Went to Founders for KBS day this year, and while I love the space, the hunger-games style seating arrangement with no hostess or line of any kind is extremely annoying. I'm sure it's fine on a Tuesday afternoon with no one there, but when it's busy it's just an awful setup.

I"m sure some do it better than others, but I expect a shitshow for every moderate to big release I attend.

Great Raft is maybe the most underrated brewery in the U.S. right now, and they're only underrated due to lack of exposure & being in the South.

I saw he was at Crane's event in KC and alerted my KC friends. IMO, his Smells Like Bean Spirit is a bit overhyped, but I'm not a big coffee stout guy and there's been some growing pains with the different batches. If he ever barrel aged it though, it will break this city. IMO, his hops game is pioneering in the Great Lakes region and he's done it all by contracting in other spots up until now.

One other thing on Mike, he's a genuine great dude who is brewing and juggling all the craziness that comes with the scene with the best intentions.

Anyone tried Southern Tier Thick Mint? I love their Blackwater Series... I've found Creme Brulee and a couple others here, but apparently Thick Mint hasn't made its way here or won't. :(


Good to see you in this thread, Reaper.

Shreveport also isn't a craft beer city. I've talked quite a bit with one of their brewers, and he mentioned that they don't always feel the support from the area. There's crap breweries in the state that sell more totally based on location (such as being in New Orleans).

How is Abita? I never had any of their stuff.

The Evil Twin Wet Dream coffee brown ale is delicious and interesting, and I'm not a big fan of brown ales.

Picked up a sixer of the Lagunitas Waldo Special Ale... wow. Boozy to say the least, but really good. Pretty damned good value for a sixer (9 bucks, I think), as most beer of that quality and booze content like that would cost a few bucks more for a four pack (probably around 12).

Lagunitas One Hitter series has been a win for me. I imagine if you're seeing Waldo, you may see Born Again Yesterday which is a really good unfiltered pale. I enjoyed it last year and it's starting to distribute again this week I believe.

I like Purple Haze, tried Andy Gator and hated it.

Sorry, just saw this. I've always found Abita to be very mediocre. I've only had one beer from them that I wanted to try again, and that was a Strong Ale they made to celebrate their 25th Anniversary. It was called Vanilla Doubledog, I believe. They only brewed it once, though.

Abita sells very well down here, but it's mainly due to Louisiana pride, I would assume.

Anybody feel like sharing their Untapp'd Usernames? I'd like to follow you folks on there and see what beers you're enjoying.

I'm CaveState on Untappd. I don't normally check beers in as I'm drinking them and will usually check in a bunch all at once whenever I have some time. So it looks like I'm drinking in the mornings or having several at once, but it's not like that...I promise. I get annoyed when trying to have a conversation with someone and they're foaming at the mouth to check their beer in after taking one sip.

I just created a profile (inmem58). How does this app work? Just check in beers?

Quattro Goomba's in Aldie, VA. It is a combination winery, brewery, and pizza place. Just in separate buildings due to reeruned blue laws I am assuming. The margarhita Pizza was fantastic though.

Anyway I had several of their beers:

Traditz. Barrel Aged barleywine. Boozy and with a sweet malty character. Though being about 12% abv the alcohol wasn't harsh.

Brown Chicken Brown Cow. Brown Sugar Brown Ale. Pretty average brown ale. Didn't taste any brown sugar though it was pretty smooth.

Good to be Queen. Tart Cherry Blonde Ale. This was the best of what I tasted. The cherry flavor was prominent but it wasn't sweet. Very refreshing.

Absence of Sound. Porter. It was a decent version of a porter. Nothing really to say about it.

Whine Tunnel BA. Barrel aged wheat wine. Like a barleywine but made with wheat. Smells like it was like a super hefeweizen. Tasted just boozy and fruity. None of the expected ripe banana and clove taste one would expect from a hefe.