Heady Topper vs Abrasive

HF porters are nuts good. Their IPAs are crisp, simple. Getting their beer is time consuming, but I guess that's part of the allure to some.
Of course Lawson's is really incredible. A real shame more ppl can't taste it, but man when you do? So pleasing.
It's all in the water, right?

 

I'm interested in the results of your taste test. They seem like quite different stouts although I've never had Big Eddy. When I had World Wide Stout it was a drain pour. Such a high ABV without much that I liked. Just my opinion. I know tons think different. I haven't had it for years so I might think tons differently now (I was REALLY into Belgians at the time). What were your results?

 

I'm sure one day I'll trade for them. They just seem to take more ammo than most of my beers that I would trade. It's hard to miss what you don't know.

 

I hate these threads, but since I've gone side-by-side the last two years with HT vs. Abrasive, I'll chime in... Personally, I think it's Lamborghini vs. Ferrari - personal preference will dictate the winner. Though as I mature as a beer drinker, I find myself loving the dryness of HT. And all Ipa's... I like dry Ipa's. Not saying HT is better, but I like it more.

BTW, it amazes me how often the debate doesn't include dryness. It's a huge part in the flavor and overall appeal in many beers, and seems totally disregarded or unappreciated when I waste the time reading threads about who likes X beer over Y beer.

 

Yah as many times as I commented in it they are pretty pointless. Everybody has their own tastes. Drink what you like and do I with a smile.

 

I guarantee I could differentiate between the two in a blind test....I can also tell you what it taste like when you mix the two together.

Oh, and Fwiw ...Abraisive all day.

 

Even though these threads are pretty dumb, it would be better if it were in a place where people who can heady easier than abrasive can see it and comment as well too. To be honest I just wanna find somebody who wants to trade fresh heady but I can't post on the trades forum yet. Got out of beer for a while and forgot my username and password.

 

Never had Heady Topper so I can not weight in although I think Abrasive is fantastic......I do love your thoughts on blind tasters.....I do them all the time and am surprised a lot.....then when I post results I get a lot of comments either concerned with dates, or palate fatigue or whatever reason why so and so fared so poorly....some of that is legit but I wish more people would actually do that to see what they enjoy...

 

Why is everyone assuming that Big Eddy came out on top? I think the OP may be hinting that Darkness didn't fare very well. I would believe that. Darkness, while alright, is pretty fuckin overrated.

 

Just did the taste test. My results: Abrasive a little too one dimensional (hoppy). HT is more complex. Love them both and they both kick ass on Pliny which is good but over rated. (Oh no. blasphemy!)

 

I didn't get the idea that Big Eddy was a big favorite. I haven't even tried it although I probably should quit ignoring it and try it. Have to agree. Darkness is pretty overrated. At the IRS tap takeover at Senior Wongs, I thought Darkness was pretty bland but it was up against some big beers including BCBS.

 

Interesting to hear your results. Really Abrasive is supposed to be a hop bomb. I haven't had HT for at least a couple years so I am asking a serious question. HT just isn't a hop bomb and is less hoppy?! Thats my recollection. Just apples and oranges. But I really want to get my hands on some HT soon.

 

I will guess that Expo stout won the blind taste test. It may be one of the most underated beers of all time.

 

For some reason it's not my thing. I've read lately that it needs a year on it though. Do you find that to be the case? I would have guessed Dark Lord but that line up isn't all that great and there are tons of stouts as good or the same (some on the shelf and cheaper). I hadn't had Darklord until a week ago when I popped my 2009 with the my liquor store buds. I thought it was pretty tasty but once again everything is so subjective.

 

I don't even like it fresh. After 6 months it becomes great. After a year or two it becomes awesome! Seriously, age this.

 

With that in mind I might go pick up a couple 6ers (they are in 6ers I think). The local store has a some down the street. Sounds like an experiment. I'm sure it will turn out well.

 

Guaranteed. Go to craftbeertemple.com and check out the vertical of expo stout. You will thank me.

 

Yah I have spent most/WAY more than my beer budget this month in the last week. I think I dropped a grand or more. I'll just need to age them. I know I don't like them fresh so I will have no problem aging them. Next month I need to spend WAY, WAY less on beer. I need another fridge. I can maybe fit a few more 6 packs in if I put them on their side.

Here's to hoping the beers I bought on the Chicago craigslist get here without freezing/breaking the bottle. Never had it happen in over 50 trades but it's too damn cold to be shipping beer this week and next week. Hoping the short ride doesn't break my confidence in shipping in cold weather. Hoping that the high ABV in BCBS does the trick.

I'm going to remember that web address though. Thanks!!!

 

I know that it is only 1% difference between Heady and Abrasive, but it feels like a lot more than that. I always thought that the Heady v Pliny discussions made a little more sense, but Abrasive versus either of them doesn't seem to make as much sense, just because Abrasive comes off a lot boozier. I love Abrasive, but I never bothered to look at the ABV before and I actually had been assuming that this was more in the 10% range. Similarly, for as many Pliny's as I have had in my life, I always thought that this was a 5.2 or 7.5% beer. I also didn't get the feeling when drinking Heady, that it was an 8% beer. So while I think that all of these beers are great, I think that if you start to compare Abrasive against Heady or Pliny, then you may get people starting to look at how each beer hides the alcohol or how "drinkable" each is and that is where I think that Abrasive would get dinged, where the other two would not.

But then again, with the ABV explosion that has taken place side by side with the most recent craft beer boom, maybe people don't even care about those things anymore. But for somebody like me, those are things that I would consider.

 

I'm looking forward to having an Abrasive, a Heady, and a Zombie dust side by side. No doubt they are different beers that would be easy to tell apart and they are all top notch (just don't see Pliny competing with any of them) but I would like to see what I like the best. Nobody has mentioned Zombie much here except me but it's just such a good beer. Looking forward to doing comparison soon. It's been a while since I traded. Abrasive should trade 1:1 for either Heady or Zombie like it used to shouldn't it?