# Beer, beer, beer!



## apicius9 (May 4, 2011)

That got your attention? :wink:

Well, I grew up with German beer, became a wine drinker - and still enjoy them a lot - but with the climate in Hawaii, a nice cold beer is often the best choice. So, I started exploring beers again and just wanted to see what your favorites are. Can't hurt to get recommendations. I am open to pretty much everything, generally prefer strong hops, like a lot of the IPAs. Rogue beers are my current go-to beers for treating myself. Not big on Wheat/Weizen beer, and I find that brewing beer with fruit should be punished with a public beating :wink: Other than that - what should I drink?

Stefan


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## JBroida (May 4, 2011)

i had a chocolate stout from rogue the other day... it was pretty testy. Maybe check out dogfishhead if you can and alagash. Both really great with a lot of tasty options.


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## bieniek (May 4, 2011)

I think circumstances will change your perception of flavour... similar to wine, they match certain occasions/food/people. The best example i could give is drinking Guiness from the can somewhere else than in Dublin, and then try it from cask in one of citys pubs. Its huge diff, makes you wonder why?
Could definitely recommend Singha from Thailand. Silky smooth but still packed with flavour and having some biterness. When lived there this beer would be my everydays bread and I never got bored with it. Chang is another decent one but more strong and characteristic flavour of herbs. 
From Europe some should be easily available like Staropramen, Zlaty Bazant or Pilsner Urquell. Polish beer is tasty and rich in natural alcohol, i mean without added crap. 
They will all be very bitter and somehow "sticky".


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## wenus2 (May 4, 2011)

I don't know what distribution is like out there in the pond, but here are my top three brewery suggestions: 
North Coast Brewing
Dogfish Head
Brewery Ommegang 

Each of those establishments do justice to everything they make.

If you're digging Rogue (which I really enjoy as well) you will prolly like Lagunitas.

As far as brewing with fruit.... I used to feel the same way until Dogfish head changed my mind. The problem is that very few places are doing it right, so we try some crap attempt and then assume it's all bad. Reminds me of people who swear they hate wine, but have never had anything that didn't come from a jug or box. I was guilty here too until Dogfish' Midas Touch, then their Pumpkin ale. Ommegang's Three Philosophers is also a prime example of fruit done right with their sort of cherry lambic fusion.

Of course.... you can always start making your own!  It's great fun.


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## cnochef (May 4, 2011)

Anything from Abita in Louisiana, they make a very hoppy IPA called Jockamo. And BTW their Strawberry beer is excellent, more subtle than the Belgian fruity beers.


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## Rotary (May 4, 2011)

If you're a Rogue fan you should get your hands on their Morimoto Soba Ale (not the Black Soba). A really unique flavor that finishes very clean. It's sometimes hard to find but definitely worth a try.

BrewDog is an awesome brewery in Scotland that loves to be on the cutting edge. If you like hoppy but would like to try try something a little different from the crop of IPA's that have become all the rage lately try their 5 A.M. Saint. It gives a nice shot of hops and a slightly bitter finish but cut with a little bit of sweet maltyness. Their Punk IPA is a more classic IPA. Good stuff.

Stone Brewing does a really cool thing every year with their Vertical Epic beers. Each year for the last - I forget, ten years or so - they came out with a different brew released on matching day, month, year combinations (6/6/2006, etc), ending on 12/12/12. You can still find the 9/9/09's and you might like that one. Another hoppy brown. The 10/10/10 is a really good example of a play on a Belgian, but from your description of what you like it sounds like Belgian's aren't your cup of tea.

By the way, has anyone in Florida been to Brother Tucker's in Pompano? One of the coolest little places I've ever been to.


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## ecchef (May 4, 2011)

Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale. Good stuff.


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## MadMel (May 4, 2011)

I usually drink Asahi or Coopers.. A little Tsingtao if I want something lighter. For more 'fun' beers, I usually grab Archipelago as they have Asian herbs and spices infused in their beers.(screwpine and lemongrass any1?)


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## Eamon Burke (May 4, 2011)

I drink beer like I do most things: As local as possible.

My brands are Shiner, Rahr & Sons, and Big Sky Brewery.

If you like chocolate notes, and a full bodied beer that's not meant to be consumed freezing cold, check out Moose Drool by Big Sky. Though I don't know what you can get out in Hawaii.


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## mhenry (May 4, 2011)

Moylan's "Hopsickle"
Avery Brewing "Maharaja"
Oskar Blues "Gubna"

Three big beautiful Imperial IPA's you should try if you can get your hands on them


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## jheis (May 4, 2011)

Parkbrau Pirminator! A smooth helle bock with a kickass alcohol content.

