3 replies to this topic

[LibraAle]

When I first got into brewing, I was primarily a stout/porter drinker. Over time, like a lot of beer drinkers, I gravitated more toward IPAs. When I first started drinking hoppier beers, DFH 90 Minute was my conception of the ideal IPA; it was the gold standard. I'm drinking one now, and it just tastes weird to me. It's partly a matter of undercarbonation. Beyond that, though, there's just something... off about it, and I don't think it's that I got a bad one. I remember once reading a review that said that the hops in this beer have a quality that's almost "synthetic," and now I really get that, even though I'd have a hard time saying exactly what I mean by it.  What do other people think of this beer?

[LeftyMPfrmDE]

I live in the state where it's made, and it's still hard to find fresh bottles. 90 minute doesn't have a long shelf life, believe it or not- if i can find a 4 pack in the store that's less then 2 months old, it's in it's prime. past that, it's a malty mess. even chain restaurants have it on tap around here, once had it at an applebee's of all places.  different animal on tap, to be sure- the hops are still there. 

 

circa 2004, this was the end all/be all IPA. when i entered my 'Beer Renaissance', getting into better beer, and gained appreciation for IPA, I enjoyed it very much. the 9% abv comes across as slightly cloying, compared to West coast style IPA, a'la Pliny the elder. while i prefer a bone dry IPA, 90 minute while fresh, is something i like to buy a couple times a year; there's a bunch of hops, but a lot of malt to counter balance it. 

 

It maybe a style of IPA that may be considered "old school", by the constantly changing landscape of that latest/greatest IPA. I'm in my mid 30s, one time at a beer bar/arcade, i struck up a conversation with a guy whose was no more then 25, and we started taking about homebrewing, as he was interested in it. 

 

he asked me what i was drinking: "90 minute". (it was on tap). 

he answered with "guh, that's old man beer. my dad drank that". 

I quipped back "i'm getting a refill, would you like another can of PBR?" 

the irony is quite ironic. 

 

long story short, while a slightly dated IPA style, it has it place. if you can get it fresh, it's a good beer. if not, it becomes a muddled mess that what it should be. 

Edited by LeftyMPfrmDE, 03 June 2019 - 11:31 AM.

[LibraAle]

Maybe I'm not getting it fresh, although VA isn't too far from DE.

[LeftyMPfrmDE]

Maybe I'm not getting it fresh, although VA isn't too far from DE.

that maybe a factor. I have a friend who works in the production house at DFH, they adopted a policy to allocate more of their flagship beer out of state then in-state, while keeping all the one-offs, and seasonal, (120 minute, Rasion de extra, etc) in state.