BEER Thread!

Lagunitas is an awesome brewery that I can't praise enough.

So, I've really just now gotten into beer, and I'm trying to figure out what I like. Are there broad categories that beer tends to fall into that I can keep in mind while I'm looking for new beers/trying to pick a beer off a menu?

I'm pretty clear on things like IPAs and stouts, but what are the other classes of beer, as it were?

KrazyTacoFO wrote:

Lagunitas is an awesome brewery that I can't praise enough.

I tried their IPA as well.. and it was merely okay.

The WTF was a really close facsimile to my favorite homebrew recipe Janet's Brown Ale. The homebrew is better, but it was tasty.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

So, I've really just now gotten into beer, and I'm trying to figure out what I like. Are there broad categories that beer tends to fall into that I can keep in mind while I'm looking for new beers/trying to pick a beer off a menu?

I'm pretty clear on things like IPAs and stouts, but what are the other classes of beer, as it were?

The BJCP guidelines give you a good idea of styles/substyles and what you can expect as far as flavor, aroma, etc.

http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/catde...

ClockworkHouse wrote:

So, I've really just now gotten into beer, and I'm trying to figure out what I like. Are there broad categories that beer tends to fall into that I can keep in mind while I'm looking for new beers/trying to pick a beer off a menu?

I'm pretty clear on things like IPAs and stouts, but what are the other classes of beer, as it were?

1) Post what you like.
2) Post where you are.
3) Receive suggestions.

My beer geek-dom pretty much fully exploded when I wandered across Ratebeer years ago. Lots of info there on all things beer-related.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:

So, I've really just now gotten into beer, and I'm trying to figure out what I like. Are there broad categories that beer tends to fall into that I can keep in mind while I'm looking for new beers/trying to pick a beer off a menu?

I'm pretty clear on things like IPAs and stouts, but what are the other classes of beer, as it were?

1) Post what you like.
2) Post where you are.
3) Receive suggestions.

My beer geek-dom pretty much fully exploded when I wandered across Ratebeer years ago. Lots of info there on all things beer-related.

This, but there's also the general classification of malty flavors (like many browns, think nutty, toasted, or sometimes closer to a banana) and hoppy flavors (like IPAs, more of a sharp citrus, like a grapefruit rind).

image linked due to hugeness.

I want that hanging in my basement.

Seth wrote:

image linked due to hugeness.

I want that hanging in my basement.

Well that's cleared things up.

Seth wrote:

image linked due to hugeness.

I want that hanging in my basement.

I fixed your image.

IMAGE(http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/1294/1294,1178847266,1/stock-photo-happy-family-having-fun-outdoors-at-home-on-a-sunny-day-3273930.jpg)

You're a sick sonofaFemale Doggo, seth.

Anchor Steam summer beer rocking my world right now along with my homemade mojito mead.
Love the lemon and pepper notes in the ever light summer beer.

Jonman wrote:

IMAGE(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5221/5600487717_414b48c08b.jpg)

At $170 including shipping, this is by far and away the most expensive 'beer' I'll ever purchase. I'm having a bunch of interested friends come round, chip in a few bucks each, and we'll get to tasting.

Needless to say, I'll report back.

Reporting back. Had some beer-loving friends descend on my house yesterday for brunch and tasting of these beasts.

The most surprising thing in the tasting was that they were actually genuinely pleasant things to drink. We poured shots into shot glasses, and pretty much everyone's response to their first taste was shock and awe, with a loud "WOW" or "HOLY S***".

Tactical Nuclear Penguin (32% ABV) was a force of nature. It was dark and syrupy, very bitter, and packed a metric tonne of flavour, it was like the bastard-love-child of beer and grappa. And it was a flavour of that kept on giving - a single sip would keep partying in your mouth for about 5 minutes. It was literally like nothing I'd every drunk before.

Sink The Bismarck (at 41% ABV, it's the strongest beer in the world, ever) was surprisingly a more approachable tipple. It's a quadruple IPA, and as such was extremely hoppy, but somehow lighter than the Penguin, and with a hint of floral aroma to it.

The opinion of the group was that Bismarck was the more approachable of the two, while Penguin was the more interesting of the two. My personal opinion is that they're nice enough that I had about 8 shots of them yesterday, and will be finishing off the last shot of each this evening.

Well worth the expense to do it once, but I shan't be ordering more unless the price comes down significantly. Definitely feel like I've ticked something off the 'List of Things To Do Before I Die'.

Turns out that I only tried the 3rd strongest beer in the world. There's a German one that weighs in at 43%, and BrewDog beat that one again with a beer they called The End Of History. It's 55% ABV, only 12 bottles have ever been made, and each bottle is delivered inside a stuffed squirrel or stoat.

It also sold for 750 Pounds Sterling each, so I'm quite content with my third strongest beer in the world, thankyouverymuch.

Bought a few interesting things over the last few weeks.

The one most worth talking about though was Buffalo Sweat.

