Recommend some good craft/micro brews

[alphaiii]

Over the past several weeks I've been trying some various brews from craft and micro breweries. Well I've like some and hated others. So I'll throw out here what I've had and liked or not, and would like some suggestions on what else to try.

Great Lakes Oktoberfest - loved this

Red Hook Hoptoberfest - terrible

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale - not too bad, but nothing particularly special

Great Lakes Eliot Ness Lager - decent (but hard to judge after drinking the very hoppy Red Hook first)

As for some of the better macro brews I like:

MGD

Bass Ale

Labatt Canadian Ale

Labatt Blue

Dos Equis

Corona

Honey Brown

From what I've had, I'd say I tend more toward Lagers, but do like some Ales too. More important, is that I do not like very hoppy beers (like Red Hook) and prefer the sweeter, maltier ones.

I'd like to try some wheat beers as well as some of the good malty craft/micro brews. All suggestions are welcome.

[wkl]

If you don't care for hoppier beers look for:

Brooklyn Brewery's Pilsner

Victory Brewing Prima Pils

Dogfish Shelter Pale Ale

Acme IPA

(Acme is not hoppy at all, the Shelter Pale is less hoppy than Dogfishes 60 and 90 minute Ales)

The Dogfish pumkin ale is really nice with food.Try it with spicier mexican or even roast turkey, or chicken.

[wkl]

Also, try Mackesons Stout for your sweet tooth.

[john b]

If you don't care for hoppier beers look for:

Brooklyn Brewery's Pilsner

Victory Brewing  Prima Pils

Dogfish Shelter Pale Ale

Acme IPA

(Acme is not hoppy at all, the Shelter Pale is less hoppy than Dogfishes 60 and 90 minute Ales)

The Dogfish pumkin ale is really nice with food.Try it with spicier mexican or even roast turkey, or chicken.

←

Prima Pils is very hoppy.

[john b]

Over the past several weeks I've been trying some various brews from craft and micro breweries.  Well I've like some and hated others.  So I'll throw out here what I've had and liked or not, and would like some suggestions on what else to try.

Great Lakes Oktoberfest - loved this

Red Hook Hoptoberfest - terrible

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale - not too bad, but nothing particularly special

Great Lakes Eliot Ness Lager - decent (but hard to judge after drinking the very hoppy Red Hook first)

As for some of the better macro brews I like:

MGD

Bass Ale

Labatt Canadian Ale

Labatt Blue

Dos Equis

Corona

Honey Brown

From what I've had, I'd say I tend more toward Lagers, but do like some Ales too.  More important, is that I do not like very hoppy beers (like Red Hook) and prefer the sweeter, maltier ones. 

I'd like to try some wheat beers as well as some of the good malty craft/micro brews.  All suggestions are welcome.

←

Where are you located? Many micro/craft brewed beers have limited distribution, so it's tough to make suggestions without know what state you're in.

[BrentKulman]

I'd recommend becoming familiar with the maltier beers by seeking out the original European versions -

Germany - doppelbocks, maibocks and Oktoberfests (brands: Ayinger, Tucher, Paulaner)

British Isles - Scottish ale, wee heavy, and the various porters and stouts (brands: Fuller's, Bellhaven and Samuel Smith's)

Once you understand these styles, then you can seek out domestice microbrew versions. There are a number of very helpful websites that list each of the breweries and all of their beer styles that you can peruse to see what is available in your area.

In addition to the styles mentioned above, I suspect that you would also enjoy American Amber Ales, which is a style made by a lot of microbreweries.

[alphaiii]

Where are you located?  Many micro/craft brewed beers have limited distribution, so it's tough to make suggestions without know what state you're in.

←

Yeah that would be helpful huh.

I live in Pittsburgh.

[alphaiii]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone.

Here's a list I've compiled based on suggestions here and some other threads, as well as from friends.

Belgian Witbiers - Great Lakes Holy Moses, Hoegaarden, Sierra Nevada Wheat

Munich Helles - Great Lakes Locktender Lager

German Weisse - Franziskaner Hefe Weisse, Franziskaner Dunkel

English Pale Ales - Boddington's Pub Ale, Tetley's English Ale

Flying Fish Belgian Dubbel

Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout

Newcastle Brown Ale

Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale

Paulaner Oktoberfest

Fat Tire Amber Ale (but I don't think I can get this in PA)

Acme IPA

Mackeson's Stout

That should keep me busy for awhile.

