Brewing Master

Question:

"Any idea what they got awards for?  Maybe the Idiot, or one of the ones you mentioned?" I really haven’t heard, but you know, there’s tons of regional "awards" all over the place that don’t mean squat.  Sort of like the People’s Choice Awards, or the Essence Awards… …Or the Country Music Association Awards. (I’m kidding…I saw on your website you’re a fan of George Strait) {:o)

Response:

You visited Central PA right?  You needed to head east a bit to get to the Delaware valley. I too tried the Weyerbacher sample pack a few months back.  I thought maybe the Hops infusion was skunky.  I went the Weyerbacher site and expressed my displeasure.  They got right back to me…explained that I just wasn’t accustomed to the taste of a strongly hopped beer.  To me it tasted very harsh and unpleasantly sour. Here are some of the beers that I have handy…as far as the Delaware Valley goes (NJ, PA & DE): Heavyweight Brewing – Unique, big & flavorful beers, Including a 14th century Gruit Ale Lancaster Brewing Company – an awesome Milkstout Stoudt’s Brewing Company- good Abbey Triple and Double Victory Brewing – Words cannot do their Prima Pils justice, get your hands on one of these! (Good site too http://www.victorybeer.com/beers.htm) MCD

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I recently purchased some of Weyerbacher’s beers. I figured since I didn’t know much about them I would purchase single bottles of what the store I was in had.  I got an Imperial Stout, Hops Infusion, Tripel, and an Autumnfest. I opened the Hops Infusion with it’s promise of 4X the hops of their IPA. My first thoght was, they should start putting some hops in the IPA if this is 4X that amount.  It was boring and kind of bland.  I tried the Imperial Stout. It had some astringency, and not much Imperial about it. I finished it because I fooled myself into thinking it was just a stout.  Then I tried the Tripel.  It had a nice sweetness to the finish, but some vegetal notes in the aroma that only got worse as the beer warmed, and about 1/2 way through the pint I found it to be excellent drain cleaner.  I haven’t brought myself to taste the Autumnfest, but I hope it is the diamond in the rough. I went to the website http://www.weyerbacher.com/, and they have won some awards.  I know we have some Pa folks here,  my question is, what great beers did I miss?  They certainly would not win any awards with the ones I have sampled thus far…. Cheers, Mike

Response:

"…my question is, what great beers did I miss?" Weyerbacher is "okay" as you have noticed.  They are not spectacular in my opinion.  I purchase their assortment packs from time to time.  The IPA isn’t too bad, and their ESB and Scotch Ale is pretty drinkable.  One thing I have noticed is the beers aren’t really up to "style."  But a few of them are interesting renditions none-the-less. (I haven’t tried the Blithering Idiot.  I have a couple of six packs laid up in the cellar for a few years down the road.)

Thanks.  I never really worry about a commercial brewery hitting homebrewing style guidelines, but the beers should be at least average.  Any idea what they got awards for?  Maybe the Idiot, or one of the ones you mentioned? Cheers, Mike

Response:

Snowcap is good, as is Broken Rake, which is my personal favorite. Joe O’Meara

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’d have to agree with the exception of Snowcap…that’s one I look forward to every year. ——Denny I think Pyramid is stunningly mediocre. San Francisco’s Magnolia brewpub used to at least have terrific food, even if it was inconsistent. Now the food is as bad as the beer. ben

Response:

I’d have to agree with the exception of Snowcap…that’s one I look forward to every year.         ——Denny – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I think Pyramid is stunningly mediocre. San Francisco’s Magnolia brewpub used to at least have terrific food, even if it was inconsistent. Now the food is as bad as the beer. ben

Response:

Can anyone else think of a microbrewery that turns out just plain bad beer? (Of course, I’m assuming Weyerbacher is a micro because I’ve never heard of ‘em…)

I think Pyramid is stunningly mediocre. San Francisco’s Magnolia brewpub used to at least have terrific food, even if it was inconsistent. Now the food is as bad as the beer. ben

Response:

Yep, I had that happen at a place in San Jose last year. I commented to the server that something was wrong with the stout. Something tasted seriously wrong; there was a heavy mold/must/mildew taste, almost as if the lines hadn’t been cleaned and there was something funky growing inside. The waitress said something like "oh, most people don’t like dark beers, you  just aren’t used to heavy beers" (I look up on the chalk board and it’s listed at 3.5%, heh, real heavy darling). I wanted to scream "you don’t understand, I love stouts, your’s tastes like shit!"

I have had several experiences with infected beers, unclean tap lines, and beers that were just awful.  In almost every case, the bar will take back the beer and bring you another, no charge.  I usually explain to them what is wrong and that I cannot drink this beer. The worst I ever had was at a local restaurant where I was trying to get a Pilsner Urquell.  They always have the freshest beer in town, but only carry about 4 taps.  This PU was rotten eggs all the way.  It was unbearable to smell, much less to taste.  A friend told me that the beer had been that way for a week.  I have never returned to the restaurant to this day after being told they kept an infected beer on tap for a week. My local pub carries about half-a-dozen local micros on tap, with the the other two dozen taps dedicated to other goodies from the US and the rest of the world. One time I overheard the owner speaking with a rep on why he would no longer carry a particular local microbrew’s stuff on tap. The owner — being very active in the local homebrewing and microbrewing community — had heard from other brewers that microbrewery ‘X’ would quite often experience serious off flavors, infections and other general nastiness in their batches. Instead of dumping the batch, they would keep it and blend it with another batch to minimize the nastiness. I don’t know if it’s true or simply catty/bitchy gossip among brewers.

