300 Beers to Try Before You Die

[helenas]

Has anybody had a chance to browse this just published (in UK) book -

300 Beers to Try Before You Die ?

from the Book Description:

"300 Beers to Try Before you Die! is a personal and comprehensive portfolio of international beers compiled by Roger Protz, one of the world’s leading beer writers. In this unique and beautifully illustrated collection, he has distilled decades of beer knowledge into an entertaining and indispensable guide to the ales that no beer lover should miss, from hoppy British real ale to German and Czech Republic lagers, American micro-brewed golden ales to Belgian fruit beers.

The book includes sections on different beers, including Bitters, Best Bitters, Pilsner, Brown and Mild Ales, Pale Ale, Extra Strong Beers & Bitters, Old Ales and Barley Wines, Golden Ales, Porter and Stout, Alt and Amber Ales, Fruit Beers, and Bières de Garde, each comprising an alphabetical listing of the beers. Many of the entries are fully illustrated and each beer comes complete with a box panel for adding personal tasting notes, country of origin, beer strength, brewery details and a detailed description of the beer and its personal history. "

btw, what beers would be on your list?

[cdh]

Hmmm... To start off the list with some international selections that challenge the dominant yellow lager meme:

England-

Gale's HSB- A florally aromatic bitter brewed in the south of England.

Theakston's Old Peculier- A rich dark beer brewed in Yorkshire.

Marston's Pedigree pulled from a cask- A fine bitter with a hop character remniscent of grapefruit.

Belgian-

1 each of the trappist brews, just because they're so famous and each is so different. Decide for yourself whether you love Orval or detest it.

A selection of Guezes- there is a wide array of choices in this sour beer style. These are beers that don't taste like what Americans think of as beer.

Rodenbach- Flemish sour red ale. Almost tastes more of wine than of beer. If you can get your hands on it, their Alexander was fabulous... but hasn't been made for a long while.

Goudenband- another sour belgian ale... this time a dark beer. Everybody should drink this beer just to broaden their conception of what beer is and can be.

Dutch-

A Heinekin in Holland. It really loses something when it gets far away from home.

Edited August 24, 2005 by cdh (log)

[iamthestretch]

300 Beers to Try Before You Die

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Does it have to be all at once?

I would like a cold La Chouffe right now. My local stopped carrying it on tap and I'm jonesing.

[BonVivant]

too many to list but Innis&Gunn for sure. not for export

[helenas]

ok i got the book couple of weeks ago: working the Pilsner section:

among recommended we particularly liked Bitburger, oked Jever and disagreed on Grolsch. Still on the hunt for Christoffel Blond - anybody spotted it in NJ/NY/MA?

speaking of pilsners and other lagers here is an article by Steve Beaumont - Don't Forget the Lager:

"Among the community of American beer aficionados -- better known as "beer geeks" -- there exists certain pieces of wisdom broadly accepted as gospel. "Hops good, more hops better," is one such maxim. "Ales are always superior to lagers," is another." (says the author of "Premium Beer Drinker's Guide: The World's Strongest, Boldest and Most Unusual Beers", the book that doesn't mention any of those pilsners )

But i still don't get the appeal of Victory Prima Pils

[Suzanna]

ok i got the book couple of weeks ago:  working the Pilsner section:

among recommended we particularly liked Bitburger, oked Jever and disagreed on Grolsch. Still on the hunt for Christoffel Blond - anybody spotted it in NJ/NY/MA?

In MA you can buy it in Marty's Liquors .

Just go to exactly this location, not in Newton or other.

A lot of different beers there. Very nice selection.

[SBonner]

I have not seen the book but they better mention some of the great IPA's coming out of Washington and Oregon. Hoegaarden and Bellevue Kriek would be on my list as well.

Cheers,

Stephen

PS off to the local for a Strongbow cider and a Guinness

[BrentKulman]

But i still don't get the appeal of Victory Prima Pils 

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Admittedly I'm biased, but I think it is an outstanding pilsner. What I love about it is its floral noble hops nose and its nice bready opening with a hoppy flash mid-palate and crisp, clean finish. I find a lot of other imported pilsners are much less flavorful and their aromatics suffer from a bit of the skunk as they often insist on using green bottles.

