You know, I had the Boon Mariage Parfait (sp?)... and wasn't too impressed. Flat and smelled of lemon pine-sol. Might have been old and mishandled, but wasn't in love. I'm therefore always reticent to try a new Boon beer... Supposedly that's one of their best, so who knows. But maybe I'll have to give the kriek a try. I do enjoy a good kriek beer, if it's actually tart.

Jeff wrote:
You know, I had the Boon Mariage Parfait (sp?)... and wasn't too impressed. Flat and smelled of lemon pine-sol. Might have been old and mishandled, but wasn't in love. I'm therefore always reticent to try a new Boon beer... Supposedly that's one of their best, so who knows. But maybe I'll have to give the kriek a try. I do enjoy a good kriek beer, if it's actually tart.

I haven't had that one before, so I can not tell you my impressions of it. I know what you mean about one bad beer turning you off. I try and overcome that with the simple logic of "hey, everyone sucks at something, but no one sucks at everything". One instance I can recall is last year. About 70% or so of Tommy Knockers Cocoa Porter was infected. Had a horrible sour taste to it. It was too bad because the first small batch we got in sold so quickly, but then the second round, which was MUCH larger of an order was all bad and it turned a lot of people off from the brewer because most people wouldn't even have thought they got a bad batch. Most thought it was just a poor beer, even though it's one of my favorite winter warmers. So a lot of people were reluctant to try the rest of their stuff. I still enjoy their products, and this year the Cocoa Porter was as good as ever.

It happened to me again this year with Ridgeway Brewing. They have a very popular line of Winter Brews that come out and are imported by the Shelton Brothers. We got to sample all of them this year. The first one I tried was suppose to be a Nut Brown Ale. Now I've had plenty of English Ale's in my time and I like english Nut Brown Ale's better then most traditional maltier sweeter versions, but this one tasted nothing like any brown ale I have ever had. Not sure if it was a bad batch or what. It just tasted like an english pale ale. Almost like a Boddingtons. Of course I was reluctant to try the rest, but I forged ahead anyways and ended up liking the rest. Especially the elf series. They were all excellent. I plan on coming back to that one next year and seeing if anything has changed.

I encourage as many people as I can to do the same. Wait a few months or a year and go back to that one you didn't care for. Could have been a bad batch, improper storage or your palette may have simply just changed. In any event, most will probably be glad they did. Ok enough rambling.

Just a few beers, never had any of them before, which is why I bought them

Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale
Founders Centennial IPA
Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale


Gonna stick em' in the fridge and hopefully have a few tonight


EDIT: A question I have also, what is an Amber Ale exactly? And is there a big difference between Brown Ale and Amber Ale? From the name, it would seem that the Brown Ale is darker, but I am not sure.

Aronax wrote:
Just a few beers, never had any of them before, which is why I bought them

Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale
Founders Centennial IPA
Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale


Gonna stick em' in the fridge and hopefully have a few tonight


EDIT: A question I have also, what is an Amber Ale exactly? And is there a big difference between Brown Ale and Amber Ale? From the name, it would seem that the Brown Ale is darker, but I am not sure.

Those are some good ones!

As for your question, a brown is normally maltier and less hops.

Thanks Jeff!

I tried all of them, and enjoyed them all quite a bit, especially the Founders IPA. Even my friend, who doesn't really like beer, liked the Anderson Valley Amber Ale alot.

Picked up a few goodies:

Allagash-Tripel
Arcadia-Hopmouth
Avery-The Czar
Ayinger-Celebrator Doppelbock
Cricket Hill-East Coast Lager
Great Divide-Samurai
Jolly Pumpkin-La Roja
Meantime-IPA
Boulder Beer-Mojo Risin
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen
Schneider-Weisse
Sierra Nevada-Bigfoot
Smuttynose-Baltic Porter
Southampton-Abbot 12
La Blonde D’Esquelbecq / Thiriez Blonde
Victory-Baltic Thunder
Wolavers-Farmhouse Ale
Brasserie De LaSenne-Zinnebir

Franchise wrote:
Picked up a few goodies:

