I picked up some cans of Psuedosue a month or so ago for the first time. With tempered expectations, it was still highly enjoyable. Not sure I'd go out of my way to get it again. Like you said, so many good APA/IPAs nowadays, possibly in your own backyard.

Got home from work about an hour ago, expecting a box from a dude in Chicago that I made a trade with on Reddit. The trade was for him to send me a bottle of Mikerphone Special Sauce Batch #8 and a Pipeworks Scarlet Betta for some Ghost and Bloom from the Parish release party next month. I opened the box and found not only the two bottles I requested (the two on the left in the pic below), but a variety of other local beers. Super stoked. The craft beer community has quickly become a favorite of mine. The people I've gotten to know through craft beer are always very cool and very generous.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...l/DSC_0071.jpg

I'm taking the Special Sauce and the Scarlet Betta to a beer share tomorrow. I'm anxious to crack open that Special Sauce.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...rt%20scott.gif

Nice score on that NG Cran-bic.

I'm sure he wouldn't send you something that dated, but you might check the dates on those Fist City's. Rev had a large recall last month. Fist City recalls were from 8/11-9/26.

Lulz it isn't that special.

10/19 on the Fist City, I believe. What do you know about that Unicorn's Revenge? The dude told me that he believes this is the first time they've brewed it in a couple of years, but he remembers liking it.

Dragons Milk Imperial Stout 11%

WOW I am shocked at how smooth this high alcohol beer tastes. It is delicious, no fumes, dark, no after taste, interesting flavors yet I'm buzzed after my second beer.

I give it a 96

I had it the week it came out, 10/17. Probably a notch below some of their fish bottles, but it's a nice feature of New Zealand hops. Trademark Pipeworks though, big, boozy, sweet DIPA. I believe they've brewed it before but before I got here. Killer label too.

Dragons Milk is a really good, readily available, and reasonably priced shelf BA stout, imo. I've been able to try a couple of the variants, coffee, toasted chilies, and raspberry lemon (tasted like cough medicine, imo).

My dad brought me some Cigar City Madura Brown ale from Tampa. A fantastic rendition, one of the best I've had

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

Finally got a chance to crack the Opus Vert TimBone was gracious enough to send...

World class.

Citrus, Mango, Hazy deliciousness. Fruit forward, slightly bitter finish.

Could drink this all day. Thanks again, Tim. This was a helluva treat.

Shit, man, glad you enjoyed. I'm sitting at work right now, and that's making that beer look even better. Cheers.

Just cracked a bottle of Absence of Light (Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk Stout) from 4 Hands for #allstoutsday.

Good shit.

Yep, stout season in full effect. I had a 2016 cask conditioned Darkness yesterday. I enjoyed the bottle version a couple weeks ago, but this was on another level.

I'd never really gotten into stouts until this year. Can you guys recommend some good ones that I'd be able to find in STL?

I'm not really familiar with any of the hyper-locals from STL, but if you get Bell's distributed, Expedition stout is a great regional stout. Comes in a 6pk.

I'll check it out. I really like the few beers I've had from Bell's.

Thoughts on Founders Breakfast Stout?

That's another fantastic one.

Sierra Nevada's Narwhal is an imperial that you might be able to find around STL. 4pk. Deschutes Obsidian is also a good one that's widely distributed.

I'll admit I'm kind of a bitch about my stouts. I really only like them if they're flavored with something like pumpkin. Sorry I can't recommend much.

Will 2nd the Expedition Stout. Others to keep an eye out for that can be found in StL:

Stone Russian Imperial Stout
Boulevard Imperial Stout
Schlafly Oatmeal
4 Hands Milk Chocolate
Great Divide Yeti (preferably the espresso)

Harder to get a hold of, but worth it:

Goose Island BCBS (any variety)
Prairie Bomb (incredible, but may have to take out a 2nd mortgage)

No Samuel Smith?

Just throwing a few out off the top of my head. Certainly not an exhaustive list. Plus, I was thinking of stuff you can't necessarily get everywhere. Admittedly, Stone is pretty ubiquitous these days, but that's one of my favorites.

Local brewery by us just made a batch of Prickly Pear Ale.

Gonna get a growler fill tomorrow and try her out.

Was going to be Aventinus tonight because of B-Day but I came down with a horrible throat and nose cold.

Had a 2012 bourbon county tonight - so good. They're pasteurizing it this year, will be interesting to see if it changes the flavor at all.

In related news, I'm moving to San Diego in a few weeks. Pretty excited about living in beer Mecca.

Yuengling Black & Tans as I try to fight off this throat cold.

Sipping on Left Hand Brewing's Fade to Black Ale. Damn good. Tastes more like a traditional porter then a black ale.

Edit: They call it a 'Foreign Export Stout' not sure what that means other then they were doing a take on Guiness Extra?

Foreign Export Stout is simply a style (that any brewer can make) and does not imply anything about copying a beer by another brewer, FYI.

Most craft brewers have no interest in copying what Guinness does. Nothing against Guinness at all, but I find their beers to be pretty average and they don't really stand out as anything particularly exemplary. The goal for most craft shops is to brew something that differentiates them from everyone else, not to brew a clone of another popular beer.

