Beer Thread!! just for....

[ScotO]

We used to call cider 'training beer' in school

Main reason I like it is because I have a gluten allergy. It ain't TOO bad, but some beer just tears my stomach up.....big time....
That Angry Orchard is gluten free and tastes like one of my favorite fruits.....apples....

 

[jharkin]

OK then forget the wheat beer suggestion.....

 

[ScotO]

OK then forget the wheat beer suggestion.....

I can drink a little, but some of it kicks my azz.....bloating and such. If I take a Prilosec OTC before I drink it, i'm fine....

 

[Thistle]

Any Oktoberfest by Spaten,Hacker Pschoor,Paulaner & a few others are great.

My fav domestic Oktoberfest is Leinenkugels followed closely by Millstream Breweries version,from Amana,Iowa.That's kinda sporadic,only sold in parts of 3 states unfortunately.

What I REALLY like (not as good on a hot summer day though) is Paulaner Salvator doppelbock.At 7.8% ABV its surprisingly smooth.Spaten has a similar doppelbock their Optimator at 7.2% its pretty good too.Perfect for cool fall/winter days.

 

[jharkin]

I've had optimator. A great winter sipping beer mmmmmmmmmm... Not good in hot weather...

 

[Thistle]

Ayinger is top notch,not as easy to find as some of the others around here,Luckily that store up the street has all of their varieties too.

 

[firefighterjake]

Woodchuck Cider guy myself.

 

[Ashful]

Been putting a hurting on the Grimberger Dubbel, tha e last two days. Mmmm... I think I'm developing an allergy, though. Doh!

 

[fbelec]

I've been on a uk beer diet for about the last year beside Boddington's and old speckled hen
i just found this hobgoblin (broken link removed) smooth as a baby's _ _ _
on the local beer wachusett (broken link removed to http://www.wachusettbrew.com/index2.html) country ale and blueberry ale

 

[Hills Hoard]

, Lowenbrau,

i buy a far bit of that myself...

 

[Ashful]

Wow... Hobgoblin... that brings back memories! Probably haven't had it in 15 years! Can you still get John Courage in your area? I was bummed when they pulled that out of our local distributors.

<-- had his own UK beer years

 

[jharkin]

<-- had his own UK beer years

Yeah I think I went through a year of college when I drank nothing but Bass Ale. then I had Irish years drinking lots of Smithwicks and Harp. I think Ive lost the taste for Bass, though I still enjoy a Smithwicks form time to time...

 

[Adios Pantalones]

I normally try to stick to the locals. Smuttynose, but NOT Shipyard.

Hooksett Ale, from White Birch is a recent fave- almost a Belgian, almost a west coast style. http://www.whitebirchbrewing.com/home/our-beers/year-round-beers/hooksett-ale/

 

[Ashful]

I normally try to stick to the locals.

Note to Adios: the world's best beers are not made in southern New Hampshire!

We do have a couple of pretty good local breweries (Victory & Weyerbacher), and many just "okay" local breweries (Yards, Philadelphia, River Horse, etc.), but nothing on part with a St. Bernardus can be found, locally. Perhaps the guys living close to Allagash are those to envy.

http://www.victorybeer.com/

http://weyerbacher.com/

http://www.allagash.com/

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Note to Adios: the world's best beers are not made in southern New Hampshire!

We do have a couple of pretty good local breweries (Victory & Weyerbacher), and many just "okay" local breweries (Yards, Philadelphia, River Horse, etc.), but nothing on part with a St. Bernardus can be found, locally. Perhaps the guys living close to Allagash are those to envy.

http://www.victorybeer.com/

http://weyerbacher.com/

http://www.allagash.com/

Joful- believe me, I have greatly enjoyed beer in several countries, and all over the US. We have (in our little town) places that sell bottles from several hundred (no exaggeration) breweries and I have tried many.

I can honestly say, that to my taste, none of them are so dramatically better than Smutty Porter, or anything from Ipswich Ale that I should not be a locavore at least when it comes to beer. You might be very surprised!

 

[Ashful]

Adios, I can appreciate that stance. There are many good local breweries in any affluent city, these days, so if that's your thing...

