The Final Four- 2012 Beer Bracket

It comes down to these four teams. The best of the best from the East (Troeg's Nugget Nectar), West (Green Flash West Coast IPA), World (O'Hara's Stout), and Big Beers (North Coast Old Rasputin). Next weekend we will have our 2012 champion.  Fortunately, many people will have the ability to drink the winner, as all four beers are available in many places.

It will be an IPA vs Stout final (if you consider Nugget Nectar an IPA). There is the possibility of having an All-California final- with both Green Flash (San Diego) and North Coast (Fort Bragg) located in the Golden State. So much excitement.

And the Full Bracket:

Nectar of the Gods- Troegs Nugget Nectar

 

It is the greatest time of year. That time when something so great gets released into the wild. It is kind of like the DNR stocking the streams with fish. The anticipation builds, and finally, we are able to go at it.

It is Troegs Nugget Nectar season.  Sure, some people like the overpriced Bell’s Hopslam- I am not saying it isn’t good, because it is great. But for me to save a bit of money and to get a beer that I like more, it is priceless.

I fell in love with Nugget Nectar 5 years ago. At that time, I was just getting my head into the craft beer waters. This was a new beer on tap that sounded intriguing, and it was from Troegs, so I had to try it. I have been immersed in its glory ever since.

The “Imperial Amber” looks, smells and tastes like heaven. Sure it isn’t for everyone, if you don’t like hops, it isn’t for you. The blast of bitterness, aroma and taste can dissuade many from the drink, but for me it pulls me in; makes me open a second bottle; helps me realize why I do love craft beer. It is everything that I could ask for. For me, this is the one beer to have on a deserted island.

So if you see it on the shelves, on tap or if you are lucky enough to be where a firkin is available, grab yourself a Nugget Nectar.

Dreaming of beer, and a Rant against ratings.

So I sit here thinking about the beers that I can't wait to drink in the future.  Checking out people's Top Whatever lists, looking for some hidden gems. So naturally, I start thinking about mid-January when I can begin drinking Nugget Nectar again.  My mind continues to wonder, so I decide to go to Beer Advocate and check up on the reviews.  The first review kind of blew my mind:

"Appearance was typical beer yellow with half inch head that lasted fairly long. Aroma was mostly citrus, especially grapefruit with piney notes. Flavor was pure hop bitterness with a touch of the grapefruit. Way too bitter! Mouthfeel was light to medium but balanced over the palate. Drinkability is low, it's just way too bitter, a real hop bomb. NOT recommended!"

It starts off with a description that I never heard of before (or saw as I have drank cases of this beer).  "Typical beer yellow"?  I have never seen a beer yellow NN- ever.  The Aroma and Flaver are spot on.  Yes, NN is mostly citrus- grapefruit and pine in the nose.  Yes, it is pure hop bitterness- have you seen the awesome label.

But then this person* goes off the deep end.  The lines- "Way too bitter!" and "NOT recommended" took me for surprise.  I must also note that this guy gave the beer a D.   D?!?!?!? How is that possible.  Then I came to my senses and thought about his remarks.  If you don't like hop bombs, or big Amber (Double IPA) ales, then no you won't like this beer.  But if you don't like those styles, why would you even pick it up? Again, did you not look at the label when you bought the bottle?

This reinforces my feelings about the overall ratings of the beers on Rate Beer and Beer Advocate.  I love the reviews, love other blogger's reviews and the such, but this guys D rating influences the overall score when he outlines exactly why it has an overall A rating.  I try my best to rate the beers to style.  I do not really like Scottish beers, I know this.  If I rate one on a rating site, I judge it based on what it should taste like, not whether or not I like the beer.

So anywho, I cannot wait to taste the sweet nectar from the gods again.  Are there any beers that you cannot wait to get again?

*this reviewer was all over the book on his other reviews as well.  Maybe it is inexperience, maybe he has a load of bad bottles.  I don't know, but I will not take his reviews for what they're worth.

Wednesday at Max's...

I was poured a Nugget Nectar as soon as I walked into Max's yesterday.  Can't beat it.  Otter Creek was the pint night, but even though I don't mind their beer, there was just too much on the rest of the list.  Nugget Nectar was followed by Oliver's Biere de Garde.  Although I was intrigued by the Farmhouse ale moniker, it failed to live up to my expectations.  It was a very good beer, but I was looking for some great Belgian farmhouse ale from a very good English style company (I do enjoy many Oliver beers, but this, while good, is thankfully not their full time beer). 

I finished the night with a Leroy Paulus Flemish Red.  I was looking for a sour bomb to finish the night, and what I got was a creamy beer that had a little sourness and tartness.  Thicker in the mouth than I wanted, with a bready taste, not the slightest bit of hops and mild mild acidity.  The best that I can say is that it has a slightly unique taste and was very easy to drink.  I don't know if I would have another, but maybe suggest it for someone breaking into sours.

What have you had lately?

Wednesday No-Pint night

Yesterday, after work I met Eric at Max's to grab a beer. It was their pint night, so we usually come home with some new glassware, but the beer du jour was Blue Moon Honey Moon. Which in my honest opinion, it is bad. To be completely honest, I don't like anything Blue Moon makes. (That could be due to Blue Moon being a Molson Coors beer.)

So the bartender looked at me and said one word: "Nugget?" He meant Troeg's Nugget Nectar, which I believe is the most delicious beer made. As my pint was poured, Eric came in, and didn't order the NN. He chose to go with the Sierra Nevada Harvest (wet hop). His reasoning made sense. Go up in hoppiness. Both beers when down well (he had the NN second, I had the Harvest.)

After those two hoppy beers we knew what we were getting into. The Victory Hop Wallop was up next. Many people consider this to be the most bitter beer they have had... so have I. And that is not to mention the 8.5% that goes with it. Victory does not list and IBU for the Hop Wallop, but I would bet it is above 120 ibus. (For comparison the Sierra Nevada is at 60-65, the NN comes in at 90ish). It is quite a mouthful.

I love beer that is as hoppy as it gets. The NN is different though. Whether it is the hops used or how they brew it, I have always felt the bitterness was there, but it was more of a sweet hoppiness, so sweet you can almost taste it through the nose. I have found it very attractive. I have heard that some people get bad brews out of the bottle from this beer, I never have.

Anyone else like extremely hoppy beers? Which beers do you like that are hoppy?