I echo this post. Very much enjoyed the Opus Vert. Thanks a million, TimBone.

I'm glad you guys enjoyed. One of my trades on Reddit fell through, so I've been enjoying a few extra bottles myself.

Let me know if you're looking for anything KC-centric. I'd be happy to trade locals for locals. Crane and Torn Label are killing it right now.

Friend at work surprised me with a bottle of Chimay Grande Reserve today for my birthday. Not really my style, but I'm warming to it. Not bad.

Happy birthday dude. I meant to tell you on Facebook but it's kind of a zoo right now.

No worries, brother. I only jumped on because I wanted to be able to say thanks, as a lot of people there don't have my cell. Otherwise, I'm disappearing for a while.

Such an improbable win I decided to break out 1 of the 2 2014 BCS I have. Damn that's good stuff. I still have 1 2015 and will soon have hopefully 6 of the 2016.

http://i541.photobucket.com/albums/g...ps5zwnbmpn.jpg

I just popped a '12 the other night - so damn good. Have a couple '14s still, but all my '15s were infected. :(

One of my fav beers, for sure.

I had two of these Saturday night with my Veal Wienerschnitzel Austrian dinner. Also had fantastic Spaetzle

http://thebeerdiaries.tv/wp-content/...ock-Dunkel.jpg

Got some beer before the noon football game I am about to watch. Wife likes Sours/Ciders. So cherry cider on left, a sour from Oregon and Blazing World | Modern Times Beer from San Diego in the Growler for me.

http://i.imgur.com/qNCHaTa.jpg

Ground Control is on my list if we're ever on that side of town again.

It's not even Black Friday and stout season has my wallet exposed like Steven Nelson on 3rd and long. Seems every year the prices get higher despite more offerings being released.

Anyone drinking or picking up anything special over the holiday?

Parish has a Maple Shade stout on tap right now which is coffee based and has vermont maple syrup added to it. I'm not huge on stouts, but this one was goooooooood. They wouldn't sell me a crowler this past weekend because of their release party, so I'm thinking of heading back down there this weekend just to have another glass. That would probably be the extent of my Thanksgiving holiday beer purchases. Ive spent a shit ton of money on beer lately.

after last years BCBS debacle I'm a little cold on them, though I understand they are pasteurizing this year. Still have a couple of uninfected bottles in the pantry.

I can understand that. I'll likely pick up a couple bottles of regular, but I'll try to catch the variants on tap. One thing I'll say about Goose Island and BCBS, although I'm not a fan of the 16.9oz format, it runs $9.99 here, which I'm totally ok with. I understand InBev and economies of scale and all that, but $22 for Perennial Abraxas, which isn't even barrel-aged? That's rough.

And 2016 BCBS is pasteurized. Maybe someone with more knowledge than myself can chime in. Given identical cellar conditions, will a stout that has been pasteurized then bottle-conditioned age as "well" as an unpasteurized stout? I guess, is it worth aging the 2016 BCBS like previous years?

if?
If?
If?!
IF?!

Haha, still in the planning phase but all signs are indicating east side again this year. I think Peoria might be as far west as we get for a game. My dad loves those Euro beers at Dubina Brewing near that complex.

Oh I get it. Just busting your balls. I have had their beer but never been to their brewery. I need to do that.

Just remember Lewdog doesn't mind driving somewhere.

Anyone in Georgia have Monday Night'a Bourbon Barrel Drafty Kilt? Grabbed some a Taco Mac where it's 12.5% on draft and in bottle form says it's 8.5%.

Will be interesting on Thursday to see if they taste the same. Hope so, it's fantastic.

Local restaurant here does a Bourbon County Stout release the day before Thanksgiving.

I guess they get away with it because you cant buy it to go you have to drink it there. Anyway its ****ing delicious as always. Had 2 yesterday and should be able to buy 5 tomorrow morning.


Then my brother tells me he brought some surprises from Chicago.


6 Pack of Zombie Dust

http://media5.picsearch.com/is?bad6k...TSg&height=128

And some Ninja vs Unicorn

https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...pg?format=500w

2016 BCBS is tasting great. I'm not even a huge coffee stout guy, but the coffee variant is fantastic this year.

Lake Effect BA stout is the best kept secret in Chicago. Sits on shelves and tastes like a liquid Mounds bar.

Sweet Jesus.

The day before Thanksgiving, a package arrived on my doorstep. Two bottles of Ghost In The Machine from Resident CP'er and all-around nice guy/BAMF TimBone. I was out of town, but my wife unpacked the bottles and got them to the fridge. Life has been crazy since last Tuesday, (death in family) so today was my first chance to sit and really enjoy a beer.

Bottled on the 15th. This. Shit. Is. World. Class.

A citrusy, bitter, somewhat dank Hop Bomb. I'm sitting here trying desperately not to just crush it and make these two bottles last.

Tim, you are the man. If you change your mind and want something in return, please don't hesitate to ask. I may send you something whether you like it or not.

****ing. Incredible.

I know I'm WAY behind the curve here, but finally bought a sixer of Founders Centennial IPA.

