Any serious beer drinkers in forum?

chucku said:

Ben Franklin once said 'beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy'.

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That was one of my "Famous Beer Quotes" that was on the site. I miss those good times. My favorite quote on that particular page of the site was by Charles Bukowski. He said:

We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us." - Charles Bukowski

I hope you guys are watching Brewmasters, the discovery channel show about the Dogfishhead brewery.

It's not a 100% breakthrough slam-action success, but it's still awesome, and DFH is a very innovative and bizarre brewery.

If you have comcast digital cable it's On Demand, just go to all series then look under B.

Anyone tried lazy magnolias southern pecan beer. First I was skeptical but ot actually is a nice beer. Research it if you have not heard of it and try it out if it is available to you. It is sure to delight.

I had a real mixed feeling kind of moment here.

Discovery channel just showed a new special called "How beer saved the world" showing how massive advances in society have been made in the name of the beer industry, such as germ theory and refridgeration. It showed how beer has been essential and even allowed or necessitated the development of primitive non-nomadic societies which later snowballed into great civilizations and fostered humanity as we know it. Guess whose had a few, ha!

But it was sponsored by F***ing coors and miller, miserable shit companies who decaptitate good breweries daily as a part of their business model and decapitate better breweries than they could ever hope to be, and make a MOCKERY of the beer history they are in that program trying to draw attention to. Their beer is NOTHING like beer has existed for thousands and thousands of years, is dead, lifeless, flavorless, filtered, gutless, meaningless even, and it was absurd seeing them make a program like that.

Background: My family was German, they all drank Hudepohl, 'cause Grandpa drank Hudepohl Beer. I fetched many a beer as a young boy, and once in a while got a taste.

Hudepohl and Bavarian and Schoenling (never Burger, yuk... {like Yankees and Mets}) and a lot of other local brews in my home town, a 'German' city. All similar to other beers of the day, from Pittsburgh to Milwaukee.

So, I swilled a lot of Native stuff. And it was better than the Bud/Miller of the day. And there was more variety. Bud had Michelob and Miller had Lowenbrau as alternatives, but that was it and it was usually a bit stale (higher price, shipping and handling etc.). So maybe side by side under fair conditions they might compete, but I preffered Home-Town Brew. Schoenling had a Cream Ale called Little Kings that was a favorite on tap at any party (high Alcohol). Hudy put out Bocks and other seasonal items and all of it was on tap and fresh at all the local places to eat and drink. They yelled, "Ice Cold Hudies Here." in the Aisles of Crosley Field.

Tastes and Times change. I like things I couldn't appreciate as a younger person. Maybe it's taste buds (or brain cells) dyeing off and I am able to take more flavor and enjoy. Nowdays I prefer a sharp cheese over something mild. Belgian or German or Italian beers over anything that will have a commercial on the Super-Bowl. I will order a Bud once in a great while, when out, but it's almost for nostalgia.

So, tonight Pammy brings home Sam Adam's Cherry Wheat. Never had a Sam Adam's (that I know of) and I'm not sure why. Gonna pop the top and review.

Back in a moment.

First impression: Godd, she does this to me once in a while. I said earlier when I saw it, hopefully, that Cherry had some dark notes that might go well with beer. It reminds me of 'White House' Ice Cream . Marischino Cherries in Vanilla Ice Cream. Of course it has lots of beers after-notes. Cherry, Not hoppy, Wheaty,,, . . . yuk! Sorry, I just like beer that tastes like 'real' beer. No imagination.

I will have to try some Sam Adams Lager or something to get this off my mind. Meantime Heineken or another EU beer to the rescue.


ps. have had a hazelnut beer and enjoyed it, pecan sounds good too.

Edit: Oh Damn, just cleared my pallette and picked up the wrong bottle, CHERRY ! Crud...

Sam Adams Winter Lager is pretty good. Flying Dog variety pack is always pretty nice.
I agree those flavored beers just feel like they are trying so hard to be something that they should not be.
I always love a good newcastle - always hits the spot.

It is funny how your tastes can change over time. I remember so many things I thought were gross but now love. I used to hate fresh chunky salsas with tons of veggies, now I love it so much.

This week's selections:
Badger - Golden Champion
Joseph Holt - Humdinger Honey
Brakspear - Oxford Gold Organic
Bath Ales - Golden Hare

You might see a theme developing here...

