The Great Beer Thread

[Black Dahlia]

Fruli is one of my faves, BlackDahlia! In my native Saskatchewan it's also only $2 - cheaper than pop!

I've really been digging Crabbie's Ginger Beer lately, it's so perfect for summer. It has a very strong ginger taste, so beware!

I'm also a beer blogger and we're on the look out for themes of beers to taste. Anyone have any suggestions?

Hi MissL!

Sadly one cannot get Fruli where I live. When I travel outside of the province, that is one of the bonuses! Fruli galore.

I bet I would love that ginger beer, again, sadly not available here I bet!

PS your theme could be 'organic' and you could try all the organic beers. Or, of course you could taste all the fruit or vegetable beers. Or taste all the coffee beers! Hmmmm....
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[MissLaurieMarie]

We did a breakfast theme last week: Oatmeal stout, maple porter and a smoked bacon beer. Coffee beer is coming up on the agenda soon
You are from Quebec, aren't you? I know Crabbies is hard to find outside the UK, I'm shocked I could find it in Alberta. If I ever visit Quebec again I'll bring you a boozy care package.

 

[rumblefish]

I recently tried this Black Currant beer. I really liked it!
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BD

Nice one.

Have you ever had any Lambics from Lindemans? Framboise, cassis, pomme, peche, and my favorite- kriek. You have to forget what you know about beer and accept the absence of hops, with it being replace by a tart fruit flavor.

 

[Levallois]

I just discovered Black Butte Porter made by Deschutes in Oregon. Man what a delicious beer! Chocolate and coffee notes and smoo.........ooth. Perfect with a maduro cigar.

 

[Black Dahlia]

We did a breakfast theme last week: Oatmeal stout, maple porter and a smoked bacon beer. Coffee beer is coming up on the agenda soon
You are from Quebec, aren't you? I know Crabbies is hard to find outside the UK, I'm shocked I could find it in Alberta. If I ever visit Quebec again I'll bring you a boozy care package.

Miss L, I love that idea - a breakfast theme! Yes I'm in QC and they have all sorts of interesting beers. I had pumpkin beer not that long ago! Yes, no Crabbies here or Fruli or anything. Boos. Aw, thanks! If you ever visit we could go vintage shopping! ;0
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[Black Dahlia]

Nice one.

Have you ever had any Lambics from Lindemans? Framboise, cassis, pomme, peche, and my favorite- kriek. You have to forget what you know about beer and accept the absence of hops, with it being replace by a tart fruit flavor.

Hi rumblefish,

No I haven't, but I bet I would love them! Most fruit beers are hard to come by there. I have had kriek though. I definitely accept the absence of hops. In fact, I prefer less hopy, or no hops beers in general.

Liefmans cherry beer is my favourite. However, apparently it's no longer sold in Canada. *sighs*
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[mwelch8404]

Miller High Life. Yes. Guiness Stout. Mmmm. Orion Beer, Okinawa. Japanese beer should not come from Canada.

Mmmmm Orion... Haven't had one in 30 years. I hope it's still as good.

 

[amador]

Lion Stout from the Biyagama, Sri Lanka brewery is my favorite but I have not had any since I was in Michigan. Apparently there is limited distribution to select states. I did save the small bottles that it comes in and have used them to bottle my own Imperial Stout.

 

[amador]

I have another stout favorite, haven't found it for several years.

 

[ButteMT61]

Another vote for Pliney The Elder... just somewhat of a pain to get - here they limit to two bottles, if it's in stock...

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I find the Russian Imperial Stouts to be too syrupy for my taste. I've had the Rasputin and while I finished it, I won't buy it again. Oatmeal stouts are o.k., but not the Russian stuff.

Later

 

[amador]

These are some of the Stout beers that I have enjoyed, I do not have my own personal brew label however. I like stout beer to be thick and very "mouthy". In particular the addition of lactose giving a sweeter tast and a velvety mouth feel. Hence the Milk Stouts Addition of oatmeal is similar in feel but I find that they are not as sweet. Lots of hops is my preferance.

Yes, there is a sandwich in every bottle. That being said, beer has been a very good way to store food. Food grains that would otherwise rot or get eaten by pests have been preserved as beer. I suppose the caloric intake with beer consumption accounts for truncal obesity or voluminous omental adiposity, just as eating two sandwitches for lunch or its equivilant one sandwitch with a beer.

Musings:
Maybe the altitude has an effect on the brewing as in the example of the Lion Stout. Volatials and oils from the hops may be extracted differently due to the atmospheric pressure or a difference in the actual temperature that water boils at. Of course the brewer would like to think that their brewing conditions are relative to standard temperature and pressure. Malting may be affected by similar differences, enzymatic activity is dependent on temperature, ionic milleu, concentrations of enzyme and substrate, time and less so pressure. Extraction physics/chemistry is tricky buisness as I recall from my attempts to replicate experimental results both works of others and my own.

 

[John in Covina]

Lion Stout from the Biyagama, Sri Lanka brewery is my favorite but I have not had any since I was in Michigan. Apparently there is limited distribution to select states. I did save the small bottles that it comes in and have used them to bottle my own Imperial Stout.

There a a number of imported brews that wind up being in limited availability. The thing is a distributor has to be the main importer of the beer. The "imported by" on the lable. Many distributors have a limited distribution area. there are some beer outlets that will ship to you so if you're jonesing for a brew you may get it shipped. But that is pretty expensive.

 

[amador]

I understand that in ID and WA alcohol is controlled by the State. WA just had an election and the state is now out of the liquor buisness so the State run liquor stores will close. Here in ID there are State Liquor stores. Maybe the State also controls distribution and so my requests for some beers from local stores has produced nothing but platitudes from the managment.
Eight Ball Stout from Lost Coast Brewery in Eureka, CA is a very smooth Oatmeal Stout haven't had it in several years either.

 

[dnjan]

The major control in Washington is just on hard liquor - beer has some unusual distribution rules related to discounts, can't accept a T-shirt from a brewer, etc., but that shouldn't really affect availability.

 

[Two Types]

Favourite beer is a difficult question: it depends on where you are. I suppose if I had to make a choice it would have to be a mix. As a young man I used to drink Greene King's Abbot Ale (Suffolk, UK). On the advice of my uncle who ran a Greene King pub, I started mixing the draught Abbot with bottled St Edmund Ale. It never had a name although I sometimes heard it wrongly referred to as a 'mindbender' (which was actually draught Abbot Ale mixed with bottled Abbot).
It always guaranteed a rather hazy morning-after!

 

[billyspew]

I have to vote for Adnams.
They use water that's treated to taste like Marston's water, they are real specialists in mixing hops. I was lucky enough to go around the brewery on a tour over the summer (recommended).

They also distill their own spirits, the gins are particularly nice!

 

[rumblefish]

De Stuise Brouwers in Belgium has a series they call Pannepot, Old Fisherman's Ale. Very rich and complex with flavors of raisins, brown sugar, and spices and a very long finish. If you like Belgians and you can find any in the series including the Reservas give it a shot.

Today I'm headed to a local distributor to take part in Founders tasting. One of the kegs will be their Breakfast Stout (not KBS ).

 

[Philip Adams]

I'm a fan of Black Sheep Ale.

 

[DJH]

This will be nice for this evening...