Beer/Ale/Lager Appreciation Thread

[H34VYM3T4LD4V3]

Great pic mate! Glad you had a good time

[FatherAlabaster]

Hamilton is about to have a beer festival. Hoping to get a ticket. Lots of local brews to try. I like samuel adams pale ale, myself. Not a huge beer drinker, but always open to trying some new ones. Lakeport lager and nickelbrook are also two beers I enjoy Sent from my LG-E971 using Tapatalk

Have fun. I'm not a huge Sam fan, although I had some specialty beers of theirs at bars in Boston that I thought were quite nice - a cut above their lager. Their beers tend to border too closely on bland commercialism for my taste. I don't know if you get Oskar Blues beer where you are, but you might like their Pilsner - Mama's Little Yella Pils. And there are some amazing German Pilsners and alt beers you might dig, particularly Schwelmer and Uerige (I think that's how it's spelled).

[chaos212]

Any of those specialties you recall or recommend? Boston Lager will always be my favorite, though I can see the "bland commericalism" reference. I enjoyed their "rebel" IPA. Might be worth giving a shot if you have a chance Sent from my LGMS500 using Tapatalk

[FatherAlabaster]

Hmm, I can't remember the names. These were on tap, I'm not sure if they ever bottled them. I haven't had the Rebel IPA, but I think I've seen it around. I'll give it a shot. Do you get Bell's in your city?

[FatherAlabaster]

Tonight, the line between "appreciation" and "drunkenness" is looking mighty thin. Thanks, Brooklyn Brewery.

[deathstorm]

What is diffence. Between. Lager and ale

[FatherAlabaster]

What is diffence. Between. Lager and ale

The two main strains of beer-brewing yeast are lager yeast and ale yeast. Lager yeasts ferment better at colder temperatures (mid 40s to mid 50s Fahrenheit) and require longer fermentation times; "lagering" means keeping the beer in cold storage (high 30s) for a month or more after primary fermentation, where the beer continues to ferment and clarify. That's where lager got its name. Because of the cold temp, the yeasts don't produce as many extra flavors, so lagers (including Pilsners) are typically cleaner-tasting and a bit lighter in body than comparable ales. Ale yeasts ferment at higher temps - 60s to 70s, with some Belgians even hitting the 80s. They ferment more quickly, are typically a bit more complex/flavorful, and are easier to make. There's a huge variety of styles; there are very light, clean ales and very heavy, flavorful lagers. Typically, it's the other way around, but the real difference is in the strains of yeast and their preferred temperature ranges.

[BlutAusNerd]

To further elaborate, lager yeasts are also called "bottom fermenting" yeasts, meaning they sit at the bottom of the container and pick up more of what sinks down. They eat more, giving a cleaner taste and clearer looking finish. Lagers are also usually fermented twice, which helps to further clean up and smooth the brew. Ale yeasts are "top fermenting" yeasts, and their fermentation process only occurs once, so they tend to eat a bit less malt and leave more for the drinker. Ales tend to be fuller in flavor and thicker in body for this reason. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

[deathstorm]

Thanks guys.

[FatherAlabaster]

To further elaborate, lager yeasts are also called "bottom fermenting" yeasts, meaning they sit at the bottom of the container and pick up more of what sinks down. They eat more, giving a cleaner taste and clearer looking finish. Lagers are also usually fermented twice, which helps to further clean up and smooth the brew. Ale yeasts are "top fermenting" yeasts, and their fermentation process only occurs once, so they tend to eat a bit less malt and leave more for the drinker. Ales tend to be fuller in flavor and thicker in body for this reason. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

I'll offer a slight correction here - both lagers and ales undergo what's called "secondary" fermentation, which usually involves transferring the beer to a second container after a week or so, and I would see this as a continuation of the initial fermentation, rather than a separate "second" fermentation, because no new yeast should be added (unless you have a stuck fermentation, which is a problem). To say ales taste more malty because they're only fermented once (implying that they're not fermented as fully) is inaccurate. Some yeasts leave certain malt flavors more intact than others, but that's not directly related to how much sugar they leave behind. What "cleans up" the lager flavor is the lower primary temp followed by the long, cold aging process - less esters and higher alcohols are produced during primary, and the cellaring lets destabilizing compounds drop out of solution, which gives the beer a longer shelf life and makes it less prone to developing off flavors.

[deathstorm]

Got ya. Alabaster. And ban so basically later and ale brewing kinda like whiskey. Brewing in a way

[FatherAlabaster]

Got ya. Alabaster. And ban so basically later and ale brewing kinda like whiskey. Brewing in a way

It's similar - a mash of grains that soaks for a while in warm (or hot) water, followed by a fermentation. Apparently the liquid for malt whiskey is drawn off the grains in the same way that beer wort is - you've basically created a grain-sugar syrup, that you then boil and ferment - whereas any whisky with corn or rye is typically fermented ON the grain. Either way you wind up with a sort of beer, which is then distilled. A friend of mine has a still, and actually made a drinkable whiskey out of an old batch of our home-brewed beer that had passed its prime.