Did come across a nice strong cask ale the other day with a fantastic name too, Phoenix Brewery's 'Wobbly Bob' - certainly hits the spot

ive become a snob on some things, but beer is not one of them although i put down a few pbr's almost every day. once you acquire a taste or associate a taste with positive feelings it sort of becomes your mainstay, as it has with me.

crawdad said:

although i put down a few pbr's almost every day

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You're just a PBR snob


I'm far from a beer snob but am consistently and very happily testing the waters, uh, beers. I've had some nice conversations with other FC'ers regarding the finer aspects of beer and have definitely been partially schooled

I think I'll pop in here just to report what I'm drinking from now on...in the fridge right now:

Samuel Smith-Winter Welcome Ale
Sly Fox-Phoenix Pale Ale
Hitachino-White Ale (this is one of my absolute favorites thus far!)

Just drank:
Golden Pheasante Lager (pretty generic but damn good for me )

Just chiming in. I'm also a homebrewer. I don't know if I'm a beer snob, I just enjoy good tasting beers. Haven't searched out anything special, just what the liquor stores have. Mostly sierra nevada, rogue, sam adams, dogfish head. Even though I may not like a particular style, I do know how to appreciate it. I only have 1-3 beers a week. I don't like the way alcohol makes me feel.

I'm not big on hops, so I usually brew malty beers (30 IBU max). I usually brew impromptu style. More out of impatience than anything. I only calculate the OG and IBU, just to make sure its in the ballpark. Just grab some extract, pick some grains, grab some yeast, pick a hop and brew that sucker. I want my beer now! Haha, most of my brews have been wheat ales. I like the mouthfeel and flavor. Hefes, dunkels, weizenbocks....all yummy to me. My best was a calamansi wheat. Calamansi is a small citrus fruit, like a cross between a lime and a sour tangerine. I usually share my beer with friends and family. No one has ever complained Good compliments and criticism from my beer snob friends, so I'd like to think I'm doing an OK job at this.

I'm still pretty new to brewing. Done it for the past 1.5 years, but only once a month. I actually did my first 'full' batch a 3 weeks ago. 6 gallons! Haha, I've only brewed 3 gallon batches before that because of equipment limitations. I picked up a propane burner, a huge pot and made a wort chiller during the holiday season. Those three things have made brew day so much quicker and easier. So has switching to 22oz bottles. Wish I could keg, but no room for a chest freezer. Oh well.

Just found this thread....Homebrewer here and I fucking love beer. I have brewed over 50 beers most of them were IPA's, Stouts or Pale Ales.

My fav breweries would be: Stone, Green Flash, Lost Abbey, Sierra Nevada, Deshutes (Black Butte!), Lagunitas and every belgian beer ever brewed....

I really like the IPA's and the Belgians, so when I found Stone Brewing's Cali-Belgique & Green Flashs' Le Freak I was thrilled. I highly suggest them.


Maybe we can setup some kind of FC beer swap....I have access to all kinds of west coast stuff and would love to try Pliny, Three Floyds, Magic Hat etc.
So beer, yup, I like it!

i have no problem pounding pbr's or even high life. I will admit that just like wine, I am not sure what a great beer is. I only know what tastes good to me.

On the above topic, I will not drink anything not "worth" drinking. This is double fold. I do not want to give money to the companies which produce this sort of beverage; I am well aware of their ethics and business practices, in addition to their subpar product, and will not give them cent one of my money. Even if I were a complete bum I still believe in "voting with my money" and would not fund crap. I don't mean this as a smear against people who like macro beer, I just won't do it personally. The other reason is that it tastes like crap and is completely devoid of the vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein which is abundant in naturally fermented, unfiltered and unpasteurized beer.

Always remember that microbrewed and meaningful imported beers are generally FAR MORE delicious, and far more alcoholic (if that's your game) than more common beers. Let me give you an example. A trashy club I was at recently sold 4.2% alcohol, dirt piss water Coors light for 6 dollars a 12oz, while selling Chimay red at 7% (a world class Belgian Trappist Dubbel) at 8 dollars a 12oz. The truly excellent beer was a better buy on every measure, even if some people are just awful drunks trying to get off as cheaply as possible.

