Quote :

"so i'm going to Raleigh this weekend. what do i need to try?"

Trophy Brewing is the can't miss spot at this point, especially if you haven't been to Raleigh in a while. They brew some interesting stuff along with well-made standards, they had a citra-hopped saison last time I was there that was on point as well as a quad aged with cedar spirals and a berliner weiss with optional blueberry syrup. The pizza is good too, just make sure to order a large.

[Edited on July 12, 2013 at 1:42 PM. Reason : . ]

7/12/2013 1:42:10 PM

Had a bunch of stuff recently that I really enjoyed:

Stone EnjoyBy 08.02.13 IPA
Stone RuinTen IPA
Central Waters BB Stout '11
Central Waters BB Barleywine '12
Firestone Walker Pivo Pils (incredible though I might still take a Prima Pils over this)
Hill Farmstead Civil Disobedience #4 (mediocre)
Great Divide Oatmeal Yeti
Ommegang Fleur de Houblon

7/12/2013 2:32:02 PM

I had a good day yesterday.
Founders KBS
Heady Topper
Firestone Double Jack
Troegs Nugget Nectar
Sixpoint Resin

7/13/2013 10:32:25 AM

Quote :

""so i'm going to Raleigh this weekend. what do i need to try?""

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

7/13/2013 10:36:59 AM

Anyone ever travel on a plane flight with beer? Either checked or in your carry-on?

I'll be up in Vermont later this summer and I would LOVE to bring back as much Heady Topper as humanly possible. If you don't know what Heady Topper is then GTFO, seriously...

Thoughts?

7/19/2013 12:31:28 PM

you won't be able to carry-on. but i've flown with beer in my checked bags plenty of times.

if i know there is a chance i'll fly back beer i always pack 1 gallon freezer bags and sheets of bubble wrap. the gallon bags can fit a 22oz bomber and seal closed. and can fit a 750 cork cap bottle pretty close. so i wrap the bottle in bubble wrap and then put it in the gallon bag and tape it up.

once i have them packed up i place them in the middle of my luggage between all of my clothes. if you pack a towel, even better, wrap the towel around the lot.

i always do a shake test and shake my bag to make sure i can't hear any knocking around or feel any shifting. if it feels and sounds secure it'll make it through the flight. knock on wood, i have not had any break on me. but even if they did the bag should contain the spill. they also make reusable inflatable bags, made/branded for wine travel, but work just as well for beer.

7/19/2013 12:39:23 PM

Jeeps advice is solid. I have have carried 3 x 750ml of Scotch back form Europe using similar methods with no problems. For hard liquor the limit is 5L total in your checked bags, but check the TSA page and your Airline's page to get the latest guidance.

7/19/2013 1:48:33 PM

yeah i'm not sure what the legal limit is. I've never disclosed that i'm packing alcohol. but i think the most i've brought back at once (in a carry-on sized suitcase) is 5.

7/19/2013 2:08:04 PM

Märzen and Pumpkin Beers will be popping up next week! This is way too early

7/19/2013 6:52:12 PM

They're already popping up here.

In other news, Wicked Weed is fucking awesome

7/20/2013 10:12:27 AM

Quote :

"Anyone ever travel on a plane flight with beer? Either checked or in your carry-on?"

in 2005 my carry on from Portland to RDU was a 12 pack of Fat Tire (this was before you could get fat tire here.)

of course between me and a couple of friends none of the beer actually made it to the plane

7/20/2013 10:18:23 AM

Quote :

"Märzen and Pumpkin Beers will be popping up next week! This is way too early "

It gets earlier every year, though I would drink märzens year round if the good ones were always available.

On a separate note I just got a decent haul from California:
Firestone Pivo Pils
Alesmith Old Ale
Deschutes Black Butte XXV
Alpine Duet
Drake's Aroma Coma

7/20/2013 1:15:42 PM

Pivo Pils is delish, even better than Prima Pils which was my previous favorite pils. Duet is probably my favorite of all the Alpine IPAs

Just got some Uncle Jacob's Stout and Black Butte XV in store last week.

