Beer/Ale/Lager Appreciation Thread

[RelentlessOblivion]

Surely it can't be that hard. I mean I can hardly see and I can cook...besides I will be in the US for a month-ish so surely I can take a week out for beer and brutality.

[BlutAusNerd]

Hey where's my invite? Aussies like a cold one every now and then too you know.

I have told you that you should come for the last couple of years... Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[RelentlessOblivion]

And I've been telling you for years being vision impaired presents a great many challenges not encountered by those fortunate enough to have eyes that actually work. Chief among which is the fact that my ability to navigate my surrounds is based solely on memory. Fortunately most of the time 'round here I have the guide dog but it's a 3 month quarantine for him going overseas meaning it makes more sense to leave him behind. Pair that with my uni schedule, the distance needed to travel, expense, cycling requirements, etc and 2017 or 2021 are the only years I'm likely to be capable of attending. Next year's trip is going to be in my mid-semmester break to explore the possibility of moving over there. It's not a trip for fun.

[BlutAusNerd]

And I've been telling you for years being vision impaired presents a great many challenges not encountered by those fortunate enough to have eyes that actually work. Chief among which is the fact that my ability to navigate my surrounds is based solely on memory. Fortunately most of the time 'round here I have the guide dog but it's a 3 month quarantine for him going overseas meaning it makes more sense to leave him behind. Pair that with my uni schedule' date=' the distance needed to travel, expense, cycling requirements, etc and 2017 or 2021 are the only years I'm likely to be capable of attending. Next year's trip is going to be in my mid-semmester break to explore the possibility of moving over there. It's not a trip for fun.[/quote'] Hey, you were just bitching about never having received an invite, but you most certainly have. Logistics are your problem. Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[RelentlessOblivion]

Yep them logistics are a bitch. Maybe this transfer will work out and I'll be in a position to attend MDF every year. Unfortunately my girl has already said moving to the US is a deal-breaker but I'm sure there's plenty of eligible ladies in the states who dig metal, decent food, and can overlook my compulsion to don lycra at avy given opportunity.

[FatherAlabaster]

Posticles! I'm currently enjoying a Snapperhead IPA from Butternuts brewery in NY. Been a while since I sampled their beers, because I wasn't fond of a certain type of "yeasty" flavor that they all seemed to have, but this one's nice. Gentle malt sweetness and a somewhat British quality to the bittering hops, not much in the way of aroma. In fact I'd call this a British-style IPA except that it's missing the roasty complexity and fruity fermentation characteristics that I associated with the style. It's not so flavor-forward as most of its American brethren, which at the moment is a nice change.

[RelentlessOblivion]

I tend not to drink beer in winter. I do look forward to that wine. Think I'll make it my first drink when I'm in my own place. An awarding winning wine in a year where Aussie wines, especially the reds, really suffered. My research pretty much said Rieslings were the only wines from the 2011 vintage where quality could be found.

[FatherAlabaster]

No beer in winter?! Whyever not? There are so many yummy beers that are great for fighting off the chill...

[RelentlessOblivion]

Not a great range of even decent winter beers down under. It's mostly amber and golden ales that tend to be great for summer. Force of habit I guess stemming from my admittedly lacking beer knowledge.

[FatherAlabaster]

A quick Wikipedia search shows a fair number of stouts brewed there. I'm not a Guinness fan, but I bet their Australian "Foreign Extra" stout is good; the version I had over here was definitely better than their normal offering. Higher-alcohol IPAs, Scotch ales (wee heavies, they're sometimes called), Belgian dubbels and tripels, anything barrel aged... Those all might be good places to start looking for winter beers.

[RelentlessOblivion]

I don't mind Guinness actually so that's as good a starting point as any I'd think.

[FatherAlabaster]

I'm not much for bars, but a new beer place opened up about 15 minutes' walk from my house. They play metal, have black walls and threatening decor, and offer mostly German beers. They also have skylights. All of these things are good. I'm only one beer in, but I like it so far. I'm nearly done with an Arcobräu Zwickl lager, on to the chewy stuff next.

[BlutAusNerd]

I'm not much for bars, but a new beer place opened up about 15 minutes' walk from my house. They play metal, have black walls and threatening decor, and offer mostly German beers. They also have skylights. All of these things are good. I'm only one beer in, but I like it so far. I'm nearly done with an Arcobräu Zwickl lager, on to the chewy stuff next.

