Got Beer?

We finally stopped over at Luce Line Brewing in Plymouth. It was pretty packed at 4pm on Saturday so we just picked up a couple crowlers instead of hanging out. I tried their “pastry stout” and thought it was a pretty good beer for a new brewery. It’s really more of a milk stout in my opinion and doesn’t have the sweetness you’d expect from a true pastry stout. I also bought their regular stout to try for another day.

Today I had to go out and about and popped into a liquor store I haven’t been to in quite awhile. I was pretty surprised to find all the Darkness variants there so I picked up the Vanilla and Mole ones since I never really looked for them when they came out.

The Darkness variants are rather easy to find. The mole and Viet coffee are awesome. Disappointed in the vanilla.

They’ve never been anywhere I’ve looked but as with many other things over the past 12-18 months I haven’t really gone to search them out.

I know for a fact that a few people here love the beer I’m about to mention…it’s out on shelves now. They are actually canning it in 4pks (16oz, about $14):

Arctic Panzer Wolf by 3 Floyds. IIRC it’s 10% (Imperial IPA).

I could drink that beer all day long. I remember when some of the crew here brought back cases of bombers of that, from the MN @ ND trips….

Did I miss Rum King this year? Or is it still floating around out there?

I don’t think they’ve made it for a couple years

I at least know for sure they released Whiskey Queen this year.

I at least know for sure they released Whiskey Queen this year.

And it was phenomenal.

It’s still my 3rd favorite of thei BA stouts after the Initial Beer and Rum King. That said it is excellent

Not beer related but long island teas came up in a different thread. Those take me back to my college days (late 80’s). There was a bar called Bird’s that used to be where Sally’s is in Stadium Village. They had 2 for 1 long island teas on Mondays & Wednesdays.

Are long island teas still a thing? I honestly have heard much about them since college.

Best Long Island I’ve had was from the old champps in Fridley. We’d walk there from my apartment after getting home from a hockey game. And then stumble home.

Worst Long Islands were the pitchers from grandmas in Duluth. Some bad hangovers after a night of those or the rainbow of kamikaze pitchers.

The ones at the DT are a step up but like the Red Shed not super strong so I usually just end up full or sugared out before I get drunk.

Would anyone recommend the following for approximately $90:

-Jura 12

-Tamnavulin

-Shackleton

70 cl each. I’ve only had the Jura which I did enjoy quite a bit, but I know noting of the other two. I realize there are many ways one can go with single malts, but if anyone said the latter 2 are a “hard pass” regardless of your preferences I’d be happy to ignore this deal.

Would anyone recommend the following for approximately $90:

-Jura 12

-Tamnavulin

-Shackleton

70 cl each. I’ve only had the Jura which I did enjoy quite a bit, but I know noting of the other two. I realize there are many ways one can go with single malts, but if anyone said the latter 2 are a “hard pass” regardless of your preferences I’d be happy to ignore this deal.

I don’t know that I’d recommend any of those at that price. What I don’t know is what kind of conversion to put in for location. In the Twin Cities, I can get Shackleton for around $35. Shackleton is a Blended Malt, as well, but from what I understand it’s really well done.

I haven’t had specifically the Jura 12, but talking with other Scotch lovers, Jura has become quite the disappointment to many of them over the past 5 years or so.

For the Tamnavulin, which version? I’m seeing both the Double Cask and Sherry versions for around 33 GBP online from the UK

It’s $90 mind you for all 3 bottles, but it has been some time since I had Jura. The Tamnavulin is the Double Cask.

Another deal at this site is (2) 750 bottles of Buffalo Trace for $59 which I will buy regardless.

There is also the Dalmore 12 Year Old 700ml for $74, Lagavulin 12 Year Old – Limited Cask Strength 70cl for $169 and The Dubliner 10 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey 700ml for $37.

Would anyone recommend the following for approximately $90:

-Jura 12

-Tamnavulin

-Shackleton

70 cl each. I’ve only had the Jura which I did enjoy quite a bit, but I know noting of the other two. I realize there are many ways one can go with single malts, but if anyone said the latter 2 are a “hard pass” regardless of your preferences I’d be happy to ignore this deal.

I don’t know that I’d recommend any of those at that price. What I don’t know is what kind of conversion to put in for location. In the Twin Cities, I can get Shackleton for around $35. Shackleton is a Blended Malt, as well, but from what I understand it’s really well done.