Unfortunately, you can't get here - and they won't ship to the US (I tried). Been over thirty years since I've had one & I still miss it.

James


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## SpikeC (May 4, 2011)

Hair of the Dog brewing from Portland, Or has some truly great beers. Right now my fridge has Lagunitas "Undercover Investigation Shutdown", which has a very nice balance of hop and malt. If you like IPAs, Ninkasi Total Domination is a good one, and if you REALLY like IPAs, Tricerahops Double IPA is just the ticket.


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## El Pescador (May 4, 2011)

Spend some time fishing in Motana and really love the Pils from Bayern Brewery. I look forward to my trip up there so I can enjoy a cold one after spending the day on the water. I tend to drink Stone IPA as my daily libation. $26 a case at my local Costco.

Pesky


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## ecchef (May 5, 2011)

Brooklyn Brewery's Local One is pretty tasty too.


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## Amon-Rukh (May 6, 2011)

I'll throw in another vote for Lagunitas' Undercover Investigation Shutdown--it's very good, but awfully hard to find. 

I love pretty much anything that Stone brews, especially their various double and imperial IPAs.

Founder's Dirty Bastard and Red Rye are both quite delicious. 

Bell's makes a really nice seasonal called Oberon, whose arrival kind of marks the REAL beginning of spring/summer as far as I'm concerned!

And finally, Unibroue from Quebec makes some great Belgian style ales (with awesome lables). My favorites are Trois Pistoles and Don de Dieu.

Edit to add a German goody: Paulaner Salvator. Dark and delicious


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## Craig (May 8, 2011)

Lots of Americans in here. Normally when I have this conversation, it's with Canadians. The result is there is normally a lot more talk about Ontario and Quebec micro brews. As always, I strongly recommend anything done by Unibroue out of Montreal. Mostly strong, dark, flavourful beers. I'm also a fan of Duggan's out of Toronto, but I doubt it's available outside Ontario yet.

On the IPA front, I'm attending the IPA challenge in Toronto next weekend. 26 craft IPAs face off in a bracket elimination via open balloting over the course of a weekend. Should be a blast.

http://caskdays.com/ipachallenge2011_round1.png


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## Audi's or knives (May 10, 2011)

Fly out to Philly this Fri and come to the Grey Lodge Pub for Friday the Firkenteenth, they plan on tapping 24 cask conditioned firkins (40L keg) mostly local brewers. If anyone is in the Philly area this is the best beer bar in the city.

www.greylodge.com/fri13th.html

For beers I like Dogfish, Flying Fish, Bell's, Lagunitas, Brooklyn, Great Divide or whatever is seasonal from local sources. The Dogfish flavored varieties are really good and if you can get ahold of them give them a shot (the ones that were mentioned Midas Touch and Punkin Ale I also like Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy (lemon flavored) for hot days when mowing the lawn).


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## apicius9 (May 10, 2011)

Lots of interesting beers here, I have to get a list on my phone so I can check back when I am in a shop...

Stefan


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## wenus2 (May 11, 2011)

What the Firken?

I wish I could be there for that, sounds awesome!
Knock back a few for me. :beer:


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## rsalumbides (May 12, 2011)

fav IPA's:
Russian River Brewing - Pliny The Elder
Ballast Point - Sculpin

If you like smoked meat, try this smoked beer from Bavaria:
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen


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## CalleNAK (May 13, 2011)

rsalumbides said:


> fav IPA's:
> Russian River Brewing - Pliny The Elder
> Ballast Point - Sculpin



This man speaks the truth. Bear Republic's Racer 5 IPA and Firestone Walker's Union Jack are both great single IPA's that you might be able to find in Hawaii.


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## Amon-Rukh (May 13, 2011)

> Yesterday 12:10 PMrsalumbides
> fav IPA's:
> Russian River Brewing - Pliny The Elder
> Ballast Point - Sculpin
> ...


Drinking a rauchbier always makes me wish I had a nice piece of rye bread on the side. Liquid sandwich!


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## rsalumbides (May 13, 2011)

Amon-Rukh said:


> Drinking a rauchbier always makes me wish I had a nice piece of rye bread on the side. Liquid sandwich!



Yeah, haha! That would be a good pairing...


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## CookGuy (May 13, 2011)

I just tried the English beer Bombardier, I was really impressed.