If there's anything on here that you think would be a real good or real bad choice, let me know.

Edited November 9, 2004 by alphaiii (log)

[john b]

Where are you located?  Many micro/craft brewed beers have limited distribution, so it's tough to make suggestions without know what state you're in.

←

Yeah that would be helpful huh.

I live in Pittsburgh.

←

Look for beers from Penn Brewing Co (in your hometown). Since you like malty beers and the holidays are approaching, try their St. Nikolaus Bock. It's one of my favorite holiday beers. Their wheat beer is good, too, as is their pilsner.

Also from PA are Yards (Philly), Troegs (Harrisburg), Victory (Downingtown) and Stoudt's (Adamstown). If you look up their websites, you'll get some good descriptions of thebeers they make.

If you're not into hoppy stuff, try Stoudt's Gold (lager), Victory Lager and Dark Lager, Victory Fest (if there's any left), Troegs Nut Brown Ale and ESB (just a little hoppy).

[BrentKulman]

Let me second the recommendation of Penn Brewing Co. You'll probably like Penn Dark (which is a Munich dunkel) and Penn Oktoberfest.

You have another great microbrewery in Pittsburgh - Church Brew Works. This place is a mecca for beer lovers and they brew many of the great Belgian style beers as well as the German and British styles I mentioned in my previous post.

Looking over your list, I'd drop the Sierra Nevada Wheat (note - this is a hefe weizen, not a witbier), the Tetley's, the Boddington's and the Newcastle. Substitute similar beers from Young's, Fuller's or Samuel Smith's. Also, the IPA is going to be very hoppy. Be warned.

Otherwise, I like your list. Enjoy the discovery.

[alphaiii]

Look for beers from Penn Brewing Co (in your hometown).  Since you like malty beers and the holidays are approaching, try their St. Nikolaus Bock.  It's one of my favorite holiday beers.  Their wheat beer is good, too, as is their pilsner.

Also from PA are Yards (Philly), Troegs (Harrisburg), Victory (Downingtown) and Stoudt's (Adamstown).  If you look up their websites, you'll get some good descriptions of thebeers they make.

If you're not into hoppy stuff, try Stoudt's Gold (lager), Victory Lager and Dark Lager, Victory Fest (if there's any left), Troegs Nut Brown Ale and ESB (just a little hoppy).

←

Thanks john b, I'll look for these too.

[alphaiii]

Let me second the recommendation of Penn Brewing Co.  You'll probably like Penn Dark (which is a Munich dunkel) and Penn Oktoberfest.

You have another great microbrewery in Pittsburgh - Church Brew Works.  This place is a mecca for beer lovers and they brew many of the great Belgian style beers as well as the German and British styles I mentioned in my previous post.

Looking over your list, I'd drop the Sierra Nevada Wheat (note - this is a hefe weizen, not a witbier), the Tetley's, the Boddington's and the Newcastle.  Substitute similar beers from Young's, Fuller's or Samuel Smith's.  Also, the IPA is going to be very hoppy.  Be warned.

Otherwise, I like your list.  Enjoy the discovery.

←

Thanks Brent. I'll add these to my list, and strike off the ones you mentioned dropping.

[wkl]

If you don't care for hoppier beers look for:

Brooklyn Brewery's Pilsner

Victory Brewing  Prima Pils

Dogfish Shelter Pale Ale

Acme IPA

(Acme is not hoppy at all, the Shelter Pale is less hoppy than Dogfishes 60 and 90 minute Ales)

The Dogfish pumkin ale is really nice with food.Try it with spicier mexican or even roast turkey, or chicken.

←

Prima Pils is very hoppy.

←

I find Prima Pils very refreshing after a steady diet of Dogfish Head, Sierra Nevada, etc.

[alphaiii]

Well last night I tried a few new ones.

Sam Adams Winter Lager - I really like this

Hoegaarden Witbier and Franziskaner Dunkel - I didn't like either one at all....I suppose I shouldn't try any more wheat beers, Belgian or German

[chado]

Some of my favorites have already been mentioned: Fat Tire Amber and Sam Smith Oatmeal Stout, but my all-time favorite is Abita Turbo Dog!

