Hopslam Season

Obligatory: "It's not as good as last year's."

 

It's already faded. Last year's batch was better.

 

Used to. I live in NJ, but was able to purchase a case almost every year over in PA. Last year the distributor where I would buy it sold out in one day. Unless I can plan a trip to coincide with its release, I doubt I will be able to get some anymore.

 

I'll pass. There are much better DIPAs out there that don't receive as much hype.

 

I'll get at least a 6er. I saved one bottle from last year for science.

 

The way everyone goes batshit crazy, bottle shops split 6pks and price gouge... Yes bring it on. I'm not going to participate.

 

I assume "science" means a side by side taste test? That would be tough to do with an IPA wouldn't it? Hop flavor tends to fade fairly quickly. Have you ever done something like that with an IPA?

 

An aged hopslam is a fantastic barley wine. I'm sure that's the science he was referring to.

 

I'm in line already and I'm fading

 

Nope. I keep hearing about these old IPAs turn into barleywines claims and wanted to see for myself. Usually they just taste like shitty malt bombs to me but I've never sat on one for an entire year.

 

Interesting. I'd be too scared to waste a good IPA by turning it into a "shitty malt bomb". You are a brave man.

 

This is so true...double crooked tree, hopslam, 120 min...yeah, they turn into BWs...but not good ones. I get sick of that nonsense too. Give me a bigfoot over any of those all day long...

To answer OP - I always get excited about hopslam. To me, it's still excellent even though there are TONS of others that have surpassed it. But for me, it was the first DIPA that I had ever had that opened my eyes to how hops can perform in different ways. I had always had sort of one note piney/resinous IPAs...then this one came along with all it's mango and peach juiciness. It blew my mind. So I seek it out still - 50% cause it's still good and 50% out of nostalgia.

 

I'm sitting on an oracle just for kicks. Figured I'd test the theory with that. Didn't do much for me fresh so I want to see how a year treats it.

 

I sent my wife on a wild goose chase across Manhattan to find this for me last year. I was severely disappointed by the overly sweet, overly boozy, frankly mess of a beer Hopslam ended up being. Please don't tell my wife that, though.

 

This tends to work with the more malt forward IIPA's. Did it last year with Hopslam, Double Crooked, even a Pliny. And for science I still have a Hopslam from 2013. To compare with 2014 and 2015.

 

*dusts off pitchfork*

I usually buy one six pack and send another to my buddy in Cali

 

It's so easy to get on draft and so hard to get on bottle, I'll just grab a pint or two and be happy with that.