SmokeySteve
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Beer (and beer pics!)
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9296potsguy
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Sgt_Nick_Fury
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Sgt_Nick_Fury
Danneskjöld's love child.
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If there is one thing My friends and family take seriously it's beer. I have been blessed to be born in a house that took beer seriously, and had a friend who was until recently a distributer. I have been to snobby tastings, and many a time sampled various items that came through the warehouse.... Just wanted to post 10 beers that anyone who loves beer, owes themselves to try. Most of these are not that uncommon and sometimes get overlooked because of that.....but these are world class brews....and many are attainable even at your everyday grocery.
As much as it pains me to say it Guinness dropped the ball, success and being bought out by a corp that doesn't care has not been kind to their process. Murphy's used to be the substitute. Now there is no way I'd trade Murphy's for a Guinness. Don't let the can fool you this is among the best Irish stouts.
America in the last decade or so has gotten some more world class breweries, but only a few have been around long and always maintained that pedigree. Anchor Steam is one of them. I consider Liberty Ale the American Pale Ale to judge all others by. It may not be the very best, but it sets the standard of what a APA should be, and what we drank when we Revolted from the British. Their Steam beer is what sets them apart as a brewery as it is the only original American beer style. However this APA in my mind is their best brew....and more likely to be what Sam Adams actually served, then what is made by the company using his name.
My favorite beer on this list, and maybe my most favorite beer of all time. If you ever see this buy it. It's not usually cheap, but even if you have the money is nigh impossible to find. It seldom made its way from a warehouse to the store as usually the distributor and or their friend (me) bought it before it made delivery. Don't mind the chewy bits, it's unfiltered, they are are the prize! this is the beer your ancestors would have had in the OLD days...this one you save the bottle just to cuddle with at night.
Possibly the oldest style beer in history; heather beer. Hopps is a relatively recent addition in beer history used to keep beer from spoiling...before they discovered hopps many other herbs were used. Egyptian pottery in the pyramids showed they used heather for their beer, this style is still made in Scotland...but Heather is more expensive then Hopps.....so you'll pay for it. But if you want to know what Noah was drinking, it may be this.
RAUCHBIER!!!!! Smoked beer....this is a style almost unique to Bamburg Germany. Before you drink this you have to decide. Do you like Bacon? Do you like dark bock beer? Would you like both flavors at once? If this sounds yummy to you this is the best Rauchbier I have had (and carried by "THAT STORE" in north Ga for Chatt peeps) If bacon beer sounds gross do not try any Rauchbier....it's not for you. Usually they used Alderwood, it was cheaper and it's a much harsher smoke flavor, this is Eiche Rauchbier, or "Oak" it's a more mellow smoke and was reserved usually for Christmas as Oak was more costly. They cost the same now, so go for the Oak! When I stop being lazy and cook a German meal liek my schnitzel last week this is my go to....if you don't like bacon in your beer, GTFO and do not eat my food.
Weisse Beer!!! My Bavarian ancestors loved this and likely have loved it since 1040 as this is the oldest brewery in the world. Think about that next time Budweiser does a hundred years of tradition commercial.....whatever. This was the beer I chose for my Groom's keg at my wedding. Summer and Weisse beer were made for each other. Simply the best Weisse beer made, after almost 1000 years of constant craftsmanship they seem to have got it right. I have no idea how much of this I have drank in my life.....it is my happy place. It is my keg of choice.
Piraat. Beware of this beer, it will most certainly whip yo azz. It's a high grav that is smooth as any Pilsner, but is a true Belgian beauty. This is smooth enough for anyone, with lots of flavor...but unlike many other high gravs it doesn't taste as strong as it is...2-3 will get most people wondering what they just did. Even beer lightweights will enjoy it usually though, then wonder why they hit the floor. Very smooth, sadly not cheap.
Abita is the other American brewery besidesAnchor Steam that has been world class for a very long time, before the 90's micro revival. They often are overlooked because of their commonness. Turbodog is my most favorite Brown Ale in the English style, and cheaper then many more expensive English imports that can't hold a candle to it. When the hurricane came to N'awlins I had a prayer vigil that this brewery might be spared.....the Good Lord agreed.
