Had a Java Stout last night. Was pretty yummy. Honestly nothing that special, but was just a strong, coffee flavored stout...which is something I like very much.

1/18/2011 1:27:55 PM

i seem to keep going back to buying 6 packs of new belgiums ranger

by far my favorite of their beers

1/18/2011 1:40:03 PM

funny tweet from Sam's Quik shop:

Quote :

"Throwing a teper tantrum will not get you any HopSlam... It will, however, get you laughed at."

1/18/2011 2:52:16 PM

lol.

Restricted already has some. his place limited him to one 6 pack per visit. I like Hopslam as much as the next guy, and i've said it before that Bell's is probably my favorite brewery at the moment. But i'm just not that excited right now.

my flying saucer has a keg ready, should be tapped soon.

1/18/2011 2:58:33 PM

Someone, and I can't remember who, told me about the Flying Saucer (Raleigh) 11th anniversary thing coming up and I think they are tapping a few HopSlam's...

1/18/2011 3:00:10 PM

http://brewsfromthephone.com

I started a blog as a personal log of what i've had and where....I'd like to figure out a way to make it easier for others to add to it.

1/18/2011 4:35:53 PM

2 HopSlam six-packs in the fridge; I respect a solid IPA but don't go out of my way or slurp them like a lot of people but damn this shit is good.

1/18/2011 5:43:37 PM

I got my friend who works in CH to pick me up a six pack, so I didn't have to deal with all the Hopslam insanity.

1/18/2011 7:02:33 PM

i snagged a case and a 6 pack...i. am. lucky.

1/19/2011 4:24:37 PM

I can't believe how allocated that stuff is. We're only getting ONE damn case at my store.

1/19/2011 5:18:23 PM

i had two last night. It's a solid IPA, definitely toned down from last year. Did not get a chance to compare it side by side with Hoptimum like I wanted to. Looking forward to enjoying it on draught this weekend.

1/20/2011 7:47:32 AM

Quote :

"definitely toned down from last year"

Everybody always says annual releases aren't as good as they were the year before.

1/20/2011 1:06:45 PM

hahah this is probably true. i know we both said it about celebration ale and anchor christmas

it also may have to do with my "tolerance" towards big hoppy beers.

1/20/2011 1:10:51 PM

Quote :

"Everybody always says annual releases aren't as good as they were the year before."

QFT.

Except the Anchor Christmas was crap this year.

Had the Deschutes Red Chair NWPA


Pretty good, loved the caramel flavors, but the hops were a bit too piney for me, they said the hops are supposed to be citrusy, but not the dominate characteristic for me. Overall a pretty decent IPA, probably too hoppy for most.

[Edited on January 20, 2011 at 2:00 PM. Reason : .]

1/20/2011 1:56:34 PM

scored another 6 pack and mini keg of the slam. looking forward to trying to tell differences between bottle and mini keg. also, Flying Saucer Raleigh will have the only cask in the southeast of the hopslam Feb 24th i believe.

1/21/2011 8:26:49 AM

you are quite the fan it seems

1/21/2011 8:38:38 AM

haha, i haven't even had one yet. i am just hoarding it (i have a lot of friends that want to try it too)

one of my friends told me i was like a 90's grandma hoarding beanie babies.

Feb 1st- Foothills Sexual Chocolate will be released. looking forward to getting my hands on that
Jan 29th the brewery will be releasing it from its doors at 11am. 4packs. I haven't had this beer but from all accounts it is very tasty

1/21/2011 8:42:09 AM

get there early. the line will form around the block. but it's worth it.

1/21/2011 10:10:25 AM

I happened to be by Sam's for a dentist appt the morning Hopslam was released. IPAs aren't my favorite, but I couldn't resist picking up a 6pack. Gonna drink it with a friend before the Megafaun concert tonight.


^^ That Sexual Chocolate beer sounds really good. Hopefully, Sam's will send out a tweet when they get it.

1/21/2011 10:31:35 AM

I heard Peace Street Market was selling Hopslam for $25.99 a six pack...greedy fuckers.

1/21/2011 5:33:37 PM

i think a store up here was selling individual 12oz bottles for $4 each, limit two. lol, i didn't even bother riding over. i'll just drink a few tonight on tap

1/21/2011 6:14:10 PM

^^^Only available @ the brewery in bottles; had an fun time for the Olde Rabbits Foot Release, might need to camp for this one!

[Edited on January 21, 2011 at 6:15 PM. Reason : ...]

1/21/2011 6:14:52 PM

^ sam's pretty much always gets a small allotment for sale in-store

1/21/2011 6:21:46 PM

this hopslam stuff sounds insane (or overhyped? i've never had it)

that said, release date for the younger is february 4th...

1/21/2011 6:41:43 PM

Quote :

"I heard Peace Street Market was selling Hopslam for $25.99 a six pack...greedy fuckers."

That's insane. I paid 17 and some change for a sixpack...thought that was expensive

1/21/2011 6:49:52 PM

big boss big operator was pretty good, the lady and I thought

1/21/2011 6:51:22 PM

Interesting beer, undecided overall.

1/23/2011 4:19:48 PM

they have the oskar blues shit at HT in tryon village now

good to know i can get some dale's pale ale if i need a quick good pale ale

1/23/2011 7:24:02 PM

^^Noble Pils and Boston Ale are the only two Sam Adam's beers worth drinking IMO

1/23/2011 7:49:34 PM

They have that Hopslam stuff on tap at Duckworth's in Charlotte. It tastes sort of grapefruity

1/23/2011 11:34:17 PM

oskar blues dales pale ale FTMFW!

1/23/2011 11:35:19 PM

I stopped by Oskar Blues brewery yesterday



From left to right, Gordon (double red), Gubna (double IPA), Ten Fidy (russian imperial stout), Barleywine (oak aged in Stranahans whiskey barrels)

1/25/2011 11:29:42 PM

Another couple pictures:




And I'm not sure anyone can see them, but they have some New Glarus bottles and a Dark Lord bottle sitting on the top of the wall to the right of the board

1/25/2011 11:35:44 PM

picked up some:

and


That Black Cannon is really tasty, I haven't gotten around to the doppelbock yet

[Edited on January 25, 2011 at 11:47 PM. Reason : .]

1/25/2011 11:46:23 PM

pulled my 2010 Bigfoot Barleywine out last night and enjoyed one. They weren't cellared properly, just sitting in the fridge for over a year but man, still as good as i remembered. If I get my hands on the 2011 i'm going to properly cellar it in hopes the hoppiness mellows out some in more traditional barleywine form. But still, a great beer and one had me feeling good. Hope 11 gets here soon.

1/26/2011 8:06:30 AM

^^^ I'll be drinking a Ten Fidy during the game today. Never had a stout in a can before. Ready to have my mind blown.

Anyone pickup the Sexual Chocolate?

1/29/2011 12:05:34 PM

^^ i randomly drank a 2009 bigfoot from my fridge the other day and it was delicious, too bad i don't have the patience to cellar these things for long -- my local beer bar has a barleywine fest and i had some 2002ish bigfoots and they were excellent, those suckers age so damn well...

hoppy day for me (surprise surprise) -- back to eagle rock brewery for an ipa (good enough but not outstanding), then sculpin and pliny at verdugo, always delicious even in hipster-land

also tasted 'hop sauce' from rubicon up in sacramento -- eh, ok for a dipa but not amazing (though my standards are probably too high), fan of the name however...

1/29/2011 11:25:55 PM

I found Hopslam in New Bern of all places.

1/31/2011 2:50:33 PM

I had Big Boss Big Operator and Founder's Porter last night.

Definitely liked the Big Operator, will probably have it again sometime.

1/31/2011 4:35:53 PM

Had one of these over the weekend. A spiced ale infused with honey, kola nut, poppy seed, and guarana. It was very drinkable at 7%. It tasted very familiar, but I couldn't put my tongue on what the similar beer was. The lady enjoyed it and noted that it hit the tongue at first like a DIPA, but finished much smoother with the malt profile really coming after you swallowed. Will enjoy again!

1/31/2011 4:42:17 PM

^I might have to look for that. Sounds good to me, and my girlfriend (reading over my shoulder) agrees too--and it's impossible to find beer she's actually interested in drinking.

1/31/2011 4:45:37 PM

Went to the Sexual Chocolate release on Friday; the 2011 was yummy but the 2008 was Didn't camp on for any bottles, oh well.



Picked up a bottle at CityBev; just nothing out there that is sparking my interest.

[Edited on January 31, 2011 at 4:54 PM. Reason : ...]

1/31/2011 4:51:53 PM

Just had some Tommknocker Black IPA & Golden Saison, as well as some of Avery's New World Porter. All pretty darn good. Although Avery classifies their New World Porter as a "pioneer black IPA" I think it's too bitter and heavy on the roasted flavor, definitely tastes more like a porter like the name suggests.

1/31/2011 5:23:36 PM

I've never been impressed by Tommy Knocker

1/31/2011 5:28:41 PM

Yea, their Black IPA was hop dominated (not well balanced) and their golden saison was too sweet and more like a hefeweizen, but both were good in their own right. Not one of my favorite breweries, but it's on the way to the ski slopes, so it's nice to stop by the brewery every now and again.

1/31/2011 9:40:14 PM

Prospero, you sent some TWWers a west coast beer package sometime recently didn't you? How did the exchange go? Care to discuss doing it again ?

2/3/2011 9:33:09 AM

Yea, I sent some Pliny, wasn't much of a trade so much as it was buying beer and shipping it.

But I'd love to trade, I can get Russian River, Deschutes, Lost Abbey, etc and of course any Colorado beer and some from New Mexico.

I'd be interested in Allagash, Bell's & Founders or any real local beer and any homebrews

You can scout out the stores around me if you're looking for something in particular:
http://www.argonautliquor.com
http://www.applejack.com/
https://www.totalbeverage.net/
http://www.milehighwineandspirits.com/

[Edited on February 3, 2011 at 11:07 AM. Reason : .]

2/3/2011 11:02:04 AM

cool, i could get ahold of any of that as well as some homebrews. How was the shipping/packaging costs and logistics?

2/3/2011 11:05:10 AM

Yea, Pliny hasn't hit the shelves since December, most places sell out in a day. I'll try, but it's difficult. I'm definitely gonna have to ask for a rare beer in return as it's just not worth the effort. Particularly to get 4 bottles of it like I did last time.

Next time it comes in stock I'll acquire as much as I can get my hands on and let you know.

[Edited on February 3, 2011 at 11:11 AM. Reason : .]

2/3/2011 11:10:26 AM

I've got a 6 of hopslam I could part with and could definitely get hands on a good bit of Bell's/Allagash. Anything in particular you'd like for some Russian River goods?

2/3/2011 11:12:18 AM