Re: Beer, glorious beer!
I'm also on a big IPA kick, which is of course being spurred on by the fact that there seems to be a new IPA offering every three days at the liquor store. IPA is rather in fashion these days, but you know who's making a good, inexepensive IPA? Redhook, one of the best low priced micros out there. They call it Longhammer. I call it gone in sixty seconds.
Hell, if I didn't do things just because they made me feel a bit ridiculous, I wouldn't have much of a social life. - Santo Rugger.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Oo, interesting. Thanks for the heads-up.Originally posted by Wash
I checked BeerAdvocate - apparently, the 2008 is a dubbel and brewed solely for Trader Joe's, not something from the regular or anniversary lineups. I'll definitely have to break one open soon to see how it compares.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
I like beer. I will admit I didn't always - I used to be unable to drink the stuff, but now I crave it.
Foster's is a practical joke played by us Aussies to the rest of the world, like the kangaroo and the Sydney Opera House. I say this having not tasted it, but if we export it, it must be bad.
Here in New South Wales, on the east coast, we drink Tooheys New and Victoria Bitter. VB is a practical joke we play on ourselves - the fact that it's name has another state in it, and it tastes like shit, is enough of a clue. Tooheys New tastes good by comparison, aka like shit.
Toohey Old, on tap, is a nice, dark beer - beautiful and smooth. Cans of Guiness are better, but then Guinness is liquid magic. In fact, Old is a good gateway Guinness - start of simple if you can't handle it, work your way up to deliciousness.
Yum, Guiness.
Something tells me we haven't seen the last of foreshadowing.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
I will certainly have to try this. It's a perfectly good excuse, I mean reason, to head out to the stort and buy a couple.The best thing to do with Three Philosophers is to buy one bottle for now, and one for later...much later. I've cellared a few of these (along with Ommegang's "Ommegedeon") and tried them after a year of aging. Tis a glorious thing.
Oh yes, another vote for most anything Unibroue brews. I'm partial to Trois Pistoles myself. I was turned on to them on my job interview for my last job. The recruiter was formerly a beer distributor and half the interview was discussing beers and where to find them in the area. I know I'm a bit unconventional in job interviews but that was new even for me. Hey, what can I say, I got the job.Then there's the other kind of beer. The beer-geek beer. The beers that are opened for special occasions. I love to analyze the aramoa & color & mouthfeel and...these beers are fun in different ways. Currently, my 2 favorites are Tripel Westmalle and Unibroue's La Fin du monde (also a Tripel style).
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Re: Beer, glorious beer!
I avoided that trap in my homebrewing by not shooting for the ideal version of classic styles. Why bother. If I can buy Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for $7.95 a sixpack, why try to replicate it at home when the ingredients will probably cost me $5.00 a sixpack?
Instead, I start with a beer I really like and think, "what would this be like dry-hopped?" or "what if I added a half-pound of crystal malt and a half-pound of chocolate malt to that?" or "what if I put a couple pounds of honey in this?" I tweak the recipes until they're uniquely mine, and there is no commercial equivalent.
Of all the beers I brewed, the most popular was probably my pumpkin ale. People started calling me in September asking if I'd found pumpkins yet and whether they could get some if they came over to help sanitize or something when I brewed it. It wasn't a clone of Buffalo Bill's fine pumpkin ale, but something I developed starting from one of Charlie Papazian's old recipes.
Dang. I've got to start brewing again!
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
The esteemed gentleman in the loud shirt (that's silenus, for those having never met him) has excellent taste.
Pyramid Hefeweizen holds a place in my heart as the first proper US beer I truly enjoyed. (I had a run-in with a European version of Miller in 1991. Not a good thing.) Be that as it may, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is the beer I recommend to those having bad things to say about American beer. It is very good beer indeed. Sam Adams Boston Lager seems to be on tap a great many places, always a plus.
However, the Stone Brewery just can't make a bad brew, in my opinion. If near San Diego I highly recommend stopping by - the restaurant addition to their new brewery is gorgeous, the food is great, and obviously the beverages are top-notch. As for Anchor Steam, I've tried to like it, but it doesn't work for me and I don't know why. Grumble.
Fat Tire is another great beer (and Jill's favorite), and some of their seasonal offerings have been very interesting as well.
Having the luck to live within walking (or, at times, staggering) distance of the excellent Naja's Place http://(<a href="http://najasplace.c....html</u></a>), I've tried my hand at a great many of the local offerings, but I always seem to return to Stone.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
IPAs and bitters are my usual tipple. My current favorite in the US is Bridgeport's IPA (glad to see I'm not alone in this!). I'm also partial to Avery's IPA, and Left Hand's Sawtooth Ale.
