I pretty much agree with you, Frank, but the unfortunate thing is here in Buffalo, NY, I haven't seen Ballantine XXX Ale in YEARS, and Hamm's has never been distributed here, either. My go-to when it comes to cheap macro lagers is Genesee Cream Ale, although it's technically an ale, it drinks more like a macro lager. I can get it pretty much dirt cheap, too. Fun to see what people enjoy as their go-to cheaper lager. I get so many comments about what their favorites are, and it's cool to see. Appreciate you sharing, buddy! Happy Holidays! Cheers!

I can definitely see how natural/artificial flavoring could help or replace the real thing. It's funny because there's certain beers that I've had over the year where I've preferred the natural/artificial flavoring over the actual ingredient. My gripe comes from breweries not putting the full ingredients on the label. When you say "brewed with natural flavors," I have no idea what that means because there's so many "natural flavors" out there. Just want some transparency is all. Yeah, I get having lactose in a style that is established like Milk Stouts, but I always cringe when I see it in a bunch of imperial beers. Definitely not needed, as you've demonstrated the ability to brew a huge Pastry Stout homebrewing without it, so actual breweries don't need it. It also frustrates me that you don't have to list lactose on a beer label if it's in there. So many folks, like myself, do have a lactose intolerance to some degree (thankfully mine isn't horrible), so it pisses me off. The name of that Milkshake Pale Ale is fantastic, however. I was happy with it, for sure. Definitely one of their better releases in recent memory within the series. JUST GIVE ME THE INFORMATION, SOUTHERN TIER! LOL! Appreciate you, Christopher. Happy Holidays, buddy! Cheers!

Oh, damn ... I bet that was amazing, for sure! Whenever I go to a top-tier restaurant, the desserts are usually ridiculously good, albeit quite expensive. Worth it, though. 33 F and snow today. Got a few inches. Not too bad, though. Cheers, Billy!

I was waiting for it! I wish breweries would just stop throwing it in everything. I honestly think it should only be in Milk Stouts (because it makes sense), but that's it. No need for it, and it makes so beers overtly sweet. This was nice, though. Have you ever had any of the Blackwater series beers going back 10-12 years ago? Cheers, Joe!

Yeah, same here for Rogue, but not as bad. Their distro over the past 5-7 years has been very spotty. It seems as though it's a bit better the past few years, as we typically get a lot of their seasonal products. Their mainstays, like Dead Guy, are harder to find. I notice that about a lot of the bigger craft breweries, as most of their seasonal/specialty releases show up, but it's so tough to find a relatively fresh bottle or can of their year-round offerings. I love me some Alpha Klaus! Hope you and the fam are having an amazing holiday season, Dan! Cheers, man!

I want to say they started changing it up around the early 2010s. I just remember being surprised that the recipe was completely changed. This seems to be a slight tweak on last year's offering, but for the better. I'm happy they did, too! Cheers, Jeff!

Really? That is pretty wild. Cheers, man!

Same here, dude. I know a lot of people thought they were overrated, but I enjoyed many of their offerings. The price point was the only thing I disliked. I miss that Mocha Porter! Cheers, dude!

It was around 50 F and mostly cloudy today, Billy. Not too far off from where you were. Cheers, sir!

No doubt, sir! Happy Holidays to you and your fam, brother! Cheers!

Cheers, brother!

@averagejoe716 I'm catching up now lol

Nope. Mat from Massive Beers decided to do something similar back in 2019. We did 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. I went to the first three, but missed out on the last two. I was bummed, for sure. Cool to see more groups have get togethers, though. That's what the BeerTubing community is all about! As for the beer, Tile totally hooked it up! Fidens brews some fantastic beer. So many hazies out there, but their beer is a step above most for the style. Damn fine beer, as a whole, but this is fantastic! Hope all is well, brother! Cheers!

Just remember that it's only beer, and you have some fantastic local breweries. This is great, though. Cheers, man!

Nice! Yeah, Boulevard is more of a grocery/gas store beer brand nowadays, but damn are some of them delicious. These is an old school Winter Warmer, and it fits the season perfectly. Cheers, man!

