Hard to get beers over rated???

It's a tough subject I know this... If it's hard to get and everyone is talking about it than it must be good right...? nope... In my opinion, I really just rely on my taste buds not word of mouth... So therefore I have to say I do not like hopslam all that much... It is just a little too fruity for me... Add some more hops - fruit = goodness... Just my opinion... Good example. Avery Maharaja.

I've had this problem with a few of the highly rated beers on the big 2 beer websites (beeradvocate and ratebeer). A lot of the top beers are ones that are not available in the country (Westvleteren 12), or come out for a short time period per year (Hopslam), or are available only at the brewery (ie Dark Lord). While they are all fine beers, and probably do deserve a high rating, the fact that they are not readily available year round always seems to put a boost in their ratings.

A great example of this is Rochefort 10. Hands down, this is one of my favorite beers. For a long time it was really scarce. If you were able to find one in a store, you immediately bought it. It was also one of the top rated beers on both of the aforementioned sites. About 4 years ago, the supply of this increased considerably, and good stores were able to keep this in stock. Pretty soon after it was so readily available, it started to slide down the ratings. Nothing in the beer changed, it was just around more than it used to, and I think some of the magic wore off.

I'm sure that if these sites had been around in the 70's, Coors would have been one of the higher rated beers since you just could not get it on this side of the Mississippi, unless you knew Burt Reynolds.

Lack of availability can have something to do with the ratings, but it usually comes down to the beer itself.

Everyone in Arizona was crazy about Fat Tire, largely because they could only get it during trips to Colorado (which probably had pleasant memories and associations also). So I think it was a combo of things that made it super popular when it was released finally in AZ.

Some beers, like Hopslam, are simply too hoppy for some people. Every person has different tastes. But I do like the concept of seasonal beers. It lets breweries produce a wider variety of brews, and yes, it does get a person looking forward to the release.

I remember the good old days, when I'd stockpile cases of Bigfoot, and Celebration ale in my basement. Heck, in the good old days, when you could CARRY ON multiple cases of beer onto airplanes, I brought back at least two cases (in the overhead compartment) of older bigfoot bottles that I scored from a liquor store owner in Dana Point California. Now you can't even bring on a couple bottles for your next layover. Darn phony TSA "security." (though I must admit that carrying multiple cases of beer onto planes was a pain, especially during plane changes en route..haha).

The beer world is very similar to the wine world in this respect. Yes, rare beers are undoubtedly great beers (although not all of them are for everyone). However, the hype definitely plays a role in the mystique.

One interesting thing about beer compared to wine is the accessibility of the price. Older vintages of Dark Lord can sell for hundreds of dollars on eBay, however the retail price (on the one day a year you can purchase it) is only $15. Hopslam is only around $17 for a 6-pack. While pricey for beer, that doesn't even scratch the surface of rare wines.

It's a tough subject I know this... If it's hard to get and everyone is talking about it than it must be good right...? nope... In my opinion, I really just rely on my taste buds not word of mouth... So therefore I have to say I do not like hopslam all that much... It is just a little too fruity for me... Add some more hops - fruit = goodness... Just my opinion... Good example. Avery Maharaja.

Where are you buying Hopslam? I thought you could only get in the first part of the year.

Derby City Espresso just busted out an 8 pack pf Hopslam a couple of weeks ago (It only lasted a few days). We currently have a limited supply of Kentucky Breakfast Stout from February's release. I like to set back a portion of what's bought to be brought out and drunk 6 months after the initial release.

Where are you buying Hopslam? I thought you could only get in the first part of the year.

No where, I don't like it...