The bummer about this festival is that when I'd decided I'd had enough, I continued to get drunker for a good 30-60 minutes after I left.

I mean, I know that's how alcohol works, but it hadn't happened to me since college.

Yes but then you had an excellent burrito for lunch the next day and all was well.

... with excellent company.

The night before we left most of a plate of garbage fries, chicken wings, and for some reason, a styrofoam cup of chili, on the table at Hell's Kitchen.

Bell’s Brewery to Sell to New Belgium Parent Co. Lion; Larry Bell to Retire

Bell's growth has been something to see over the last 5-6 years, can't say I'm surprised but I like this:

As long as the product doesn't change. Bell's is still one of my personal favorites. I enjoy so much of what they do. And obviously I still think is the best IPA out there.

Haven’t had one in a while, think that will change today.

Drinking this one now. Fits my taste nicely.

Classic

I don't know how far out you can get this stuff, but it's pretty amazing. I believe the kids are calling it a New England IPA or a "Juicy" IPA.

The market is finally trending away from NEIPAs which I'm pretty happy about, also given my location I've really tired of seeing shelves filled with them. Of course the BA releases their guidelines this week further attempting to refine the imbalanced nature of them, they also skewed the Session and Session IPA category down to .5% making room for the non-alc sector.

I've seen some pretty good beers get lost in the haze of chasing the NEIPA market and it's kind of shitty, it would look pretty poor to tweak the recipe back but overall it's pretty rough out there for craft beer in general.

Enjoying a nice little pils currently.

I don't mind these, but I could live my life without another sour beer.

Ok. I bought a sour beer.

Enjoyed a few sour IPAs but that was a really quick trend up here.

Stone reissued Sublimely Self-Righteous and I keep forgetting to grab a pack, that was a damn fine beer back in the day. Bell's also included a BIPA variant of Two-Hearted in its mixed pack that I have in my fridge. I see Wookey Jack is back as well, really miss Firestone.

First beer fest of the year is in two weeks, hopefully don't have a table right next to the music stage this time.

I just ordered 5 cases of Hopslam for my bar inventory. $52 a case. wheww.

You do make an exception for the (finally!) retail release of Fuzzy Baby Ducks from NE Brewing, right?? I don't know if that's technically a NEIPA but it sure tastes like one. Impossible for me not to buy if I see it, even if a lot of that is "legend".

I did like seeing FBD on the shelf, caught me by surprise and I always laugh at the can art. I haven't had it in over a year but I doubt they had to tweak the recipe at all as they were doing well with the brewery only releases and there isn't much they can do really. Also wouldn't personally call FBD a NEIPA, it's just damn hoppy but I could see a case made in doing so. Sea Hag can only carry Rob so far as well and I imagine it is losing market (well I know it is) but I had one on draft the other day and it's a bit different but not incredibly so. Also had a Headway from Counterweight (Sea Hag was Matt's recipe) and it was legit undrinkable and a far cry from what it started as.

After the recent closures CT is still at 120+ operating brewing entities (a few co-ops exist now) and there are quite a few I have had nothing from.

Yes

the hazier the better.

I disagree. I'm post-haze.