Vermont has just recently started selling Victory beers. So far I have tried the Hop Devil, Golden monkey, Prima Pils, and the Storm King Stout. They came recommended very highly from a friend but I have been very unimpressed (except for the Golden Monkey…I liked that). I find the hops to be very muddy in character and kind of grassy. I guess I’m finding it kind of hard to describe what in the hop character I don’t really like. What do you all think of the victory beers?
-Eric
I like most of their beers. I really like Hop Devil. I am going to the brewpub tomorrow to meet up with my guitar player. He hosts an open jam on Monday nights. Anyway, I am planning to try some of their beers on tap. I wonder how the averall quality will differ from their bottled beer.
I’m a big fan of their beers. I especially like the Hop Devil. Yesterday I was able to pick up a bottle of the Wild Devil which is basically the Hop Devil fermented totally using Brettanomyces. It was pretty good although I expected it to be a bit more funky.
I have noticed Victory popping up here in VT lately (even way up here in the Northeast beer wastelands!). I have had their beers in the past. Picked some up whenever I was down in Mass or CT. I used to really like some of their brews but some seem to have gotten “sloppy”. Prime example being Storm King. I used to think that was an excellent imperial stout. I had it recently and it was nowhere near what I remember, in fact it was kind of off. I remember having it last year too and thinking it was lackluster.
Old Horizontal is still very good though if you like American Barleywines. Glad to be able to get that more easily for my barleywine collection… ;D
I also just tried Helios. It was pretty decent. Not the best Saison in the world but tasty. I successfully cultured up some of the yeast too so we shall see what that does. :o
agree with you enso - Storm King tastes off vs. what it was years ago - very disappointed since I can get it at the local store now rather than carting it back from a trip up north.
I thought old horizontal was just a booze bomb this year - kinda hot and alcohol-y
Prima takes the cake for me though - I love that one and would love to be able to try their Festbier.
I might be biased because I live nearby but I like mostly all of their beers. My favorites are Prima Pils, Festbier, and the Moonglow Weizenbock.
The new Helios Ale(V Saison) is also very tasty. It has a very funky yeast character. I have 6 bottles that I plan to cellar and see how they age.