BEER Thread!

oilypenguin wrote:

I did pick up some left hand milk stout, though.

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.

Also, I picked up Great Lakes' seasonal Doppelrock today. It's pretty darn good.

I picked up some local brews when I was down in Louisiana over the weekend. First up, what I've been drinking since I got back, NOLA Blonde, brewed in New Orleans, LA.

IMAGE(http://i.imgur.com/pPdH3.jpg)

NOLA sells some of their beers in "draft packs", that are 2.25 gallons of draft beer in a plastic container. It's really good beer, and it keeps for weeks once you've cracked it open.

Next, I picked up some more local stuff, some of which I haven't had the opportunity to check out yet.

IMAGE(http://i.imgur.com/6brt3.jpg)

From left to right, it's Covington Brewhouse Bayou Bock, brewed in Covington, LA (they also brew for Heiner Brau and Zea). Next up is Abita Beer Strawberry Harvest Lager, brewed in Abita Springs, LA (I got 2 sixers of these). The last is Bayou Teche Biere's LA 31 Pale Ale, brewed in Cajun country, down in Arnaudville, LA.

I've had the Strawberry Harvest Lager before, and I really like it. It's definitely not for those who don't like fruity beer (though the fruit flavor is not overpowering). I haven't had the Covington or Bayou Teche beers before, so I'm looking forward to cracking those open once I polish off the NOLA.

And my current favorite; Stone Brewing Ruination IPA

IMAGE(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5133/5399744518_8ea05cce1f.jpg)

One of the joys of living in San Diego is being able to drive to Stone, fill my pair of "Growlers" (2-liter bottles) with fresh beer from their tap and enjoy.

Can't go wrong with the Oaked Arrogant Bastard or the Ruination IPA. Stone Pale is one of the hardest to drink just 6 of...

Malor wrote:

Just picked up a 12-pack of Sam Adams "Noble Pils". Don't care for it that much -- the selling point is that it uses all five kinds of 'noble hops', whatever the heck those are, but I don't think it actually tastes very good.

It doesn't taste good because it's a Sam Adams. I've never liked any of their beers. Respect them and their role in the resurgence of microbrewing, but their beer isn't very good imho.

oilypenguin wrote:

I was just at the store earlier today and looked to pick up some ruination. Is is supposed to be $18 for 6? Perhaps it was simply the wrong label.

Nope. Right label. The place I get it from is $16 for a six-pack. Worth. Every. Penny.

A local place had growlers of it a while back. Wish I had gotten one now.

firesloth wrote:

Aside from Stone, Bells makes a very good couple of IPAs in their Two Hearted and Hopslam beers. I'm also a big fan of the Three Floyds Alpha King. Three Floyds is in Munster, IN, just over near the Illinois border from here.

Just wanted to add that another good IPA we have around here is Terrapin Brewery's Hopsecutioner. We also have a local (?) brew pub chain called Five Seasons that makes a really nice IPA called Hopgasam.

garion333 wrote:
Malor wrote:

Just picked up a 12-pack of Sam Adams "Noble Pils". Don't care for it that much -- the selling point is that it uses all five kinds of 'noble hops', whatever the heck those are, but I don't think it actually tastes very good.

It doesn't taste good because it's a Sam Adams. I've never liked any of their beers. Respect them and their role in the resurgence of microbrewing, but their beer isn't very good imho.

I don't like most of their beers, but the Noble Pils is pretty good and their Black Lager is a simply excellent schwarzbier. It's a style tragically underrepresented in brewing and I love it, and the SA version is really excellent. Assuming they still make it, that is, it's been a few years since I've bought it.

IMAGE(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_eqAkC3DeJXQ/TXmKrgcRKeI/AAAAAAAAClQ/5ZIEFXM03vM/s400/IMG_5954.JPG)

Not the greatest picture but a nice way to end the day.

Summer is coming...and that means Summer Shanty with my steaks. Bless you Chippewa Falls.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

I don't like most of their beers, but the Noble Pils is pretty good and their Black Lager is a simply excellent schwarzbier. It's a style tragically underrepresented in brewing and I love it, and the SA version is really excellent. Assuming they still make it, that is, it's been a few years since I've bought it.

So, Shiner Black much sir?

boogle wrote:
MilkmanDanimal wrote:

I don't like most of their beers, but the Noble Pils is pretty good and their Black Lager is a simply excellent schwarzbier. It's a style tragically underrepresented in brewing and I love it, and the SA version is really excellent. Assuming they still make it, that is, it's been a few years since I've bought it.

