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

[Davydd]

That's a Summit Bohemian Style Pilsener from St. Paul, MN guarding my breaded pork tenderloin sandwich and onion rings from the Minnetonka Drive-In. I'm starting my third one tonight (the beer, not the sandwich) and I can still type.

[Susan in FL]

Your sandwiches look good! I've never had a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, much less be on a mission like you. That is cool. Have you settled on what your favorite recipe is? It sounds like great beer food.

Last night I drank the Tommyknocker Pick Axe Pale Ale, which according to the label is a Classic English Pale Ale. I started sipping on it before I ate and then finished it up with the food. Good plan that was. Beers strike me differently with and without food. For me, this was one of those better-with-food beers.

At the start, it was a good aroma of floral and citrus, which actually got my hopes up for it to taste better than it did. The hops were pretty bitter, but not the tasty bitter I look for. It seemed too bland, until I began eating. I had sausages with a really, really good fried peppers and onion mixture I had made the night before, and french fries with Sauce Andalouse (that's addictively good). Then I went from sipping to washing down the food and the beer was more flavorful.

It had noticeable maltiness and was probably what you would call light to medium bodied -- or what I would call light to medium anyway. It was a little thin on the finish.

Thank you Todd, from Abbey, for overall a very good beer! I can't wait to try the others.

[Davydd]

Your sandwiches look good!  I've never had a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, much less be on a mission like you.  That is cool.  Have you settled on what your favorite recipe is?  It sounds like great beer food.

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When I make my own I pretty much subscribe to what Nick's Kitchen in Huntington, IN does in marinating the tenderloins overnight in buttermilk. It does make a world of difference. As for breading, Ritz crackers blenderized or Panko Japanese bread crumbs are the way to go. I explain this all in depth in my tutorial/recipe web page. I could go on and on about tenderloins since I think I have hit more than 30 restaurants in the past year and a half that serve them.

It is great beer food. A bar/grill in Indiana could not survive not serving them. They are just about in every bar/grill there. They go best with onion rings. Easy to judge, if a place has a good tenderloin they will also have good onion rings. The majority of the time I will have Guinness on tap if the restaurant serves it. You will rarely find a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich outside of Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and the states that touch borders with those three. However, I did find one in Houston.

This week I am downing Summit Extra Pale Ale. Last night I had a Smithwick's on tap at Mancini's in St. Paul. I intended to go to the Nook neighborhood bar/grill in St. Paul but it was closed because of Mike's wedding said the hand written note on the door.

[Susan in FL]

I intend to make a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich! Thanks for the idea.

Yesterday I drank the Czechvar and the Sweetwater IPA. The Czechvar was what I expected, a good lager. It would be a fine session beer. Apparently this is the original Bud recipe which is now marketed under this brand name, after the Anheuser-Busch dispute.

The Sweetwater IPA... Oh my. Sometimes it is best said for me on the label, and that might be the case for this beer: "This mammoth IPA is defined by generous quantities of premium hops. Extensive dry hopping contributes to its very intense hop character. This beer is unfiltered and as always unpasteurized to leave all the natural flavors intact. This is the beer you've been training for!" I did know, as soon as I brought the glass of this beer to my face, that the aroma could be described as very floral and citrusy. The taste was in keeping with the nose, and it was a nicely bitter finish. This is definitely among my top ten IPAs.

Tonight I drank a couple of Carlsbergs from the bottle, not a glass, and brewed in Denmark, not Canada. It was that kind of night.

[Davydd]

I got an email today from a visitor to my breaded pork tenderloin tutorial/recipe web site. The writer suggested Moose Drool instead of the Lienenkugel's Big Butt doppelbock I used for tiding myself over while the tenderloins marinated overnight. The Big Butt was a carefully selected prop considering a breaded pork tenderloin is jokingly called a hammered pig butt.

So today in this 90+ degree weather I am sucking on a Moose Drool Brown Ale by the Big Sky Brewing Co. in Missoula, Montana. Not bad. The label has a moose standing in a mountain lake up to its belly and drooling the lake water. According to their web site they market the northwest and northern states east over to Wisconsin.

[Bill Poster]

I had a bottle of Badger's First Gold yesterday. Very nice Ale type beer with a strong but not overly hoppy taste.

[BonVivant]

this beer, Jopen Stout 5.5%, has arrived at my pub for the first time! i had 1 to start the afternoon with, then a Hommelbier, then 3 more Jopen Stout. it's a rare draught beer outside of the brewery i'm sure it'll be sold out by this afternoon.

't Ij brewery next.

