JW Dundee's

[iamnick]

I was at the grocery store tonight and saw a 12pk called JW Dundee's brewed by High Falls Brewery or something like that. It's in Rochester, NY. I didn't get it because I figured I might as well see if you folks had anything to say about it. It was the first time I'd even seen it, and I'm only an hour away from Rochester so maybe you guys haven't ever tried it. The 12 included: amber lager, porter, honey brown, and pale ale. It was reasonably priced as well, so I'm really interested in what you guys think about it.

-Nick

EDIT: Just realized High Falls brews Genesee, among others. Still am interested in hearing about JW Dundee's, though

[dparsons]

I had a Dundee mixed pack a few years ago. It was OK. Not anything special but certainly better than BMC.

[iamnick]

I have to admit that after going to their website and seeing High Falls brews Genny and all of its off-shoots that I am a bit nervous about trying it. Still....for 9 bucks I might as well...
Remember the porter at all?

-Nick

[infomercial]

the porter is a good beer. it is their "seasonal" of sorts which i have seen rotated with a wheat and IPA since i started drinking them. i currently drink about 3 of these "craft packs" a week. it is excellent beer for the price but only OK beer if you could have anything. i'd say their amber lager is a step above yuengling but it's around the same class of beer.
it's worth a try for sure imo and has saved me from drinking alot of mediocore cheap lagers. the price just recently went up $1 in this area to make it $8.49

[RichC]

The PA and Porter are decent. I had one of the Amber Lagers last night and I wasn't all that impressed. It's better than Yuengling but that's not saying much. Honey Brown has been around forver and I've never really been a fan of that.

I do by the PA and Porter though. They're good for the price. I'd say they're slightly better than what you get from Saranac for the price.


EDIT: High Falls Brewery was baught out by the employees a few years ago and thats when they took on the new name. They also contract brew for Boston Beer Company.

[iamnick]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I'll try and pick one up on the weekend...maybe earlier. I'll let you know what I think. I can't believe I never noticed it before.

-Nick

[newportstorm]

They sell well here in New England. Always see large case pyramids of them at my local liquor store. IMO, the Pale Ale is a poor man's Sierra Nevada - not as smooth but quite flavorful. Amber Lager might appeal to people that enjoy a Samuel Adams Boston Lager. Their Wheat was totally lacking in flavor and character - glad it's just a spring/summer seasonal. I missed the IPA this summer/fall. I bought several singles of the Porter and must say I was a bit disappointed, even for the price. Drinkable but forgettable - so many other better Porters out there.

Should they re-release their Festive Ale (winter seasonal for the past couple of years), give it a go. Very nice, mildly spicy winter warmer - surprised me.

Their Pale Bock was a treat last spring as well. I'd expect to see that replace the Porter in the mixed 12 packs soon.

[Seymour]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and vote nay. The pale has a weird chemical flavor that's downright off-putting IMO, and the honey lager (am I remembering that right?) is just pure treacle. A drain-pour. Haven't had the porter, so I really can't comment.

Now in their defense, I haven't had them in some years--eight, maybe. If things have improved since the employee takeover, I'd be willing to give those beers another spin...

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by Seymour
The pale has a weird chemical flavor that's downright off-putting IMO.....Now in their defense, I haven't had them in some years--eight, maybe.

The Pale Ale was added to the lineup in 2004 (same for the Amber Lager). The only Dundee's brew still around from 8 years ago is the Honey Brown Lager - it's drinkable, but nothing more.

[Seymour]

Originally posted by newportstorm
The Pale Ale was added to the lineup in 2004 (same for the Amber Lager). The only Dundee's brew still around from 8 years ago is the Honey Brown Lager - it's drinkable, but nothing more.

...And the HBL may be all I'm remembering, and it was so bad (to me) I had to pour it out. Did they have another ale way back that I may be mis-remembering as the pale ale? I see it on the shelf here now all the time, but pass it by in favor of better offerings.

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by Seymour
...And the HBL may be all I'm remembering, and it was so bad (to me) I had to pour it out. Did they have another ale way back that I may be mis-remembering as the pale ale? I see it on the shelf here now all the time, but pass it by in favor of better offerings.

Wouldn't be surprised if they released limited/seasonal beers over the years that have since gone to the graveyard. But this current APA is only a few years old and quite tasty when fresh.

For $7-8/mixed 12-pk (+ rebates last summer), it was a decent thing to have around for BBQs, parties, friends that aren't hardcore beer lovers.

