Which beer is not like the others? (Reprised)
This was so much fun at the beginning of the year I’m not sure why it took this long to do it again.
The goal is to identify the outlier and explain why it doesn’t belong on the list. There may be more than one answer, although I happen to have a specific one in mind.
a) Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
b) Schlafly Oatmeal Stout
c) Il Vicino Slow Down Brown
d) Geary’s London Porter
e) Arcadia Scotch Ale
In case you’ve forgotten: Round one ~ Round two ~ Round three.
Posted: September 13th, 2011 under Beer culture.
September 13th, 2011 at 6:09 am
Boy, that 60 minute sticks out like a sore thumb on this list – for many reasons – but it seems too obvious…
September 13th, 2011 at 7:55 am
Is the Il Vicino beer the only one to win a medal at GABF?
September 13th, 2011 at 8:28 am
These are hard. No roasted malt in DFH 60?
September 13th, 2011 at 11:30 am
I’m going with the Scotch Ale. I’m guessing its the least hopped.
September 13th, 2011 at 11:34 am
Neither malt nor hops is part of (my particular) answer.
September 13th, 2011 at 12:03 pm
I’m stumped. Best guess is that Geary’s is the oldest surviving micro east of the Mississippi.
September 13th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
The yeast, then? Is Schlafly Oatmeal Stout the only one of those not to use Pride of Ringwood?
September 13th, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Sorry, before anyone corrects me: Ringwood is the yeast, Pride of Ringwood is the hop. Of course I’m referring to the yeast only.
September 13th, 2011 at 12:52 pm
Well done, Joe. I think you’ve been the first on two of these now.
September 13th, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Dern it!
*shaking fist appropriately*
September 13th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
Jeez — I was gonna say the Ringwood Yeast when I saw Geary’s and Acadia, but I’m surprised to hear Dogfish uses it!
Funny that there are so many Ringwood nay-sayers… wonder if they also cheer on Dogfish unknowingly.
September 13th, 2011 at 5:04 pm
I’m with Steve–Dogfish uses Ringwood?? Shocking. I think the “naysayers” would be unconvinced by this, though, because Dogfish seems to wring all the character out of their yeast. I would have guessed Chico…
September 14th, 2011 at 4:47 am
Wow. Never wouldve guessed Dogfish used ringwood. I guess they really now how to use it. To me, the signature ringwood beer is old thumper, which I really don’t care for. But I don’t get any of that yeast’s character in a 60 min. There is a bunch of simcoe to hide behind though. I have noticed some pretty “hot” fusel alchohols in their stronger beers especially the old school barleywine. Reminds me of nail polish. I wonder if this is also from the ringwood.
September 14th, 2011 at 12:25 pm
I had read somewhere that the Dogfish IPAs once used Ringwood. Now I believe they have their own in-house strain for most of their beers. Possibly it evolved from Ringwood, I’m not really sure. Stan, do you know?
September 14th, 2011 at 1:29 pm
Joe – I think that is the case.
September 14th, 2011 at 1:54 pm
This has been really educational to watch. Would someone like to briefly describe the attributes (positive and negative) of Ringwood?
September 14th, 2011 at 6:46 pm
Zac – It seems silly to look at but I’d call it very “English.” Fruity esters and flavors; (no green) apples, pears, that sort of thing. Its blessing and its curse is that it flocs great. So it drops clear (excellent for bottled conditioned and cask beers) but is also prone to diacetyl. OK, maybe more than prone. Which is why the beers of Shipyard, Gritty McDuff’s etc. get so much grief.
September 14th, 2011 at 7:09 pm
Thanks, Stan. I wonder if it’s Ringwood a friend of mine always tastes whenever he complains about British beers.
September 15th, 2011 at 5:49 am
Beyond diacetyl, the Ringwood yeast imparts a very distinct flavor that I can only describe as woody or herbal. As Stan points out, Shipyard is a good example. If you’ve ever had any of their ales you’d remember the character.
It seems that some people like it, others hate it. To me it brings back memories of the beginning of the Micro Boom®, I was getting a lot of Geary’s and Shipyard from a beer-of-the-month club and always liked them.
I also don’t think it’s a yeast used in England, just very common in New England.
September 15th, 2011 at 6:37 am
A little quick research informs and corrects me:
http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-000080.html
September 15th, 2011 at 6:58 am
But it is from England. I’d suggest reading Andy Crouch’s interview with Alan Pugsley:
http://www.beerscribe.com/pugsley.html
September 15th, 2011 at 7:13 am
“But it is from England.”
Yeah, corrected myself in the follow-up link.