Let's talk good beer

Just had my pseudo sue arrive via fed ex to my office ..... with a big fat "this package contains alcohol" sticker on it.

Of course boss was literally right at the front desk when it came and passive aggressive jabs ensued.

Where did you find Sue? I was only able to find Golden Nugget. Let me know how it is.

Sue - johns grocery in iowa city. dob 1-29-16. shipping bites at $23 plus so i got 3 4 packs and a 4 pack of surly furious to try and justify it. it was really really good. im trying to figure out what yeast and grain/barley they use. only draw back was no carbonation after the pour and i really need some life to a beer for me to put it as one of the best. i imagine that is do to shipping?

96/100 for me. comparison sake - pliny is 100/100, lunch is 92/100, sculpin 90/100, space cake 90/100 .. so for me, it is very high up there.

it was like a much much better and fuller bodied 51 rye. im surprised 51 rye hasnt blown up, im guessing it kinda too thin or something, but man, i miss that beer. just dont go to columbia/balt enough now a days.
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BD - confirmed it was Ocelots talking backwards. i couldnt hear every word he said but it was through MoCo. the guy kinda screwed him on a keg so he brought him this as a secret make up. I highly recommend anyone local tries this. worth a trip to VA.

mike or anyone - have you found any pliny or RR on line? or know a local home brewer who sells a clone?

BD - confirmed it was Ocelots talking backwards. i couldnt hear every word he said but it was through MoCo. the guy kinda screwed him on a keg so he brought him this as a secret make up. I highly recommend anyone local tries this. worth a trip to VA.
Good for MoCo. They need to do a better job getting new and different stuff into the county. Ocelot isn't too far from my office in Reston. I usually carpool but if I don't one day, I may wander over there. I want to do a run down the LoCo Ale Trail at some point, and could probably slide Ocelot into that mix.

No Pliny clones that I know of, but my buddy does a decent Zombie Dust clone. He's currently working on a Tree House Julius clone. His first batch wasn't too far off, but he's got a few things he wants to tweak for the next one.

OTM (or anyone in MoCo for that matter): Downtown Crown got a few cases of Manor Hill Citra Splendor, a helluva DIPA. Worth a try if you haven't had it.

Had a can of Hopslam last night. Completely different flavor from what I had on draft. Much sweeter. It wasn't offputting, but certainly will make me think twice before chasing it in cans next year.

Here's a list of what I've had lately, well since my last post: BP Pineapple Sculpin (muted Sculpin) and Watermelon Dorado (strange beer), Alpine Pure Hoppiness, Sam Adams Rebel IPA (not bad for a "mass-produced craft brew"), Oskar Blues IPA (on draft), Diamondback Omar's OPA (I do not recommend), Red Shedman Lunatic Fringe (Belgian IPA, better than FD's), Boulder Shake Chocolate Porter, Union Snow Pants, 4 Hands Alter Ego Black IPA, FD Rum Aged Gonzo Imperial Porter (2016), Cold Press Coffee Porter and Tropical Stout, Troegs Nugget Nectar (I felt this year's on draft was quite tasty), Tree House Julius, Ska Brewing Autumnal Molé Stout, Burley Oak Sour Trip, Cigar City Jai Alai, 3 Stars Citra and Lemon Peel Saison (will be my go-to summer beer), DFH Burton Baton, Clown Shoes Galactica (awesome DIPA), rar Northeast Nectar, New Belgium Citradelic (nice starter IPA for those wanting to make the leap), Sixpoint Resin

Now before you all go...damn he's an alcoholic...a good amount of these are shared, meaning I had a taste off a 12 oz or a nice pour off a 16/22 ounce. I get together with friends every other week and we share stuff we've collected. I'll have 1-2 beers a night depending on how I am, how hard the day was, etc. Last night, a buddy of mine dropped of a mixed 6er of New Holland Mad Hatter (2), White Hatter (2), Dragon's Milk and FW's new Luponic Distortion 001. But I'll save a good bit of it to share with those who haven't had them...except the Luponic. That sucker is mine.

