Quality Beer

I searched for beer and nothing popped up. To the powers that be, if you don't want an alchohol discussion let me know- I know some tobaccy folk don't want to hear about alchohol. So here goes...

 

Who's into good beers around here? Like stuff you can't buy at just any mini-mart. Beers for people who actually care what a beer tastes like, and not just as an alchohol delivery system.

Personally I go for very hoppy India's, barley wines, and quadrupels mostly. 

Like stuff from Weyerbacher's, Victory, Surly, Lagunita's, Avery, Southern Tier...

MrColcannon

IPA's are great, great hop flavor. Currently fermenting 5 gallons of Munton's amber ale, wheat beers are another favorite of mine. Mr. O, I need to try some of those brands if I can find them. I have seen Weyerbacher's before.  :)

Whalen

I care for great tasting beers, that is what my other hobby is, making great tasting beers.

[Deleted User]

Hi guys , Homebrewer here also, My last batch was Briess Sparkling Amber Ale, & was dam good . It's time for me to start another batch of Ale & a Batch of Wine. Good brewing Gents !

bipolarbear1968

I lost my taste in beer a couple of years ago, but I find myself wanting Blue Moon Belgian with a slice of orange. Not your average beer.

Z_2K

I'm quaffing Warsteiner pils right now, watching the Giants-49'er game. SF just scored, moving the score 14-10 in their favor. I love beer. This past week, I bought a mixed-6 which included Red Hook IPA, SA Latitude 48 IPA, Harpoon IPA, Smithwick Irish Ale, Bass Ale, and Spaten Optimator and love them all. St. Bernardus ABT 12 and Chimay also have their place in my rotation, although morless frequently than others. I lived 7 years in Germany and probably tried every beer brewed South of Frankfurt, and all the more widely distributed North German beers. There's nothing better than eating dinner in a gasthaus and drinking the beer freshly brewed right next door...Plockinger Export and Leimener Pils come to mind and, of course,  Munchner Hofbrau in mass quantities at the Hofbrau Haus,

Mr. O

Someday I'd love to get started brewing! Just sampling and exploring so far, used to just have a Summit EPA(from MN, my home state), maybe a Newcastle Brown, or Sam Smith's Brown. Until maybe 5-10 years ago got started on the good IPA's after a Bell's Two Hearted, and others. Gonna crack a Weyerbacher's Blasphemy (a wood aged quad), which is fantastic, heavy enough, but not too sweet. Or a Surly (MN) Abrasive, one of the best double IPA's I've ever had, but both are sadly seasonals:(... Still have a lot to try and learn, but it's a fun process! Anybody familiar with the Flying Dog, or Dogfish Head breweries? Virtual cheers folks!

Eraserhead78

Another brewer here too! Currently drinking a pint of my munton's imperial stout. Cheers!

Mr. O

That's got to be a nice and rewarding thing to do! This guy that I know has started to grow his own hops- pretty neat! I heard there is a brewer's yeast that will ferment up to 20% alc (by vol or weight IDK).

Just went to the local liquor store, makes me happy. There's some new collaboration between I think sierra nevada and a Belgian brewer, just picked up a large bottle of thier quadrupel- maybe there'l be a review coming.  Got some John Barleycorn barley wine, some Full Sail Boardhead, a six pack of Southern Tier 2xIPA, a small bottle of some other domestic IPA, and this  tiny 8.4 oz French made Belzebuth blond ale with 13% alc claiming to be "the most unique ale in the world"  don't know about all that yet. Happy sippin' folks!

FlippinBird

Here in st. louis we have a local micro brewery, Schlafly (don't know if they make it available outside missouri).  They make at least 30 different brews, but my favorites are their wheat beers.

Whalen

I make a 12% Belgium Blonde that we call the "Tranny", because it sure grew a "pair" at 12%. Converts the sweet into Spice.

Mr. O

FlippinBird, sounds nice, sounds like a nice full line! We've got a handfull of the microbrews scattered around the state, I'd say 3 or 4 within easy driving range. Also there seems to be progress in the state legislation, which could make things easier for brewpubs, buying beer directly from brewers or somestuff like that maybe MN can catch up with some of the other states. I hope for all of us to be able to buy and enjoy good beers with minimal hassle.

Whalen, you should drop a bottle in the mailbox for me!

PhilipS

"Just went to the local liquor store, makes me happy. There's some new collaboration between I think sierra nevada and a Belgian brewer, just picked up a large bottle of thier quadrupelg"

The Sierra Nevada brewing company is pretty good and many American beverages are now as drinkable as those in Europe. It hasn’t always been like that.

