Wildly inconsistent breweries

I doubt that's a brewery issue as much as a freshness issue.

 

I get the feeling that those beers are playing into what @Ranbot was saying above-

 

Night Shift

 

I imagine you are both spot on.

 

I've had the same problem with the Berliner Weiss. Sometimes the flavor is just flat, other times it's really tasty.

For breweries I'd say Short's. They put out so many beers their quality control is dubious at best.

 

I have had the exact same experience as well. The cynical part of me thought: I wonder if they are mixing old and new batches in these 12 packs?

What do you think?

Cheers!

 

While I pretty much agree with you (outside of the sisters) I dont think there is a quality or consistency issue. They are just very mediocre.

 

I have one if these local breweries. I wont name them (even though most peope would have no idea who I am talking about). They make, and have made some very good beers, but they are often unfinished/drastically different. I have all but given up on them.

 

love them because they're super local to me but some are hit or miss. some of their Brewer's reserve and seasonals are fantastic, some are just average. their year-round list is solid but nothing special

 

I agree. I was so disappointed with last years MZ I didn't even buy it this year. Also, the Jai Alai is now inconsistent. I had a six that was missing that grapefruit, citrus hop bite that makes it a great beer. I found out that CCB is now using a contract brewer and that maybe some of the off beers aren't being brewed in Tampa. I would be really surprised if they weren't brewing MZ at the brewery but who knows? Still, a great! great! brewery. Compared to Funky Buddha they are the model of consistency. Don't even get me started on FB!

 

You need to take a road trip to Munster, Indiana. I would have to say that FFF is one of the most consistent breweries out there and their line-up of PA's and IPAs can't be beat. Maybe the bottles you're getting in New York aren't very fresh? Not sure about Dark Lord since I've never had it but wouldn't be surprised if you're right about that specific beer.

 

This has been my experience even in Thuringen though, as well as all throughout Germany.

 

Hair of the Dog
Night Shift
Lost Abbey

 

Yep. I don't think there has ever been two bottles that would pass as the same beer. That said I keep buying because it can be so good.

 

I can agree with you on that. I'm about an hour away from the brewery I really should stop by there some day soon.

 

This is the first time I have heard that Cigar City is having their beer contract brewed. What is the name of the contract brewery? Do they list on the package (can) the city name of the contract brewery (how does a consumer distinguish the beer as being contract brewed)?

Cheers!

 

Brew Hub announces partnership with Cigar City

 

Agree w the ppl saying fantome... it's all over the place. Side by side bottles on the shelf could be a top ten experience or literally undrinkable... it's incredible the amount of variation in quality, let alone flavor.
As far as the HF comment, I've never had one HF beer that wasn't spot on for the style. Not all of them are ridic, and the hype helps them for sure, but Shaun can make a serious beer, and apparently in almost any style conceiveable.

 

JK, thanks for that link.

I took note of "Partner brewing is a process that allows craft brewers not only to brew their beer to exact specifications under the supervision of their own brewmaster..."

This is the first time I have seen the term "partner brewing". I suppose the 'relationship' between Sixpoint and the brewery in Memphis, TN is a "partner brewing" thing?

Do you know whether the Cigar City cans from Brew Hub list Lakeland, FL on them?

Cheers!

 

Breweries like to think up new terminology for the various legal forms of contract brewing, since that term has negative connotations for many beer drinkers. "Gypsy brewing" is another alternative term, which others reject because the word itself is considered an ethnic slur.

Sixpoint's deal with City Memphis is, legally, an "Alternating Proprietorship" according to the TTB. Using the TTB's terminology, Sixpoint is the "tenant" at City/Memphis. In theory, any sort of contract brewing deal between brewers is made between two business "partners".

According to Brooklyn brewer and editor of The Oxford Companion to Beer Garrett Oliver, who also wrote that book's entry on Contract Brewing, an AP is simply a form of contract-brewing:

The only Cigar City cans I've seen only list Tampa, but it's possible newer cans list Lakeland, FL, as well. IIRC, recent TTB rules about COLA allow brewers to change the label without a new COLA for certain minor changes.