I tried my first Stone IPA the other day, and it had a strange smoke/charcoal like flavor. Different than any IPA I've ever had. Didn't care for it at all.

Which one? Stone makes a ton of different IPAs. I actually find their original Stone IPA to be the least interesting. I really, really enjoy their reboot of Ruination, though.

I'm 99% sure it was their original. Green label.
In general I don't care for triple IPAs like Ruination, or doubles either. To give you an idea of the type I enjoy most, Racer 5, Indica, and Sculpin. Hexagenia from Fall River Brewing is outstanding. Pretty much perfect. In little time it has become the top selling IPA on tap in Redding, CA and surrounding area. I don't think they can make enough to supply farther than that yet. Keep your eyes peeled though.

Picked up a 4-pack of Neshaminy 'The Shape of Hops to Come' Imperial IPA. Quite good - combination of 5 hops...picked it up from a small beer & cheese shop in LES today.

Siver of Sierra Nevada's Beer Camp Golden IPA. It's not bad, good beer to sip when it's hot out.

I was less impressed with this year's version of Beer Camp than last year's. It's been a while since Sierra Nevada has put a new beer that's interested me. I do wish Hoptimum was more readily available back east...

Picking up a sixtel of Captain Lawrence, Seeking Alpha, tomorrow. Had people over several times last week and the Enjoy by 4.20 was finished in no time.

And I've got the Cascade Noyaux in a sixtel waiting for me once the Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Blanca kicks. It's my understanding that Noyaux is considered the best sour beer in the US, and on beer menus I saw nowhere in the US pouring it. Call me crazy, the wholesale on this is $365--my friend owns a very nice liquor store BTW--that is a lot! If the markup is 3x at bars, then you're talking $30 a pint.

Founder's KBS - so good

Saint Archer's IPA. Not bad. Can you tell I'm working in San Diego? :)

Travelling in Italy at the moment, enjoying Moretti's Baffo d'Oro and some of the Menabrea variations. Tough to find craft brews so far.

I had the same problem last year. You may have to switch to wine.

I found some in Milan (Baladin is pretty good, and their brewpub has good food), but beyond that, as BamaVol mentioned it might be better to stick to wine.

I'm off to Japan tomorrow for vacation, so interested to see what I find over there!

When I was in Florence, I stuck to wine. That said, I have had some pretty good Italian craft brews...in the U.S. There definitely aren't as many compared to other European countries (e.g. Belgium), though.

Solid advice gents. I've been impressed with the quality of the house reds by the glass (we are in Florence), and have decided to stay with them. Good chance to learn a bit about Italian wine.

From my first stop in Italy, Naples, August, 1962, through multiple visits since, I've always stuck to wine, having an early unfavorable impression of Italian beers (back then, the best alternative was the Pizzeria Lowenbrau, across from the Fleet landing, Naples).

Early on, my wallet held me to house wines, and I've had the good and on occasion the truly deplorable. That early taste for local vino has kept me on that track, and there have been many, oft-unexpected, pleasant encounters.

But then, I recall when the US craze for "Lambrusco" hit, and the most surprising group of otherwise rational folks toasted its appeal. For those of us who had encountered it earlier, "in country", Lambrusco was a wine unsuitable for conversion to Vermouth, often the fate of bad wine.