So, Shiner Black much sir?

Never had it. It's Shiner, so I don't feel bad about that. It appears to not be well-regarded on Ratebeer and, while that's not the be-all, end-all, between that and the word "Shiner" on the label, I'll just run in the other direction.

Also, New Glarus is awesome. I don't need Spotted Cow at all, but they make more kinds of beer well than anybody else. Hoppy ales, stouts, lagers, pilsners, sours . . . they do it all. IMO, one of the singly best breweries anywhere, they're really skilled at a wide range of things. I have a sudden urge to drive to Hudson, WI, and go shopping, as it's only available in WI and it's only 30 miles away . . .

MilkmanDanimal wrote:
garion333 wrote:
Malor wrote:

Just picked up a 12-pack of Sam Adams "Noble Pils". Don't care for it that much -- the selling point is that it uses all five kinds of 'noble hops', whatever the heck those are, but I don't think it actually tastes very good.

It doesn't taste good because it's a Sam Adams. I've never liked any of their beers. Respect them and their role in the resurgence of microbrewing, but their beer isn't very good imho.

I don't like most of their beers, but the Noble Pils is pretty good and their Black Lager is a simply excellent schwarzbier. It's a style tragically underrepresented in brewing and I love it, and the SA version is really excellent. Assuming they still make it, that is, it's been a few years since I've bought it.

I'm not a big beer drinker, though I do tend to enjoy a few of the Sam Adams. I will have to use this thread to try some that I would never think to buy myself.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

Also, New Glarus is awesome. I don't need Spotted Cow at all, but they make more kinds of beer well than anybody else. Hoppy ales, stouts, lagers, pilsners, sours . . . they do it all. IMO, one of the singly best breweries anywhere, they're really skilled at a wide range of things. I have a sudden urge to drive to Hudson, WI, and go shopping, as it's only available in WI and it's only 30 miles away . . .

The Spotted Cow is the one I see most often outside of WI, and it is by far the most disappointing to me. It's just not my style. Still, they make a good brew.

I'm a total beer heathen. If you've ever tasted any of the output of South African Breweries you would know why, so for me even a Heineken is a decent beer. I started trying out some beers, mostly mass produced stuff, a year or so ago so I've started to develop a taste.

Only microbrewery stuff I've tried was from The Nottingham Road Brewery, (sorry for the oinking pig sound on the web page). When I was visiting the parents they bought a gift pack with their 4 beers, I only tried the Porter which was decent, but struck me as really yeasty. I don't know if that's normal.

I've just seen now that they have an outlet near me, maybe I should see about trying the others.

I think you're selling South African brewing short, DeVil. Your country has a LONG history of home brewing (see the link I posted in the homebrewing thread, relinked here) that is really interesting to me.

He also traveled around the continent, studying the traditional home brewing done by African women as a source of nutrition, entertainment, and income. Despite their skill at making low-alcohol beers from ingredients they grew outside their doors, a skill passed from mother to daughter for generations, many of the women he met were ashamed of their traditional brewing—an attitude that Mr. O'Brien traces to the Western colonizers' mixed feelings about alcohol. It's an attitude Americans struggle with, too.

Oh yeah, it's easy for me to forget about the old African traditions of home-brewing sorghum, millet and maize based beers. When I was in high school guys used to buy sorghum beer, then leave it to ferment longer. Honestly, I've never tried it.

When I talk about South African Breweries though I mean specifically, these guys owners of these guys.

Their locally produced lagers are mass-produced chemical swill. When Americans were out here for the World Cup we introduced them to Carling Black Label, calling it 'Soweto Pepsi.' The tourists loved that.

MrDeVil909 wrote:

Oh yeah, it's easy for me to forget about the old African traditions of home-brewing sorghum, millet and maize based beers. When I was in high school guys used to buy sorghum beer, then leave it to ferment longer. Honestly, I've never tried it.

When I talk about South African Breweries though I mean specifically, these guys owners of these guys.

Their locally produced lagers are mass-produced chemical swill. When Americans were out here for the World Cup we introduced them to Carling Black Label, calling it 'Soweto Pepsi.' The tourists loved that.

The massed produced lagers here in America is more akin to piss water swill than actual beer too. Anyone that says Heineken is a decent beer, must never have had a good lager.

