The Beer Forum - It's really a thread but we're too drunk to notice. - Page 73

drats · 09/19/07, 3:22 PM

I've tried some new stuff lately that people here might like.

Gulden Draak:
Gulden Draak, Gent, Ale, Belgium beer, Belgian beer glasses, Beer Travel, Global Beer Network

I was pretty drunk by the time I had it, but I liked it so much that I took a picture of it with my cell phone. Three cheers for technology.

Blithering Idiot:
Blithering Idiot - Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Beer Advocate

Awesome name, awesome beer.

Magic Hat Jinx:
Jinx - Magic Hat Brewing Company - Beer Advocate

IMO the best beer magic hat makes. It's like a stout but with a slightly sweet taste. My friends that like IPAs don't really like it, though.

Conoris · 09/19/07, 3:47 PM

My favorite beer of all would have to be Rodenbach, the seminal Flemish sour ale. A bar near where I went to school occasionally had it on tap (ah, heaven!), but that was years ago. From my current perch on the West Coast, I've seen neither hide nor hair of any of the Rodenbach bottlings in eons. My understanding was that the Rodenbach brewery was bought out some time ago, and its beers' distribution suffered for it. Still unsure if their beers are available again 'round these parts, though judging by recent reviews on ratebeer.com, they do seem to be showing up in spots stateside.

(And I've tried other Flemish sour ales, like Duchesse de Bourgogne and Petrus, but for whatever reason, they just didn't float my boat like Rodenbach.)

Another niche favorite of mine is Mackeson milk stout - sweet because of the added lactose (milk sugar), it's the complete opposite of many of the forbidding, hopped-up "dry" stouts out there. A dessert stout, almost, if there were such a thing. Worth trying with something chocolate - hmmm....wonder if it'd make a decent base for homemade ice-cream....

Kaubel · 09/19/07, 8:56 PM

Originally Posted by elessar

My personal belief is if you have to mix a beer with anything it is a failed beer.

I said the same thing a few pages back, but I'll concede that it's situational. If you have to add a lime to a beer for it to taste good*, then it's crap beer. But something like a Michelada lovingly done the right way can be pretty damn tasty.

*hide the skunk taste/smell

Kalman · 09/19/07, 9:22 PM

Originally Posted by Docjowles

When I was in Munich, Radler seemed to be a semi-popular option. It was beer mixed with lemonade. Most places offered light beer (helles) radlers, and some had a dark (dunkel) variety too. I didn't actually try it, but it sounds like it could be refreshing if it's ludicrously hot out.

Radler is amazing when it's hot out. I think the English equivalent is a shandy?

Humbaba · 09/20/07, 9:54 AM

Radler is amazing and indeed the English version is a shandy. And yes, we had this exact conversation just a few pages back.

I had a bottle of Spaten Optimator last night. I actually had it with some excellent General Tsao's chicken and it was absolutely divine. I imagine it would be just as good with any spicy food. The best part is that my buddy doesn't like it so I'm walking down to his house this afternoon to pick up a couple more bottles. I have some pumpkin beer to try tonight, but I'm really looking forward to finishing off the rest of the Optimator this weekend.

macka · 09/20/07, 11:11 AM

attention all hopheads - take a quick walk away from the IPAs for minute and try out the latest Sam Adams Hallertau Imperial Pilsner. it recently hit the local store shelves in 4-packs, and it is pretty amazing - a whole new dimension of hoppiness

the one thing i find confusing is that it says "ale" in very small print on the bottom corner of the label. it's definitely a pilsner (on steroids!)

at 8.8% abv, it's one to take your time enjoying (much like DFH 90-min)

futured · 09/20/07, 8:27 PM

I've been reading this thread for a while now, and in the last week or so found that a little discount beverage spot out by me has a lot of the big ones that people suggested. With that being said, here's what I thought about the brews I did get to try:

Arrogant Bastard Ale (had bottle of both the regular and the oaked): I was very impressed with this beer. As a person who likes hops in my beer this tasted really good. Given it also is over 7% I think it still goes down very smooth and the taste hides the alcohol well. I can't wait until the double bastard ale comes out to try that.

Ruination IPA: Also a very good beer from Stone. This IPA even made a lot of my friends stray away the taste was so hoppy.

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA: Probably the only IPA I've had that's on par or better than ruination. Tastes just as good but at 9%. Definitely doesn't taste at all like 9% though (as an unfortunately soul found out two nights ago as he proceeded to finish a 6 pack and fall on the floor).

Spaten: I had the lighter version of the spaten on tap at the New York State Fair. I can't say I cared for it. It wasn't bad, but I think my personal preference is with darker and fuller beers.

Sam Adam's cherry wheat: I'll agree with people early in the thread, but after tasting all these much better beers the cherry wheat tastes a lot like they just put syrup in it.