I haven’t had specifically the Jura 12, but talking with other Scotch lovers, Jura has become quite the disappointment to many of them over the past 5 years or so.

For the Tamnavulin, which version? I’m seeing both the Double Cask and Sherry versions for around 33 GBP online from the UK

It’s $90 mind you for all 3 bottles, but it has been some time since I had Jura. The Tamnavulin is the Double Cask.

Another deal at this site is (2) 750 bottles of Buffalo Trace for $59 which I will buy regardless.

There is also the Dalmore 12 Year Old 700ml for $74, Lagavulin 12 Year Old – Limited Cask Strength 70cl for $169 and The Dubliner 10 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey 700ml for $37.

Ohhhhh… 90 for the trio? In that case, definitely go for it. Jura 12 being disappointing doesn’t mean it won’t be worth $30.

The Dalmore 12 is on my “don’t bother list” especially at that kind of price. It has serious potential to be good, but between the 40% ABV and heavy chill filtering, it’s just really disappointing, thin, no real finish, and overall just not worth it.

2 750s of Buffalo Trace for 60 is ever so slightly too high of a price, but not really too bad, especially with how hard it can be to find at all

Dubliner 10 year at $37 is a really good price.

The Lagavulin 12 year releases can be fantastic, but 170 is pushing it for me. I’ve got the 2017, and it’s absolutely amazing, but not sure I’d pay more than 130-140 or so for it. (and that’s with some adjustments for how Scotch prices have gone up quite a bit over the past couple years)

I’m going to pull the trigger for the BT twofer (it is also difficult to find her in general unless I’m in Manila which hasn’t happened since Covid), the 3-pack and the Dubliner. If nothing else it gives me different options to share on the few times we do have people over.

Thanks to you and dave for the input.

Glad to help. I’ve certainly seen BT quite a more expensive than that, and with as hard as it can be to find in a lot of places, and being only a few dollars more per bottle than it really should be (and that’s at retail in the US) I certainly won’t try to say it’s a truly bad price. And the rest are just good values for what the bottles are, so, I think overall, you win this round.

Given how hard it is to find Buffalo Trace right now I’d definitely jump on it too

Ain’t that hard. I’ve never NOT found it.

Have you looked for it lately? It’s harder than you think right now.

Given how hard it is to find Buffalo Trace right now I’d definitely jump on it too

Ain’t that hard. I’ve never NOT found it.

Have you looked for it lately? It’s harder than you think right now.

I’ve seen the same “can’t find it” thing for about a year now. I’m sure some places can’t get it, or the places I go to it’s not the newest batch/etc, but I’ve never had an issue finding it.

The availability locally has started improving the past few months, but it’s still frequently tricky to track down.

Back Channel released King Of The Wring today, a coffee stout. Had to mule a couple bottles to a friend, since he was working all day at Shorewood Liquor. When I dropped them off, he asked if I wanted to raid their cellar. Um, sure! Picked up a Surly SeVIIn and 2015 Rum King. I think they were about $25/each (I bought a bunch of other stuff, too). Can’t wait to crack those bottles, though!

Had the SeVIIn last night, it held strong. So smooth. Just cracked the Rum King, and it’s drinking very well, but IMO will fall off hard in a year or so. You can tell it’s on the downturn.

I know it just opened yesterday, but does anyone have any input on High Pines Brewing?

Here’s a write-up from the Beer Dabbler

Most new breweries have inconsistent beer or it ranges from ‘just OK’ to ‘average’. If I go to a new place that recently opened that’s just why I walk in expecting and presume they’ll get better once they’ve been open for 6 months or so.

Some (like Barrel Theory) open up and will just blow you away with how good they are on day 1 but it’s pretty rare. Falling Knife was also very good at opening and I thought Headflyer was also better than I expected when we visited shortly after opening.

We haven’t been to many brand new breweries because of the pandemic. I think Luce Line is the only new one we’ve been to of late and they fit the ‘average’ category when we visited 2 weeks after open

Drinking a Sam Adams Wicked Hazy. For a $14 12pack, it’s pretty good. It is not up to Local 755 (best local NEIPA in my opinion), but that’s a $14 4 pack also. It also isn’t as filling either though, which is preferable sometimes.

It might not be a mainstay, but I’ll be picking it up again if it stays around this price.

