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HTF Beer Recommendations Thread (1 Viewer)

Dome Vongvises

Senior HTF Member
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[c]HTF Beer Recommendations Thread[/c]

Welcome to the HTF Beer Recommendations Thread. There's been an excellent thread about beer in the After Hours Lounge, but I thought it was a little too intimidating for first timers, and it was too difficult to wade through all the pages. In the spirit of the Anime Recommendations Thread, I've decided to make an easier to use recommendations thread, with the first post dedicated soley to recommendations by our esteemed HTF members.

Aside from this thread, here are some excellent websites for beers.

www.ratebeer.com

Ales

Bell's Third Coast Beer
Price:
Description: Commercial Description - A beautiful golden-hued brew in the pale ale style. The lightest of our beers, it includes a nice hop flavor and all pale malts.
Recommended By: Mark Romero
Official Web Site: Kalamazoo Brewing Company

Fuller's 1845
Price:
Description: Zen Butler - Opitmy of balance. Pours a conservative head and not so lacey, but fine for the style. Nose is subdued a bit, but grains and bits of choco prevail. This ones all about the taste. Butter yeast, with hint of grain up front. Deep fruit combined with a woodsy-earth flavor. Just a hint of hop for snap and balance. This is a fine brew, very drinkable because there is so much depth. Chocolate,prunes, butter and wood does not send this all over the map but brings together one of the most well-balanced ales around.
Recommended By: Zen Butler
Official Web Site: Fuller's

Kootenay Mountain Ale
Price:
Description:
Recommended By: Shane Bos
Official Web Site:

Pale Ales

Bell's Two Hearted Ale
Price: $7.99 (6-pack)
Description: India Pale Ale style well suited for Hemingway-esque trips to the Upper Peninsula. American malts and enormous hop additions give this beer a crisp finish and incredible floral hop aroma. Availability limited to September-April. Distribution currently limited to MI, WI, MN, IL, PA, IN, OH, KY, MO.
Recommended By: David Lawson, Mark Romero
Official Web Site: Kalamazoo Brewing Company

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
Price:
Description:
Recommended By: Mark Romero
Official Web Site:

Rogue Imperial Pale Ale (I2PA)
Price:
Description:
Recommended By: Mark Romero, Michael Were
Official Web Site: Rogue

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Price:
Description: Zen Butler - "Nice when a brew so widely available hits the target. Pours a cloudy yellow/orange. Smells of citrus,grain and hop. Nice sweet malt, with a tangy citrus middle, and generous hop finish. Light-bodied, but a bit oily. Solid is the word that comes to mind when thinking of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. There is nothing overally fancy about this brew. It's growing popularity may scream fallback to the serious drinker but an overall "gem" it is. A tinge inconsistent at times, from bottle to bottle"
Recommended By: Kevin M, Zen Butler
Official Web Site: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

Stone Ruination IPA
Price:
Description: Company Tagline - "So called because of the immediate ruinous effect on your palate. 100+ IBUs. Bracingly bitter. Thick, pungent hop aroma. We would say that no hops were injured in the brewing of this beer, but that would be a massive lie. In fact, the words "Stone Ruination IPA" are what older hop vines use to cause little hop vines to quiver with fright and lose sleep at night . We at Stone honor the brutal massacre of countless hops with this "Liquid poem to the glory of the hop!" Paganism at its best!"
Recommended By: Ron-P, Zen Butler, Michael Were
Official Web Site: Stone Brewing Co.

Three Floyds Dreadnaught Imperial IPA
Price:
Description:
Recommended By: Mark Romero
Official Web Site:

Porters

Premium Lagers

Brooklyn Lager
Price: $6-7 (12 oz. 6-pack)
Description: How do you describe a moonbeam?
Their webpage says "firm," and that's faint praise for this beer, which is subtler than other lagers but simultaneously hearty and satisfying. Great with a steak or a burger.
Recommended By: Angelo.M
Official Web Site: Brooklyn Brewery

Grolsch Premium Lager
Price: $6-7 (12 oz. 6-pack), $7-8 (16 oz. swingtop 4-pack)
Description: A crisp but sophisticated Dutch lager, which pairs well with foods of bold flavors. Available with the classic, resealable, ceramic swingtop; use the bottle as a oil or vinegar decanter afterward.
"At Grolsch, it is still man and not machine that is in charge."
Recommended by: Angelo.M, Ron-P, Jack Briggs
Official Web Site: Grolsch

Stella Artois
Price:
Description:
Recommended By: Shane Bos
Official Web Site:

Stouts

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Price: $6-7 (12 oz. 6-pack), October thru March
Description: Buy it for her, drink it yourself.
Not much for novelty brews, fruity beers, malt beverages that (sorta) taste like tequila, etc and so on, so I had my doubts when I first tried this. It's very, very good, and is a great way to close out a warm winter meal. Recommended after a bowl of chili or stew, or after a nice plate of braciole or timballo.
"The beer world's answer to a warming malted milk, with a shot of bourbon."
Recommended By: Angelo.M
Official Web Site: Brooklyn Brewery

