In the past, I’ve tried a couple of attempts at an extract clone of Two-Hearted. Initially I wasn’t pleased, thinking it was awful. Tonight, I picked up a very fresh 4 pack of the new cans of Two-Hearted. What do you know? First, it tasted a lot like my beer. Secondly, I immediately picked up on the Centennial hops. This is the first time I was fully aware of what a particular hop tasted like in a commercial beer. ;D
Love the Centennial. Great hop !
I have been wanting to try the new cans. Do you notice any difference compared to the bottles?
It’s been a year or so since I last had Two-Hearted. Also, this can is very new, bottled late June (new for Florida). I don’t remember tasting this much hops before, previously I thought it was super balanced.
So what was the lesson?
I learned a lesson about breweries like Bell’s and New Belgium and Languanitas. they purposely undercut smaller local breweries to try to take away small brewery tap sales. They also take out bounties of small local brewery taps. So they hire a small sales force or use the sales staff from the distributor to target local taps. I realize it is just business but if you have a local brewery you really like do your best to support them, or they may end up gone. Then all you’ll have to drink is Bell’s Two Hearted, and while it’s a solid beer I hope you are lucky enough to have a local beer you enjoy even more.
That is interesting if true Major. Tony Magee (Lagunitas) was just ranting about Sam Adams targeting taps on the west coast with Rebel IPA. For what it’s worth, Lagunitas IPA is way better than Rebel IPA.
+1 to that. 
Meh. Lagunitas is OK. Far from my favorite. Tastes like hop extracts to me. Fake perfumy hop flavor that a lot of these super mega “craft” breweries taste like (Sweet Water, for instance).
I know from sources in the industry that what I am saying is true. These breweries target local taps. they aren’t competing against Blue Moon and the “crafty” beers anymore. They go after locals. New Belgium is probably the worst.
And FWIW my sales are up 43% from last year and we are about to double that next year so this isn’t desperation complaining. I’m just sayin’.
Not saying Lagunitas is my favorite as well. It used to be awful, but in the past few years has really improved.
Good stuff to hear about your growing production. A lot of bars around Dallas are serving local only, not sure about where you are.
It’s not my favorite either, though I think it’s pretty solid. I just meant in comparison to Rebel, which I don’t think a lot of.
I didn’t think you guys thought it was the greatest ever. I’m just sayin’, “meh. It’s OK.” Better than Rebel, sure. But not by that much.
Brown Suga is probably my favorite from those guys. That’s a pretty tasty beer. Their IPA, Lil’ Sumpin’ Sumpin’ … meh. Their OK. Just don’t like the uniform hop flavor in those beers. Something tastes fake about it to me.
My old club had an event at a pizza place with $2 pints. One option was Brown Shugga, does not drink like 10% at all. That was some heavy duty day drinking.
I don’t drink many commercial beers so I guess my favorite IPA is mine. But 21st amendment Live free or die is pretty tasty to me.
Didn’t know that about the big regional breweries targeting the smaller guys but it doesn’t surprise me. They simply learned it from BMC doing it to them. Just business in Merica. Dog eat dog.
I am pretty meh about a beer you can get everywhere, even if it is one of my favorites (which most all national brands are not, but I am lucky to have a few excellent locals, and a lot of good ones). Would we be over the moon on Cantillion or Westy if we could all get it at Buffalo Wild Wings?
While being on everywhere is great for the brewery, and builds a brand following with Joe six-pack; a beer you can get anywhere becomes a “safe” beer…where no other choice is “interesting” enough.
I am not sure that many on this forum will ever be all that brand loyal.
LSS is good, IF you buy it less than 2 months old. Preferably less than one month old. After that it heads downhill quickly. When it’s fresh, it has bright citrus flavors.
I bought LSS Extra (8.5%) recently. It was less than a month old, but didn’t have the same hoppy goodness as fresh LSS. It was ok, but I’ll add it to the long list of Lagunitas beers I won’t be buying again.
LSS Extra blended 50/50 with Vivant Big Red Coq made a surprisingly pleasant beer.
Two Hearted in cans is actually a little cheaper per oz than bottles and will be my default format for that beer. I like the 4 pint can format in general.
Yeah, brand loyalty doesn’t mean as much for the “Joe Mix-a-six-pack”, as many of us are.
I wouldn’t order Cantillon at BWW, but I would at an upscale seafood restaurant. It’s not my regular beer at home, and it’s wouldn’t be at a chain restaurant, either.
PHEW, I’ve missed a lot in two days. My initial point was that I’m getting the hang of tasting varieties of hops in beers!