What Beers Did You Drink Today? Or Yesterday? (Part 1)

[KrazedMom]

Anderson Valley Hop Ottin....one of my faves! Green Flash IPA isn't too bad either. Yup, major hophead here!

[Carlovski]

Nice and sunny todays so yet more Summer Lightning at lunchtime.

It's basically real beer for lager drinkers, but a perfect sit outside in the sun drink.

[cwdonald]

A bit late but had two wonderful beers when I got a tour of Stone's Brewery in Escondido at the end of a business trip to SD. Stone Levitation on Cask at the Stone World Bistro was wonderfully complex, lower carbonation really brought out the hop flavors. After the tour had the delicious Stone Smoked Porter. Not anything at all like the Alaskan Smoked (Salmon) Porter. A delicous beer. (Also tasted Ruination, Arrogant Bastard etc.. ).

Last night was Yard's Saison paired with wonderful Tapas at Amada in Philadelphia.

Edited April 16, 2007 by cwdonald (log)

[eje]

A wonderful wheat beer and delicious dry style stout at the Greenwich Union yesterday. This is the brewpub associated with the Meantime Brewing.

All the beers we tried were outstanding, and fairly unusual for an English brewery. Definitely worth the train ride out, if you're in London.

I wanted to stay for dinner and more beers, as the beer garden couldn't have been lovelier on a hot day like yesterday; but, my compatriots' desire for curry overruled my vote. Couple more Tiger beers with dinner.

[eje]

Couple of Stone Brewing's offerings have recently started showing up in 12oz 6 packs.

For some reason I just don't like Stone Brewing Pale Ale. I dunno if I'm just tired of Stone Beer (also didn't like last year's Double Bastard) or what. I did like the 10th Anniversary IPA.

The Pale Ale is a malty ale similar in taste to Boont or Anchor Steam. Except lighter. It's a fine beer; but, something in the flavor profile just doesn't do it for me. I usually get about half way through a bottle, and think, "ehh, why am I drinking this?"

Puzzling.

[cwdonald]

Couple of Stone Brewing's offerings have recently started showing up in 12oz 6 packs.

For some reason I just don't like Stone Brewing Pale Ale.  I dunno if I'm just tired of Stone Beer (also didn't like last year's Double Bastard) or what.  I did like the 10th Anniversary IPA.

The Pale Ale is a malty ale similar in taste to Boont or Anchor Steam.  Except lighter.  It's a fine beer; but, something in the flavor profile just doesn't do it for me.  I usually get about half way through a bottle, and think, "ehh, why am I drinking this?"

Puzzling.

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When I toured the Stone brewery in Escondido a few weeks ago, they were in the midst of a major expansion including new tanks and a much for efficient bottling line. I expect they are expanding their distribution as well.

I still have a general issue with what I would call the West Coast super hopped beers. I had a Stone's IPA the other night at my local, and while the initial aromas of the hops were great, in that wonderful floral citrusy way, overall the beers seemed thin.. Mind you this was after having just finished a Flying Fish Farmhouse Ale, a very smooth mellow subtle beer.

[eje]

On a whim, I picked up a bottle of "Mure Sauvage" from Farmhouse Brewing.

No information on the bottle, aside from the fact that it is a Belgian Style Ale.

Poured a cloudy amber with little head.

Uh, it smells like yeasty cheese with maybe a bit of sourdough thrown in.

Once you get past the smell, the beer doesn't taste bad, in a sour Belgian sort of way. Tart and fruity. Pineapples and apricots. Not as dry as the Belgian Gueuzes I've tried. Sweeter.

I'm just learning about these styles of beer, so I don't know how unusual it is. Still, that smell was just weird.