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## Craig (May 14, 2011)

Just had a solid conversation with the owner of st Andre about knives. He's new to this world, but intelligent about the concepts and terms. The other half of the conversation, focused on beer, was interesting.


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## l r harner (May 15, 2011)

i drink mostly big beers (i drink water all day so i want theb good stuff when im not working )
wheyerbocker , dogfish head , troges, stone, avery,

i am lucky as i have a local pub with 35 taps adn only 2 of them are monster beers (bud lite and one other that rotates) 
BTW easton PA is not far from the ECG and they have a saterday AM brew tour ( just saying )


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## mc2442 (May 15, 2011)

Saw a couple references to Stone. I would like to add my support as well. Great brewery that takes beer seriously, while having a good time with it. My favorite is the Arrogant Bastard Ale. From the label:

This is an aggressive ale. You probably won&#8217;t like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory&#8211;maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it&#8217;s made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beverage will give you more sex appeal. Perhaps you think multi-million dollar ad campaigns make things taste better. Perhaps you&#8217;re mouthing your words as you read this.

At Stone Brewing, we believe that pandering to the lowest common denominator represents the height of tyranny - a virtual form of keeping the consumer barefoot and stupid. Brought forth upon an unsuspecting public in 1997, Arrogant Bastard Ale openly challenged the tyrannical overlords who were brazenly attempting to keep Americans chained in the shackles of poor taste. As the progenitor of its style, Arrogant Bastard Ale has reveled in its unprecedented and uncompromising celebration of intensity. There have been many nods to Arrogant Bastard Ale&#8230;even outright attempts to copy it&#8230; but only one can ever embody the true nature of liquid Arrogance!


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## bishamon (May 19, 2011)

Stone brewery has a number of beers that I'll go for regularly (Russian Imperial stout when it's in season), and I've been to the brewery in San Diego. 

Ommegang 3 philosophers is a standard celebration beer for me and some friends.

Celebrator from Ayinger is a good doppelbock IMO. Corsendonk is a nice Belgian once in a while.

Anyway, I don't usually go in for lighter tasting beers, and am not really a fan of IPAs.


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## David Broadwell (May 19, 2011)

Dos Equis Amber when I'm out. Shiner Bock draught if there is no Dos Equis. Tsingtao and Sapporo are good. Anchor Steam on tap is good. 

My favorite so far is Full Sail Amber. 

After reading the replies I think I need to join a beer tasting club!

David


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## stereo.pete (May 19, 2011)

I am lucky enough to live within 20 minutes of Three Floyds Brewery, which is easily my favorite. My buddy recently went to Dark Lord day and I was able to score a bottle from him.


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## El Pescador (May 19, 2011)

I just found out that Stone is opening a beer hall within walking distance of my house. They do great food and growers to go. 

Pesky


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## Dave Martell (May 19, 2011)

:Beersausage:


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## Jay (May 19, 2011)

I love North Coast, Stone, and Victory. Magic Hat and Dogfish Head always taste weird to me.


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## apicius9 (May 19, 2011)

Dave Martell said:


> :Beersausage:


 

Woohoo, that's me before I came to the islands :lol2:

Stefan


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## Dave Martell (May 19, 2011)

apicius9 said:


> Woohoo, that's me before I came to the islands :lol2:
> 
> Stefan


 

I almost....._almost_.....labeled this smilie as "Stefan"


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## El Pescador (May 19, 2011)

Can you make that Stefans badge!?
Pesky


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## Dave Martell (May 19, 2011)

El Pescador said:


> Can you make that Stefans badge!?
> Pesky




:rofl:


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## wenus2 (May 20, 2011)

stereo.pete said:


> I am lucky enough to live within 20 minutes of Three Floyds Brewery, which is easily my favorite. My buddy recently went to Dark Lord day and I was able to score a bottle from him.


 
You lucky dog!

I haven't yet had the please, 'tis no easy thing to aquire, particularly on the left coast. It's tops on my "beers to try" list though, up there with Kate the Great.

You gonna cellar it for a while? I don't think I'd have the patience! :beer:


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## stereo.pete (May 20, 2011)

wenus2 said:


> You lucky dog!
> 
> I haven't yet had the please, 'tis no easy thing to aquire, particularly on the left coast. It's tops on my "beers to try" list though, up there with Kate the Great.
> 
> You gonna cellar it for a while? I don't think I'd have the patience! :beer:



I finished it that night! The flavor was very rich and when I poured it the first thing that came to mind was motor oil. I was very much pleased with the flavor profile, which seemed to change as the beer slowly came to room temperature as a drank it.


