Beer

[James]

Yeah, i knew they were new as I follow them on Facebook but have yet to get out there to check them out. 

[Aaronkv]

Oceanside Ale Works has had Dude for awhile now, even though on the board it's called Dude Double IPA.

 

I lived walking distance to it for about a year in 2011 and they had it then. Only thing I really miss from OAW is getting fills of Big Ru. Other than that and a few one offs their stuff was average, but prices were great and they sold glasses .When you brought them in they gave you $1 off anything, wish more places did that. The place would be packed every night with Oceanside Locals.

[James]

6 bottles of Citra awaiting my arrival Sunday

[St1ck]

That's a long ass drive. 

[Aaronkv]

Anything along the way to make the drive more worthwhile?

 

Cool of people to at least email the brewery back and say they wont pick up the bottles they won. Figured many people would just ignore it that entered just for the hell of it because it was free.

[James]

Agree Aarron, most of us know how badly people want these beers and do the right thing. My cousin owns a craft beer spot in Visalia so I am heading up Saturday with kegs of dudes so I am getting paid to go. He also designed all logos for Dudes. He is having a Russian River tap takeover on Saturday. Sunday we are going to head to Kern

[James]

I highly recommend taking a trip up to Kern River sometime. Very cool place with a bit of a vibe that Alpine has but Kern is a bigger place as far as the restaurant goes. Got there right when they opened and it was a good thing that I did since they only had a half keg of Citra left. Enjoyed my two pint limit and grabbed a couple growlers of Just Outstanding and my Citra bottles. Sucked that they were out of all their bottles except their blonde but I kind of expected that with the size of the brewery and the fact that they bottled Citra last week and their Pumpkin this week. 

 

The owner informed me that there will be two Citra casks for SD Beer Week. The dinner at O'Briens is sold out but they will be bringing out the cask the following day as well and a keg. They will also be taking a cask to Toronado as well. They are only 5 gallons so I am guessing they will go in an hour or so. 

 

On the way back I stopped at Golden Road for their new IPA, Better Weather. I would say it is their best IPA to date. I was told that will be hitting shelves next week. Picked up a growler of it but I have to go back as the growler doesnt seal correctly. 

[red321]

Ok guys...so I was traveling through New England for a week+, lots of backroads and small towns. We stopped at a few breweries.

 

Smuttynose is up in Portsmouth, NH. No too bad, they started distributing out this way so if you see their Farmhouse IPA or Brown Ale give it a look.

 

Woodstock Brewery in VT...not worth looking for, one of those brewpub touristy kind of places.

 

But there was a place we were told about before we left. The local craft brew store suggested we stop by there, and if we could bring some back he would buy it from us (editor's note...not a chance). He said whatever you do, go there...and it turns out it's right near Stowe, VT where we were headed for a day so we put it on the list. Alchemist Brewery in Waterbury, VT and their Double IPA Heady Topper. It's only distributed in the Upper Vermont area.

 

I've been to the Russian River Brewery, bought the case of Pliny the Elder...Bootleggers Knuckle Sandwhich...the Dogfish 60 and 90 minute IPA's and the likes.

 

This beats it. It's unreal. If you like hops, you would be hard pressed to find anything better. When I open the can I spend the first 30 seconds just basking in the aroma of the hops.

 

When we bought a 4-pack at the local market (you could only buy one)...the people working the cashier had someone go pull a 4-pack so they made sure they got one. We stopped at the brewery the next morning, 20 minutes before they opened, and there was a line around the building, probably 60 deep, to buy their allotment of a case. We picked up a case, bought a cooler and brought it with us/drank it...and bought extra luggage to transport the remaining half a case home. I have 8 left and am torn between drinking it young (as they insist you do) - or try and save it and dole it out to myself 1 or 2 a week at least until Thanksgiving.

 

http://www.alchemistbeer.com/

[James]

Yep, one of the most sought after IPA's for sure and very good. Sucks that it is so hard to get but kind of hard to complain when you live in SoCal with all of our ridiculous choices. 

[James]

Putting together a tasting at Dudes Brewery for later this week. 