In the UK, I tend to stay in that same family of beers, and find myself gravitating towards bitters. Of the big breweries, I've enjoyed Bombardier, Courage Best Bitter, and Theakston Best Bitter. On my most recent trip to England, I had good experiences with more regional beers--I can remember Black Sheep, Cumberland Ale, and Manchester Bitter, but there are other names which probably escape me now.
Depending on my mood, I sometimes go for darker, malty beers (esp. during the winter months)--e.g., Spaten Optimator, McEwan's Scotch Ale...
Guinness draught is always good.
I'm not much of a fan of wheat beers. Don't know why. I don't care much for lagers, either, although on a hot summer day, a good pilsner can hit the spot, as long as it isn't something crappy like Corona.
Only irony will protect you from the AllWalker Zombie Apocalypse.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
But even Corona has its place.
In the front of the fridge at a party, so people will grab it rather than digging in the back for the good stuff.
"The Turtle Moves!"
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
There are a couple of Sam Adams' I like a lot (their Oatmeal Stout and their Old Fezziwig, for example).
Mostly, when we're out and about (which is when I tend to drink beer; at home, I drink wine), I do my best to try local stuff.
What truly puzzles me is why in the hell locals (and by 'local' I mean, here in the USofA, western MD/PA/WV area) who are on a limited budget would buy freakin' Coors Light or Bud Light instead of Yuengling Lager, which is the same freakin' price! Yuengling, in fact, is quite drinkable, whereas Coors or Bud Light is not fit for washing your windshield with!
Everything will be OK in the end. If it's not OK, it's not the end.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
You know what's sad norinew? I actually know people who make relatively good money and still chose to drink Coors or Bud Light. I can't understand it. These people could buy anything they want, and they chose Bud. In fact I have a relative that got pissed because at a family gathering there was only Newcastle, Redstripe, Blue Moon and Siera Nevada, and no Bud.
It's not like the Corona drinkers who don't actually like beer but tollerate Corona because it doesn't taste like much of anything, Coors and Bud actively taste bad. I have always felt that more people would like beer if the macro brews weren't most people's introduction to the beverage.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Card-carrying CAMRA member checking in. I was born & raised in the US and got introduced to beers beyond the standard 'lawnmower beer' at a bar in Omaha in the mid 80's. I've no idea what it was called or if it still exists but it had a range of 100 different bottled beer from around the world. I next moved to Wichita which was a beer desert so I started homebrewing. An IPA I did took 2nd in a local competition. When I moved to Houston I had no room to homebrew but there was some decent brewpubs around and the microbrew revolution was in full swing. In 1995 I moved to the UK for work. Whenever somebody asks me why I've stayed so long my stock answer is "the beer's better here".
My local is The Prince of Wales. They have 5 handpumps on the front bar featuring Hop Back Summer Lightening, Fuller's London Pride, Ringwood Fortyniner, Young's Original, and Dark Star Hophead. The back bar has 4 pumps that change regularly and a lower priced 'session' beer.
I can't really say I have a single favourite but maybe favourites in each style. Rodenbach Grand Cru from Belguim is amazing as is Sarah Hughes Ruby Mild from England. There's a German rauschbier I like and if I see Sierra Nevada on tap here I'll go for it.
If you ever get a chance go to the Great British Beer Festival in London in August. Over 400 British Real Ales plus international beers, ciders, and perries.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Just went to the liquor store at lunch and picked up two six packs -- one of Southern Tier IPA, and one of Anchor Steam. Pleasant Friday night ahead, I hope.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Favorite Draft: Mac and Jacks African Amber (Redmond, WA)
Favorite Daily Drinker: Sam Adams Boston Lager
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Good timing, silenus. This week happens to be Beer Week here in Philadelphia. 700 events happening around town, with breweries from all over the country dropping by to show off their brews. Mmmmmmm....
Ahem. Where was I? Oh yes. Some of the beers I like:
Philadelphia Brewing Company's Kenzinger beer. It's their version of a kolsch. Light, refreshing, and tasty. PBC's Philabuster was also good (and very strong), but it's a seasonal.
Yards Brewery's George Washington Tavern Porter. Delicious. Their Benjamin Franklin Spruce Beer is also really good. Don't be put off by the spruce. Both of these recipes are from revolutionary war days too.