I'm heading to the beach this weekend solo...told the wife that I've been balls to the wall for several weeks and needed to unwind (she gets her fair share of time away by herself). So I'm hitting a few places in Lower Slower DE on Saturday then Sunday my buddy got me and him into the OC Food/Bev Trade Show, where just about all the breweries, wineries and spirit makers will be. I've been forewarned that I should plan on taking my time getting home...which is fine since rar is on my way home.

Ballast Point Watermelon Dorado Double IPA and Oskar Blues Deviant Dale Imperial IPA

We are talking hops folks. The watermelon Dorado is dangerous, first it pours and has the body of a white ale and its 10%....but it's in freakin tasty. Awesome beer.

I couldn't avoid Deviant Dales any longer, it cornered me in the beer store once I found out the beer I went for, Smartmouth's Notch 9 was out. Fairly decent, heavy beer worth a try.

Couldn't get into the Watermelon Dorado. Deviant Dale's is like the on OB beer I haven't had.

Had a helluva weekend 2 weekends ago. Hit up a few key spots in DE on Saturday (Fins Raw Bar, Mispillion River, Pickled Pig Pub, Crooked Hammock), then was able to sample 30+ beers at the OC Trade Expo. Hit Burley Oak and rar on my way home. Nothing really sticks out as epic from that weekend. I was able to talk to a few of the reps from local and national breweries. I grilled the FW rep about the hop lineup for Batch 001 of Luponic, but no dice.

My buddy's Round 2 of his quest to clone Julius/Sip of Sunshine should hit the keg this weekend. So I'll be helping empty the keg of Round 1.

Couldn't get into the Watermelon Dorado. Deviant Dale's is like the on OB beer I haven't had.

Had a helluva weekend 2 weekends ago. Hit up a few key spots in DE on Saturday (Fins Raw Bar, Mispillion River, Pickled Pig Pub, Crooked Hammock), then was able to sample 30+ beers at the OC Trade Expo. Hit Burley Oak and rar on my way home. Nothing really sticks out as epic from that weekend. I was able to talk to a few of the reps from local and national breweries. I grilled the FW rep about the hop lineup for Batch 001 of Luponic, but no dice.

My buddy's Round 2 of his quest to clone Julius/Sip of Sunshine should hit the keg this weekend. So I'll be helping empty the keg of Round 1.

To be honest, Deviant Dale was a bit of a let down. Their line up is so strong, was a little surprised.

You guys mention RaR a lot...the beers awesome? Is their brewery worth the trip up to MD?

You guys mention RaR a lot...the beers awesome? Is their brewery worth the trip up to MD?
Right now, it's my favorite brewery in MD. Their IPA Nanticoke Nectar is up there with just about anything you can get in the state in my opinion. I live about 2 hours away, so it's not something i can just up and go do. But any chance I get, I'll get over there.

If you're going to make your way up from Richmond, there are plenty of other breweries and brewpubs to visit between here and there to make your trip worth while. The only downside is there really isn't much around rar. Salisbury is 30 minutes away and has Evolution and 3rd Wave (in Delmar). OC/Berlin has several places to check out. But between Cambridge and the Bay Bridge, there isn't much. You'd be planning a Baltimore and/or DC trip and making a side journey down to rar.

Speaking of brewery journeys, a friend of mine is planning a MA/CT trip for next month. He's earmarked Two Roads, New England, Tree House (his crown jewel and the reason for the trip), Jack's Abby, Lord Hobo, Trillium, and Cambridge as the places we're hitting. Going to camp 2 nights and stay in Boston one night. I'm looking forward to it as it's 2 states I've never been to and hitting some quality breweries in the process.

Im not a big Rar fan. ive only had naticoke and chopdank but (if i remember correctly) it had an overly resiny sticky sweet thick unbalanced finish to it (not in a piney kind of way). i need to try it again though.

i amazed at how i dont quite like a sixer the first go around, then months later try it again and really like it.
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MTK - nice heady topper score. havent gotten my mitts on a can yet.

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i drank an imperial from manor hill (citra splendor) and i drank a 16 oz can and for some reason after i finished my glass i poured the empty can into my glass and at least 1-2 oz of thick whiteish glueey yeast finish poured out. ive never seen that much before. is this yeast active? is this yeast still breaking things down? the can dob was from mid feb.