Beer in the new era

i find everything about that stuff frightening, but uh, let me know if it's good.

will do.

Wet hops means they add fresh-picked whole hops to the brew (as in, fresh picked that day- not dried or anything).

German black lager (schwarzbier) is among my favorite styles! I'm curious what the Irish version is like.

Yeah I'm really into this Kostritzer black lager now -- I keep going back for it. It's so refreshing after drinking so many heavily hopped beers -- not that there's anything wrong with a lot of hops, but sometimes one needs a change.

Actually just had the Guinness black lager tonight- not bad! Not especially flavorful but nice and clean and creamy.

Why do you think New Belgium Ranger is always like a dollar cheaper per 6pk than other comparable IPAs, even those that come from several hundred miles closer to Chicago?

The brewery also uses an energy-efficient kettle for the brewing process. The Steinecker Merlin kettle heats twice as quickly by boiling thin sheets of wort in the entire kettle at once. This provides significant savings in natural gas consumption.[16]

Peak Organic Fall Summit Ale - another hit from the most generically named microbrewery. Interestingly, has a slight dryness/pucker and a certain other flavor that reminds me of their summer session ale, almost like a taste signature.

Why do you think New Belgium Ranger is always like a dollar cheaper per 6pk than other comparable IPAs, even those that come from several hundred miles closer to Chicago?

― bomb.gif (dan m), Saturday, October 29, 2011 10:44 PM (4 days ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

I haven't looked up sales figures, but I would speculate they make it up in volume. New Belgium's marketing is GREAT. They're in virtually every store in Minneapolis, neon signage, even my local dive bar that has no other beer of interest has Ranger on tap.

They have some pretty awesome promotional events, too. The urban assault bike rides, the traveling short film show...

having my first non-draft sixpoint sweet action. It's really good - sort of starts out like it's going to be too sweet but then the bitterness sneaks up on you.

FWIW I don't know if I like the look they went for with the cans -- feel like it makes it look too bro-y or something

at $9 a glass and 9% abv 3 Floyd's Arctic Panzer Wolf = surprisingly mild

If you've ever had an IPA and thought, "I wish this tasted more like iced tea mixed with ginger ale," then I've got the brewery for you: El Buho, in Argentina. Literally the worst IPA I've ever had. Not sure what kind of hops they use down there.

i had this very good "black metal" stout:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5189/5655760732_feb4bd3a33.jpg

also:

http://www.drunkenpolack.com/images/blacktuesday.JPG

http://www.thebrewsite.com/images/beers/the-abyss.jpg

Those look great. I think I'd like to get into stout more this winter.

How's the Black Tuesday? That's a local here.

waiting to crack open a bottle of goose island night stalker stout.

http://greenethumb.com/images/51.jpg

black tuesday is great! all of those were great, actually. not sure when i can try the black tuesday again, the bottles are mad expensive (on ebay), though from what i understand the bruery shop in orange, ca has a couple of kegs on tap?

I think Sixpoint Diesel stout is supposed to be coming out in cans or is already out. Haven't seen it at my local stores yet but looking forward to that when it gets colder.

Bruery in Placentia iirc they have nice tasting room

http://www.brueryprovisions.com/

oh wow is that place new? it's a block away from my grandmas house.
i've only been to the actual brewery in Plac

so last night some friends and i tasted our way through 15 of the commonly available trappist beers. the big winners imo were:

westmalle dubbel
westmalle tripel
achel blonde
rochefort 10

chimay was solidly middle of the pack with each offering.

Went to (ie lol flew halfway across the country for) the Three Floyds 15th anniversary party/Baller Stout release yesterday (a blend of Dark Lord, Surly Darkness, De Struise Black Albert, and Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch). Waited in line way longer than I did for Dark Lord Day, but I liked the beer a lot better than this year's Dark Lord - and Melvins and Municipal Waste played, which was pretty rad

Drank way too many barrel aged beers last night.

i've had this bottle for a few months waiting for the right time to crack it open w/ a friend. Tokio, made by Brew Dog
http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/var/plain_site/storage/images/publications/hospitality/bighospitality.co.uk/new-products/18-brewdog-tokyo-beer-banned-from-sale/2849629-1-eng-GB/18-Brewdog-Tokyo-beer-banned-from-sale_dnm_large.jpg
18.2% alc. and billed as "intergalactic fantastic oak aged stout

http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/libations/jabmleasuuiIGqzhCFCJrjAlyJGvandxnxJHyoqklpFfgpHzqgByuCyxFloo/p73.jpg.scaled500.jpg

Have this waiting for me in the fridge. First pumpkin-flavored beer I've ever bought, but apparently the pumpkin is subtle and not at all sweet.

no it's not sweet at all--i mostly got spice (like cinnamon and nutmeg). didn't really work for me but ymmv.

bah, that doesn't sound like it's up my alley, but I've never disliked a sixpoint

westmalle dubble is what sam adams was modeled after. sweet and sour with a bunch of black currant flavor.

it was the consensus favorite of the 4 dubbels we had but still can't hold a candle to westvleteren's.