Drinking a Sam Adams Wicked Hazy. For a $14 12pack, it’s pretty good. It is not up to Local 755 (best local NEIPA in my opinion), but that’s a $14 4 pack also. It also isn’t as filling either though, which is preferable sometimes.

It might not be a mainstay, but I’ll be picking it up again if it stays around this price.

I was just thinking that the $8 I paid for a six pack of this years Snowstorm is a pretty good deal for how tasty the beer is.

Picked up a Portage Brewing Woods Of Winter bomber tonight. BA Scotch Ale w/Madagascar Vanilla Beans. Dunno when I’ll crack it, but the mgr of the store and I agreed, that is a little out there/different. There are BA Scotch Ales, but not too many make ’em right now.

Picked up a Portage Brewing Woods Of Winter bomber tonight. BA Scotch Ale w/Madagascar Vanilla Beans. Dunno when I’ll crack it, but the mgr of the store and I agreed, that is a little out there/different. There are BA Scotch Ales, but not too many make ’em right now.

On the bright side, I haven’t been able to get to my stores this week and should still be able to find one.

You should be able to. I just picked mine up this week at Vinifera (101/6). Nice little honey hole that I’ve mentioned before, I’m sure.

Also heard that the Hy Vee in Maple Grove still has tons of the Surly Darkness variants. They are (I quote) “back in the cooler with the cheap beer.” I have never been there, but I can picture what the guy was talking about.

Hy-Vee is a good place to look for stuff that sells quickly everywhere else. I used to stop at the BP one on the way home from work often. The one in New Hope doesn’t yield as much luck but it’s still good at times.

I opened my last 2016/2017 BA Darkness last night. It still tasted amazing

Can’t remember if I was actually drinking the 2019 Stagg that night, but it is (for Stagg) a slightly disappointing batch. It’s still a really good bourbon, but they’ve set the bar so high for that particular offering, that occasionally, you’re going to get something that isn’t up to what you really expect.

Can’t remember if I was actually drinking the 2019 Stagg that night, but it is (for Stagg) a slightly disappointing batch. It’s still a really good bourbon, but they’ve set the bar so high for that particular offering, that occasionally, you’re going to get something that isn’t up to what you really expect.

Yep. That extra proof sometimes brings a certain flavor that is missing from a lower proof, even when you get that high of a number. As soon as I tasted it, I figured it to be in the 120 range, not the 140 range. Still very tasty, and reasonable at $25/pour.

One day I’m just going to buy myself 1-2 very high end bottles of Scotch and Bourbon…but I promised my wife that I wouldn’t until we got rid of all the booze we’ve accumulated over our 15 years of marriage. That means I probably have about 8-10 bottles I need to empty.

My dad had a bottle of Lupulin’s BA Dopplebock and opened it when we stopped up today. You wouldn’t have to know that it’s Rye Whiskey barrel aged because it hits you in the face as soon as you smell it. Although it’s boozy it goes down pretty easy for a 12% abv beer.

After dropping the kids off and going to dinner at Parlour we stopped at Indeed to try their new Wooden Soul beer called Candy Flip (Raspberry, Strawberry, and Passionfruit sour). It’s an interesting combination of flavors and pretty drinkable…it just reminded me that I prefer my sour beers when the weather is a little warmer.

I drove down to Forager a few weeks ago and one of the beers I picked up is a Chocolate Cherry stout called Billie Delish. It’s a total cherry bomb and ridiculously smooth for a 13% abv beer. I loved it it but I also love Cherry as an adjunct in my beers

Had one of their ‘push pop’ sours not long ago and that tasted like a funky slushee. Looking forward to trying the others I picked up

I went home to Iowa over the weekend to my hometown of Iowa Falls and had the chance to go to the new brewery that opened up there last year called Timbukbru. The original Timbukbru is located in Clarion, Iowa so this is a second location. I don’t know much about the history of the Clarion location other than it has been there for a couple of years I believe. Anyway, I only had a couple of beers there. One was a Mexican Hot Chocolate Milk Stout, solid stout with a zing up front. I didn’t take the time to ask what the zing was but it wasn’t overly hot or long lasting. I would have been really interested in trying this without the zing. The second one I drank was a Hazelnut Brown Ale, it was okay but not enough flavor compared to other Nut Brown Ales I’ve had elsewhere.

The brewery itself was a nice place though, much nicer than either place here in Mankato. They have a really nice patio layout that is just outside there two rollup glass garage doors. It’s too bad that the scenery is City Hall across the street.

