Huge disappointment...

It's not the most exciting beer, but that is exactly why it has such widespread appeal - As someone who lives in northern IL, I have found that even non-craft enthusiasts get excited about Spotted Cow. It might as well be the official beer of Wisconsin.

 

This is what I was going to suggest to you. Our tastes are quite the opposite it seems - at least in terms of hops. I love Two Hearted's balance and floral hop character. I sometimes pick up Pretty Things Meadowlark as I find the two somewhat similar.

Congress Street was one of my biggest disappointments.

 

One growler- sent to me in trade directly from Alpine, awesome
One bottled, sent to me in trade from San Diego, awesome
One growler, filled in Virginia, made by Green Flash, underwhelming

 

Makes sense thanks for clarifying

 

Some I can remember right now:

KBS - Waited for this one a long time... Was good, but far from "world class". I got a 4-pack easily without any hassle, drank one, gave one to my brother and traded another. Still have one left, though. Next year I will just pass on it.

Pliny - I only had one bottle so far and still have two to go, so it may change after I have it again (bottles are 3 weeks old, so they are fresh)... But it wasn't anything like I had hoped it would be. It was good, but I would take almost any Fat Heads IPA over it without a second thought. I hope the second bottle I have this week will change my mind a bit.

Grapefruit Sculpin - I love grapefruit, but I just didn't think the overall flavor profile was that good. Same goes with Habenero Sculpin... Although that one was just meh all around.

 

Goose Island BCBS. I love BBAged stouts and this one really let me down. Not a terrible beer but with all the hype I expected a lot more. I can think of many better brews of this style.

 

Pliny didn't do a whole lot for me

 

or my relative dislike of centennial hops compared to mosaic/citra/simcoe

 

I'm going to be blasted for this, but...Pliny the Elder. It's possibly the most hyped beer of all time, yet by the time I finally had one, I had already had so many great IIPAs. I'm not saying Pliny was bad, but at this point in time, it isn't really unique or astounding.

 

Sculpin, Enjoy By and Hi Res are all much higher rated than where I put them. I'm thinking to revisit Enjoy By again. Only had it once and I'm starting to come around to some of Stone's latest offerings (wasn't a big fan of Delicious though).

 

To anyone saying Heady Topper...

I had a can that I received as an extra in a trade...no idea how old it was. It was good, nothing special.

I then received a can that was purchased by someone that was super fresh from a trip to VT and then shipped in cold temps directly to me. It was a much better beer. I loved it.

So next time you consider trading for Missouri or California or 4 month old New York Heady...pass. Find someone who is taking a trip to Vermont and get it fresh.

 

I read some of the beers that some folks find disappointing and just make me shake my head.

And you're welcome for that HT @WI-Beer-Man That can of HT I sent was probably six weeks old. I've had one as old as 8 weeks that was fine, but you definitely lose the hops as time goes on. Fresher is definitely better.

 

Yours wasn't the one I was referencing that was "older"... I actually gifted the one you sent to a local buddy that had never had it and wanted to tick Heady Topper.

 

The Heady and Pliny I had were a few days old for each, but 1 is hard to judge...

 

Founders Breakfast Stout and Blushing monk.

Breakfast stout is just so ordinary and somewhat thin. Blushing monk was god awful, and I would hardly call it beer.

As for Alpine, Portland recently started getting kegs here and there. I have had Nelson 3-4 times and it was fantastic every time. All of the others (Duet, Hoppy Birthday, etc.) have been pretty average IMO

 

At the Brewery in Alpine or at the NHC?

We went to the brewery in Alpine, and I can say that Duet and Hoppy Birthday were OK, didn't do much for me.

Just so the CA folks think I am a hater, really liked the beers at Bagby in Oceanside, and Modern Times was making some fine beers for a relatively new place. Fall Brewing had some nice beers.

 

Sorachi Ace hops are a nightmare. 5 out 10 times, in my experience, the bottle will be off with Brooklyn's Sorachi Ace

 

Excellent, hope he enjoyed it!

 

I think that Green Flash is taking a lot more heat for some of the Alpine beers than they probably deserve. People seem to just love to hate on those guys. We're getting mixed reports about who actually bottles the beers, and overall it just seems like people want to defend something they thought was once great. It sucks that Green Flash has to catch the brunt of people not having the same exact experience every time they drink a beer.

 

TG ZeeLander was a vegetal mess.