The Official Beer Appreciation Thread

[Claude_Verret]

You and me, we're brothers or something, right?

 

It's funny that PBR seems to be the swill of choice for most every homebrewer. I've never been able to get my mitts on Pliny but Bell's Two Hearted is a fantastic beer. Prima Pils is fantastic too, so is Pikeland Pils. It sounds like we have similar tastes in IPA's and pilsners.

 

I am a fan of Belgian IPA's. I love the combo of esters and citrucy hops. Brewing one is on my to do list for August. And some of the black IPA's are damned tasty. I first had a black IPA in Vermont 5-6 years ago in a little brewpub in a backwater town. It was heavenly.

 

Never been to the NHC, or GABF. I'll have to do it sometime.

 

What can I say, you have good taste brother! :thumbsup:

 

I'll have to seek out some Pikeland Pils I've never had that one. The NHC is a blast, you should definitely try to make it one of these years. Needless to say there is way too much drinking going on from early in the morning until whenever you pass out. I'm getting past my prime apparently and I can't keep up anymore. I was in bed before midnight every day of the conference and these young guns were going strong from dusk til dawn all three days. Pro Brewers night is always a treat with all the local craft brewers on hand pouring their beers. For example, this year Russian River was pouring Pliny and some of their oak wine barrel aged brettanomyces sour beers. Just great, great stuff.

 

NHC is Seattle next year, but I hear it's finally coming back east to Philly in 2013.

[Claude_Verret]

You've got me beat. 3 beers and 1 mead on tap at all times.

 

You've both got me beat. I have three taps and rarely do I have them all going at once. Right now I'm out of homebrew completely but I've got 10 gallons of APA in the fermenter.

[Braedon]

Bought a six of Leffe tonight, surprised by the sharp medicinal finish. Tempered as I drank more, however not what I expect from a blond. Is it similar on tap?

[Weave]

I've never had Leffe. My local beer merchant carries it but his Belgian selection is practically a museum. The bottles are OLD so I won't buy them. But a blonde should def not have a medicinal quality. I wonder if you have an old bottle.

[Claude_Verret]

Sam Adams pisses me off. I don't like there lager, love their nobel pils and light, but pretty much hate everything else they make. They are a perfect example of a company that tries to get too cute. I liked their summer ale the first year it came out, but they must have changes the recipe. I haven't liked it since then. Magic hat is another example of a company that is too cute. Their nearly pale ale is highly drinkable and mid fives ABV. The rest of the stuff they make is barely tolerable.

 

I think Sam Adams isn't respected enough for what they do for the craft brew and homebrew community. They always have a large presence at the NHC each year where they have new beers that they plan to release available for sampling and voting. This year I believe they had a Maple Pecan Porter and and oak barrel aged ale. Both were very good. When I was up in Buffalo earlier this month I picked up a 12 pack of their special release Latitude 48 IPA "Deconstructed" at Consumers. They took their Lat 48 IPA which is brewed with five different hops and brewed five different batches with the beer hopped with each single variety. A great idea and a real treat to sit down with the fully hopped version next to all the single hopped ones and appreciate how each hop contributes to the beer. SA also sponsors the longshot competition where they invite homebrewers to enter and potentially have their beer brewed and distributed commercially. Some craft breweries near here have followed suit and are sponsoring similar compettions.

 

SA also launched the Brewing The American Dream program

 

In 1984, Jim Koch started The Boston Beer Company on a shoestring. Jim truly was an underdog. No one had heard of high-quality, full flavored American beer. He believed in his beer, and believed that with a little luck people would try Samuel Adams and come to love it. Against the odds, a movement began, and the American craft beer revolution was born.

 

In June 2008, Jim decided that the time was right for us to create a philanthropic program that stems from who we are as a company and provides a real benefit to those we sought to assist. With Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream, he is hoping to start a revolution of a different kind, one that champions the great ideas and dreams of other little guys pursuing their passion in the food and beverage industry.

 

We invite you to explore, support, and experience Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream for yourself.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

A couple of you guys mentioned Victory....and I think it is a winner.

 

I had a few Golden Monkeys the other day and was shocked at how smooth for 9%. I had a few and went to la-la land. It was $5 on tap for a pint and I guessed $10 because it was too smooth for the content.

 

Just picked up a bunch of different 6-packs from Wegmans and am 3 deep on their 9% stout. Pretty good.

