It's a Friday so I will start things off with my All-Time Go To Fave!

Henhouse Incredible Pale Ale from Sonoma.
Usually canned within the same week as delivery to Total Wine or Whole Market.
$12.50 for the 4-pack.
Super fresh!









Henhouse IPA | HenHouse Brewing | BeerAdvocate
Score: 90

Only Holy Water touches my lips.

bearister said:

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Only Holy Water touches my lips.

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I don't enjoy the black as much as I do in Ireland.

Drinking Guinness in America is both pleasant and upsetting. It tastes good and all, but it is soooo much better in the pubs of Dublin.

And then I think of the long nights I've shared with my Irish in laws and nephews and nieces and their mates at their various locals, I smile, and check round trip airfare - it's been too long.

(The cool uncle from America only buys the first round.)


Favorite craft beer? Too many to choose from in the PNW and California. But this is my go-to session IPA:



I just wish they'd do a label with blue lettering.

bearister said:

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Only Holy Water touches my lips

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I went through a Guinness phase a few years back, but it was only because the calories are low. Its pretty light. Not a lot of taste or complexity.

Your mileage may vary.

I only buy the tall can with the widget. Pop the top, wait a minute, turn can completely upside down (not at an angle) when you pour it and let it settle until it is totally dark with a perfect head. It is close enough for me to a pub in Ireland.

I do not care for it out of the bottle.

bearister said:

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I only buy the tall can with the widget. Pop the top, wait a minute, turn can completely upside down (not at an angle) when you pour it and let it settle until it is totally dark with a perfect head. It is close enough for me to a pub in Ireland.

I do not care for it out of the bottle.

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Agreed. Closest to a fresh pull at The Glenside.

Wrench is best beer I've ever had besides Guinness in Dublin and Andechs in Munich:

Wrench

I don't like IPAs very much.

I don't understand the recent fascination with them. Some breweries make entire lineups of IPAs - and if its not an IPA then it is some weird concoction with fruit in it.

Some breweries are making pretty amazing non-alcoholic beer these days and it is getting more popular. My SO doesn't drink alcohol anymore and I have sampled a lot of these and they are pretty good.

That said, I like Belgian ales, German lagers and hefeweizen, Irish red ales, and Japanese rice beers.

One of my favorites is Rince Cochon, which is a Belgian blonde style ale:

dimitrig said:

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I don't like IPAs very much.

I don't understand the recent fascination with them. Some breweries make entire lineups of IPAs - and if its not an IPA then it is some weird concoction with fruit in it.

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I would admit, that there have been numerous breweries that got far too hooked on creating IPA's, especially the Hazy IPA's that have a lot of fruit and citrus content. Fieldworks (Berkeley) is a poster child for this. From 2017 - 2020 they just kept pumping out these citrusy IPA's until it got nauseating. I believe they've changed their "tune" though. - - - One of my favorite IPA's did come from them though, called St. Thomas.

If you like Belgian Ales, you should try the Henhouse IPA that I posted above.

It's not an IPA.

The initials stand for Incredible Pale Ale.

It's very well balanced and not supper Hoppy like most IPA's are.

Doesnt have the "bite" that a Lagunitas or Racer 5 IPA has.

Try it sometime!

Okay I'll take the bait…

I went to Russian River in Windsor a week and a half ago and did the Pliny the Younger thing. I like most of their beers (except the sours) and it was a fun experience. I waited in line a little over 2 hours.

If you're a big IPA fan as I am Pliny (Younger and Elder) are very good.

I am also a big fan of Franziskaner Weissbeer, Leffe Blond and locally I like several varieties of Faction, Shadow Puppet and Altamont Beer Works….. I

Pliny the Elder is Delicious!
One of my Top 2 Beers.
Double IPA
8%

https://topatopa.beer/collections/beer/products/chief-peak-ipa-6-pack

DiabloWags said:

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dimitrig said:

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I don't like IPAs very much.

I don't understand the recent fascination with them. Some breweries make entire lineups of IPAs - and if its not an IPA then it is some weird concoction with fruit in it.

