Chicagoland NE IPAs (2018)

Discussion in 'Great Lakes' started by SeanBond, Aug 29, 2016.

Tags:
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
Page 18 of 458
  1. GuyFawkes

    GuyFawkes Grand Pooh-Bah (5,630) Apr 7, 2011 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Prairie Madness is definitely NOT NE style. It's pine-y & not really to my taste, but it was well made.
     
    #341 GuyFawkes, Sep 23, 2016
  2. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    If Nimbus follows Cumulus and Stratus, it'll be opaque (not necessarily like an orange smoothie, but it won't be see-through, and will have particulate) and pretty smooth. I'd say juicy, but juicy has been co-opted to mean "tasting like a fruit smoothie" as an NE IPA descriptor. It won't be a true representation of an NE IPA, but it'll be unfiltered and probably tasty. Don't know about Prairie.

    Hubbard's Cave is decently representative of an NE IPA-style beer, but the last batch (V1) had little enough carbonation that it essentially tasted flat. This coming batch (V4) looks to fix that, I think. I'd pass on V1, and look for V4. I'd also pass on Nimbus currently, since I assume the batch isn't very fresh.
     
    #342 SeanBond, Sep 23, 2016
  3. michman

    michman Pundit (751) Oct 14, 2005 Illinois

    any idea when V4 is released? I wonder what version I saw. I was sorta in a hurry.
     
    #343 michman, Sep 23, 2016
  4. HouseofWortship

    HouseofWortship Pooh-Bah (2,735) May 3, 2016 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I found Nimbus to be closer to a Hill Farmstead or Grimm IPA. Wasn't notably hazy, was lighter mouthfeel, crisp, and the lemony citrus notes. Good beer, but definitely not a Boston area NE IPA.
     
    #344 HouseofWortship, Sep 23, 2016
  5. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    @Brams17 seemed to think distro was starting this coming Monday.

    edit: based on a comment from their Instagram, it looks like that's correct, 9/26.
     
    #345 SeanBond, Sep 23, 2016
    FBarber likes this.
  6. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Good point. Heady Topper isn't to the NE IPA style, either, but I can't help thinking that these sorts of beers are emulating HT, Hill Farmstead, etc., that more than Treehouse (in that the beer is opaque with sediment).
     
    #346 SeanBond, Sep 23, 2016
  7. michman

    michman Pundit (751) Oct 14, 2005 Illinois

    so what quality of these beers drops off so fast? I am just curious. if a beer cant hold up just over a month or so, I hate to say it...but I probably wont be purchasing much of. im not much of a chaser. ive been lucky to cross paths with some good stuff over the years but thats just due to my number of trips to beer shops lol.
     
    #347 michman, Sep 23, 2016
  8. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Well, in my experience at least one of Hailstorm's cloud beers (Stratus) held up fine after 2 months, but the reason I would typically stay away from something that age is that it's hard to tell what you're getting. Look at something like Stone's Enjoy By--They basically tell you to drink within the month. I just drink as fresh as possible to ensure the hops are fresh/strong; if you buy Nimbus after, say, 2 or 3 months, there's just no way to tell if it's been stored properly in that time, so who knows what it'll taste like. I prefer to buy fresh to limit the potential issues, that's all.
     
    #348 SeanBond, Sep 23, 2016
  9. Chuckdiesel24

    Chuckdiesel24 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,208) Jul 6, 2016 Illinois
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I definitely think Hill Farmstead IPAs are New England IPAs. They're just the style more like Alchemist/Lawson's (which has been around longer) than Trillium/Treehouse (newer & "orange").
     
    #349 Chuckdiesel24, Sep 23, 2016
    eppie82, croush, KCUnited and 1 other person like this.
  10. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yeah, for sure, it's just that everyone is expecting TR/TH when they grab one of these cans in Chicago.
     
    #350 SeanBond, Sep 23, 2016
    Chuckdiesel24 likes this.
  11. atrn271

    atrn271 Initiate (0) Jan 4, 2011 Illinois
    Trader

    I had three different Trillium, Focal, Crusher and Heady the past couple days. There is definitely a difference between Alchemist and Trillium. They each have their own distinct flavor. But I don't know if it is my pallet or what, but the Trillium beers tasted the same and they were DIPA, IPA and APA. Albeit probably my favorite IPA's I have ever drank. Much preferred them over Alchemist. Cumulus is pretty close and I am glad that is becoming easier to get. Can't wait till we have our own TH or Trillium and we are lining up for IPA's :rolling_eyes:
     
    #351 atrn271, Sep 23, 2016
    JFresh21 and GuyFawkes like this.
  12. michman

    michman Pundit (751) Oct 14, 2005 Illinois

    couple of cases of cumulus sitting at binnys on grand if you are downtown. canned 8/20 tho. i assume that is ancient lol
     
    #352 michman, Sep 23, 2016
    SeanBond likes this.
  13. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Are you saying you think Cumulus is similar to the Trillium style, or the Alchemist style?

    That's probably still worth a shot, honestly. I'd grab a pack if I didn't just pick a 4 pack of the latest Stratus up.
     
    #353 SeanBond, Sep 23, 2016
  14. atrn271

    atrn271 Initiate (0) Jan 4, 2011 Illinois
    Trader

    Cumulus tasted more like Trillium than Alchemist. Although I didn't taste side by side with Cumulus because it's been a few weeks since I had it so it is based off memory. It is "close" but by no means similar if that makes any sense at all.
     
    #354 atrn271, Sep 23, 2016
  15. HawksBeerFan

    HawksBeerFan Maven (1,378) Dec 24, 2011 Illinois
    Trader

    If you're drinking Alchemist/Trillium in Chicago, then it obviously isn't fresh enough for consumption and/or comparison purposes. PM me and I'll give you my address where you can dispose of that trash.
     
    #355 HawksBeerFan, Sep 23, 2016
    kdawgmoney, atrn271 and SeanBond like this.
  16. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Honestly, if you're taking the cans off-site, they've basically gone bad by the time you turn your car on.
     
    #356 SeanBond, Sep 23, 2016
    FBarber and atrn271 like this.
  17. atrn271

    atrn271 Initiate (0) Jan 4, 2011 Illinois
    Trader

    They were 6 days old. Way past their prime. Heck, even ZD after 1 day falls off, I won't drink that more than 3 days old!
     
    #357 atrn271, Sep 23, 2016
  18. michman

    michman Pundit (751) Oct 14, 2005 Illinois

    I will only drink trillium from the bottling line when I am out east visiting. Otherwise drain pour that trash
     
    #358 michman, Sep 23, 2016
    atrn271 and SeanBond like this.
  19. HouseofWortship

    HouseofWortship Pooh-Bah (2,735) May 3, 2016 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Really? Isn't it kind of bland once it leaves the bright tank?
     
    #359 HouseofWortship, Sep 23, 2016
  20. buntinjp

    buntinjp Aspirant (260) Dec 14, 2015 Illinois

    I only drink NE IPAs before they're brewed.
     
    #360 buntinjp, Sep 24, 2016
    atrn271, beerbelly_mike, eppie82 and 3 others like this.
Page 18 of 458
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.