Whale Hunter

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Michigan1

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 12, 2013
Messages
4,710
Reaction score
12,217
Location
Royal Oak, MI
1. JF Vonck was by far the hardest and most expensive bottle ive tracked down
2. Don Q / Pinot D'aunis
3. Spuyten(very good although expectations were not promising) Bourgogne( really was not impressed by such an elusive bottle)
4. Depends on style, but I wouldnt be dissapointed drinking HF Abner every day for the rest of my life
5. Pinot D'aunis / Don Q
 
1. Soleil de Minuit (still haven't had it)
2. Cantillon Loerik/3F Blauw... these were near perfect.
3. Darkness 07, Dark Lord 04... maybe not surprising, but these were worse than I thought they'd be. Bullfrog Beekeeper/Blue Cheer/Black Cherry Bomb... probably the most unique wales I've had.
4. BCBS or any HF pale ale
6. Tough one... I'd have to say Blauw... its still drinking well.
 
1. JF Vonck was by far the hardest and most expensive bottle ive tracked down
2. Don Q / Pinot D'aunis
3. Spuyten(very good although expectations were not promising) Bourgogne( really was not impressed by such an elusive bottle)
4. Depends on style, but I wouldnt be dissapointed drinking HF Abner every day for the rest of my life
5. Pinot D'aunis / Don Q
Thanks, Joel. Follow up question for you: will the hunt ever be over? I've noticed that you are currently hunting rare whiskey; will you just continue to move on to other frontiers (wine, scotch, waragi, etc)?
 
  1. What proves to be the hardest beer for you to hunt down?
  2. What was the best tasting rare beer?
  3. What was the most surprising rare beer (good or bad)?
  4. What's your favorite daily drinker?
  5. If you could fill your cellar with one beer, what would it be?
1. Selectie C (I passed on this once, damnit) and the Saison Lambic Pinot Noir are I think the only bottles on the old list that I haven't had. Veritas 005 was not easy and we spent a lot of time looking for that one, and then we got three in two days from two sources. :eek: The Finland exclusives were also very hard to find. Bottles have a way of turning up though.

2. My favorite rarities are: SNR 2000, MMM, Blauw, Loerik, Pinot d' Anuis, Pikkulinnun Viskilambic.

3. Dave and LH12 surprised to the upside. Cantillon Bourgogne, Darkness 2007 (in 2013) and the old RR wilds are not great. [edit: I've since had Bourgogne again and my previous experience was a bottle variation issue].

4. 3F oude geuze, bcbs and double sunshine would about cover it for me.

5. Cantillon Mozart.
 
Last edited:
1. Selectie C (I passed on this once, damnit) and the Saison Lambic Pinot Noir are I think the only bottles on the old list that I haven't had. Veritas 005 was not easy and we spent a lot of time looking for that one, and then we got three in two days. :eek: The Finland exclusives were also very hard to find. Bottles have a way of turning up if you know where to look and talk to a lot of people.

2. My favorite rarities are: SNR 2000, MMM, Blauw, Loerik, Pinot d' Anuis, Pikkulinnun Viskilambic.

3. Dave and LH12 surprised to the upside. Cantillon Bourgogne, Darkness 2007 (in 2013) and the old RR wilds are not great.

4. 3F oude geuze, bcbs and double sunshine would about cover it for me.

5. Cantillon Mozart.
Thanks, Mike! Same follow up question for you:
will the hunt ever be over? I've noticed that you are currently hunting rare whiskey; will you just continue to move on to other frontiers (wine, scotch, waragi, etc)?
 
Thanks, Mike! Same follow up question for you:
will the hunt ever be over? I've noticed that you are currently hunting rare whiskey; will you just continue to move on to other frontiers (wine, scotch, waragi, etc)?
The beer hunt is over (at least compared to what it was). That's the only list I've ever tried to tick. Whiskey seems to be "available", so the hunt aspect doesn't really exist the same way for me. I'm sure there's crazy stuff out there, but I'm ok not knowing about it. For now.
 