Bernstein Brauerei Schwelm: had this about 5 months ago. Really smooth and I definitely couldn't drink much more than 2 of these. As it was a while ago I can't remember taste exactly.

Paulaner Hefeweisen: One of the better hefeweisens I've had, albeit more expensive.

Also if anyone is near Albany, NY there's two microbrews in the area. Both of them brew beer and also have a restaurant with has some good food. One is Brown's over in Troy which if you do it right has $3 22oz pints. The other is Albany Pump station right on the northeast corner of Albany. Both have good beer and good food. Brown's has an amazing whiskey porter as well as 2liter growlers (only $8 to refill even).

elessar · 09/20/07, 10:05 PM

Paulaner also makes a nice doppelbock if you like em. The paulaner salvatore is quite good.

Kytrarewn · 09/21/07, 7:06 PM

Originally Posted by Kaubel

Yeah, I think we finally concluded that Sam Adams Cherry Wheat is nothing more than a gateway beer. Newbies can learn to like it, then they need to move on to the real stuff.

Tried the Cherry Wheat tonight, having not followed up on recent developments... it's got just enough cherry flavor to remind me unpleasantly of cough syrup. Not recommended.

Shabadu · 09/21/07, 7:36 PM

Originally Posted by Kytrarewn

Tried the Cherry Wheat tonight, having not followed up on recent developments... it's got just enough cherry flavor to remind me unpleasantly of cough syrup. Not recommended.

It reallyis a gateway beer. I loved cherry wheat when it was my first real beer, but since then my palate has greatly expanded. Imagine moving from drinking only Jack Daniels to drinking real single malt scotch.

Seipher · 09/21/07, 7:47 PM

Originally Posted by elessar

My personal belief is if you have to mix a beer with anything it is a failed beer. Perhaps this will be a controversial statement but that includes the lime added to Corona. I remember living in England and people would mix wine and beer. It seemed like the most vile mixture of contents I have ever seen. Even worse than mixing all the sodas at the soda fountain.

I'll have to disagree with you on that one. While I would say generally that is true but there are some exceptions I feel are worth making. Corona is one I guess, although while I enjoy a refreshing Corona and lime from time to time I can't say it really qualifies as a *good* beer. Here are a few I feel top the list:

- A Hefewiezen (or Wiezenbier-Hefe, Weiss Bier, etc) is often served with a slice of lemon even in Germany.

- A Shandy, while kind of tacky over here, has its place if it is made with a good ginger beer. It can turning a the classic warm and flat English lager into something a little more refreshing. But you'll probably only find that in England.

- Velvet underground, floating a dark malty stout (say Guinness) on a real draft cider is truly a worthwhile visual and taste experience.

- And for some hot beer-on-beer action, the true black and tan. Half a pint of stout floated on top of a good lager can be incredible.

Finally, in the field of mixing beer with things there are no limits. I plan on making a beer marinade for some pork ribs this weekend at a cottage on a lake while enjoying many a pint of good beer. Mmmmmm.

Shabadu · 09/21/07, 7:55 PM

The sunset in Allston serves a killer beer cocktail called a black forest made with Guiness and a Lindeman's Raspberry Framboise. It's my favorite mixed beer drink.

Ghando · 09/21/07, 8:05 PM

Radler sounds disgusting on paper, but in practice is pretty damn good. Kinda like the McGriddle sandwiches at McDonalds.

Uziel · 09/22/07, 11:11 AM

My favorite beer ever, would be from Bad Windsheim in Lower Bavaria Germany. It's a Bürgerbräu Märzen Festbier. No preservatives and the most fresh tasting ever I've ever had the pleasure of drinking.

For those of you in the greater Pittsburgh area that love Belgian beer, do yourself a favor and go to Sharp Edge (Sharp Edge Beer | America's #1 Belgian Beer House !). I was there last night and beyond the decent food I was able to try the following Belgian beers on tap:
Witterkerke - was OK, strong after taste
Hoegaarden - my new favorite beer
Delirium Tremens - for such a high ABV, this is an excellent beer
Piraat - holy crap, this is almost tastes like whiskey
Stella Artois - pretty good, seems like a decent beer to eat food with
Leffe Brown - one of the better darker beers I've tried. I almost like it better than Guiness, it's just less "spicy".

elessar · 09/22/07, 8:55 PM

stella seemed like a boring beer in my opinion. Ofcourse when I was drinking it (living in england) it was always the cheap beer on the menu. They had 1 pound beer nights and that was one of the few beers you could choose. So perhaps I was just prejudiced. I will have to go hunt some down but hawaii is not a great place for beer houses. In fact it is terrible, if someone knows of any(I live in oahu) I would be really appreciative.