The Beer Forum - It's really a thread but we're too drunk to notice. - Page 81

Cuddlypoo · 11/11/07, 8:11 PM

Originally Posted by Northerner

If you like flavoured stouts I'd recommend trying Big Rock's Espresso Stout if you can find it.

I'm generally opposed to mixing my booze and caffeine (other than boozy coffees of course) but it's a pretty nice after dinner beverage. It's dark and heavy on the roasted flavour but sweet enough for a dessert beer.

Flavored stout-wise, Rogue's chocolate stout also deserves a solid recommendation.

Edit: A roommate and I got impatient and cracked the first of my homebrew double IPA that I'd bottled last Wednesday. I was surprised that it turned not just drinkable (which was the target) but actually quite good. Hoppy as hell, but delicious.

Ninjerk · 11/12/07, 12:56 AM

Originally Posted by Cuddlypoo

Flavored stout-wise, Rogue's chocolate stout also deserves a solid recommendation.

Edit: A roommate and I got impatient and cracked the first of my homebrew double IPA that I'd bottled last Wednesday. I was surprised that it turned not just drinkable (which was the target) but actually quite good. Hoppy as hell, but delicious.

I tried the Rogue beer a year or so ago. I've been contemplating making my next six pack from Rogue or being more adventurous.

Humbaba · 11/12/07, 3:24 PM

Originally Posted by Ninjerk

It tastes enough like pumpkin pie and beer to make me happy. I'm not sure what I'd like to try next, though.

That's how I feel, too. I wouldn't drink it regularly, but it seems like a good autumn beer.

Originally Posted by Cuddlypoo

Edit: A roommate and I got impatient and cracked the first of my homebrew double IPA that I'd bottled last Wednesday. I was surprised that it turned not just drinkable (which was the target) but actually quite good. Hoppy as hell, but delicious.

It will improve with age as it gets smoother. Most beers I've seen have recommended from two to six weeks of bottle conditioning, but over the weekend I had a friend telling me about a homebrew he recently drank that was bottled a year and a half prior and it was fabulous.

In other news, I saw a bottle of Samichlaus at the specialty beer store this weekend. It was a 3 liter bottle (pictures on my phone that I need to copy off tonight) that cost $119.99. There's another article about it here. Anyone had this? I used to comment that being a beer snob was a lot cheaper than being a wine snob since an expensive bottle of beer was $15, but I may have to revise my statement now.

macka · 11/12/07, 9:01 PM

It's only Monday, and I already want to fast forward to the weekend. I just read that Stone Double Bastard hit the local shelves, and I need it to be Friday. For those who haven't tried it, calling it twice the beer of the regular Arrogant Bastard is pretty accurate. To those proclaiming this is a great time of year for beer, you couldn't be more right.

Cuddlypoo · 11/14/07, 12:34 AM

Originally Posted by macka

It's only Monday, and I already want to fast forward to the weekend. I just read that Stone Double Bastard hit the local shelves, and I need it to be Friday. For those who haven't tried it, calling it twice the beer of the regular Arrogant Bastard is pretty accurate. To those proclaiming this is a great time of year for beer, you couldn't be more right.

Ordering an Arrogant Bastard with a huge shit-eating grin on your face is one of the greatest things a man can do.

♦ Praetorian · 11/14/07, 3:27 PM

Since it's November and people are talking about chocolate stouts, I probably should renew my year-old plug of:

Brooklyn Beer: Welcome

Jelloshots · 11/14/07, 3:44 PM

I just purchased my first case of the 07 Anderson Valley Winter Solstice. Last year's WS was malty ale heaven, but this beer is more tempered. I made the mistake of having it side by side with the 06, and it just tasted like a regular medium bodied hoppy ale, but when I had a second alone last night, I found the flavor to be much more nuanced. I don't know if it will beat the Bell's Winter White this year, but it's another solid offering by AV.

zirky · 11/14/07, 3:48 PM

I've heard a lot of people throw around Fin du Monde, though I can't recall ever seeing it in the stores.

