Bootlegger's Knuckle Sandwich

Sounds like you may have had a bad pour or something. This beer is crazy hoppy and very delicious. I'd say since you are in the ditro try and grab a bottle with a fresh date.

 

nitro maybe? hard to say I once had a beer on tap that was so different (versus the bottle) I could have bet big it was a different beer, they said I was wrong, oh well. it happens.

as for the hype you cannot taste that, at least I cannot.

 

Did you have it at Bootleggers? Their newest batch recently came out, but according to their FB page it sounded like it was only available at their tasting room.

 

KS was always a good DIPA, but for some reason the hype wagon got hitched to it for about a year and it went nuts. Not great, but still quite good. I've always felt that Bootlegger's batch inconsistency kept it from being, well, consistently very good...but maybe that's just me.

I have had the same palate issue, where certain beers will come across differently time to time. I just chalk it up to the vagaries of life and try it again another time; multiple instances of it being 'different' tell me it's the beer, not me.

 

Sorry, I didn't see your post above. Maybe it was an older batch? Bootleggers' most recent batch seems like it was only available in their tasting room, at least according to their FB page. I do like Knuckle Sandwich -- I remember it having a healthy malt backbone, but with lots of hops as well.

 

The OPs problem is why I always try to have 2 of a new beer. Alot easier when it's bottled or canned as opposed to on tap. Knuckle Sandwich has been on my find and try list for quite a while. Maybe someday.

 

I will echo that Bootlegger's does struggle with some batch consistency, and I think what you are describing sounds a lot like the batch I had 2 months or so where I thought the malts were a little heavy-handed. I've probably had KS a dozen times, and it's usually an above average DIPA with strong malts and pronounced hops, yet remains smooth. A pleasure to drink when I come across it on my bi-monthly OC beer tour, but I'm not lining up for a taste whenever it's released.

 

It's a good beer, but there are much better DIPA's out there, IMHO. To be honest, I live about 8 miles from Bootlegger's and I refuse to go there. Knuckle Sandwich is the only beer from them that I have enjoyed, and I downright dislike almost everything else they brew (Rustic Rye is the best rye IPA they could come up with???).

 

Knuckle used to be amazing up until roughly 18 months ago. It went from amazing to good just before the tap room moved to the newer location.

It used to have a super mango/peach aroma along with some very strong astringency. Last time I tried it, about 18 months ago, it was severely lacking this. I tried it again about 12 months ago, and it was still lacking what it used to be.

When Chris reviewed it, he described it spot on. This is when it was at its pinnacle. It no longer smells or tastes like the review Chris did.

 

My thoughts are here: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/17271/54745/?ba=gshak

 

This thread is making me think I should give it another try after a 12 month layoff from it. Why do I get the feeling quality declined when they started producing a lot more. More adjuncts and less hops in the recipe these days?

 

If this beer has declined, I will have to give my vote to KRBC Citra as the most bombass DIPA...Ok, it doesn't matter what has happened to Knuckle Sandwich, KRBC is still the nuts.

 

I hear ya. Did you take any allergy medicines? Because those will definitely throw off your senses of smell and taste. It is a great beer that's worth trying, although the maltiness and alcohol content can be a bit overbearing, especially if you are trying to finish off a whole bomber in one sitting, like i did :-(

 

yeah KS has been off for a while. I remember going to Bootlegger's a couple of years ago and waiting in a long line to buy it. Now, I'd rather have Lupulin Thrill. Hopefully KS gets back on track

 

Bootleggers are still using there 7 barrel brew kettle to brew KS. When they scale it up to fill their 30 barrel fermenter, it takes them several batches to fill it. By the time the fermenter is full, a good portion of the wort has been sitting in the fermenter. That effects the hop balance and makes the beer taste different then when they would brew smaller batches in the old brewery with smaller fermenters. They have a bigger brew kettle on order. When it is put on line, I would suspect that KS will go back to it's wonderful self.