Sixpoint: Alpenflo Helles Lager

Jack I just had the last Classic American Pils you gave me, and it still tasted great! The carb was quite frothy at first, and left a very nice white foam cap throughout. It's remarkable this beer was still in such good condition. Well done!

 

Andy, you are one patient beer drinker!!

I am glad that you were able to enjoy the beer despite its advanced age. I personally make it a point to drink my mid-gravity beers within 8 months of bottling.

I have another batch of CAP in my lagering chamber right now and I will be bottling it in another week or so.

Cheers!

Jack

 

That's not really true about beermenus at all. I find that the worthwhile off premeise sellers are very diligent about updating their can and bottle lists. Even supermarkets. I even crosschecked your website beer finder and didn't find any off premise in the NYC area (at least in BK and QNS).

 

Retailers in your area are a lot more dilgient than what we see around here. Most places on Beermenus are sadly out of date. A number of the worthwhile ones aren't even listed.

More importantly to me, some of the better bottle shops, etc. near here only update their draft list so there's no way of knowing what bottled/canned beer they have on offer in the cold cases.

 

Given the way Sixpoint stresses the "horitizontal lagering tanks" on the label, I'd assume it is coming out of Sixpoint's alt. proprietorship partner, City's Memphis brewery (a traditional lager brewery built by Schlitz in the 1970s, when horizontal tanks were still the standard).

 

I assume it's made in Memphis like almost all of their beer, but would just like confirmation since the label isn't clear.

 

This beer is excellent. A little too easy to have several of, so I'll have to share some. I think this will be a regular for me.

 

It was one of the reasons why we chose this beer as our first 12pack of a style. Did you happen to buy a 12pack of it, or did you buy single cans? We have noticed a few of the "specialty stores" are selling them individually as well.

 

12 pack, I’d feel odd buying a single helles lager. I’m very glad this is being sold in 12 packs.

 

I have tried Jack's homebrew before and all of them ranged from good to excellent. The standout to me was actually the smoked Polish wheat beer (Grodziskie), which is a very difficult style to execute.

Jack, you don't happen to have any of this CAP still in the cellar? I'd love to do a tasting with the staff and actually run it through our lab! We could send you a full quantitative analysis of the results, including the sensory notes! I'm sure you'd love to see what the alcolyzer and GC has to report on the beer...

I have no doubt that your personal experience with beermenus is that its pretty comprehensive for your area, but it would be a mistake to use your personal and anecdotal experience to form a universal claim for the widespread coverage of their reporting. Even if you compare it to an app like Untappd, there is a massive gulf in the number of locations reporting, and how often it is updated.

The beerfinder on the website will be 100% accurate as long as the wholesaler is reporting that sales data to the database. There is a delay with UBD right now, hence the gaps...but I drank several points at two different locations just last Friday in Brooklyn. Any time a beer is sold, it registers as a sale in this database, so it should be 100% comprehensive. The biggest x-factor though, as already mentioned, is we are reliant on a 3rd party (the wholesaler) to upload their sales data to that database. But a combination of the beerfinder and checking the venue location check-ins (or the checkins of the individual beer) should get you in the right direction.

If that still does not work, you can PM us and we'll get you a complete list within the neighborhoods/zip code you want.

cheers

yes, this particular Helles is, it is based upon two different draft versions that we made a while back in Red Hook, perhaps you tried them

perhaps if it was in a larger format can, it would not be as odd?

 

How large are we talking? Is there a Sixpoint 40 in the works? I'm on board at any rate.

 

I always thought the 40 ounce was a bit of an awkward size...even if you are drinking the beer quickly, its still going to be rather warm/flat by the time you are done with it. Not to say I have not done it before! Last time I bought one though was from a gas station in Louisiana. Not a very good format for a good helles lager tho, imho.

A 32 ounce can has its merits, particularly in restaurant situations where you can split a beer at the table with a friend/partner....it almost serves as a crowler or a mini-pitcher for the table...

The 19.2 ounce or 24 ounce can is interesting, as it gives quite a bit more liquid but since the beer is easy to drink you could definitely sink one and have it be cold the entire time....seems to have more merit as a single serving option...

The 16 ounce version could have its merits as well, but not enough of a distinction vs. the 12 ounce. If we are going to develop a single serving format for this beer, I'd be partial to 19.2 or 24 oz....of course we would discuss with a lot of retailers and amongst the staff first.

cheers

 

Well, that would be one issue with the design! I give up trying to post a picture on BA. I could be having the best day ever, but as soon as I try to post a pic here I'm reduced to the village idiot. Anyway, I'd be curious to see if anyone else thought Outrage IPA from Crossroads could be mistaken for a Sixpoint product. A good old Google Image search will do the trick. I obviously can't perform this simple task.

 

I just did a Google image search on the Crossroads Outrage IPA. Despite the orange star on the can, I really don't see enough similarities for anyone to confuse it with a Sixpoint product.

 

Ok, glad you're pouring it into a stein next time. Because a snifter is NOT proper glassware for a Helles!

 

As with many things involving computers, it’s only a simple task after learning how to do it.

(Personally I’m too lazy to figure it out, so I just post the link to a picture. )

 

I wouldn't feel odd at all. Given how hit or miss most brewers are with lagers especially, I'd much rather purchase a single rather than a 12 pack.

And this isn't a slight or comment on Sixpoint specifically, just a general comment. I may in fact purchase this in a 12 pack format...but I'm waiting to hear back from some of the members who's opinions on Helles I value the most.

 

Come on... Live dangerously! YOLO!!!!!!!

 

Still no Alpenflo in Southeastern Wisconsin... but Summit's Dakota Soul has hit shelves. Probably gonna be a battle between the two for my attention. May the best beer win.