[Susan in FL]

I've still been drinking some Christmas in July beers, even though it's not July anymore... which reminds me that I'm behind in posting about them. Last night was Bass Ale on draft at happy hour, then Carlsberg when I got home and took the granddog out, and then Aprihop with mediocre Chinese take-out for dinner.

[eje]

A lot of Speakeasy.

They have a regular friday night open house and BBQ at the Speakeasy brewery here in San Francisco. 3 beers and a Speakeasy pint glass for $10. Quite enjoyed their Bootlegger Black and Big Daddy IPA. I avoided the Double Daddy, which was probably for the best.

What a funny scene! A bunch of guys, who probably work there, got up and did pretty servicable acoustic covers of Judas Priest, AC DC, and Oasis.

After the BBQ, we retired to Wild Side West for more Speakeasy beers and people watching. Our friend confessed she chuckled to herself every time she heard a guy say to the bartender, "I'll have a Big Daddy, please."

All in all a good night out.

Edited August 12, 2006 by eje (log)

[m(a)ce]

last night at monk's in philly I enjoyed a rodenbach grand cru with my mussels and then a Rochefort 8 & Westmalle Dubbel with my steak frites salad. . . so good all around. . .wish i had room/time for more. .

[Mikeb19]

My beer of choice is Wild Rose Brewery's Industrial Park Ale. Brewed right here in Calgary. Also happens to be one of the best tasting beers I've had (ever), if not the best. Very tasty, lots of flavour, and still very drinkable. I find myself drinking it at an alarming rate Since the liquor stores around here have started stocking it, I haven't bought anything else.

Edited August 13, 2006 by Mikeb19 (log)

[CookinBenny]

Right now im drinking Blue Moon Belgoam White. Its really not to bad!

[Mikeb19]

Today it's a Wild Rose Brewery Brown Ale. I hate to sound like some sort of advertising campaign, but so far their entire lineup has been amazing. Same price as any import. My new everyday drinking beer... Plus it's nice to support the local guys.

[Audiofan2]

I haven't posted on here in a while, still drinking a lot, just been lazy with my posts.... anyway, I really like Lagunitas Limited Release Imperial Red Ale 40 IBU 7.6% available in 22oz. and 6 bottle packs and very fragrant.

A few other recent tastes all in 22 oz.

Boulder Beer Company Hazed and Confused Dry Hopped Ale

Wild River IPA

Hair of the Dog Blue Dot Double IPA

Deschutes Bond Street Series 18th Anniversary Pilsner

The Immortal IPA

On tap at the brewery, Lucky Lab Super Dog IPA, Laurelwood IPA, Laurelwood Free Range Red

and of course some favorites,

Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA

Stone IPA

Rouge Dead Guy

Stone Arrogant Bastard

I decided to try homebrewing and thus have a nice problem of needing 30 22oz. bottles, more fun to drink vs. buying empties.....

[eje]

[...]

Deschutes Bond Street Series 18th Anniversary Pilsner

[...]

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Oh, excellent, another Bond Street beer to look forward to! Though, I don't think we ever saw the Broken Top Bock in CA. Hope we see this Pilsner. And, even better, it looks like Deschutes are going to make Hop Trip again next. That is one of my absolute favorite beers!

Good luck with your home brewing experiments!

[Audiofan2]

[...]

Deschutes Bond Street Series 18th Anniversary Pilsner

[...]

←

Oh, excellent, another Bond Street beer to look forward to! Though, I don't think we ever saw the Broken Top Bock in CA. Hope we see this Pilsner. And, even better, it looks like Deschutes are going to make Hop Trip again next. That is one of my absolute favorite beers!

Good luck with your home brewing experiments!

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Hey, thanks!

I really liked the Hop Trip, where did you hear that it was coming back? In my opinion the Broken Top Bock was just OK, so I don't think you missed much. In two years when I return to CA from OR I hope I don't miss to many of these great Northwest brews. I liked the Mirror Mirror (reserve series) and the Hop Henge better. Their seasonal Cinder Cone is good if you get the chance next winter. As for the 18th Anniversary, I have purchased 4 22 oz. bottles now, it is a nice summer beer.

From Deschutes web site on Deschutes Bond Street Series 18th Anniversary Pilsner

"First anniversary: paper. Second anniversary: cotton. Eighteenth anniversary: Pilsner? Now we’re talking. To celebrate eighteen years of passionate brewing, we’ve crafted a pilsner to put other anniversary gifts to shame. This hoppy, refreshing German-style pilsner is winning the hearts of local brewery loyalists and national award show judges. And it’s earned the starring role at our anniversary parking lot bash this summer. If you’re in Bend, come on by."

