Beers you miss

Michelob Dark; there advertising slogan was "don't be afraid of the dark" I recall it as a super good Dunkel-

 

Tired Hands Invasive 5: Lesser Celandine was the best IPA I ever had. 100% Nelson Sauvign hopped. I'll miss that beer for as long as I live.

The original Sierra Nevada Otra Vez (Prickly Pear and Grapefruit) was fantastic.

Definitive Industrial Crossbreeze was one of the best locally distributed NEIPAs in Maine, and it was pulled due to difficulty sourcing specific hops.

But that Invasive 5... Hurts just thinking about it.

 

I've probably tasted over 7,000 beers and the one that I miss is Whitbread Pale Ale. Not that I liked it all that much when it was available because it was only in my top 10 or so, but I also found it kind of weird. However, that weirdness is what I now miss. It wasn't bizarre, it wasn't some funky thing, but there was a twist to it. There was something unusual and special about it. I loved that beer - on occasion.

 

The first one that comes to mind is original Stone Ruination. It wasn't about how BIG the beer was. It wasn't a high gravity beer. In fact it barely fit the iipa category criteria, but I loved the pure blast of unapologetic bitterness that the lighter fg beer could deliver. It was a euphoric punch, the "habanero of bitternes", but also a very enjoyable beer.

 

First beer I drank at my first GABF.

 

I grew up in Linden, too! Had our bowling banquet (Linden Lanes) at Big Stash's every year, a few middle school and high school event dinners, there too. Even had the post funeral dinnners for my grandparents there, too.

On to some beers I miss:

Dogfish Head Raison D’Être - This beer is a classic and at the time I first had it and continued to buy it, I didn’t know the difference between a stout and Belgian Strong Ale, which is what this beer is considered. I just knew that the peculiar ingredients for a beer (at the time) which include Beet sugar and raisons (coupled with the Belgian yeast) made for a rich beer that I thoroughly enjoyed. As the link above describes the beer: “A deep mahogany ale brewed with Belgian beet sugars and green raisins.”

Samuel Adams Honey Porter - This was one of the first dark beers I remember enjoying and for the years it was available, my favorite year-round offering form the Boston Beer company.

Tilburg's Dutch Brown Ale - I’m not sure the last time I saw this one or had it, but it had to be about 10 years ago, at the most recent, but I recall that Weird eye-catching bottle art from Hieronymus Bosch drew me to the beer, initially. Even before I realized how much I enjoyed Belgian beers, I was enjoying a brown Belgian ale.

Long Trail Blackbeary Wheat - Discontinued, then re-released in very limited distro not easily available in my neck of the woods. There was a time I’d see Long Trails tasty beers all over the place (this along with Double Bag and Triple Bag are favorites) but not quite as much in recent years. I would always keep Blackberry Wheat and Sam’s Summer Ale in constant rotation from Memorial Day to Labor Day and found their Survival Pack (which included BBW) to be a great variety pack to pick up at a moment’s notice when people came over in the summer

 

Forgot! Sierra Nevada Kellerweis. I haven't seen fresh bottles of this beer in NJ in about 4 years. I love, LOVE this beer and is arguably one of the best and most faithful interpretations of a Bavarian Hefeweizen made by an American brewery.

 

I have never seen that around. I would definitely be excited to try that.

 

I went to the taproom in Kreuzberg, had a blast, then ate at a restaurant around the corner...only to find 6 month old canned Stone IPA. Granted it's a different establishment, but needless to say, all the talk at the taproom about the emphasis on the freshness of beer really rang hollow.

 

Founders Imperial Stout. So, so much. Are you listening Founders?

 

Same here. I can get it in 12 oz bottle but cannot find them anywhere in NJ.

 

Stroh's Signature.

 

Yes, yes they are.

 

The Schlitz we enjoyed in the 70s-80s had a bit more stuffing balanced by a larger hop influence. Of course back then Premium AALs were all more distinctive than now. Wouldn't turn one down today though.

 

Schlitz Encore and Erlanger were both good beers. The Encore was dry, lively and full of flavor.

 

De Molen Moord and Brand Stout - deep, dark & huge stout
Bourbon County Vanilla Rye - my all-time favorite BC variant
Victory Earth & Flame - barrel-aged wee heavy
Firestone Walker Wookey Jack - remember when black ales were all the rage?
Southern Tier Backburner - I loved both the barrel-aged and non-barrel-aged versions

As for more sessionable beers, I'd say that I miss the short-lived Pabst's Ballentine IPA.

 

Victory Hop Wallop (original, not last year's)
New Belgium Ranger & Rampant - why did they have to mess with perfection?

 

Rheingold was my beer of choice back then also. Didn't think it was better than the other beers, just liked drinking out of the Chug-A-Mugs.

 

Never went there went to Stash's in Newark a lot.