Lately I have been trying different Belgium beers in the larger wine bottles (eg Chimay). Currently, Delerium Tremmens might be my personal favorite.

I have a bottle of something at home, who's name escapes me, but the concept of a Belgium ale that is brewed only once a year intrigued me.

macka · 11/14/07, 5:46 PM

I don't think anyone mentioned the release of Victory's Hop Wallop yet. The 2007 batch is every bit as hoppy and delightfully unbalanced as previous years. I didn't even wait for the weekend for this six pack. If you are a hop head, get it now!

Spanky · 11/15/07, 4:08 AM

Maybe its an east coast versus west coast thing, but am I the only one that feels that Sam Adams is really overrated by some of the people on this board? To me, its just one of those average commercial beers that isn't even close to being in the same class as most of the excellent beers that people are talking about here. I'll drink one and enjoy it, but its just so generic compared to most of the microbrews I get here in Northern California... maybe thats the price you have to pay to reach out to the bigger market?

Kaubel · 11/15/07, 7:52 AM

The general consensus of the "people on this board" has been that the brand serves as a fine example of how a company can make a wide variety of styles that don't suck. And I don't think anyone who's been able to sample lots of different brands has said they'd choose Samuel Adams over everything else.

You wouldn't happen to be using your very first post to start something, would you?

Kalman · 11/15/07, 9:23 AM

Originally Posted by macka

I don't think anyone mentioned the release of Victory's Hop Wallop yet. The 2007 batch is every bit as hoppy and delightfully unbalanced as previous years. I didn't even wait for the weekend for this six pack. If you are a hop head, get it now!

I saw that on the beer list at our local "Holy shit we have a lot of beer" bar (Ashley's, for the SEMI crowd) and was intrigued, but wound up with Hop Devil since I wasn't in the mood to try out something new.

I take it it's like Hop Devil only more so?

Shabadu · 11/15/07, 9:26 AM

Originally Posted by Spanky

Maybe its an east coast versus west coast thing, but am I the only one that feels that Sam Adams is really overrated by some of the people on this board? To me, its just one of those average commercial beers that isn't even close to being in the same class as most of the excellent beers that people are talking about here. I'll drink one and enjoy it, but its just so generic compared to most of the microbrews I get here in Northern California... maybe thats the price you have to pay to reach out to the bigger market?

More like I can walk into any liquor store, hell even Walmart and pick up a 6 of Sam. That means a lot when I don't have time or know where to find a good craft beer purveyor.

macka · 11/15/07, 9:56 AM

Originally Posted by Kalman

I saw that on the beer list at our local "Holy shit we have a lot of beer" bar (Ashley's, for the SEMI crowd) and was intrigued, but wound up with Hop Devil since I wasn't in the mood to try out something new.

I take it it's like Hop Devil only more so?

Hop Devil tastes more to me like an English IPA. It has a backbone of malt that offsets the hops bitterness.

Hop Wallop tastes exactly like it sounds - a kick in the teeth of pure hops. You can tell by the paler color that it's not even trying to be balanced by malt.

Rintrah · 11/15/07, 9:34 PM

Originally Posted by malthrin

I tried Rogue's winter beer - Santa's Special Reserve. I haven't had anything quite like it before; it's a flavorful amber with a relatively strong hops aftertaste. I'm not really sure what I think of it, it's strange but not bad. I'll try it with food tomorrow.

Quoting this from the previous page, and I'd go on to say this winter ale is pretty impressive to me. (I should perhaps admit to being a fan of most of Rogue's brews.)

The pour is an amazing deep copper color with a nice creamy head, and the balanced light/dark copper color is not unlike the balance between sweet roasted malt flavor and hoppy finish. I had this beer with (gasp!) some great milk chocolate, and I must say it was a great early winter-season treat.

In addition, I'll throw some big love at Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale. Probably enough praise has been heaped on it, but year in and year out, this beer makes me happy. I've had a lot of great beers, but I always enjoy this more than almost anything else that is widely available.