I'm REALLY hoping I got a bad batch, or that it's because it's not terribly fresh - (bottled August) because I'm super disappointed.

Oh shit, man...just saw this. Glad you enjoyed! Not to hype the beer up even more, but this batch was not their best effort. I was talking to a couole of the brewers the other day and they said something was up with the yeast. It was still pretty dang good, though.

I think the best batch I've ever had was the batch I shared with some of you here last November.

Wow. The two bottles you sent me made my pants tight, can't imagine it being much better.

How limited is the release? Once per year? More?

How hard to get? Because between Ghost and the Opus Vert, I'm super impressed with Parish. If I'm ever down that way I'd swing by.

It used to be once maybe twice a year from what I recall. They've been beginning to do more and more though. I remember at least four batches this year.

When they do brew it, the availability varies. Sometimes they distribute, sometimes it's brewery only with a limit, and then sometimes its brewery only with no limits.

And usually if you get to the brewery within three or four days of release, they've still got some. I don't think I've ever seen it sell out in one day.

10+ hours each way for beer...

Yeah, if you're ever in Lafayette, the brewery is a mandatory visit for craft beer guys. They've got other great beers available as well. The released a new IPA called Bloom that I actually think is juicer and tastier than the Ghost and Opus Vert. Also, they've just started a Double Dry Hopped series to their Envie Pale Ale. I sent a bottle of both of those to KCUnited to thank him for some beer he's sent me. Maybe he'll post his thoughts on Bloom here when he tries it.

They've also got taproom only beers. For example, they recently had a stout called Maple Shade. The base for that is their Reve Coffee Stout, then its aged in Bourbon Barrels and has Vermont Syrup added to it. I'm not huge on stouts, but that was delicious. I've only had one full glass of it. I had a half glass when they originally released it because it's 14% and I jad a two hour drive home. And then I shared a glass of it with my wife at the release party a couple of weeks ago.

Everyone (on tigerdroppings) seems really down on Ghost now. They seem to think that he's tinkering with it too much and also putting more energy into Envie and Bloom.

That was another thing I asked them about. There's tons of rumors that the recipe has changed. It's just not true. I had the same thoughts, but the brewers I talked to assured me the recipe has not changed since the second batch (which I believe was three or four years ago).

They did change the Envie last year to be more like Ghost. And I'm not sure how much time has been put into creating Bloom. This was the first batch that was released, and from what the taproom managaer told me a few months ago, they don't do test batches. So. Assuming that is true, then the release party Bloom was the first batch they've ever brewed.

Was it just this last batch that people on tigerdroppings had a problem with? I thought the one in September was great.

It may be one of the few reasons to visit Louisiana, too. lol

Founder's non-IPA stuff is where they really shine. Breakfast Stout, Rubaeus, Dirty Bastard, and Mango Magnifico are all very good. Their Porter is good as well.

I'm glad to see someone else that likes Mango Magnifico. I thought I was the only person that liked that beer!

IPAs are a funny thing. They're meant to be consumed when ultra fresh and ALL IPAs fall off flavor-wise after a month or two. They may still be palatable, but they're not going to be what the brewer intended.

Is the Mango Magnifico the one with peppers in it?

Some of the stuff that has come in the mail since trading the Ghost this time around.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...2a06f59409.jpg

Another one I recently tried is the DC Mountain Double IPA from Arizona Wilderness. Really good. You AZ guus should check it out. Brewery only though. I had a crowler sent to me.

Count me as another that likes Mango Magnifico. Boozy with the right amount of heat. I'm also a fan of their Mosaic Promise as a readily available APA around here.

Had two of these yesterday with my Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Roasted Red Pepper toasted sub. Tasted very interesting. Good flavor and not too heavy

Yep, mango puree and habaneros.

Now that's just bragging. :p

How are people getting these Bourbon County Stout glasses I've been seeing all over my Twitter feed?

I know that most of the Binny's (liquor store) Black Friday releases up here came with glassware.

EDIT: People here take that glassware serious and are complaining that the 2016's are the same as the 2015's with a different year on them.

It appears that way. They look nearly identical to me.

I haven't seen one in person, but it looks like the printing on the 2015 is a little bolder?

lol. Admittedly, I am...but I'm super excited to try a lot of those....particularly the Free Rise, Galaxy Bowl, and All Citra Everything. I had to share my joy.

Where do I find this? Sounds wonderful.

James Bean.

Looks like Founders distros to PHX. Not sure if Mango is one of them, but it is a seasonal release that was around here during the Spring/Summer if I remember.

We are heading to a friend's house in North Phoenix tomorrow. Looks like the Total Wine off the 101 has a few bottles left in stock. Might stop by and get the last few. Thanks!

LOL that it's from Michigan of all places.

I would guess that you'd want to wait until next spring or summer when they distro a fresh batch. Generally you want IPAs/DIPAs as fresh as possible, and definitely less than 2 to months old.

Did not know that. I'm not a huge beer drinker.

With something like bourbon (my favorite) opening the bottle and letting it sit for long periods can actually further enhance the taste.

I doubt I'd notice on this beer! LOL

Its not an IPA.