The Official Beer Appreciation Thread

[Braedon]

Apples to oranges. It is a Belgian Quad in style and very high alcohol for a beer. It is rich and dark and has hints of sour cherries but loads of dark fruit flavors too. But not sweet. Closer to sour really. It is a blend of 10% sour Belgian lambic so there is no real underlying sweetness. If anything, it finishes a touch dry. Definitely NOT an all night beer. If memory serves it is close to a 10% ABV beer. Think brandy snifter and lightly chilled.

 

 

Interesting. Not what I would expect from reading its notes.

 

 

I noticed you mentioned FB Scotch Ale. Funny thing is that I've never tried theirs, though my 'Sabre Beer' after games at Pearl Street was Lord Stanley Scotch Ale. Man I miss that beer.

[Weave]

Interesting. Not what I would expect from reading its notes.

 

 

I noticed you mentioned FB Scotch Ale. Funny thing is that I've never tried theirs, though my 'Sabre Beer' after games at Pearl Street was Lord Stanley Scotch Ale. Man I miss that beer.

 

These guys are real beer snobs and this is what they have to say about it. Alot of them reach a bit too much with their descriptions but there are enough common thoughts to give you a pretty good idea of what the beer is like. Overall they are a pretty reliable source for beer tasting notes.

[TheMatrix31]

BA is where I "learned" about good beer. Great source for information. I'm not on any crazy level or anything, but the grades are usually a nice indicator of what's good and what isn't.

[Sabre Dance]

If you ever find yourself in the vicinity of central PA (Harrisburg / Lancaster), this place has some good brews:

 

http://www.lbcharris...om/OurBeer.html

 

The Strawberry Wheat sounds girlie but it's a nice light beer with more strawberry aroma than flavor (not sweet). The Winter Warmer is a huge seller in the colder months, and it's not listed here but they sometimes make a Belgian Triple late fall / early winter that is insanely popular (and 12% ABV). The Oktoberfest was always a winner, too. I'm not much of a beer drinker personally, but I like learning about the stuff (used to tend bar at LBC Harrisburg).

 

There is a brewery in St. Mary's, PA called Straub's. The beer they brew is called "hi-test" by the locals as the brewery lets the beer "ferment out"; that is, they allow it to ferment until all of the sugars have been eaten up by the yeasties. This results in a very clean, not very filling beer that is slightly higher in alcohol content than regular beer. If you can lay your hands on some (you might have to drive down into PA to find it), pack a few bottles in ice then go mow the lawn or trim the hedges. When you are good and thirsty, crack one open and I guarantee it will be the most thirst-quenching, clean-tasting beer you've ever tried. (If you just drink one out of the fridge on a Friday night after work, well, it'll still be OK).

[BetweenThePipes00]

There is a brewery in St. Mary's, PA called Straub's. The beer they brew is called "hi-test" by the locals as the brewery lets the beer "ferment out"; that is, they allow it to ferment until all of the sugars have been eaten up by the yeasties. This results in a very clean, not very filling beer that is slightly higher in alcohol content than regular beer. If you can lay your hands on some (you might have to drive down into PA to find it), pack a few bottles in ice then go mow the lawn or trim the hedges. When you are good and thirsty, crack one open and I guarantee it will be the most thirst-quenching, clean-tasting beer you've ever tried. (If you just drink one out of the fridge on a Friday night after work, well, it'll still be OK).

 

I went to high school about a half hour from there and the locals will also swear by the fact that it's impossible to get a hangover from drinking Straub's (I guess because of the sugar factor mentioned above, but there's an equal chance this is an urban legend. Or, rural legend, to be more accurate for that neck of the woods ...)

[Sabre Dance]

I went to high school about a half hour from there and the locals will also swear by the fact that it's impossible to get a hangover from drinking Straub's (I guess because of the sugar factor mentioned above, but there's an equal chance this is an urban legend. Or, rural legend, to be more accurate for that neck of the woods ...)

 

Sounds like the basis for an experiment, no?

[Braedon]

These guys are real beer snobs and this is what they have to say about it. Alot of them reach a bit too much with their descriptions but there are enough common thoughts to give you a pretty good idea of what the beer is like. Overall they are a pretty reliable source for beer tasting notes.

 

 

That's who I read for beer (malt advocate is one of my sources for whisky). I read sweet, but it may be because I invest more in the cherry, syrup, candy, pear, etc. If I pick up fruit in a whisky (e.g. speysides), it's by no means sweet, just subtle tones. However, if someone tells me a beer is sweet (e.g. grains of paradise or some of the wheat beers), I taste sweet. So I wasn't sure if this was more a sweet beer, or a beer with tones of fruit. I don't have a great nose/palate for beers, the yeast and grains take over many of the scents I can pick up in whisky.

 

A work in progress for me.

