Alpine to Chicago

Just in case people didn't click on the link, the draft list at Local Option for that event is fuckin killer-

Alpine Alpine Ale
Alpine Captain Stout
Alpine Duet
Alpine Hoppy Birthday
Alpine Nelson
Dark Horse Bourbon Barrel Aged Plead The Fifth
Firestone Walker Parabola
Founders KBS
Goose Island BCBS Backyard Rye
Goose Island BCBS Coffee
Goose Island BCBS Proprietors
Goose Island BCBS Vanilla Rye
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
Hoppin’ Frog Barrel Aged B.O.R.I.S
Hoppin’ Frog Barrel Aged D.O.R.I.S
Jolly Pumpkin Saison X
Local Option Bierwerker Barrel Aged Kentucky Common
Three Floyds Skull’Ole

More Drafts Will Be Added.

 

Sure wish Alpine wouldn't have planned this party around the birth of our son. Here I thought we were friends.

 

Similar stuff going on in MI, now that they are part of Green Flash they can distribute Alpine it seems

 

Really good seeing Local Option's beer events get back to the caliber they were at 2 years ago. Having their 8 beers occupy 1/3 of the tap list at these events has really not drawn me in. This list even without Alpine is a top notch event.

 

Wonder what beer event was 9 months prior to this.

 

Agreed. Prop AND Coffee!?! Sheeeiiiit! I do think they just decided not to list their own stuff here. I'm sure they'll still have the regulars on tap

 

Can't wait. I'm usually a "no bomber" guy when it comes to IPAs, but Nelson is just otherworldly good.

 

So does this event imply that Alpine will no be regularly distrubuted to Chicago?

 

maybe its just because I actually go to Local Option frequently, not just when they have parties, but I've been enjoying their recent parties more than ever, maybe its because I'm not getting showered in fat man stout sweat and I can actually move about freely and have a normal conversation

 

After having these here in Michigan. I was underwhelmed. I feel Chicago has better local beers then what I've had from alpine. Just personal opinion. I also feel what we have in Michigan is far superior to it too

 

If anyone's been following the chatter in the Pacific forum re: the Greenflash takeover of Alpine, it seems the natives there haven't been too impressed with Alpine beers that have been brewed by Greenflash. I assume the Alpine stuff that the Midwest/Great Lakes region is starting to see is the GF brewed stuff. It'll be interesting to see what the masses think of the Alpine we receive here.

 

personally, i am not a fan of GF at all. i have had enough of their portfolio to know that it's not for me. not saying it's bad, but it doesn't give me what i want. i liked what i had from alpine, but expected WAY more considering the hype behind them. and our distributor here will do a great job of pushing it early, then let them sit on the shelf. just like they did with greenflash.

 

So how was Local Option's event today?

 

Pretty awesome. The Alpine beers not so much. Nelson and Duet were bitter, astringent, and completely unbalanced. Hoppy birthday was pretty solid though. I've had Alpine brews in the past, and they tasted nothing like this. Must be (hopefully) temporary pains of the GF takeover.

 

Looking forward to getting to know the GF-brewed Alpine beers when they hit MKE soon. My worst fear with any contract/merger brewing situation is that there will be an inability to match the original beer, either due to equipment, ingredients, or lack of attention. Alpine assured fans that they were happy with the beers that GF was producing, so I'll take their word for it until I try them.

I was a nearly every-day Alpine drinker in my younger beer days, so if nothing else this will be a taste of "home".

 

Was at LO yesterday as well. VERY unimpressed with Nelson and Hoppy Birthday. Overly bitter, dry, unbalanced. Nelson tasted like a very average IPA. In a blind IPA taste test, it would not do well. Assuming this has to do with the GF stuff, but until they get it sorted out, there's not much to be excited about with Alpine getting to Chicago.