OK, here is everything I tried at the barrel aged beer fest. Some really good stuff, but I drank so much, hard to remember what everything tasted like. There's probably more I forgot to log, as the session progressed, the pours when from 2 to 4 oz and then it all blurred together.

Horse Feathers Rye - Upstream Brewing Co.
Dosvidanya - Destihl Restaurant and Brew Works
Luck Leiah - Goose Island Beer Co.
Askew - Two Brothers Brewing Company
Old Market Iowa Coffee - Upstream Brewing Company
Sweet Southern Kiss - Goose Island Beer Co.
Bourbon Barrel Aged General Porter - Revolution Brewing Company
Schlafly Reserve, Imperial Stout - Schlafly Beer
Barrel Aged Small Animal Big Machine - Half Acre Beer Company
Utopias - Boston Beer Company
Steve it to Bieber - Haymarket Pub and Brewery
Red Poppy Ale - The Lost Abbey
Pappy Van Muckle - Sun King Brewing Co.
Honey B - Goose Island Bear Co.
Sled Dog - Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
King Henry - Goose Island Beer Co.
Bourbon Count Brand Manhattan Stout - Goose Island Beer Co.
St Dekkera Forsaken Barrel Lambic - Destihl Restaurant and Brew Works
Ghost Pepper Bourbon Count Stout - Goose Island Beer Co.
Black Note Stout - Bell's Brewery, Inc.
XOCOLATL - Goose Island Beer Co./Rick Bayless collaboration

Favs were the ghost pepper stout and Pappy Van Muckle, but I don't think I had a bad beer all night. Well, the Utopias was 26%, so it barely tasted like beer.

Dude next to me at my local chipped in $40 for a bottle of the Cable Car Kriek from Lost Abbey... I threw in a couple bucks for a taste. Very dry for a kriek, but if you are into Belgian sours, esp lambics, then this should probably be at the top of your want list right now.

A friend who brought a bunch of beer back from Wisconsin keeps talking up the New Glarus Two Women

Don't remember if I've had that; my favorite New Glarus is Moon Man.

I really like the Autumnation fwiw, although it's definitely something I'd only drink one of in a sitting. The pumpkin is in there, but it tastes like actual pumpkin, not pumpkin pie, and it really is sublte. Mostly it tastes closer to other wet hopped ales I've had than to any 'flavored' beer I've had.

really dug the new belgium lips of faith "Kick" and i normally hate pumpkin ales. but its probably all gone now.

i have been drinking case after case of brooklyn pennant ale, mainly because my beer store is blowing it out at $14 a case. its ok.

Yeah, penant ale is just ok, like most brooklyn brand beers. At one time I remember really liking that beer but I think i dunno my palate got more sophisticated or something?

I just brought back a sampler 12-pack of New Glarus beers, and Moon Man is definitely my favorite. Two Women is pretty good too -- would probably hit the spot perfectly on a hot summer's day. Spotted Cow is disappointing.

Also brought back a bomber of Alaska Smoked Porter, which I am very very excited to try.

Yeah, some people go nuts about Spotted Cow, which I don't quite understand. Although I guess it's the flagship beer, so for a lot of people it's probably their first/only experience with New Glarus.

We don't have New Glarus in stores here :/

Apparently Flying Dog also stopped distributing in my area, which I don't quite get. We still have Bell's, though

I'm not sure anyone outside Wisconsin has New Glarus in stores.

You're in Iowa, right?

Most of the normal new Glarus brews are disappointing to me. I've heard the more limited releases are Better. yet to try though.

Yeah. I believe they aren't distributed outside Wisconsin.

FWIW Spotted Cow is one of my favourite American brews - something I particularly look forward to when I'm off to WI. Nothing stunty about it, just solidly delicious. I'm a very big fan of New Glarus beers in general, as it goes, so feel free to disregard my opinion.

The fellow behind the bar at the Glarner Stube in New Glarus was completely thrown by my English accent, probably the strongest reaction I've ever had to not sounding American. It's a treasured memory.

I'm pretty stoked about the Goose Island Batch 5000 I brought back with me from Chicago - also made a run up to Wisconsin for New Glarus/Summit stuff, and it all survived in my checked luggage on the way back.

Heading to Vermont this weekend for the Hill Farmstead bottle release and a Heady Topper run - the latter when fresh is better than Pliny imo and worth digging up if you're in New England (their cans should hit Boston sometime next year).

man heady topper is so good

i've been wanting to get up to Alchemist for a minute now. gotta make it happen soon