---

I would admit, that there have been numerous breweries that got far too hooked on creating IPA's, especially the Hazy IPA's that have a lot of fruit and citrus content. Fieldworks (Berkeley) is a poster child for this. From 2017 - 2020 they just kept pumping out these citrusy IPA's until it got nauseating. I believe they've changed their "tune" though. - - - One of my favorite IPA's did come from them though, called St. Thomas.

If you like Belgian Ales, you should try the Henhouse IPA that I posted above.

It's not an IPA.

The initials stand for Incredible Pale Ale.

It's very well balanced and not supper Hoppy like most IPA's are.

Doesnt have the "bite" that a Lagunitas or Racer 5 IPA has.

Try it sometime!

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Thanks for the clarification.

If I find it at the store I will try it.

dimitrig said:

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DiabloWags said:

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dimitrig said:

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I don't like IPAs very much.

I don't understand the recent fascination with them. Some breweries make entire lineups of IPAs - and if its not an IPA then it is some weird concoction with fruit in it.

---

I would admit, that there have been numerous breweries that got far too hooked on creating IPA's, especially the Hazy IPA's that have a lot of fruit and citrus content. Fieldworks (Berkeley) is a poster child for this. From 2017 - 2020 they just kept pumping out these citrusy IPA's until it got nauseating. I believe they've changed their "tune" though. - - - One of my favorite IPA's did come from them though, called St. Thomas.

If you like Belgian Ales, you should try the Henhouse IPA that I posted above.

It's not an IPA.

The initials stand for Incredible Pale Ale.

It's very well balanced and not supper Hoppy like most IPA's are.

Doesnt have the "bite" that a Lagunitas or Racer 5 IPA has.

Try it sometime!

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Thanks for the clarification.

If I find it at the store I will try it.

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If you dont have a Total Wine nearby, you can find it at Whole Foods for a buck more. Its well worth it!

That can't be a session IPA, right? I mean it is 7% alcohol.

chazzed said:

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That can't be a session IPA, right? I mean it is 7% alcohol.

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Nice catch. I have a rather broad definition of "session".

That's cool. I would like to drink beer with you.

Just came in from working in the garden.

The Henhouse is absolutely delicious!

Looking at all these pictures of beer is making me thirsty.
I'll have to wait until game time!

Tom, you can get the Henhouse IPA super fresh from either Whole Foods or Total Wine.
It comes in once a week from the brewery in Sonoma and the cans have the canning date on them.
Those are the only two places that have it.
$12.50 for the 4-pack.

It's exceptional!

A terrific Pilsner by Alvarado Street Brewing, Monterey!




Citraveza Alvarado Street Brewery (asb.beer)

Pliny for the Win!

dimitrig said:

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I don't like IPAs very much.

I don't understand the recent fascination with them. Some breweries make entire lineups of IPAs - and if its not an IPA then it is some weird concoction with fruit in it.

Some breweries are making pretty amazing non-alcoholic beer these days and it is getting more popular. My SO doesn't drink alcohol anymore and I have sampled a lot of these and they are pretty good.

That said, I like Belgian ales, German lagers and hefeweizen, Irish red ales, and Japanese rice beers.

One of my favorites is Rince Cochon, which is a Belgian blonde style ale:

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We have similar tastes in beer, I think at least 60-70 of my top 100 is Belgian, with the top being mostly Trappists, except for Chimay, which isn't on par with the others.

I think I've had the Rince Cochon in Lille during the big end of summer local giant swap meet/beer and mussel fest aka Grande Braderie a few years ago, main city in the French north on the western edge of the Flanders and where you can find many good breweries in the Belgian style.


From the same region, I also like Amadeus, a (relatively) lighter white beer, very drinkable Summer Belgian-style at 4.5%. It used to be available at BevMo. It's awesome with Indian curries or vindaloos.


Also like the Hitachinos from Japan, white and red.

Partial to Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout.

Not a bad fallback because it's always FRESH out of San Leandro at my local Safeway.
While everything else on the shelves is old.

Cheers!

I've enjoyed all of the Drake's offerings that I have tried.

Remember: fresh beer is better beer.

Just cant be Beat!

Henhouse Brewing
Sonoma