Craft Beer

[lewisnotmiller]

So, whilst I've always liked craft beer, this has recently turned into a more serious pursuit, including trekking across Melbourne to find particular beers, beer-related social media, and expanding my idea of what the heck beer is.

Given my recent period of absence, I have a bunch I could talk about, but thought I'd start with a couple of quick bullet points;

1) Rodenbach is the bomb. It almost doesn't even matter which particular beer. But the first serious sour I had was a Caracter Rouge, late last year, and it's kinda hard to top.

2) America has good beer. Lots of it. I hereby revoke all statements I have ever made about American beer being tasteless, watery, cat's ****.

3) My home state has more variety than I ever suspected. But you have to work at it. Rocking up at the local bottle-o isn't going to cut it.

Anyways...anyone want to talk beer? Favourites? Questions? Suggestions?

 

[Falvlun]

Shame this didn't get more attention!

I love craft beer. It's a lot of fun testing out new flavors and seeing the crazy artwork or terrible puns on the bottles. The bars that serve craft beer seem to often have a relaxed atmosphere and it's nice knowing that you are supporting local breweries.

My biggest problem is that craft beer tends to have a higher alcohol content so I'm usually done by my second beer.

I'm not an IPA fan at all, and that seems to be the craze right now. The hop wars. Who can make it hoppiest? I prefer browns and stouts, or wheat or fruit beers if I need something lighter.

I tried a sour at one of the local breweries and had to gag it down. That stuff was dank. Been too scared to try another.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Shame this didn't get more attention!

I love craft beer. It's a lot of fun testing out new flavors and seeing the crazy artwork or terrible puns on the bottles. The bars that serve craft beer seem to often have a relaxed atmosphere and it's nice knowing that you are supporting local breweries.

My biggest problem is that craft beer tends to have a higher alcohol content so I'm usually done by my second beer.

I'm not an IPA fan at all, and that seems to be the craze right now. The hop wars. Who can make it hoppiest? I prefer browns and stouts, or wheat or fruit beers if I need something lighter.

I tried a sour at one of the local breweries and had to gag it down. That stuff was dank. Been too scared to try another.

If you like lighter beers, and want to expand on what a sour is, try a gose. Low alcohol, and lighter tasting. Anderson Valley is a Californian brewery that does several good goses.

 

[Falvlun]

If you like lighter beers, and want to expand on what a sour is, try a gose. Low alcohol, and lighter tasting. Anderson Valley is a Californian brewery that does several good goses.

Thanks! Next time I'm out, I'll try a gose. I'll let ya know how it goes!

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Thanks! Next time I'm out, I'll try a gose. I'll let ya know how it goes!

Cool. As a tie back to this being a religious site, they have one with a Trinity inspired name....Lol

The Kimmie, The Yink, & The Holy Gose | Anderson Valley Brewing Company

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

2) America has good beer. Lots of it. I hereby revoke all statements I have ever made about American beer being tasteless, watery, cat's ****.

That's 'orse pi** to you, sonny!

Seriously, American does have some great beers. The major selling brands (Budweiser, Miller, Coors, and all variants thereof are horrible to one degree or another). But they also have minor labels that can be quite good, and some of the smaller breweries are outstanding. And there are thousands of them, even in small towns.

 

[psychoslice]

I make my own beer, its not bade at all.

 

[Watchmen]

21st Amendment makes a variety of great craft brews. Their Lower de Boom "barleywine" is phenomenal!

 

[lewisnotmiller]

21st Amendment makes a variety of great craft brews. Their Lower de Boom "barleywine" is phenomenal!

Ahhh...Barleywine. Whilst a fan, I had the dubious pleasure of watching a friend treat it like a session ale. That didn't end well.

 

[Watchmen]

Ahhh...Barleywine. Whilst a fan, I had the dubious pleasure of watching a friend treat it like a session ale. That didn't end well.

Oh no!!! Lol!!!

 

[Guy Threepwood]

Shame this didn't get more attention!

I love craft beer. It's a lot of fun testing out new flavors and seeing the crazy artwork or terrible puns on the bottles. The bars that serve craft beer seem to often have a relaxed atmosphere and it's nice knowing that you are supporting local breweries.

My biggest problem is that craft beer tends to have a higher alcohol content so I'm usually done by my second beer.

I'm not an IPA fan at all, and that seems to be the craze right now. The hop wars. Who can make it hoppiest? I prefer browns and stouts, or wheat or fruit beers if I need something lighter.

I tried a sour at one of the local breweries and had to gag it down. That stuff was dank. Been too scared to try another.

Yes, depends where you are in the country, in many places, all the choices are like 'making love in a canoe'

But lot's of great craft beers here in the upper Midwest, Germanic tradition perhaps, great fresh water resources, cooler climate and being at the far end of distribution chains maybe... I dunno

A couple of my favorites are:

Two Hearted Ale from Bell's brewery, named after the two hearted river in Michigan's upper Peninsula, as written about by Hemmingway
which is that hoppy IPA you mention, I hated it when I first tried it and it grew on me , ( had a pint earlier today with a hot dog)

And the richest, thickest, darkest beer I've ever tasted: Edmund Fitzgerald porter, from Great Lakes Brewing, named after the ill fated freighter, - I take some out on the water for good luck (?), also nobody cares about the intestinal gas out there!

