What are you drinking now?

[Guru]

it was just not for me to full on.

It isn't just full on. It is ridiculously out of balance and just generally a poorly designed beer.

I see on the bottle it says "Extravagantly Hopped". That might be a hint...

[Flux]

I see on the bottle it says "Extravagantly Hopped". That might be a hint...

I never follow labels , only taste, so the hint on the label is frivolous, But you do have a point matey.
The only time the label is worthy IMO is when using it for reference in remembering a great crafted beer.

[emnpaul]

Had this the other night.





Not sure if it was the fancy bottle or the anticipation but I was a bit underwhelmed to be honest. I'm not saying it was a bad beer just that it wasn't as good as I had expected.

Website describes it as a Munich dunkel/Schwarzbier. I'd say it was more of a Schwarzbier owing to the burnt/coffee notes present which would be inappropriate in a Dunkel, I think from black malt or roast barley. Didn't seem to be too much of a malt profile other than that and I thought it could use a some munich II and maybe some biscuit or a tough of caramel.

Not sure what their other beers are like but I've heard good things about their pale and I look forward to trying it in the future. If I was looking for a tasty Schwarzbier, however, I'd go for something German. Had a Kostrizer at a German restaurant on the QLD Sunshine Coast once that was above reproach.

[barrelboy]

Out of interest what was the cost of it.
Cheers BB

[emnpaul]

Ahh. Good question BB and one I can't answer.

It was a gift from a mate of mine who I swap beers with. To the best of my knowledge he bought it direct from the brewery, on his trip to NZ. Not sure if you can by them from retail outlets, maybe try online stores.

[Guru]

Just had a Chimay Red. Been a long time since I tried one of these and it really is a sensational beer. Bit pricey though. Definitely not a session beer (unless you are in Belgium maybe).

[Guru]

Just having my first ever Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Saw this in my local Woolies tonight and thought I would grab one seeing as everyone talks about it all the time. It is certainly a good drop, although I wouldn't have said it was much better than say a James Squires. Still very nice though.

[Bum]

It is certainly a good drop, although I wouldn't have said it was much better than say a James Squires.

While I must admit that I have only ever had one bottle of SNPA that I felt was in proper nick in this country (and even then it is an over-rated (though undeniably important) beer), I gotta say that the above is one of the most outrageous things I have ever read here. I can't even process what I am reading.

[emnpaul]

It is certainly a good drop, although I wouldn't have said it was much better than say a James Squires.

I gotta say that the above is one of the most outrageous things I have ever read here. I can't even process what I am reading.

For the record I quite like JS Porter but struggle to find a better Pale ale than Little Creatures, although this could be due to my abiding hatred of Nelson Sauvin, which seems to be in everything these days.

[bullfrog]

JSGA used to be a good beer. Certainly never up there with SNPA, in my opinion, but a lot better than the crap they're pumping out these days.

[Guru]

Just to clarify, it is a long time since I've actually had a JS so my memory could be clouded. Not meaning to be outrageous and all

[emnpaul]

JSGA used to be a good beer. Certainly never up there with SNPA, in my opinion, but a lot better than the crap they're pumping out these days.

I think they are trying to save money on hops. Doesn't seem to have affected the Porter, for obvious reasons.

[Bum]

For the record I quite like JS Porter

I'm not a huge fan of it bottled but I must admit it is nice on tap.

[gregb]

Rum. It's just been one of them days.

[Flux]

It is certainly a good drop, although I wouldn't have said it was much better than say a James Squires.

I gotta say that the above is one of the most outrageous things I have ever read here. I can't even process what I am reading.

I'd have to agree with Bum here, not even close to being in the same class as SNPA imho.

[squirt in the turns]

JSGA used to be a good beer. Certainly never up there with SNPA, in my opinion, but a lot better than the crap they're pumping out these days.

I think they are trying to save money on hops. Doesn't seem to have affected the Porter, for obvious reasons.

I misguidedly bought a carton of JSGA on Saturday. Haven't had one for a while, and it's definitely not the beer I remember. I think you're right, emnpaul, hops are barely there. Also seems more watery. I wonder if the recipe changed around the same time they went to the wanky packaging. Thankfully we have a secret remedy for this situation in the form of DSGA!

[drsmurto]

JSGA is not an APA. It never has been and has never been marketed as such as far as i know. So comparing it to SNPA is silly.

I've tried some of the SN range we get here but find them a bit meh. That should be qualified by saying i think S&W is the most overrated beer in history. You could clone if by adding a fruity but dry white wine and fresh lawn clippings to a pint of VB. Thin, grassy, fruit bomb. SN Torpedo is worse than the PA, excessive bitterness with no malt to hold it up. Like an overstewed teabag.

I still buy JSGA from time to time, it's good value and easy drinking but i go into the experience knowing the hops are very restrained, the body thin and the finish dry. It is what it is. A quaffer with just enough hop presence to set it apart from the mainstream. When it is on sale for change out of a pineapple i grab it.

My golden ale shouldn't really be compared to JSGA. It is the result of adding more malt and hops as we homebrewers tend to do to every beer and every clone It still is not an APA, more of an english take on the out of balance, overhopped, thin APA style.

Cheers
DrSmurto

[Tipsy]

Took a trip to Grain & Grape today came back with these



The Westmalle is tasting great, can hardly taste the 9.5% alc.

Notice my $2 hip flasks in the background. Should be good for smuggling in whiskey for the touring cars this weekend.

[Oliver]

There's been a bit of discussion recently on the merits or otherwise of SNPA.

I must say, having had it in here in Australia and "fresh" in the USA I think it's a pretty nice beer but did not live up to the hype.

I'm currently drinking a Green Flash West Coast IPA (7.3%) that I picked up at the local bottle shop in North Melbourne. It's a magnificent beer. Craps all over SNPA in my opinion. Tom from Mountain Goat said it was the best beer he had in the States but I didn't come across it while I was there, unfortunately.

S&W is the most overrated beer in history.

I thought it was just me who thought that.

I still buy JSGA from time to time, it's good value and easy drinking ...

JSGA, along with brewed-in-Holland Heineken, is one of the beers that Qantas serves free on its CityFlyer flights between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays and its international flights. It always tastes good to me, especially when I get a second round on the CityFlyer flights from Sydney to Melbourne

Cheers,

Oliver

[Tipsy]

There's been a bit of discussion recently on the merits or otherwise of SNPA.

I must say, having had it in here in Australia and "fresh" in the USA I think it's a pretty nice beer but did not live up to the hype.

I've had it a couple of times now and it did seem in good condition and I must admit I loved it.
The SN Torpedo on the other hand was disappointing, I know an extra IPA should be bitter but it did seem out of balance, just a bit too bitter for my taste.