Any Indiana Jones-type stories for procuring a certain bottle(s)? Euro excursions, underground cellars, heavy negotiations, revolving bookcases, etc.?
 
Michigan: 156624 said:
Thanks, Joel. Follow up question for you: will the hunt ever be over? I've noticed that you are currently hunting rare whiskey; will you just continue to move on to other frontiers (wine, scotch, waragi, etc)?

If i could sell every bottle i own and or trade for whisky id be happy walking away for good. Im looking for very few beers ie, mozart, cartoon label cantillon, and another vonck but am fine if i never get any of them. The "hunt" took more than my money, it took part of my soul and made a person I am trying to change

Im dabbling with wine but wine whales dworf the cost of loerik
 
Last edited:
How'd you guys get so deep into the whale hunting? Was it just the curiosity of trying to tick elusive beers? Wanted to flaunt over lesser beer geeks? A deep love for lambic? All or none of the above?
 
How'd you guys get so deep into the whale hunting? Was it just the curiosity of trying to tick elusive beers? Wanted to flaunt over lesser beer geeks? A deep love for lambic? All or none of the above?
I started out drinking the top beers on the BA list. Then when I got into trading, the rarity thing was interesting, and then what made it really crazy was the group/team aspect of the hunt.
 
Oldest bottle (beer, wine, hard liquor) regardless of rarity you have had? And was it any good?

1978 geuze... terrible. Oldest bottle i had was good is brabantiae
How'd you guys get so deep into the whale hunting? Was it just the curiosity of trying to tick elusive beers? Wanted to flaunt over lesser beer geeks? A deep love for lambic? All or none of the above?

Im an addict and enjoy finding items others say cant be found. Very competitive that way. Still remember people saying id never find spuyten, how many did we end up with Mike? 10?
 
Ok...lesse...

1. Mozart - I thought I had one nailed down, but there was no possible way to confirm the bottle. Even the original owner wasn't sure. :-(
1a. An empty Dirty Horse. @$(*$#()!!. i know most don't care about empties, but i've now had that beer 3 times and it's the only rare empty that i've drank but don't have the bottle.

2. Pikkulinnun Viskilambic, Pinot d' Aunis, Don Q, Loerik, Kersengueuze
2b. The real correct answer here is Cantillon Cognac 2003, so you should go try help us reach the goal so you can win one (shameless plug: http://www.talkbeer.com/community/threads/lambics-against-leukemia.5269/)

3. Kersengueuze. Having never heard of it before finding a bottle, I had very low expectations for this beer. Plus the whole sweet cherry thing didn't sound like something i necessary wanted in a Cantillon. Damn, was I wrong. It may not have been the best beer of the night, but it was close...and there was some seriously stiff competition.

4. 3F Oude Gueuze and whatever's on draft at Crooked Stave

5. Gueuze, aged between 5 and 15 years old. A variety of options and enough bottles that i didn't have to worry about opening one because it was my only bottle.

To the bonus follow-up question of if the hunt is done...no, technically it likely won't ever be complete for me. However, it might be practically done because i very likely may never find any of the remaining beers that I'd like to find. Many of them are ghosts that will likely never appear (such as La p'tite Louise Cuvee Speciale: http://s1229.photobucket.com/user/f...need/ca2-046_zpsc4b9a725.jpg.html?sort=3&o=26)
 
1978 geuze... terrible. Oldest bottle i had was good is brabantiae


Im an addict and enjoy finding items others say cant be found. Very competitive that way. Still remember people saying id never find spuyten, how many did we end up with Mike? 10?
About that. :D
 
How'd you guys get so deep into the whale hunting? Was it just the curiosity of trying to tick elusive beers? Wanted to flaunt over lesser beer geeks? A deep love for lambic? All or none of the above?