[ParkMeadow]

Taro T brought up one of my all time favorites, Molson Stock Ale. GREAT brew, downed cases and cases when we hung out at Waverly Beach in our teens and early 20's; we referred to it as "truck driver beer"! Oh how I wish it were available to me in NH!

 

Another Canadian that I believe is NOT exported is Sleeman's. They make a wonderful cream ale, among others, and whenever friends or family come visiting from WNY or Canada I beg them to bring some!

[korab rules]

Is anyone able to get there hands on John Courage? Haven't seen it in a few years, since the one nearby bar that carried it stopped doing so.

[Weave]

Is anyone able to get there hands on John Courage? Haven't seen it in a few years, since the one nearby bar that carried it stopped doing so.

 

I haven't seen it around on tap at all. Have you tried looking in Premier Beverages in Tonawanda?

[korab rules]

I haven't seen it around on tap at all. Have you tried looking in Premier Beverages in Tonawanda?

No - don't get to Tonawanda very often, even when I am in Buffalo - may have to make the trip.

[Weave]

No - don't get to Tonawanda very often, even when I am in Buffalo - may have to make the trip.

 

*facepalm*

 

I forget that you are in the Finger Lakes. Beers of the World would be closer for you but they are notorious for having old product on the shelves. Isn't there a really good beer store in Ithaca? I seem to recall one but don't remember the name.

[dEnnis the Menace]

*facepalm*

 

I forget that you are in the Finger Lakes. Beers of the World would be closer for you but they are notorious for having old product on the shelves. Isn't there a really good beer store in Ithaca? I seem to recall one but don't remember the name.

 

If there is...I need a name and address lol

[korab rules]

*facepalm*

 

I forget that you are in the Finger Lakes. Beers of the World would be closer for you but they are notorious for having old product on the shelves. Isn't there a really good beer store in Ithaca? I seem to recall one but don't remember the name.

 

Yeah, that has been my experience with beers of the world, so I don't stop there very often.

 

There is no place in Ithaca that I am aware of - there are a couple local places with pretty good selections, and wegman's has really stepped up its game lately. Hell, even Sam's Club sells a pretty good selection of beers these days.

[Weave]

What about these guys? Finger Lakes Beverage Center

 

I've never been in there but they advertise pretty heavily in the local beer industry papers so I ssumed they had a pretty good selection.

[korab rules]

What about these guys? Finger Lakes Beverage Center

 

I've never been in there but they advertise pretty heavily in the local beer industry papers so I ssumed they had a pretty good selection.

Never seen an advertisement for them - I drive right by that address probably 50-75 times a year - its right on the route I take to avoid the worst of Ithaca traffic, and I have never even seen it. I will have to stop in the next time I am going through - I will report back on the selection and the beer! :thumbsup:

[dEnnis the Menace]

Never seen an advertisement for them - I drive right by that address probably 50-75 times a year - its right on the route I take to avoid the worst of Ithaca traffic, and I have never even seen it. I will have to stop in the next time I am going through - I will report back on the selection and the beer! :thumbsup:

 

Yeah, definitely report back!

[Weave]

Sheesh. I gotta tell the Ithaca guys where to buy their beer. :doh:

[dEnnis the Menace]

Sheesh. I gotta tell the Ithaca guys where to buy their beer. :doh:

 

I had honestly never heard of the place. Then again I just moved back home 7 months ago from school in Rochester...so now that I'm old enough to legally drink, I am looking for places out this way

[korab rules]

Sheesh. I gotta tell the Ithaca guys where to buy their beer. :doh:

It's great that they are advertising up your way, but they may want to concentrate their efforts in their own backyard. Two people in their vicinity have never heard of it, and they have no street presence at all.

 

And their website is absolute garbage.

 

This is why beer guys should hire marketing guys to do their marketing.

 

If they really have 500 beers in their store I will forgive them, though.

 

I'm not in Ithaca - that place is strange.

[dEnnis the Menace]

It's great that they are advertising up your way, but they may want to concentrate their efforts in their own backyard. Two people in their vicinity have never heard of it, and they have no street presence at all.

 

And their website is absolute garbage.

 

This is why beer guys should hire marketing guys to do their marketing.

 

If they really have 500 beers in their store I will forgive them, though.

 

I'm not in Ithaca - that place is strange.

