The Official Beer Appreciation Thread

[Weave]

Americans are naturally bitter people, so they like hoppy beers. They also like bigger and bigger, more and more, so they want hoppier beers. :)

 

 

 

C'est la vie. I can't win them all.

 

 

 

I'd much prefer to gravitate away from IPAs for other reasons. There are a lot of truly fantastic IPAs. They can be used to really show off the capabilities and profiles of a hop. They can also be thrown in with reckless abandon. Brewing a balanced, functional IPA is far from what most breweries turn out. That does ruin it.

 

I'm all over the place. The only style of beer I don't particularly like (besides the American Adjunct Lager) is the California Common Ale (aka Steam beer). Just don't particularly like the styles.

 

I'm not a California Common fan either.

[That Aud Smell]

If you ask Ken Grossman (Sierra Nevada) or Bill Koch (Sam Adams), they will tell you the father of the craft beer revolution is Fritz Maytag of Anchor Steam fame.

The only style of beer I don't particularly like (besides the American Adjunct Lager) is the California Common Ale (aka Steam beer). Just don't particularly like the styles.

I'm not a California Common fan either.

 

it's ironic that, like LTS and weave, i have been unable to develop a taste for fritz's signature beer. i just don't like it.

 

that said, what's the old saying? bad beer is better than no beer? i will happily swig 6 miller lites with my in-laws, because that is how they roll.

 

in fact, if given a choice, i would probably go with a miller lite (or a coors (heavy, not lite)) in favor of an anchor steam.

[Claude_Verret]

There are certainly many poor IPA examples out there. A lot of the "east coast" IPA's tend to go heavy on the crystal malt...personally I hate that combination with the standard "C" hops you find in most american IPA's.

[LTS]

There are certainly many poor IPA examples out there. A lot of the "east coast" IPA's tend to go heavy on the crystal malt...personally I hate that combination with the standard "C" hops you find in most american IPA's.

 

Exactly. Crystal malt... ugh. It has its place... but when used heavily the flavor reminds me of Tootsie Rolls.

[spndnchz]

Doctor says I can't drink. Waaaaahahaha!

[IKnowPhysics]

You'll show him.

[Doohicksie]

Currently drinking a Hans Pils by Real Ale in Blanco, TX. Easy to drink, but much fuller body than the pilsners you get from the big boys.

[Claude_Verret]

Currently drinking a Hans Pils by Real Ale in Blanco, TX. Easy to drink, but much fuller body than the pilsners you get from the big boys.

 

That's because it's a real German pils by style, not the bastardized American adjunct lager brewed with cheaper ingredients like corn and rice. I'm not a total beer snob either, there is a time and place for an PBR, Blue or Canadian but I'll never stock my beer fridge with the stuff.

[Doohicksie]

We have two local breweries (Rahr and Martin House) and I have a few friends that work at them (work often means unpaid part-time positions). So I have more than adequate exposure to beer snobbery. I like a fine beer as much as the next guy, but trying to stuff brain cells full of the intricacies of beer characteristics while I'm simultaneously trying to kill them never seemed like a good idea. So I look at what my beer snob friends are drinking and order the same thing. Once in a while I end up with something I don't like so much and try to remember not to get it again.

[SwampD]

We have two local breweries (Rahr and Martin House) and I have a few friends that work at them (work often means unpaid part-time positions). So I have more than adequate exposure to beer snobbery. I like a fine beer as much as the next guy, but trying to stuff brain cells full of the intricacies of beer characteristics while I'm simultaneously trying to kill them never seemed like a good idea. So I look at what my beer snob friends are drinking and order the same thing. Once in a while I end up with something I don't like so much and try to remember not to get it again.

:lol:

[Claude_Verret]

We have two local breweries (Rahr and Martin House) and I have a few friends that work at them (work often means unpaid part-time positions). So I have more than adequate exposure to beer snobbery. I like a fine beer as much as the next guy, but trying to stuff brain cells full of the intricacies of beer characteristics while I'm simultaneously trying to kill them never seemed like a good idea. So I look at what my beer snob friends are drinking and order the same thing. Once in a while I end up with something I don't like so much and try to remember not to get it again.

 

I hear ya, before I began homebrewing beer terminology was all a bunch of mumbo jumbo to me. If you brew a few batches it all begins to come together pretty quickly....after all there are only four ingredients in beer.

[Iron Crotch]

Maybe we need a malt liquor appreciation thread. :angel:

[MattPie]

Maybe we need a malt liquor appreciation thread. :angel:

 

I'm quite upset there isn't a fine wine appreciation thread. -Chet

[LGR4GM]

Wake N Bacon... had a glass last night. They only made a cask of it. Had a very smoky taste to the stout with a hint of bacon at the end. A beer that needed to be sipped it was okay. It need something sweet to balance out the tart and smoke of the bacon and coffee flavors.