[iamnick]

Originally posted by newportstorm


For $7-8/mixed 12-pk (+ rebates last summer), it was a decent thing to have around for BBQs, parties, friends that aren't hardcore beer lovers.

This is why I'm interested...the price is right. Would be a good 12pk to buy when with my GF and have to pick up a bottle of wine for her, too.

-Nick

[jesskidden]

Originally posted by RichC

EDIT: High Falls Brewery was baught out by the employees a few years ago and thats when they took on the new name.

The High Falls purchase was, strictly speaking, a *management* buyout (top corporate executives of the Genesee Brewing Company bought the company from the Wehle family that owned it since Repeal). While, I suppose, the CEO and the others were technically "employees", usually "employee-owned" company implies that all employees, blue- and white-collar have some sort of ownership, in the form of an ESOP or something similar.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3469/is_52_51/ai_69759833

[iamnick]

Finally tried it this past weekend...I'll admit that I wasn't too impressed with the amber lager or honey brown....but neither was undrinkable. The pale ale was decent, though, as was the porter. I did like the fact that the porter was 6.5% ABV. I think will get this again as it is a very cost effective alternative to BMC. I'll just make sure I drink the honey browns after I've already had the others...

-Nick

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by iamnick
I'll just make sure I drink the honey browns after I've already had the others...


I like the Amber Lager, actually. Easy to drink, has some flavor, but nothing I need/want to ponder too long.

Honey Brown is....beer. Pawn 'em off on friends or cook with them. Could probably make a tasty marinade for some grilled chops?

[dparsons]

Originally posted by iamnick
it is a very cost effective alternative to BMC.
-Nick

Yes, but so are lots of beers.

[iamnick]

Originally posted by dparsons
Yes, but so are lots of beers.

Well I never said that this was the only one...but I would say that, around here, there aren't too many decent 9 dollar 12pks....

-Nick

[infomercial]

yeah around here it's this stuff or yungling or fosters and a few others under $10 and id rather have the jwd. maybe the selection will improve once the SC alcohol cap is lifted. andf yeah man save that honey beer for after you have had a few or to give to your friends. it is gross byt people who dont like beer seem to like it.

[iamnick]

Yeah it seems like you are either paying around 8 for BMC kind of stuff or 15 for better brews per 12pk. I'm not gonna spend 15 every time I buy beer...so Dundee's will help and homebrew does help fill the void. I always like to try new stuff around 8-9 bucks, though...maybe some more options will present themselves, too.

-Nick

[steveh]

Originally posted by infomercial
maybe the selection will improve once the SC alcohol cap is lifted.

Don't fall into the trap that alcohol makes the beer. There are many great, good tasting, easy drinking beers out there that don't crest the 5.0% ABV mark (Goose Island Honkers Ale and Pilsner-Urquell to name 2). Distribution and sales are the real hurdle.

S.

[iamnick]

Perhaps, though, the alcohol cap being removed would encourage more breweries to enter the market and/or distribute their goods because there no longer would be restrictions to deal with. With no restriction the brewery would be assured of the ability to distribute all of its products rather than only the ones under the cap. This, I think, would be a compelling enough reason to enter the market. If I was a brewery, I would certainly consider it since I would want to be able to sell all my beer and not have to deal with an outdated law.

My .02

-Nick

[steveh]

Originally posted by iamnick
If I was a brewery, I would certainly consider it since I would want to be able to sell all my beer and not have to deal with an outdated law.

Perhaps, but there are a lot of breweries that don't brew high-octane and really wouldn't worry about such a "cap" (though I'm speculating because I don't know what the original cap in SC was -- maybe they could only sell 3.2?).

S.

[iamnick]

Good point. I had in mind breweries that do produce beers on both sides of the cap, and a possible result of lifting it being the encouragement of these breweries to move into the market when they might have held back for the sake of not being able to sell all of their products. Regardless, you are certainly correct to say that the ABV does not make the beer. I do hope, though, that getting rid of such an outdated law does help the beer situation be attracting more breweries to distribute.

-Nick

[larin1477]

There is a store here in the Nashville area that has an $%#$load
of the Festival Ale...for 4.99 a 6er...Now Ive tried just about all of the Dundee's label and agree with most ...it is drinkable and nothing more...I will say though the festival Ale is in my opinion their best brew!...I would rate it as Very good!

[tpemtp]

I don't have quite the refined palatte as many of you do but I would have to agree on the Dundees Porter. I picked it up the other night primarily because it was a Porter I hadn't tried and secondarily because it was @ $7 a six pack compared to the $9 and above Stouts and Porters I usually drink. I found it drinkable but nothing to write home about.