Epic Beer Thread v27 - Happy Brew Year

[Jballer]

Picked up a 4 pack of Spencer Trappist ale. It's the first and only Trappist brewery in the US. It also came with a pretty cool glass.

 

[Zookeeper Gabe]

Picked up a 4 pack of Spencer Trappist ale. It's the first and only Trappist brewery in the US. It also came with a pretty cool glass.

They also make some amazing preserves. I still haven't picked up the beer yet though oddly enough.

 

[ThinkGreen]

tried the 8 and the 10. both good. the 10 is amazing. goes down so smooth for such a strong beer. it also gives me a sense of tranquility knowing that the beer was brewed by monks.

I just had the 10 on New Year's eve as well... really yummy beer.

 

[Sasquatch Smith]

Picked up a 4 pack of Spencer Trappist ale. It's the first and only Trappist brewery in the US. It also came with a pretty cool glass.

Solid beer. Nothing mind blowing but very drinkable

 

[WalkenWouldOwn]

There's a shitty little brewery up here in Connecticut currently getting some deserved negative attention, Shebeen Brewing.

Basically, an article was published recently where the owner was whining to a reporter about how Connecticut folks don't support their local breweries enough.

Spoiler

"While some small-scale breweries struggle to produce beer as fast as consumers can drink it, Shebeen Brewing has a different problem: its brews are sitting too long on store shelves.
"We're trying to keep sales up with our production," said co-owner and founder Rich Visco.
Shebeen, a craft brewery that opened in May 2013, has grown faster than the demand for its products.
The brewery began with a one-barrel production system. By late 2013, Visco ramped up production by installing a 15-to-30 barrel brewing system, along with a canning unit.
Even with brisk sales at the brewery, along with distribution to bars and package stores throughout the state, Shebeen still has excess inventory.
The brewery's 30-barrel system is operating at about 25 percent of its capacity.
"We've got to get production in complete sync with sales," Visco said.
One way he's trying to increase sales is by expanding into a new market.
Connecticut has the lowest per capita consumption of beer of any state in the country, he said.
In early December, Shebeen became the first Connecticut brewery to begin distributing its beers in South Carolina. Visco's business partner has opened a distributorship in the Palmetto State with a dedicated sales force for Shebeen products.
Visco thinks Shebeen's products will generate interest in a new state, not just because of their quality, but because they're new and it's unusual to see a Connecticut product in the South.
He's also seeking approvals to begin distributing in New York and Massachusetts.
Shebeen sells most of its beers in bottles, but is transitioning to cans. Currently, the only beer that Shebeen cans is the Black Hop IPA.
In May, Shebeen plans to release two more canned varieties, starting with the Irish Pale Ale and Turbo IPA. Cans tend to get better placement in stores and keep the beer fresher.
Also, Visco is rebranding some of his beers to make them more appealing. For instance, Bacon Kona Stout will be renamed Java Pig Stout and feature more aggressive labeling.
Visco said he's intrigued by the extreme popularity of certain out-of-state beers. The only Shebeen beer to attain somewhat of a cult following is the Cannoli Beer.
It's frustrating, he said, that more people in Connecticut don't support their local breweries. There's a beer for everyone at Shebeen, he said, but many consumers prefer national brands.
"Why would you need to go to a brewery in a different state when there are so many good ones here?" Visco asked
At bars, Shebeen has had trouble getting its beers on tap. Instead of serving mostly national brands with a small percentage of taps set aside for local breweries, Visco said bars should serve mostly local beers.
"We're all fighting for the same taps," said Visco, noting that there are 20 breweries in the state. "If you want all of us to be here and to succeed, you've got to put more of our stuff on tap."

it's just flat out horse shit. There is PLENTY of buzz in CT right now about craft beer, and plenty of interest in local craft beer, with just one condition...the beer has to be good!

There are new breweries popping up here constantly over the past couple years, and i'm sorry to say that most of them are not good. Shebeen included. This guy is blaming consumers for his business' struggles instead of considering the fact that people aren't buying his beer because it isn't good. Here are a couple examples of his usuals:

Idaho IPA - a mediocre IPA that literally has instant mashed potatoes in it because he claims it helps with the mouthfeel.

