On a day full of sours, it takes something extraordinary to stand out, but God damn - hello there, Deschutes Little Buddha. It's like there's a party in your mouth, and everyone's invited, and they spend the whole time kicking you in the cheeks and the teeth. I won't go so far as to say that it was the best sour of the festival, but it was the most powerful encapsulation of the genre of the nigh 100 beers available, and that scores major points.
0 recs | 40 comments
Figures that they'd have it at the So Cal sour fest and NOT at the Oregon Brewer's festival.
Awesome.
marc w - July 20, 2009
I could actually feel my salivary glands working on that one.
abender20 - July 20, 2009
Which was the tuna salad-smelling one?
Jeff Sullivan - July 20, 2009
Fortunately, I didn't come across that.
abender20 - July 20, 2009
Help me out here Matthew
Jeff Sullivan - July 20, 2009
New Belgium Love Barrel #3
And Aron, love your flag.
Matthew - July 20, 2009
As if very many 5+ ratings were handed out.
abender20 - July 20, 2009
I am a firm believer in the evils of grade inflation.
Matthew - July 20, 2009
Love Barrel #3 sounds like it would be disgusting
Robert - July 20, 2009
Lost Abbey is quickly becoming my overall favorite brewery
and I’m so glad Stone still had bottles of 12th Anniversary left (and at a reasonable price, too!)
seattlebruin - July 21, 2009
Stone's 13th Anniversary is tasty also.
Jed MC - July 21, 2009
Too hoppy
seattlebruin - July 21, 2009
It is a hoppy ale, but still enjoyable.
I’ve been going for the German beers recently – Optimator has been my choice for the last couple of weeks.
Jed MC - July 21, 2009
I'm on a Celebrator kick.
Teej - July 21, 2009
I agree.
Kirsten Schlewitz - July 21, 2009
Three's a party. ac would clearly love it, though.
abender20 - July 21, 2009
It's hoppy as hell, but I think it drinks just fine.
I like it a lot more than I thought I would upon smelling it.
Teej - July 21, 2009
I was disappointed by the flavor after smelling it.
It’s damned good, but not as good as last year’s.
Aaron Campeau - July 21, 2009
Agreed.
I love the aroma and the taste was not overpoweringly bitter, just not balanced well.
Matthew - July 21, 2009
It's probably the weakest Stone I've had aside from the IPA.
Aaron Campeau - July 21, 2009
I don't understand this concept.
Garces - July 21, 2009
Me either. I'll take hoppy over malty any day.
Sec 108 - July 21, 2009
Buh?
Aaron Campeau - July 21, 2009
On a very slightly related note
Rock Bottom Bellevue, home of the current GABF Gold Medal for American style strong pale (Hop Bomb IPA), is currently rocking a monthly seasonal called American Dream IPA that I like even better than the Hop Bomb. It sits in the 7-8% range, and is a majestic explosion of hoppy delight in your mouth. It’ll be gone in a few short weeks, so if you have a chance to drop by and try it out, I strongly encourage it.
seattlecougar - July 20, 2009
That is good to know.
Though I would say that GABF medals should be taken with a big grain of some sort of beer-related salt.
Matthew - July 20, 2009
Pretzel salt?
Robert - July 20, 2009
On a vaguely related note Granville Island Brewery is an excellent little place
Nick S - July 21, 2009
Indeed.
I miss Granville Island.
The Ancient Mariner - July 21, 2009
Granville Island Brewery would be perfect if they just sold the most basic of bar grub.
Robert - July 21, 2009
On another note of some relation
there’s an article in the latest issue of Wired about the founder of Ambergene — the guy who started culturing prehistoric microorganisms from insects preserved in amber — and his latest project: he’s taken the 45 million year old brewer’s yeast he discovered and hooked up with a Bay Area brewer to make beer. From the comments cited in the article, it sounds like a pretty remarkable yeast that’s enabled them to make some really good beer with some unusual qualities. They’re going to be selling it, starting in California, under the label Fossil Fuels.
The Ancient Mariner - July 21, 2009
This is good to hear.
I had heard someone call it the worst beer ever.
As far as sours go, it’s tough to beat The Vine or The Dissident for me.
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2391/47782 = Love.
Garces - July 21, 2009
I ordered the Little Buddha on accident, not knowing it was a sour.
Holy shit. I couldn’t drink more than a sip or two, but hey, if you’re going to make a sour . . .
Teej - July 21, 2009
Stumpy just wanted to make you pucker
abender20 - July 21, 2009
I can't get into sours either
baetown415 - July 21, 2009
I like them in very small doses.
Aaron Campeau - July 21, 2009
Cuvee de Tomme still wins for me, but I have not had the pleasure of sampling Little Buddha.
Kirsten Schlewitz - July 21, 2009
Cuvee de Tomme would be much more enjoyable over the course of an entire glass.
Little Buddha was perfect in a sampling size because holy crap it’s like Honey I Shrunk the Ichiro tap-dancing in baseball spikes on your tastebuds.
abender20 - July 21, 2009
I enjoyed the Cuvee at the sour beer festival that several Lookout Landing members attended this past weekend
it was excellent and a fun time – there were many outstanding sour beers there.
seattlebruin - July 21, 2009
Has anyone local had the Stumptown Tart?
It’s pretty nice on a warm summer evening, though you might end up having to share a 22.
Garces - July 21, 2009
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