In one way I doubt it, in another I don’t.  The bottom line is you have to make money, or you go out of business.  5-20bbl down the drain is a lot of cash… Cheers, Mike

Response:

That is a ridiculous response.  I tasted the beer, it was boring, astringent, and not very well done.  It lacked hop flavor, and aroma.  It had bitterness, but it wasn’t well done.

I think a lot of people are just ignorant about what a quality micro-brewed beer can and should taste like. Our brew pub turns out beers that range from average to undrinkable. When a visiting friend and I tried their seasonal beer, a pumpkin ale, we commented to the server that we thought there was something wrong with the beer (I mean, we were thinking infection, this stuff was so gross). Her only comment was, "Yeah, some people really like it and some people don’t". In other words, YOU have the problem not the beer. And I’ll bet a lot of people buy into that. Oh, OK, I guess I just don’t know what good beer tastes like. Bullcrap! Brian

Response:

are awesome. Also, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure….

Or in the words of The Grinch: "One man’s toxic waste is another man’s pot pourri!" :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Dog event enthusiast, brewer of Belgian (style) Ales.  Happiness is having your contented dog at your side and a Belgian Ale in your glass.

Response:

Wow, this joint sounds pretty bad… You know, most of us are conditioned to knee jerk and assume macrobrew is bad and mini/pico/microbrew is always quality, handcrafted beer. Can anyone else think of a microbrewery that turns out just plain bad beer? (Of course, I’m assuming Weyerbacher is a micro because I’ve never heard of ‘em…)

I’m not going to go so far as to say all their beer isn’t good, just the four I’ve tried aren’t very good at all.  I understand they make 15 beers, there could be a gem in there somewhere. I have also been to breweries where one beer is pure crap, and the rest are awesome. Also, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure…. Now, things also can change over time.  When I went to Key West a couple of years ago, the beers at Kelly’s were awful.  They have a new brewer now, he posts here occasionally, and I understand it is worth the visit, so that is on my to do list… Cheers, Mike

Response:

You visited Central PA right?  You needed to head east a bit to get to the Delaware valley.

I wouldn’t call it a visit, I called it work…;) I too tried the Weyerbacher sample pack a few months back.  I thought maybe the Hops infusion was skunky.  I went the Weyerbacher site and expressed my displeasure.  They got right back to me…explained that I just wasn’t accustomed to the taste of a strongly hopped beer.  To me it tasted very harsh and unpleasantly sour.

That is a ridiculous response.  I tasted the beer, it was boring, astringent, and not very well done.  It lacked hop flavor, and aroma.  It had bitterness, but it wasn’t well done. I made their Autumnfest DC (drain cleaner) as well last night.  It didn’t even warrant me taking my time to sit back and drink it.  I tasted and smelled it on the way to the couch, and returned to the sink for the last rites…. Cheers, Mike

Response:

"Any idea what they got awards for?  Maybe the Idiot, or one of the ones you mentioned?" I really haven’t heard, but you know, there’s tons of regional "awards" all over the place that don’t mean squat.  Sort of like the People’s Choice Awards, or the Essence Awards…

Very true…. …Or the Country Music Association Awards. (I’m kidding…I saw on your website you’re a fan of George Strait)

You did real deep.  That was my experiment for learning to make a website using HTML programming.  Now you can do what used to take hours in a couple of minutes.  I actually have many, many musical favorites. Country just happens to be one of them. Cheers, Mike

Response:

I left out I also have a Blithering Idiot Barleywine from them as well…. Cheers, Mike

Response:

"…my question is, what great beers did I miss?" Weyerbacher is "okay" as you have noticed.  They are not spectacular in my opinion.  I purchase their assortment packs from time to time.  The IPA isn’t too bad, and their ESB and Scotch Ale is pretty drinkable.  One thing I have noticed is the beers aren’t really up to "style."  But a few of them are interesting renditions none-the-less. (I haven’t tried the Blithering Idiot.  I have a couple of six packs laid up in the cellar for a few years down the road.)

Response:

I recently purchased some of Weyerbacher’s beers. I figured since I didn’t know much about them I would purchase single bottles of what the store I was in had.  I got an Imperial Stout, Hops Infusion, Tripel, and an Autumnfest. I opened the Hops Infusion with it’s promise of 4X the hops of their IPA. My first thoght was, they should start putting some hops in the IPA if this is 4X that amount.  It was boring and kind of bland.  I tried the Imperial Stout. It had some astringency, and not much Imperial about it. I finished it because I fooled myself into thinking it was just a stout.  Then I tried the Tripel.  It had a nice sweetness to the finish, but some vegetal notes in the aroma that only got worse as the beer warmed, and about 1/2 way through the pint I found it to be excellent drain cleaner.  I haven’t brought myself to taste the Autumnfest, but I hope it is the diamond in the rough. I went to the website http://www.weyerbacher.com/, and they have won some awards.  I know we have some Pa folks here,  my question is, what great beers did I miss?  They certainly would not win any awards with the ones I have sampled thus far…. Cheers, Mike

Response: