OT: Whatcha Drinkin' II: Another Round!

[Finnish Jerk Train]

Last one's over 1,000. Continue from here, you alchies.

Edit: On another note, I think the last one might have set an #hfcanes record for slowest thread to hit 1,000. Gino's OP was on 4/8/2014; the 1,000th post was on 4/7/2016, which was 1 year and 365 days later. No, that does not mean two years. This year has 366 days. Or should it mean two years? Should we hold leap years to the same standards as non-leap years? I don't know, I'm getting confused.

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[DaveG]

Went to the new Brier Creek Beer Garden recently which opened two weeks ago (word of mouth and almost a stealth opening).

Good selection overall. Literally 95% of beer on tap in NC-based and decent national selection in bottles. They had the Triangle Habanero Pale Ale but didn't try it.

Did try Gizmo Blue Saison in the first round of flights and pleasantly surprised. I typically wouldn't order a blueberry beer but it was well done and subtle. Good farmhouse-style ale.

It's a relatively small place and the food selection is quirky (poutine or a pint of bacon, for example) but only ok from what I sampled. A few decent size flat screens but doesn't have the total feel of a sports bar.

It's funny, while Blue is a good seller for us (ok a ****ing phenomenal seller) literally everyone that works for the brewery VASTLY prefers the base saison. We'll probably have some of that at some point this summer but it's just crazy how that worked out for us.

It also may prove to be the smarter move long-term bringing that one out as an occasional beer after the fact. We did a vote last year when we were deciding which one to make and ended up going with the blueberry which has built up a LOT of hype. Just good business listening to the customer base, and letting word of mouth put the brewery on the map for that beer.

 

[StormCast]

It's funny, while Blue is a good seller for us (ok a ****ing phenomenal seller) literally everyone that works for the brewery VASTLY prefers the base saison. We'll probably have some of that at some point this summer but it's just crazy how that worked out for us.

It also may prove to be the smarter move long-term bringing that one out as an occasional beer after the fact. We did a vote last year when we were deciding which one to make and ended up going with the blueberry which has built up a LOT of hype. Just good business listening to the customer base, and letting word of mouth put the brewery on the map for that beer.

Definitely a pleasant surprise and my top pick for that flight. Really good balance and subtlety, not easy to do with blueberries but done really well. Not too sweet or tart like a Purple Haze. A good summer beer and will order it again.

The tap and bottle selection for BCBG is on Taphunter but I'm not sure it's totally up to date yet (going off my recollection). They also had one Wicked Weed selection but unfortunately it was Lunatic Blonde. Just meh in my opinion. Lots of IPA's, including Seeing Double from Foothills instead (vs. Jade or Hoppyum). Speaking of Hoppyum, Lowe's Foods is stocking a Hoppyum beer brat now.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

It's funny, while Blue is a good seller for us (ok a ****ing phenomenal seller) literally everyone that works for the brewery VASTLY prefers the base saison. We'll probably have some of that at some point this summer but it's just crazy how that worked out for us.

Reminds me a little of this. A relative of my wife owns a Winery up in NY, and whenever we visit, he has me stop over for barrel tastings. One day, they were making this red wine and I watch as the workers dump bags of sugar into it. I asked him what was up with that, and he shrugs and says "That pays the mortgage". Bascially, he spends gobs of time trying to make award winning wines that he, his staff and I all vastly prefer, but what pays the mortgage is the simple, very sweet red wine that the masses like. I'm oversimplifying it as he still had to spend time getting the right sweet wine taste (and I'm sure you guys spent a lot of time on that Blue as well).

By the way, don't you guys have an anniversary party Saturday at Gizmo?

 

[MXD]

A homebrewed-Tripel that can litterally pass as a Tripel Karmeliet.

 

[DaveG]

Yep, I'll be there for the back part of it, but I have my regular gig on Saturday too which means I can't be there for the whole thing. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing for me yet

Definitely a pleasant surprise and my top pick for that flight. Really good balance and subtlety, not easy to do with blueberries but done really well. Not too sweet or tart like a Purple Haze. A good summer beer and will order it again.

The tap and bottle selection for BCBG is on Taphunter but I'm not sure it's totally up to date yet (going off my recollection). They also had one Wicked Weed selection but unfortunately it was Lunatic Blonde. Just meh in my opinion. Lots of IPA's, including Seeing Double from Foothills instead (vs. Jade or Hoppyum). Speaking of Hoppyum, Lowe's Foods is stocking a Hoppyum beer brat now.

yeah our method for trying to figure out dosing for our beers is pretty effective. Honestly if other breweries don't do what we do then the only thing I have to say is "good god, why?". So easy and effective.

The one thing I've brought up with possibly doing at the brewery is a lot like what RBC does to help drive mid-week traffic. An employee tap, just a single sixtel (~5 gallons) of a batch of whatever beer that someone that works for the brewery comes up with making every couple weeks. Taproom only. I think that's another expansion or two away though. We were hoping to get the building nextdoor to turn in to a production brewhouse but that fell through. But it's possible that the homebrew system of our head brewer comes in to our current building which would make things rather easy for doing that.

