Discussion The Beer Thread!

[xi0]

There are many different kinds of fruit beer actually. Some ales, but also lambic.

 

[Kaiten]

Drinking A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale by Lagunitas. A wonderful beer with a crappy name. A hoppy, tangy wheat beer, 7.5% ABV. Recommended.

---------- Post added September 17, 2013 at 12:54 AM ---------- Previous post was August 21, 2013 at 09:21 PM ----------

I'm drinking a Poperings Hommel Ale. Surprisingly light, hope, and yeasty for a Belgian. Very good, something I'd definitely buy again.

---------- Post added September 25, 2013 at 10:09 PM ---------- Previous post was September 17, 2013 at 12:54 AM ----------

Drinking a Midas Touch, by Dogfish Head.

 

[xi0]

Having Sweet Baby Jesus by Duclaw, and local brewpub here. Described as a Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter. It's a decent drink, tastes of chocolate and peanut butter candy, along with just enough bitterness. Not too sweet. Recommended.

 

[Koen]

Lol, the fathers of Rochefort (trappist) beer fear for the existence of their beer. Reason: their water is threatened by drilling operations for chalk. Water is a very important ingredient for beer. You can not believe how a beer would taste different if its water isn't the same.

Anyway, last time I enjoyed a Tripel Karmeliet (draft). It is being served more and more as draught beer. It tastes very good

---------- Post added at 01:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:57 PM ----------

Drinking a Saison Dupont. An amazing beer, among the best I've ever had.

I agree Kait...

Amazing beer indeed. Its taste and bitterness are really in an harmony. I can also advocate moinette and avec les bons voeux from the same brewery.

 

[Sai]

Koen, I finished my last bottle of Chimay Speciale Cent Cinquante...I must go buy more for sure(since the store I go to has like 3 cases still). I found this one to be a lot more refreshing than the other Chimays while still being quite full bodied and complex on the palatte. It has some fruity notes without actually being sweet and even some spice. It actually paired magnificently with some fried chicken and brussel sprouts I made over the weekend.

EDIT with pic of the bottles...

 

[xi0]

I almost grabbed a bottle of it, but I might have missed out...damn

 

[Sai]

Can't get anymore Garbear? Come visit me here...I'll give you some...and feed you too!

 

[xi0]

LOL, I just meant it seemed like a limited thing. I haven't been to the place I frequent for a while now, so I don't know if it's still in stock. I'd say it's probably doubtful.

 

[TStew]

Nice thread!
I really like the more interesting craft brews. And its my favorite time of year again... Christmas Ale season

One of my favorites from a somewhat local Ohio brewery...

I took that shot last year, but it came out nice I think.

 

[LadyHatake]

I need recommendations! After swearing when I was younger that I would never like beer, I find myself in a dilemma: I like beer now! Problem being, I'm not very good at figuring out which ones to try. I prefer golden and pales, but I'm not opposed to going darker.

Beers I know that I like:

• O'Conner Brewery Green Can (from a local brewery in Norfolk, VA)
• Leinenkugel Summer Shandy
• Leinenkugel Orange Shandy
• Gordon Biersch (GB) Hefeweizen
• GB Marzen
• GB Blondebock/Golden Export

Beers I don't like:

• Anything really sweet/fruit
• GB Czech Pilsner
• Delirium Nocturnum

I know there are others I've tried but I can't remember Any recommendations? I'd like to try some stouts and porters but I don't know where to start. Thanks for any help

 

[xi0]

I need recommendations! After swearing when I was younger that I would never like beer, I find myself in a dilemma: I like beer now! Problem being, I'm not very good at figuring out which ones to try. I prefer golden and pales, but I'm not opposed to going darker.

Beers I know that I like:

• O'Conner Brewery Green Can (from a local brewery in Norfolk, VA)
• Leinenkugel Summer Shandy
• Leinenkugel Orange Shandy
• Gordon Biersch (GB) Hefeweizen
• GB Marzen
• GB Blondebock/Golden Export

Beers I don't like:

• Anything really sweet/fruit
• GB Czech Pilsner
• Delirium Nocturnum

I know there are others I've tried but I can't remember Any recommendations? I'd like to try some stouts and porters but I don't know where to start. Thanks for any help

I died a little bit inside when you listed Delirium Nocturnum there...

