Let's talk Beer - Page 20

List updated

As I sit at the computer, I am enjoying New Belgium’s latest offering: their 1554 Brussels Style Black Ale

There is some hype on the lable, which you can read for yourself. My view is that it has a nice, somewhat sweetish taste, a bit malty (here the label gets it right), but not really well-balanced by the spice that the label claims (for a good idea of what I look for, try Anchor Steam’s Christmas offering).

Still this is well worth a try, assuming you are the curious sort.

Was in Missouri(aka Misery heh) yesterday and picked up some ever so good Fat Tire Amber.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMM Good.

I just returned from a 16 day trip to Belgium and Germany. Drank boatloads of beer at the Delirium Cafe in Brussels. Lots of winter ales, both German and Belgian, available. I picked up 3 750ml bottles of Bush Prestige at 33 Euro a pop, 2 Westvleteren 8's, 2 Westvleteren 12's, 2 Andechser Dopplebock Dunkels, Fantome Chocolat, Cantillon Vigneronne, and a 1998 3 Fonteinen Oude Gueuze. The best beer I had on the trip was a De Graal Triple which to me tasted like a hoppy West coast IPA and 9%ABV. It rocked.

A great trip Mark.

I’ve never been to Brussels, but I have sat happily in Antwerp and Russelheim imbibing the local products.

Ron, that Northcoast sounds very good. You've got[had] PM.

Mark!, I'm envious. You must share some thoughts on some of these treasures you brought back.

We also went to Brugge for a day and Antwerp for 2 days. I love Belgium.

Welcome Bob, click the links in Ron and my signature from a great collective list. I appreciate the fact that you are the first HTF member to address me as Reverend.
Thank You.

Found out why I can't get Fat Tire in Oklahoma. It is pasteurized and needs to be kept cold and due to Oklahoma's wierd laws, we're not allowed to sell beer in a fridge with more then 3.2%

Regardless, It's still VERY good beer. Definitely a good lawnmowing type beer.

Aaahhhh, Three Floyds Alpha Klaus for winter. Yum. Tonight's sampling included an Anchor Our Special Ale 2004 and a Thirsty Dog Siberian Night Imperial Stout.

Time to bring this thread into 2005!

While visiting my parents, I got to try a few East Coast offerings:

- Ommegang Three Philosophers
- Ommegang Rare Vos
- Ommegang Hennepin
- Dogfish Head 90-min IPA
- Dogfish Head Raison D Etre

I didn't get a chance to write down any notes but they were all pretty good (but not spectacular). If you see them at your store be sure to give them a try!

anyone? anyone?

Still here and reading Greg—but I’ve never heard of those beers, much less tasted them.

Ron,

What movie is that in your signature?

I haven't had a lot of new beer lately.

Sam Adam's Winter Larger and Alaskan Winter Ale were pretty good.

Dogfish's Raisin D'Etre was decent but not something I'd buy again.

Looks good, like Nightmare Before Christmas.

P.S. I drink a beer from time to time.

Ron, if you remember I was the first to bring you a bottle of that at your last meet. You loved it back then too. LOL!

Been hanging out in New England for the past 2 weeks. Some good stuff up here. John Harvard's makes some nice stuff as well as Cambridge.

Mark, sounds like you are near Boston. You should get over to Beer Works. Their Nut Brown is very good, as is their Centennial Alt if they happen to be brewing it (every 100th batch).

Well, I've been away for a while, but that time has been spent productively! Since last November, I've truly come to know what beer is. Now, this is after a decade or so of drinking "dark beer" and thinking that I knew a secret by drinking Beck's Dark or Negra Modela.

But I've been home brewing since November. I'm on my 7th batch now. Let me tell you: you don't know beer until you make it with your own hands. You don't KNOW the contribution 40L crystal makes compared to 120L crystal until you've brewed a batch with each. You don't KNOW the specific taste of black patent malt until you've learned how many ounces per 5 gallons is TOO MUCH. I've learned that I don't really like chinook as a bittering hop.

In the process of sampling commercial beer to find inspiration, I've discovered Rochefort 8 and Stone's Double Bastard. I've learned to love barley wines and imperial stouts. I've learned to drink beer in the 50-60 degree F range, and how this "opens up" a beer (and exposes the flaws in inferior beers).

My latest experiment is to use Belgian Strong Ale yeast in an IPA, to give some fruity malt base to the intense citris hops. It's in the primary now, and I can't wait to try it.

If you guys really love beer, you ought to give this a try. I got started for around $100, and I can make fantastic brews from 60 cents to $1 per bottle--and I haven't even gone all grain yet, which is cheaper and better (I do extract brews with a partial mash).

Being a "spectator" or consumer of good beer is defintely fun. But being a producer of good beer is even more rewarding.

Well, I finally tried a young's double chocolate stout. I have to say that it was fantastic. I may have to try some more stouts, being that my only venture into stout land was with guiness (yuck). Good thing I am still young because I have a lot to learn about beers.

This thread definitely helps, thanks guys.

Agreed Ron on the Steelhead, a great stout. I, though am not so quick to discredit Guinness Extra Stout. The spritzy stuff that is available in the bottle is much different than that of the tap variety. Guinness Extra Stout is a great stout with breakfast (mushroom and cheese omelet mmmm) and does not overpower. Certainly, not the rock n' roll stouts we are coming to love but a classic none the less. With hopped-up versions of IPA's, stouts and other classes...it's easy to dismiss the classics. A hyperactive, but near-perfect Stone Ruination IPA should not by any means snuff a Fuller's IPA by its' number of I.B.U units alone.

Guinness was the gateway drug for many of us beer-lovers. It's a brew that although lacks the depth of some the newer, craftier, if not busier stout interpretations, is still one that will always be a welcome friend.