[Audiofan2]

[...]

Deschutes Bond Street Series 18th Anniversary Pilsner

[...]

←

Oh, excellent, another Bond Street beer to look forward to! Though, I don't think we ever saw the Broken Top Bock in CA. Hope we see this Pilsner. And, even better, it looks like Deschutes are going to make Hop Trip again next. That is one of my absolute favorite beers!

Good luck with your home brewing experiments!

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Oh, I forgot to mention that I was in SF for a few days this week. You have to fill me in on a few places to get good beer on tap.... I went to all the usual places (Condor Club etc..) but was dissapointed as usual, and the airport's selection is really bad. I am from Sacramento and even there I can't really find a good selection.

[eje]

[...]

I really liked the Hop Trip, where did you hear that it was coming back?

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On the Bond Street series web page, under the announcement of the Pilsner, it sez, "Next up, HOP TRIP - A Fresh Hop Pale Ale!"

I think they can only make it in the fall when they harvest the fresh hops.

Last year the Toronado had a fresh hop festival. I don't know if they will again this year. They tend not to announce events until a day before they happen, so I often miss them.

I like, in no particular order, 21st Amendment (brewpub), Magnolia (brewpub), Rogue (brewpub), Toronado (bar), Speakeasy (brewery), and, of course, Anchor (brewery). There are also Triple Rock (brewpub) and Jupiter (bar) in Berkeley. I especially like Russian River (brewpub) in Santa Rosa. If you like Belgian style and/or strong beers, it's worth a trip. Getting further afield, there's Bear Republic (brewpub) in Healdsburg and Anderson Valley Brewing (brewpub) in Boonville.

edit - ooops, forgot berkeley.

Edited August 14, 2006 by eje (log)

[JetLag]

Had a bottle of Mythos, a Greek lager. Very tasty and refreshing with a gyro platter.

[Audiofan2]

[...]

I really liked the Hop Trip, where did you hear that it was coming back?

←

On the Bond Street series web page, under the announcement of the Pilsner, it sez, "Next up, HOP TRIP - A Fresh Hop Pale Ale!"

I like, in no particular order, 21st Amendment (brewpub), Magnolia (brewpub), Rogue (brewpub), Toronado (bar), Speakeasy (brewery), and, of course, Anchor (brewery). There are also Triple Rock (brewpub) and Jupiter (bar) in Berkeley. I especially like Russian River (brewpub) in Santa Rosa. If you like Belgian style and/or strong beers, it's worth a trip. Getting further afield, there's Bear Republic (brewpub) in Healdsburg and Anderson Valley Brewing (brewpub) in Boonville.

edit - ooops, forgot berkeley.

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Thanks for the heads up on the local places next time I am donw I will give them a shot. I really like Bear Republic and would like to check out their brewery.

After readig many good things tonight I am working on a

Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Triple, quite good, very floral with an amazing head. 9% alcohol and 1Pt 9.4 oz $9

[Bill Poster]

Tried two english bottled 'lagers', Meantime Pilsner and Proof 'cologne' style beer. The first one looked great on paper..being organic and from a respected small brewery. aroma was ok but it tasted unpleasant. second one was bland, tasted completely different from draught to bottle. Are there ANY decent english pilsners?

[C. sapidus]

Hook & Ladder Backdraft Brown. It was excellent - nice and roasty and well-balanced. Hook & Ladder is a small brewery, available on draft in the DC-Baltimore area. Their web site (click) lists bars where you can check it out. Disclosure: I know the brewers, but my opinion is unbiased.

[lemniscate]

Grimbergen Blonde Ale, a Belgian. Citrus top note, medium bodied, light finish. A nice, nice summer beer. Only 1 left from the 6 pack :-(.

[eje]

We tried the Lagunitas Zappa tribute beer, Freak Out! last night. It's a great, complex, piney West Coast IPA. Went really well with our before dinner cheese snack (Mmmm... Tasty Stilton!). Gotta find some more of this one.

We also tried the He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's RIPA for the second time. Very hoppy and with an intense, sweet malt flavor. It's almost like a highly hopped Barley Wine. Not much of a fan of this one. Doubt I'd search it out again.

Edited August 27, 2006 by eje (log)

[Davydd]

Tonight I am having a Beamish Genuine Irish Stout. Now I know what the little ball in the can is called. Beamish calls it a "widget". "The floating widget lets you enjoy the silky smooth taste and creamy head of Draught Beamish Irish Stout from a can. Simply chill & pour smoothly into a glass." It is a little sharper and hoppier than Guinness Stout.

I am having this while I am reading, An Inebriated History of Britain by Peter Haydon.