Just curious, but what don't you like about it?

[TongoRad]

Yeah, it's unfortunate that quite a few Continental Pilseners are packaged in green bottles. A more positive development, however, is how you can get a number of these beers in sealed (and date stamped) 12-packs. I tend to think of these beers as bulk purchases anyway, but being able to divide a case into two different brews is even more enticement. In particular I'm thinking of Dinkel Acker and Pilsener Urquell; I stopped buying these guys for a verrry long time but the new packaging has brought me back into the fold. On the other hand the only time I've seen Jever it has been in a refrigerated display case exposed to light- needless to say I haven't yet had the pleasure of trying that one. Bittburger has long been my standby and still delivers.

I'm with you, Brent, on the Prima Pils- it is a heck of a beer. From my experience it seems to lose something when it crosses state lines but what I've had down Bethlehem-way opened my eyes as to how good it can be. Being in the NY Metro area I can get the reformulated Brooklyn Pilsener more readily and that one is as solid a version as you're going to find.

In reference to the Steve Beaumont article- I would offer quite a bit more praise for the Hacker-Pschorr Edelhell than he does, though it is good to see the rec. I have been finding this beer in very good condition lately and I've really come to appreciate just how wonderfully balanced and elegant it can be. ( The phrase 'transition beer' tends to raise my hackles, though,... and while we're at it can we please remove the terms 'top fermented' and 'bottom fermented' from the lexicon as well? Or is this just me?) Anyway, it is a good article and it contains some solid advice.

[Susan in FL]

Helena, your beer tastes and mine ususally run pretty closely together, but this is one where we part some. Brent put it beautifully. For a pilsner to have that pack of flavors and the crisp clean finish is what appeals to me. Keep trying, when you have the opportunity, perhaps with just the right food...

[helenas]

Susan, of course - Brent's description will keep me trying - i get the crispy part, it's the hop one that i'm missing

in the meantime after numerous tastings i'm ready to add Three Floyds Pride & Joy Mild Ale to the hall of beer fame...

[helenas]

... in Marty's Liquors .

Just go to exactly this location, not in Newton or other.

A lot of different beers there. Very nice selection

Visited the Allston location last week - agree quite a nice selection but my favorite beer store is without a doubt "JULIO'S LIQUORS" especially since it's very close to the place we live.

Huge selection of imports, very very decent of american microbrews (bw this place and my local store in NJ i feel sufficiently covered).

Add to this Wild Six program: where one can mix and match any 6 bottles or more (12oz, 22oz, or 750ml) and get 15% off each individual bottle, as well as beer tastings every Sat and beer festivals twice a year.

[LunaSea]

I'd like to try a Pilsener Urquell direct from the brewery in the Czech Republic. It's regarded as the best beer in the world by some beer aficionados, but it's distinctly hoppy. It was featured once on the TV program, The Thirsty Traveler.

The best beer that I've ever tasted was Sunday River, brewed in some guy's garage in Portland, Maine. I would've stayed longer but I drank it all!

[helenas]

Speaking of Pilsener, i finally tracked down Christoffel Blond and although damn expensive it's worth every penny - what a rich tasting beer - who would have thought that lager can be like this!

Another beer i'm ready to add to my hall of fame is Hennepin - saison brewed by Ommegang.

[flowbee]

I adore Christoffel Blond! I've only just started drinking and appreciating beer in the last couple years or so, and I'm still figuring out what I like and don't like, but I definitely like the taste of Christoffel Blond! Does anybody have any recommendations on other similar-tasting beers that are less expensive? Ones available in western Canada maybe?

I tried a 6-pack of Pilsner Urquell once...i found it to be ok...perhaps a little too much sharp bitterness for my taste. I'm liking Hoegaarden more and more...

[Blair P. Houghton]

300 Beers to Try Before You Die

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Does it have to be all at once?

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And does it imply a causal relationship?