How often do you get a bad batch?

Once, and it was simply past its best-by date (Surly Abrasive). It was still pretty damn good.

 

Haven't yet, that I know of...

 

In my several decades of beer drinking, I can only think of one instance in which I got a bottle that was definitely terribly off. This doesn't include the much higher number of times I picked up beer that was past its prime through the brewer's failure to include a bottled-on or best-by date, or my own failure to pay attention to same.

 

Never, really. I've had seasonal beers that have changed their recipe somewhat from year to year that are noticeably different. And I've had beers that either I or the retailer let sit longer than recommended that changed in the bottle. But I honestly can't say I've ever gotten a "bad batch" or an infected beer. If you're convinced that there's something truly wrong with these particular beers, I'd contact Anchor Brewing and tell them about it. Provide any info you can find on the bottle that might help identify the batch. They're a reputable outfit. If they can confirm (or even if they can't) that there was a problem with the beer you bought, I'd be surprised if they wouldn't do what they could to make you whole.

And actually, I do now remember getting a couple bottles out of a case of Flying Fish Hopfish that tasted more like their Abbey Dubbel or Grand Cru than an IPA. I contacted the brewery and their owner/brewmaster conducted an extensive investigation. He never figured out the problem, but he offered to replace any beer I wasn't happy with and then some.

 

One of the first 6-packs that I ever bought was almost 20 years ago, and it was infected so that it gushed and was extremely tart/sour like vinegar. Last year I ordered a pint at a fairly new brewery here in Michigan, and it was loaded with diacetyl. So almost 20 years between my experiences isn't too bad. I think brewers are a lot more wary nowadays, and cautious to the extreme to protect against bad beers that are caused by sanitation mistakes. (I'm not speaking of bad beers because of a bad recipe or bad brewing, because those still exist.)

 

I've had a few spoiled pale ales/IPAs that tasted like microwave popcorn. They still had a few months to go on the BB date, were canned, and were kept in a cold room at the store so I don't see any way it could have been anything but a QA issue.

So that's maybe like two spoiled servings in roughly 10 years? Pretty good ratio.

 

That's just odd -- being so far from the Porter. Was it as dark as it should have been, or maybe it was another beer that was mis-labeled?

As for anything bad I've ever gotten, it's been the retailer's fault or my own for being ignorant of date codes.

 

In the last 3 years I have 2 bad batches. One was infected before pasteurization so had a pretty strong sour which was not pleasant. The other was way over carbonated. Although the second one was fun as it was not a gusher when opened. The first sip however always was evacuated through the nose unless spit out quickly. Very comical and would have been worth the price if it wasn't for my sinuses being the first to be cleaned.

 

While I like Anchor, I've gotten diacetyl from more than one of their beers in recent years. It was in the Maple and in the California Lager. Nothing too strong, but it was unmistakably there.
I can't recall ever getting that in anything from them prior to 2012-2013.

 

I still don't know if it was infected or if that's how it was supposed to taste, but Shipyard Barrel Aged Smashed Pumpkin was the single most disgusting, rancid concoction I've ever tasted.

 

Often enough that I'll never willingly pay for a Smuttynose Finestkind again.

 

I used to buy Laughing Dog CSB all of the time, the last time I bought one, I had to dump it, tasted like I would imagine sewer water to taste

 

I haven't had 'd' in the California Lager, but have always considered an asset in the Porter. That beer was developed before the new ownership, obviously- maybe they are getting a bit unfocused nowadays? That would be a real shame if it were true.

 

Find it odder yet that you are talking about this issue a full month after the fact. But......
Being where you are, I would put the blame squarely on the distributor.

 

Does beers past their prime count? As in ones that should not be aged.

 

When it comes to Shipyard problems, I blame the brewer. Their issues have been so well-known and talked about for so long, with no real change in their system or product, that I guess that's how they want to be seen- butterbomb central.

 

Report back, although I can't imagine how it passed a sensory panel as you describe it.