NC's Best Local (Year-Rounds)

No, it's just my opinion that those beers are shitty. Their barleywine was a drainpour and it took quite the effort to finish the Imp. Stout. Maybe I'll give it another shot, but in no universe is Rabid Duck an excellent beer.

 

Maybe you don't remember/weren't in the Midwest when KBS and such weren't hyped up. You know what? It was incredibly better when it was possible to buy Hopslam, KBS, and all the other beers (Blushing Monk in bombers for example) without jumping through hoops and nonsense like waiting lists, when they were available for more than one day each. Hopslam was a grocery store beer (and still is in OH/MI for all I know). To answer your question, yes, that is 100% better than being stupidly hard to find. I am very excited to see the BCBS line with more resources behind it and more distribution.

The last thing I quoted is because you said something really silly. Look at the talked-up breweries around the country. Every single one is doing what you want. Duck-Rabbit is not, but you want them to do that too. That's stupid. Sorry. And I trade for stuff I want to drink, not cool stuff. I don't give a damn if something is super-hyped - if it is, I'll trade for it if it's something I personally really want or I'll try it at a tasting or I won't bother. I don't trade for something because it's rare/limited, I trade for something that I want to taste because it sounds delicious. If you only trade for rare stuff, I feel sorry for you. You're doing it wrong.[/quote]

Many people just don't want to get this. I've made similar statements and it is always been met with poor responses from "younger" members. It's always oh you think you're better because you have been around longer, things are good now you just don't appreciate change, rare beer is good because it begets more rare beer or some bs. Things in general are worse now because if this crap, period.

 

Whatever that's fine, to each their own. I think we lose sight of that myself included.

 

Here is a statement from Paul at Duck Rabbit that may clear up some confusion about their beer being below average: I personally was surprisingly disappointed with every DR Baltic Porter and Rabid Duck that I had this year, and has steered me away from buying any of their products for the last couple of months, and I loved me some DR...

Beer Lovers,

I have received reports of some Duck-Rabbit bottles that have developed off-flavors. This is, of course, distressing to say the least! Please be assured that the team and I are taking every measure we can think of to avoid this happening again. In the meantime, I want to find a way to help out anyone who got 'hold of the beer in question. My supposition is that since you bought beer, beer (that tastes as it should) is what you'd prefer! If you're able to find your way to Farmville, I would very much appreciate the opportunity to give you some fresh beer. Certainly, I understand that won't be possible for many of you. I think the next best opportunity is that if we can arrange to meet (me or one of the team - we have a rep who gets around the state quite a bit, for example), we can, similarly, get you some fresh beer. Of course, that too might not be possible. In that case, will you allow me to mail you some Duck-Rabbit schwag? That's not as good as beer, but if the first two possibilities don't work, I hope it at least helps. Please contact me by phone or email and we'll get this figured out: 252.753-7745, [email protected].

Respectfully,

Paul Philippon
The Duck-Rabbit Brewery
Farmville NC
DuckRabbit, Sunday at 11:55 AMReport
#1Like

 

I see foothills BB porter gets a lot of nods, but I don't think its worth a damn. And OH Imp. Stout..at that price there are a ton of better stouts/beers.

 

I just picked up four bottles of OHB's B's Nuts brown ale for $3.99 a bottle. I haven't tried it yet - likely will tonight - but I've heard good things... if you can get yourself pumped up for a brown. Odd that I don't see anyone on BA talking about this brew, I was told it's flying off the shelves locally. Brawley's in Charlotte still has some.

 

Big Boss just started bottling Big Operator. That's a tasty local.

 

I tried B's Nuts (errr....I don't really like saying that) at the Peabody's event. Being a big fan of good brown ales, I liked this one. No, it's not some big, crazy barrel-aged, peanut-butter, coconut, apple pie brown ale....but it's a tasty nut-brown. And at 3.99, I'll be grabbing a few when it comes east.

[though.....I do love me some peanut butter and jelly, oatmeal raisin, chocolate-coconut, apple pie brown ales too ]

 

I was pleasantly surprised with B's Nuts and the $3.99 price point is great. I love browns and I'm glad they didn't throw this one in a barrel which seems like all they've done here lately.

 

I would say IGOR, and thanks for mention. But thats not in bottles. Bottled available stuff would be Olde Hickory B's Nuts, Imp Stout, Death by Hops, Duck Rabbit Hoppy Bunny (when not infected), Big Boss Bad Penny, Sweet Josie, Peope's Porter, and obviously Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout.

 

This was not a beer I was very fond of.....seemed to me like they rushed to barrel-age before they really made a solid base stout deserving of the treatment, very boozy with little balance.

That being said, it was their first go at the style, and solid for being that. Personally, I just think you should start with making a good stout, before you make a barrel-aged one. I appreciate that Foothills and Olde Hickory took this tact, and I think their BA versions reflect this.

This reminds me....I need to stop by Fullsteam and try their Wanderlust, sounds tasty....I think it's still on tap.

 

Wanderlust 2012 will be on tap for while -- we have ten or so kegs. Come on down!

We got so many comments on IGOR! Too boozy...not boozy enough...perfect amount...all over the place. No pattern at all. I've learned that bourbon in beer is like spicy food: what's super hot to me may be mild to others.

Question for Beerness (not a snarky one, I'm just curious)...since the boozy-ness come from the barrels, how would perfecting a stout first help with balance? Or do you think the impy stout base wasn't weighty enough to handle the booze? Again, this is a very serious learning question that's 100% agenda-free.

Cheers,
Sean (clearly threadjacking; sorry about that)

 

I totally agree about preference....one person's favorite stout in the world, is another's hot booze bomb.

Personally, I think it was " the impy stout base wasn't weighty enough to handle the booze" this. I kinda lost the base stout. Though I'm perfectly ok with saying this could have simply been an issue of personal preference. I'm sure I'll be in line when/if Igor comes out again, would gladly give it another go.

I look forward to coming by to try Wanderlust....I've missed Fullsteam's other sour offerings, and heard very good things about Sour First Frost.

 

thx for the reply. Our brewhouse is a German-built system that sometimes struggles with high-gravity beers. It was built for classic German ales and lagers, and here we are brewing sweet potato beer and impy stouts! So you may well be right, particularly if you like that thicker mouthfeel.

Someday hopefully soon we'll graduate to a 30bbl brewhouse that can handle weighty grain (and sweet potatoes).

And just for the record (so as to not disappoint), Wanderlust 2012 is a sour mash...no brett or aging on it. We can't wait to really develop our souring program!!

Still threadjacking,
Sean

 

I read that....still excited. It will be awesome to see what you guys could do with a souring program....I've had several beers of yours I liked, but had the thought, that it would be an awesome sour (sparkling pear for example).

Have you guys considered giving a go at a Berliner Weisse? It's definitely a style that seems to be gaining some traction lately.

 

While I have a captive audience -- and to get the thread back on track a bit -- just wanted to add that Fullsteam Southern Lager gets my vote as one of the top year-round NC offerings. Maybe it's the German-built system that imparts that certain quality I find so good. Prost!

 

Danke, herrburgess!

Beerness: Wanderlust is close to a Berliner Weisse but darker and higher in alcohol. We've brewed a BW rhubarb beer in the past. Would you like to hear a Very Sad Story? Last year's version was accidentally blended into a cream ale fermenter and we had to to dump it all.

My vote for other NC breweries best year round: Green Man ESB, Foothills People's Porter both come to mind.

 

That is tragic....as I love Rhubarb. That sounded like it woulda been awesome.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Berliner Weiss....takes me home.