[BonVivant]

it's been a few years since i last had a Guinness on draft. not that i don't like Guinness, it's just i think there's even better 'black stuff' out there.

the following is from sometime last week, my bi-weekly friday pub session. i've had others on the menu at one time or another. milk stout: pretty good, actually. Hummel's pils and kellerbier: the pub gets these quite often. i like both. it's Hummel's! it's from Bamberg! lentebok: by Hertog Jan, one of my favourite NL breweries. don't normally like lente/mai bock [spring/may] but this one is fine on draft. brewed in the town near mine. Koninck blond in another pub a little later. [non Koninck glasses are other regulars']

well, cheers and until next week.

[Rich Pawlak]

Gritty McDuff's "Pub Style" Pale Ale, Portland, ME

Newly available in bottles in NJ! Who knew Gritty's bottled? I plead ignorance. Now to the beer:

This really didnt strike me so much as a pale ale as it did a more robust version of an amber lager; no pronounced hop profile, decent nutty finish, a little over-carbonated, but pleasant enough a beer, and nicely priced at $7.49 a sixer.

[Rich Pawlak]

Phin and Matt's Extraordinary Ale, Southern Tier Brewing, Lakewood, NY

Also newly available in NJ!

A very nice hoppy American pale ale, from those creative folks at Southern Tier. I've liked every beer I've ever tried from southern Tier, from thier killer IPA to their Old Man Winter ale, and this APA is no excpetion, with good fresh hop aroma, big ballsy hop profile, and a nice clean finish. Gonna be drinking a lot of this brew this summer.

[SheenaGreena]

its been nice out so I've been drinking foret and tsmisje blonde or their dubbel and caracole

[eje]

Speaking of spiced wheat beers, I was completely puzzled by Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat.

Apparently it did win a silver medal at the 2006 Great American Beer Fest.

Cardamom and orange, heavily applied, and fairly sweet.

Fruit Loops were what came to mind for me.

The rest of the six pack is destined to be slug bait in the garden.

[Rich Pawlak]

Two surprises this week:

Saranac Belgian Ale: a mildish Belgian sour to my palate, nice sweetness on the edges, with a nice finish. Destined to be a sweet sumnmer beer if I can find any of it in NJ!

Molson Dry: served to me at a neighbor's house a week back; wonderfully crisp, with a nice nutty finish, very refreshing and full of flavor. Shockingly so. I dont think I've had a Molson product in over 20 years, but this was quite delicious!

[eje]

.Monkman's Slaughter Extra Special Bitter was one of the beers featured last month in our Beer club. Was sad to drink the last bottle last night.

Really like this beer. It has a slight sourness that is fairly unusual for an English beer. Almost like a light Belgian. Very drinkable stuff.

[jesskidden]

"What Beers Did I Drink ... Yesterday?"

I don't know! (Well, I didn't last night).

I had spent the day working in the yard, drinking Pilsner Urquell, so after a shower and getting ready to view some TV I decided on something stronger. Went through the "big bottle" shelf in the beer 'frig, thinking I had some of Ommegang's beers or some Belgians in there but could only find a Rare Vos ("too much alcohol", I decided) and lots of imperial stouts and other big beers. Then, WAY in the back, I pulled out a bottle without a label, w/(imitation) cork & wire closure. No reading glasses, so I couldn't even see if there was an insignia on the metal top or writing on the cork. "Well," I thought, "this seems like the perfect beer when nothing else seems to be right." Popped the cork, poured into a Chimay goblet (thinking it was a Belgian or US version of same). "Hmm...". No head at all. Served much to cold (back of 'frig, set at 45). No 'funky' flavors but lots of others going on ... what is this stuff?... reminds me of a DogfishHead product. I have some early release 90 Minute IPA in champagne bottles in the cellar but don't remember any upstairs.

Searched the shelves this morning and finally found the label- Old School Barleywine.

Wow, it aged quite nicely (saves for the lack of much carbonation)- certainly didn't "feel" like a 15% beer last night...

Edited June 10, 2007 by jesskidden (log)

[Malkavian]

Been drinking Longhammer IPA from redhook, pretty refreshing (IMHO) american IPA that doesnt smack of grapefruit. Also got stuck into some Fat Tire on a business trip to Dallas, love that stuff now.