If/when I decide to visit the homeland, because I really don’t have any reason to, this will probably be a nice place to stop in when I’m there.

Seemed like a good night to crack a bottle of Soviet Slayer from Back Channel. This is an American Imperial Stout and the first time I’ve tried it. It’s so smooth and good, but glad I started it at 6:00 so I have time to enjoy it before bed

That is a really good beer. Enjoy! 🍺

I saw Back Channel had 4 IPAs on tap. So I thought I’d swing by and grab a crowler or two. The place was packed, a limo parked out front, standing room only I side and a line out the door, so that was a little surprising. After waiting in line the guy helping me says “No IPA crowlers, if you aren’t here on Wednesday afternoon, you’re not getting one” so still the same as before, I said I’d try another time and then he makes a comment about keeping beer to serve to those who support us in the taproom…. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize driving 25 minutes each way and buying crowlers wasn’t supporting the brewery. I’m going to cross them off my list of places to go. Completely irritated by that comment.

Why can Back Channel not keep up with crowlers? Is it just a choice to do a limited amount? Is it capacity? Constant lineup changes? Barrel Theory, Blackstack, both arguably more popular than Back Channel, regularly have crowlers when I’ve stopped by. Blackstack even updates their website so I know what is available ahead of time, can purchase online and pickup curbside. I also have no idea what you’re releasing ahead of time to know if I should stop on a particular Wednesday.

If you sell out of something every Wednesday, and have plenty of other crowler types sitting on shelves for longer, don’t you think you’d shift some production to the things that are selling out (IPAs), I get you dont want to be a one trick place, and I also don’t run a business either. I’ll just got to the places who don’t make comments about who I chose to drink their product.

Sorry for venting. 3 week old is giving me zero sleep, got clearance to go get some to-go beer from the wife and my trip was a total bust.

I saw Back Channel had 4 IPAs on tap. So I thought I’d swing by and grab a crowler or two. The place was packed, a limo parked out front, standing room only I side and a line out the door, so that was a little surprising. After waiting in line the guy helping me says “No IPA crowlers, if you aren’t here on Wednesday afternoon, you’re not getting one” so still the same as before, I said I’d try another time and then he makes a comment about keeping beer to serve to those who support us in the taproom…. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize driving 25 minutes each way and buying crowlers wasn’t supporting the brewery. I’m going to cross them off my list of places to go. Completely irritated by that comment.

Why can Back Channel not keep up with crowlers? Is it just a choice to do a limited amount? Is it capacity? Constant lineup changes? Barrel Theory, Blackstack, both arguably more popular than Back Channel, regularly have crowlers when I’ve stopped by. Blackstack even updates their website so I know what is available ahead of time, can purchase online and pickup curbside. I also have no idea what you’re releasing ahead of time to know if I should stop on a particular Wednesday.

If you sell out of something every Wednesday, and have plenty of other crowler types sitting on shelves for longer, don’t you think you’d shift some production to the things that are selling out (IPAs), I get you dont want to be a one trick place, and I also don’t run a business either. I’ll just got to the places who don’t make comments about who I chose to drink their product.

Sorry for venting. 3 week old is giving me zero sleep, got clearance to go get some to-go beer from the wife and my trip was a total bust.

I’d send them a note privately on social media about your experience. I’m sure they don’t want to be treating their customers that way so they may just want to know.

Admittedly I never go there for IPA (nor anywhere for that matter) but I’ve had luck getting beer to go on weekends. It’s just too bad you continue to have those experiences with them.

BC is doing about 2000 crowlers a week, last I heard. The demand is that high. He is correct that IF crowlers last until Fri or Sat, you got lucky. Their space is also not very big. Now, they have acquired an offsite space, where they are expanding their barreled/aging beers, so that might allow for more production of crowlers in the main space in the future, I don’t know.

And you can pre-order BC crowlers online, I’ve done so before.

There just aren’t that many breweries out west whose beer is truly great. If I went through my Top Ten in the state they’re the only ones west Of Hwy 100 on that list for me.

I saw Back Channel had 4 IPAs on tap. So I thought I’d swing by and grab a crowler or two. The place was packed, a limo parked out front, standing room only I side and a line out the door, so that was a little surprising. After waiting in line the guy helping me says “No IPA crowlers, if you aren’t here on Wednesday afternoon, you’re not getting one” so still the same as before, I said I’d try another time and then he makes a comment about keeping beer to serve to those who support us in the taproom…. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize driving 25 minutes each way and buying crowlers wasn’t supporting the brewery. I’m going to cross them off my list of places to go. Completely irritated by that comment.