Trade coming in this week is some Rare DOS, Dark Lord '13 (I've only had a '10 and tasted like soy sauce so wanted to try it fresh(er)) & Swamp Head Saison du Swamp w/ Brett

Drank some Convivial Suaréz and Madame Rose last night, both just great beers.

[Edited on July 22, 2013 at 11:00 AM. Reason : .]

7/22/2013 10:58:09 AM

Been feasting on some Summer Solstice six-packs the last couple weeks. I like a little weight to my beers and don't like a lot of the lighter summer options that come out every year. Feel like this is a happy, tasty medium.

7/22/2013 11:13:51 AM

Just picked up the Sierra Nevada Best of Beer Camp 12 pack. Only had one last night, the Belgian Black IPA (aka Sleight of Hand), but it was pretty fantastic. Complex, roasty, slick mouthfeel, hops were definitely present, but not over-whelming. Packed a punch too at 7.7% ABV

Can't wait to try the rest of the variety pack.

I also picked up Terrapin's RecreationALE cans for the lake this weekend. Excited to try that too. I love a good hoppy session ale.

7/25/2013 2:31:11 PM

Enjoying my trip to CO so far. Sipping on Odell Amuste right now, with an Elevation False Summit in the fridge. Had some Ska 10 Pin Porter and Vernal Minthe early on last week, and went to Aspen Brewing Company last night. It's been nice trying some of the Colorado beers that don't make it over to LA.

7/27/2013 5:02:16 PM

Sounds like you're on the right track.

Some other's I'd suggest:
Odell (St. Lupulin, IPA)
Dry Dock
Funkwerks (Saison)
Elevation
Firestone Walker (CA, any)
Russian River (CA, any)
Lost Abbey (CA, any)

7/27/2013 7:06:04 PM

I live in LA, so I've had just about all of the regular beers for the CA, and a fair number of specials. About two months ago, I went to a wedding in Paso Robles and had dinner at Firestone Walker while I was there. But I'll keep my eyes peeled for more from those CO breweries while I'm still here; thanks!

7/27/2013 10:45:46 PM

Quote :

"It better be pretty fucking good for $26 a four pack or whatever they're charging."

i had a gift card

7/27/2013 10:59:17 PM

^I've since tried both of those, the Wulver was pretty fucking awesome but the BA Siberian Night was not impressive.

7/27/2013 11:16:55 PM

yeah i've never had the siberian either, but the guy swore the wee heavy was best scotch ale ever and now i believe it. that's my style of choice for cigar and pipe smoking

7/28/2013 1:39:33 PM

Ive been on a bigtime IPA kick lately and want to mix it up a little.

Anyone got some pilsner suggestions I could easily find at Total Wine?

7/28/2013 2:08:16 PM

^I really like Smuttynose Vunderbar, it's on the hoppier side for a pilsner but a bit more understated than something like Prima Pils.

7/28/2013 2:49:10 PM

Dale's Pale Ale for the Gold Cup finale.

7/28/2013 4:26:04 PM

^^^ Augustiner-Brau Edelstoff
Technically a Helles, but it's pretty much the same thing

7/28/2013 10:28:23 PM

Good, not great. And I've had a lot better beers that are much easier to get ahold of.

7/29/2013 12:31:19 PM

Headed to Iowa City, IA this weekend. Any beers or breweries I should keep an eye out for? It does seem like they get a lot of the same distribution that we do in NC.

So far I'll be on the hunt for:

Tallgrass 8-Bit Pale Ale
Anything Local

Thoughts?

7/30/2013 11:16:17 AM

http://www.brewerymap.com/

If you see Schlafly Pumpkin there...

7/31/2013 12:53:51 PM

Anyone been to Crank Arm Brewery yet? Just opened a few days ago in downtown Raleigh (in case you're not living around here anymore and have no idea what i'm talking about)

7/31/2013 1:14:14 PM

Trying to get into sours with the Oatmeal Yeti in the fridge = tough. Don't think it's ever going to happen...

7/31/2013 10:22:41 PM

just opened an imported gf west coast ipa for ipa day

had a cigar city jai alai when i was in florida recently, really nice citrus-y ipa

8/1/2013 2:49:25 PM

Happy IPA Day!

