The Trip is a collaboration between New Belgium and Elysian brewing, and being NB is my favorite brewery, I had to get out there and try what ever I could. I wish I would have been able to try all 9 trips, did I forget to mention that they are at nine beers with New Belgium now?, but getting to try one of them would be good enough at this point.
I figured that this brewery was pretty good and established being that they have done some pretty big collaborations. Another one that is going on with them, or has, I don't really know is a collaboration between them and Stone. That really peaked my interest and I had to see what this place was all about.
On our way up there we stopped by this awesome Bottle Shop that just recently installed Taps in the place in order to sell growlers in the shop. I KNOW RIGHT! Washington just passed a new law that allows you to sell any beer, anywhere (well almost), in any glassware. Pretty kick ass if you ask me... and guess what? NO CRV!!! That annoyed the hell out of me in CA. I hated CRV, I mean, seriously? Why?
I was completely overwhelmed with the amount of beer that was in there that it made it so very hard for me to collect a six pack. There were specific beers that I was looking for that I could not find and a ton of local beers that I never even heard of. It was just awesome. I picked up some New Belgium, and some Local brews like Scuttlebutt Hoptopia. When I am back in this area, I have some craft beer research to do.
Once we got to Elysian, all I really wanted was a flight of their brews but since I was pretty hungry too, I figured I should eat. Service was slow but my beer finally came. The thing that I thought was funny is that when my flight was presented to me, it came with a card naming all of the beers that I had got but it was completely inaccurate. They crossed out two of the beers and replaced them with others. This was not an issue for me because I was going to drink whatever they gave me but I just assumed if they were taking the time to give it such a display, they would at least have the correct listing.
Most of the beers I thought were just average, which is the same experience I had of most of the beers I had that are from Washington, (at the time I am writing this I had already had the Scuttlebutt Hoptopia, and that was damn good. As you probably know, I am not a fan of most IPAs but this Imperial IPA was something worth finding and enjoying. I want to find more from this brewery), but maybe I am just looking in all of the wrong places.
The best beer I had from here was the Dragons Tooth Stout. This one was actually damn good. The server told me it was their best selling beer, and even if he was lying to me, I see why. This was my growler fill for the night.
As for The Trip IX, I was really happy with this "Down Under IPA". It was brewed with New Zeland hops and was not like the typical West Coast IPA that everyone brews and loves, which I feel is kind of killing beer... I mean, be innovative and create something instead of trying to be bigger and hoppier than the rest. Some people do it right, and well, so kudos to them. I drink your IPA but not everyone gets it and they should stop... Not every beer in the world should be Imperial this, barrel aged this, Why can't somebody brew a low ABV session anything that can just be enjoyed for what it is... but then again, I guess that is why I homebrew.
Anyway, it was more like what a True IPA would be like. The style was not meant to be drank fresh. The hops were added as preservatives so they mellowed out quite a bit during the voyage to India and it was kept for sometime before drinking... This beer aknowledged that. Very Happy about it. I even think they used Galaxy hops. This was my first experience with them but now I have been seeing them all over the place. I realy hope that they are used well and do not become the new Cascade...
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