In order to greatly increase shelf-life the larger breweries started sterilising the beer (killing off the yeast via pasteurisation) and adding CO2 and/or nitrogen to make it fizzy. Some breweries, like Budwesier, went further by using adjuncts - in this case cheap rice, mixed with a smaller amount of malted barley to increase profits.

Budweiser, King of Beers? More like king of massive advertising deception that helped kill off real beer making in the USA until small breweries fought back. Until about 25 or 30 years ago it was impossible to find a drinkable beer in the south-west US states (a Steam beer in California was the only one I remember) but brewing has finally been rediscovered and is back with a vengeance.

NJE03

Lion Stout, a wonderful beer from Sri Lanka. This is probably my favorite beer.

Additionally, I enjoy Boulevard. I am especially fond of their smokestack series (Tank 7 in particular).

Another beer I enjoy is Samuel Smiths. They brew very drinkable stouts and porters.

nightcap

As a proud Canadian I must say that Alexander Keith's Is a damn fine IPA!

furious

Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout is one of my favorites. Dessert in a bottle.

MrColcannon

Whalen, I'd like you to meet my Belgian Blonde Tranny! LMAO

Whalen

Would have to have a great Label for that one eh?

Whalen

Those stone vats at Samuel Smiths are working some serious magic!

Mr. O

Yeah, the first good beer I ever had was a Summit(MN), back in the mid 80's. Was a long time before I started to see what good stuff is actually out there. I do like Sam Smith's Brown (or Nut Brown or  whatever it is), but probably moreso their Organically Produced Ale.  I have to learn more about the British ales, but I think I liked a couple from Peter's(?), I believe an IPA and a more typical ale. Bellhaven's (even though it's Scottish)Twisted Thistle IPA is good for a change of pace. Also must try some of Young's stuff too. What I really wish I could get more often is Dogfish Head's 90 minute IPA, I think from Delaware(US). I'm kind of a hop-head.

Whalen

Hopocolypse!

Mr. O

lol! Might be a good way to go!

PhilipS If you don't mind being the historian here, might I ask. What/when/where was the genesis of the micro/craft brew movement?85

The beginning for me was a  Summit EPA in about '85 or '86. So I just wonder how the shift began and whatnot.

Mr. O

Had a deSchute's "Hop-Henge experimental IPA" a seasonal which I had last year. This years release is still pretty good, but maybe not quite up to last years. Still a great deal at about $5 for a "bomber".

Mr. O

Ovila Quadrupel- nice!

JohnnyFriday

I had a budlite that had been in my fridge for 8 months.  Its well aged!  

Mr. O

That's cool, Fri night, drink up y'all.

Toque

Harvey's of Sussex. I miss this beer so much. However thanks to this post I went to look them up and low and behold they can deliver a 36 pint polypin anywhere in England. This proves without any doubt there is a beer God!

Talljim

@toque A mate of mine brought a load up direct from the brewery once. Great stuff. We have a great local brewery here called Wold Top, check out any of theirs.

colfazer

I do love a drop of bishops finger although my favourite real ale is one caleed Jail Ale, brewed in princetown, Devon but its more of a local brew in that area so when my sister, who lves in plympton comes to visit me in Dartford, i always make sure she brings a dozen bottles of it with her.

Mr. O

It's too bad the local supply of English ales is limited. Will have to keep checking out more shops.

Just last year I discovered Scrumpy cider, my goodness, I could go through that like sodey -pop!

Whalen

Just returned from brewing 7 1/2 gallons of the Belgium Blonde Tranny! Efficiencies in the Mash may make this one the one with the biggest "pair". God bless the yeast poo on this one!

Mr. O - Try a Crispin cider if you find one.

Mr. O

OK, I've seen it around. If I recall accurately the've got a few, but I'm not sure which to get. I've had a few different ciders, my fave is JK Scrumpy from a cidery(?), in the US that's been making it since the 1800's, it's so tasty! I just want to avoid any that have that rice vinegar taste. I can deal with fairly sweet, somewhat dry, and/or fairly crisp. Also have been curious about pear cider too, anybody have any advice about that? Or wheat wine? I love a nice barley wine and wonder how the flavor compares.

gettin' about time to tip one, cheers!

Xander

@Mr.O, yes Dogfish Head is my state's most successful beer company. Their beer is pretty easy to find here, but does tend to sell out well, especially some of their limited editions. I've met their head brewer once or twice when he was first starting out. Nice guy, and very creative. He even had a TV show for awhile. I also enjoy the 90 minute IPA, I find the 60 minute a little too weak and the 120 minute a little too strong. I still drink them all though, from time to time.