I've been hanging on to a bottle of Laughing Dog - Sneaky Pete Imperial IPA for this special occasion. Can't wait!

8/1/2013 3:36:53 PM

some new visits this weekend:

Gizmo - I never went to Roth, but based on what I'd heard, this place doesn't seem to be much better off, if at all. They had one house draft on (a honey wheat :-\), and one each Mystery and Raleigh guest taps. The building/brewing area seemed kinda junky and in disarray. The location doesn't do it any favors.

Sub Noir - Weird, pretty terrible location in a boring commercial strip that was mostly offices. TINY taproom with one small table on the sidewalk. Two beers on - the hoppy saison was actually pretty good.

Steel String - Okay, not my first time here, but I'm a fan. Solid beers all around and a really good IPA, a nice rotation of guest taps, and a cool taproom.

8/1/2013 6:12:16 PM

The randalized Hopslam at Tyler's tonight was awesome.

8/1/2013 9:01:26 PM

Hopslam + Randal?!? ERMAGERD

8/1/2013 9:56:32 PM

^yeah I was a bit shocked that there wasn't a line around the block for it, but I guess a ton of bars were doing IPA Day events that kind of diluted the crowds.

8/1/2013 10:06:31 PM

I hit up Crank Arm over the weekend. Pretty good and I think they will do well. Did a flight or two and overall I felt the Wit, Porter, and IPA were very good. They had an ESB that was good but kinda bland, nothing a little tweaking cant fix. Then there was a pale ale I was not a fan of at all. I think they have some work to do on that one.

8/5/2013 10:05:00 PM

Gizmo is terrible.

I've seen better private homebrew setups than that dump.

8/5/2013 10:36:41 PM

Just cracked one of these:



It's a nice, drier IPA that doesn't beat you over the head with bitterness.

Also the Founders Mango beer dropped in Raleigh today, along with Nectar Ales which is contract brewed by Firestone Walker which means it should be good.

8/6/2013 7:09:05 PM

Just picked up some Schlafly Pumpkin and Pumking. It feels way too early for these to be out but I'm not complaining

8/7/2013 6:59:22 PM

8/7/2013 7:05:35 PM

picked up a few Allagash Curieux tonight as well as a random ME Silent Night that was buried on the shelves. Had the Curieux on draft this weekend and thought it was excellent.

8/12/2013 9:09:35 PM

Curieux is delicious. And nice find on the Silent Night.

8/12/2013 9:44:31 PM

yeah it was definitely an interesting score. I'm out of town in Greensboro and went to Bestway there. Pretty decent beer selection actually. Picked up a few other things (BBL Peoples Porter, Backburner, Oatmeal Yeti) but those were the ones I was most excited to pick up.

I'll be interested to see how the Curieux tastes out of the bottle vs draft. Also, I have no idea how Silent Night ages but I'm planning to just save it until Christmas at this point.

[Edited on August 12, 2013 at 9:59 PM. Reason : ]

8/12/2013 9:47:58 PM

It should age very well. It shouldn't have been on a damn shelf in a store for so long, but it ought to be fine.

Bottle shops in emerging or slow markets almost always have some surprises. I wanted to stop at one just outside of Emerald Isle on Sunday but I didn't have time to wait on it to open. Probably for the best, who knows what I would have found in there.

8/12/2013 9:54:50 PM

Very true.

8/12/2013 10:00:15 PM

silent night will age well for as long as you want it.

8/13/2013 7:49:46 AM

driving into Raleigh tomorrow night before going to OBX for the weekend. will be checking out Crank Arm.

8/14/2013 1:47:03 PM

Bottle Revolution will have a pretty strong tap list tomorrow.

8/14/2013 5:10:36 PM

Don't know if anybody cares, but Holy City's GABF Gold Medal winning Pluff Mud Porter is finally in bottles and our local Beer Exchange is shipping it.

I had a couple Lonerider beers over the weekend. Sweet Josie was a nice, drinkable brown ale. Peacemaker Pale Ale was decent as well, but won't crack into my favorites in Pale Ales.

8/19/2013 12:54:29 PM