If you like Shandy, you might do well to try and find some Lambic. It's lighter beer in the sweetened forms and similar to champagne. Lindemans make a ton of different kinds. I prefer the darker fruits though. It's a nice starting point, because the unblended lambics are an acquired taste, and aren't sweet, more sour. That might be more to your taste, considering you say you dislike sweet/fruit beers...but it's better to not dive headfirst into the unblended ones, they're pretty funky.

As far as pale beers, since you didn't like Delirium Nocturnum, I have to ask if you tried Delirium Tremens? It's a pale ale. I'd also recommend Tripel Karmeliet or Duvel. If you like Hefeweizen, I'd recommend Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier, and anything else they make. It's all solid. Another wheat beer I'd look out for is Hitachino Nest White Ale. They also make a Red Rice Ale that's really good.

As for stouts, they also make an Espresso Stout that's pretty interesting. It's similar to Flying Dog Kujo, but I prefer the former. Young's makes a good chocolate stout, but I prefer Samuel Smith's. Anything by Samuel Smith is quality, especially the classic Oatmel Stout, or the Nut Brown Ale.

That should be enough for now. They shouldn't be too hard to find, judging by some of the stuff you listed already. But I haven't gone shopping for beer recently in the Tidewater, so I can't be sure.

 

[LadyHatake]

Thanks! And haha, I tried Delirium Nocturnam about 3 years ago with some friends who loved it - I may like it more now since back then I didn't like any type of beer. I remember it being kind of...gritty?

And I've heard good things about the Tripel Karmeliet! I think they have it at The Bier Garden in Portsmouth. I'll make a list of everything you recommended on my phone and let you know how it goes. Thanks!!

 

[xi0]

Thanks! And haha, I tried Delirium Nocturnam about 3 years ago with some friends who loved it - I may like it more now since back then I didn't like any type of beer. I remember it being kind of...gritty?

And I've heard good things about the Tripel Karmeliet! I think they have it at The Bier Garden in Portsmouth. I'll make a list of everything you recommended on my phone and let you know how it goes. Thanks!!

Gritty? Really? I find it less intense than Tremens, despite it being a dark beer and Tremens being a pale. Maybe you poured the sediment into the glass or something?

Sounds good, let us know how it goes.

 

[TStew]

@LadyHatake, sounds like xi0 has giving you a good start. I'm not sure how much help I can be but I'll throw in my $.02

I didn't like beers for a long time too. In fact I went through all my college years with only trying a couple (which was the mistake - judging beers based of bud light and whatever the other couple were). I just didn't see what all the fuss was about, well, besides drinking enough to get drunk, and well I didn't really want to do that either. I really considered myself anti alcohol for a while if you can believe that. After I got married I loosened back up a little and started to enjoy a glass of wine here and there and still do. It wasn't until my supervisor took us out for beers after work one day maybe 3-4 years ago he convinced me to try one of his favorite local Oktoberfest beers. I was pretty surprised it didn't taste anything like the beers I remember, and I began to realize just how much variety there is in beers. Heck there is probably more different varieties of beer than there are wine.

I did the same thing at first, took note of what beers where raved about on another forum with a thread about beers. That got me started. Also if you have a name of a beer you can google it and usually one of the first few results will be beeradvocate.com where you can read reviews and see how it scored (thats what people do who are both beer fanatics and geeks, like me lol). For example here is one of my favorites: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/147/92 Stone Brewing Arrogant Bastard.

I'm guessing we wont have similar tastes in beer based on your likes/dislikes but I really only knew half of them, and my tastes changed quickly once I started trying different types of beer. I dont care for most malty beers, at least the ones that have the toasted taste. I also dont really care for wheat beers either. My favorite styles are IPA's. The more hops, bolder, and more bitter the better. I love the strong pine or grapefruit notes in them, doubles or imperials too. I like pale ales too, and some lagers especially the more bold or hoppy ones. Not a big fan of porters and stouts, but some times I will enjoy one. I really enjoy the rich and spiced Christmas ales too, like I mentioned in earlier post.