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## thistle (May 20, 2011)

I used to homebrew & now I am lazy, I alternate Yuengling & Hoegaarden as house beer, I'm spending alot of time bbqing meat. I have a local picnic coming up this weekend (wish I was going to the ECG) & I'll do chicken thghs, spare ribs & (horrors) leftover frozen pulled pork. Eventually, I'd like to get back into homebrewing....


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## SpikeC (May 20, 2011)

Nothing wrong with frozen pulled pork! It is one of those things that are very forgiving.


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## thistle (May 20, 2011)

thanks, it is still going to be great, I hope (extra NC vinegar sauce), I cooked a ton of meat for my son's lacrosse team dinner-3 butts, 4 racks (2 spare, 2 bb-all eaten in 15 min.) & a huge brisket-I used the leftover rib tips (from the spares) to make a broth the other day. All the kids liked it, but if you can't cook to make teenage boys happy, you're SOluck-this picnic is a slightly more discriminating audience, but everyone loves good food-I'm also cooking poundcake, blk bean/tom/corn/salad, & spiced shrimp...


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## Audi's or knives (May 20, 2011)

wenus2 said:


> What the Firken?
> 
> I wish I could be there for that, sounds awesome!
> Knock back a few for me. :beer:



It was a good time, albeit a drunken one. I had pics and a list of the beers I had that day w/ratings for them on my phone but deleted somehow (I'll blame the 5-12% alc content of the beer :laugh. Place was packed with people spilling out onto the street, which was a good spot since they were grillin brats n sausages out there. Best beer of day was Dogfish 75 (60 and 90 min blend w/maple syrup) stuff went down so easy. 

There will be 3 next year I think (every Fri the 13th) so stop out for one.


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## Mike Davis (May 22, 2011)

We have a few good winery's up here, but a good brewery is hard to come by. We have the Oberon brewery about 45 min west of us...that is pretty much it. As far as beer i like:
Warsteiner Dark. Good full german beer.
Spaten Optimater. Thick, dark and heady. Stout stuff...not for the faint of heart lol.
Kirin is a good japanese beer.
House beers are usually Leinenkeugel Sunset Wheat and also Summer Shandy. Plus Blue Moon makes frequent visits. Wife usually drinks Reisling's, with Mascato D'Asti topping her list. Depends on the meal i guess.


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## sashae (May 24, 2011)

Mike Davis said:


> We have a few good winery's up here, but a good brewery is hard to come by. We have the Oberon brewery about 45 min west of us...that is pretty much it.


 
There's actually a bunch of GREAT breweries in Michigan, including one of my absolute favorites, Jolly Pumpkin in Ann Arbor. Amazing stuff. Also check out Michigan Brewing in Webberville, and Dark Horse in Marshall. If you like dark beers, I bet you'd like their Boffo Brown Ale. Jolly Pumpkin's "Madrugada Obscura" and "Bam Noire" are both also in the same vein, and obscenely good.


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## wenus2 (May 25, 2011)

sashae said:


> There's actually a bunch of GREAT breweries in Michigan, including one of my absolute favorites, Jolly Pumpkin in Ann Arbor. Amazing stuff. Also check out Michigan Brewing in Webberville, and Dark Horse in Marshall. If you like dark beers, I bet you'd like their Boffo Brown Ale. Jolly Pumpkin's "Madrugada Obscura" and "Bam Noire" are both also in the same vein, and obscenely good.


 
Wow, that's a buncha good advice right there. Jolly Pumpkin is about as well regarded as they come.


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## JBroida (May 25, 2011)

reading through this thread again made me remember how much i loved tommyknocker beers too (http://tommyknocker.com/)

Anyone else try tommyknocker?

Maple nut brown ale was just great


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## sashae (May 25, 2011)

Yep, the Maple Nut Brown is definitely awesome. It's not possible to get their beers here in NYC, though we CAN get their orange cream soda, which is pretty good!


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## JBroida (May 25, 2011)

i cant find it out here in CA either... so sad


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## jmforge (Jul 30, 2011)

+1 on the Spaten Optimator. Spaten is good across their entire line IMO.
Duvel
Leffe Blonde
Chimay Bleu
Pacifico
Shiner
Most of what comes out of the tap in any German pub.
Unfortunately, Leinenkugel only sends their girlie beers to Florida. No Leinie Red to be found at any price.
The local beer in Gembloux, Belgium. It is made by the local agricultural university which has a brewing program and they serve it at special events like the Gembloux knife show. Belgians, Brits, Germans and Dutchmen alike all say that this stuff is top drawer. The locals used to pay the 5 Euro entrance fee to the knife show just for the chance to drink the stuff. Apparently, they just started making enough of it recently to provide it to a few of the local restaurants and hotels in town. Prior to that, from what I was told, there had to be some special event for it to make its way off campus.


