Schell's Arminius

Well that's your problem right there, Coralville Hy-VeeWine and Spirits would probably be one of my last stops in general for a beer run.

Waterfront Hy-Vee in Iowa City is easily the best place to go for an extensive Schell's lineup. John's is a close second.

 

Heads up, the distributor was hoping this would arrive in time to make it onto the delivery trucks but that unfortunately didn't happen. Might want to call around tomorrow and see if it's in at Princetons, Haskells MG etc..

 

Haskell's in Burnsville says it has been released and will be in stores next week.

 

It's in the fridge right now

 

I picked up a 4 pack this afternoon from the cooler at MGM's in Prior Lake. This is a smooth beer. The hops are evident in the aroma, but mild to taste. You get the hops on the initial taste, but the end is mostly malt. Nice balance, but IPA drinkers will probably find it to be not hopped enough. I like it, though.

 

I crushed a can earlier this evening. I'd say that there's enough to recommend it to anyone who might be interested in giving it a try, so long as they understand that "I.P.L." and I.P.A. are not really that similar (different yeast types and characteristics can do so much, after all, to the overall profile of a beer), and that Arminius is dis-similar to the I.P.L.s that I've had the occasion to try in the past. I still haven't tried a Jack's Abby for example, so while I know what America's pioneering innovative lager microbreweries have been up to, I can't place Arminius into that frame of reference.

I sampled back to back with a Schell's Maifest, and while they're in the same very generic 'strong lager' category (6.5% ABV and-up), each is really quite distinct. I might get another four pack tomorrow -- unless I find some Hefe, first.

 

Off topic, but do you have any idea where to find some of that good old Schell's Hefe? All I've been seeing is the variety packs. I enjoyed trying the pack, but would much rather have the Hefe. It seems that the variety pack took the cooler space of the Hefe.

 

Supposedly the Hefe was released in six-packs, but I can only guess that Day Distributing and maybe Locher Brothers (and that red-headed stepchild, College City, of course) made the lion's share of the pre-orders in the near-Metro area; J.J. and Hohensteins ordered bupkis from what I have been able to determine. Oh well -- next year we'll see both 12-packs and 6-packs, again (or so I've heard.)

 

Considering that's it's the best damned hefeweizen on God's green Earth, I find it's limited nature frustrating. Once upon midnight wary I heard Schell's takes pre orders and only makes enough to fill said orders. I have no idea if this intel is valid, but it certainly adds to it's legend. In my own mind that is.

 

I have seen six packs around, but was holding off for a twelve pack. Looks like I'm going to have to suck it up, and buy a six pack or two until places start blowing it out a month from now. That's the one benefit I see the consumer gaining from Schell's releasing it in July. Stores consider it a summer seasonal, and close it out with the other summer seasonals even though its only been on the shelf for a month and a half. I've bought at least two dozen cases of it on close out in the last eight years--some for as little as $3.99 a six pack.

 

I was not impressed with this beer at all. The nose was seriously lacking, and taste wise it didn't bring much to the table. I was really hoping for something along the lines of the Jack's Abby IPL's, but this beer isn't even close.

 

Add another disappointed drinker to the Arminius list.

 

If it is anything like Great Lakes IPL Silver and Gold, they brewed for the 25th anniversary, I'll enjoy it.

After reading the few reviews, I guess it won't, but I'll still give it a try.

 

Had it at APN and thought it was solid.

 

Well, Schell's doesn't bill it as an India Pale Lager, so I'm not sure what folks were expecting. It is hoppy, and pale, and a lager. Well made and delicious in my opinion.

 

Thought it was solid brew as well. Definitely not an IPL as it states clearly it is a pale lager. Really enjoying this and the Weisse Pack. Would like to see more of Schells beers in Pounders.

 

If anybody believed this beer was going to be really hoppy they just don't know Schells. They don't make out of balance beers or really hoppy beers.

 

FTFY

 

I'm just now mostly through with my second Arminius. I'm normally an ale drinker, with English-style bitter or APA being my go-to styles. But, this is a REALLY nice lager. Even better the 2nd time, perhaps since per-conceived expectations of what it might be like are gone. And it IS a hoppy lager, but well-balanced. It is not a hyper-hopped piney lime-aid lager. I will definitely be buying this again.

 

Picked up a 4 pack this weekend and now have 3 I'd be willing to trade for something else. Not a fan.