 

[dust1n]

Anyways...anyone want to talk beer? Favourites? Questions? Suggestions?

I don't like unfiltered beers. Or sour beers. Or grapefruit juice beer. These all exist in a post-scarcity state in Austin. As I get older though, I can't really drink IPA's like I use to, which was at once my favorite. Now I only drink the pisswater from Mexico.

Have you considered making your own? I had a friend make a keg once, and it made for a hell of a Halloween dressing like pirates so we can carry unmarked bottles filled with the homemade stuff. (A lot cheaper too).

 

[Watchmen]

I don't like unfiltered beers. Or sour beers. Or grapefruit juice beer. These all exist in a post-scarcity state in Austin. As I get older though, I can't really drink IPA's like I use to, which was at once my favorite. Now I only drink the pisswater from Mexico.

Have you considered making your own? I had a friend make a keg once, and it made for a hell of a Halloween dressing like pirates so we can carry unmarked bottles filled with the homemade stuff. (A lot cheaper too).

Why do you only drink Mexican stuff???

 

[dust1n]

Why do you only drink Mexican stuff???

I'm reducing the number of domestic products I purchase in favor of imports for the time being.

But, cheap Mexican beer does generally just taste better given the climate here. It's not really fun drinking a 10% Double Stout in 95 degree weather. Something like Modelo goes down as easy as PBR or Lonestar, but it's slightly flavored different to be even better in hot weather.

 

[Watchmen]

I'm reducing the number of domestic products I purchase in favor of imports for the time being.

But, cheap Mexican beer does generally just taste better given the climate here. It's not really fun drinking a 10% Double Stout in 95 degree weather. Something like Modelo goes down as easy as PBR or Lonestar, but it's slightly flavored different to be even better in hot weather.

I can't stand lagers. Much more of an ale persons myself.

 

[dust1n]

I can't stand lagers. Much more of an ale persons myself.

I use to love IPA's and Whiskey, but my body just handle it like it use to. Now I'm old man with my lagers yelling at kids to drink real beer!

Liquors or sort of the same-- I can't really bring myself to drink it anymore unless it's clear like tequila, vodka, gin or moonshine.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I use to love IPA's and Whiskey, but my body just handle it like it use to. Now I'm old man with my lagers yelling at kids to drink real beer!

Liquors or sort of the same-- I can't really bring myself to drink it anymore unless it's clear like tequila, vodka, gin or moonshine.

Walked into a party once...someone handed me a wine bottle that was being shared...being the person I was at the time, I upended the bottle with flourish and took a huge gulp...

I did not spew, but I also could not breathe for several minutes...moonshine out of Tennessee I learned later.

I got to hand the bottle...with a smile...to the next person in...

It was very entertaining if somewhat messy for the party...glad we were outside...

 

[Falvlun]

Yes, depends where you are in the country, in many places, all the choices are like 'making love in a canoe'

But lot's of great craft beers here in the upper Midwest, Germanic tradition perhaps, great fresh water resources, cooler climate and being at the far end of distribution chains maybe... I dunno

A couple of my favorites are:

Two Hearted Ale from Bell's brewery, named after the two hearted river in Michigan's upper Peninsula, as written about by Hemmingway
which is that hoppy IPA you mention, I hated it when I first tried it and it grew on me , ( had a pint earlier today with a hot dog)

And the richest, thickest, darkest beer I've ever tasted: Edmund Fitzgerald porter, from Great Lakes Brewing, named after the ill fated freighter, - I take some out on the water for good luck (?), also nobody cares about the intestinal gas out there!

I mostly know Michigan and Chicago beers myself! Founders Dirty ******* mmmm.

Oh, I met the owner of Bells brewery when I worked at a B&B in the UP. He threw a little Bell's beer party there, lots of fun. But in general, most of Bell's beer is bit to hoppy for me.

 

[Falvlun]

I'm reducing the number of domestic products I purchase in favor of imports for the time being.

But, cheap Mexican beer does generally just taste better given the climate here. It's not really fun drinking a 10% Double Stout in 95 degree weather. Something like Modelo goes down as easy as PBR or Lonestar, but it's slightly flavored different to be even better in hot weather.

Yeah, in the summer I'm all about light beer. Corona's are my preferred hot weather drinking beer. Something about the flavor and sticking that lime in just works perfectly.

On the craft beer side, Goose Island's 312 is a nice, light summer beer. But personally, the flavor gets to be too much for long-term drinking.

 

[dust1n]

Walked into a party once...someone handed me a wine bottle that was being shared...being the person I was at the time, I upended the bottle with flourish and took a huge gulp...

I did not spew, but I also could not breathe for several minutes...moonshine out of Tennessee I learned later.

I got to hand the bottle...with a smile...to the next person in...

It was very entertaining if somewhat messy for the party...glad we were outside...

Moonshine really is the best... not because it's alcohol content or the fact it tastes like fingernail polish remover, but because it's underground and with the tiniest amount of ingredients, you can makes hundreds and hundred of drinks out of moonshine that don't taste like fingernail polish remover.