The "Perfect" Six Pack

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by TitusD84, Apr 4, 2014.

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  1. TitusD84

    TitusD84 Initiate (0) Nov 27, 2011 Illinois

    Ok so I have been thinking about this for a while. I want to make the perfect six pack. What is the perfect six pack you ask? Well I am making up the "rules" right now so lets work this out!

    1. The beer must come in 12oz form.
    2. It must be reasonably available. No brewery only releases. Nothing that is only on shelves for a few hours. Seasonal beers are fine.
    3.It must be a perfect example of that style. Think of it like "best in show" for that given style.

    So based on that I will start the debate:
    Stout: Bell's Expedition
    Why: Because. I'm kidding, but come on I could end that debate right now and not bat an eye. This is the beer that planted this thought in my head. It is the EXAMPLE of a stout. It is so well done. Other contenders might be Founders Imperial Stout or Dark Horse Plead the Fifth.

    Barleywine: Bell's Third Coast Ale
    Why: What can I say Bell's is awesome. Is it my fault they make some of the best beers available? Third Coast is just a great Barleywine. So malty, so freaking good. In my opinion there are no other contenders, but I'm not a big fan of Bigfoot.

    Porter: Great Lakes Edmond Fitzgerald
    Why: Again a "best in show" type example of the style. I love the roasty-ness of this beer. It is endlessly drinkable, and widely available. I love it. Eugene porter from Revolution might be a contender, but I much prefer Edmond.

    This is where I have no idea what to do...

    IPA: ???
    Contenders: Big list here, anti-hero, centennial, sucks, sculpin, stone ipa, two-hearted, furious(? 16oz?). I have no idea on the ipa. Do you go with a more traditional example like centennial or two-hearted, or a more hop forward example like stone or sucks. Plus with all the variation in hop profile/balance it is hard to define the "perfect" example of the style. For me the leader in the clubhouse is Ballast Point Sculpin.

    Lager:???
    Contenders: for me this is a two horse race between Great Lakes Elliot Ness and Dortmunder Gold. I honestly don't know to much about lagers. I prefer Dortmunder because its a great refreshing beer, but I still an looking around for that perfect example. I could go for an Oktoberfest instead.

    APA:???
    Contenders: Look I know Zombie dust should run away with this, but I have to go all the way to FFF to get it. So what is it instead? Dale's? Sierra Nevada? I might bend the rules that only I am enforcing here to take Half Acre's Daisy Cutter.

    Any thoughts?
     
    #1 TitusD84, Apr 4, 2014
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  2. jmw

    jmw Initiate (0) Feb 4, 2009 North Carolina

    "lager"?
     
    #2 jmw, Apr 4, 2014
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  3. spaceman24

    spaceman24 Initiate (0) Oct 7, 2008 Texas

    3x HopSlam
    3x Bourbon County Stout

    I'm drinking them all in one night and I'll see you bastards in hell.

    Just kidding. But that's my sixer. They are both seasonals and in a certain neck of the woods they are available for a few weeks to couple months, so 2 is not an issue. They are 12 oz and they are my top examples of their respective styles so it checks 1 and 3 as well.

    I win.
     
    #3 spaceman24, Apr 4, 2014
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  4. msanborn

    msanborn Initiate (0) Jul 2, 2013 Texas

    If you categorize pilsners under the lager profile, there're a lot to choose from. Personally, North Coast Scrimshaw would be my first choice for that category. I would just as soon avoid any adjunct lagers unless i'm washing down wings but even then I'd prefer a sweeter crisp pilsner. Six Point Crisp might be a worthy candidate as well.
     
    #4 msanborn, Apr 4, 2014
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  5. Josbor11

    Josbor11 Initiate (0) Dec 21, 2013 Ohio

    If you want a different style for each of the six, I feel fairly confident I could go to the local beer shop right now and build the following:

    Founders Breakfast Stout, Sculpin, Alpha King, Rochefort 10, Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier, Nugget Nectar
     
    #5 Josbor11, Apr 4, 2014
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  6. spaceman24

    spaceman24 Initiate (0) Oct 7, 2008 Texas

    Rochefort 10 is not a 12 oz.

    DISQUALIFIED.
     
    #6 spaceman24, Apr 4, 2014
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  7. Premo88

    Premo88 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,670) Jun 6, 2010 Texas
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Anchor Steam
     
    #7 Premo88, Apr 4, 2014
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  8. BingCrosby7

    BingCrosby7 Initiate (0) Jun 8, 2013 California

    I think FW Union Jack is pretty solid. Very reliable, found everywhere, deeply satisfying, and complex without being palate wrecking or overly intellectual (i.e. it's not like drinking 6 bottles of Rochefort or any quad for that matter haha).
     
