Let's talk about Beer, man!

[sergiodeblanc]

The liquor store around the corner from me was blowing out sixers of that Newcastle "Bombshell" ale for $2.99... I think I overpaid.

 

[Boogie]

The liquor store around the corner from me was blowing out sixers of that Newcastle "Bombshell" ale for $2.99... I think I overpaid.

That one did nothing for me, but the Founder's Ale I enjoyed quite a bit.

I'm a monster fan on Yuengling lager, especially on tap or in the 22 ounce bottles (not available outside PA, I think). But since I can't get it in Indiana, I'm easily amused by Stella on tap, XX on tap, and Newcastle...including their Founder's Ale. But the best deal around here is a hugely popular microbrewery called Sun King (used to be situated 6 blocks away from my office...BAD situation). I can't get enough of Wee Mac.

On a whim, I picked up a six of Third Shift, from Band of Brewers of Ft. Worth, TX. It's an amber lager (yes, there's a theme here) that was a complete surprise. Cheap as hell and has lots of flavor and character. If ales are your thing, for the money, this isn't half bad.

 

[Boogie]

double post...sorry!

 

[Brad737]

I brew beer at home from time to time. My preferences lean heavily towards ales versus lagers. My favorites are India Pale Ales.

 

[Rosewoodsteel]

Believe Flying Dog is back again, not sure what else. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed their Dogtoberfest last year. I forget what else they had.

I had a few Belgium IPAs, last night. VERY GOOD!

 

[vchizzle]

I had a few Belgium IPAs, last night. VERY GOOD!

I drank every variety besides Bud/Bud light, several at Tsunami bar that I don't remember the names of. It's was a solid 3 days of beer.

 

[jfb]

I drank every variety besides Bud/Bud light, several at Tsunami bar that I don't remember the names of. It's was a solid 3 days of beer.

Blanch de Bruxelles is what we were knocking back like animals at Tsunami.

 

[vchizzle]

Blanch de Bruxelles is what we were knocking back like animals at Tsunami.

I'm not usually into whites much, but that was pretty solid. Had a West Coast IPA and 1 other IPA I don't know the name of.

 

[jfb]

I'm not usually into whites much, but that was pretty solid. Had a West Coast IPA and 1 other IPA I don't know the name of.

It tastes better when you're not getting yelled at I heard.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

It tastes better when you're not getting yelled at I heard.

That's why I switched to "Bee's Knee's".

 

[justmund]

Time to get this thread going again! I've started brewing at home, have done a few US style IPAs (99 IBUs, lots of dry hopping etc), a very chilli ginger beer (I just pimped a ginger beer kit with some fresh ginger and lot of chilli) and also an apple cider. I use the term "cider" loosely, I juiced about 500 apples off one of our trees, then boiled it to kill the natural yeast, added a metric crap tonne of sugar and pitched it with some champagne yeast. Should end up around 13-14% ABV and be dry as. Needs to sit in the fermenter for a few months first though...

As I said in another thread, Australia finally got a proper shipment of Stone beers. The story goes Stone wanted to make sure the barrels were kept cold all the way from brewery to pub, so they ended up air freighting them in refrigerated shipments. Had a few pints last weekend and they were tops! You guys have all the best beer in the US (for my tastes). I'd love to try some Pliny the Elder but no one in Aus has it

 

[vchizzle]

Yay beer! Back in March, on a mini trip out west, I tried Fort Collins Red Banshee. Nice, tasty red ale: http://fortcollinsbrewery.com/brews/red-banshee/
Was fitting as my Badgers basketball team was finishing off the regular conference season. When we got to tourney time, a local brewery released "Grateful Red" IPA - that's what our student section is called. Oddly they don't have much description and virtually nothing on their website. Some say it's too hoppy and bitter. I didn't find that at all. https://www.facebook.com/CapBrew/ph...1431701719./10155398912145711/?type=3&theater

Usually I lighten up a bit when it starts to get hot out. We will see what shakes out. Big fan of this place all year: http://aleasylum.com/aboutus-info/brewerybeers/

 

[veinbuster]

Current favourite is 8th Sin.

 

[John Beef]

As I said in another thread, Australia finally got a proper shipment of Stone beers. The story goes Stone wanted to make sure the barrels were kept cold all the way from brewery to pub, so they ended up air freighting them in refrigerated shipments. Had a few pints last weekend and they were tops! You guys have all the best beer in the US (for my tastes). I'd love to try some Pliny the Elder but no one in Aus has it

Sorry to gloat, but this is a pic of me at the Stone Brewery in around 2009, having an IPA from the cask. About every other year we vacation in San Diego, it's only about a 5 hour drive.

 

[shinksma]

Oh man, I'm a huge beer fan, and I have enablers and co-conspirators at home and at work. For anyone not familiar with World of Beer, it is a chain of pubs/bars focusing on craft beers that started out in the Tampa, FL area, but is slowly spreading across the US. They have a membership club thingy that tracks every (unique) beer you order (so you can't just drink PBR day after day - actually you can't even order a PBR at WoB!), and you get free swag and bar/food tabs at certain milestones like 50 beers, 100 beers, 250 beers, etc. Anyway, I hit 1000 beers (unique beers) last year, but have hit pause recently, helping my GF collects points - she just hit 175 (we typically share our beers, so me helping with points isn't such a bad thing, and she helped me).

My buddy is approaching 2000. He hits the joint a little more often than I do, and takes bottles home for consumption later. We're both hoping the expanded growler legislation in FL sticks and WoB embraces it...

My GF is known as The StoutHunter - she loves Imperial Stouts and Porters, like Great Divide Yeti, for example. I love them too, but she has a stronger preference for them, in general. But we all like good over-the-top IPAs/APAs like Bell's Hopslam or anything from Terrapin, or Belgian Quad-style (St Bernardus ABT 12, Bell's Three Philosophers), or Saisons, or Belgian Darks like The Bruery's Tart of Darkness, good malty brown ales (well, the GF isn't as fond of them, finds them a bit boring), Scotch Ales and Scottish Ales (they are different!), English Style Ales, oh man, now I want a beer! I suppose lagers/pilsners are our least favorite beers, and maybe wheat beers are not ordered as often.

Where was I going with this...oh yea: the good thing about WoB is they constantly rotate stuff in/out, and feature new breweries, and each location gets different product based on local distribution/availability. So I can have my favorite beers at home and other bars, but when I go to WoB, I'm exploring and tasting something new almost every single time...

 

[GADonis]

Beer is the Devil's Urine!!! A good bourbon, however is like heaven. I'll take a Woodford Reserve or Basil Hayden over any beer any day. If I were ever forced to drink a beer it would have to be a Stella and it would need to be ice cold.

 

[Saruman]

Never learnt to drink beer, not from my building laborour dad, not while at the university. Whiskey it is nowadays, with Glen Garioch as the go-to stuff, and the more smokey malts for treats (Caol Ila, Lagavulin)

 

[justmund]

Well all this has done is renewed my envy for the choice of beer your guys have in the States!

Had a Sixpoint Resin and a couple of New Belgian Rampants last night, both very good!

 

[justmund]

Oh and I'm in Melbourne for the GABS (Great Australian Beer Spectapular) Festival this weekend coming. Hell yes!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I drink swag beer 'cause I spend my money on champagne: http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthread.php?2573-Sergio-s-Champagne-(and-sparkling-wine)-Thread