Why can Back Channel not keep up with crowlers? Is it just a choice to do a limited amount? Is it capacity? Constant lineup changes? Barrel Theory, Blackstack, both arguably more popular than Back Channel, regularly have crowlers when I’ve stopped by. Blackstack even updates their website so I know what is available ahead of time, can purchase online and pickup curbside. I also have no idea what you’re releasing ahead of time to know if I should stop on a particular Wednesday.

If you sell out of something every Wednesday, and have plenty of other crowler types sitting on shelves for longer, don’t you think you’d shift some production to the things that are selling out (IPAs), I get you dont want to be a one trick place, and I also don’t run a business either. I’ll just got to the places who don’t make comments about who I chose to drink their product.

Sorry for venting. 3 week old is giving me zero sleep, got clearance to go get some to-go beer from the wife and my trip was a total bust.

I really like the beers from Back Channel but have had a couple of issues with their customer service that were a bit off putting.

A couple friends and I pooled some funds together, and put a bid in on a Bottle Logic 12 bottle (bomber) package, auction style. We figured out our max, etc. Right now, we have the only bid at $300. The dude is basically clearing a LOT out of his cellar. Just put up a couple more similar auctions tonight.

Won it. Now comes the waiting game, if the guy goes through with it. Won with original bid.

Out of the 12 bottle “draft” my buddies and I had on the Bottle Logic lot we won, this is what I ended up with. All bottles were BA. I missed out on Imperial Red and Imperial Raspberry, but that was expected. I “drafted” first choice of a bottle, then we went down the line until all bottles gone.

2017 BA Vanilla Imp Stout (standard recipe, and absolutely delicious, I cracked that one tonight)

2017 BA Breakfast Stout (Our legendary Breakfast Stout returns this year with two epic power-ups: Vermont maple syrup was added right into the brew for a beam of subtle sweetness against the earthy bitterness of barrel-aged Coldbot Coffee beans! As in 2016’s batch, this viscous 13.4% beast was aged in bourbon barrels with just a handful of Madagascar vanilla beans and will be finished on cacao nibs and Coldbot Coffee’s Salvadorian + Guatemalan coffee beans.)

2017 BA Honey Strong Ale w/marionberries (curious about this one, will be fun to try)

2018 BA Strong Ale (Something To Smile About) (This American Strong Ale was aged in Bourbon Barrels before journeying through hundreds of pounds of toasted almonds, rich cacao nibs, and marshmallowy Madagascar vanilla.)

Had another of the ‘push pop’ sours I got from Forager tonight. This one is called Road Rally and is Blueberry, Plum, Marshmellow Creme and Vanilla Caviar

This is hands down one of the best sour beers I’ve ever had. It drinks like a smoothie but there’s just a ton of fruit flavor in it and an almost perfect level of tartness.

So…..they’ve stopped exploding? I have seen some rather bad aftermath pics, even when properly stored….

Maybe they (and others) have fixed the issue, which is a VERY good thing. One comment on the pics (and agreed with), after a cherry or raspberry push pop exploded: This looks like a damn murder scene.

And that poster wasn’t kidding. Red stains EVERYWHERE. Ceiling fan, floor, shirt, cupboard, tile..it was a massacre.

I think Cowgirl would like the Empress Series at Back Channel, but that is definitely a hike….

I think Cowgirl would like the Empress Series at Back Channel, but that is definitely a hike….

Maybe you should pick some up and let me know next time you’re at Ansaris and I’ll trade you for some cash.

I’m almost tempted to drive down to Rochester to get that push pop one.

I can try this weekend to pick some up. It’s tough to get crowlers on weekends, if you’ve read back on the thread. :wink:

I think Cowgirl would like the Empress Series at Back Channel, but that is definitely a hike….

Maybe you should pick some up and let me know next time you’re at Ansaris and I’ll trade you for some cash.

I’m almost tempted to drive down to Rochester to get that push pop one.

I can try this weekend to pick some up. It’s tough to get crowlers on weekends, if you’ve read back on the thread. :wink:

You’re a superfan though, if anyone can do it…it’s you. :mrgreen:

Not even me. Member or not, once those crowlers are gone, they are gone. And they move quick.