    #8 BingCrosby7, Apr 4, 2014
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  9. insearchofhops

    insearchofhops Initiate (0) Apr 3, 2014 Massachusetts

    Sucks might be the best available (relatively) cheap IPA/DIPA.
     
    #9 insearchofhops, Apr 4, 2014
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  10. GetMeAnIPA

    GetMeAnIPA Pooh-Bah (2,559) Mar 28, 2009 California
    Pooh-Bah

    APA- Sierra Nevada, based on your criteria.
     
    #10 GetMeAnIPA, Apr 4, 2014
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  11. target88

    target88 Savant (1,015) Dec 3, 2013 Kentucky

    IPA----Stick the Fatheads Head Hunter in there
    APA--- listen to your gut, Zombie Dust
    It has to be perfect right :wink:
     
    #11 target88, Apr 4, 2014
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  12. BourbonJersey

    BourbonJersey Pundit (823) Jan 18, 2014 New Jersey

    A fresh Lagunitas Sucks
    BCBS
    Elysian Night Owl
    FBS
    Backwoods Bastard
    Shiner Bock
     
    #12 BourbonJersey, Apr 4, 2014
  13. TitusD84

    TitusD84 Initiate (0) Nov 27, 2011 Illinois

    I totally forgot about union jack. strong contender for the ipa
     
    #13 TitusD84, Apr 4, 2014
  14. utopiajane

    utopiajane Grand Pooh-Bah (3,982) Jun 11, 2013 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    . . . for the lager dortmunder gold surely, the IPA - Flower Power and for the APA victory headwaters pale. For my 6 pack I would take brooklyn black chocolate stout or old rasputin, barleywine is SN bigfoot and Edie Fitz is my favorite porter.
     
    #14 utopiajane, Apr 4, 2014
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  15. TitusD84

    TitusD84 Initiate (0) Nov 27, 2011 Illinois

    The only reason I don't have Head Hunter or Flower Power in my six pack is that I can't find them in my distro. I think you may be right Zombie is perfect.
     
    #15 TitusD84, Apr 4, 2014
  16. TitusD84

    TitusD84 Initiate (0) Nov 27, 2011 Illinois

    So its not just me dortmunder is actually good :slight_smile:
     
    #16 TitusD84, Apr 4, 2014
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  17. Boca-X

    Boca-X Initiate (0) Jan 21, 2014 Missouri

    The perfect sixer has just as much to to with everything that is happening around you on a particular day than a cardboard box that holds six bottles of beer in it.

    For me the perfect sixer is...any good beer that I have or have not had before. Enjoying with close friends around a camp fire or on a salty beach...on vacation or after a long dreadful day at work. It could be a sixer I just uncapped on the deck on a lazy warm spring Sunday...the grill is lit and I can smell the food, the baseball game has just started and the world seems like it has stopped in time...everything has stopped but the birds singing. I had my favorite sixer in a bar after my first daughter was born...a dark, dank and smoky bar...a BMC of some sort...right out of the can...damn it was so good! I had one this February...after a long day of trout fishing on the White River, set down with friends over freshly fried fish, watched the sunset through the woods and swigged Two Hearted ale from the bottle.

    I guess what I'm trying to say is that my favorite six pack changes day to day...memories made to memories made. Life is a six pack...drink it.
     
    #17 Boca-X, Apr 4, 2014
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  18. victory4me

    victory4me Initiate (0) Oct 16, 2004 Pennsylvania

    Cigar City Jai Alai
    Victory Hop Ranch
    Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen
    Troegs Cultivator
    Sly Fox Oktoberfest
    Victory Prima Pils

    And that's all I need...
     
    #18 victory4me, Apr 4, 2014
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  19. TheGator321

    TheGator321 Initiate (0) May 29, 2013 Connecticut

    1 can of be hoppy
    1 can of heady topper
    1 can of gandhi bot
    1 can of seahag
    1 bottle of mass rising

    tied for 6th is two rds. old factory pills, grey sail's smoked porter, oscar blues tenfidy, off color's troublesome. so I would have 5 beers in a six pack holder as I walk around the store for an hour trying to decide what the 6th's going to be. lol.
     
    #19 TheGator321, Apr 4, 2014
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  20. Kadonny

    Kadonny Pooh-Bah (2,616) Sep 5, 2007 Florida
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'll just give you my list based on your criteria.

    Stout: Founders KBS
    Barleywine: SN Bigfoot
    Porter: Deschutes Black Butte
    IPA: I'd say RR Pliny if that counts, if no doubles then Fat Heads Head Hunter
    Lager: Ayinger Celebrator
    APA: Victory Headwaters
     
    #20 Kadonny, Apr 4, 2014
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