Beer/Ale/Lager Appreciation Thread

[Black Milk]

Ran across a siracha-styled beer by Rogue at the store today. It was way too weird of an idea to not try, so I'll let yall know what the hell thats like later. As for now, I'll sip my Het Anker Lucifer ale like any fine young metalhead should. EDIT: Upon a few sips this is my conclusion: its not the worst thing I've had, but its in the handful. And I dont mean just beers, I mean like, things that have happened to me.

[liam1682]

Yes tried quite a few of them, Westmalle Tripel was my favourite by far. Have managed to find it in the UK however its £4-5 a bottle. I found myself enjoying a lot of the Lambic Beers as well (my wife loved the fruit ones). Had a rather drunken night in Delirum bar whilst in Brussels, 2000 beers in one place was just too tempting

[Midi]

Yes tried quite a few of them, Westmalle Tripel was my favourite by far. Have managed to find it in the UK however its £4-5 a bottle. I found myself enjoying a lot of the Lambic Beers as well (my wife loved the fruit ones). Had a rather drunken night in Delirum bar whilst in Brussels, 2000 beers in one place was just too tempting

Westmalle Tripel is a great beer and although my taste has shifted towards other beers lately, it's still very enjoyable. I haven't had many Lambic beers as they aren't inherent to the region I live in. Since I'm not a big fan of fruity beer it would be a lie to say I'd like to try them, but I have had the Geuze and Kriek which I found respectively awful and still drinkable.

[liam1682]

I agree on the fruitiness, not really my type of thing either. I did however strangely enjoy the none fruity ones. Much like you there was something inherently wrong drinking something that sour tasting however it was still enjoyable in a strange way.

[BlutAusNerd]

That geuze has got to be an acquired taste, it tasted like sour sweat, I kept drinking more hoping that my tastes would adapt and figure out what it was up to, but I had no such luck in the end.

[Midi]

That geuze has got to be an acquired taste' date=' it tasted like sour sweat, I kept drinking more hoping that my tastes would adapt and figure out what it was up to, but I had no such luck in the end.[/quote'] I have drunk it twice, but couldn't get into it either. On a side note, I think it's worth mentioning Geuze's best times are long past. It's primarily drunken by the oldest generations, at least in Belgium that is.

[liam1682]

That geuze has got to be an acquired taste' date=' it tasted like sour sweat, I kept drinking more hoping that my tastes would adapt and figure out what it was up to, but I had no such luck in the end.[/quote'] Agree with you there, I enjoyed it in a weird way. It tasted almost champagne like to me. However its not a drink I would rush back to any time soon, especially in a country that produces hundreds (if not more) fantastic beers.

[KSMASH]

Sour beers turn me off in general, but the sour-ish beers from Epic brewery seem to be a bit more balanced. I swear it's not bias due to working for the brewery! It's just that our sours seem to be offset with other flavors. Elder Brett Sour Saison is good (I'm not in love with it like many others) because it's aged in white wine barrels and it brings back the sour kick. We also make a "kettle" sour (not sure exactly what that means) IPA at our brewpub. The IPA characteristics totally balance out the sourness for a quite delicious beer! It actually might be my current favorite lunchtime beer!

[FatherAlabaster]

I'd hazard a guess that "kettle" sour means a beer that's made with acidulated malt - the husks are sprayed with acid that adds a sour tang to the wort, as opposed to traditional souring during fermentation with other yeasts or bacteria. I love geuze, but it certainly took me a few tries and a familiarity with other dry lambics before I could appreciate it. One of the best and most interesting beers I've had lately is Newburgh's "Black Oyster Cult", a sour oyster stout that has just the right proportion of malt flavor to sourness while remaining extremely dry and drinkable. The other standout this week was Captain Lawrence's "Frost Monster" barrel aged imperial stout. They hit it on the nail. Don't think that one needs any more introduction for dark beer aficionados, try it if you have a chance.

[MacabreEternal]

Out in Sheffield again tonight. Had a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and a Murmansk Baltic Porter which was 7.4% and had a real heavy liquorice taste. EDIT - should have added called at the supermarket on the way back to the hotel and picked up a bottle of Doom Bar which I am enjoying at the hotel now. Fine drinking city is Sheffield.