Concord Grape Saison - Absolutely vile. Does he use real grapes? Nope. Just some welch's concentrate i'm pretty sure. Tastes absolutely nothing like a saison in any way. Not tart, not peppery...just sweet and pretty gross.

Bacon Kona Stout - mediocre stout with coffee and bacon.

Cannoli Beer - A very weird tasting overly sweet reddish ale that they serve with powdered sugar on the rim and CHOCOLATE SHAVINGS floated in the beer. Gross.

So, you get the idea...just a bunch of unsuccessful, gimmicky attempts at being creative while not having a single stand out beer. And here's the worst part...not only does this guy complain about CT consumers not buying enough of his beer, he has been known to BASH other local breweries, especially NEBco, who has been around a decade longer than him and literally can't brew beer fast enough because they're so popular. He has been overheard bashing Gandhi Bot saying he "hates it, tastes like grass clippings", and he has bashed Weiss Trash, a highly regarded sour from NEBco in twitter and on his Untappd account where he called it nasty and gave it one star....to each their own, but if you own a small brewery you should know how bad of an idea it is to go around talking shit about other small breweries in your state. The craft beer community will not stand for that bullshit.

Oh, and he also gives ALL his own beers 5 stars on Untappd and raves about them on there. Stay classy!

Shebeen talking shit about NEBCO ahahahahah that's like Art Jimmerson trying to take on Cain Velasquez

 

[WalkenWouldOwn]

They also make some amazing preserves. I still haven't picked up the beer yet though oddly enough.

They are even in some of the Big Y grocery stores around here. Pretty good, just overpriced for what it is IMO

 

[Zookeeper Gabe]

They are even in some of the Big Y grocery stores around here. Pretty good, just overpriced for what it is IMO

Stop and shop has them up here, I like their hot pepper jelly a lot. Also the raspberry.

 

[WalkenWouldOwn]

Stop and shop has them up here, I like their hot pepper jelly a lot. Also the raspberry.

Ah I meant the beer, haven't seen the preserves. Will have to check em out

 

[MASShole]

Just had Mettle from Trillium, and thought it was great.

 

[Sasquatch Smith]

Just had Mettle from Trillium, and thought it was great.

Heavy Mettle might be one of the best IPA's i've ever had. Right up there with HF and Tree House, but i've never had regular Mettle. I need to get my hands on some more Trillium in the near future.

 

[monsterxmonster]

Heard nothing but good things about Trillium. Glad they got over their recent licence issues.

 

[Zookeeper Gabe]

Ah I meant the beer, haven't seen the preserves. Will have to check em out

lol. I'm a retard.

As for Trillium I really need to try them and TreeHOuse.

 

[MASShole]

Heavy Mettle might be one of the best IPA's i've ever had. Right up there with HF and Tree House, but i've never had regular Mettle. I need to get my hands on some more Trillium in the near future.

I might be heading out right now to buy some Heavy Mettle if the store has it.

ETA: well, just called and they're all out. Damn.

 

[hohner]

Have any of you guys ever had anything from Intangible Ales?

 

[Cajun]

I might be heading out right now to buy some Heavy Mettle if the store has it.

ETA: well, just called and they're all out. Damn.

Heading up to Boston to see my buds in the spring. Will have to try it.

 

[MASShole]

The local Wegman's had many cases of Brown Shugga. Kinda hilarious, so I bought some

 

[Sasquatch Smith]

Have any of you guys ever had anything from Intangible Ales?

Never heard of em honestly

 

[hohner]

Never heard of em honestly

They sound intriguing.



Just drank terrapin ' s french toast wake n bake. Pretty damn good. Straight coffee stout when really cold the vanilla, maple, and cinnamon come out as it warms.

 

[sparkyjohannsen]

Drinking a Pretty Things Baby Tree while watching the fights right now and its really good.

 

[PUO3]

Deschutes Red Chair back in my hands. I am a happy camper.