What is the beer that could finally put us on the map (Texas)

Discussion in 'Southwest' started by BruceBruce, Jan 10, 2013.

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  1. jamescain

    jamescain Initiate (0) Jul 14, 2009 Texas

    You know what I find interesting about this thread. The talk is more so about trade bait then actual quality of beers. Texas, whether you think so or not, actually does produce some world class beers. They are just not in high demand outside of the state. I would personally rather have world class beers that I can easily buy rather then something I can't get because everyone else outside of the state wants it. I think Texas is certainty on the map for producing good beers, just not hyped beers. I'm fine with that.
     
  2. JohnBender

    JohnBender Initiate (0) Apr 20, 2012 Texas

    FWIW, Southern Star (Albeit only 6)

    http://southernstarbrewery.com/Distributors.asp
     
  3. kunstdrache

    kunstdrache Initiate (0) Sep 22, 2006 Texas

    Something to consider...WA is a state that would be considered one of those states with fairly loose beer laws and called a great beer state, yet they're in the same shoes as we are with their version of "what beer will finally put us on par with Oregon". Don't believe me? Check out this hilarious thread where they're bitching about how WA has no rare beer (now going onto page 23).
    http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/no-rare-beers-from-wa.16234/
    Point is, like James said, it's really all about hype.


    Keep in mind, WA is a great beer state mainly due to their outstanding beer distro and their proximity to CA and OR, although they will be soon losing RR...

    P.S. To be fair to WA they have Fremont which is making some excellent beer.
     
  4. Texas_Speed

    Texas_Speed Initiate (0) Aug 22, 2012 Texas

    Wow! I had no idea they distributed to that many states.

    I agree. I don't ever trade with anyone, so trade value means nothing to me. I enjoy all the great beer Texas has to offer and I enjoy being able to get my hands on them pretty easily.
     
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  5. jamescain

    jamescain Initiate (0) Jul 14, 2009 Texas

    I still trade but I very rarely trade with someone I have not traded with before. I just don't understand why beer has to be rated by its trade value rather then its actual taste. I think its interesting the different factors that influence how we perceive beer.
     
  6. DanzBorin

    DanzBorin Initiate (0) Apr 11, 2012 Texas

  7. DanzBorin

    DanzBorin Initiate (0) Apr 11, 2012 Texas

    Sadly, this is how we get once we've had the local stuff. We want to experience new beers and the only way to do so is trade since nothing can ship from a store to us.

    And honestly, good barrel aged stuff is very rare in our state. It's even harder to get your hands on it in bottles.

    I think thats why the hype train passes TX.

    I'll live though.
     
  8. kmello69

    kmello69 Initiate (0) Nov 27, 2011 Texas

    Thats what I meant what I said I dont want to be on the map. I think TX is making some great beers right now, and I'm actually happy that they're not as hyped, because then they'd be even harder to get than they are. I'll just keep drinking them myself.

    Hype is meaningless - I've tasted some super hyped beers I thought were crap. And if you want to trade (I only trade with a few buddies not on BA) people DO like TX beers and want to drink them, even without much hype.
     
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  9. jamescain

    jamescain Initiate (0) Jul 14, 2009 Texas

    Good barrel aged stuff in TX is not as rare as you think, it is just not as hyped. I think the big issue with people in TX is that most assume other people are producing better beers then what they can find locally or that our distribution is so bad we can't get anything good. I prefer trading to buying online anyway, but to say that you are forced to trade because you have had "everything" local I can only imagine is not true. I'm not saying trading is bad I'm just saying that we tend to rate beers based off of "trade value" and assume the are superior because they are highly sought after.
     
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  10. starkmarvelo

    starkmarvelo Initiate (0) Jan 20, 2010 Texas

    "Trade value" is a real thing, and a lot of people shrug it off. Has anyone noticed that Pumpkinator is rated as world class now that quick scores count in the overall score? so this should help a bit. I trade on occasion, and it's never for anything special, so Texas beer get me what I'm after. Especially Freetail and jester King. You just have to use what you got. Maybe it will take two bottles for one. But anything can be had, especially since there are a lot of generous BAs out there.
     
  11. jamescain

    jamescain Initiate (0) Jul 14, 2009 Texas

    But does it actually improve the taste of the beer?
     
  12. starkmarvelo

    starkmarvelo Initiate (0) Jan 20, 2010 Texas

    Nope. But the reality is that a lot (not all) people trade based off of scores. My philosophy is, I have a beer you want to try, you have a beer I want to try. Lets trade.

    I look at the written reviews and see what flavors other people taste, and that's how I decide what I want to trade for.
     
  13. champ103

    champ103 Grand Pooh-Bah (5,682) Sep 3, 2007 Texas
    Pooh-Bah Society

    We have had this beer for a long time already. Live Oak Hefe has not only been in top 100 since people first started reviewing it, people are always trading for growlers of it, and it is just a damn good beer that is fairly easy to find around Texas anymore.
     
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  14. jamescain

    jamescain Initiate (0) Jul 14, 2009 Texas

    That's exactly what I do.
     
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  15. starkmarvelo

    starkmarvelo Initiate (0) Jan 20, 2010 Texas

    Great minds think alike.
     
  16. pwsoldier

    pwsoldier Initiate (0) Apr 26, 2007 Minnesota

    Yep. If anything, Live Oak Hefe is the beer that put TX on the map.

    FWIW, I only have a couple of people that I trade with regularly, and I give them exclusively TX beers. They can't get enough. We may not have hype, but people are starting to notice us. I'll never get sick of drinking TX brews. There's just too many great ones out there these days. I did a lot more trading earlier in my craft days because our distro was garbage and there were only a handful of good TX breweries. The progress we have made since then almost makes me proud enough to actually call myself a "Texan". :wink:
     
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  17. BruceBruce

    BruceBruce Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2011 Texas

    Was just bored late at night, but there are some great points on here. So we should all call the congressman, then petition Live Oak to bottle, and be happy with what we have because we could be Oklahoma (not sure of their actual distribution based solely on the fact that I would never want to live there)
     
  18. jamescain

    jamescain Initiate (0) Jul 14, 2009 Texas

    ISO: shelf cantillon
     
  19. kevinscott

    kevinscott Zealot (595) Oct 21, 2008 Texas

    Visit Stein's Deli in New Orleans. Lots of dusty old bottles last time I was in there.
     
  20. DanzBorin

    DanzBorin Initiate (0) Apr 11, 2012 Texas

    Come to Houston and go into specs looking for a good BBA Stout. Anything local is sold out before it hits the shelf. The only other stuff that I think of on the shelf is BBA Dogfather which is awful.

    Almost all BBA beer in Texas is kegged.

    Jester King barrel ages, but pretty much just sours. Obviously Whiskey Rodeo, but that was so super limited it hardly counts.

    I hope we get bigger programs going with our breweries for barrels. Some companies that have been out there for less time have way bigger barrel programs. See Firestone Walker and Founders for examples. I think that even though some breweries have been around for a good while, the state had such a small amount of breweries that they didn't do some of these things. As the industries grows, I hope it does things to create new and even greater beer.
     
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