[Doohicksie]

I hear ya, before I began homebrewing beer terminology was all a bunch of mumbo jumbo to me. If you brew a few batches it all begins to come together pretty quickly....after all there are only four ingredients in beer.

 

Oh, and the homebrew guys keep trying to recruit me into their ranks.too. I do a lot of bicycle riding and twice a year they do a bicycle swap meet at the Rahr Brewery... naturally, the taps flow. Hard to think of a better way to spend the day.

[elj4176]

Enjoying a Rockmill Belgian Wit. May break open the Cask Aged Triple if needed. Rockmill is a small brewery in Lancaster, OH. Only distribute in Ohio for now but have plans to expand. Good stuff.

 

Stopped into Pearl St when I was in town for the Phoenix game. Had time for 1 pint and it was a decent IPA.

 

Might fire up the eherms system tomorrow too if I can find some yeast. It's been awhile since I've brewed anything. Kegs are all empty.

Edited January 1, 2014 by elj4176

[Cityo'Rasmii]

Enjoying a Rockmill Belgian Wit. May break open the Cask Aged Triple if needed. Rockmill is a small brewery in Lancaster, OH. Only distribute in Ohio for now but have plans to expand. Good stuff.

 

Stopped into Pearl St when I was in town for the Phoenix game. Had time for 1 pint and it was a decent IPA.

 

Might fire up the eherms system tomorrow too if I can find some yeast. It's been awhile since I've brewed anything. Kegs are all empty.

 

I don't post much but here's a couple musings...

 

We live near Lancaster, OH and have had the Rockmill belgians...I'm not a big fan of belgians but Rockmill's claim to fame is how similar the local water attributes are to the water in Belgium...I totally support local business and wish them absolutely the best! As a consumer and proud American, I am happy to see the explosion of craft brewers and understand that the total number of current craft brewers in the US is now equal to the number of brewers pre-prohibition! That speaks for itself!

 

My preference is IPA/APA and am fortunate to enjoy the following as my faves:

 

Founders Brewing Grand Rapids, MI Centennial, Double Trouble

 

Ithaca Brewing Ithaca, NY Flower Power

 

Columbus Brewing Columbus, OH Bodhi

 

Ballast Point San Diego, CA Sculpin

 

Jackie O's Athens, OH Mystic Mama

 

 

no matter what...GO SABRES!!

[elj4176]

 

I don't post much but here's a couple musings...

 

We live near Lancaster, OH and have had the Rockmill belgians...I'm not a big fan of belgians but Rockmill's claim to fame is how similar the local water attributes are to the water in Belgium...I totally support local business and wish them absolutely the best! As a consumer and proud American, I am happy to see the explosion of craft brewers and understand that the total number of current craft brewers in the US is now equal to the number of brewers pre-prohibition! That speaks for itself!

 

My preference is IPA/APA and am fortunate to enjoy the following as my faves:

 

Founders Brewing Grand Rapids, MI Centennial, Double Trouble

 

Ithaca Brewing Ithaca, NY Flower Power

 

Columbus Brewing Columbus, OH Bodhi

 

Ballast Point San Diego, CA Sculpin

 

Jackie O's Athens, OH Mystic Mama

 

 

no matter what...GO SABRES!!

 

Belgians are not my favorite either but I do think Rockmill is pretty true to the styles they brew. Not over-the-top with any of the brews. Just solid, clean representations of the styles. It's also a cool place to visit.

 

Lancaster is not that far from Columbus for those that come down for games against CBJ.

[Hoss]

Still have some labatt's left over after buying a few racks with the toque's in them. Not complaining.

[sabills]

Got a start-up brewing kit for christmas from the wife; color me pumped. Should have about 5 gallons of Irish red just in time for St. Patty's Day.

[darksabre]

Got a start-up brewing kit for christmas from the wife; color me pumped. Should have about 5 gallons of Irish red just in time for St. Patty's Day.

 

 

[LGR4GM]

The new gf bought me a Beers of the Worlds box for one of my presents, I will have a bunch of new beers to report on

[elj4176]

Brewed 10 gallons of APA yesterday. First batch in awhile but managed to hit my target OG. Now to brew some irish stiout and some euro pils.

[spndnchz]

Brewed 10 gallons of APA yesterday. First batch in awhile but managed to hit my target OG. Now to brew some irish stiout and some euro pils.

 

dayum

[inkman]

Enjoying a bottle of Anchor Brewing "Special Ale". They only brew it from November-January. It comes in a champagne style 50.7 oz bottle. A nice dark rich ale that doesn't offend but leaves a nice after taste. I'll finish this tonight.