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
Price:
Description: Contrary to what the name suggests, Russian Imperial Stout was originally brewed in 18th Century England. The name evolved as the Russian Imperial Court developed an early appreciation for this big, intense brew and provided a ready and eager export market.
It's been speculated that no one had a greater appreciation for this rich, roasty elixir than Rasputin, the mystic wag (and favorite of the ladies of the court), who was the ultimate downfall of Czar Nicholas II.
Rasputin is probably best remembered for his dramatic exit. Having been deemed politically expendable, he was fed poisoned wine and tea cakes by his rivals. Surviving that, he was shot several times - whereupon he attacked his assailants. He finally succumbed when bound and stuffed through a hole in the ice to drown in the River Neva. Legends that attribute his tenacity to his appetite for Russian Imperial Stout are unproven. A rich, intense brew with a robust palate, a fruity nose and a warming finish. Very complex.
Recommended By: Ron-P, JohnE, Zen Butler, Michael Marklund
Official Web Site: North Coast Brewing Company

Three Floyds Dark Lord Imperial Stout
Price:
Description:
Recommended By: Mark Romero
Official Web Site:

Well, I'll periodically update this page. If you do have recommendations, please either PM me or just simply reply. As time allows, I'll wade through the old thread to see what people are crazy about.

If your name appears on the recommendations section and you want it removed, just reply to this thread.
 

David Lawson

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I'll start things off with one of my new favorites.


Two Hearted Ale (Bell's)

Price: $7.99 (6-pack)

Description: India Pale Ale style well suited for Hemingway-esque trips to the Upper Peninsula. American malts and enormous hop additions give this beer a crisp finish and incredible floral hop aroma. Availability limited to September-April. Distribution currently limited to MI, WI, MN, IL, PA, IN, OH, KY, MO.

Recommended By: David Lawson, Mark Romero

Official Web Site: www.bellsbeer.com
 

Angelo.M

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2002
Messages
4,007
Grolsch Premium Lager

Price: $6-7 (12 oz. 6-pack), $7-8 (16 oz. swingtop 4-pack)

Description: a crisp but sophisticated Dutch lager, which pairs well with foods of bold flavors. Available with the classic, resealable, ceramic swingtop; use the bottle as a oil or vinegar decanter afterward.

"At Grolsch, it is still man and not machine that is in charge."

I was first introduced to this brew years ago in Toronto by a band of friendly, inebriated Portugese lab assistants.

Recommended by: myself. I will go out on a limb and state that Jack Briggs once paid Grolsch a complement in a thread we were both involved in in another part of HTF (discussions of the performance of audio equipment inevitably turn to discussions of beer!). Grolsch is enjoyed by fans of tube amps, solid state amps and digital amps alike.

Official web site: www.grolsch.com
 

Dome Vongvises

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 13, 2001
Messages
8,172
If there are any beers on the first post you would recommend as well, just mention it in a reply, and I'll update the page.

BTW, is Lager a category of its own or is that the all encompassing name of all beers? I'm making a "premium lager" section.
 

Angelo.M

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2002
Messages
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Dome:

From http://sdsd.essortment.com/typesofbeers_rxtn.htm...

"Cultured yeast fall into two categories and help to create two very different styles of beer: ale and lager.

Within the ale category, consumers will find stouts, porters, milds, and wheat beer. Some well-known ales include Pete’s Wicked Ale, Anchor Celebration Ale, Sierra Nevada Pale ale, Bass Ale, and Guiness Stout.

Within the lager category, consumers will find pilsners, octoberfest, bock, and dunkel. Some well-known lagers include Budweiser, Heinekin, Beck’s, and Pilsner Urquell

Many people can taste the difference between lagers and ales. Ales tend to taste robust and complex. Lagers tend to taste smooth, clean and malty."

Hope that helps.
 

Shane Bos

Second Unit
Joined
Jun 15, 2002
Messages
256
In the premium lager category
Stella Artois
In the Ale category
Kootney Mountain Ale

I can't remember the last time I had a beer that wasn't one of those 2.
 

Mark Romero

Second Unit
Joined
Sep 11, 2000
Messages
391
Real Name
Mark Romero
Recommendations also include:

Three Floyds Dreadnaught IPA
Three Floyds Alpha King
Three Floyds Dark Lord
Rogue I2PA
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
Bell's Third Coast Old Ale
Westvleteren 12 and 8
Rochefort 10 and 8
Chimay Red White and Blue
Alesmith Speedway Stout

and on and on and on.
 

Michael Were

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Feb 7, 2001
Messages
82
Damn Mark, you beat me to the I2PA from Rogue. That is the best Imperial Pale Ale in the world. Yummy Yummy Yummy.

I'll only stick to American Breweries or my list would be way too long. As far as IPAs go, I am suggesting a bomber of Stone Brewing Co. Ruination IPA. The Brewery is San Diego but they brew like they're from the Pacific North West. Speaking of the PNW, I miss Hobbits Habit out of McMenamins High Street Brewery. Its a strong ale heavily hopped with Cascade (IBU about 50 or so). Here in Tucson, Nimbus brews a strong ale called Old Monkeyshine that seems to do the job quite well.