Me? I like never buying the same case of beer twice in a row. I have a few favorites, to which I'll always return (Allagash Abt. 12, Westmalle Tripel, Omegang Three Philosphers, Allagash Curieaux), but I think it's great that we can so easily get beer from all over the world, these days. I was a beer head back before the craze hit, and you would not believe the arrangements I had to make to get less common beers from Europe! Shipping individual cases makes the $90 - $110 average case price I pay today look cheap.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Adios, I can appreciate that stance. There are many good local breweries in any affluent city, these days, so if that's your thing...

Me? I like never buying the same case of beer twice in a row. I have a few favorites, to which I'll always return (Allagash Abt. 12, Westmalle Tripel, Omegang Three Philosphers, Allagash Curieaux), but I think it's great that we can so easily get beer from all over the world, these days. I was a beer head back before the craze hit, and you would not believe the arrangements I had to make to get less common beers from Europe! Shipping individual cases makes the $110 average case price I pay today look cheap.

I do like most everything I've tried from Victory. Is it better than Smuttynose Finestkind IPA (my go-to local)? Not really. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/141/16403

After traveling around Germany you find that they almost always serve the local beer on tap- wonderful stuff that never gets put in a bottle.

I find the same with local beer all over the US- Squam Lake brewing is exactly ONE GUY brewing and filling bottles with A DAMN RACKING CANE in his garage. Not one of those beers distributed all over the US is any better than his stout, and he's a really good guy that I don't mind giving my money.

In the PNW, and other places- the stuff that you've never heard of is the stuff that makes me go "awwwllawwll" and my eyes roll back in my head at least as much as those good brands that are well known (the Sierra Nevadas, Victorys, Stone Brewing, etc)

 

[Adios Pantalones]

By the way, Joful- I have 2 Bigfoot barleywines from I think 2001 left. If you live close by- I'd share them with ya. Then maybe taste test against a fresh one. Then we could try a local barleywine. then maybe I'd pass out next to the fire pit...

 

[Jags]

then maybe I'd pass out next to the fire pit...

I'll bring the Sharpie markers.....

 

[Ashful]

My primary barleywine experience has been Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot, as that's our local. I've always enjoyed it, but had nothing to which to compare it. It's called Blithering Idiot, because after two, you're a blithering idiot.

Recently, we got a keg of Brooklyn Monster Ale, another barleywine. I haven't had the two back-to-back, but I think I might like the Monster better. Unfortunately, I'm comparing keg to bottle, which isn't really fair.

Both will mess you up fast, if you're not used to 11% ABV beers!

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/392/1566

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45/2231/

 

[Adios Pantalones]

My primary barleywine experience has been Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot, as that's our local. I've always enjoyed it, but had nothing to which to compare it. It's called Blithering Idiot, because after two, you're a blithering idiot.

Recently, we got a keg of Brooklyn Monster Ale, another barleywine. I haven't had the two back-to-back, but I think I might like the Monster better. Unfortunately, I'm comparing keg to bottle, which isn't really fair.

Both will mess you up fast, if you're not used to 11% ABV beers!

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/392/1566

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45/2231/

When I home brewed, I made 2 different ones- Old Sick Day, and Weapons Grade. Neither was exactly what I'd call a "session" beer.

 

[Ashful]

When I home brewed, I made 2 different ones- Old Sick Day, and Weapons Grade. Neither was exactly what I'd call a "session" beer.

Hah! A very serious beer head / home-brew buddy of mine just got back from a trip to England. He's a fellow Belgian nut, used to ABV 10% beers, and was real excited to spend some time in English pubs. He was so disappointed, though... saying you'd get full and bloated before ever feeling like you had a beer, with their 4% brews.

 

[Ashful]

All this talk has me thirsty. Gonna have to go get a Monster or a Merry Monks at lunchtime, now. Thanks!

 

[fbelec]

Wow... Hobgoblin... that brings back memories! Probably haven't had it in 15 years! Can you still get John Courage in your area? I was bummed when they pulled that out of our local distributors.

<-- had his own UK beer years

i haven't seen john courage but i'll look for a taste. we have this liquor store that is so big it's in it's own building it's the size of a super market one whole isle is single bottles of anything beer or ale. i'll have a look see the next time i'm there.

 

[Ashful]

I haven't had that stuff since my 20's. I wonder how it would hold up today? So many things I thought were good back then, I now find really aren't... and vice versa.