If I want a well balanced beer I will order a pilsner. However, an IPA should be overhopped by definition. As I stated in an earlier post I have been disappointed in the Daily Crisis IPA on recent visits and therefore no longer go to the Red Brick. When I go to Victory on Sunday I know the Hop Devil on cask will be a knock your socks off beer but I also know that I can order a milder beer. I won't, but I could.

You're kidding, right?

Crisis is the best locally brewed IPA. The hops are there, but not overpowering - that alcohol content, however is the overpowering part!

Show me a better MD local IPA. We all know DuClaw hardly counts.

If I want hops, I'll buy a Hop Wallop or a Hopocalypse, or drink one of my own. If I want a stellar example of a true IPA, I'll see you in White Marsh.

I had one blueberry beer at RBS a year ago.

It was awful, watery and bland, the food was awful, cold burger and fries, and the service was awful.

Won't be going back.

Chw, have you any idea what snake dog is?

I think the best local IPA is Loose Cannon. Daily Crisis is ok, but it lacks the "intense hop nose and a distinct hop flavor" they profess on their website.

I have said it before in this blog and I stick by my statement.

The only good thing about Flying Dog is their use of Ralph Steadman art.

Additionally, I'm making this list of brewpubs, not bottlers. There's nothing better than Heavy Seas Loose Cannon.

When you put it that way (only brewpubs) Daily Crisis is the only selection. (DuClaws don't make an IPA, Serum is a DIPA, but the others are listed Pale Ales). So I guess Daily Crisis wins by default. (Correct me if I am wrong, I havent been everywhere in MD)

I lied, HellRazer is an IPA, which I would say is about as similar to Daily Crisis as it gets

re: Duclaw.
Pour one out for the dearly departed Venom. A victim of the Hops v. Ethanol wars.

Brewer's Alley IPA isn't too bad.
And Franklin's is always something to write home about. The Private IPA knocked my socks off.

Ellicott City Brewery makes an excellent IPA but it is a seasonal for them. Chw, I loved the Daily Crisis for four years. But I am telling you it has changed. The brewer at Red Brick said they changed the type of hops and I swear they are using less. Until things change I'll keep heading to PA for my hop fix at ABC and Victory.

I feel I need to address Elite Elephant Lovers statement " an IPA should be overhopped by definition.". You couldn't be any more wrong. Perhaps you should go through the AHA beer guidelines. There are several types of IPA and each one is different and not all over hopped. The only style of IPA that should be aggressively hopped is an American IPA. As the BJCP guidlines state an English IPA "has less hop character and a more pronounced malt flavor than American versions.".

Also, I will once again state that yes the hops have changed, but neither recipe or the IBU's have changed.

I would encourage beer drinkers to do some research on beer styles before critiquing beers they have had. We have never claimed Daily Crisis to be a hop bomb and wouldn't want it to be one. It is an English IPA.

I enjoy Red Brick's beers, but only the cask conditioned versions.

The regular tap versions are just to "blah" for me. Nothing really going on. I wish they had at least one over-the-top, knock your socks off, type of beer... but they don't.

I do highly recommend the Rye and the Red whenever they're available via cask.

Can't beat $1 Tuesdays either.

Pardon me Mr. McDonald. I never said the Daily Crisis was a hop bomb. I will stand by my claim that the hops are not as pronounced as they were in the past.

You are right that people should study subjects before they critique them. However, I don't think that is very likely to happen on blogs. Remember the next time you feel like complaining about traffic to make sure you study transportation engineering before saying anything.

I have been to the Red Brick atleast 50 times (always in the dining room) and I had no idea they offered beer on cask. No mention on the menu or by the servers. Amazing.

EEL, let's keep the snarkiness to the sandbox...

McD knows what he's doing, and I suggest you review the first name mentioned in the above blog.

The cask is usually mentioned by chalkboard at the far end of the bar or the big board above the kitchen.

Chw, I would guess you drink Red Brick beer on a regular basis. Have you noticed a difference in the IPA? From your earlier post I know you still love the Daily Crisis but has it changed?

As I stated I have only been in the dining room. I have never noticed a big board above the kitchen in the dining room.

If I was "snarky" what was Mike McDonald? Or in other words "I know I am but what was he?"

I'll give you points for that one. I just wanted to use the word snarky. It was that kinda day yesterday.

It seems as if the brewers of our locals that come to Rob's page seem defensive. I would be too if Frederick seemed to be taking over. Baltimore, let's stop that. Volker and Mike, let's do this.

And this, so shortly after they claimed to have major water shortage problems in that city...go figure.

I have not been in a few months. It's hard to get the wife there at times. Unless "They Made Me Do It" is on tap. Then she'd never leave. Truth be told, I have not noticed a major change in the Crisis, and that is my beer when I get up there.

I had lunch today at the Dogfish Head Ale House in the Rockville area with two 60 minute IPA's. I have been there alot lately (my daughter lives in Rockville) as well as ABC in Gettysburg and Harrisburg and Victory up in Downingtown. My theory now is that all these hop bombs I have been drinking have distorted my taste buds so that a well balanced beer now tastes bland.

I have a hard time getting my wife to travel the 2 hours to Downingtown just so I can have a couple of Hop Devils on cask. I wish there was something else around there to justify the trip.