HUGE HEAD! TOO MUCH HEAD ... or not. Is there ever enough head? LMAO! Cheers, Angel!

Wow, I wouldn't expect this one to hold up well at the 4-5 month range, but super happy to hear that it did! I really do enjoy this one, so it's nice to know that you enjoyed it. Cheers, Jon!

Best pour of ... all-time? Maybe never? GROSS! Dude, it was such a blast. Good catching up, and thank you so much for the beers, sir. Cheers, Kyle!

Possibly the best pour known to man. Yeah, Double Nelson gets the slight edge over this, but both are fantastic beers in their own right. The train itself was pretty badass. Definitely family-oriented, so something all families should check out if it passes by. Worth it. #NELSONBONERSBABY Cheers, Joe!

That Kyle is a standup guy! Glad you enjoyed them, buddy. 45 F and mostly cloudy (and now dark). Supposed to get some snow later this week again. Good times! Cheers, Billy!

That is unfortunate, Steven. I'm clearly not a fan, but never got sick from this one. Hope you feel better! Cheers!

Sorry to hear about your local brewery, Dan! Which brewery is that? Yeah, this is a damn fine old school Winter Warmer. Just lets the core four ingredients shine. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy American Winter Warmers with spices and whatnot, but sometimes beers like this just hit. I feel you on Boulevard's distribution being hit or miss. I was hoping their barrel-aged mixed six pack would show up, and I haven't seen it at all. Very disappointing. Only one swear words so far ... not bad, haha! Cheers, Dan!

Brewery is called Chaotic Good. Very very local brewery for SE Minnesota. Brewery was D&D themed and they hosted lots of monthly game nights. Just a fun place to hang out locally and great for a small town. Cheers 🍻!

Ah, that sucks! Always hate to see breweries close, but with so many out there nowadays, it's inevitable. Hopefully, something cool replaces it.

Thanks, Rodney! The feedback seems good, so it might become a reality. Cheers, dude!

No worries, Ralph! Just appreciate you chiming in from time-to-time. Lagunitas Willettized is one of the best bang-for-bucks in the game, no doubt! I hope you enjoy that one as much as I do. Thanks, buddy! Cheers!

The feeling is more than mutual, Dave. I remember all those insane beer mails that you received a good 10 years ago, and I loved how appreciative you were. Almost overwhelming, but you 100% deserved all the love you got (and still get). Such a good person, and your reviews have always been some of my favorites! Thank you for the kind words, buddy! You best believe if shipping between our two countries didn't involve taking out a second mortgage, I'd be sending some goodies your way, as well. Happy Holidays, brother! Cheers!

Thank you for watching to the end and chiming in, Dominic. I've appreciated all the channel support you've thrown my way. I'm not 100% committed on the theme month, but if I do it, I'm sure it'll be wild, haha! Cheers, dude!

Yeah, that JA's variety pack showed up, but I haven't found singles yet, so I'm actually quite pleased you sent one of each. Will be fun to run through 'em! I'm not 100% committed to it, but I thought it'd be hilarious to do the exact opposite of a Dry January. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for those folks who participate in a Dry January, but at the same time, the cold weather and post-holiday vibes = I need all the big, boozy and cozy beers, haha! I appreciate you understanding I won't get to everything right away, but I'll try to do a better job reviewing them in ample time, haha! Appreciate the info on the beers, too. Tiddy is one of those beers that most people won't understand why I'm so happy, but I've been looking forward to it, without question. I could easily session a beer like that all the time. Allfort just sounds wild. All of 'em, do. Thanks again for everything, Rick! Can't wait to tear into some of 'em. Cheers, buddy!

Lol, you won’t find me hatin on the ‘opposite of dry January’ notion! Cheers bronamath

New Park haze = tasty. Looking forward to that one, for sure. Cheers again, buddy!

It sounds amazing, Angel! Can't wait to dive into it. Cheers, man!

Haven't seen that one yet -- it was on the list for holiday beers this December -- but their S'more Stuf't just showed up. I have so many barrel-aged beers on hand right now that I'm not sure I can grab more, haha! Cheers, Sean!

