Beer reviews and recommendations

[blakeslee_a]

Burlington beer co "Light in the window" is pretty dawn good. Had it on tap a few times and just found it in cans for the first time up in warren/waitsfield area. White can with green lettering, definitely worth a try! It's a rye IPA

[hillbangin]

Resurrecting this thread ...

Some of my favorites of late:

Lagunitas - Sucks Holiday Ale (IIPA)
Ithaca - Flower Power (IPA)
Central City - Red Racer (IPA)
Bell's - Hopslame (IIPA)
Great Divide - Hercules (IIPA)
Russian River - Pliny the Elder (IIPA)

Yes, I'm quite biased towards IPA's, but can you blame me?

Finally had a Great Divide Hercules - Very good ! Not the strong citrus of the Heady - but it's close - not boozy but at 10% packs a punch.

[Mister Moose]

Big Cranky double IPA by Stony Creek. Just released, it's a manly 9.5% ABV, but carries it well. By that I mean you know its there, but none of the boozy fumes. There's a light syrupy medium body to it, none of the BIG PINE or BIG CITRUS some brewers are striving for. Bitter in the background, but omni-present, no hop hammer. More understated flavors, but still a big beer. I like it better than Ghandi Bot, which makes this the best DIPA by a CT brewer that I've had. Packaged in 4 packs of 16oz cans. Small release, so look for it now if you want some. Looks like I'm going to lay in a stash for all my DIPA friends, and my cranky friends, which between the two is a fair number of beers. You know who you are.

Space Juice beats Big Cranky in the afternoon drink off. Hop profile of Space Juice wins hands down. The Long Trail's lighter 8.7% ABV is not juice just as the label warns.

Last week I was told at beer connection #3 that Big Cranky just had a new release and that the formula is different. His comment was "They fixed it".

Gone is the sticky/syrupy quality, it drinks lighter and has better nose. Need to do another drink off. You get the Heady, I have the Cranky and Space Juice.

Note: The new version is date stamped on the bottom: 9/25/15

[Mister Moose]

Long Trail Smash Project #2 just came out, and it's good. Single malt Paris Otter and single hop variety of Mosaic. It's fairly hoppy and most IPA fans will like it.

[blakeslee_a]

Went over to tree house today and loaded up on 12 Julius cans and a couple green, along with some growlers. Buddy went up to HF on Saturday and got me growlers of Edward, Susan, and Harlan. Going to be a good Christmas.

[Skiume]

Long Trail Smash Project #2 just came out, and it's good. Single malt Paris Otter and single hop variety of Mosaic. It's fairly hoppy and most IPA fans will like it.

Has been out for awhile already - and is made with single malt MARIS Otter and Mosaic hops.

[madhatter]

[Guy in Shorts]

Went over to tree house today and loaded up on 12 Julius cans and a couple green, along with some growlers. Buddy went up to HF on Saturday and got me growlers of Edward, Susan, and Harlan. Going to be a good Christmas.

It was a very Beery Christmas. Single IPA from New England Brewing Fuzzy Baby Ducks started our celebration. Great name for an awesome beer. Rate it just below Julius and Sip of Sunshine.

The NEB Ghandi Bot or G Bot as it has been renamed was better than the Ghost Island IIPA from Thimble Island Brewing with the Connecticut brewers showing that they can put out some high quality brews.

Wife loved the NEB Imperial Stout Trooper making getting our hands on the Coffee or Cherry infused versions of this stout a must have.

[lifeisgood]

For you Boston area folks, a new brewery just opened up a couple of weeks ago:

http://castleislandbeer.com/

Stopped in over the weekend while visiting family, and sampled the four beers currently being offered. Was impressed.

[Mister Moose]

Avery Maharaja.

Quite simply, the best stale DIPA I've ever had. I bought this July release back in October, and it sat in the back of the fridge* until now. It is a wonderful blend of full on malt raisiny cereal with light tropical undertones. I can't wait to try this fresh - January release in the offing.

*Yeah, yeah, I know. It happens. It got stranded.

[E O Eleven]

[Skiume]

Enjoyable evening at the new brew pub in Plymouth " Five Corners Pub and Brewhouse" at the Salt Ash Inn. Drafts on tap from McNeill's of Brattleboro: Warlord Imperial IPA, Ruby Ale, and a Porter as well as The Blond Bombshell. Also a draft from Zero Gravity : Conehead IPA.

Food menu very delicious and priced very reasonably.

[madhatter]

tried out some stuff from rock art, limited access and twin tip... both excellent IPA's...

now what about whiskey?both of my brothers and mrs hatter like straight whiskey, I've never been a fan...that all change last spring when I sampled some whistle pig at teh rt 4 deli one night on the way home from skiing....top notch, this past weekend they had the jameson guys there sampling their line up including their new " caskmates" stout... whiskey aged in stout barrels...smooth and easy w a nice finish... and a bargain at only 30 bux...( whistle pig is close to 80)

other favorites include jefferson and woodford reserve...

I deconstructed and modified a drink I once had at prohibition pig:

Hot toddy...


brewed tea ( orange spice works well, any tea will do)

1 T braggs cider vinegar ( only braggs)

1 T maple syrup ( the real stuff)

1 pc star of anise

your favorite whiskey

garnish w orange slice...

you'll want a second one...

[Guy in Shorts]

A few from this past weekend
Folk Metal an oatmeal stout by Burlington Beer Co. – A classic stout that could stand tall next to a Guinness. This brewery continues to shine.

Mad Hatter 2015 by New Holland Brewing – If you like All Day IPA this Michigan brew will work for you.

Limited Access by Rock Art - Good solid double IPA but it will not knock off any of the great Vermont IPA's.

Juice Machine by Tree House – Worked our way up by splitting a can of Julius followed by a couple cans of Green. Then we dug into the Juice Machine. It's as if Julius and Green had a baby, then that baby grew up to be a fine young man who is not only more sexually experienced than his parents, but also taller. As with Heady this beer requires a little work to get thru.

[madhatter]

A few from this past weekend
Folk Metal an oatmeal stout by Burlington Beer Co. – A classic stout that could stand tall next to a Guinness. This brewery continues to shine.

Mad Hatter 2015 by New Holland Brewing – If you like All Day IPA this Michigan brew will work for you.all day IPA for sure, the woody wagon alone makes it great

Limited Access by Rock Art - Good solid double IPA but it will not knock off any of the great Vermont IPA's.I thought this beer was very good as it had a lot of flavor and required less work to get thru than a heady... definite citrus profile there, which I liked...

Juice Machine by Tree House – Worked our way up by splitting a can of Julius followed by a couple cans of Green. Then we dug into the Juice Machine. It's as if Julius and Green had a baby, then that baby grew up to be a fine young man who is not only more sexually experienced than his parents, but also taller. As with Heady this beer requires a little work to get thru.

owned two of them Grand Wagoneers...cranking up the wayback machine, this was the first...