Like Rauchbier, aged beer or sometimes called sour beer is a niche taste. Do you like lemons? Do you like Sour? Did you eat the remains of the sour patch kids box as a kid? If so this is your beer, if not stay away. They basically purposely age this until the beer goes semi bad and sour......but it's done in oak casks and closely watched....then they mix it wish fresh beer... the result is a sweet and sour flavor that at one time simply what all working men drank in Europe. This USED to be what blue collar beer was about. This is delicious stuff. It's my father's favorite, and I am not far behind I will never turn it down. Again though you love it or you hate it....not much space on how people feel on it.
Now many guys will walk by this given the girlie packaging. The cans are even more so, but this is not your standard girlie beer. At our wedding this was my wife's choice for the Bride's Keg....interestingly since no one saw the brand or packaging this is the one even all the men got seconds of and went dry first. It is infused, no fake flavoring here. Real Raspberries...not overly sweet either....a fruit infused beer loved even by people who do not like fruity beer. Only down side it has a short shelf life...the real raspberry infusion can make this go bad sooner then many beers. It will turn dark first but still be quite tasty, but a year or so on the shelf and beware if it's a dusty bottle somewhere... Also if you have women at a party they love it, but so will the guys....a really good choice for a keg if you can find it.
This is not a definitive list.....just the first 10 that hit my mind..... Also you will note i do not have any IPA's.... I don't like IPA's... I consider the over use of hopps in beer now a fad, and like wassabi is often used to cover up the taste of sushi by people who don't really like fish, sometimes I think this is how hopps are used by non traditional beer drinkers. The only reason for the IPA was for the beer to make it to India without going bad, and now they put even more hopps then that to try and out hopp each other.. A traditional APA is about as much hopps as I usually want. I'd like to taste the beer more then the preservative. I will have an imperial stout IPA now and then but in general.....I am just not into them.... if you put that much hopps in a Natty Beast could you really tell the diff with much of Stone Brewery's beers? Not to knock them too hard they make some good beers, but it's hard to tell under all that hopps.... just my rant and opinion on hopps, and how they are a cover often for sketchy brewing.
As much as it pains me to say it Guinness dropped the ball, success and being bought out by a corp that doesn't care has not been kind to their process. Murphy's used to be the substitute. Now there is no way I'd trade Murphy's for a Guinness. Don't let the can fool you this is among the best Irish stouts.
America in the last decade or so has gotten some more world class breweries, but only a few have been around long and always maintained that pedigree. Anchor Steam is one of them. I consider Liberty Ale the American Pale Ale to judge all others by. It may not be the very best, but it sets the standard of what a APA should be, and what we drank when we Revolted from the British. Their Steam beer is what sets them apart as a brewery as it is the only original American beer style. However this APA in my mind is their best brew....and more likely to be what Sam Adams actually served, then what is made by the company using his name.
My favorite beer on this list, and maybe my most favorite beer of all time. If you ever see this buy it. It's not usually cheap, but even if you have the money is nigh impossible to find. It seldom made its way from a warehouse to the store as usually the distributor and or their friend (me) bought it before it made delivery. Don't mind the chewy bits, it's unfiltered, they are are the prize! this is the beer your ancestors would have had in the OLD days...this one you save the bottle just to cuddle with at night.
Possibly the oldest style beer in history; heather beer. Hopps is a relatively recent addition in beer history used to keep beer from spoiling...before they discovered hopps many other herbs were used. Egyptian pottery in the pyramids showed they used heather for their beer, this style is still made in Scotland...but Heather is more expensive then Hopps.....so you'll pay for it. But if you want to know what Noah was drinking, it may be this.
RAUCHBIER!!!!! Smoked beer....this is a style almost unique to Bamburg Germany. Before you drink this you have to decide. Do you like Bacon? Do you like dark bock beer? Would you like both flavors at once? If this sounds yummy to you this is the best Rauchbier I have had (and carried by "THAT STORE" in north Ga for Chatt peeps) If bacon beer sounds gross do not try any Rauchbier....it's not for you. Usually they used Alderwood, it was cheaper and it's a much harsher smoke flavor, this is Eiche Rauchbier, or "Oak" it's a more mellow smoke and was reserved usually for Christmas as Oak was more costly. They cost the same now, so go for the Oak! When I stop being lazy and cook a German meal liek my schnitzel last week this is my go to....if you don't like bacon in your beer, GTFO and do not eat my food.
