Beer/Ale/Lager Appreciation Thread

[FatherAlabaster]

Sounds nice. I've had a bunch of good beer lately, but haven't remembered to post it.

Last night, I went to a great little brewpub in Greenpoint (that's a neighborhood in the north of Brooklyn). They used to be called Dirck The Norseman, but some confusion over their branding led them to change that to the unimaginative "Greenpoint Beer and Ale".

All the beer they brew there is quality, and I like that they rotate their selection rather than just offering the same beers all the time. Had several different IPAs, an interesting sour red ale, a cute little ale spiced with juniper berries and spruce tips, and the star of the show - a very light, bright-tasting coffee Berliner-weisse that tastes like fresh-roasted coffee beans. It sounds like an odd combination but it works perfectly. 

[RelentlessOblivion]

Had a beer or two myself with dinner last night. Nothing as awesome as what FA describes just a few Kingfishers.

[MacabreEternal]

10% Black Barley Wine from Brewdog is currently blowing my face off the front of my head!

It is strong tasting but I still can get subtle notes of chocolate and vanilla above that heavy roasted malt flavour.

[BlutAusNerd]

10% Black Barley Wine from Brewdog is currently blowing my face off the front of my head!

It is strong tasting but I still can get subtle notes of chocolate and vanilla above that heavy roasted malt flavour.

Brewdog is hard to find for me, but the one beer I had from them I did enjoy. Their show is pretty interesting too.

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

[MacabreEternal]

Since the Crowdfunded brewery, Brewdog is everywhere for me.  The missus found a new independent supermarket that opened near her martial arts class and she went shopping there yesterday returning home with a decent enough haul for me to sample.

[FatherAlabaster]

14 minutes ago, MacabreEternal said:

Since the Crowdfunded brewery, Brewdog is everywhere for me.  The missus found a new independent supermarket that opened near her martial arts class and she went shopping there yesterday returning home with a decent enough haul for me to sample.

And you accuse this lovely creature of "saber-rattling"... brew dog, indeed. 

I don't think I've had any of their stuff. Went to another local brewery yesterday, called Bridge And Tunnel - not everything was great, but they had a good session IPA, a mixed grain beer with juniper and spruce that was interesting enough to make up for its lack of balance, and a habanero IPA that had a nice if subtle pepper flavor and a good amount of spice. 

[RelentlessOblivion]

I'm very seriously contemplating brewing my own beer. I think it would be fun, especially once I've learned enough about the process to start working some different flavours into the beer.

[FatherAlabaster]

The easiest way to start is by making small batches with malt extract (which is concentrated barley syrup, that gets added to water and boiled along with hops). That will get you into the process, so you can learn about all of the different steps and all the work that goes into it. It's totally possible to just get a brewing kit and the minimum of equipment, follow the instructions, and turn out a batch of decent beer. 

If you really enjoy it, you can move up to all-grain brewing, which adds more equipment and more variables. That gives you more control over your recipes, but requires that you have more control over the brewing process. Aside from putting in all the right ingredients at the right time, the most important elements are temperature control and absolute cleanliness. Most of the work you'll do is cleaning. Even a little bit of unwanted bacteria can ruin your beer.

As far as recipes, a good starting point is to find clone recipes for beers you already know and like. You'll also need to do a lot of tasting of various styles to understand the balance that each of them is trying to achieve, and to get a sense of various off flavors that can be imparted by unbalanced recipes and flaws in the brewing process. I've had (and made) a lot of experimental beers that wind up having no real identity. Coming up with a successful recipe of your own takes a decent amount of experience, trial and error. 

[MacabreEternal]

Good luck with it.  I have often thought of doing this but time/lifestyle does not permit unfortunately.

[FatherAlabaster]

It does take a good bit of time. If you just want to make a batch here and there, you can set aside time on the weekends - one day for the brewing, a half day the following weekend for a transfer to secondary fermentation, then bottling or kegging, then the all-important drinking. Getting more involved than that can totally take up all of your free time. 

[MacabreEternal]

It's the same with my now over 5 year attempt to learn to play guitar.  Because I don't have the time to dedicate to it to do so properly at heart I ain't interested.  I like being able to afford the necessary time to do things properly - which is odd because most days at work I am involved in timebound projects whose timescales are wholesomely unrealistic.

[RelentlessOblivion]

I think it's worth having a go to see if I enjoy brewing my own beer or not. Plus it gives me an excuse to try more beers.

[MacabreEternal]

Enjoyed a Einstök Ölgerõ Icelandic White Ale earlier - real taste explosion in the mouth of orange peel and coriander (sounds awful but it isn't) and all so very light in the mouth.  Now have a Tank Farmhouse Ale which is in effect a weissbier which i don't always like but it is palatable despite the 8.5% alc.

[FatherAlabaster]

Nice, we get both of those here. You're talking about Boulevard Brewery's "Tank 7", right?

Currently enjoying another habanero IPA at Bridge And Tunnel. Dangerous to have a brewery in walking distance of my house...

[MacabreEternal]

29 minutes ago, FatherAlabaster said:

Nice, we get both of those here. You're talking about Boulevard Brewery's "Tank 7", right?

That's the one.

[BlutAusNerd]

Nice, we get both of those here. You're talking about Boulevard Brewery's "Tank 7", right?

Currently enjoying another habanero IPA at Bridge And Tunnel. Dangerous to have a brewery in walking distance of my house...

I like that one too. Boulevard is pure class, all good beers on their roster, at least of the ones I've tasted. That whole Smokestack Series and their Bully Porter in particular are top shelf.

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

[FatherAlabaster]

Haven't updated lately, but this is a photo of my little glass of Brooklyn Brewery's "Improved Old Fashioned" barrel-aged strong ale. Holy shit. Whiskey, cherry, and clove over a solid malt sweetness in one of the more distinctive barrel-aged beers I've had, and one which might demand another glass. 

[Frostaudn]

Yesterday was a good day I received it as a thank you from our photographer for whom I arranged a lot of accriditations. Although I'm not familiar with Omer. Has anyone ever tasted this?

[MacabreEternal]

Never had Omer no.

[MacabreEternal]

My favourite tipple for the past month or so has been Anchor Californian Lager. So smooth and tasty on the palate still. On abstinence from tomorrow until July when i turn 40. Beer belly is well out of control at present and i am shifting some serious volume each week.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[RelentlessOblivion]

Just picked myself up a four pack of Duvel beer. Remember Midi recommending it years ago.

[MacabreEternal]

Is that the stuff that never stops foaming?

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[RelentlessOblivion]

Not gonna lie it knocks any Aussie brew flat on its arse. Very tasty beer though.

[FatherAlabaster]

At a friend's place last night. I had some barrel-aged Double Bastard, which is an American strong ale, with emphasis on "strong". Also some imperial porter and some IPA, which was the weakest beer of the night at 7%. It was a reunion of sorts, another old friend of ours drove up from Florida to hang out and shoot the shit. We ate a lot of pizza and  watched a Star Trek movie, too. Was up until 4 am. Safe to say today is a wreck...

[BlutAusNerd]

At a friend's place last night. I had some barrel-aged Double Bastard, which is an American strong ale, with emphasis on "strong". Also some imperial porter and some IPA, which was the weakest beer of the night at 7%. It was a reunion of sorts, another old friend of ours drove up from Florida to hang out and shoot the shit. We ate a lot of pizza and  watched a Star Trek movie, too. Was up until 4 am. Safe to say today is a wreck...

Yeah, Double Bastard sure is strong, as is most anything from Stone. From one hop head to another, try their Ruination DIPA if you get the chance, over 100 IBUs of deliciousness.

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk