Is Knee Deep trying to become the Alpine of NorCal?

I've only had Simtra, but it seems like most of their beers are some type of IPA variation. I know Alpine brews other styles, but let's face it, they are known for IPAs.

I feel like there should be an "unsuccessfully" in the thread title.

Knee Deep is nothing like Alpine because Alpine brews their own beer. And it's good.

I've seen a lot more Knee Deep in San Diego liquor stores than Alpine. San Diego.

So no, they aren't trying hard enough.

Does Knee Deep brew a half dozen IPAs of varying spectacularness? Is it nearly impossible to find their beers on the shelf if you live more than 90 minutes from their brewery? Can their record with barrel-aged bottled beers be charitably referred to as "spotty"? Are they dismissive if not openly antagonistic to people from Los Angeles? If all these things are true, then yes, they are trying to become the next Alpine.

There are tons of bottles of Simtra sitting on shelves in stores near Sac because it costs $10/bottle, but it costs them $3 to make. There is a reason Pliny sells out...it's a superior product at a much better price-point...try almost half the cost. Every Knee Deep brew also gives me a splitting headache after I drink it (somebody, tell me what causes this pls). Pretty good tasting, but not really worth it.

Doubt it's that specific. They're brewing a half dozen IPAs because that's what moves in California.

If anything, I'd accuse Highwater of trying to be the Alpine of NorCal. I don't think that's the case for either of those brewers, though.

It seems that Knee Deep is growing a lot faster than Alpine. Which one is more successful?

Probably residual sugars left over after fermentation.

Pricing is my main problem with them. I really like Hoptologist and the Citra Pale, but I can get beer that is just as good or better for cheaper than $7. And don't get me started on Hop Shortage.

Uh....does candy give the post headaches? Sugar is sugar, so unless you're sensitive to maltose, it's probably not the culpret. Fermentation temps might produce a type of ethonal that you're more sensitive to. I don't recall their beers having fusel alcohols (hot, whiskey like, burns the throat).

i think Simtra is a pretty good IPA priced at $10 does deter me from buying on a regular basis but still will indulge here and there Although to compare to Alpine I would much rather have Duet or Nelson and they are at a better pricing point, but they lack the availalbility. Simtra is pretty much regularly availalbe fresh and accessable. I dont even thing there is a similarity between the Knee Deep IPA's and ALpine IPA's if given a choice
HANDS DOWN ALPINE everyday everyway

Prices do suck. Reminds me of Manzanita. Mediocre home brew quality - $8 a bomber. What are these people smoking?

Knee Deep started as a contract brewery, but they now brew their own in a plant in Lincoln.

But year, there quality is ... inconsistent.

I really liked Simtra (although at that price point, I'm reluctant to buy it again). But Hoptologist was really vile, IMO, just terrible oxidated hop flavors and much too much crystal malt. Hop Shortage was also bad enough that I was wondering if I got a stale bottle.

I prefer Hop Shortage over Simtra. Simtra is still good. But at ten bones for a bomber is ridiculous. Same with Hop Shortage. Ten is too much. I'd rather drive down to Alpine and buy better IPA/DIPA's. Even paying for gas round trip. But I will purchase a Hop Shortage once every couple of months. No doubt! Only good thing about Simtra/Hop Shortage is that it's available year round.

Really tasty IPA's, but at the price, they're one and done's for me.
And no, not as good as Alpine.

Trying? Maybe... Succeeding? Not really.

I have had some pretty good beers from Knee Deep, and some average at best beers from them too. So they have a ways to go. And like others have mentioned here, I don't buy their beers all that much because I can get better beers from brewers like Lagunitas for significantly less.

I have only tried half of the Knee Deep offerings because they are just too damn unnecessarily expensive. The beers are good, but they didn't have a bottling date that was easy to understand. Now they have bottling dates, but have prices for bombers that are priced higher than most six packs.

I live in Sac, and Knee Deep is a "local" to me. I find myself drinking a case of Alpine beers every few months. I have buddies who pick it up for me, and it's around $6 a bottle. That's almost half the price of a few Knee Deep offerings.

Dammit Knee Deep, lower your prices. I really want to be able to get more of your stuff. Until then, it's Lagunitas, Sierra Nevada, and the occasional Alpine boxes for me.

That depends on what you mean by successful.

Wow, I had no idea. I thought they were still contract brewing.

Then what the hell is their excuse for their price point? That alone keeps me away from their beer.

Yeah, a handful of their beers are good, but not that good. Better off sticking with Lagunitas for 1/3 to 1/2 the price.

"Success" aside, Knee Deep is nowhere near Alpine-level in terms of quality. Alpine exists on God-tier.

Drake's actually has a chance to be the Alpine of the north. But it would require them to stop making their regular IPA, Denogganizer, and Drakonic, make Aroma Coma and Prieta year-round, and relocate into the mountains.

i haven't had anything from drake's that i would characterize above "pretty good," and most of their beers are quite a bit behind that.

alpine is in a separate class entirely, and i'm not just saying that as a homer.

Have you had Coma or Prieta? They're the only single IPAs I would contemplate putting up against Duet or Nelson.

Kern is Alpine v2. Boneyard is Alpine v3.

That's a good comparison.
Also, 1500 > Alpine Ale
Hopocalypse IMO is better than Pure, but that one can definitely go either way depending on the person.

yeah, those are the "pretty good" i was referring to. i don't think they're comparable to nelson or duet.

I don't think they are *yet*. I think they have the potential to be. I think they're right on the money in their use of hops on their more modern beers (Hopacalypse among them), but there's something they need to figure out with either the malt, yeast, or (impossible) water to hit the mark of excellence Alpine can hit in their best batches. I'm not saying they're there. I just think they have the most potential to scratch that itch for me when I don't have access to Alpine.

Societe can scratch the Alpine itch for excellent IPAs.

Knee Deep is one of those breweries whose apparent popularity mystifies me. I have been thoroughly underwhelmed by everything I've had by them, and it's expensive so I stopped bothering.

Knee Deep is the next Gordon Birsh, or something.

Speaking of Drake's, anybody know if they've gotten their bottle dating machine on-line yet?

Are Alpine's infected barrel aged beers on God-tier too?

Classic Alpine hater post. Would read again.

But for real though, this thread is about hoppy beers.

Is Lagunitas trying to become the Alpine of the Bay Area?

At least somewhat. I got a bottle-dated 6er of IPA about a month ago.

I am not an Alpine hater at all. I think Alpine (like most breweries) have their good and bad beers. Yes, this thread is discussing hoppy beers, but to call Alpine “God-tier” is asserting something quite lofty. Can a brewer be “God-tier” with known infection issues? Hell, aside from their barrel aging issues I have had infected bottles of Captain Stout and Alpine Ale (which is a hoppy beer, so relevant). I even e-mailed Pat about the bottles and his response was basically “it happens, next time you are at the pub I’ll buy you a beer”. To be honest, I have never been to Alpine (I will get down there someday) but I have tried a variety of bottles and growler fills. I guess I don’t have the same mentality that a majority of SoCal BAs seem to have - that Alpine can do no wrong. They make solid beers, they make some duds, and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but mine is far from “God-tier”. Just because someone doesn’t "worship" Alpine like some BAs seem to do (I still respect them as a brewery), doesn’t make me a hater at all.

I would have to say Aroma Coma and Hopocalypse from Drakes is some of their best and newest ipa/dipa's. And Hopocalypse should be out real soon.

Every time someone posts anything critical at all of Alpine that guy calls them a hater. I think he's delusional.