The Official Beer Appreciation Thread

[Weave]

Wheat hops are a genetically engineered hybrid from the Germans trying to skirt the Reinheitsgebot.

 

Moar fecking conspiracies!!!!

 

I bet it was Monsantos idea.

 

*puts on tinfoil hat*

Edited April 25, 2013 by weave

[plenzmd1]

Bought a six of the Starr Hill Saison after having a draft the other night. I like a Saison, and this one is pretty good. No doubt drinkable

 

Not as good as the Hennepin, but $8.99 for a six as compared to $10.99 for the 4 pack of the Hennepin.

[darksabre]

I don't typically drink big label craft beers, but I decided to try Third Shift Amber Lager (Miller) and it's actually very good. Smooth, easy to drink. There's nothing on it that distinguishes it as a Miller owned operation, but it is, and I'm not mad about it.

[Weave]

I don't typically drink big label craft beers, but I decided to try Third Shift Amber Lager (Miller) and it's actually very good. Smooth, easy to drink. There's nothing on it that distinguishes it as a Miller owned operation, but it is, and I'm not mad about it.

 

Have you tried Miller's Batch 19? Supposedly workers at Miller found a long lost pre-prohibition recipe somewhere on site ( :rolleyes: ) This beer is that recipe. It is really quite tasty. In general I dislike Miller. I generally don't dislike macros, rather I just avoid them because they tend to be bland. But I genuinely do not like Miller. I do like their Batch 19 though.

 

Where did they go wrong? :P

Edited May 21, 2013 by weave

[darksabre]

Have you tried Miller's Batch 19? Supposedly workers at Miller found a long lost pre-prohibition recipe somewhere on site ( :rolleyes: ) This beer is that recipe. It is really quite tasty. In general I dislike Miller. I generally don't dislike macros, rather I just avoid them because they tend to be bland. But I genuinely do not like Miller. I do like their Batch 19 though.

 

Where did they go wrong? :P

 

They let in a lot of soft goals.

[Claude_Verret]

The results are in for the 2013 Zymurgy magazine best beers in America poll. I'm an AHA member, but I didn't vote this year and I can't say that I can really argue with the results. For the fifth straight year Pliny The Elder tops the list as it should, it's as close to perfection as I've ever tasted in a beer.

 

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pages/community/news/show?title=zymurgys-2013-best-beers-in-america

[MattPie]

The results are in for the 2013 Zymurgy magazine best beers in America poll. I'm an AHA member, but I didn't vote this year and I can't say that I can really argue with the results. For the fifth straight year Pliny The Elder tops the list as it should, it's as close to perfection as I've ever tasted in a beer.

 

http://www.homebrewe...eers-in-america

 

I've probably had 3/4 of the beers on that list, I must get going.

[Claude_Verret]

 

I've probably had 3/4 of the beers on that list, I must get going.

 

You're near Philly, right? I'll be there next week at the National Homebrewer's Conference. Actually, I'll be getting into town a day early (6/26) to attend The Brewing Network's 8th Anniversary Party . I've gone the past five years and this party is always a highlight of NHC week. Try to make it if you can.

 

Here is a list of the beers that will be at BNA8. I've never had most of them.

 

http://phillytapfinder.com/event/brewing-networks-bna8/

[MattPie]

You're near Philly, right? I'll be there next week at the National Homebrewer's Conference. Actually, I'll be getting into town a day early (6/26) to attend The Brewing Network's 8th Anniversary Party . I've gone the past five years and this party is always a highlight of NHC week. Try to make it if you can.

 

I think I'm pretty booked next week, but I'll try to get down there. I'll PM if I think I'm going to make it.

 

Oh, and if you run into a guy named Earle Bare, say hi.

[Claude_Verret]

I think I'm pretty booked next week, but I'll try to get down there. I'll PM if I think I'm going to make it.

 

Oh, and if you run into a guy named Earle Bare, say hi.

 

Sounds good, although I'm terrible with names when I'm sober so my homebrew addled brain is sure to be significantly worse.

[LGR4GM]

I am planning a trip to here

http://www.exploreasheville.com/foodtopia/food-adventures/asheville-beer/

 

its about a 3hours drive but I hear it is awesome. The girl went over the summer and really wants to go gack with me...