 

Citra/Exponantial Hoppiness/Elder/Pure Hoppiness/Duet/Better Weather/Double Trunk/El Segundo Hop Tanker/11.12 Enjoy By

 

Only if we had a Hopslam and Heady to round out the pack. I would put Rip Current In the Curl IIPA in that group of beers if they were filling growlers of it right now. 

 

We have others like Ruination etc that will round out the IPA fest. 

[eaterfan]

Ok guys...so I was traveling through New England for a week+, lots of backroads and small towns. We stopped at a few breweries.

 

Smuttynose is up in Portsmouth, NH. No too bad, they started distributing out this way so if you see their Farmhouse IPA or Brown Ale give it a look.

 

Woodstock Brewery in VT...not worth looking for, one of those brewpub touristy kind of places.

 

But there was a place we were told about before we left. The local craft brew store suggested we stop by there, and if we could bring some back he would buy it from us (editor's note...not a chance). He said whatever you do, go there...and it turns out it's right near Stowe, VT where we were headed for a day so we put it on the list. Alchemist Brewery in Waterbury, VT and their Double IPA Heady Topper. It's only distributed in the Upper Vermont area.

 

I've been to the Russian River Brewery, bought the case of Pliny the Elder...Bootleggers Knuckle Sandwhich...the Dogfish 60 and 90 minute IPA's and the likes.

 

This beats it. It's unreal. If you like hops, you would be hard pressed to find anything better. When I open the can I spend the first 30 seconds just basking in the aroma of the hops.

 

When we bought a 4-pack at the local market (you could only buy one)...the people working the cashier had someone go pull a 4-pack so they made sure they got one. We stopped at the brewery the next morning, 20 minutes before they opened, and there was a line around the building, probably 60 deep, to buy their allotment of a case. We picked up a case, bought a cooler and brought it with us/drank it...and bought extra luggage to transport the remaining half a case home. I have 8 left and am torn between drinking it young (as they insist you do) - or try and save it and dole it out to myself 1 or 2 a week at least until Thanksgiving.

 

http://www.alchemistbeer.com/

 

How did you get the Heady Topper back? My cousin lives in New England but is worried that the cans will explode in the unpressurized cargo cabin and obviously can't bring liquids in a carry on.

[red321]

We stuck it in the check in, wrapped in clothes, and crossed our fingers. Nothing exploded, though the cans did have a few small dents in them.

[red321]

Yep, one of the most sought after IPA's for sure and very good. Sucks that it is so hard to get but kind of hard to complain when you live in SoCal with all of our ridiculous choices. 

 

 

We are lucky for sure. Some of the "must have" breweries folks talked about back east were nothing compared to what we get out this way...but Heady does not fall in to that category.

[eaterfan]

We are lucky for sure. Some of the "must have" breweries folks talked about back east were nothing compared to what we get out this way...but Heady does not fall in to that category.

 

Did you get to try Hillstead Farms out there? I hear that is amazing too.

[red321]

I did have a few of the Hillstead Farm brews. I had their Walden Pale Ale and a few others. Overall they were very good, but they were a little light to me, were missing that bite I tend to like in my beer. I like a beer that sticks on the tongue after you taste it, and they seemed a little watered down from that perspective.

[Hot Damn!]

In Dallas right now drinking a Founders Breakfast Stout. This one lives up to the hype.

[James]

In Dallas right now drinking a Founders Breakfast Stout. This one lives up to the hype.

You bet it does. One of the few stouts I actually like. 

[Hot Damn!]

Putting together a tasting at Dudes Brewery for later this week.

Citra/Exponantial Hoppiness/Elder/Pure Hoppiness/Duet/Better Weather/Double Trunk/El Segundo Hop Tanker/11.12 Enjoy By

Only if we had a Hopslam and Heady to round out the pack. I would put Rip Current In the Curl IIPA in that group of beers if they were filling growlers of it right now.

We have others like Ruination etc that will round out the IPA fest.

When and where is this?

[Hot Damn!]

You bet it does. One of the few stouts I actually like.

