Does anyone else feel like they've changed the recipe, and not in a good way? The last few batches I get an unpleasant (for me) onion/garlic aftertaste. It used to be my favorite local IPA/DIPA... Now I need to be in the mood for it. Have I grown too used to it, or has it changed?
I had it for the first time about a week ago from their freshest release, so I can't really say too much on the matter of recipe change, but I can say that I was a bit disappoint by how underwhelming it was.
I've found that GB can come off as almost too "green" when dealing with fresh cans....I like mine with a few weeks on them, believe it or not. Oddly, one of the brewers appears to be extremely sensitive to those onion/garlic notes (ask him about Deviant Dales and you'll see)....so it's certainly not intentional.
Could just be that batch of hops. After homebrewing a few heavily hopped beers, it's fair to say that the alpha acid% and overall flavors and aromas change from crop to crop, season to season. Also, I have noticed that after a little hiatus from Sea Hag that it seems to have changed a bit in a good way. Maybe a little more "West Coast" than before?
I stopped in when Gold Stock was out to get a fill and spoke with Rob about various things, and he indicated that the main constraint with GB was the shortage of Simcoe, he said that Bell's uses like an obscene % of the overall crop so it's hard for small-ish breweries to get a supply. Fast forward about 7-8 weeks and I stopped in again to get a fill of GB on tap. I did the usual small talk with the guy behind the bar (not Matt or Rob) and he said that there was no Simcoe in the batch I was drinking. I didn't ask any other questions or think anything of it, the taste seemed to be the same as before, I didn't compare side by side, but this post made me think of it. Not sure if the guy behind the bar was mistaken or what about the hop bill, I doubt that is the case. Maybe they tried to get around the simcoe shortage with a different mix?
I didn't get any unpleasant onion notes in the growler/glasses I had at the brewery about 7 weeks ago. I can't speak to the most recent batch, but the one that I drank from was pretty damn delicious. However, my buddy mentioned to me on the ride up that he was a little disappointed recently with the batches...that they were lacking something. But when he had a sip there, he immediately turned to me and said that this batch tasted much better than what he perceived any difference to be in the cans of the previous batches. (Take in to consideration can vs on-tap fresh at the brewery) Interesting to hear about the simcoe thing in the recent batch...if true. OP, post a message on their facebook page or send them a PM on there. They are usually pretty responsive.
Just bought a four pack of the latest batch, which arrived last week at my local package store. It's just as good as always. Not getting any garlic-onion flavor.
I just picked some up too. First time having it from a can. In the past I have had mostly growlers and like some above I have thought "too fresh" like too much, but in a good way if that makes sense. It just destroys you. I remember having some from one of my first growlers, then had a Smutty IPA and was like "who put this barleywine in my IPA." This can is pretty much the same as that growler. The bitterness just lingers, it is pretty cool. I really cannot speak to batch to batch differences because I do not have it enough. Aw hell, I somehow finished that one in the time it took me to write this!
Yeah I talked to Rob as well and got the same reason as trenchtown did the all important simcoe. The Bot batch from the end of the year was really packed with hops I remember having some at the brewery and being blown away. This last batch was not as good as the previous but it is still my go to beer. I love everything Rob and Matt make, cant wait for the Citra ipa that should be out soon.
I can't wait for the Citra IPA, the quad, or the Nelson DIPA. Oh and by the way there will be twice the amount of Gandhi next year, all can rejoice. I'll still be that guy wondering when Galaxy is getting canned.
Gandhi-bot does not get distributed into Hartford County. You'd have to make your way to New Haven county to get some. It's a real PITA.
Pain in the ass. Speaking with a few shop owners in the area, they have been trying to get it but supposedly, there was some issue with the distributor in the county. Only recently have they gotten 668, Sea Hag & Elm City again.