Victory is really actually closer to where I live, and to the population center of Delaware, even though its in Pennsylvania. Actually they are in our watershed, which just goes to show how poorly thought out some of the state borders are. Their beers are also widely renowned, though they don't have as an efficient distribution network as Dogfish. Hop Devil is usually easy to find, but a visit to their in-house pub for the full selection is always a treat when visiting friends in that area.

I seem to remember the brewing revolution gaining ground in the early 90s. When I first was legal to drink, it was really hard to find craft brews in most places. Now its much easier.
This goes towards what @PhilipS was saying too, but also consider that there was a thriving craft beer business prior to Prohibition that died out overnight. The big brewers survived by their diversified assets and also finding loopholes in the law to at least keep making a trickle of beer. After its repeal they were able to dominate the market. Three companies controlled 90+ percent of the market between them, and often played rather dirty in holding back the microbrew revolution. And yes, Sierra Nevada is probably the best (or at least in the top 10) of the brewers to emerge from the revolution. The Steam beer, was invented by Anchor brewerey, also in California. They have it patented though, as it is a new style unto itself, niether ale nor lager (nor barley wine for that matter). I haven't had one in a long time, as I don't remember being impressed with it. I think I should try it again though, next time I see it.

bob

I love how many bars opened and where fully trained and operational the day prohabition ended.

Brewshooter

@Xander Steam beer is really a new/old style.  Anchor was the only one still making it, so they went ahead and trademarked the term Steam Beer.  That is why all other steam beers you will see are probably listed as a California Common.

Mr. O

What is the definition of "Steam Beer"? I've had the Anchor quite a few times and it just tastes like some kind of ale to me.

btw tried the Belzebuth(sp?), not bad, 13% alc., a slightly different (with my experience sofar) blond Belgian tastewise. It goes down easy like cream soda, but warm once it hits the belly.

cstokes4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_beer

Mr. O

Interesting! Thank's for the link, I should've thought to look it up there- wasn't thinking!

Anybody here a big hop-head like me?

cstokes4

I'll splurge on a sixer only when it will be ingested when I'm relaxing or in a social atmosphere.  When it's summer time, 105, and I just mowed the yard, give me the cheapest, most watery beer there is.  There's no sense in chugging a nice beer when a Keystone will do just as well.  

furious

Agreed. On hot summer days nothing beats Pabst Blue Ribbon or something similar to quench one's thirst after cutting the lawn, etc. Being from the Baltimore area, the local beer of choice back in the old days was National Bohemian or Gunther. Both are long gone--the former was bought by Miller in the early 90s and still appears on the bottom shelf.

Mr. O

A good German could suit the bill too. Or maybe a Rolling Rock. But I prefer drinking water or iced tea and after quenching going to something hoppy. Whatever floats yer boat.

cstokes4

Rolling Rock is a good, affordable brew that still has some flavor.  Too bad it's brewed by the overlord of beer now.  

Mr. O

I had no idea. Haven't had it for years. The lightest stuff I've quaffed in the past couple of years~ were some German pilsner that a pal favors.

furious

Used to get those little ponies of RR to drink on the run, so to speak. It was a decent beer and fairly light as a rice beer should be. Haven't had it in a dog's age.

londonsnuffs

I like Youngs don't know which one but it's 3.7%, weak but nice, goes with pork scratchings.

SnuffHead

@londonsnuffs, it's the Youngs bitter at 3.7% that you favour. When I'm in London I do like the Youngs beers and my haunts are:- Walgrave Arms on the corner of Brendon st - Crowford Place W1H Maryleborn, The Marques Of Anglesey Bow Street Covent Garden and the Windmill Mill in Mill Street Mayfair.

Mr. O

If I ever get to G.B. I'll have to ask you guys where to go for a pint!

SnuffHead

Mr  O we would welcome you, but for the best beer.  Go North Young Man.  

Mr. O

North from me, Canada? Or North past you?

SnuffHead

LOL, If  you ever get to G.B. The beer is best in the North of GB.  I just know that your taking the Pi**.

Mr. O

Well some Americans have traditionally raved about the (at the time) stronger Canadian beers, and the road trips from our Northern US states to get some. Not so much of an issue anymore. I'm just getting an abstract sense of the expression "taking the P**s" British tv and magazines have taught me a bit here and there. If I'm on a strictly American forum I could call myself A.E. Handelnorks and no-one would be the wiser :)

But back to topic, like which cities around there?