[FatherAlabaster]

Out in Sheffield again tonight. Had a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and a Murmansk Baltic Porter which was 7.4% and had a real heavy liquorice taste.

I'd be interested in that porter. Been in an uncharacteristic mood for dark beer recently. Sierra Nevada pale ale is an all-time favorite of mine, a classic on our side of the pond.

[MacabreEternal]

Yeah I like Sierra Nevada a lot. It's up there with Sam Adams and Brooklyn Lager as my preferred American beers. Hoping to holiday Stateside in the next couple of years and visit some breweries out there.

[KSMASH]

Has anyone here had Sierra Nevada's Nooner? It's a peppery pilsner which i think is quite delicious :^]

[FatherAlabaster]

Nooner is great, as is their "Hop Hunter" IPA. They're doing a great job with their new introductions, every one I've had has been fantastic - distinct from the rest of their lineup while keeping that classic Sierra Nevada flavor. Since you like Nooner, give Brooklyn Pilsner a try - similar style, and also really solid. I just found this, and I'm really impressed - it's more of a hoppy stout than a black IPA, which is to say that in comparison, it's got a fuller and sweeter malt profile and it's slightly less hop-forward. Usually, I think black IPAs miss the mark by tasting too much like stouts or porters, but in this case I think they got exactly what they were aiming for. More proof that balance is the key to a great beer.

[MacabreEternal]

Just enjoyed a Ringwood Brewery Fortyniner and am now on to my favourite Amber Ale Doom Bar. Just spotted a Rogue Amber Ale behind the bar which is looking like the next option.

[FatherAlabaster]

A sad week: my favorite beer bar (and one of my favorite destinations in the city) will be closing for good this Saturday. No shortage of bars here, but this place felt like home. My wife and I picked up some special bottles as a "last hurrah". I drank two last night that are among the best beers I've had recently: This is an awesome British IPA. Toasty malt, firm (but not overbearing) hop bitterness, and a fruity, complex yeast character, perfectly balanced. American-style IPAs have flooded the market the last few years; the only American beer I could compare this to is Brooklyn's "East India Pale Ale", but the Thornbridge is a little smoother, its bitterness less chalky, and the malt character is more delicate. Totally worth it if you can afford it. This "old ale" is an excellent example of a style that blends into English bitter on one side and barleywine on the other. Deep amber, heavy on the caramel malt sweetness without being sugary, a thick mouthfeel, warm with alcohol on the palate reminiscent of a tawny port. Aging smoothed it out even more. At 12%, this is a beer that I should have shared with close friends; but, fuck those people. I gave my wife a sip, and enjoyed the rest of it thoroughly.

[MacabreEternal]

In Scotland this week so not missing out on this glorious opportunity! Tonight is Dark Island, a dark ale that is smooth yet robust. Starting off with coffee and chocolate notes before figs and dried fruits kick in before culminating in a bitter hoppy aftertaste. Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[KSMASH]

I was supposed to see Mastodon and Clutch tonight, but i got too wasted on Epic's Smoked Belgian Strong Ale. Smoked malt, barrel aged, dank 12.7% ABV beer

[BlutAusNerd]

Just tried Lagunitas' Gnarleywine, and was surprised by how bland it was. A west coast hop bombing brewery shouldn't be dropping the ball on a barleywine, it didn't have much in the way of punch, depth, or character.

[MacabreEternal]

Sat relaxing on a Sunday afternoon drinking some Murphy's Irish Stout whilst listening to Sabbath - bliss!

[RelentlessOblivion]

Aye the grog 'o' the Emerald Isle is a mighty fine drop to be sure.

[BlutAusNerd]

About the only good thing that I did in Vegas was hit the liquor store and drop some money. Enjoying the Old Guardian now...

[FatherAlabaster]

Well, it looks like a good haul, at any rate. Any particular reason for visiting, or just trying to get away for a weekend?

[BlutAusNerd]

Well' date=' it looks like a good haul, at any rate. Any particular reason for visiting, or just trying to get away for a weekend?[/quote'] It was my brother-in-law's 21st birthday, and his older brother is going to be deployed again in about 2 weeks. It would have been a good excuse to get away, but it was marred by a great deal of wasted time and childish tantrums. 21 indeed.

[Laihoard]

I'm kind of new to drinking beer haha! Has anybody heard Behemoth is trying to get their own brand? Count me the fuck in!