Weisse Beer!!! My Bavarian ancestors loved this and likely have loved it since 1040 as this is the oldest brewery in the world. Think about that next time Budweiser does a hundred years of tradition commercial.....whatever. This was the beer I chose for my Groom's keg at my wedding. Summer and Weisse beer were made for each other. Simply the best Weisse beer made, after almost 1000 years of constant craftsmanship they seem to have got it right. I have no idea how much of this I have drank in my life.....it is my happy place. It is my keg of choice.
Piraat. Beware of this beer, it will most certainly whip yo azz. It's a high grav that is smooth as any Pilsner, but is a true Belgian beauty. This is smooth enough for anyone, with lots of flavor...but unlike many other high gravs it doesn't taste as strong as it is...2-3 will get most people wondering what they just did. Even beer lightweights will enjoy it usually though, then wonder why they hit the floor. Very smooth, sadly not cheap.
Abita is the other American brewery besidesAnchor Steam that has been world class for a very long time, before the 90's micro revival. They often are overlooked because of their commonness. Turbodog is my most favorite Brown Ale in the English style, and cheaper then many more expensive English imports that can't hold a candle to it. When the hurricane came to N'awlins I had a prayer vigil that this brewery might be spared.....the Good Lord agreed.
Like Rauchbier, aged beer or sometimes called sour beer is a niche taste. Do you like lemons? Do you like Sour? Did you eat the remains of the sour patch kids box as a kid? If so this is your beer, if not stay away. They basically purposely age this until the beer goes semi bad and sour......but it's done in oak casks and closely watched....then they mix it wish fresh beer... the result is a sweet and sour flavor that at one time simply what all working men drank in Europe. This USED to be what blue collar beer was about. This is delicious stuff. It's my father's favorite, and I am not far behind I will never turn it down. Again though you love it or you hate it....not much space on how people feel on it.
Now many guys will walk by this given the girlie packaging. The cans are even more so, but this is not your standard girlie beer. At our wedding this was my wife's choice for the Bride's Keg....interestingly since no one saw the brand or packaging this is the one even all the men got seconds of and went dry first. It is infused, no fake flavoring here. Real Raspberries...not overly sweet either....a fruit infused beer loved even by people who do not like fruity beer. Only down side it has a short shelf life...the real raspberry infusion can make this go bad sooner then many beers. It will turn dark first but still be quite tasty, but a year or so on the shelf and beware if it's a dusty bottle somewhere... Also if you have women at a party they love it, but so will the guys....a really good choice for a keg if you can find it.
This is not a definitive list.....just the first 10 that hit my mind..... Also you will note i do not have any IPA's.... I don't like IPA's... I consider the over use of hopps in beer now a fad, and like wassabi is often used to cover up the taste of sushi by people who don't really like fish, sometimes I think this is how hopps are used by non traditional beer drinkers. The only reason for the IPA was for the beer to make it to India without going bad, and now they put even more hopps then that to try and out hopp each other.. A traditional APA is about as much hopps as I usually want. I'd like to taste the beer more then the preservative. I will have an imperial stout IPA now and then but in general.....I am just not into them.... if you put that much hopps in a Natty Beast could you really tell the diff with much of Stone Brewery's beers? Not to knock them too hard they make some good beers, but it's hard to tell under all that hopps.... just my rant and opinion on hopps, and how they are a cover often for sketchy brewing.
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9296potsguy
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Yeah, I disagree about Abita too, seriously not a fan. Also smoke beers are becoming pretty common. Maybe not to the smokiness of Sclenkerla, but hell, even in Nashville is Yazoo's most sought after beer is Sue, their smoked porter. I've been searching out Bo & Luke (AtG's) version for the last few months.
I had Bo and Luke at the City House dinner during Nashville Beer Week. Seriously good beer. Then at a tasting, had the bottle version and found it a bit thin. But you'll get that with small breweries. Consistency is probably one of the biggest things they battle.
BTW...Winter Warmer tickets went on sale today. They are doing 2 days of sales and day 1 has already sold out. Day 2 sales start tomorrow at 8 am cst. They will go very fast. This is THE best beer fest probably in the state imo.
BTW...Winter Warmer tickets went on sale today. They are doing 2 days of sales and day 1 has already sold out. Day 2 sales start tomorrow at 8 am cst. They will go very fast. This is THE best beer fest probably in the state imo.
