The Great Beer Thread

[dnjan]

I agree that over-hopped beers can be un-pleasant. But to my palate, they are totally different than fruit beers (in terms of un-pleasantness).

To me, the first 8oz. or so of a fruit-beer can taste good on a hot day. Finishing the pint is a bit tougher, and it is a definite no to a second pint.

 

[John in Covina]

MAny ales with out actual fruit in the concoction will contain fruity esters created by the action of the yeast during fermentation. Fullers ESB served thru the hand pump used to have a gret hint of apricot, however the banana ester was almost always considered a fault in a brew.

These esters tend to be at a low level not up front like a true fruit beer. The Belgians make many fruit beers that are very dessert like almost the wine cooler version of beer. Some are dry like the Rodenbach one (Alexander?) the problem with Microbrewey X's version of a blueberry hefeweisen tends to be one of a lack of subtlety. I tend to shy away from both fruit beers and spiced ales like the Christmas types, my distain has grown over time.

West coast ales started the tendency to push the envelope for well hopped brews. It was considered subsets of the various styles PA / IPA west Coast hop bombs and east coast more like the traditional. Some of the types from reference would be Sierra Nevada's Torpedo and alomost anything from Stone Brewing. Hopping for American Lagers preprohibition was higher than the predominant lagers today. The old rheingold was high level bittering as were a few others. When one makes the move from light beers and watery pilsners to greater flavor it is usually done in steps. Much like one would shy away from a very smokey scotch as a first time scotch drinker, but over time a growing apreciation and understanding may grace ones beer knowledge and allow for brews that are challenging to your present reference level.

Dry hopping in the keg was a common trait of many US breweries, usually done by a large woman with big hands, as they say.

 

[dnjan]

Dry hopping in the keg was a common trait of many US breweries, usually done by a large woman with big hands, as they say.

Never heard that before. Is there more of a story behind it?

 

[John in Covina]

Not really, it comes up now and then in the home brewing and gudie to beer type books. A lot of both good and bad info - myths regarding brewing has fallen by the wayside with the invention of Lite beer the key to the destruction of taste.

 

[1961MJS]

Not really, it comes up now and then in the home brewing and gudie to beer type books. A lot of both good and bad info - myths regarding brewing has fallen by the wayside with the invention of Lite beer the key to the destruction of taste.

According to the brewer's bible by Papazian (Spelling?) Lite Beer was invented to get more people drink more beer. Apparently, the idea was to get everyone to like the same kind of beer. If it has no taste, you can't say it tastes bad.

Later

 

[Erich Johann]

So would that include an American IPA making liberal use of, say, Cascade or Centennial hops fall into that? Or what about that periodic Belgian style brew with huge amounts of esters?

Not to badger or anything, I'm just curious, as I find that a lot of fruity beers are much less objectionable than certain overwrought ales of more traditional styles.

Unfortunately, I only like to drink beer but am quite unfamiliar with the variances in hops, malt, etc. that are used when brewing beer. I guess what I was trying to say is that I do not like beers that would be called a Biermischgetränk (which wikipedia translates as "shandy"), i.e. beers mixed with any sort of soda/pop/(artificial) fruit flavoring at the brewery (although I do enjoy a Radler -- beer mixed with lemonade -- on a hot day if it is mixed just before it is served). If the "fruitiness" comes from the respective "traditional" (opening another can of worms, I guess ... ) ingredients of beer, then I am ok with that

 

[anon`]

Unfortunately, I only like to drink beer but am quite unfamiliar with the variances in hops, malt, etc. that are used when brewing beer. I guess what I was trying to say is that I do not like beers that would be called a Biermischgetränk (which wikipedia translates as "shandy"), i.e. beers mixed with any sort of soda/pop/(artificial) fruit flavoring at the brewery (although I do enjoy a Radler -- beer mixed with lemonade -- on a hot day if it is mixed just before it is served). If the "fruitiness" comes from the respective "traditional" (opening another can of worms, I guess ... ) ingredients of beer, then I am ok with that

Ah, good man! I couldn't agree more that post-brewing additions are quite horrific. Cloying, even. Not good.

Otherwise, that's just morbid curiosity on my part--I've heard far too many people tell me that they won't drink a proper kriek lambic, by way of example, swearing up and down that it will be too sweet by virtue of involving cherries!

 

[GoetzManor]

I was reading last night in Beer Enthusiast's Draft magazine about beer floats for the summer. It sounded intriguing and I'm looking forward to trying it out. It has which beers work best with different flavor ice creams. If you can find a copy of the magazine, pick it up. It's a change of pace from the usual mags I read.