Lagunitas Brewery from Petaluma, CA has some great beers too. Their Brown Shugga (made with yes, brown sugar) is great, as is their Sirius IPA. My favorite is the Hairy Eyeball ale they make. And this Saturday they are going to have an event for beer week with a cask-conditioned version of the Hairy Eyeball at my local watering hole. They only made six casks total, so this is a rare opportunity. :mrgreen:
And honorable mention goes to the Sly Fox brewery's Phoenix Pale Ale. The finest canned beer I have drunk. People sneer when they first hear about it, and then, WHAM! Pleasant surprise!
When you are in a situation (ie. camping) where you don't or can't have bottles, that is the way to go. My local has special of a can of that and a shot for 5 bucks. pretty good deal.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Yes! That's my wife's favorite beer. She doesn't drink much, but we've considered buying a keg fridge for it, because it's not available in bottles, right?
My favorite from Lagunitas (and one of my all-time favorites) is their Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale? Oh man, I 'd love to try that.
The cask-conditioned Hairy Eyeball was delicious. I mean, really delicious. It converted a friend of mine to Lagunitas.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Did you do the tour at the Schlafly Bottleworks? I've been on that. It's a little brewery, but after the tour they just keep on bringing you pitchers of whatever is on tap at the time. The tour AND the tasting afterwards is free.
I love pretty much everything they make, but the coffee stout, scotch ale, and oak-aged barleywine are nearest and dearest to my heart.
In general, I like dark, malty, hoppy, flavorful beers with a lot of body. I don't do light beer (light calorie, not light colored) - I don't like beer that drinks like water, and in general if I want something good for a cheap, low cal buzz I'll go for cheap wine or liquor & diet soda.
Now I'm distracted by thoughts of barleywine and can't think of whatever else I planned to say in this post.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
I bought the Black Sun Stout from Three Floyds Brewery (Munster, IN) yesterday - maybe I'll crack that open tonight.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Num, good stuff! Lots of coffee-roasty flavor, well-balanced by good hop flavors. Just enough malt to round out the beer.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Put me down as another hoppy bitter beer lover. Sierra Nevada Pale is just so darn good. Thanks to a little joint not far away with over twenty brews on tap and two on hand pumps, I've been permitted to sample many of the fine brews mentioned above.
One of my all time faves is Augusteinerbrau Munich Maximator, a rich doppelbock coming from an establishment two decades shy of 700 years old. Can be difficult to find, and expect to spend $50 for a case, but this is a beer worth the investment.
Opportunity is missed by most people, because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. Thomas Edison
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
great thread, although I must confess to never hearing of many of these beers. I have to get out to California and see what the fuss is about!
For me, Yuengling Lager is the best beer I've had in the states.
I enjoy Newcastle Brown Ale on tap.
I have an Aussie friend who turned me onto Coopers(?) Not sure of the name since it's been so long since I've had it, but it was pretty good tasting beer. A far cry from the Foster's we've been fed. If there is someone else who recognizes Coopers from Australia, let me know your take on it.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
This was my opinion for a really long time. Still one of my favorites, but Lagunitas IPA has it beat, IMO
Oh, and there is such a thing as too hoppy, but it's rare. Most of the time the hoppiest thing you can find is the best.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
I'm not usually a beer person, but this past week I tried McEwan's Scotch Ale & loved it! Problem is I can only find it at certain bars, I haven't seen it for sale in stores. What are some other beers that are very similar in taste to that one?
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
After actually reading through the thread instead of just blurting out my opinions, I have a few more comments:
Bridgeport IPA is in the running for my favorite (between, I remind you, Lagunitas IPA and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale). I have no idea what is actually responsible for this, but something about the beer reminds me of the flavor of the skin of an apple and it turns out to be a good complement to hops. I consider myself particularly blessed that the grocery store in walking distance to my house usually has all three of these beers in bottles.
AllWalker: I drank more than my share of VB while on an almost-entirely wasted trip to Sydney, and I can vouch for it being akin to the mass-produced American stuff. Which means I'll drink it, because I'm a beer whore who considers even Budweiser better than nothing, but it's far from my first choice.
I usually like wheat beers, but for some reason I do not like Pyramid Hefeweizen. It has a bitterness that I don't think hefeweizen should have.
If anyone is up for a domebo-fest in Seattle, I recommend The Tap House (160 beers on tap, damn near every beer mentioned so far), and I demand to be invited.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
I went to a Total Wine and Spirits this weekend. I picked up...
A case of Hofbrau Original... reminds me of good times in Munich. Bonus: It's not skunky.
A Hofbrau I never heard of before: Maibock. It's quite good.