Sounds rad. I like bars if they have good food and at least a decent selection of beers, which describes zero metal bars here in town. At least my favorite bar in town occasionally has live jazz, which is a nice backdrop when drinking a quad or double IPA. Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[FatherAlabaster]

Here's a highlight of the chewy stuff - the first German "imperial porter" I've had, and a very tasty one at that. Black Nun. None more black...

 

[FatherAlabaster]

My headache this morning was at least partially due to these fine brews, brought over by a friend:

All of these were very good. The Great Divide rye was pretty similar to the other rye beers I've had, maybe a touch too malty for my taste, but with a nicely resinous hop profile. The Ballast Point "Dorado" was fantastic, a complex and fresh hop aroma with firm bitterness balancing against the malt to make this 10% IPA go down almost too smoothly. But this year's Stone "Farking Wheaton Woot Stout" (brewed in collaboration with Wesley fucking Crusher from ST:TNG) took the prize, a 13% stout redolent with coffee, chocolate, and whiskey from being blended with a barrel-aged version of last year's release. Black as night, best served at cellar temp or warmer and enjoyed with friends. 

[BlutAusNerd]

My headache this morning was at least partially due to these fine brews, brought over by a friend:

All of these were very good. The Great Divide rye was pretty similar to the other rye beers I've had, maybe a touch too malty for my taste, but with a nicely resinous hop profile. The Ballast Point "Dorado" was fantastic, a complex and fresh hop aroma with firm bitterness balancing against the malt to make this 10% IPA go down almost too smoothly. But this year's Stone "Farking Wheaton Woot Stout" (brewed in collaboration with Wesley fucking Crusher from ST:TNG) took the prize, a 13% stout redolent with coffee, chocolate, and whiskey from being blended with a barrel-aged version of last year's release. Black as night, best served at cellar temp or warmer and enjoyed with friends. 

You went west side, eh? I'm very familiar with all of those breweries, Ballast Point being one of the best newer brewers in SoCal, Stone being an old favorite pioneering the bigger beers of our time, and Great Divide getting my vote as the best brewery in Colorado. I haven't actually had any of those beers, but I've had enough from each to trust your assessments of their quality. Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[FatherAlabaster]

I don't know if any of our other beer nerds can get this, as it's a New York state brew, but this double IPA is giving the West Coast guys a run for their money in terms of bitterness, balance, and drinkability. Holy fuck,  it's 8.2%... from the folks behind Pumking, the most distinctive pumpkin beer I've had. 

[FatherAlabaster]

Bell's "Traverse City" whiskey barrel aged porter. 11.7% ABV. One of my favorite breweries making one of my favorite styles and totally doing it right. Heavy on the whiskey barrel flavor, as you please. 

[MacabreEternal]

Just had 2 Hobgoblin Gold's on this fine summer evening. 

[MacabreEternal]

Now onto Timothy Taylor's Havercake - named after the Havercake (Pennine Oatcake) on the Recruiting Sergeant's sword in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment  ("The Havercake Lads").  This is malty and has a really strong taste throughout without becoming overwhelming.

[FatherAlabaster]

Well done, Sierra Nevada. A bit more firm bitterness than I'm used to in an Oktoberfest, but I quite like it. Great malt flavor and that classic Sierra yeasty breadiness.

[SBird94]

I got a bottle of captain morgan for my 21st in may, drank it with a couple of mates on the weekend, it goes down very well

[FatherAlabaster]

Here's a puckery tart and complex beer from Almanac - cloudy amber, great wine barrel nose, completely dry unlike other "Flemish sours" I've had. Small batch, worth the money if you like sours.

[MacabreEternal]

Tonight so far:

Started with a Brooklyn Lager - I really like the peppery aftertaste of Brooklyn Lager, it is like a Sam Adams Boston yet with the added dimension of the lingering bitterness.  Moved onto a Hardknott Infrared which despite being an IPA is deep ruby red in colour.  Unfortunately the balance of its caramel notes and peppery roast coupling with a rather bitter finish somehow blends to a horrible mish mash of flavours that overpower each other without  ever combining to make a pleasant experience on the whole.

From there I went to a Black Grouse Stout that I picked up at our local farm shop today (no animals were harmed in the making of this beer).  It is a very good stout, heavy enough to coat the palate but not bloating at all as I find with some stouts.  Liquorice notes and some chocolate aftertaste seem to combine well.

[FatherAlabaster]

I started with some Brooklyn Pilsner, which I've always liked, and moved on to Oskar Blues' "Old Chub". Obviously malty and dark, it misses some of the richness and alcohol warmth of more traditional Scotch ales, but makes up for that with freshness and a surprising drinkability at 8% ABV. I've been a fan for years.