Roommate also picked up a sixer of Carlsberg's Elephant malt liquor, he loves it, but to me it tastes pretty bad, lots of adjunct flavor and rough edges, kinda reminded me of Steel Reserve or other such high gravity light beers.

[cwdonald]

Friday varied my routine and stopped at Iron Hill's North Wales branch for the first time in about half a year. Beer engine is still out, (booo). Had a wonderful Saison, balanced with the spiceness without being cloying. Second pint was a Biere de Mars, described as a french farmhouse ale, which had a hint of orange in the finish. Both were very refreshing beer.

[Rich Pawlak]

Friday varied my routine and stopped at Iron Hill's North Wales branch for the first time in about half a year. Beer engine is still out, (booo).  Had a wonderful Saison, balanced with the spiceness without being cloying. Second pint was a Biere de Mars, described as a french farmhouse ale, which had a hint of orange in the finish. Both were very refreshing beer.

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Brewer Larry Horwitz really knows what he's doing at IH North Wales. His Saison and Biere de Mars are two of his very best efforts to date. Sad to hear about that beer engine; how hard can they be to repair or replace?

[planojim]

yesterday, I had a Hop Whallop. Unfortunately, I'm suffering through a bad head cold, and the old taste buds have shut down. I couldn't taste a thing, but could actually feel the hops on my tongue. Can't wait for this dang cold to clear up so I can drink the other 5.

On another note, while in California last week, I saw that Sieera Nevada had an IPA available. Has anyone tried that yet? I'm intrigued.

[TBoner]

On another note, while in California last week, I saw that Sieera Nevada had an IPA available.  Has anyone tried that yet?  I'm intrigued.

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Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA is currently on tap at Flying Saucer in Addison.

Gingerman lists it on their New Drafts board, but don't be fooled: they're out. This is becoming a bad habit of theirs: two of the six "New Drafts" listed right now have been gone for at least a week.

At any rate, Torpedo is terrific. Cascades dominate, as in most of their stuff, but there's more of a malt backbone than the standard pale ale, and not so much of the caramel that you get in Celebration. Recommended.

[BrentKulman]

On another note, while in California last week, I saw that Sieera Nevada had an IPA available.  Has anyone tried that yet?  I'm intrigued.

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Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA...

At any rate, Torpedo is terrific. Cascades dominate, as in most of their stuff, but there's more of a malt backbone than the standard pale ale, and not so much of the caramel that you get in Celebration. Recommended.

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I had it on tap last week at David Copperfield's in NYC and will second the recommendation. TBoner's description is spot on.

[eje]

We picked up some Alaskan Pale on sale at the beverage warehouse, and I am quite impressed.

It's a really nice light, clean beer. Mildly hoppy to start out, more in a Czech style than West Coast, leading to a nice malty middle. There's maybe a touch of Belgian in here (a bit of Diacetyl?); but, otherwise very clean flavor and finish.

Could see drinking a lot of these.

[kpzachary]

Today it was Berliner Kindl Pils.

[TBoner]

Today it was Berliner Kindl Pils.

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Homebrewed strong English bitter on tap. Delicious.

Also a Belhaven on tap at a local pub. Don't know why they insist on serving this on nitro everywhere. I always forget until the glass is set in front of me. Not a fan of nitro; big fan of this beer in the bottle.

[Rich Pawlak]

Opened during our latest beer chat on Friday night (starchat.net, Pirch/no_bull_inn, 11:30PM EDST):

1997 Old Dominion Millenium barleywine

Still opened with a hiss, and poured reddish brown with a 1/2 in dark kahki head, that actually stayed around for a while!

Lots of vanilla, leather and toffee aromas, and plenty of vanilla and mace and even peachy notes on the tongue. Sweet, sweet finish, a little sticky actually, but a kinda nice subdued BW, and anice compliment to a small cigar I was smoking at the time.

[Moderator note: This topic continues in What Beers Did You Drink Today? Or Yesterday? (Part 2)]

Edited April 10, 2013 by Mjx (log)