Kate The Great and Other Elusive Brews

Kate The Great was released again last Monday for its one day a year in the sun and it got me thinking.

I love Imperial Stout and I'd love to get my hands on some KTG, but I'm not driving to Portsmouth to wait for hours in line anytime in the next couple of years, so I guess I'll just have to wait.

Anyone had KTG?


What hard to get or grail brews are you waiting to get your hands on?

My white whale is Dogfish Head 120 min IPA. Been searching for 2 years. When our local DFH pub gets it, it's gone in one happy hour

HydroWVU said:

My white whale is Dogfish Head 120 min IPA. Been searching for 2 years. When our local DFH pub gets it, it's gone in one happy hour

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Are you looking for draft? Bottles are reasonably easy to acquire.

No I am looking for bottles. I am near Fairfax VA and no one seems to have any. Lots of stores on fishfinder, but when you call no one has it. Where do you have luck getting 120 in bottles?

Surley Darkness always gets a fanfare around here in the Twin Cities during its annual release on Halloween. A friend of mine usually gets a couple bottles and is always generous with it.

Incredible stuff.

HydroWVU said:

No I am looking for bottles. I am near Fairfax VA and no one seems to have any. Lots of stores on fishfinder, but when you call no one has it. Where do you have luck getting 120 in bottles?

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Try Gilly's up in Rockville -- that's where I found mine.

Tactical Nuclear Penguin and Sink the Bismark are tops on my list.

I'm still looking for Vertical Epics from 2007 and 2008. And don't get me started on the '02's! I have a flight I'm trying to put together (starting with '03) by December of this year, of course, and all I'm missing is the '07 and '08.

I'm rather ambivalent toward super-rare beers; there's a lot of really awesome beer out there that is less rare than, say, Dark Lord or Hunahpu. I was down in Tampa for the Hunahpu release, but I was more there to drink beer on draft (Three Floyds) that I can't otherwise have here in Florida than I was to buy the beer of the day. I did walk away with eight bottles of the stuff, but then, I was equally excited when I secured a solid case of 2011 Zhukov.

FLTiger said:

I'm rather ambivalent toward super-rare beers; there's a lot of really awesome beer out there that is less rare than, say, Dark Lord or Hunahpu. I was down in Tampa for the Hunahpu release, but I was more there to drink beer on draft (Three Floyds) that I can't otherwise have here in Florida than I was to buy the beer of the day. I did walk away with eight bottles of the stuff, but then, I was equally excited when I secured a solid case of 2011 Zhukov.

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I couldn't agree more. The recent release of Pliny the Younger attracted people from all over the world who waited in line for up to 5 hours for a 10 oz. pour. I like beer and I like good beer even more but 5 hours? It's not that good...

FLTiger said:

I'm rather ambivalent toward super-rare beers; there's a lot of really awesome beer out there that is less rare than, say, Dark Lord or Hunahpu. I was down in Tampa for the Hunahpu release, but I was more there to drink beer on draft (Three Floyds) that I can't otherwise have here in Florida than I was to buy the beer of the day. I did walk away with eight bottles of the stuff, but then, I was equally excited when I secured a solid case of 2011 Zhukov.

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For the most part I can't be bothered, either, but I started collecting the Stone Vertical Epic back in 2005 when I found them in a store while visiting my dad. The store had the 2003-2005 at the time so I got one of each. No 2002 in stock unfortunately. Now, I have most of them and would love to sit down with some friends and drink a flight from 2003 to 2012 (I have no false hopes of trying to land an '02). I just need an 07 and an 08. After that I'll probably stick to filling my growlers with beer from the local breweries.

Not really rare, or hard to get hold of; just quite expensive, but I'd love a bottle of Tactical Nuclear Penguin or Sink the Bismarck. I've tried them both and they're pretty amazing

YetiDave said:

Not really rare, or hard to get hold of; just quite expensive, but I'd love a bottle of Tactical Nuclear Penguin or Sink the Bismarck. I've tried them both and they're pretty amazing

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I just don't know if I'd drop that kind of cash on them. Love to sample them, but I keep thinking of how much more of something else I could buy; something I already know I love.

Havent tried Kate The Great yet, but just got my hands on a Goose Island Bourbon County stout! Have not opened it. Im in the hunt for New Founders KBS!

chicagotrim said:

Havent tried Kate The Great yet, but just got my hands on a Goose Island Bourbon County stout! Have not opened it. Im in the hunt for New Founders KBS!

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That's definitely one on my radar.

YetiDave said:

Not really rare, or hard to get hold of; just quite expensive, but I'd love a bottle of Tactical Nuclear Penguin or Sink the Bismarck. I've tried them both and they're pretty amazing

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The highest gravity beer I can actually enjoy is Avery's Mephistopheles. I reckon those are a bit out of my range.

Happened to get a growler of KTG before all the hype. Just walked in and it was on tap. I've had Dark lord....eh, overhyped. I get all the awesome Allagash releases. I have a connection at the brewery. Too many others to list.

Dirk-Lerxst-Pratt said:

Happened to get a growler of KTG before all the hype. Just walked in and it was on tap. I've had Dark lord....eh, overhyped. I get all the awesome Allagash releases. I have a connection at the brewery. Too many others to list.

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That's a nice connection to have! I have wanted to try their Curieux (sp?) for a long time. It sounds like it would be right in my happy zone...their Tripel aged in Jim Beam casks. Mmm. Can't find the stuff for the life of my down here in CT, though.

All of my family still lives in Mass. I should go on a scouting run to the packies in MA the next time I go for a visit. Maybe I can score some there.

Dirk-Lerxst-Pratt said:

Happened to get a growler of KTG before all the hype. Just walked in and it was on tap. I've had Dark lord....eh, overhyped. I get all the awesome Allagash releases. I have a connection at the brewery. Too many others to list.

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Every Allagash beer I've had has been excellent. Those guys make great beer.

Curieux is pretty easy to find.

Walter Sobchak said:

That's a nice connection to have! I have wanted to try their Curieux (sp?) for a long time. It sounds like it would be right in my happy zone...their Tripel aged in Jim Beam casks. Mmm. Can't find the stuff for the life of my down here in CT, though.

All of my family still lives in Mass. I should go on a scouting run to the packies in MA the next time I go for a visit. Maybe I can score some there.

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