Anyone try Pliny the Younger from Russian River this year? It's basically the most highly anticipated beer in west coast microbrewing if you don't know, a "triple" IPA which is just superb. I got a chance to try it at the 11th annual Double IPA festival and, honestly, out of the 12-15 beers I tried, it really was the best in show. I had tried, with the day's drinking and prior experience with many DIPAs available, about 80% of the beers there, and I really felt that Pliny the Younger really was best in % show!

On the note of not liking "macro" style beers, I recently tried De Oro "mexican style lager" from Bear Republic. This is a company I have a virtualy 100% batting average with, liking every single beer put in front of me that's been made by them - racer 5, racer x, racer 15, red rocket, XPA, Hop Rod Rye, all are good. This pils was indeed a very satisfying adjunct pilsner, and I had doubted such a thing was possible.

some good tunes for you beer drinkers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOKbhQbvpPA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv5B6DwSpu8

if you dont know these guys then you are missing out on good drinking tunes

one more for good measure

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFBYIT4fvcY&feature=related

Something interesting, the American National is nothing more than a drinking song with new lyrics.

The original is called "To Anacreon in Heaven" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqyQO3xhNx0&feature=related

anyone tried any really good bourbon barrel flavored beer?

or is the combo of hops and oak a non-starter?

(i know there's stuff available, i just don't know if it really works, i paid something like $17 bucks for a triple fermented waste...to sweet, yuck)

i have a 3 gallon bourbon barrel i want to get some mileage out of, so if something tastes good i'll look for it's recipe

Bourbon-barrel again happens all the time in beer, alot of times with Imperial Stouts or Imperial (Baltic) porters. Santas Little Helper red label from Port brewing is a great bourbon-barrel aged Imp. stout if you have access to them, only retails for like 9 or 10 bucks.

Schmaltz brewing has their Rye Double IPA bottled now, in a barrel-aged and non barrel-aged version. The barrel aged are aged in barrels of Sazerac Rye 6 year (excellent American rye whiskey) and it is a truly balanced, excellent, interesting beer. I will say that the hoppiness got punched in the mouth and took a serious backseat to malt/rye/bourbon character, but in general, barrel-aging is a GO.

A bunch of really good breweries in my area have recently been putting out barrel-aged offerings which were barreled in, of all things, Jack Daniels and Jim Bean barrels. This is absurd to me, and in most cases just compromises the original beer. "Jack N Jolly" from Drakes for instance is their Double Red aged in Jack Daniels bottles, and it was basically dull and meaningless, as well as highly alcoholic and with tons and tons of heat - not good.

People who are inclined to know good beer or good wine should know enough about good distillates not to put their great beer in shitty liquor barrels.

i think the barrel i have will just give a straight bourbon flavor, like rare eagle

can you recommend a suitable pairing - any generic stout, ale or should i look for a kit that copies something specific?

that rye you describe made my ears perk up, but i don't think this will have as much peppery notes as rye...and i don't know if i'd enjoy an IPA (don't know that i wouldn't given it'd be somewhat transmuted)

bcleez said:

i have no problem pounding pbr's or even high life. I will admit that just like wine, I am not sure what a great beer is. I only know what tastes good to me.

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same with me, and exactly those two choices as it turns out.

charlie above mentioned about prices at a club or bar...i never go to those, ever. i never understood sitting around a bunch of people in a loud room paying money worth 6 beers at the grocery store and only getting one....no thanks. but thats me, i know it can be a social thing and therefore worth the expense (to some) to meet up with folks at a common location, but id prefer the middle of the woods with a big ass cooler loaded down with beer and ice to be honest.

to the brewers, i do enjoy tasting things people make on their own...same goes for food, you get quite a satisfaction from making something the whole way and it turns out good.

VWFringe said:

i think the barrel i have will just give a straight bourbon flavor, like rare eagle

can you recommend a suitable pairing - any generic stout, ale or should i look for a kit that copies something specific?

that rye you describe made my ears perk up, but i don't think this will have as much peppery notes as rye...and i don't know if i'd enjoy an IPA (don't know that i wouldn't given it'd be somewhat transmuted)

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Ha, that's awesome, I love Eagle Rare 10 year! A store near me has it for 24.99 so it's always around.

