Let's talk Beer (1 Viewer)

[Randy_Sh]

In the light of my eastcoast friends hailing this as there answer to a Ruination, I only chuckle, for this is a completely different brew. HopDevil satisfies though, with its clever spicy infusion. Though much like a 12 round heavyweight bout that you paid $49.95 for. It only lasts one round.

Ah yes Zen. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that this would come to pass. After finally getting a hold of the Ruination here locally, I understand the difference between the two brews and the cause of your let down. There was quite a bit of talk wasn't there. Very different brews. There's something special about opening up that big Bomber bottle, slowly pouring and anticipating the flavor of the brew.

Then again, I can get 2 six packs of the east coast brewed Victory Hop Devil for what I would pay for 2 bombers of the Stone. The Ruination is certainly a nice splurge for me, but I'll keep the Hop Devil on hand for my daily comsumption.

Appreciate your honest review. Just saw the Double Bastard locally here. Will add it to the short list to pick up.

Adios.

 

[Jeff Bamberger]

Relax, don't worry, have a homebrew!

 

[Lew Crippen]

And in the world of flavorful beers, my wife brought home some Cooper’s: both their Sparkling Ale and their Pale Ale.

For those of you (which will probably be most Americans) who have not tried the unique products of this South Australia brewery, they are worth searching out and trying.

These ales are bottled with the yeast, so they are a bit cloudy. But don’t try to leave the yeast in the bottle (as you would with sediment in wine), but invert the bottle to about a 50 degree angle and twist a couple of times. Then pop the cap and pour into a glass, yeast and all. Magnificent!

Some bartenders in Oz, will roll a bottle along the bar before uncapping. Either way works fine.

 

[Zen Butler]

Lew, I have reviewed Cooper's Sparkling in the past. It was actually a suggestion in this thread many Admin Chops ago. This is a very nice brew, very similar to the Duvel (Ron-P, take note and stay away !)
My BeerAdvocate review:
I gave it an impressive 3.8/5
Very impressive. An eloquent ale that I also feel doesn't fit the category of English-Style Ale. Pours a hazy-orange peel color. Nice 2-finger head that disipates to a nice ocean lace all the way down the glass. There is alot more going on underneath this soft looking exterior. Smells of green apple, spice and some bready undertones. Perky-light-bodied mouthfeel, carb a bit jumpy but suprisingly not annoying. It wants to be noticed, althoough not as complex as it intends. Finishes with a nice spicy hop snap, with a slight saltiness, making this a well rounded, very! refreshing brew. Duvel, popped into my head at first, but this brew is a winner in its own right. I'd say a good summer alternative to the normal college-boy shlock that graces our grocery store end-caps by the cases.
Very nice brew indeed, would do very well in summer months

 

[Patrick_M]

I have a question...does anyone on here actually brew their own beer. A friend of my brewed some, and it was pretty darn good! I have been looking into doing it also, and I was wondering if anyone had done it and wanted to share their expierence.
Beer is good

 

[Steve_Tk]

This may of already been mentioned.

But is it true in Mexico that Corona is considered a cheap beer and that they think it's funny that it was marketed as a premium alcohol in the US. I love it when beer snobs drink this and think they are high society, but don't know the truth.

Not putting down anyone that drinks Corona (I drink it too). I'm just wondering so I can laugh when I'm just enjoying a Miller Light and someone that has a Corona thinks they are somehow "cooler" and better than "american beer".

 

[Zen Butler]

I go there often. I rarely see any locals drinking Corona.

Dos Equis, Tecate & Negro Modelo are more popular. There are also much better beers. I have heard that Corona is drank much more in the central region.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Beer in clear bottles used to be not considered all that highly.

Interestingly after the successful ad campaign in the States, there was a bit of a revisionist view of Corona in Mexico. The clean taste of Corona does go well with TexMex.

My preference for Mexican beer is Bohemia.

 

[Zen Butler]

Beer in clear bottles used to be not considered all that highly.

They still aren't mostly. Some breweries who do insist on clear bottles take more care in storage and shipping. Wychwood Brewery in England uses all clear bottles. I have yet to get a skunked out bottle. Clear bottles are not the only factor that can skunk a beer. Processes to complicated to explain in one post, can also contribute.
I personally do not care for Corona. I love the new kid on the block , Pacifico for tex-mex. Bohemia was my choice before that.
I have shared with many friends that it's not only Mexican beers that can go well with this style of cooking and/or other spicy dishes. I'm sure Ron would agree. Nothing is more refreshing than a nice India Pale Ale with a spicy dish. Try this wonderful combo.

 

[Joe Tilley]

Hay guys, Im kinda new to the whole GOOD BEER thing as I've never had my first until a good friend at work got me to put down the old slop in a can that I had always drank. So I just had to mosey in here & see what else is out there.

I had always drank Bud & Bud light until I went out with a friend at work one night & he about smacked me when I got a Bud Light, & man I got to tell you I'm glad he did. I was getting so tired of the same flat bland watered down beer, but I was never sure what to try. Now I must say at first it was almost to much as I went from Bud Light to trying Goose island that night & I didn't know what to think at first as I had never tried a brown or dark beer before. But after I had half a glass down I was really starting to get a taste for it. We went on to some Newcastle brown & I cant remember the full name but something Black & tan witch was a mix of a stout & a pale ale I believe. All of which I found to be very different but a very nice change from the norm. So far he hasn't led me wrong in the different beers he has recomended, other than what I said above I have tried Wicked Pete's strawberry blond, Red Hook ESB one of my favorites so far, Sierra Nevada pail, & probley one of the strangest so far Flying Dog witch was a sampler pack of stouts, amber ales, & pail ales.

