Tonic Tapping Hopslam on Monday

by Prince Of Petworth February 4, 2016 at 12:10 pm 16 Comments

hopslam tonic

Let’s hope it a better batch than last year! Tonic at Quigleys is located at 2036 G Street, NW. Also Meridian/Brookland Pint usually gets some Hopslam kegs too so keep your eyes peeled.

AnonV2

I’d be OK with Hopslam being a slight disappointment in recent years if they just stopped jacking up the prices. I fully expect retail on six-packs to average over $25 this year. That is insane when there are any number of very similar IIPAs on the market for at least $10 less. I guess as long as people still see this as the end-all-be-all of the style they will pay, but I think last year soured a lot of beer geeks. They should just release Oracle more widely, THAT one seems worth it.
- Philippe Lecheval
  
  I agree, it’s nowhere near as special as it used to be. Everybody does a double or imperial IPA these days, so there are a lot of good ones that are easier to find.
- Dogg
  
  I also agree. There are some “white whales” of beer out there that can be fun to search out and jump through a few hoops to say you’ve had, but for the most part, you can find a beer that is just as good if not better from somewhere close to home / nationally distributed. I think Hop Slam has lost its selling point to me and a lot of people where I would not buy a 4/6 pack again, but I’m sure I’d try a pint each year if I saw it on tap to see how it is.
- Anon
  
  I felt like some of the hype and demand fell off last year. It was pretty easy to score 6 packs for $20, even at D’Vines in Columbia Heights. It has been over $25 there before and they aren’t exactly a budget minded retail shop
- justinbc
  
  Oracle aged for a few years is one of the most delicious beers I’ve ever had. Hopslam is great for what it is, I’ve never thought it was one of the “best” beers, but it’s wonderful to sip in big quantities and not realizing just how buzzed you’re getting.
Philippe Lecheval

I thought tonic closed like a year ago. Did the Filipino place not survive?
- BookaholicAnonymous
  
  This is taking place at the Foggy Bottom Tonic location, which never closed. The original Tonic location in Mount Pleasant did close quite some time ago. It was replaced in March 2015 by Purple Patch (the Filipino restaurant), which is still very open and very delicious!
  - Philippe Lecheval
    
    DOH! I completely forgot about that location. That part of town is just not on my radar, I guess.
Big Sherm

Overrated beer with too high a price point that doesn’t even make it to this market fresh anymore. I’d be willing to bet the cans and kegs will be close to a month old by the time they arrive next week and, for an IPA, that’s a lot of flavor/ hoppiness lost.

If you want a great fresh Imperial IPA, get over to Meridian Pint tonight and try the collaboration beer they did with Ocelot Brewing called “Talking Backwards.” It’s a big 10.8% IPA that drinks easier than the ABV and was kegged Monday, it’s fantastic!
- justinbc
  
  FYI, not every IPA has to be “super fresh” to be enjoyable.
  - Anon
    
    Yes they do. Hop flavors fall off dramatically even under excellent packaging conditions. An old IPA isn’t bad in the spoiled sense, but is definitely not as good as a fresh one.
    
    Hops are expensive, and there’s no point in paying a premium for extra hops if you’re not getting to enjoy extra hop flavor.
    - Dogg
      
      Anon is correct. A double or triple IPA may age better, although you will lose a lot of your aroma, but for the most part you want to drink them fresh.
    - justinbc
      
      Perhaps you missed the part where I said “enjoyable”, not “optimal”. Not everyone obsesses over super hopped beers.
  - Big Sherm
    
    To each his own…
    
    I like hoppy beers and I like them as fresh as possible. A month old Hopslam (or any IPA, especially imperial ones) lacks what a week old one has, bitterness and overall flavors fade away and the sweetness of the malt creeps forward, and some hop staleness may pop through if you have a good knowledge of the beer or hop varietal. Not that the beer is bad in the drain pour sense but it’s not as good as it was designed. As Stone states on all their IPA’s, “Drink Fresh.”
    
    As an example, a few years ago when Hopslam had 2 shipments and 2 different bottling dates, I tried a side by side with a month different bottling date and the difference is profound.
    - Philippe Lecheval
      
      Speaking of Stone, I’ve enjoyed all the editions of their “Enjoy by” series that I’ve tried. I wish more breweries would release beers like that.
    - justinbc
      
      I’ve got bottles of Hopslam from 14, 13, 12, and 10 still. I usually buy a case worth of each year and hold / drink them slowly to see how they evolve. I do like it “fresh”, but it’s still a very good beer years later.

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