There are so many different styles, and everyone has different tastes, its hard to recommend. You might look for sampler packs, or places where you can pick singles out and just try a few. If get a 6 pack and you don't like it one thing I have done with the rest is use it to cook with. Porters and stouts can make good marinades, or soup bases, etc.

Right now I am enjoying a 12 Dogs of Christmas ale (8.3%) from Thirsty Dog Brewing Co (Ohio). http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/12516/45992 I wouldn't start with most Christmas Ales, they tend to be very bold, sweet (honey), and spiced (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc). But worth trying at some point.

Hope you find something you like!

 

[TStew]

Ok so yesterday was a big day for me, well terrible or great depending how you look at it. In either case I got out a special beer, I have a few nice beers that I've been keeping in the cellar for a little while aging. This is probably the most expensive 12oz bottled beer I've had so far at $14 for a 4-pack (or was it $15 I can't remember). Dogfish Head's Palo Santo Marron. Its actually already aged, and in Paraguayan Palo Santo wood vessels. At that price I save em for a special occasion, and since they are high in alcohol at 12% they age well. I can't remember for sure, but think I've had em for almost a year in the cellar, since last summer at least.

I'm not a huge fan of brown ales, and not sure how much my aging might have changed it, but thought it was darn good. Scored 93% on BA.

 

[LadyHatake]

Any opinions on killkinney Irish cream ale? Sounds good but what do I know?

I finally tried Smithwick's yesterday (I even pronounced it correctly!) honestly I really like it! It had a bit of a coffee taste to me which I normally wouldn't enjoy but I'm finding I like beers that aren't as pale anymore. Since last here I've also tried a variety of others.

Liked:
Hopfenkonig German Pilsner
Krombacher pilsner

Meh:
Twisted Thistle IPA
Boddingtons pub ale
Leffe blonde


I still have the list of what you guys have recommended, I was just busy studying so have only tried a few I could get at a pub that does samplers

 

[xi0]

Leffe is one of those beers people buy because it's Belgian, but honestly it's pretty bad IMO

 

[LadyHatake]

Yeah I really did not like it. I saw "blonde" and thought "oh, I should like that!" aaand I didn't. Fortunately it was just like a sampler of 5 different beers and only 1-2oz each, I think, so it wasn't like I bought an entire draft and hated it.

This is the "beverage bible" for the place. I plan on going back (food rocks). Any suggestions? http://parklanetavern.com/Beerbible_HAMPTON.pdf (If you have ABP enabled, it may not load)

 

[xi0]

Yeah I really did not like it. I saw "blonde" and thought "oh, I should like that!" aaand I didn't. Fortunately it was just like a sampler of 5 different beers and only 1-2oz each, I think, so it wasn't like I bought an entire draft and hated it.

This is the "beverage bible" for the place. I plan on going back (food rocks). Any suggestions? http://parklanetavern.com/Beerbible_HAMPTON.pdf (If you have ABP enabled, it may not load)

Young's Double Chocolate Stout. It's inferior to Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout, but it's still good.

Duvel - a way better version of what Leffe Blond tries to be

Anything Sam Smith makes in the bottles.

Anything in the Belgium category for the bottles, except for Leffe Blonde. Nice to see they have lambics, even if they're sweetened, they're still worth trying.

 

[Drmke]

So recently I've been hanging around the May Day Brewery,a local brewery here in Murfreesboro, TN. One beer in particular makes me drool uncontrollably. It's an Indian Brown Ale called Evil Octopus. It's so good.

I've been digging darker beers lately. My go to at the bar is Guinness Stout or Black as of now. Though I did find this local (I think anyway) beer here called Messiah. The company that makes it is called He-Brew and it's tagline is "It's the Beer You've Been Waiting For" It's got a nut taste to it and is also so freaking good.