KrazyTacoFO wrote:

The massed produced lagers here in America is more akin to piss water swill than actual beer too. Anyone that says Heineken is a decent beer, must never have had a good lager. ;)

Yeah, even South Africans don't drink Bud.

But actual micro-brewers producing quality lagers and ales are very rare.

I think I need like a beer wishlist to expand my palate. Same thing I do with food. I liked Shiner Frost and Flying Dog's Gonzo Imperial Porter. I don't know. Beer is expensive.

Tonight I will be going to 'Take One' in Maastricht, The Netherlands. The owner asks what you normally like and then
serves a range of beers as long as you want. If you are in the neighbourhood, you are always welcome!
Their beer list.... <- have a peek Boogle!
IMAGE(http://www.takeonebiercafe.nl/images/header.gif)

Sparhawk wrote:

Tonight I will be going to 'Take One' in Maastricht, The Netherlands. The owner asks what you normally like and then
serves a range of beers as long as you want. If you are in the neighbourhood, you are always welcome!
Their beer list.... <- have a peek Boogle!
IMAGE(http://www.takeonebiercafe.nl/images/header.gif)

That looks amazing. I've had only 4 of those in that entire list.

This is my new favorite. 10% but it taste like 4%. Even better than Bells two hearted IPA, and at $18 a 6pack it better be
IMAGE(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_bkuV31HpnJY/TXsK5gCXR6I/AAAAAAAAApQ/DByBz5et74E/s912/2011-03-11%2022.58.59.jpg)

I just hung out with a girl who said she didn't like beer. I told her to try my Guinness. She didn't like it. I was like whaaaaaat?

Well, had a great evening yesterday with my brother and a great friend.
Started with a St. Louis kriek, then a Floreffe tripel , a Petrus Gouden Tripel and 3 more, but I forgot them. Have to write them down next time !lol
IMAGE(http://www.kroegenweb.nl/abt/bier_fotos/werken/klein-168.gif)IMAGE(http://www.kroegenweb.nl/abt/bier_fotos/werken/klein-701.jpg)

Sinkwater wrote:

I just hung out with a girl who said she didn't like beer. I told her to try my Guinness. She didn't like it. I was like whaaaaaat?

I take it that you walked away right there and then....

Yoreel wrote:

This is my new favorite. 10% but it taste like 4%. Even better than Bells two hearted IPA, and at $18 a 6pack it better be

Bells is awesome. I've loved almost everything by them I've had. Everything except for their expedition stout.

So I usually keep relatively heavy brews on my third tap as guest (non-homebrew) beers. Most recently, I had Founder's IPA on, but when it ran I decided to go with something lighter for a change of pace. Picked up a keg of North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner yesterday...and damn, I cannot keep my hands off it. It is freaking delicious.

Yoreel wrote:

This is my new favorite. 10% but it taste like 4%. Even better than Bells two hearted IPA, and at $18 a 6pack it better be
--Hopslam--

Ooh. I'll have to try that.

This is what I picked up yesterday.

IMAGE(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5179/5518853592_b9dbdf2ca7.jpg)

Norfair wrote:
Yoreel wrote:

This is my new favorite. 10% but it taste like 4%. Even better than Bells two hearted IPA, and at $18 a 6pack it better be

Bells is awesome. I've loved almost everything by them I've had. Everything except for their expedition stout.

Expedition is pure bottled awesome. Now, if you're expecting a "regular" stout, you're screwed, it's very much an imperial stout at 10.5%. Rich, thick, complex, just awesome. Drink it slowly at cellar temp from a snifter and it's one of the best things around.

IMAGE(http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Local1AsStillLife1.jpg)

After having been asked how a goddamn coffee mug works, this makes the weekend much, much more tolerable.

Prederick wrote:

IMAGE(http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Local1AsStillLife1.jpg)

After having been asked how a goddamn coffee mug works, this makes the weekend much, much more tolerable.

I've had that brew before and it is extremely delicious.

Right now I'm really wishing we got more American beers up here so I could try out some of the stuff you guys are raving about.
Though I am picking up some Southern Tier Gemini that just came into the LCBO this week. Based on my experience with the brewery, I'm highly anticipating it.

That being said, I just went to a store called Broue Ha-Ha in the Ottawa region that specializes in Quebec Microbrews - some absolutely fantastic stuff, and way more than the Unibroue that is known internationally.

As a side note, It's amazing how much money you can spend in a specialty beer store.