IMAGE(http://bythepint.com/sites/default/files/images/buffalo-sweat.preview.jpg)

This stuff is just really solid. Dark but not too bitter or heavy.

And I finally got around to buying some Ruination IPA. That stuff was goooooooood.

Picked up a 6 pack of Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale and tried one last night. It was pretty decent, not the best Barleywine I've ever had, but not the worst either.

KrazyTacoFO wrote:

Picked up a 6 pack of Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale and tried one last night. It was pretty decent, not the best Barleywine I've ever had, but not the worst either.

I kind of liked the Anchor Steam barleywine better. Saving a bottle of each to age.

I absolutely agree. I enjoy Anchor's barleywine better as well.

boogle wrote:
KrazyTacoFO wrote:

Picked up a 6 pack of Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale and tried one last night. It was pretty decent, not the best Barleywine I've ever had, but not the worst either.

I kind of liked the Anchor Steam barleywine better. Saving a bottle of each to age.

IIRC, Anchor filters Old Foghorn, so it won't change much as it ages; there's no yeast left in it to continue fermentation. Bigfoot goes through various stages; I've got about ten years' worth, and I occasionally pull them out to do verticals. About 3 years or so it's excellent, then it's variable. Also, you're all wrong about Bigfoot, it's awesome and I now have to revoke your Beer Card.

Stay out of my and tacos awesome barleywine/l4d2 parties.

boogle wrote:

Stay out of my and tacos awesome barleywine/l4d2 parties.

Oh no, boogle's become a spambot, time to start another round of collaborative fiction.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:
boogle wrote:

Stay out of my and tacos awesome barleywine/l4d2 parties.

Oh no, boogle's become a spambot, time to start another round of collaborative fiction.

I don't know what you are saying! Why am I drunk on a weekday?

boogle wrote:
MilkmanDanimal wrote:
boogle wrote:

Stay out of my and tacos awesome barleywine/l4d2 parties.

Oh no, boogle's become a spambot, time to start another round of collaborative fiction.

I don't know what you are saying! Why am I drunk on a weekday?

I blame the my and tacos awesome barleywine.

Barleywine is delicious enough for a party! I say we all go to Milkman's place for dinner and drinks tonight!

The problem with Hoppy beers is that they kill cigars.... it just doesn't work.

Trying out Dogfish Head's Squall IPA

IMAGE(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/LupusUmbrus/2011-06-02-21-08-53-224.jpg)

One fine IPA - which isn't really any big surprise, given the Dogfish Head pedigree. Deceptively smooth and well balanced, despite it's 9% weigh-in.

*drool*

Doh! Oh no, I spilled my Beer.
Ray, the man who brings me Beer.
Me. The man, who drinks my Beer.
Far. A long, long way from BEEEER.

So. I think I'll drink some Beer!
Laaaats and lots and lots of Beer!
Tea. No thanks, I'll have some Beer!
And that brings us back to BEER!

Im just getting into home brewing. My 2nd batch was an Irish Stout that was just plain delicious. I miss it. While bottling, my gf and I listened to an irish pub rock station on Pandora and that bit up top came up as part of a beer medley song. Very amusing and appropriate.

polypusher wrote:

Doh! Oh no, I spilled my Beer.
Ray, the man who brings me Beer.
Me. The man, who drinks my Beer.
Far. A long, long way from BEEEER.

So. I think I'll drink some Beer!
Laaaats and lots and lots of Beer!
Tea. No thanks, I'll have some Beer!
And that brings us back to BEER!

Im just getting into home brewing. My 2nd batch was an Irish Stout that was just plain delicious. I miss it. While bottling, my gf and I listened to an irish pub rock station on Pandora and that bit up top came up as part of a beer medley song. Very amusing and appropriate.

Nothing gave me a finer appreciation of the different elements of flavour that beer can possess than brewing my own. I started off with the 'If you like BrandX, try this combination of..." brew packs that my local supply shop had.

After making some fairly convincing replicas of Corona, Hoegaarden, and Caffreys, I was hooked (coriander seeds and orange rind in the fermenter for the Hoegaarden). Haven't brewed for about 4 years (might have something to do with now having a 3.5 year old and 2 year old), but they're at the age now where they don't take up ALL my time, so I may just have to get back into it.

Thanks for the inspiration polypusher

Cheers!

I'm going to brew up one of these kits this weekend. I did it last year and it made a great summer brew.

LupusUmbrus wrote:

Trying out Dogfish Head's Squall IPA

IMAGE(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/LupusUmbrus/2011-06-02-21-08-53-224.jpg)

One fine IPA - which isn't really any big surprise, given the Dogfish Head pedigree. Deceptively smooth and well balanced, despite it's 9% weigh-in.

Had the Squall recently myself. I actually find it the best balanced of all their IPA's that I've tried (which is admittedly limited).

I have to admit, though, that after having had a lot of different US Microbrew IPAs now (Goose Island and Lagunitas being the latest), a lot of them are starting to blend together in my head. They're all excellent, but few are really distinctive.

Bottling my second homebrew batch tonight - can't wait!