Maybe the hype gets to you early and gets your hopes up way too high. Maybe the beer's just not your style or taste. But I think we've all been underwhelmed by a beer that was supposed to be "amazing" by critics and BA's alike.... So what were some of your underwhelming moments? I think for me, one of the biggest was Stone's Imperial Russian Stout. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great beer. But many people were putting this in their top 3 RIS's (and even top 3 stouts in general) and so possibly my expectations were a bit too high. It was almost a touch too sweet for me, with the raisin-fig taste being a bit too overpowering. As I said, still a great brew, but there are many RIS's I take over this one.
A lot of the vaunted West Coast IPAs like Green Flash, Stone etc don't impress me because I prefer a citrusy IPA with a little balance, like Two Hearted and White Rajah. But I can understand why a lot of people like the aforementioned beers.
Ten Fidy. It was pricey and gets excellent reviews here, but I was underwhelmed. For about the same price (actually, a bit less per oz.), I much preferred Bell's Expedition Stout. I enjoyed that bitter chocolate/licorice taste in the expo stout. I prefer Old Rasputin, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, and Victory Storm King over Ten Fidy...and all of these cost significantly less. I think with all of these that I liked, I could actually identify some "taste" (or combo. of tastes)...chocolate, coffee, etc. I really couldn't figure out what Ten Fidy was trying to go for...except $15 a 4-pack.
Blabaer Don't get me wrong, it's very good but there are at least 5 other Cantillon beers I'd rather drink.
Hunahpu. It was pretty good, but not any different from Marshall Zukhov, which is much easier to find. I had a 2012 fresh, got no flavor from the chilies, and wasn't nearly as mind-blowing as expected.
Most recently, I'll have to go with Bells Expedition Stout. I honestly never thought I would drainpour a beer from Bells, but there I was. I am told with some years on it that it transforms into a different animal, can't wait to see.
Yea I thought ten fidy was below average RIS, its still good but almost all other american examples I've had are better. Ipswich oatmeal stout 6pck for 8$ or Ten Fidy 4pack for 15$ hmmmmm.
KBS, Pliny, BCBS. All solid brews, but I just can't understand the crazy cult following of these beers.
Wow, I can't believe I'm reading this. Someone that actually agrees with me. I've been saying this for years now, Ten Fidy is overrated and overpriced. I also agree that all of the stouts you listed are heads and shoulders better than TF and I'd drink any/all of them any day before TF.
I share your preference for citrus flavor but White Rajah underwhelmed me, considering its BA score, because I didn't find it balanced at all. To be fair, Brew Kettle promotes it as a West Coast-style IPA and includes on the label description "malt, take a back seat please." So they aren't promising balance. Not criticizing your post--just sharing a much different take on the beer.
where to start................... Dark Lord, Bourbon County Vanilla, Bourbon Country Coffee, CBS, Alpha King, Expedition Stout, and BA blackout. Most of the Midwest stuff I have had has just been very average for the hype it has gotten.
Hanzo. What specifically didn't you like about the fresh Expedition? I think it's a great beer, maybe sometimes a little hot when fresh, but still a really good beer. I would say if you don't like it fresh, you probably won't like it with age on it. So only one thing to do here, send it all to me.
I'm sure to be in the minority but I was not at all impressed by Pliny the Elder. It was really good, perhaps even among the best... as an IPA. But it just didn't have the body or "oomph" I look for in an imperial/ double IPA.
Have to agree with the Rare, CBS, and Blabaer. All solid, but 09 BCBS, KBS, or St Lamvinus all more easily obtainable substitutes.
Not sure how to describe it, the smell, taste, just was off to me. I am told brewers licorice is used in the beer (assuming that is what makes the unique flavor?) That plus the bitterness just didn't do it for me.
Hanzo, I didnt like Expedition either for a long time. I recently bought a 6-pack and am enjoying it much more than I did in the past. It certainly needs to warm up a lot before I agree with it, too. I think I'll let a couple sit for a few years to see what that is all about, too. I dont mind the heat on it now, though.
Dark Lord for me, too. Though that might have been because I was at a tasting where we also sampled Kate the Great and Chocolate Rain.
Frangelic Mountain Brown, fail. Founder's dropped the ball big time on that one. Pliny, no clue why this beer is so hyped. I found it completely boring as hell. And I agree with most anything from Stone. It's either overhopped or just bitter as hell.
Heady topper. I don't know what I was expecting but it was so hyped I figured I was going to blow a load when it hit The lips... I think zombie dust and alpha king are way better.
Dark Lord by far. It tasted like someone emptied sugar packets into a bottle of soy sauce. Absolutely terrible. I should have kept the 3 KBS I traded for it.
I'm still new to this so I don't have a ton of options, but Great Lakes Nosferatu has a pretty high score on here and I didn't care for it at all. Drain poured about half.
Brooklyn chocolate stout. It gets better after a year but even then it's not that great. I already know a bunch of people will disagree. It just doesn't hide the alcohol worth a shit for something that's only in the 10ish abv range.