[korab rules]

There is a brewery in St. Mary's, PA called Straub's. The beer they brew is called "hi-test" by the locals as the brewery lets the beer "ferment out"; that is, they allow it to ferment until all of the sugars have been eaten up by the yeasties. This results in a very clean, not very filling beer that is slightly higher in alcohol content than regular beer. If you can lay your hands on some (you might have to drive down into PA to find it), pack a few bottles in ice then go mow the lawn or trim the hedges. When you are good and thirsty, crack one open and I guarantee it will be the most thirst-quenching, clean-tasting beer you've ever tried. (If you just drink one out of the fridge on a Friday night after work, well, it'll still be OK).

For the purpose you are suggesting, try Kokanee.

[Eleven]

Apples to oranges. It is a Belgian Quad in style and very high alcohol for a beer. It is rich and dark and has hints of sour cherries but loads of dark fruit flavors too. But not sweet. Closer to sour really. It is a blend of 10% sour Belgian lambic so there is no real underlying sweetness. If anything, it finishes a touch dry. Definitely NOT an all night beer. If memory serves it is close to a 10% ABV beer. Think brandy snifter and lightly chilled.

 

That's about right. It's very rich, but I wouldn't say sour. Bitter, maybe even bittersweet, like baking chocolate. The richness and the ABV make it impossible for "all night" consumption--one pint is about the equivalent of two good-sized cocktails. Two of them, and I start saying silly things and writing angry rants on SS.

[That Aud Smell]

If you ever find yourself in the vicinity of central PA (Harrisburg / Lancaster), this place has some good brews:

central-eastern PA is a rare repository of beer. the fact that yuengling has survived as something of a macro style lager is one of the better examples of this, but not the only one. when i'm over around hershey, i go for lions head. that's good clean drinkin' right there.

 

There is a brewery in St. Mary's, PA called Straub's.

everything you say about the stuff is true. i spent a fair amount of time in germany and austria back in the day, and that straub is right on par with that amazingly clean and delightful taste you can get at a good austrio/germanic beer hall (the sort of place where you pick up your litre vessel, dunk it in a tank of lightly chlorinated (?) water, and hand it to the spigot meister to fill).

 

I went to high school about a half hour from there and the locals will also swear by the fact that it's impossible to get a hangover from drinking Straub's (I guess because of the sugar factor mentioned above, but there's an equal chance this is an urban legend. Or, rural legend, to be more accurate for that neck of the woods ...)

i've downed double digits of straub bottles on several occasions (most recently in 2009), and i think there is something to the myth.

[BetweenThePipes00]

Sounds like the basis for an experiment, no?

 

Ha, well I can vouch that I never did get a hangover Straub's, but then the only beer that ever seems to hang me over is Budweiser ... or at least that was the case in college, been a looooong time since I had a Bud.

[Eleven]

Ha, well I can vouch that I never did get a hangover Straub's, but then the only beer that ever seems to hang me over is Budweiser ... or at least that was the case in college, been a looooong time since I had a Bud.

 

You must be one of them fancy private-college boys.

[BetweenThePipes00]

You must be one of them fancy private-college boys.

 

Not at all, actually ... but in those days my (former) step-dad always had Bud in the fridge at home ...

[X. Benedict]

Ha, well I can vouch that I never did get a hangover Straub's, but then the only beer that ever seems to hang me over is Budweiser ... or at least that was the case in college, been a looooong time since I had a Bud.

I've heard diabetics swear by Straub's too.

[Claude_Verret]

What about "After sex" beer? "4:20 beer? Beer u buy when you know the alcoholic is on the way?

 

Sweetwater 420 Pale Ale. I'm fairly certain it's not available in your neck of the woods, but if you make it down for some pillaging this season I'll buy some for the tailgate. :thumbsup:

[Weave]

Braedon, that beer is all about tones of fruit and dark malt. When you see words like syrupy to describe it, they are referring to mouthfeel more than sweetness. I suppose that a syrupy mouthfeel combined with notes of dark fruits could be mistaken for sweetness on the tongue but I am very sure that beer is fermented quite dry. To give a wine example, think of how a jammy pinot noir might taste if it was very low in tannins. It is a dry wine that might be mistaken for sweet because of the fruity, jammy flavors. Similar concept with 3 Philosophers, fruit notes without risidual sweetness.

[Eleven]

What about "After sex" beer? "4:20 beer? Beer u buy when you know the alcoholic is on the way?

 

 

1) That's more sex, not beer.

 

2) Nah. Not my style anymore.

 

3) Whisky.

[Braedon]

Braedon, that beer is all about tones of fruit and dark malt. When you see words like syrupy to describe it, they are referring to mouthfeel more than sweetness. I suppose that a syrupy mouthfeel combined with notes of dark fruits could be mistaken for sweetness on the tongue but I am very sure that beer is fermented quite dry. To give a wine example, think of how a jammy pinot noir might taste if it was very low in tannins. It is a dry wine that might be mistaken for sweet because of the fruity, jammy flavors. Similar concept with 3 Philosophers, fruit notes without risidual sweetness.

 

 

Noted. Again, a work in progress.

