Guinness introducing $35 750ml peated amber ale

Guinness has announced plans to introduce in the U.S. a limited-run (90,000 750ml bottles) peated amber ale in a velvet gift box called The 1759. Looks like they are trying to cash in on the American craft beer movement. Beer snobbery? Would you buy this? More details in my blog:
http://www.corkscapsandtaps.com/?p=2260

OK, you got me!

I ordered some from the site in your blog!

I will report back.

Thank you for the info - I like to find new things!

If this hit the local shop, I’d buy one to try it in a second. Call me a sucker.

Would be fun to open with some friends, but $35 seems like a lot…

On a somewhat related note, has anyone tried their new blonde lager?

fixed

I’d bet that $35 beer tastes better than a lot of $35 wines…

First, probably not to me because I hate the taste of peat smoke unless it’s very subtle.

Also, it isn’t wine. I get that great beers are far better values than any wine and are probably worth more than the sell for in some sense. This is a beer with no track record in some weird style created by them from a producer not known for anything of exceptional quality. The cost of production couldn’t possibly justify it costing more than SO many truly great beers which have been consistent over quite a few years. Could this be completely amazing? Sure. But I doubt it. It seems like they’re just wanting to market a really expensive beer to creep into that market the way they’ve tried to gain back some market share with the blonde.

I apologize, but seeing people kvetch over $35 on this wine website gives me a chuckle.

Got a sample and tried it recently with friends. My capsule review:

One of the better beers I’ve had recently. I rated it 4/5 stars.
The 1759 poured a deep brownish copper and offered up a peaty nose that suggested a burning pile of fall leaves. But there are also notes of caramel, butterscotch, roasted malt, and suggestions of bacon. The hops were subdued. Full bodied, almost chewy with a creamy finish, it’s a complex brew that doesn’t hide its 9% ABV alcohol level. Would I pay $35 for it? Perhaps, once. But if someone chose to gift me with another bottle, I wouldn’t say no.

More at my blog:Guinness’ The 1759 reviewed: A distinctive, flavorful, pricey brew | Corks, Caps & Taps

Many wines cost more than that to produce. Unless we’re talking about something spontaneously fermented and aged in barrels for a long time, or concentrated to an extremely high level of ABV, it’s a lot harder to justify from a cost perspective with beer. Yes, I spend more than that on wine regularly, but this beer is priced this way only because that’s what was decided.

I nabbed some. What temperature did you go with?

Thanks for the note!

I saw this at Costco the other day. I like Guinness but wasn’t sure I would like their amber ale. Maybe I should try one in the name of science.

For being “limited” there sure is no shortage of it sitting on shelves around here

I bought one but I think it was less than $25 at Costco.

Gave it a go. Served at 46 degrees.

Very creamy and nice, tiny bubbles. A soft mouth feel.

Not overtly peaty, with a hint of sherry barrel at the end.

Not overly hopped, with a good malty flavor profile.

Served to two others, blind: Both guessed it to be a Trappist brew.

Served with some Rochefort 6, 8, and 10, and better than any of the three.

It was lighter in style that the Old Dubh 12 or 16, but similar on smoothness.

Softer mouth feel than a Westvleteren 12, less sweetness than that brew, as well.

I give it a solid thumbs up.

You could tell there was a Guiness feeling to the brew, but it is its own thing.

I thought the value was fine, three servings for the bottle price.

I will get another, or two.

If a 35 dollar beer is “fine” wrt value, what beer represents a poor value? I’m pretty sure that you can actually get Westy 12 shipped for that, if that’s your thing.

It’s really about a “12 dollar beer.”

Plenty of others at that price.

I do get Westy shipped for about that. This was a worthy companion.

I would say that if someone likes Trappist brews or things like Old Dubh, this would be a non-outlandishly priced experience at all.

They are out of my price range, so I don’t consider Sam Adams’ Utopias a “good” value for me. But, like with WINE, value statements vary greatly.

Is DRC, or a first growth Bordeaux a “good value?”

Up to you.

This Guiness works out to under 12 bucks per 250 cL serving. I’m surprised it has generated the outrage that it has.

My wife got a laugh from the value question: her answer is, “Schlitz.”

I had to laugh at the guy on the link who responded with just the following:

“Bollocks”