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## ecchef (Jul 31, 2011)

I have to second Bishamon's Ommegang nomination. These guys know their sh!t.


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## El Pescador (Jul 31, 2011)

Been drinking Lagunitas little Sumpin Sumpin Ale. Tastes good when its hot out.


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## geezr (Jul 31, 2011)

******* - thanks for reviving this thread :beer:

and Stefan for starting it :Beersausage:

going to the store today :running:


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## SpikeC (Jul 31, 2011)

Uncommon Brewers "Siamese Twin Ale", a Belgian double with lemon grass and kaffir lime. A memorable beer that I will probably never see again, mores the pity!


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## stereo.pete (Aug 2, 2011)

El Pescador said:


> Been drinking Lagunitas little Sumpin Sumpin Ale. Tastes good when its hot out.



I was recently dining at Graham Elliot's and tried this for the first time and I will agree, it is fantastic.





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## Amon-Rukh (Aug 2, 2011)

******* said:


> +1 on the Spaten Optimator. Spaten is good across their entire line IMO.


 This is very true. I remember liking the Optimator in particular, so I went out and picked up a six and I have to say it's even better than I recall.

I'm also very glad that Stone finally has distribution in Missouri. I've always liked them, but I had the Ruination IPA again for the first time in a few years and I must say, that is one heckuva beer!


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## Mike Davis (Aug 6, 2011)

sashae said:


> There's actually a bunch of GREAT breweries in Michigan, including one of my absolute favorites, Jolly Pumpkin in Ann Arbor. Amazing stuff. Also check out Michigan Brewing in Webberville, and Dark Horse in Marshall. If you like dark beers, I bet you'd like their Boffo Brown Ale. Jolly Pumpkin's "Madrugada Obscura" and "Bam Noire" are both also in the same vein, and obscenely good.


I had forgotten about this thread. I am absolutely going to all of these places...they are all within 45 minutes drive from me...Should be able to get it local. I had not heard of these places and now i am excited! Time for a mini fridge for the shop lol
Thanks
Mike


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## stereo.pete (Aug 6, 2011)

I just had this wonderful Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale with my pot roast dinner tonight. She was absolutely fantastic, it looks like a heavy stout but it ends up being a very light and clean flavored multi-dimensional beer.





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## Mike Davis (Aug 6, 2011)

Ok i must say though...Kid Rock's Badass beer just...yeah....No.


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## jmforge (Aug 6, 2011)

Has anyone else ever heard of the complaint by some, particularly Europeans, that many American super-premium microbrews are way too hoppy? The theory being that hops were originally a preservative and have become an overused flavoring agent.


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## apicius9 (Aug 6, 2011)

******* said:


> Has anyone else ever heard of the complaint by some, particularly Europeans, that many American super-premium microbrews are way too hoppy? The theory being that hops were originally a preservative and have become an overused flavoring agent.



I can see te point. Especially Germans are very conservative as far as beer is concerned. I just happen to like the hoppy bitterness, so I am fine with it. My Dad didn't like a few microbrews I gave him when he was here, because of the hoppiness (is that even a word?). Anyway, did some woodworking and opened a bottle of Optimator as a reward. Maybe a second, that should set me up for a good night's sleep 

Stefan


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## The Edge (Aug 6, 2011)

I can't think of a better topic for my first post than beer. There are at least 6 different micro breweries in my area, but when going to the store I tend to be partial to sierra nevada. Doesn't even matter what kind. IPA's are usually on the top of my list, but one of my favorite beers if you are ever lucky enough to find it is from buckbean brewery, and it's their orange blossom ale. The hops seem to be on the lighter side, but the faint hint of orange, and the flowery head make it perfect for a hot summer day...