@averagejoe716 No shit. I just order two s'mores stuft also. $12.99 a bottle.

If you look at the official website, they still say 12 months, but I just watched the video on their KZbin, and they specifically say 16. GET IT TOGETHER, GOOSE ISLAND! LOL! Yeah, this is still a damn enjoyable and good barrel-aged beer, it just falls short of prior vintages. I would agree with your B+, honestly. I might put it on the B+/A- range. I think a 4.25 was always considered to be an A- back when I keep track of beers in a spreadsheet (uber nerd stuff, haha!), but whatever. Close enough. I do think Revolution is better pound-for-pound from what I've had. Thanks, buddy! Cheers, Gregory!

Nice, Chris! It's definitely noticeable, especially in the aroma. Tasty beer, but prior vintages were better. Just a bit too thin and barrel-forward for me to go nuts about it, but still a damn fine barrel-aged beer. Cheers, sir!

@@averagejoe716 for my 600th video I do have a 2021 bottle. Looking forward to it.

Can't wait to check it out!

Agreed, Rick. It's still a damn fine barrel-aged beer, and dare I say very enjoyable, but it pales in comparison to many prior vintages. I think the biggest issue I had was the thin body and dominate barrel (which made it seem overly boozy). Just one of those things. I think craft beer nerds, like ourselves, have a tendency to nitpick every little detail -- especially when reviewing on KZbin -- so you start really understanding the differences between the vintages. Cheers, brother!

I would've grabbed one to try it, but I didn't see it at all. Showed up in the past few weeks at a few places, but not much stock. Oh, well. If I happen upon it, I'll give it a go, but I know the price point is quite absurd. Cheers, again!

Same here. Still have the Vanilla Rye in my fridge. Think I'll review it in the next few weeks. Heard some really good things about it, but some folks have said the vanilla is overwhelming. We'll see, but I love rye, so I'm looking forward to it! Cheers!

Totally agree with you, Billy. It's still a damn fine beer, but it pales in comparison to prior vintages because of exactly what you said. The body is too thin, and the booze is apparent. Just didn't bring that complexity this one is known for. It's 35 F, so we have similar weather! Cheers, again!

No worries, Billy. Damn, that's a lot of rain. We didn't get much where I live specifically, but they got over three feet of snow where the Bills play. Quite wild. Both of these beers were tasty, but White Rajah is immaculate! Cheers, buddy!

Cheers!

LMAO! Dude, love me some Wayne's World and the sequel. I always wish they made a third film. So many good quotables. "GAME ON!" Dude, same with me and my nose. I need to keep a tissue or two by me just in case. It's wild. #100pershit Appreciate you, Anderson. Hope all is well, brohan! Cheers!

Thanks, Rodney! I think their barrel-aged game is fantastic when it comes to the price point. Their regular/seasonal offerings can be hit or miss, but Tank 7 is the GOAT, and this beer was damn good. Glad to hear that they're coming through for you, buddy! Happy Holidays, sir! Cheers!

I'm right there with you, Frank. I think it's a great old school Vermont DIPA that brings the balance. Plus, while the price point is a bit high, as you noted, everything is most certainly overpriced nowadays. Just one of those beers that satiates me when I don't want a crazy hazy beer. It's also cool that it gets better distribution nowadays and isn't that hard to find. I can roll up to my local Wegmans grocery store and find it relatively fresh all the time. Kind of crazy. Quality through-and-through, for sure. Cheers, dude!

LMAO! Never looked at it like that, but makes sense. Of course, if it were truly brewed by Garfield, then it would've been an Ale brewed with lasagna, haha! Thanks for the comment! Cheers!

