Enjoy By 2/14/2015... meh?

[mashani]

I'm drinking one thanks to a very nice friend of ours who sent me a bottle. I've never had one before, since I can never seem to find any. I know they get shipped here but they all vanish before I can get my hands on any.

So anyways, I guess this will sound heretical, but:

What is the fascination with this stuff? I've made beers (2.5 gallons) with only 2oz of high oil content/high AA hops as 100% hop burst /hop stand (with lid on) that have more perceived (at least to me) hop flavor/aroma when fresh then it and mine are sessionable. Regional breweries like Great Lakes, Fat Heads, and Brew Kettle, makes IPAs that I find more interesting then this. Don't get me wrong, it's good - I do not hate this, I could drink this stuff any time. But I wouldn't go out of my way to get some at 9% abv, I'd expect something that big to be throwing me into a lupulin induced altered state, and this is not doing it. I'd honestly rather be drinking some Duval if I wanted a beer this big, even though it has way less hops, to me it's more interesting beer.

Or is this just not as good as some of the previous Enjoy By?

Or maybe it's just that I'm a drunk Belgian Beer weenie LOL.

[Beer-lord]

I haven't had this version but they do seem to differ a bit from batch to batch I guess, depending on the hops they get, but I love em. I think it was last July's batch that I thought was best. I just like the flavor and aroma that are so very tropical to me.


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[BlackDuck]

I've got one in the fridge. I skipped the last two versions for much of the same reason you talk about. But I saw one of these at the store so I grabbed one. I like them, but your right Mash, there are some others out there that are just as good or better. Like the Brew Kettle White Rajah!!!! Love that one!!! And the Columbus Brewing Company IPA is just as good too.

[Inkleg]

I agree the later ones aren't as good as when it first came out. Maybe it was a bait and switch.
It's still always a decent beer and for just 6.99 a bomber I'll continue to pick one up when it's released.

[gwcr]

I enjoyed one 2 weeks ago, and will have the last one this weekend (I always get 2 when I can). I thought this one was better than the last one, but I haven't had an Enjoy By that I've disliked at all. I am still relatively new to the super hoppy IPAs so still really enjoying the great variety out there.

[Beer-lord]

Even their least enjoyable version is good enough for me. Just send them to my address and I'll get rid of any unwanted Enjoy By's.
I wish they were $6.99 here. Sometimes $7.99 but usually $8.99 or higher.

[Kealia]

I still really like this beer. I had a pint on draft over the weekend and it was fantastic. I can get the bombers at Costco or $5.39 so that's a hell of a deal.

I agree the later ones aren't as good as when it first came out. Maybe it was a bait and switch.

In the BeerSmith podcast I posted about 2 weeks ago, Mitch Steele does say that they had to make a change. They are heavy on the New Zealand hops but originally they had more Galaxy and had to switch to more Mosaic or Motueka or something like that. I don't recall the specifics but he said due to high demand and the high hop usage for this beer they couldn't get enough of whatever they started with.

Still one of the best out there for my tastes.

[mashani]

Don't get me wrong, I didn't dislike it. I just didn't fall in love with it. I guess I was expecting *awesome* because of how much the stuff seems to get snapped up around here (as in it's gone before I can get any). I rarely drink beers more then 6% because of being an athlete type, so when I do I want them to be really special.

So, if someone offered me one I'd certainly not turn it down. But I have local beers I like better that I'd spend my cash on.

[Kealia]

I understand. And while I still really love this beer I will say that the first one I had (first or second release) was a religious experience and I think that stuck with me.
Plus, with Stone being somewhat 'local' I think there is a connection to it that makes it special for me.

And I rarely drink anything that strong, but I make an exception for this stuff.

[swenocha]

I'm with you, Mash. To me, it's a fine beer, but not anything I feel I need to rush out and get each time they release. It is a nice enough beer, and I notice that it appears they dropped us from distro for the 3.14 version. Ehh... I have other IPAs that I think more highly of, so that's fine by me.

[Beer-lord]

I understand. And while I still really love this beer I will say that the first one I had (first or second release) was a religious experience and I think that stuck with me.
Plus, with Stone being somewhat 'local' I think there is a connection to it that makes it special for me.

And I rarely drink anything that strong, but I make an exception for this stuff.

I pretty much resemble these remarks (except for living near Stone). I distinctly remember my first one. A number of us had some and the oohs and ahhs coming out of our mouths and the looks on the faces were pretty much priceless. At the time, it was literally like nothing I'd had before.

[RedBEERd]

For me, and let's face it, taste is a different thing to everyone, the 4/2014 batch was the singular best beer I've had in my life......now maybe it was due to other surrounding issues.....I had it on Easter weekend after an exceptional meal, was relaxed and not doing anything but enjoying my beer. Surroundings etc have a lot to do with it for me.

That said, I think that while its an exceptional beer, Parish's Ghost in the Machine is slightly better when it's fresh.....my problem is, since they're actually rationed in my city lately, I feel I have to save a few for later..and by that time its not as fresh.

Sadly, both the 2/15 and 3/15 versions are missing our area after 3 in a row here so......i'm ready for one right now.

[BlackDuck]

I'm drinking one right now. In my opinion, this is the worst one that I've had. It's not bad, but it surely isn't great. It just tastes like an everyday IPA. I've had so many others that are better than this one. The aroma is good, but the flavor just isn't there like it has been in the past. And I'm getting some alcohol late too. Just not great at all. I skipped the last round and I will most likely skip the next and the next and the next and the next...you get what I'm sayin'.

[Beer-lord]

Could it be that we are just getting use to these beers?
I'm looking forward to the annual Ruin Ten.

[BlackDuck]

I don't know Paul...maybe. But it's been quite some time since I had anything from Stone. I just think the earlier versions were so much better than this. This one had the undeniable Stone aroma, but that's it.