Taylor


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## jmforge (Aug 6, 2011)

Yeah, I am fairly conservative too. I want my beer to be beer flavored and not contain rasberry, espresso, chocolate, oatmeal, grains of paradise, sauteed mole foreskins or what have you.


apicius9 said:


> I can see te point. Especially Germans are very conservative as far as beer is concerned. I just happen to like the hoppy bitterness, so I am fine with it. My Dad didn't like a few microbrews I gave him when he was here, because of the hoppiness (is that even a word?). Anyway, did some woodworking and opened a bottle of Optimator as a reward. Maybe a second, that should set me up for a good night's sleep
> 
> Stefan


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## Amon-Rukh (Aug 7, 2011)

******* said:


> Has anyone else ever heard of the complaint by some, particularly Europeans, that many American super-premium microbrews are way too hoppy? The theory being that hops were originally a preservative and have become an overused flavoring agent.


Yes, this is quite common, I think. Many Europeans I know will complain about the bland awfulness of American mass-market beer, but they would much rather drink a Bud lite or PBR than any craft IPA. 

I can understand the complaint that beers with coffee/chocolate/fruit/pumpkin/what-have-you flavors don't taste like beer, but those things are not traditional beer ingredients whereas hops are, so claiming "it doesn't taste like beer" doesn't really apply in the same way. I suspect that (although they may not want to admit it!), most Europeans are just as acclimated to a certain, specific flavor profile as their beer-drinking counterparts here in the States are.


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## apicius9 (Aug 7, 2011)

Being German, that's my point of reference. And in Germany we brewed beer after the purity law for a few hundred years with only four ingredients. I am still amazed about the variety you can produce with those. I will never get used to some of the variations (pumpkin uke: ), but I am interested enough to try out new things. To my surprise, one of my favorites - Rogue Northwestern Ale - lists a bit of chocolate in the ingredients. And I actually like a chocolate stout, although I don't see it as a 'beer' as in thirst-quenching and refreshing libation. But I still think I would be beaten up if I offered an old friend in my home village a beer with raspberries in it...

Stefan


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## jmforge (Aug 7, 2011)

Stefan, I tried weissbier when I was living in Germany briefly during the 80's and I didn't even get that. LOL i stuck with pils 90% of the time and was quite content.


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## SpikeC (Aug 7, 2011)

The Belgians don't seem to have a problem with raspberries in their beer. Liefmanns Frambosenbier is an excellent quencher, as are their other lambics.


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## jmforge (Aug 7, 2011)

That may have more to do with tradition than anything else I think. I have never seen any of my Belgian friend drinking that stuff.


SpikeC said:


> The Belgians don't seem to have a problem with raspberries in their beer. Liefmanns Frambosenbier is an excellent quencher, as are their other lambics.


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## SpikeC (Aug 21, 2011)

Full Sail Black Gold Imperial Stout. Brewed in Feb. 2010 then aged 10 months in Bourbon barrels. I'm sipping this ambrosial beverage with some pesto pasta and teriyakish chicken leg. This is a really nice rendition of the stout genre. Smooth mouth feel and complex flavors.


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## Eamon Burke (Aug 21, 2011)

I had a new one yesterday. Left Hand Milk Stout. I got a single from Central Market.

I drank it, as the store guy said, cold beer in a cold glass. I usually don't drink my beer cold, but this one was milky smooth like the way root beer made you feel as a kid. As the glass warmed up(thanks, 85f overnight low), the roasty, malty beer flavor took over for a nice warm finish.

I got a six pack today. One of the best stouts(or porter in general) I've had.


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## stereo.pete (Aug 21, 2011)

Founders is a beer you should all be drinking on a regular basis. This craft brewer is one of my favorites and this porter is silky smooth and full of carmel and chocolate notes!





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## toek (Aug 22, 2011)

I like beer a lot, i like wine and spirits as well but beer is well... beer. 

On a very hot day a nice pint of Hoegaarden served realy cold is like a bandaid of love.


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## Craig (Aug 22, 2011)

Anyone else find it odd that the only decent beers that Canadians and Americans both talk about enjoying are European? I can't speak for the US market, but I know that in Ontario it's because the state (provincial) monopoly makes it stupidly difficult to get craft brews on the shelves.


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## cnochef (Aug 22, 2011)

Craig said:


> Anyone else find it odd that the only decent beers that Canadians and Americans both talk about enjoying are European? I can't speak for the US market, but I know that in Ontario it's because the state (provincial) monopoly makes it stupidly difficult to get craft brews on the shelves.


 
I live in Ontario, and I don't find it difficult at all to find our great craft brews. Much isn't available at The Beer Store, because a little-known fact is that they're actually jointly owned by Labatt's and Molson's not the Ontario government. 

You just have to know which stores carry the best selection of craft beers, even though I agree that no one store has them all. Or you can always have the fun of visiting the brewer directly as I often do with one of my favourites, Cameron's, located in Oakville close to my Hamilton home.

