Fat Head’s Imperial Head Hunter on shelves the week of November 13

Wish Fat Heads would come to CA. Love head hunter ipa, and many others from them.

 

Head Hunter is a favorite IPA of mine, buy it by the 12 pack. I'm not keen on Imperial versions, too much alcohol for this old gent! I will however buy for my son and son-in-laws.

 

I second that motion.

 

If you ever travel to your neighboring state of PA, specifically the Philly area, Russian River beers are available here. Some of the Belgian beers in bottles and both Blind Pig and Pliny the Elder on draft.

Cheers!

 

Nope.

I have listened to Vinnie speak on a number of podcasts and he always expresses a concern about the age (and storage conditions) of packaged versions of Blind Pig and Pliny the Elder. He typically states these beers are best consumed very fresh (e.g., within a month of the packaging date) and implicit to this continuous cold storage. My guess is that he permits sales of kegged versions of these beers since it is the norm during the supply chain (including the end retailer) for continuous cold storage which greatly improves the stability of these beers.

On a related note, several years ago we used to get a regular (but periodic) supply of draft Hill Farmstead beers. Shaun Hill was adamant that these beers be put on tap quickly after arrival to the Philly area market. Somehow he found out that one craft beer bar let one of his beers 'sit' for too long in their cold-room cellar and then he decided to stop sending his beers to the Philly area. That one bar ruined things for the entire Philly market. After many years (4-5 years?) he relaxed things and he will periodically send some Hill Farmstead kegs down this way but not nearly as often and widespread as the 'good old days'.

Cheers!

 

I wish Fat Heads would distro to VA... we're closer

 

It may be a matter of how long it sits at places along the supply chain (e.g., at the Wholesale Distributor)?

The majority of craft beer at my local beer retailers are at ambient temperature (e.g., on the shelves or sitting on the floor). Not ideal.

I will shoot you a podcast of Vinnie discussing the topic of freshness and age.

Cheers!

 

Adore their beers as well...dream to have them in CT.

 

Unfortunately I'm down in Norfolk/SE VA. I'm a bit of a slack BA in that I've NEVER done a brewery trip through NoVa. I've done trips through Baltimore but not NoVA... need to change that

 

Head hunter is the 947th best ipa according to beer advocate... how good could this possibly be?

 

Is this some sort of a weird joke?

Head Hunter is ranked #25 via BA:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/top-styles/116/

Cheers!

 

Whoops you're right. I'm a huge HH fan and consider it one of the best ipas out there and I was appalled when I saw it in the 900s. Good correction on your part though, I was looking at the wrong ranking

 

FWIW I stopped drinking Alpine beers once the brewing switched to Green Flash. Alpine beers were excellent when they were brewed in the brewery in Alpine, CA.

Cheers!