And of course a case of the quintessential Hefe-Weizen, Paulaner.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
I went out last night and had a couple drinks, technically I didn't have any beer since I got sidetracked by a glorious draft cider from Washington and then had to have a framboise lambic, but Himself was drinking a Rogue Chocolate Stout and I alternated sips of that with the lambic, it was heavenly--like dessert, but with alcohol!
"And I hope I don't get born again, 'cuz one time was enough!" -- Mark Sandman
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
I know this thread seems to focus on microbrews and craft beers, which I am all for. (Utah has a dozen or so local breweries that make several tasty beers in many different styles)
But, as I get older, sometimes micros are just too filling and rich to drink more than one of....... I have begun to realise that a pilsner or American style lager can be the right call if I plan on having several beers over the evening.
Utah has some!!! weirdo liquor laws, so all the USA macros sold here are 3.2; my default lately has been Pabst Blue Ribbon, which is better than Bud, Coors, Miller but nothing to write home about......
My question is, when drinking a mass produced brew, what is your go to beer?
Thanks for your opinions, Matthew
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Here's the thing--I don't EVER drink mass-produced beer, and certainly not a crap pilsner! If I wanna drink a bunch I'll go for Black Butte Porter, which is very chuggable en masse or perhaps I'll grab a sixer of Pyramid Apricot Ale, which is like pop. The Raccoon Lodge has a copper ale that I could drink all night without getting overfull even with a bucket o'fries to go with. There's nothing inherently "heavy" about microbrews, it's all in the style of beer.
"And I hope I don't get born again, 'cuz one time was enough!" -- Mark Sandman
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
I've never met a Hefeweizen I didn't like. I adore most of the fruity small batch wheaty things I've tried. (Give me a break, I grew up drinking wine coolers, okay?) Guinness and Smithwicks are always safe for public consumption, although if a place has Guinness and/or Smithwicks on tap around here, chances are pretty good they've got cider, too, and that's what I'll get - especially if it's Magner's!
But I have to admit, two of my favorites are drunk almost exclusively at home or when camping: Corona and Rolling Rock. Yeah, you heard me! :evil: They're tasty, light and thirst quenching and don't make me want to sleep with inappropriate people. But I don't order them in public for fear of invoking the scorn of people like norinew and NAF1138.
Whatever became of the moment when one first knew about death? There must have been one. A moment. In childhood. When it first occurred to you that you don't go on forever. Must have been shattering. Stamped into one's memory. And yet, I can't remember it.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Not a fan of Corona, but Pacifico is quite good, and I agree that Rolling Rock is much better than Bud, Coors, Miller etc.
Years ago, Rainier, Olde Style, Strohs all made 3.2% beer that was sold in Utah. Not great beer, but very drinkable and also much better than the biggies like BudCoorsMiller.......
I know that taste is subjective, but sometimes the situation calls for a clear, golden hued beer, as opposed to a full bodied dark brew, in particular if there will be several rounds throughout the evening.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Now now, I won't scorn you for liking Rolling Rock. If that's where your tastes lie, I suppose thats that. My only problem with Corona is that water is so much cheeper and usually tastes better with lime. But there are many Mexican Beers that I like and I will generally keep Pacifico around in the summer as a thirst quencher/cool off beer. Pacifico is also my favorite beer to cook with.
My favorite mass produced beer is Michelob Amber Boch. A surprisingly tasty beer. If I have to drink a light beer* I will drink Miller Light before most others, though I can't tolerate MGD even when I am not paying for it. Same with Coors and Coors light. I have been known to drink Bud and Corona when they were free, and used to drink a lot of Miller High Life because it was once my bands drummer's beer of choice and he usually was buying. But there is almost always a better option. Not always, but almost.
*for example at a party I was at last weekend where I was sticking to a beer or two because I was going to have to drive home later they only had Corona, Miller Light, and Bud. In that case Miller Light is, IMO the right choice.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
No, the right choice would be to drink water.
"The Turtle Moves!"
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
I have to go with the local micros: Alaskan Pale Ale, Alaskan Summer Ale and Winter Ale, and Alaskan Amber have all won major kudos. Glacier Brew House Brewhouse Blonde and Hefweisen. There are many, many more and numerous breweries locally. It's what makes it livable.
I am not a professional chef, but I dress like one at home.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
No, the right choice would be to drink water.
It was a party where the only beer available was Corona, Miller Light and Bud...the alcohol was necessary.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Hey MPB in SLC, I lived in Utah from 1991-2005, and they do indeed have a vibrant microbrewery scene that manages to turn out excellent product in spite of the infamous 3.2 law.