 

same and I agree

 

I'm actually on the far side of Dryden

[Braedon]

Is anyone able to get there hands on John Courage? Haven't seen it in a few years, since the one nearby bar that carried it stopped doing so.

 

When we lived in Cleveland, we'd get John Courage on draft at the Winking Lizard in Lakewood. Never have had it in bottle.

[korab rules]

When we lived in Cleveland, we'd get John Courage on draft at the Winking Lizard in Lakewood. Never have had it in bottle.

 

Used to get bottles of it in a pub called Limerick's in Armory Square in Syracuse back in the day. A bar called the snooty pig in Corning had it on tap until a few years ago. Good swilling beer, especially on tap in 20 oz. glasses.

[biodork]

If you ever find yourself in Northern California, check this place out:

 

http://www.eelriverbrewing.com/index.html

 

The bf and I stopped there for lunch on vacation a few years back, and it was good stuff!

[MattPie]

A couple of you guys mentioned Victory....and I think it is a winner.

 

I had a few Golden Monkeys the other day and was shocked at how smooth for 9%. I had a few and went to la-la land. It was $5 on tap for a pint and I guessed $10 because it was too smooth for the content.

 

Just picked up a bunch of different 6-packs from Wegmans and am 3 deep on their 9% stout. Pretty good.

 

It took me a while to realize that I'm really spoiled where I live. There are several good breweries within an hours drive from here, including places already mentioned here: Victory (15 minutes), Sly Fox (Pikeland Pils, 30 minutes), and Lancaster Brewing (30 minutes). I've gotten into a little bit of a rut with Victory being so close and not going out that ofter. Their food in the pub is spectacular I used to live across the street from Sly Fox in Royerford; too many nights stumbling across the street...

 

For beer, I generally buy local. Besides the freshness factor, you're cutting down on transportation fuel use and contributing to your local economy. I used to do a lot of European beer, but you can get plenty of good beer and spend money here instead. I do tend towards seasonals, but I had a stout last weekend camping near the gates of hell (Bloomsburg PA on record-breaking heat day :)).

 

Since there was a starter beer thread in the replies, the Michelob Craft mix pack isn't bad. None of the beers were the best I've had in a particular style, but all were serviceable and a decent intro to four styles for the price of a 12-pack. Another great way to try is to go down to a brew pub and get samples or a flight. They'll give you a little (3-5 oz) to try. Just remember to have a little water between. Changing beer gives odd tastes until your mouth recalibrates. As the song says, 'You cannot judge an ale 'til you have half the bottle down'.

 

Some of my favorite all-time beers:

- Victory Scarlet Sunrise and Sunrise: The Sunrise is a good hefe. The Scarlet uses smoked malts and makes it an amazingly unique and complex beer. I'm hoping they make it again, I'm a sucker for smoked beers (Rauchbier)

- Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald: mentioned above, a fantastic porter

- Left-hand Milk stout: brewed with some lactose, almost has a chocolate milk flavor

 

Some of what's in my fridge right now:

- Victory Yakima Twilight: Darker IPA. Goes down great, but at 8.7% it's easy to get out of hand. I had an entire growler of it one night and did some things I'm not proud of.

- Sly Fox Rt 113 IPA (cans!): nice IPA, and being canned makes it great for camping

- Sly Fox Royal Weiss (cans too!): OK wheat beer, towards a Bavarian Hefe, but not as strong citrus and spice flavors as other examples.[0] http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1853/7316

- Victory Wild Devil: This was a short run beer. It's Hop Devil using Beligan wild yeast. Pretty good, worth a try if you see it. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/345/42546

- Brooklyn Sorachi Ace: Good beer, bright and lots of carbonation. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45/51480

- Sly Fox Ichor: Really big quad. Almost sour like wine, and pretty much as strong.

 

[0] Two notes: Bavarian-style hefe is way different than American style. The former is a great summer beer, the latter are almost always undrinkable (which is rare for me). And, I have the cans around for yard work and I was going to take them camping with me last weekend. Ran out of space on the bike.

[...]

I picked up a 12 of Sam Adams Latitude 48 Deconstructed IPA the other day and am currently enjoying a "Zeus". Very interesting, hoppy taste. Kind of dark tasting, too. It's good, though, and actually mellows appropriately as it warms up a little.

 

One of you guys who knows beer really ought to host a get-together and turn us dilettantes on to "The Good Stuff".