I'd go with something BIG in the abv department. Nothing less than 8%, I can't recall seeing a non-sour barrel aged beer under that - I think you need enough alcohol, malt, hops, and possibly sour/funk to stand up to the bourbon character. Of course the longer you age it the more flavor it will take, and you could always age a portion of it in wood and a portion elsewhere, and then blend the two to your desired taste.

crawdad said:

charlie above mentioned about prices at a club or bar...i never go to those, ever. i never understood sitting around a bunch of people in a loud room paying money worth 6 beers at the grocery store and only getting one....no thanks. but thats me, i know it can be a social thing and therefore worth the expense (to some) to meet up with folks at a common location, but id prefer the middle of the woods with a big ass cooler loaded down with beer and ice to be honest.

to the brewers, i do enjoy tasting things people make on their own...same goes for food, you get quite a satisfaction from making something the whole way and it turns out good.

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The sort of beers I tend to drink are NOT available in any random grocer. Maybe 2% of grocers carry real specialty beers, and quality Beer/Bottle shops are rare. They're in about only 2% of bars, too. Alot of those specialty beers? They never get bottled, and can only be had on tap. And when they can be had in a 25oz bottle for 18.99 or more, you can get a 10oz serving for usually around 4.99-6.99. That math is actually very, very inviting. And the social aspect is indeed nice.

It's actually more economical to be a drunk with taste than one without, if you like going out.

Tried Chateau Jihau ancient beer from Dogfishhead for the second time, this time on tap, the first time from a bottle which I now know was obviously infected with brettanomyces - this time is was completely delicious, a real balanced brew. Also tried 21st Amendment's Bitter American session ale - BOOSH! Great beer, huge west coast hop flavor and aroma, a meager 4.4 ABV - this is the best "session" beer I've ever had, and easily the best beer I've tried from 21st yet.

VWFringe said:

i think the barrel i have will just give a straight bourbon flavor, like rare eagle

can you recommend a suitable pairing - any generic stout, ale or should i look for a kit that copies something specific?

that rye you describe made my ears perk up, but i don't think this will have as much peppery notes as rye...and i don't know if i'd enjoy an IPA (don't know that i wouldn't given it'd be somewhat transmuted)

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That sounds very nice! If you make any let us know how it is.

As for beers I like all types of them but I prefer pale ales, lagers, and I also like dark beer.

I'm glad I live in a state that has lots of micro-breweries and even the in state breweries that are not micro breweries are good.

I have a hoppy saison with blood orange juice/zest in the primary fermenter right now, looking good and going strong despite the cold. Took awhile to get started but 24 hours in, BOOM, tons of activity.

charliedontsurf said:

Want to hear something interesting I just read at random online? I used to have arthritic pain decently bad in my hands, which has subsided almost completely in the last 9 months or so, including being calm during this winter, when the cold should of agitated it the most. Hops are apparently supposed to be a long known remedy for joint pains, and the reduction and then virtual extinction of my symptoms came after about 5 months of 1 to 3 beers daily, often IPAs and DIPAs.

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No shit? Thanks for this info! Good thing I have quite an affection for IPAs.

Albert Hofmann said:

I'm blessed to live in the N.W. Where micro breweries abound!!! Hop head for sure, and a homebrewer, with most of my recent batches falling into the category of obscenely heavily hopped I.P.A style brews with a major emphasis on hop aroma rather than bitterness. I'm a strong advocate of straining my wort through a hop back, and dry hopping in the secondary fermenter! It leads to good things! I also never bottle my homebrew, it gets served on draft from my Cornelius keg system! And if I don't feel like brewing for a while sometimes, there are several great local breweries here in town that will fill up my little 5 gallon "corny keg" for just $45! I love this place!

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Very cool! I would like to get into brewing, just have not done it yet.
It's good to see another NW beer snob on here who loves hops! I live in Portland, and to not be a hop snob here would be ridiculous! The NW is the birthplace of the modern IPA.

All this reading about beer; I need to get some.

I enjoy a good Trappist beer every now and again, but my favorite are Portland IPAs. Many of the breweries here do not bottle their beer at all. For the ones that do, I don't think they get distributed very far.

If any of you IPA lovers make it to Portland, you need to go to Lucky Labrador Brewery and Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB). Dechutes and Bridgeport are also pretty good. Steer clear of Mcmenamins and Widmer though; the beer isn't that great.

The Lucky Lab has anywhere between 2 and 6 excellent IPAs on draft always.
Hopworks has, what they call, their award winning IPA. It is possibly the best American style IPA in the world; no joke. HUB also bottles their IPA, and is in stores here.

I am possibly rambling here; super vaked and need a beer. Cool thread!