Allagash-Tripel
Arcadia-Hopmouth
Avery-The Czar
Ayinger-Celebrator Doppelbock
Cricket Hill-East Coast Lager
Great Divide-Samurai
Jolly Pumpkin-La Roja
Meantime-IPA
Boulder Beer-Mojo Risin
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen
Schneider-Weisse
Sierra Nevada-Bigfoot
Smuttynose-Baltic Porter
Southampton-Abbot 12
La Blonde D’Esquelbecq / Thiriez Blonde
Victory-Baltic Thunder
Wolavers-Farmhouse Ale
Brasserie De LaSenne-Zinnebir

Quite the haul there! I love the La Roja, Bigfoot and Smuttynose especially! Smuttynose is fast becoming my favorite breweryon the East Coast! Can't wait for the new Big A and Imperial Stout!

Was out in Dayton, OH so I decided to stop by Belmont Party Supply and stock up on some stuff I haven't been able to get/find here...

Left Hand Milk Stout
Left Hand Jackman's APA
Left Hand Sawtooth Ale
Two Brothers Cane & Ebel
Two Brothers The Bitter End
Two Brothers Domaine DuPage
Founders Dirty Bastard
Founders Centennial IPA
Founders Dry Hopped Pale Ale
Bell's Winter White Ale
Bell's Expedition Stout
Bell's Porter
Bell's Hopslam Ale
Bell's Cherry Stout
Bell's Special Double Cream Stout
Bell's Pale Ale
Bell's Two Hearted Ale
Bell's Kalamazoo Stout
Bell's Amber Ale
Bell's Lager
Bell's Third Coast
Bell's Consecrator Doppelbock
Bell's Java Stout
Bell's Third Coast Old Ale
Southern Tier Uber Sun
Southern Tier Jah Va
Southern Tier Heavy Weizen
Southern Tier Tripel
Southern Tier Back Burner
Left Hand Warrior IPA
Otter Creek Otter Mon
Pyramid Imperial Hefeweizen
He'Brew Jewbelation 10
He'Brew Coney Island Lager
He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A.
He'Brew Origin
He'Brew Jewbelation 11
He'Brew Genesis Ale
He'Brew Messiah Bold
BBC Horse Piss Beer
Avery Anniversary 14
Avery Anniversary 13
Avery The Beast
Dominion Millennium '06
Tommy Knocker Imperial Nut Brown Ale '05
Sierra Nevada Unfiltered Wheat Ale
Southampton Secret Ale
Lagunitas Imperial Stout
Shiner Blonde
Stone Smoked Porter

All I got to say is DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN Hammond! The Bell's stuff, and pretty much almost all of what you got, is some good stuff. Expedition Stout makes me want to dropkick babies it's so good.

I can't WAIT to dive into the Bell's stuff. They were pretty much number one on my list of brewerys to try that don't ship to MD. Glad I found founders, he'brew, left hand and two brothers while I was out there, along with some seasonals I missed around here like the Avery, Southern Tier stuff etc...

Was hoping to find some KY Breakfast Stout, but I knew I was pushing my luck haha. Can't wait to try the Hopslam, and all the different stouts from Bell's.

On a side note, I REALLY wanted to put that '05 Tommy Knocker INBA away, but I couldn't resist! It was PHENOMENAL. VERY close in taste and experience to the DFH Palo Santo Maron.

Mr Hammond wrote:
I can't WAIT to dive into the Bell's stuff. They were pretty much number one on my list of brewerys to try that don't ship to MD. Glad I found founders, he'brew, left hand and two brothers while I was out there, along with some seasonals I missed around here like the Avery, Southern Tier stuff etc...

Was hoping to find some KY Breakfast Stout, but I knew I was pushing my luck haha. Can't wait to try the Hopslam, and all the different stouts from Bell's.

Yeah man! Only tip, don't judge the Left Hand Warrior IPA too harsh... it's a fresh hop, so it's not super fresh right now. Fresh, that beer is amazing!