[Claude_Verret]

I am planning a trip to here

http://www.exploreas...asheville-beer/

 

its about a 3hours drive but I hear it is awesome. The girl went over the summer and really wants to go gack with me...

 

Asheville is a great town with an awesome craft beer scene that is only getting better. You'll have a great time. They keep Green Man IPA on tap at the watering hole that's walking distance from my house. Definitely seek some of that out, it's great stuff.

[...]

How Dogfish Head makes it twice in the top 30, once in the top 3 of that, while Great Lakes only makes it once in the top 40 I don't understand.

 

I find Dogfish Head highly over-rated. Meanwhile, I am pleasantly surprised at the strong showing by Sierra Nevada; over the past year they have been my budget go-to and I am always pleased with the selection. I thought it was just me who appreciated what they've been putting out, especially for the price.

Edited June 19, 2013 by sizzlemeister

[LTS]

The list is, in one sense, a popularity contest. People vote for the beers because they think it makes them popular. Of course tastes vary and that also has something to do with it. Still, there's a tendency to not want to speak out against the crowd so people will vote what they think is the best. It's why sites like BeerAdvocate are so hard to judge. You get one guy who speaks out against Pliny and people jump on him.

 

You can clearly see that the bias is HEAVILY towards IPA or what are known as hoppy pale ales. If not that then you go to Imperial Stouts... again not surprising.

 

There are also a lot of great beers out there that don't get distribution so they'll never make the list. Lost Abbey is some amazing stuff but the lack of distribution hurts it.

 

Personally? I find Pliny overrated. Part of it is that it's not my thing, but I find the body to be a little thin. It's sad that 90 minute is #3 only because when Dogfish Head used to release Squall (unfiltered 90 minute) it was so much better than 90 minute could ever hope to be.

 

Sierra Nevada gets a good showing in part because of their affordability. I don't know that Pale Ale should be where it is, in fact I am amazed it is. Torpedo is a really great beer and Ruthless Rye is also strong (but I am surprised it rated that high).

 

Founders KBS, this year, was a huge disappointment for me. I thought it was generally a really poor beer.

 

I was pleased to see so many people rate Lagunitas Sucks so high. It truly was one of those beers that blew my mind this year. It was fantastic.

 

On the bright side I've had pretty much all but a handful of the beers on this list. So I feel pretty happy about that.

[MattPie]

Agreed. I think I've had Bell's Two-hearted but it didn't make enough of an impression that I really remember. And that's #2.

 

I am planning a trip to here

http://www.exploreas...asheville-beer/

 

its about a 3hours drive but I hear it is awesome. The girl went over the summer and really wants to go gack with me...

 

It is, I was there a year ago next week, and I can't wait to go back.

 

There's a mediocre hotel right in town, The Downtown Inn, that's a great place to stay if you're interested in being able to walk to several brew pubs and bars. If you're sensitive to hotels it might be mildly seedy, but way better than a Motel 6 I stayed at later that trip. It was pretty cheap as well, $70/weeknight if I remember right booked the day I was there.

[Claude_Verret]

I think Pliny benefits a bit from it's mystique since it's just not that widely available. I've been lucky enough to travel out west and know folks who will bring some back for me so I've had it enough times to confidently say that I agree with the love that many have for this beer. With Pliny IMO it's "thinness" adds to it's appeal. It's just so damn drinkable for a double IPA and you'd never guess it was 7% abv. Personally I find 90 minute to be a bit overrated, largely due to it's lack of thinness. It's a big, boozy beer and it would benefit with some better attenuation IMO. I prefer 60 minute to 90 minute.

 

The IPA's dominate for one simple reason. This is a list voted on by homebrewer's and IPA is far and away the most popular style among homebrewers. It's always the style category with the most entries at competitions.

 

I too raised an eyebrow at Ruthless Rye being rated so high, it's a good beer but nothing outstanding.

[Claude_Verret]

Agreed. I think I've had Bell's Two-hearted but it didn't make enough of an impression that I really remember. And that's #2.

 

Like Pliny, Two Hearted is a damn fine, very drinkable big IPA. I'm not sure about #2, but it would definitely be in my top 10. It's a centennial hop lovers wet dream.