[nr706]

Hoegaarden Witbier and Franziskaner Dunkel - I didn't like either one at all....I suppose I shouldn't try any more wheat beers, Belgian or German

←

Are you saying you didn't like these beers as a representative of their styles, or you just didn't like the beer style? I've always thought Hoegaarden was an excellent example of a Belgian wheat beer - although I'm not sure it belongs in the discussion here, since it's hardly a craft/microbrew. Haven't tried the Franziskaner Dunkel, although their hefe-weissen is pretty good.

But for a good American craft/microbrew, generally true to style, you can't go wrong with Goose Island.

[alphaiii]

Hoegaarden Witbier and Franziskaner Dunkel - I didn't like either one at all....I suppose I shouldn't try any more wheat beers, Belgian or German

←

Are you saying you didn't like these beers as a representative of their styles, or you just didn't like the beer style? I've always thought Hoegaarden was an excellent example of a Belgian wheat beer - although I'm not sure it belongs in the discussion here, since it's hardly a craft/microbrew. Haven't tried the Franziskaner Dunkel, although their hefe-weissen is pretty good.

But for a good American craft/microbrew, generally true to style, you can't go wrong with Goose Island.

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I just didn't like the beer style. They were the first witbier and weisse styles that I have had. I did not like either enough to plan on trying any other of the same style from other breweries. I knew the Hoegarrden wasn't a craft beer. But I had gotten some suggestions to try beer of this style and it was the only witbier the bar I was at had, so I decided to try it out.

Never heard of Goose Island, but I'll keep my eye open for it.

[nr706]

I just didn't like the beer style.  They were the first witbier and weisse styles that I have had.  I did not like either enough to plan on trying any other of the same style from other breweries.  I knew the Hoegarrden wasn't a craft beer.  But I had gotten some suggestions to try beer of this style and it was the only witbier the bar I was at had, so I decided to try it out. 

←

Don't give up on the Belgians. As the great beer writer Charlie Papazian says, Belgium is "the Disneyland of beers." Duvel is reliable (but more of a macrobrew); my current favorite is Kwak (not just for the name). And don't forget the Belgian Lambics and fruit/dessert beers.

Also note there's a huge difference in German Weiss biers - the southern ones with a banana/clove taste, and the Berliner Weiss - more sour, usually served with a little syrup of woodruff (and that's not a reference to a great little town in Northern Wisconsin).

And, while I'm not a big fan of Scottish Ales (even though my background is Scottish) - I'm more of a hop-head - I recognize that Belhaven makes an excellent Wee Heavy.

[mjg]

In addition to Penn Brewery and Church Brew Works, might I suggest you check out the ample selection of beers on tap at either of the Sharp Edge locations? They have a number of sampler options for their draught beers.

A great location for picking up mixed 6 packs of microbrews is the Pittsburgh Bottleshop in Collier/Bridgeville. Buying this way can get pricey, though they do give a nice discount off of the single bottle price on purchases of 6 packs.

Either way you can sample a lot of different styles and brews.

[paul o' vendange]

I'd recommend becoming familiar with the maltier beers by seeking out the original European versions -

Germany - doppelbocks, maibocks and Oktoberfests (brands: Ayinger, Tucher, Paulaner)

British Isles - Scottish ale, wee heavy, and the various porters and stouts (brands:  Fuller's, Bellhaven and Samuel Smith's)

Once you understand these styles, then you can seek out domestice microbrew versions.  There are a number of very helpful websites that list each of the breweries and all of their beer styles that you can peruse to see what is available in your area.

In addition to the styles mentioned above, I suspect that you would also enjoy American Amber Ales, which is a style made by a lot of microbreweries.

←

Just a minor quibble here. Years ago, I and my wife were lucky enough to win a trip to England which included, among other things, dinner with Michael Jackson (the beer writer). At the time I worked for Goose Island Beer Company and we shared a long talk. It was his solid opinion that "everything exciting in brewing is happening in the States."

I believe that the world offers a tremendous wealth in beer; buy export, by all means, but I do not believe it necessary to buy foreign beers to "know the styles." Brewers here are equally traditional, or are equally rogues, as exist abroad.

I would advocate simply drinking all manner of brews, and reading - for example, MJ's "The Beer Hunter" has a wealth of tasting notes which may help point you in helpful directions; many other sites and books exist.

Cheers!

Paul

Edited December 17, 2004 by paul o' vendange (log)