Anyway, things that I go for if I'm at a bar, a store, or a party that has nothing but macros and the most common imports:
Sam Adams
Sam Adams Light (not really light, but really good)
Dos Equis Amber Lager
Dos Equis Special Lager (the more common green bottle)
Negra Modelo
Blue Moon (a surprisingly good witbier made by Coors, of all people)
"You laugh at me because I'm different; I laugh at you because I'm on nitrous."
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Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Since I'm on Spring Break right now, I had the time to inventory the various refrigerators in Casa Silenus. Beer-wise they contain:
Bud Light (Don't start, it's the wife's)
Guinness
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Pyramid Rollick Amber Lager
Shipyard Brewing Chamberlain Pale Ale
Stone Brewing Pale Ale
Stone Brewing Arrogant Bastard
Hanger 24 Pale Ale
"The Turtle Moves!"
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Silenus, have you tried the Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA yet? We found it at Whole Foods a couple weeks ago, and it's quickly become the favorite around here. The only reason I didn't buy two six-packs on the way home last night is because they only had one left at the store....
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Haven't seen it yet. I'll check Bevmo tomorrow. Sounds good, from what the SN website says.
"The Turtle Moves!"
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
OK, got some and my glass is half full. Initial impression is good: nice and hoppy, good malt, and a crisp front and middle. Loooong lingering finish, with a ton of hops tearing at the back of my throat. Not bad, but I think I prefer Stone Brewing's IPA more. The regular Sierra Nevada Pale is still the "Beer I'd choose if I could only have one beer for the rest of my life," but this is a lesser effort, to my tastebuds.
"The Turtle Moves!"
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
There's a beer flavor attribute/axis that I don't know the name of. In my mind, I call it "brownness" because Newcastle Brown Ale (which I don't like much) is loaded with it. It's almost like a burnt flavor. I got some of the Sierra Nevada Torpedo the other day and at first I didn't like it becaue it was just a hair too "brown," but by the end of a bottle I decided it was great beer.
Anyone know the flavor I'm talking about? What is that called?
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
"Toasty" perhaps? It comes from using toasted malts, of course. Home brewers use things like Carastan and Special B malts to get that flavor. Plus a little chocolate malt for color.
"The Turtle Moves!"
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
I'm a big fan of the various Sierra Nevada beers, especially the Pale Ale. I love the Bigfoot Barleywine in the dead of winter. I've tried a couple of Stone Brewing's beers, and liked them very well indeed. Unfortunately you'll pay over $10 for a six-pack out here.
Being an east coast guy, I have to recommend the Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA as perhaps the pinnacle of an American Ale. Fortunately I'll have a chance to visit their original brewery and distillery this summer through happy coincidence. I also heartily recommend the Saranac beers. They put out a really large selection of varietals, and their mixed seasonal 12 packs are just terrific. I really enjoy their Pale Ale as well; a very drinkable session ale.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Just finished a six of Dogfish Head 60 minute. Very drinkable, not as over-hopped as I'd feared from some of what I'd read about that brewery. It's now getting easier to get some of the American microbrews in Ontario, and I'm glad.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Guinness is bringing a new stout to our shores.
Link.
Doesn't sound too promising, I must say.
"The Turtle Moves!"
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Hmmm.. won't be available in Canada anyway, apparently. I dunno... could be OK I suppose, but the word "zing" doesn't fill me with confidence.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Can somebody give me a run-down on Taj Mahal? They offer it at the local Indian place, and I thought I might try it next time we hit their lunch buffett. Is it any good?
"The Turtle Moves!"
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
It's been a while since I have had it, but I remember it as being light, crisp and slightly sweet, similar to an east asian beer but with a higher alcohol content.
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Cool. I kinda figured that would be its flavor profile. Guess I'll only have one with lunch, since I'll be driving.
"The Turtle Moves!"
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
Dude, this same amazing principal applies to pizza. In a city like Chicago, where there is an excellent mom & pop pizza joint on every block, does
anyone order a pie from Domino's?
"I won't kill for money, and I won't marry for it. Other than that, I'm open to just about anything."
-Jim Rockford
Re: Beer, glorious beer!
I'll be putting a six-pack of my latest batch of home brew (a brown ale) in the fridge as soon as I muster up the energy to get up from the sofa. I'm a bit worried about how it turned out...the seal around the spigot in my fermentation tank apparently sprung a leak, and I lost 2 gallons overnight. I managed to rescue the rest of the batch, but who knows what the damage may be. Hopefully it was minimal, because my wife is currently drinking the last beer out of the refrigerator...
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