[TrueBlueGED]

A list dominated by IPAs and no Flower Power? Bleh.

[Claude_Verret]

A list dominated by IPAs and no Flower Power? Bleh.

 

That's one worthy of the list for sure. If you notice the list is dominated by midwest and west coast beers. I think this is largely a function of where most of the AHA members come from. Also, as a general rule west coast homebrewers are more active and involved in the hobby and the AHA in general.

[LTS]

Two-Hearted is one of those beers that you have to have fresh or you really won't like it much. The recipe is based largely on late addition and dry hopping to produce the massive aroma without a ton of bitterness. That doesn't last long.

 

I know why IPA dominates, it's unfortunate. However, that's the problem with the list. People are so heavily into IPA that the list somehow claims that some other styles aren't great beers.

 

Drank Firestone Walker Abacus, Double DBA, and XVI last night... what a night!

[MattPie]

I know why IPA dominates, it's unfortunate. However, that's the problem with the list. People are so heavily into IPA that the list somehow claims that some other styles aren't great beers.

 

I think the only solution is to try all the beers you can find for yourself and decide!

[Claude_Verret]

Two-Hearted is one of those beers that you have to have fresh or you really won't like it much. The recipe is based largely on late addition and dry hopping to produce the massive aroma without a ton of bitterness. That doesn't last long.

 

I know why IPA dominates, it's unfortunate. However, that's the problem with the list. People are so heavily into IPA that the list somehow claims that some other styles aren't great beers.

 

Drank Firestone Walker Abacus, Double DBA, and XVI last night... what a night!

 

This is basically why you can't get Pliny outside of a few states on the West Coast. Have you ever had any of the brettanomyces beers from Russian River like Supplication or Consecration? At the NHC a few years ago Vinny Cilurzo gave a talk on brett and barrel aged beers and during the talk they were passing out samples. I was hammered by the end, but those are some fantastic beers too.

[LTS]

This is basically why you can't get Pliny outside of a few states on the West Coast. Have you ever had any of the brettanomyces beers from Russian River like Supplication or Consecration? At the NHC a few years ago Vinny Cilurzo gave a talk on brett and barrel aged beers and during the talk they were passing out samples. I was hammered by the end, but those are some fantastic beers too.

 

I've had them both in fact. They are fantastic beers. I'm a big fan of Russian River. Pliny has a more aggressive hop schedule even though it does rely very heavily on dry hopping (3 dry hop additions). It has more staying power than Two-hearted but as you know the same basic idea is there. Fresher is better. This is why everyone shows up at The Alchemist to get Heady Topper on the days it is released.

 

I think the only solution is to try all the beers you can find for yourself and decide!

 

There is no better way to know than to experience! I'm a huge fan of this idea.

[Weave]

Two-Hearted is one of those beers that you have to have fresh or you really won't like it much. The recipe is based largely on late addition and dry hopping to produce the massive aroma without a ton of bitterness. That doesn't last long.

 

I know why IPA dominates, it's unfortunate. However, that's the problem with the list. People are so heavily into IPA that the list somehow claims that some other styles aren't great beers.

 

Drank Firestone Walker Abacus, Double DBA, and XVI last night... what a night!

 

Lots of IPA's by lots of breweries and you are going to get most of the best beers from that style. Just like Canadian kids dominating at the NHL draft.

 

And with IPA's being so popular among craft drinkers I think that is where most of the new beer development effort is spent. Lots of dough to be made with a bangin' new IPA.

[LTS]

Lots of IPA's by lots of breweries and you are going to get most of the best beers from that style. Just like Canadian kids dominating at the NHL draft.

 

And with IPA's being so popular among craft drinkers I think that is where most of the new beer development effort is spent. Lots of dough to be made with a bangin' new IPA.

 

Well, yes and no. While IPAs are popular there's a tipping point. When the market is crowded you lose out to shelf space, taps, etc. Even if you allocated 50% space to an IPA that's still going to cause a problem for all the IPAs being turned out.

 

I'm not saying they aren't a good market beer, just that it's a crowded market.

 

On the bright side.. my night will be spent here:

 

http://www.oldtoadcaskfestival.com/

 

Yea.. it's gonna be a good night.