Anyway who can give some other good beers to try out that would compare to any of these so far. I cant get enough of the new found tastes out there of the finer beers. My buddie & I keep trying to get a time to go to some of the micro brews around us but it's almost impossible to with our work hours & the fact that the clostes ones are an hour away from us.

I guess I better quit rambling the wife is telling me to get off here & well I need to get another cold one from the fridge. Cheers

 

[Mark Romero]

Joe, since you are in Indiana, try Three Floyds Alpha King out of Munster. Good stuff. Anything Three Floyds is good. Also, look for Bells Two Hearted Ale or Expedition Stout for an extra special treat.

 

[David Lawson]

Fans of Corona might look into Bahia, which is quite comparable. Corona tends to be at least $5 for a six pack around here, but I found a case of Bahia for $4 at Jungle Jim's, one of the best local sources for alcohol needs. Pacifico was also on sale for $4 per six pack, which is close to half price.
I hate to say it, but Great Lakes' Eliot Ness almost makes me wish I lived closer to Cleveland so that I could get it on tap. I've found one local restaurant that carries it, and it's scrumptious. Bottled just isn't the same, which was a disappointing discovery since it runs close to $8 for a six pack.

 

[Joe Tilley]

Mark, I think my Buddie has mentioned Three Floyds to me before but I haven't seen it anywhere yet. I think I'm going to have to start searching some of the smaller liquor stores in my area to see what they have. That is the biggest problem around here every other corner has a Soupleys & they all have the same stuff pretty much & carry very little for imported or micro brewes. And of our local bars or pubs have very limited selections of tap beer. The best selections I have found yet is at our local Marsh but I have tried most of the beers they sell.

David, I gave Corona a try a wile back & wasn't to big on it. I think I've gotten a good taste for amber ales & dark beers more than anything it seams, as every time I get something anymore I find myself going to the darker beers.

Have any of you guys tried the Flying Dog beers? This has got to be one of the most interesting packs or Litters as they say I have picked up so far. In the pack it has a mix of there In Heat Wheat, Tire Bite Golden ale, Old Scratch Amber ale which was one of my favorites out of the pack, Doggie Style Pale ale, Road Dog which is a very nice dark that actually has a hit of a chocolate flavor to it, & K9 Cruiser which is another dark. There are a couple of others they have but I was told they are harder to find in the packs.

 

[Dan Keefe]

This thread is almost ready for its 1 year birthday...That is amazing

We just got a brewery here.They make an IPA, Porter, Mild and a pilsener. The Porter and IPA are to die for.

considering Milwaukee's Best is the beer od choice around here, this is a big step for the area I live in...

 

[David Lawson]

Joe, I don't believe I said Corona or Bahia were good...only that they were comparable.
I purchased the Flying Dog sampler pack some months ago and was underwhelmed on the whole, though I did enjoy the Old Scratch and Snake Dog IPA out of the bunch. I could have sworn there was a "berry" beer in there as well, but I don't see it listed on their site.

 

[LewB]

Anyone ever heard of this stuff before ? And I thought Miller was 'The Champagne of Bottled Beer' I'm putting in the text since the URL usually changes once the article is no longer today's news

Product arrival could be beer lover's paradise

'We've been waiting over a year to receive this beer,'' said David King, director of purchasing at the beverage store.

Why all the fuss? The Samuel Adams Utopias is, arguably, the strongest beer ever produced, he said.

At 25 percent alcohol by volume (50 proof) it surpasses Dogfish Head's World Wide Stout at 23 percent and Sam Adams' 2002 Utopias at 24 percent alcohol.

'It's not something you'd drink in one sitting,'' said Al Daniels, president and CEO of Half Time.

Sam Adams will release just 8,500 bottles in selected states. The specially designed 24-ounce bottle will be sold at $149.99; that's roughly $6.25 per ounce.

Grant Wood, head brewer of The Boston Beer Company, makers of Sam Adams ales and lagers, said, ''Utopias is such a unique and expensive beer to produce, production was very limited and not many people will ever have the chance to try it, much less be able to buy it, due to its scarcity and limited availability and price."

Half-ounce sample -

The first 100 in attendance at Half Time on Saturday between 9 a.m. and noon, however, will receive a one half-ounce sample.

But how does it taste?

'In comparison to the Dogfish Head, it's a bit sweeter, less hoppier, a little bit more fruity in flavor and more in the style of a fine cognac or sherry," said Daniels after taking his first sip.

According to Daniels, Half Time will receive one of the largest shipments of Utopias in the nation. He expects all 100 bottles to be sold by year's end.

 

[Shane Martin]

Tried a new beer this past week:
Cat Tail Ale
This was one of the smoothest ales you will taste and its brewed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

That's odd about the "utopia" beer. I know that fermentation tops out at about 18% for wine and I doubt that beer can reach much over 10%. They must fortify it to get to 25% and then they couldn't legally sell it as "beer" IIUC.

 

[Zen Butler]

Actually, it's common for Barley-Wines to be well over 10% consistently. Despite the name, it is not a wine, but an ale. There are also 11% + Belgian Strongs, and also a few IPA's at a kickin' 8.5% + (Check out Dogfish's 120 IPA @ 20%!!) Many stouts carry a lower % than most think. Darker doesn't always mean stronger. These higher alchohol contents do not always produce the toxic "mouthfeel" one would assume. Some of these Barley-Wines are a better sipper, normally an after dinner style brew. I'm going to try the SA, if found. They are never sold as "beer" but as ale, which would be more proper.

 

[Steven K]

My favorites (and in my fridge right now)

Chimay

Duvel

Hoegaarten

Kriek

and for the cheap-o beer:

Stella

anyone notice a pattern here?