[bunomatic]

One of the best 'winter' beers I've had is Granville Island winterale. Highly recommend it. Favorite beer is Guinness. Its a meal in a glass.

[...]

The older I get the less I can stand garbage beers. Bud, Miller, Coors, Labatt's, Molson, and that ilk are freaking garbage and I won't even waste my time if one is offered free. I don't have an "occasion" beer - crap beer is crap beer no matter when you drink it, and good beer is good beer just the same.

 

My absolute favorite is Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold Lager. I like other brews from Great Lakes, but the Dortmunder is the beer archetype for me.

 

Samuel Adams lager is a good stand in, and I like some of their other brews; notably Noble Pils and Latitude 48 IPA. Thankfully, if I can't find Great Lakes while I'm out, Sam Adams is usually available.

 

Southern Tier Brewing Co.'s Phin and Matt's Extraordinary Ale is good, although I don't like their other stuff for the most part.

 

I always try new stuff, most of it forgettable, hence the reason my list is short. I can say that some of the ones people "rave" about, like Dogfish Head and Smuttynose, have been disappointing.

[Taro T]

Never been much of a beer snob, but in my younger days used to sample a few. In college days used to drink primarily Molson Golden Ale. It was a pain though to find it down south (especially if I wanted to find it unskunked). By the time I moved back up here, Labatt's became the beer of choice. Now I find myself drinking more Blue Light than anything else because that is what's served at the 2 places that I do most of my non-home consuming.

 

When at home, lately my 'everyday' (more like 'everyweekend') beer is Sam Adams Light. Unlike most light beers, it isn't simply a watered down version of the original. Since I've started drinking that ~1 year ago I've actually found now I prefer it to Sam's Boston Lager.

 

Though Sammy Light or Blue Light is my staple, I'll find myself in the mood for something different quite often.

 

When bowling, it has to be the original Genesee Beer (too bad you can't find bottle 'pounders' anymore, though I do still have a couple of 16 oz cans in the beer fridge).

 

For light, summertime beer, I've found myself either choosing a Sam's Summer Ale or in the evening a Stella Artois. Last summer, had a good day on the water and had Land Shark that day and found myself drinking a fair amount of that that summer. (Sad, huh.)

 

In the fall, I find myself heading back towards Pale Ales and Sierra Nevada is a favorite. I also like Bass Ale, and many years ago living down in the south I had a friend that could make a nearly perfect Pale Ale. If I ever do start brewing, I'll have to see if he'll let me borrow the recipe (or at least if he'll get me in the ballpark).

 

I like Sam Adam's Winter Lager in winter.

 

I haven't had it in about 10 years, but my all-time favorite was Molson Stock Ale. It's a very smooth beer. I always wanted to get one of those magic beer microphones. (2 - two fours Molson Stock, two four Crystal - Voila! ;) )

 

Never cared for Guinness over here, but spent a day in Ireland and couldn't get enough of it.

 

There's a whole bunch of other stuff that I like, but rarely buy - Duvel, Watney's Red Barrel, Spaten, Dupel Spaten, Warsteiner, Bitberger (sp?), Chimay, McEwan's, Sam's Scottish Ale, Abita Amber (not as big a fan of the Turbo Dog), & Flying Bison Lager just to name a few.

 

Far and away, the most common beers to be in my fridge are Blue Light, Sammy Light, Labatt's, Sierra Nevada, Sam's Winter Lager, & Sam's Summer Ale.

 

And many years ago, got to go to a beer tasting w/ Michael Jackson. That dude knew his brews.

[Weave]

And many years ago, got to go to a beer tasting w/ Michael Jackson. That dude knew his brews.

 

Now that would be cool.

 

And for those of you not in the know, he's not talking about the sequined glove wearing, monkey owning, little boy diddlin' Michael Jackson. He's talking aobut a rather famous author and expert on all things beer and whisky.

 

 

 

At least that's who I hope he's talking about. :blink:

[Braedon]

 

And many years ago, got to go to a beer tasting w/ Michael Jackson. That dude knew his brews.

 

 

RIP Mr. Jackson.......You were the master of the Belgian Whites with an unrivaled acumen for the Angel's Share. :cry:

[korab rules]

Now that would be cool.

 

And for those of you not in the know, he's not talking about the sequined glove wearing, monkey owning, little boy diddlin' Michael Jackson. He's talking aobut a rather famous author and expert on all things beer and whisky.

 

 

 

At least that's who I hope he's talking about. :blink:

MJ was more into purple jesus than brews.

[Taro T]

Now that would be cool.

 

And for those of you not in the know, he's not talking about the sequined glove wearing, monkey owning, little boy diddlin' Michael Jackson. He's talking aobut a rather famous author and expert on all things beer and whisky.

 

 

 

At least that's who I hope he's talking about. :blink:

It was.

 

And you are correct. It's not the guy that did the 1/2 time show at SBXXVII.

 

He gave a brief lecture, then we tasted ~6 different beers, and then he took questions for ~45 minutes. Pretty cool.