Funny cause it's not on the draft list and I ordered the founders centennial ipa and she said let me see if I have it and poured it and said "it's the breakfast stout. Is that okay?" Absolutely!

[Aaronkv]

Might have some Breakfast Stout coming, been wanting to try it for awhile! Buddy from Texas is coming to town this week with some sours from Jester King.

[James]

When and where is this?

Friday as we tend to let loose at the end of the week. Add to the beer list and come on through. Dudes is in Torrance off of Western. We will probably do this and then go hit up Najas or Beachwood later on. No need to bring anything extra special  either unless you have something. We keep this small, between the employees of the brewery (like 5-6 guys and a few friends). 

[tdawg87]

I did have a few of the Hillstead Farm brews. I had their Walden Pale Ale and a few others. Overall they were very good, but they were a little light to me, were missing that bite I tend to like in my beer. I like a beer that sticks on the tongue after you taste it, and they seemed a little watered down from that perspective.

It's Hill Farmstead you creten! But seriously their IPA's are right up there with Heady IMO. Not quite as good but still incredible. When I went a couple weeks ago they had Susan and Abner which are both absurdly good and closer in taste to what you describe. You also won't get it any better than at the brewery.

They also make great saisons, if you're into that sort of thing.

Another great Vermont brewery is Lawson's Finest Liquids. The problem with them is you basically have to win the lottery to get their flagship DIPA, Double Sunshine. I was fortunate enough to get some of their other stuff but I've yet to try that one.

It's funny though how you guys can't get stuff like Heady and HF but we can't get RR or Alpine. Thank god Stone ships out here or I'd go insane.

[red321]

Hill Farmstead...Hillstead Farm...6 of one...half dozen of the other...no, seriously...I was probably 6 of one or the other in. Prohibition Pig in Waterbury has a fantastic beer menu. We had talked about going up to Hill Farmstead, or trying to find another brewery or two (had know idea how many are in the Burlington/Montpelier area), but we had to get downstate.

 

 

It appears you are just starting to get Lagunitis out there as well, at least a few of their brews. Gotta love liquor distribution laws.

[epicbeergirl]

Ok guys...so I was traveling through New England for a week+, lots of backroads and small towns. We stopped at a few breweries.

 

Smuttynose is up in Portsmouth, NH. No too bad, they started distributing out this way so if you see their Farmhouse IPA or Brown Ale give it a look.

 

Woodstock Brewery in VT...not worth looking for, one of those brewpub touristy kind of places.

 

But there was a place we were told about before we left. The local craft brew store suggested we stop by there, and if we could bring some back he would buy it from us (editor's note...not a chance). He said whatever you do, go there...and it turns out it's right near Stowe, VT where we were headed for a day so we put it on the list. Alchemist Brewery in Waterbury, VT and their Double IPA Heady Topper. It's only distributed in the Upper Vermont area.

 

I've been to the Russian River Brewery, bought the case of Pliny the Elder...Bootleggers Knuckle Sandwhich...the Dogfish 60 and 90 minute IPA's and the likes.

 

This beats it. It's unreal. If you like hops, you would be hard pressed to find anything better. When I open the can I spend the first 30 seconds just basking in the aroma of the hops.

 

When we bought a 4-pack at the local market (you could only buy one)...the people working the cashier had someone go pull a 4-pack so they made sure they got one. We stopped at the brewery the next morning, 20 minutes before they opened, and there was a line around the building, probably 60 deep, to buy their allotment of a case. We picked up a case, bought a cooler and brought it with us/drank it...and bought extra luggage to transport the remaining half a case home. I have 8 left and am torn between drinking it young (as they insist you do) - or try and save it and dole it out to myself 1 or 2 a week at least until Thanksgiving.

 

http://www.alchemistbeer.com/

 

Heady Topper is so good!

[epicbeergirl]

How did you get the Heady Topper back? My cousin lives in New England but is worried that the cans will explode in the unpressurized cargo cabin and obviously can't bring liquids in a carry on.

 

My bf used to travel for work and bring home beer in his checked luggage, never had any issues.