Knee Deep Simtra, opinions?

have you had any really fresh simtra? i got a week old bottle right after they started dating and it was fantastic.

 

I actually like hop shortage more. Both are awesome hopped up brews tho.

 

I had Hopaholic today. Like most Knee Deep beers, it is middling. But I like Simtra, and I just bought a bottle at the NorCal Whole Foods sale. Looking forward to it!

 

Wow different strokes for different folks I suppose. Drakes is king of mediocrity in my opinion, which makes sense considering they can't keep a head brewer there longer than a year it seems. Knee Deep is FAR superior than drakes in almost every way. Not sure what "this is ok" means but simtra is better than black label. Black label relies on heavy sweetness that becomes syrupy and I don't find all that drinkable.

Dont even get me started on non IPAs from Drakes, terrible.

 

Preferred PtY to Simtra, and also preferred Auburn's ZZ Hop Triple IPA to Simtra. Simtra was fine but unexceptional to me. There are just so many double and triple IPAs out there competing for a limited amount of drinking to be done, and I just don't see myself going back to Simtra. But of triple IPA offerings, it's definitely one of the best easy to get options... just not convinced I prefer it to some of the DIPAs that are as easy to get.

 

Great beer. Surprised at the "pricy" comments, in this age of the $8.99 bomber we seem to be living in. Alpine's Expo is where it's at though, IMHO.

 

I've only had it on tap. If it's not fresh on tap then they don't deserve my business.

Okay sure I don't like Black Label, or hopocalypse in general. But Aroma Coma is one of the best IPAs period, and they make some pretty nice other beers (I remember really enjoying Something Mild, and the new Pink Boots is one of the best saisons I've ever had, to name a couple).

This is just one of those things where I don't get what other people are tasting. Knee Deep is gross to me, and to basically everyone I know in person. It's like friggin' Dark Lord...

 

I agree, I don't really get why everyone likes them so much. Had the Belgo Hoptologist the other night and it was extremely lacking. I've had all of their bottled beers and none of them made me want to go out and buy more.

 

I think it has to do with double of one or more than one ingredient(s), not double the alcohol.

 

My preference when it comes to heavily hopped beers is usually for a cleaner malt backbone that doesn't attempt to "balance" the IBUs or push the booze up into double digits, so something like PtE or Enjoy By or Sucks is to preferable AFAIC. I haven't much liked the Knee Deep beers I've tried, including Simtra, because to me they had a heavy, syrupy malt flavor. If I want the malt heaviness and high ABV, I prefer a barley wine, hopefully one that's been aged for a year or two.

Notice I did not say any of these beers were "better" than any others, just stating my preference.

 

haven't had Younger, but Simtra was definitely in your face juicy. would probably make a nice side by side if you could arrange that

 

When i had it, i thought it was "just ok"

But it may have been an old bottle.

 

Think I had Pliny once.It didn't grab me.I'm a big fan of KD.But being from San Leandro and living in SAC I am not able to get all the special releases from Drakes "way up here".On a couple occaisons I've been able to get down there and buy some.Most of the Drake's I've had are pretty well balance but don't reach out and grab me.Most of the time that's what I want.So I won't take anything away from Aroma Coma and Aroma Prieta.I never did try the green or black label stuff a couple months ago.

But getting back to KD.Last year my grocery store had the Simtra misspriced at 6.99.I was buying it every week.Love it.But I also think it's a pretty steep price at 10.99.So once in a while now.And lately the same store has really fresh Hoptologist which is damn near blowing me away.Haven't tried the 4x4 (Hopoholic) yet.

 

I've now tried Simtra six times (4 bottles, 2 on tap) and its been a drain pour 6/6. Always boozy as hell, fusel heavy, super bitter with not much hop aroma. I don't get why their beer is popular. but to each their own. Maybe one of these days I'll pleasantly be surprised when a bottle someone opens at a tasting turns out to be good, but until that day, I'm done buying their beer.

 

Their beers are okay but too expensive by at least 30%.

 

Please explain how you came up with 30%? Their TIPA's are 9.99 by me. So you believe their TIPA should be 6.99? Can you name me one TIPA that is 6.99? Less than 10 dollars? Only one I know of is Mother Earth's new Big Mother which is 8.99. But if you know of any I would love to know so I can start buying those and hope they are half as good as Simtra is.

 

Simtra $8.99 all day, every day at a bottle shop near me.

 

Of course there aren't any other triple IPAs out there at that price point; I meant that they quality of their beer is not deserving of the price they charge. With Hop Stoopid and Double Jack bombers available at a much lower price, I never find myself wanting to pay ~$10 for Simtra, or even $6-7 for Hoptologist and their other stuff. Not worth it IMO.

 

I think some people calculate and buy based on $/alcohol rather than $/quality.

 

Much like how people can't distinguish between a beer of low quality and a beer that they just don't like.