[BlutAusNerd]

I'll offer a slight correction here - both lagers and ales undergo what's called "secondary" fermentation' date=' which usually involves transferring the beer to a second container after a week or so, and I would see this as a continuation of the initial fermentation, rather than a separate "second" fermentation, because no new yeast should be added (unless you have a stuck fermentation, which is a problem). To say ales taste more malty because they're only fermented once (implying that they're not fermented as fully) is inaccurate. Some yeasts leave certain malt flavors more intact than others, but that's not directly related to how much sugar they leave behind. What "cleans up" the lager flavor is the lower primary temp followed by the long, cold aging process - less esters and higher alcohols are produced during primary, and the cellaring lets destabilizing compounds drop out of solution, which gives the beer a longer shelf life and makes it less prone to developing off flavors.[/quote'] It had been a while since I read about it, I don't frequent beeradvocate.com as much as I used to. I also don't drink as much as I used to, which is unfortunate. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

[deathstorm]

It's similar - a mash of grains that soaks for a while in warm (or hot) water' date=' followed by a fermentation. Apparently the liquid for malt whiskey is drawn off the grains in the same way that beer wort is - you've basically created a grain-sugar syrup, that you then boil and ferment - whereas any whisky with corn or rye is typically fermented ON the grain. Either way you wind up with a sort of beer, which is then distilled. A friend of mine has a still, and actually made a drinkable whiskey out of an old batch of our home-brewed beer that had passed its prime.[/quote'] Making. Brooklyn moonshine. Alabaster

[MacabreEternal]

As mentioned elsewhere finally got to visit the pub in town that only serves single malt whiskeys, traditional ales and craft beers. Sampled a Japanese single malt called Yamazaki which was amazing, really sweet with vanilla and caramel and def made better by being aged in Bourbon barrels. Just priced this up online and it's £100 a bottle - maybe a bit of saving needed. On the beer front I had a Brooklyn Lager which was really peppery in the aftertaste yet smooth and comforting at the same time. The porter on offer was 1872 and it was heavy with coffee and chocolate - in fact I struggled a bit with it having had a couple of Samuel Adams at home before heading out. Finally I had Pennine Natural Gold which was a golden ale (surprise surprise) full of fruity notes - notably pear - with some honey aftertaste and biscuity malt. Because the gf was with me and she is not into her ale that much we moved to some rum specialist bar and I had a pint of Brahma which was frankly fucking awful. Given what I had just consumed it was like a soft drink so gassy I had to leave it. Final bar of the night had Samuel Adams Boston Lager on draft so I was happy to end on a high note.

[FatherAlabaster]

Good Brooklyn Lager is really nice. As you can imagine, it's ubiquitous here, and I've had quite a few bad pints served to me by dive bars that didn't give a fuck about the cleanliness of their lines, so that's made me less likely to seek it out; but Brooklyn Brewery makes some of my go-to beers, especially the East India pale ale. And their specialty stuff is very well done, if generally beyond my budget. It's funny that you went to a specialty bar for mostly American beers, here I have to go to specialty places for any UK beers more obscure than Harp, Guinness, and Newcastle... I'd like to try that Pennine ale, but I've never seen them around.

[deathstorm]

Any you Guys have Sam Adams.

[MacabreEternal]

Despite cutting back a bit on the alcohol consumption I have enjoyed some St Peter's Cream Stout this weekend. Really smooth and tasty. Needed something cooling after the curry I had made for tea.

[JBaker]

Despite cutting back a bit on the alcohol consumption I have enjoyed some St Peter's Cream Stout this weekend. Really smooth and tasty. Needed something cooling after the curry I had made for tea.

That's an excellent one. Picked that up in Sweden last year. I got very, very drunk on Friday night so going a good week without any booze at all now. However, I started that night with a Vintage 2012 from the Bristol brewery. Really smooth, fruity and malty.

[Iceni]

Needed something cooling after the curry I had made for tea.

See, now I know you're British, because you had curry...

[BlutAusNerd]

See' date=' now I [i']know you're British, because you had curry...

If eating curry confirms one's Britishness, then call me the King of England. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

[FatherAlabaster]

Despite cutting back a bit on the alcohol consumption I have enjoyed some St Peter's Cream Stout this weekend. Really smooth and tasty. Needed something cooling after the curry I had made for tea.

I love St. Peter's, but it's almost impossible to find a bottle over here that hasn't been skunked. It's not even worth buying their beers, because the odds are against them still being yummy. It's a shame...

[JBaker]

Good Brooklyn Lager is really nice. As you can imagine, it's ubiquitous here, and I've had quite a few bad pints served to me by dive bars that didn't give a fuck about the cleanliness of their lines, so that's made me less likely to seek it out; but Brooklyn Brewery makes some of my go-to beers, especially the East India pale ale. And their specialty stuff is very well done, if generally beyond my budget.

Have you had their imperial chocolate stout? That's probably my favourite of theirs, although I also love their IPA, and their brown ale is good, too.

[FatherAlabaster]

Have you had their imperial chocolate stout? That's probably my favourite of theirs' date=' although I also love their IPA, and their brown ale is good, too.[/quote'] Yeah, it's a nice beer, though I must say I'm not a huge fan of the style. I like the occasional stout, but that's about it. I've had nearly everything they produce, aside from some of the obscenely expensive big-bottle specialty beers. Some of the offerings they make with Belgian yeast are really nice, if you can get them.

[MacabreEternal]

Leaving presents from work were nearly all but whiskey. Sat here now nursing a 14 year old Rich Oak Glenfiddich single malt. I have a bottle of Glenmorangie, a bottle of Glenlivet, a bottle of Jura and two more miniature Glenfiddichs to get through also (not all tonight obviously).