Not a big fan of Jester King.

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Saw a Black Metal Imperial Stout and a Wytchmaker Rye India Pale Ale at HEB but couldn't justify the price without doing a little research. Anyone have any experience with this brewery.

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I'm typically a "one-and-done" kind of drinker, just try and taste as much as possible, but the Black Metal has me wanting more. That was a very good, very strong stout. I'd recommend it. IN fact, I might head to Specs on the lunch break tomorrow and pick up another bottle.

Popped open a Boulevard Cafe Negro porter. it's a coffee beer with a medium coffee flavor but not much else to compliment the Joe. I would place Real's Coffee Porter ahead of this one.

[This message has been edited by Marooned_n_Aggieland (edited 1/24/2012 9:39a).]

nice, didnt realize the Shiner 103 was out yet. Tried it yet?

how is the Wild Hare? i didn't even know Shiner had a PA!

So I'm heading to ATL in 2 weeks and did a little research. I found a store that is getting Bell's Hopslam in today and gave them a call. they are holding a sixer for me, and a 4-pack of Founders breakfast stout and their Double Trouble IIPA. I should probably take an extra suitcase.

wow. i need to make a run to specs this week and see if they have the new Shiner.

OBannons had Angry Goat on tap when it was current in the To Thee series. Good stuff. I never saw it for sale in the bombers since the local Rahr distributor folks and/or Specs didn't get it in Aggieland.

[This message has been edited by Marooned_n_Aggieland (edited 1/24/2012 10:43a).]

I would like to hear some reviews on Franconia from McKinney. Went to a restaurant in DFW that advertised Franconia but they had recently changed out the tap and thus no personal experience. The wheat and dunkel look interesting but I would like a comparison of them to true German brews (imports).

Tried to get my hands on some hopslam last year when I was over in Minneapolis and down in bismarck but they were all sold out both places

Angry Goat is all over the place here in the Tine.

i've heard terrible reviews of the infinium.

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Angry Goat is all over the place here in the Tine.

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I can't find it anywhere around San Marcos/New Braunfels.

I'll say that I liked the 2010 Infinium even though people routinely panned. But even so, I think the 2011 model was really much better. In fact, the picture you see if the second bottle I bought and have stashed away. Well worth the $20 it cost for the bottle, especially if you recognize that you'll pay that for a cheaper bottle of champagne or wine. In the grand scheme of things, it's not that bad. I shared the first one with some friends because it's generally hard to find and goes pretty quick. The reviews were all very positive, and some of them are beer snobs.

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I would like to hear some reviews on Franconia from McKinney.

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Franconia is good. They have a small tour, but the beer room at the end is very good. If you like the Rahr tour, I imagine you'd like the Franconia tour. I had it for the first time at the latest "Brew at the Zoo" and enjoyed it quite a bit. I've ordered it since then and not been disappointed.

As for the new Shiner, I like it. It tastes a bit like a muted Sierra Nevada. Not overly hoppy, but enough that you notice it. I think it may be the best anniversary beer they've done since the Shiner 99 (which was the Helles)

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http://oi40.tinypic.com/1etog9.jpg

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That boulevard quad is delicious... Excellent choice!

I too like the boulevard quad; boulevard is one of the brewerys we get up here; it's really their best beer imo. Not a big fan of the rest of their beers. Their double ipa, only dipa avaliable here, is not that great.

Maybe it's the hophead in me, but I am very comfortable and confident when I say Wild Hare is the best beer Shiner has out right now.
Well done.

Sierra Nevada is expanding into the Appalachians…
 
http://www.sierranevada.com/about/news.html
 

In-laws gave me a membership to a beer of the month club for Christmas.

Well, the first shipment came today:

Featured breweries:
Casco Bay Brewing Co (Portland, Maine)
Chameleon Brewing Co (Glendale, Wisconsin)

Shipment had 3 bottles of the following:
Casco Bay Riptide Red
Casco Bay Brown
Chameleon Ryediculous IPA
Chameleon Fire Light



[This message has been edited by spadilly (edited 1/25/2012 2:56p).]

always wondered about those beer of the month deals. Are they quality brews or just a bunch of random obscure crap from all the corners of the country?

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Maybe it's the hophead in me, but I am very comfortable and confident when I say Wild Hare is the best beer Shiner has out right now.

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I agree. Except when you realize that the name of the beer is a pun. Then you get a little "bitter beer face" but it's okay because the label is sweet and the brew is as well.

I'm late on this beer but better late than never right? First off for a stout this brew is very drinkable. Most stouts for me are one and done but I could easily do a second or more of this one. The taste palate is not so in your face like a lot of stouts. Honestly, it was better than I was expecting and for a nice easy winter beer this is a winner. I've become down on St.A but this one has risen my spirits. Give it a try at an event, you may just want to have another.

Would like to try this cask conditioned. That extra smoothness would be divine.

huge mehhhhh on Saint A winter stout. my least favorite of all the seasonals.

that being said, they are sprinkling casks of whiskey aged imperial stout across town.

Petrol Station in Houston is tapping one this saturday along with casks of independence convict hill, real ale 15th anniversary RIS, & clown shoes vampire slayer. Growler fills available.

Petrol also tapping the new Houston institutions Buffalo Bayou Brewin Co's imperial gingerbread stout on Saturday.

They were going to have Southern Star's Caucasian & Creme Brulee hatchet on hand, but noticed on FB today that it fell through and will not have it available.

Convict Hill cask sounds wonderful! Tried a bottle of the stuff in some beer bread but it didn't come out so good. I pretty sure the baking powder lost its punch.

I'm too lazy to go back throught the thread, but is anyone planning on hitting up the beer festival at Fair Park in April?

Headed to LA today. What should I be on the lookout for?

You might try to find some Bruery beers. They are out of Orange County. Alpine and Ballast Point might be worth seeking out, too.


In other news, I saw this from Bear Republic

"Bear Republic Brewing Company announces the elusive Racer X™ Double IPA will be released in 22oz. bottles during San Francisco Beer Week, 2/10 – 2/19. The beer will be available exclusively @ Bear Republic’s brewpub, followed by a limited Bay Area only release. Racer X™ will be released nationally in October 2012."

Speaking of Bear Repub, i like Petrol's FB status today

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Mind blowing cask bear republic citra dry hopped racer 5, makin love to your mouth. Tonight @7

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had this last night........ wow that was good and buzzworthy at 11%

Gordo, where'd you find that? Looks tasty!

Beer Advocate's opinion

This is my brew of choice this fine evening. Rahr's La Grange introduced me to this style and I continue to appreciate it. It's actually a little love - hate. I love the multitude of flavors and how/when they kick in but I'm not a fan of the slightly bitter finish.

It has a great golden color, not clear and not quite cloudy. The nose on this style is really good with nice spring like aromas. I find the tastes between this Boulevard and the Rahr to be quite close.

seeing all the spring beers coming out in January os really mindf***ing me. I like the spring beers, but the more i see them i think "WTF its January.

Of course it hasnt really been cold, but if they keep rolling all these seasonals earlier and earlier, we'll be drinking summer beers during Xmas.

Saint Arnold has been real bad about this particualrly over the last year.

Shiner, Saint A, Sam Adams and others are all running thier Springs already.