Have you ever had the Kentucky Breakfast Stout? Sounds like you and I have a bit different access to beer... If you're interested, I could offer up some Kentucky Breakfast, Smuttynose Baltic Porter/Imperial Stout, etc... I normally don't do the whole trading thing, but this is different, haha. Let me know. If you're interested, I'm sure we can figure something out.

Jeff wrote:
Yeah man! Only tip, don't judge the Left Hand Warrior IPA too harsh... it's a fresh hop, so it's not super fresh right now. Fresh, that beer is amazing!

Have you ever had the Kentucky Breakfast Stout? Sounds like you and I have a bit different access to beer... If you're interested, I could offer up some Kentucky Breakfast, Smuttynose Baltic Porter/Imperial Stout, etc... I normally don't do the whole trading thing, but this is different, haha. Let me know. If you're interested, I'm sure we can figure something out.

Ahh that's too bad. I didn't know it was a Fresh Hop. I saw a few bottles of SN Harvest there and felt kind of bad, because they are way past their prime. I guess I'll try that one in the next couple of days and see how it is.

I've never gained access to the KY Breakfast Stout. As you may or may not remember I am a huge sucker for ANY barrel aged beer and everyone that has had it always raves about it to me. So of course I've always wanted to tried it, but never come across it. I would love to be able to try it and would gladly offer you anything I can get my hands on in MD. I know being in MA, there may not be much here that you can't acquire yourself, but I'm sure we can work out something. Just let me know. Thank you sir for the offer.

Made two different runs this weekend:

Cambridge Beer and Wine (Fresh Pond for those in MA):

DFH-Red and White
DFH-Palo Alto
Lagunitas-Lumpy Gravy
Smuttynose-Imp Stout

Julio's (Westboro for those in MA):

Fort Colliins Brewery-Double Choc Stout
Green Flash Brewery-Double IPA
Green Flash Brewery-Barleywine
Green Flash Brewery-IPA
Port Brewing-Carnavale
Anchor Brewing-Bock Lager

I just picked up the Fort Collins Double Chocolate Stout as well. I'm super curious to see how it is!

A quick two state beer run, was there for business but made sure I made a trip for my favorite hobby.

Florida Beers:

Penn Brewing-Penndemonium (Maibock)
Penn Brewing-Brewer's Reserve St. Nikolaus Bock
Penn Brewing-St. Nikolaus
Bell's-Oberon(Amber Ale)
Bell's-Hopslam(IIPA)
Bell's-Amber
Full Sail-Pale Ale
Full Sail-Amber
St. Somewhere Brewery-Saison

NJ Beers

Ballast Point-Calico Amber
Ballast Point-Big Eye IPA
Green Flash-Tripel
Capt Lawrence-Xtra Gold Tripel
Sly Fox-Odyssey(IIPA)
Sly Fox-Incubus(Tripel)
Sly Fox-Ichor(Quad)
Sly Fox-Rasp Reserve
Sly Fox-Gang Aft Agley (Scotch/wee heavy)
Flying Fish-Imperial Espresso Porter

Franchise wrote:
Flying Fish-Imperial Espresso Porter

Jealous.

That fyling fish imperial porter was outstanding!! I'm headed to Atlantic City in a few weeks and I must pick up more of that!

Mr Hammond wrote:
Franchise wrote:
Flying Fish-Imperial Espresso Porter

Jealous.

ditto.

Franchise wrote:
That fyling fish imperial porter was outstanding!!

I know. The local distributor brought me a couple bottles a year ago. I told them it was outstanding. Never seen it again. I WILL be picking some up when we tour the brewery.

Just picked up the following:

Legacy brewing-Hoptimus
Legacy brewing-Euphoria
Legacy brewing- Nor' Easter
Saint Florian-Doppelbock (on sale for $10)
DFH-Black and Blue
De Graal-Triverius

and the piece de resistance, I'm not a huge fan of this brewery but

Wachusetts-Green Monsta Ale drink it last night and it is phenomenal best beer by Wachusetts by far imo. And dare I say the best pale ale I've enjoyed since I first tasted Dale's pale ale. Anyways let me know if you guys had anything good recently.