This is the latest edition. Cheers!

 

[dnjan]

A local place sends coupons for a free stout float on your birthday to anyone who filled out a comment card in the past year.
They have done this for years.
Vanilla icecream with oatmeal stout (on nitrogen) is great!

 

[John in Covina]

Steinbeck talks about it either in About Ed Rickets or in Cannery Row.

 

[anon`]

Ice cream and stout sounds so good... on paper. I still haven't gotten over the hump when presented with the opportunity to try it, though!

In other news: just started an, erm, starter for my next brew, the colourfully-named Bloated Goat Dunkelwiezen. I ferment five gallons at a time in a six gallon carboy; I do hope that I don't lose my entire crop out the blowoff. (I'm using Wyeast 3068, for which they recommend at least 33% headspace--apparently this is a very vigourous strain!)

 

[motorpsycho67]

And?

We were discussing fruity beer, as in beer containing fruit. None of your examples contain fruit. Given those examples and the subject at hand, you should be able to answer your own question.

 

[anon`]

I'm not sure what you were on about, but I was asking someone else about what they considered to be a fruity beer, as distinct from a fruit-based beer. The inquiry was as to whether the disdain is for sweetness, or the base itself. I should have thought that obvious.

 

[kiwilrdg]

I've heard far too many people tell me that they won't drink a proper kriek lambic, by way of example, swearing up and down that it will be too sweet by virtue of involving cherries!

The attitude that you can tell what the beer will taste sweet based on cherries being added is just wrong on so many levels. The cherries in kriek lambic are a very sour variety, the sugar ferments so it reduces the sweetness further, and malt is very sweet before fermentation. Fruit flavor is not always sweet. I have made a nice dry beer with dried peaches added to a malt wort and pilsner yeast.

I have also used powdered malt in place of sugar to make a very interesting cake.

 

[Kmadden]

Guinness Extra Stout — "Product of Dublin" and available in the traditional dark-brown bottles — was always my favorite dark beer.
That is, until about a dozen years ago.
My son brought over a six-pack for our weekly Trivial Pursuit game, and I took a sip.
Something was definitely wrong.
"This doesn't taste quite right," I said, and took a close look at the label.
There was something different: The label now said, "Product of Canada."
Now, I'm sure the Canadian brewery uses all the same ingredients, procedures, etc., as in Dublin.
SO IT MUST BE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WATER!
Just think if your favorite distillery in Scotland outsourced the distillation of its whisky to other countries. (The results would be disastrous — just as when Old Spice decided to package its after-shave lotion in plastic bottles. Now, Old Spice doesn't smell at all as it used to.)
At any rate, I've drifted away to other beers: Sierra Nevada Stout. Sierra Nevada Porter. Anchor Porter. Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout. Young's Double Chocolate Stout.
In the summer, I drink mostly northwestern American India Pale Ales.

 

[Jerry 9]

If you like Guiness, see if you can find it pint cans/tins with a widget. It's a bit closer to the way it should be drunk...from the tap and prefferably in Dublin. The widget is a cool little device that airates the stout when you pour it, slowly, into your favorite pint glass. Avoid Guiness in a bottle at all costs.

 

[Phantomfixer]

One of my favorites....a nice weisse beer

 

[jamespowers]

 

[bulldog1935]

I can't get enough hops. When I go bike riding, I usually take a couple of cans of Modus Hoperandi, the best beer I know that comes in a can.

As far as the fruity bears go, I've tried several that come from Dogfish head, and find them delightful
http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/seasonal-brews/festina-peche.htm
http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/seasonal-brews/festina-peche.htm

and also chocolate
http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/occassional-rarities/theobroma.htm

 

[Gregg Axley]

Guinness Extra Stout — "Product of Dublin" and available in the traditional dark-brown bottles — was always my favorite dark beer.
That is, until about a dozen years ago.
My son brought over a six-pack for our weekly Trivial Pursuit game, and I took a sip.
Something was definitely wrong.
"This doesn't taste quite right," I said, and took a close look at the label.
There was something different: The label now said, "Product of Canada."
Now, I'm sure the Canadian brewery uses all the same ingredients, procedures, etc., as in Dublin.
SO IT MUST BE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WATER!

Say it ain't so! What is wrong with this world? I drank beer for 15yrs before changing to wine, since nobody ever talks about their "wine" belly. When I drank it, I drank Guinness Extra Stout, ice cold! Loved it and I can still taste it to this day. It's hard to think someone has changed the taste. I just can't believe it.