I also enjoy Beau's Lugtread lagered ale (that is our everyday beer), any of the Great Lakes Brewery products and Flying Monkeys IPA.

However I'm primarily a wine drinker and love living 15 minutes from the Beamsville Bench, home of some world-class rieslings and great pinots.

I always bring back a bottle of bourbon if I visit the US, because they're so expensive and hard to find here though.


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## ecchef (Aug 22, 2011)

It's 12:47am and these cheap-ass Coronas are tasting pretty damn good!

Sorry...I'm having A Oivind moment. :slaphead:


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## Craig (Aug 22, 2011)

cnochef said:


> I live in Ontario, and I don't find it difficult at all to find our great craft brews. Much isn't available at The Beer Store, because a little-known fact is that they're actually jointly owned by Labatt's and Molson's not the Ontario government.
> 
> You just have to know which stores carry the best selection of craft beers, even though I agree that no one store has them all. Or you can always have the fun of visiting the brewer directly as I often do with one of my favourites, Cameron's, located in Oakville close to my Hamilton home.
> 
> ...


 
I was saying it's hard to get out of province crafts on the shelves in Ontario. You get a couple of US offering every now and then, but nothing like the selection that's available.


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## jmforge (Aug 22, 2011)

Am I the only one that is turned off by the stupid names of many of the craft brews? It is the same way with some of the wines that have come out recently. "Clever" is okay for about 5 minutes and then things like "Hoptimus Prime, Kilt Lifter, Leghumper, Moose Drool, Face Plant, Bastards either of the Fat or Arrogant persuasion and Goats Do Roam wear kind of thin.


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## Eamon Burke (Aug 22, 2011)

Craig said:


> Anyone else find it odd that the only decent beers that Canadians and Americans both talk about enjoying are European? I can't speak for the US market, but I know that in Ontario it's because the state (provincial) monopoly makes it stupidly difficult to get craft brews on the shelves.


 
I've not had an import in a long while. America is not running short on great brews. Recent ones that come to mind are by Left Hand, New Belgium, Big Sky, Shiner, and Woodchuck.


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## apicius9 (Aug 22, 2011)

I had a bad micro brew experience the other day - either that bottle had gone bad or it was the nastiest brew I ever had. Had come home from the shop, thirsty, took a hearty swig and almost puked. Forgot what it was, but I will avoid that label when I see it again....

Stefan


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## Mike Davis (Aug 22, 2011)

Makes me happy to see someone drinking a Founders. Dirty Bastard is some amazing stuff, and the Porter is next on the list.


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## jmforge (Aug 22, 2011)

I wonder if some of the microbrews use the similar method for naming their beers as Ben and Jerry's apparently uses for coming up with some of their ice cream flavors and names? You know, take a focus group of 20 year old stoners and throw them in the walk-in freezer with an ounce of Skunk #1 and let em' have at it. In the case of the brewers, perhaps a beer cannot be offcially named until the principals have killed the first keg in one sitting.:biggrin:


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## DwarvenChef (Aug 23, 2011)

******* said:


> I wonder if some of the microbrews use the similar method for naming their beers as Ben and Jerry's apparently uses for coming up with some of their ice cream flavors and names? You know, take a focus group of 20 year old stoners and throw them in the walk-in freezer with an ounce of Skunk #1 and let em' have at it. In the case of the brewers, perhaps a beer cannot be offcially named until the principals have killed the first keg in one sitting.:biggrin:


 
Not far off the mark on how we named our school beers lol


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## sw2geeks (Aug 24, 2011)

Shiner Bock is pretty big here in Texas. Here in Fort Worth we have Rahr & Sons that makes and interesting assortment of local beers. I have been a cooking with beer binge lately.


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## stereo.pete (Aug 24, 2011)

I love this beer! GIVE ME MOAR!





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## SpikeC (Aug 24, 2011)

It's almost as good as the 120 minute.


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## Eamon Burke (Aug 24, 2011)

sw2geeks said:


> Shiner Bock is pretty big here in Texas. Here in Fort Worth we have Rahr & Sons that makes and interesting assortment of local beers. I have been a cooking with beer binge lately.


 
Yeah, but Rahr & Sons pretty much sucks. I was pumped to find a local beer, even toured their facility; but their beers are across the board sub-par. Their dark offering is half-assed, their IPA tastes rancid, their red is boring as miller lite. Shiner does hold a place in my heart, but outside of their Bock and Lite Blonde, it's ALL the same. Their Hefeweizen was like a beer placed near a piece of bread and a lemon shoved in it. Their Dark offering was, again, half-assed. I can't figure out why Texas can't seem to put out a GREAT beer.

