Bell's 2018 Releases

I'll diss Oberon. I've had it immediately after distribution to my area, draft, bottled, and canned. I can definitively say Oberon is one of those beers that just completely disagrees with my palate, and if the beer can't hold up for a couple weeks after bottling/canning/kegging, then that in itself is reason to diss the beer.

 

How much does it sell for in your area? I have been seeing it for $22/sixer here so when I take my palate + the price it's an easy pass for me. I am glad that I tried it but I am not usually that impressed by the really big hoppy beers and I find that most are a one and done for me.

 

To each their own but having after distribution in Illinois is different than having after distribution in Michigan. Oberon could be drunk now and still be good but those first 3 days are unreal, especially out of a can. Nevertheless for a wheat ale/witbier beer Oberon is brewed very well. If you don't like wheat ales/witbier then to each their own but it is true to style and very well done.
But as far as it being better in first 3 days and not as good later is very relatable to IPAs. Sometimes having that fresh flavor is a total new experience. Just like I will drink an IPA at 120 days, I'll drink Oberon at 120 days but something about that fresh factor that is better than that 120 day experience and for Oberon its that first 3 days in which you probably need to grab it in Michigan for that experience.

 

I get ya. Maybe it's not worth $22 a 6pk. I was easily able to get it at $16.99 a 6pk which makes a difference. But then again you live in Pennsylvania with really bunk prices. Beer prices are so high in Pennsylvania I probably never will visit there again, just pass through only to get to New York.

 

Ha ha so true, our prices are awful. But NY isn't that much cheaper (if at all...but depending on where in NY, of course).

 

I've been taking full advantage of Bell's beginning to distribute in New Jersey this year. I used to have to go up to New York state to buy Two Hearted and Expedition. Both The Oracle and Black Note are outstanding and I like the 12 oz. format for Two Hearted. It's great being able to drink these beers regularly.

 

Black Note sounds damn tasty but no way am I paying $5+ for a single 12oz bottle.

 

Then there are a lot of great beers you're missing out on.

 

I think you need a different hobby. And it's actually more than $5 a bottle. It's around $7. Anywhere from $23-27 a 4pk. Like @AyatollahGold mentioned in the above post, you're missing out on a lot of great beers. Stop being so cheap!

Just looked at their release calendar. Why the hell would they release a Witbier as a winter release? Needs to be released during hot summer months.

 

I have not had any in the style that are as good or better and less expensive. In my opinion it makes for a nice treat once in a while.

 

I spend quite liberally on sours/wilds and large format bottles of all types, but I can get, say, High Westified or Willettized for far less and they're similarly awesome. I dunno, it just doesn't make sense to me.

 

Most of the sours are over-priced. And so many of them are kettle sours. Lagunitas' barrel-aged offerings are really good, but they don't even come close to Black Note.

 

You're drinking the wrong sours if that's what you think. The ones that go for higher prices definitely aren't kettle-soured. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with a kettle-soured beer; you can make a delicious gose/Berliner that way (and I do on the reg).

Kettle-soured beers are definitely overpriced, but that's a separate issue. Unscrupulous brewers are trading on the popularity of wild sours that take years to mature and jacking up the prices on beers they can turn around in two weeks.

 

(Or, you know, personal taste. Sours ain't for everybody, and neither are ridiculously expensive barreled stouts.)

 

The lagunitas BA stouts are pretty good and can hang with kbs, black note etc for a few months. Then they literally fall off a cliff. IMHO.

 

I'd disagree. Wild Ales is a totally different experience than a gose just as gose is different than a berliner that is different than a kettle sour or barrel aged sour or sour stout or lambics that can sometimes be sour. As much as I want low price beer I'd have missed out on some really good sours and barrel aged stouts if I only drink $12 gose 6pks or $10 6pk stouts. But must give credit where due and that is one of the best Berliners was New Holland Incorgible that was $5 bomber. But also believe my $9 barrel aged expedition stout was worth experience, not going to say black note though as I wasn't as impressed with it.

 

So true - craft is not a cheap hobby, particularly if you're into BA beers. Almost all I buy now is BA, so I've resigned myself to spending between $4 and $13 a 12oz bottle. I bought three new-to-me 12oz beers today, and they totaled $26. The cheap one was $4. I've seen folks post on here that they're "into craft" but want options for craft beers under $1 ea.

 

What are you disagreeing with, exactly?

I didn't say anything that contradicts what you said.

 

drinking wrong sours part. Some really good sours like wild ales will cost $20 a bottle plus.

 

Literally? You should stop storing your beer on the edge of cliffs.