A combination of things. I had a lot of work trips to europe, so i had an opportunity to seek out a lot of sought after beers. Plus then a couple of really rare beers landed in my lap through friends and lucky opportunities. After that, as Mike said, it became a team sport to get groups of people together where i could share what i'd found and they could as well.
 
Has the hunt had any mishaps (broken/frozen bottles, etc.?)

And has it changed the way you drink/appreciate other more shelf oriented beers? Or beer is beer, and you drink it all!
 
Oldest bottle (beer, wine, hard liquor) regardless of rarity you have had? And was it any good?
Shoot. I had 2 bottles of Ballantine Burton Ale brewed in 1946. One was good, the other was bad.
Oldest wine was a 1937 Chateau d'Yquem. Amazing
Oldest guitar I've played was a 1924 Martin 0-45 (also the most expensive)
Oldest woman was... well...
Oldest car I've driven was a 1903 Cadillac Model A
 
Last edited:
Has the hunt had any mishaps (broken/frozen bottles, etc.?)

And has it changed the way you drink/appreciate other more shelf oriented beers? Or beer is beer, and you drink it all!

I'm mostly getting out of the Wale Hunt but what I've realized over the past couple of years that it really is the group effort aspect of the whole thing that makes it worth while. There's nothing like looking for a huge rarity with a bunch of people, finally finding it, and then opening it with said people. Hunting Wales by yourself really isn't any fun.

I drink everything but I find that I have a lot more appreciation of really well made "shelf" beer. Things like Two Hearted, BCBS, Breakfast Stout, etc.
 
Has the hunt had any mishaps (broken/frozen bottles, etc.?)

And has it changed the way you drink/appreciate other more shelf oriented beers? Or beer is beer, and you drink it all!
I've been lucky. My closest calls have been two times when I had Crazy boxes en route and there was an exception. Luckily they were only due to delayed delivery.

I don't think my view on beer is different as the focus of my hobby has changed. I know a lot more now than I did, but a lot of the beer I drink is with the same group of guys, and we have a good time no matter what it is.
 
1.) Selectie C or Olutravintola Pikkulintu. I've seen one or two Selectie C out in the wild, but never seen an Olutravintola. I was in Helsinki for a quick stop in November, but couldnt get the wife to come to Pikkulintu with me and it was our honeymoon so I didnt push the subject.

2.) Don Quijote, Loerik, and Goldackerl for lambics and SA Millennium for everything else.

3.) Dave was probably one of the worst whales Ive had. It's boozy as ****, even after all this time. I loved Goldackerl, it was one of the most unique Cantillon I've had to date. I dont think it gets near the hype it deserves.

4.) Girardin black label, 3F Oude Geuze, and Hoponius Union

5.) 3F Oude Geuze or Saint Lamnivus
 
With all the time and work and effort, and well getting "**** on" at the other site...How do you stay so humble and generous?

I have to say I think part of the whole banning was that you guys had become the show, along with a few others, so you come here and be nicer and have more fun.
 
With all the time and work and effort, and well getting "**** on" at the other site...How do you stay so humble and generous?

I have to say I think part of the whole banning was that you guys had become the show, along with a few others, so you come here and be nicer and have more fun.
Nicer?


Hahahahahahhahahaha



(Just speaking for myself as one of the "banned" that seemed to start this last exodus along with dontdrinkbeer and GrumpyOldTroll)
 
How did you get started whale hunting? I assume trips to Europe are the answer, but was it more about knowing someone who could get these whales? eBay sales? Quantity for quality trades?
 
1.) Selectie C or Olutravintola Pikkulintu. I've seen one or two Selectie C out in the wild, but never seen an Olutravintola. I was in Helsinki for a quick stop in November, but couldnt get the wife to come to Pikkulintu with me and it was our honeymoon so I didnt push the subject.

2.) Don Quijote, Loerik, and Goldackerl for lambics and SA Millennium for everything else.