I once served a Imperial Stout at a small Brewfest in Eugene, OR that was aged in Bourbon Casks. The beer came from Chicago (I wish I could remember the name of the Brewery). That was the best stout I have ever tasted. A small glass of Rogue Smoke (Rauchbier) goes really well with a big burger and some onion rings.

But my favorite beer is Bucolic Plague Barleywine (stay with a 6 oz glass or you'll get a monster hangover (due to the rock candy)).
 

Michael Were

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Feb 7, 2001
Messages
82
Angelo,

You are quite right in your description. Taste wise I find American Ale Yeast (1054) to have more of a fruity taste than your average lauger yeast (which I find cleaner tasting). Yeast stain 1054 is probably the most common yeast strain used by American Microbreweries. I find it quite aggresive (fast fermenting). If you want to learn more about yeast go visit http://www.wyeastlab.com/ their labs supply the majority of brewing yeast of in North America.

Here's a little more info on yeast from my brewing experience: Ales ferment on top of the liquid while laugers are bottom fermenting. There is also a temperature difference for optimal fermentation. Ales like it warmer about 68 degrees while most laugers best ferment around 50-55 degrees. The one great exception is Steam Beer which is a great example of doing with what you got. A typical Steam is fermented with a lauger yeast at ale temperature.
 

Jack Briggs

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 3, 1999
Messages
16,805
Different beers for different occasions, moods.

And, still, on a weeknightly basis I am predisposed toward the yeomanly likes of Tecate (a "lowbrow" beer among this crowd), which is serviceable and better than any of the commonly available, nationally distributed domestic brews (except, perhaps, the American version of Lowenbrau).

On weekends, though, it's a different story. I go for the better stuff during those two-day periods given over to excessive home-theater/inebriation activities. Favorites then include my dependable standby brands (if available at the correct stores at the correct times — i.e., when I'm there): Pacifico, Grolsch, and Sapporo.

In the other thread here in After Hours (RonP's), I tried to sample the mystique of the ale, specifically, Sierra Nevada. I'm just not up to it (the aftertaste and I never got along). Even so garden-variety a brew as Sam Adams doesn't sit well with me. I'm not patient enough to be able to learn to appreciate the subtleties of ales.

If anyone has any lager suggestions for me to give a try, please do so. I am always looking for ways to enhance my personal beer experiences (which are, basically, an essential to life in general).
 

DaveDickey

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Aug 18, 2003
Messages
235
Fat Weasel Pale Ale (less than $6). Typically sold at Trader Joe's, and one of my favorite "heavy beers." Like Jack, I tend to stick with the lighter brews. There's nothing on Earth as delicious as a 33 degree Tecate on a 105 degree Summer day ;)
 

Lew Crippen

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 19, 2002
Messages
12,060
You might try Bohemia Jack—that is my favorite with TexMex—and the best that I’ve found from Mexico.
 

Zen Butler

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Real Name
Zen K. Butler
Jack, for a more snappy lager style, the Japanese make some good brew that accompany food very well. Lew's suggestion of Bohemia is a good one. Jack, as a side note, we "beer snobs" have it in our capacity to appreciate even the lightest body of beers. I mean I would never wash down a good Yucatan meal with a smoked porter.

For your palate, I would steer clear of Pale Ales, IPA's and Rye's. It appears it's the hyperactive hop body that's fighting with you. I would branch out into the more balanced English Ales if you're feeling adventurous.

Dome, great idea. Here is a porter (oh, the misunderstood porter) suggestion with review.
Fuller's London Porter:




This is an example of a brew that excels in its said style without all the acrobatics. Pours a deep charcoal with ruby highlights when light hits. Conservative head but leaves a nice ocean water lace thereafter. Nose is of chocolate and dates, with smoke overtones busting through like a bonfire at the beach. Tastes of coffee bean, with the strength of expresso, bit of semi-sweetened chocolate and a buttery-smooth middle. Finishes with blanket of smoke on the back of the tongue. Nice solid medium mouthfeel, leaves this another winner from Fuller's. Classy, sexy and seductive and enough brains to keep you interested for time to come. I'm marrying this one.--Zen Butler

Notes for Newbies: It's thought by many that darker means stronger, more bitter, more heavy. Not always the case. For the visual though, without being exhausting:

From lightest to darkest:
Pilsners/Lagers-IPA's/Pales--Strong ALes--Porter-Stout-Barleywine

There are some Pales and IPA's that are stronger in alchohol content than many stouts.
 

Dome Vongvises

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 13, 2001
Messages
8,172
I used to hate Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, but the first time I tried it was my sophomore year of college. Fast foward four years, and I like it now. Things have changed. :)
 

Zen Butler

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Jack, Lowenbrau is far from "lowbrow." Man , that was bad. I'm just now starting to see this more frequently. It is a very respectful brew, and a great fallback.
 

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