 

[StormCast]

yeah our method for trying to figure out dosing for our beers is pretty effective. Honestly if other breweries don't do what we do then the only thing I have to say is "good god, why?". So easy and effective.

The one thing I've brought up with possibly doing at the brewery is a lot like what RBC does to help drive mid-week traffic. An employee tap, just a single sixtel (~5 gallons) of a batch of whatever beer that someone that works for the brewery comes up with making every couple weeks. Taproom only. I think that's another expansion or two away though. We were hoping to get the building nextdoor to turn in to a production brewhouse but that fell through. But it's possible that the homebrew system of our head brewer comes in to our current building which would make things rather easy for doing that.

I think that's a real good way to personalize the selection and offerings. Ever hear of MobCraft in WI? Interesting model from a craft brewer who was on Shark Tank (thought he featured too many sours). Not exactly what you are describing but definitely an example of personalization and customization geared to the craft customer.

 

[RodTheBawd]

Alright, I need some recs on a stout (preferably local). Looking for low carbonation, medium mouthfeel, not extremely sweet. I like Highland's Mocha Stout, but it was thinner than I remembered it from the brewery itself. I'm stuck on Crank Arm's Motivator right now.

 

[DaveG]

Haven't heard of that one though apparently there's a taproom somewhere up in Michigan based on a similar concept. Basically the price of the beer fluctuates every 15 minutes based on what's selling. So you can get some ridiculously good deals if people are all hyping over one or two different beers and you're not in the mood for that.


I like Trophy's stout a lot, and of course ours is worth checking out as well. Very sessionable though a bit on the light side compared to what a lot of the local stouts are. Most tend to push toward the imperial side of things while ours is right around the 6% mark.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

I like beers

 

[raynman]

Alright, I need some recs on a stout (preferably local). Looking for low carbonation, medium mouthfeel, not extremely sweet. I like Highland's Mocha Stout, but it was thinner than I remembered it from the brewery itself. I'm stuck on Crank Arm's Motivator right now.

Not much of a stout drinker but I recently had an Oskar Blues Ten Fidy and I really enjoyed it. I guess technically they aren't local but they do have a brewery in Brevard.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Anyone else remember these?

 

[VAcaniac]

Theres a place in DC that has a "beer stock market" but the price seemed pretty average to me so I cant imagine it changes much.

Ive recently gotten more into brandy but I still have no idea what i'm doing. I just like that I can sip on it. I need to force myself to try some more whiskeys...

 

[HisIceness]

Water.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Gonna crack a Mississippi Mud in about twenty mins when I get home.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

Not much of a stout drinker but I recently had an Oskar Blues Ten Fidy and I really enjoyed it. I guess technically they aren't local but they do have a brewery in Brevard.

it is one of my top 3 beers

 

[drganon]

Someday, I'm gonna buy some surge off amazon and relive the 90s.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

i like LBC's new brewery because it is right next to RCI

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

Drinking Jade tonight.

A buddy of mine was able to trade for some Pliny the Elder recently. The *******.

 

[Roboturner913]

Tin Man Ego Crusher

12% ABV, goes down thick. Think Old Rasputin, but way heavier

$16 for a 4 pack. I don't know how easy it is to get outside of southern Indiana/western Ky but it's damn well worth it.

After this I have a sealed bottle of Elijah Craig barrel proof that's begging to be opened. Couple sips of that stuff and I won't be able to feel my face.

 

[Roboturner913]

Theres a place in DC that has a "beer stock market" but the price seemed pretty average to me so I cant imagine it changes much.

Ive recently gotten more into brandy but I still have no idea what i'm doing. I just like that I can sip on it. I need to force myself to try some more whiskeys...

Brandy was my gateway to whiskey. My guess is that would be true for a lot of people. Paul Masson Grande Amber is the tops for me until you start getting into real cognacs and such.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

it is one of my top 3 beers

2nd that. Love that beer. Just picked some up last weekend at Aviator Beer Shop. Stouts and Porters are probably my favorite beers in general, but more for the fall/winter timeframe.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

ive been drinking a lot of st bernardus lately

it is an expensive addiction

 

[the halleJOKEL]

2nd that. Love that beer. Just picked some up last weekend at Aviator Beer Shop. Stouts and Porters are probably my favorite beers in general, but more for the fall/winter timeframe.

if prairie bomb wasn't insanely expensive around here it would also be up there

that stuff is delicious but makes ten fidy seem cheap

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

if prairie bomb wasn't insanely expensive around here it would also be up there

that stuff is delicious but makes ten fidy seem cheap

Yeah, I have wanted to try it but each time I think about it, I can't justify the price. Maybe for a special occasion I'll convince myself.