The Beer Thread

[Golden Avalanche]

If only all middle aged midwest dopes were as hip as you.

[spartan3186]

Any Scoopers going to Dark Lord Day? Got tickets for the first time this year -- group B.

[JuniorCardigan]

Any Scoopers going to Dark Lord Day? Got tickets for the first time this year -- group B.

Right here, the queue system for tickets seemed to have some hiccups but a few buddies and I got tickets. Ended up in group D, hopefully some decent variants will be available by that group time.

[tower912]

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/03/finding-the-united-states-best-craft-beer-final-round

[MUsoxfan]

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/03/finding-the-united-states-best-craft-beer-final-round

Great Final Four. I'd go Pliny

[rocky_warrior]

I don't know who the Beer selection committee was, but there must have been a lot of crappy auto-qualifiers into the round of 64.  Not a horrible FF, but probably wouldn't be my choice.

Hopefully the Vegas Beer 16 had a better field.

[MUfan12]

Hopefully the Vegas Beer 16 had a better field.

They could only get 8:

PBR
Schlitz
High Life
Yuengling
Genny Cream
Summer Shandy
Grain Belt
Lone Star

[Spotcheck Billy]

Great Final Four. I'd go Pliny

except Bell's 2-Hearted fans must have stuffed the ballot box


Note: I was told at Discount Liquor Thursday that KBS should be on sale about 6pm Friday at both stores

[Hards Alumni]

except Bell's 2-Hearted fans must have stuffed the ballot box


Note: I was told at Discount Liquor Thursday that KBS should be on sale about 6pm Friday at both stores

There is a keg of KBS being tapped at Hop Cat in Madison at 4pm on Monday.

[tower912]

Visiting my wife's extended family in Wisconsin.  Talking about KBS.  Was asked how it compares to New Holland Dragon's Milk.  DM is about 90% as potent from a taste perspective as KBS.   But you can find it year round.  IMO, if you can get a KBS, it is worth the effort once.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Had the chance to visit and sample Kona Brewings Makana series they made for the Kona Brewers Festival.
Of special note was 4never's Ai-na choice (Earth), Water (Kai), Wind (Makini) and Fire (Wela). The Ai-na Brown Ale was my fav from that series, although I have a thing for Reds (Fire). 

http://konabrewingco.com/makana-series/

Also got a sample of First Rock which was their original recipe for Fire Rock Pale Ale. Loved the Hakeo Pineapple ISA. Yummy.

Kona just broke ground on a new brewery that will increase capacity 10 times to 100,000 barrels.  They will add a can line as well as expanding draught.  All bottles of Kona are brewed in the Pacific NW, btw, as there are no bottle makers in Hawaii. This is right (almost) next to the current brewery and restaurant which will stay in place. Interesting that they use their spent grain in their pizza crust...which is outstanding.

Fun festival if anyone gets to visit the Big Island.

[PBRme]

Not wanting to sound too old school but has anyone noticed the dearth of MaiBock this year.  Randy Sprecher used to have a very decent one this time of year went to Ray's and couldn't find even one.

On an even more depressing note there were 6 or 7 Grapefruit Shandy's available

[Spotcheck Billy]

Lakefront rolled out a new one this year, Schell's usually has a few types but I prefer doppels, I like the German imports like Celebrator, Korbinian, Optimator or else my own: Companionator

[mu03eng]

Not wanting to sound too old school but has anyone noticed the dearth of MaiBock this year.  Randy Sprecher used to have a very decent one this time of year went to Ray's and couldn't find even one.

On an even more depressing note there were 6 or 7 Grapefruit Shandy's available

Fruity beer has seemingly become all the rage again(mostly around IPAs) and for some reason it depresses me. I just don't care for them and it seems a cynical play to get "average" drinkers into craft beers.

[MUfan12]

Lakefront rolled out a new one this year, Schell's usually has a few types but I prefer doppels, I like the German imports like Celebrator, Korbinian, Optimator or else my own: Companionator

Lakefront toned down their former Big Easy, which weighed in at almost 9%.

Fruity beer has seemingly become all the rage again (mostly around IPAs) and for some reason it depresses me.

Noticing that as well. Lotta citrus IPAs out there this spring. I'm not necessarily anti-fruit (I'll knock back a few radlers during the summer) but that fad can go away anytime.

More than anything else, I think it's brewers trying to inch ahead in an incredibly saturated IPA market.

[mu03eng]

Lakefront toned down their former Big Easy, which weighed in at almost 9%.

Noticing that as well. Lotta citrus IPAs out there this spring. I'm not necessarily anti-fruit (I'll knock back a few radlers during the summer) but that fad can go away anytime.

More than anything else, I think it's brewers trying to inch ahead in an incredibly saturated IPA market.

Listen, I love me a radler, especially if I'm in Germany, but this is out of hand.

And I don't get why IPAs are A) saturated and B) citrus flavors are the key to expand it. IPAs seem like the most "difficult" of the styles to attract a wide audience, so why are there so many? Is it saturated with the craft elite and to open it up to more drinkers they are "cirtifying" the style?

[Spotcheck Billy]

sours are becoming the new IPA

[PBRme]

Agree and if once one craft brewery overpowers the beer taste with some infused fruit flavor do you really need 10 more.  And wasn't this already available i.e. vodka and lemonade (or whatever)

[🏀]

Lakefront cancelling Big Easy was a punch to the gut for me.

I used to love them, but making it easy to only like them lately.

[drewm88]

Thoughts on Capitol's maibock? I think it's decent, not great.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Thoughts on Capitol's maibock? I think it's decent, not great.

that fairly describes every Capitol brew I have tasted

[drewm88]

that fairly describes every Capitol brew I have tasted

That's a great point. Capital seems to have really nailed down the good enough approach.

[mu03eng]

sours are becoming the new IPA

In that they are overproduced and overliked or in that they are the new "inaccessible" beer only for the discerning beer drinker?

[Spotcheck Billy]

In that they are overproduced and overliked or in that they are the new "inaccessible" beer only for the discerning beer drinker?

lol, I guess your 1st option sort of aligns with my thoughts that the sour style is the latest fad trend that every brewery feels compelled to get into like IPAs have been for the previous 10 years

[mu03eng]

lol, I guess your 1st option sort of aligns with my thoughts that the sour style is the latest fad trend that every brewery feels compelled to get into like IPAs have been for the previous 10 years

I fear you are right, I really enjoy sours and I don't want them to become IPAs

We might be 5 years from a Tangerine Sour Beer by Travelling Beer company