The funny thing is the spill wasn't even related to the actual pour, it was me being an idiot trying to dump the rest in. Ah, will I ever learn? DOUBTFUL! Wait, you enjoy me spilling beer? You're a sick man, Curtis! SICK! LOL! Yeah, man. I remember taking trips to Michigan and Ohio back in the 2014-2017 range. I checked out the Detroit Fall Beer Festival twice (2014 and 2015), and then went to a ton of breweries in Michigan and Ohio. The beer game in both of those states blew away anything I was experiencing at the time in Buffalo. Nowadays, it's a whole different story, but classics like White Rajah, for instance, were hyped beers because they deserved it, so whenever I revisit a beer like that, it makes me so happy that it's still amazing. It justifies the original hype, IMO. I don't hear much about a lot of these classic Ohio breweries, but they're still killing it. I do think the Double Rajah had a bit of age on it, but it was still good, just not anywhere close to Bodhi. That is really cool, and it'd totally make for a fun vlog. Discussing a recipe with friends/viewers, then having them brew it, pick it up (and show the facility, maybe interview some folks at the brewery), then finally do a review. Would make for some great content! Maybe someday. Cheers, Curtis!

@ Hey you spilling a little beer is your own form of slapstick right? Lol. And forget the guy telling you to do straight up reviews with no talking about spilling. We’re here for a good time! I did not know about that festival but it sounds like a blast. You’re right that Ohio and Michigan were both killing it at the time. I do miss that period in time a bit. It was just fun with craft beer starting to explode. I totally agree that revisiting they absolutely hold up. I just had another Bohdi tonight and 😮‍💨. Such a fantastic beer. So slept on and I’ll be getting more of it and definitely it’ll White Rajah to retry. I was also at a Christmas party tonight and guy brought Bourbon County bottles to share which was awesome of him to do. Yeah the Brew Kettle thing was just a thought. My total guess is that have set recipes you can choose from but that would be awesome to build your own recipe.

Yes ... slapstick. Yep. THAT IS MY STORY AND I'M STICKING TO IT! One of those things where, in the moment, you don't think much about it, but looking back, those were the Golden Ages of craft beer in both Michigan and Ohio. It's crazy to think people seeked out Bodhi, Head Hunter, Hop JuJu, White Rajah and others, and now they're considered shelf turds. It's amazing how far craft beer has come. Admittedly, I agree with you that I miss those times. They were a bit simpler when it came to craft beer, and because there wasn't 10,000 breweries, it was easy to pinpoint the good stuff. I still love craft beer with all my heart, and it's fun trying all these crazy beers, but I sometimes wish it was like the mid-2010s. Yeah, I don't have any idea if they still do it or how it works, but it'd certainly be cool!

@ It is funny how those beers were a big deal and now they’re so readily available, and people aren’t pumped for them anymore. I’m sure at some point the same thing will happen to big hazy breweries as well. Everything is a trend, not just with beer but in life. I agree things were easier when you weren’t as overwhelmed by choices. It was also just fun being into something new and exciting like that. Still we can’t complain as there’s an overwhelming amount of quality beer now. I’m just glad I was able to get into craft when I did.

I think we're already seeing it with breweries like Other Half, for example. Used to be tough to get, brewery-only, had to wait in-line at the brewery. Now? In grocery stores, shipping to like 20+ states, showing up all over the US. Their quality is still superb, IMO, but some folks have already started the "Other Half has fallen off" movement because they can't trade cans for other hyped stuff anymore. It's a shame. Like you said, I'll never complain about having so many cool options to choose from when it comes to drinking beer, but I used to love going to my local bottle shop and grabbing 6-8 beers each week, and that was all the new releases for that week. Now? I need to buy a case or more to keep up with everything. That is why I say I don't really have my finger on the pulse when it comes to hyped breweries and beers. Too many are opening up, and there's way too many across the country for me to keep up with 'em. Kind of wild, but it's also very cool.

No doubt, man! The Double Rajah was hard to pinpoint as it seemed to have some age on it, but it reminded me of many old school East Coast DIPAs, where the malt shines a bit more. Almost a little of that orange marmalade character I get in old school DIPAs. Fun side-by-side, and I'm happy that White Rajah is still as delicious as I remember! Cheers, Chris!

I hear ya, haha! I watched that video and it was cool seeing a homemade wreath being constructed. Cheers again, buddy!