3.) Dave was probably one of the worst whales Ive had. It's boozy as ****, even after all this time. I loved Goldackerl, it was one of the most unique Cantillon I've had to date. I dont think it gets near the hype it deserves.

4.) Girardin black label, 3F Oude Geuze, and Hoponius Union

5.) 3F Oude Geuze or Saint Lamnivus
I don't think you'll ever see a lot of love for Goldackerl because it's so ****ing weird. I liked it, and appreciated it for its uniqueness, but I don't think I'd ever buy it again (and I just ordered it at Akkurrat so I got it pretty cheap).
 
How did you get started whale hunting? I assume trips to Europe are the answer, but was it more about knowing someone who could get these whales? eBay sales? Quantity for quality trades?
All of the above - big time whales usually trade hands for $, not other beer. So it's a matter of finding them and then getting them as cheap as possible.

How did you guys know some of these beers existed in the first place?
Answer:
<------------
 
Nicer?


Hahahahahahhahahaha



(Just speaking for myself as one of the "banned" that seemed to start this last exodus along with dontdrinkbeer and GrumpyOldTroll)


Look, that wasn't like a total ass kiss. It's a serious question. I'm sure there's some animosity but I frequented that site, found out about the whole thing several months later cause well, I'm not exactly perceptive and it seems as if my disdain for the whole thing is greater than those affected directly.

While not speaking directly to a lot of people (who are now here) I wouldn't know what 90% of this stuff is (Whales, trading in general) and there's an entity profiting from it at and acting like it is correct.

A lot of these guys are the ones who not only acquired the information about whales and all of this and spread it without any hope of gain. What do you do? Just start another site and have a LIF where some ******* from Indiana gets to crush some Dave and 4loko and just move on. That really takes an awesome amount of character.

Then again, I came here realized all of this is possible AND people can have fun while they're at it and I'm enjoying every second of it.
 
I digress and shouldn't worry too much about the past, serious question: Were you guys collectors of other things before getting into the hard to find beer scene?
 
Look, that wasn't like a total ass kiss. It's a serious question. I'm sure there's some animosity but I frequented that site, found out about the whole thing several months later cause well, I'm not exactly perceptive and it seems as if my disdain for the whole thing is greater than those affected directly.

While not speaking directly to a lot of people (who are now here) I wouldn't know what 90% of this stuff is (Whales, trading in general) and there's an entity profiting from it at and acting like it is correct.

A lot of these guys are the ones who not only acquired the information about whales and all of this and spread it without any hope of gain. What do you do? Just start another site and have a LIF where some ******* from Indiana gets to crush some Dave and 4loko and just move on. That really takes an awesome amount of character.

Then again, I came here realized all of this is possible AND people can have fun while they're at it and I'm enjoying every second of it.
I think you answered your own inquiry a bit there. The solid people that got ****ed out of that other place were awesome people in spite of that place, so once in a freer environment it was only natural to get better/nicer/more fun, etc. Sort of like how Google or whatever figured out if you let people play ping-pong during breaks they are more productive overall.

Savvy?
 
I think you answered your own inquiry a bit there. The solid people that got ****ed out of that other place were awesome people in spite of that place, so once in a freer environment it was only natural to get better/nicer/more fun, etc. Sort of like how Google or whatever figured out if you let people play ping-pong during breaks they are more productive overall.

Savvy?

Thanks.

Let's leave it at that. I won't bring it up again.
 
All of the above - big time whales usually trade hands for $, not other beer. So it's a matter of finding them and then getting them as cheap as possible.


Answer:

What's the most expensive beer you guys paid for? Dave for $2k? What's the price range for the rare Cantillons, for instance? Just asking because I am ignorant; if you don't want to talk about money I understand.
 
my friends cant grasp the concept of pricey beer, even if its a vintage, limited release, retired etc etc the whale game is pretty crazy but they just don't seem to get it, has it affected your relationships in any sort of way? whether its friends, girlfriends etc
 
Back
Top