are probly being stored warm and sitting on a shelf, its not really gonna taste like a fresh $5 pint at the Alpine tasting room.

 

Its not the end of the world just becuz Green Flash is bottling Nelson. I agree its probly not the same as at Alpine. The GF bottles of Duet, Hoppy Bday, Pure Hoppiness, and Windows Up kind of taste like GF and seem like they are a little over filtered maybe. The duet and Windows Up bottles still tastes and smell like Alpine when fresh. I can say The Pure Hoppiness at the tasting room is alot better than the bottles. I think most of it has to do with freshness and Im guessing its even more so for Nelson.
Alpine is brewing some of the best beers in the world. Dont get caught up in hyped ratings or the hop shortage hype of Nelson. They brew alot of beers that are as good or better. And im not sure if im the only one who is noticing, but since the GF merger the beers at Alpines tasting room are actually better. Recently The tap line ups have been killer. So many top notch ipas and hoppy Pales on tap at the same time. And they just did special releases of Exponential, Bad Boy and High Kicks. I haven't found a better tasting room in all of San Diego or anywhere else. Its better than ever.... Oh yea and i dont like green flash.

 

I was just at the pub/tasting room over the weekend as they didn't have Nelson. I was a little disappointed, since I saw people checking into it there the week before. They guy said they couldnt get enough hops to make it. They did have Not Nelson though and I was really impressed. Drank 80 Oz of it over the long weekend.

If Not Nelson is truly the same as Nelson, but with Green Bullet hops, I'm sure Nelson is a great beer. Its hard to believe OG Nelson was that much better, based on how good Not Nelson was fresh at the source.

 

Do you happen to know where the beer you drank was brewed? Was it brewed at the Alpine Brewery or was it brewed at the Green Flash Brewery, kegged, and trucked in?

Cheers!

 

The guy behind the bar said it was brewed there, at the facility in Alpine. He seemed pretty knowledgeable, so I don't doubt him.

I also got a 32oz growler of High Kicks, a DIPA brewed there which I have yet to open.

 

And that fact that you were "really impressed" is an indicator this beer was brewed at the Alpine location. It would be interesting to hear what you think of a Not Nelson that was brewed at the Green Flash brewery.

Cheers!

 

I don't think g flush brews not Nelson.

 

You gotta be trolling. I could tell them apart by aroma alone.

 

T

Trolling? Well no, I'm not a home Brewer with to access to hops, and my palate isn't all that sensitive. I know what I like that's about it. The the orange citrus hop hits IMO are similar more so than bitter fruit., so yes I don't believe I could tell them a part.

 

Fair enough. I homebrew as well, to me centennial has a citrus peel quality to it, while nelson has grapefruit pulp going for it, I love that hop in a saison. It would probably do ok in a neipa too.

 

I think home brewers have a distinct advantage with both nose and taste, you can smell what you add and parallel that to taste, I can't do that. But for me Alpine Nelson was always soft hops for lack of a better word, mimics orange more so than stunningly bitter grapefruit.

 

If I could just get some Keene Idea, that would be enough for me...

 

That old Nelson bottle brings back nothing but great memories.

A good friend "surprised me" with a beer. I left one original Nelson from Alpine at his house 3 years ago. Last week he said, "hey--saved this for you as a surprise."

Wow--

Wonderful memories but I shed a tear over the opportunity loss of one original Nelson.


I saved the bottle.