samer/thoughts

Before we got started, Sam Caglione showed a video debunking some of MADD's idiotic attacks on beer (why do you hate America, Sam?). Hysterical and I hope to find a copy for online use.

So, the trash talking has begun...

"We sold the house out so they can drink our beer," from Vinnie Cilurzio of Russian River

The beers are great so far.

Oggi's Hop Juice is getting an 8/10 from me, for a big hoppy nose and taste. The Nodding Head BPA gets a 7, as it is not as hoppy. The Russian River Pliney the Elder, the first Double IPA ever brewed, only gets a 7 from me, cause it is so undrinkably hoppy.

Dogfish get an 8 for their wonderful 60 Minute IPA and Stoudt's gets an 8 for the amazingly tasty Fat Dog Stout. Pizza Port's very hoppy Lou P Lin gets a 7. Bill Madden's excellent Slobberknocker (9.2%) from 2002 has really mellowed out and is more malty than hoppy, though you can certainly feel the hops in there.

Okay, this tasting is kicking my ass. I don't know why, as I've been to bigger beer tastings before.

The west coast brewers got together and blended some of their brews for the Chateau. It is a blend of the Pliney the Younger, the Hop 15 and the Hop Juice. It's nice, but it just does not cut it at 7 out of 10.

Stoudt's comes in with the best beer so far: the Fat Dog Stout. I love this 9% beer and it gets an 8.5 on my scale. The Russian River Pliney the Younger clocks in at 8, and the Founder's Big Al Imperial IPA gets a 9. That's right, it beats the Stout.