Frank Zappa said "You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline", and as it stands, the Nation of Texas is a pretty lackluster one.


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## apicius9 (Aug 25, 2011)

I was looking at the Pilsener Urquell just now, but some nights it has to be a Makers Mark....

Stefan


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## Mike Davis (Aug 25, 2011)

Ok so i tried 3 new beers last week. Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA. Was not real impressed. tasted like chewing on hops, with a pretty boring background. Dark Horse Sapient Trip Ale: Again, not real impressed. Tasted like smoked cheddar cheese with a really bitter, almost rotten after taste. Founders Dirty Bastard: Love this beer. Amazing taste, great chocolate undertones with almost an almond finish, strongly recommend. Maybe i should just stick with the thick, dark beer.


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## mr drinky (Aug 25, 2011)

I'll second *******'s recommendation on Duvel. I've long loved that beer. 

Also, I tried an interesting beer in Chicago recently at the Purple Pig, it was Nora, by Baladin out of Piedmonte, Italy. This beer was: (and here I quote Saveur Magazine) "created as a tribute to the brewers of ancient Egypt and uses unmalted kamut, a grain cultivated for thousands of years in the Nile River valley. The Egyptians didn't brew with hops, so Musso [the maker at Baladin] uses as little as possible, instead drawing a balancing bitterness from myrrh and ginger added prior to fermentation."

The beer was $35 and came in a .75 l bottle and paired really nicely with food. It was a nice beer for a wine lover.

k.


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## jmforge (Aug 25, 2011)

Good stuff on both counts. Have you tried Staropramen? I like it a little better than Urquell or Budvar. Also, if you like wheated bourbon like Makers, you have to try the higher end Weller bourbons if you haven't yet. The best I ever had was 19 year old Weller, but that was a one time runbackin the 90's. The current top dog is William Larue Weller, which is at least 16 years old, maybe 18 and goes for about $75 a bottle in Florida, but the 10 or 12 year old is very fine too. They make a 22-23 year old PAppy Van Winkle, but I am not sure what the exact mashbillis and it is over $200 a bottle, so no thanks.


apicius9 said:


> I was looking at the Pilsener Urquell just now, but some nights it has to be a Makers Mark....
> 
> Stefan


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## Eamon Burke (Aug 25, 2011)

Cheap Weller is my go-to bottom shelfer. Finishes great.

OT, but IMO there is always room for bourbon.


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## jmforge (Aug 26, 2011)

The "cheap" Weller is one of the best bargains at the liquor store. I was surprised that Buffalo Trace didn't jack the price up when they bought Weller and redid the product line. The Weller stuff offers really good bang for the buck even at the high end of the line like Makers and Woodford.


johndoughy said:


> Cheap Weller is my go-to bottom shelfer. Finishes great.
> 
> OT, but IMO there is always room for bourbon.


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## apicius9 (Aug 26, 2011)

Thanls guys, got to look for Weller's out here. I am usually more of a single malt drinker, but sometimes a nice bourbon is just the right thing. And I happen to like mint juleps - having the climate for them year-round is a good thing 

As for the Staropramen - not sure I ever had that, but chances are that one of the dozens of beers I had in Prague a few years ago was one  i tell you, sitting outside in the sun at a nice plaza in Prague with a fresh local pilsener style beer - it doesn't get much better than that.

Stefan


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## jmforge (Aug 26, 2011)

IIRC, Staropramen is the big local pils in Prague. As for the bourbon, I was raised a wheated bourbon drinker so when I went looking for a single malt, a guy at a store that sold a LOT of them suggested that as a Makers and Weller drinker, I would probably like Dalhwinie, which I did. if you are used to a more robust malt, you might also want to check out one of the more traditional higher end bourbons that has a bit of rye in the mashbill(which most do) instead of winter wheat. I like Woodford Reserve and Basil Hayden.


apicius9 said:


> Thanls guys, got to look for Weller's out here. I am usually more of a single malt drinker, but sometimes a nice bourbon is just the right thing. And I happen to like mint juleps - having the climate for them year-round is a good thing
> 
> As for the Staropramen - not sure I ever had that, but chances are that one of the dozens of beers I had in Prague a few years ago was one  i tell you, sitting outside in the sun at a nice plaza in Prague with a fresh local pilsener style beer - it doesn't get much better than that.
> 
> Stefan


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