Craft Beer Thread

Since there's a burgeoning craft beer discussion under the disguise of the Morgan's Liquors Thread I thought I would start a dedicated beer zeitgeist thread.

For starters, there's the Irvington Ave Craft Beer and Food Truck Festival coming up on October 2. Not many details yet but apparently it was a bit of a hit last year.

Carry on, hops enthusiasts.

Can I join even if I don't like hoppy beer?

Absolutely! Dumping a ton of hops into beer doesn't automatically make it good.

mrincredible said:
Absolutely! Dumping a ton of hops into beer doesn't automatically make it good.

Preach!

This will now trump the Facts Matter thread as my favorite thread. I'm enjoying a Terrapin Hopsecutioner right now... In a can. Is that too hipster

Sixpoint Jammer is beer's answer to salt and vinegar potato chips.

I am getting really excited for Harpoon's UFO Pumpkin. I'm not an automatic pumpkin beer fan but that one is perfection. Their UFO White is my favorite beer.

I'm solidly in the unfiltered wheat category, which rare exception. My husband is all about IPAs, double even, the hoppier the better. We've given up trying to find one we both like!

There's a new brewery in Fairfield called Magnify He's coming up with some very good and interesting beers. TarheelsinNJ - you and your husband should should try his Black Wheat. I think Coda has at least one Magnify on tap. Cloverleaf has an exclusive Oktoberfest beer from there.

More importantly, can we set up a trading group for when people leave the area and have access to other beers

Had a Bridgeport IPA last night, which someone who doesn't typically like IPAs might enjoy.

So where do you do your beer shopping? Total Wine at Essex Green has a make-your-own six pack option.

Any good spots with a craft beer selection?

Who wants to help organize a NJ craft beer fair?

I usually shop at Total Wine (Essex Green), but try to hit stores in areas served by different distributors. As an example, I find a pretty great selection at Whole Foods in Tribeca.

I have a friend at Cricket Hill...

It's getting close to holiday beer season. A place everyone MUST go is the Stirling Hotel in Long Hill after a stop at the raptor sanctuary in the Great Swamp. 20 minute drive and they have all the seasonal Spiced microbrews on tap as well as amazing Mac and cheese. I've never been to the beer garden but it looks pretty amazing. I'm attempting to make my way through these two lists.

http://usat.ly/1CuHqQ4

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/04/blind-tasting-116-of-the-best-american-ipas-we-hav.html?p=3

I sometimes get a custom six pack at the Union Square one. Good finds.

Steve said:
I usually shop at Total Wine (Essex Green), but try to hit stores in areas served by different distributors. As an example, I find a pretty great selection at Whole Foods in Tribeca.

This is my new favorite beer. By a wide margin. It's a tastefully hoppy IPA that isn't overbearing with alcohol. And I love the skinny cans. You can buy it at the Village Wine Shop.

And this takes the prize for weirdest beer. Yes, the finish actually has a vanilla, funnel cake taste. Yuck.

I almost picked that up a month ago but the Village Wine shop guys (who stocked it) advised against it. I was also told that Ommegang's new IPA is not too great. They have Founders All Day IPA (Grand Rapids representing!) at all the Penn Station pizza joints. Definitely try that one if you can.

ml1 said:
And this takes the prize for weirdest beer. Yes, the finish actually has a vanilla, funnel cake taste. Yuck.

ArchBroad said:
I almost picked that up a month ago but the Village Wine shop guys (who stocked it) advised against it. I was also told that Ommegang's new IPA is not too great. They have Founders All Day IPA (Grand Rapids representing!) at all the Penn Station pizza joints. Definitely try that one if you can.

ml1 said:
And this takes the prize for weirdest beer. Yes, the finish actually has a vanilla, funnel cake taste. Yuck.

I did not buy it. They had it on tap at Hat City Kitchen and the bartender gave me a taste. Needless to say, I ordered something else.

I actually enjoyed the Funnel Cake (had it at The Brew at the Zoo). Bengali Tiger is good, but if you get up to CT, try and get some Lawson's Liquids Sip of Sunshine. Also, as a heads up, the Lawson's Liquids/Otter Creek collaboration Double Dose is being released on September 19. While I didn't get any last year, I had it two years ago and it was fantastic.

I once had a basil-infused beer at Fullsteam in NC. It was...weird. Really weird.

Been drinking a lot of this for the last few months

Like this one a lot as well... A&D Liquors on Valley has a lot of great craft beers and it's right next door

Anyone on Untappd?

annemarie said:
Anyone on Untappd?

No. I just found out about it. I may sign up.

A&D Liquors has a really good IPA selection - better than wine library. Our favorite is Bell's Two Hearted Ale - sadly it's not sold in NJ

I've had that several times. I think they sell it by the bottle at the Penn Station pizza place on the lower level that has 10 coolers behind the counter. I'm from Michigan and have been to the Bell's brewery a few times and I'm inclined to support those breweries. Their Oberon (used to be called Solsun, but they had to change it due to copyright infringement?) is one of THE best beers ever made, IMO and is the highlight of the season when it comes out in the early summer.

ttyson44 said:
A&D Liquors has a really good IPA selection - better than wine library. Our favorite is Bell's Two Hearted Ale - sadly it's not sold in NJ

Oh boy - wait until I tell my husband Penn Station has it!!!!

ArchBroad said:
I've had that several times. I think they sell it by the bottle at the Penn Station pizza place on the lower level that has 10 coolers behind the counter. I'm from Michigan and have been to the Bell's brewery a few times and I'm inclined to support those breweries. Their Oberon (used to be called Solsun, but they had to change it due to copyright infringement?) is one of THE best beers ever made, IMO and is the highlight of the season when it comes out in the early summer.

ttyson44 said:
A&D Liquors has a really good IPA selection - better than wine library. Our favorite is Bell's Two Hearted Ale - sadly it's not sold in NJ

This one is stocked at Village Wine Shop. You know sometimes you hear of something that seems like a bad idea, but you try it and find out it was actually really, really good. That is NOT the case with this one. It's as disgusting as you imagine chocolate/peanut butter flavored beer would be.

Bells has a beer finder on their website.

http://bellsbeer.com/brands/brand-finder/

ttyson44 said:
Oh boy - wait until I tell my husband Penn Station has it!!!!

ArchBroad said:
I've had that several times. I think they sell it by the bottle at the Penn Station pizza place on the lower level that has 10 coolers behind the counter. I'm from Michigan and have been to the Bell's brewery a few times and I'm inclined to support those breweries. Their Oberon (used to be called Solsun, but they had to change it due to copyright infringement?) is one of THE best beers ever made, IMO and is the highlight of the season when it comes out in the early summer.

ttyson44 said:
A&D Liquors has a really good IPA selection - better than wine library. Our favorite is Bell's Two Hearted Ale - sadly it's not sold in NJ

Strangely enough, another one you think might be terrible, but is actually amazing (if you like this sort of thing) is the Not Your Father's Root Beer beer. It tastes exactly like root beer, which is dangerous. No alcohol smell or taste at all and it's 10%ABV.

http://smalltownbrewery.com/our-beers/