9296potsguy
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Sgt_Nick_Fury
Danneskjöld's love child.
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I think Abita Turbo dog has won enough awards, and got enough posative reviews it will stand on it's own. That said there are probably better American brown ales now, but to me it stands out because it existed before much of the micro craze existed, and because at it's price point there just isn't that much competition. Also for many in areas without a good beer store it might be the only option on the shelf for a good English brown. It is among my favorite because of my memories, I was drinking Turbodog before Sam Adams and the micro breweries took off..it's like coming home.
As for the smoked beers....yes everyone and their cousin lately has a "smoked" beer but I have yet to find many that actually are. They say it on their packaging, but it taste NOTHING at all like traditional Rauchbier, and are so different then the actual style, it's not really fair to consider it anything but a marketing ploy.
Rauchbier is a STYLE....and it either is or it isn't. But you can put "smoked" on just about anything..... I know the "smoked" beer by Sam Adams right now in high grav is atrocious....and hurt my feelings. many of the "smoked" porters also really don't have much of a flavor for it, but at least they are true to their style, but sometimes people get them thinking they are "Smoked beer" and they're just not...
Sclenkerla is not particularly more smokey then other true rauchbiers, it's just one of the few many will come across in American stores.... others to look for is Spezial Rauchbier the other Bamberg brewery with equal pedigree to Sclenkerla, Weyermann also makes a smoked beer now. There is also a Brazilian brewer in Sao Palo called Bamberg Bier that sells a traditional Rauchbier....I have yet to find any American smoked beer that is a true Rauchbier.
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Sgt_Nick_Fury
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Another among my favorites
Tilburg! A Dutch Brown Ale.... Dutch brown ales are a tad more sweet then their English Bretheran, but not as sweet as a doppel bock or other truly sweet beers. This is my favorite of them. Have converted a few die hard Newcastle fans to go Dutch with this. It used to also have a very affordable price point, but has gone up in the last few years, but still worth it. I also have got to love the painting on the package as among the weirdest brand labels....it is by a local artist to the town of the brewery....
Tilburg! A Dutch Brown Ale.... Dutch brown ales are a tad more sweet then their English Bretheran, but not as sweet as a doppel bock or other truly sweet beers. This is my favorite of them. Have converted a few die hard Newcastle fans to go Dutch with this. It used to also have a very affordable price point, but has gone up in the last few years, but still worth it. I also have got to love the painting on the package as among the weirdest brand labels....it is by a local artist to the town of the brewery....
9296potsguy
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I know some "smoked beers" are made by adding smoke to them and you can usually tell that, but then something like sue is made by actually smoking the grain over wood. But again, Sue is what it is...a very good Smoked Porter.
As far as Abita...I just don't care for any of their beers. I haven't had all of them, but certainly had more than your avg. beer drinker. Purple Haze, in my opinion, is probably one of the worst beers I've had, but I know some folks (mostly non beer drinkers) that love it.
As far as Abita...I just don't care for any of their beers. I haven't had all of them, but certainly had more than your avg. beer drinker. Purple Haze, in my opinion, is probably one of the worst beers I've had, but I know some folks (mostly non beer drinkers) that love it.
9296potsguy
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I bet Tilburg's is a great beer fresh. I blame poor distribution for the sixer I got that seemed a little oxidized.
Btw, I didn't mean to sound condescending if I came off that way. I enjoyed reading your post about certain styles that I don't really get into but can ceertainly appreciate. I was the only one at my table that could even handle the Schlenkerla Urbock. Was it something that I would seek out again? Not really, but I appreciated it for a fine beer.
Btw, I didn't mean to sound condescending if I came off that way. I enjoyed reading your post about certain styles that I don't really get into but can ceertainly appreciate. I was the only one at my table that could even handle the Schlenkerla Urbock. Was it something that I would seek out again? Not really, but I appreciated it for a fine beer.
Sgt_Nick_Fury
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It lists Cinder Bock as Rauchbier again calling something that and being that are two different things. I will happily look for the others and see if someone has honestly tried and succeeded at the style. If you have recommendations I will try that, but as long as a list includes beers like cinder bock as a Rauchbier I can't take the list on much faith, its not that it's bad it's just not remotely the flavor of the style.
Sgt_Nick_Fury
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That's a problem with many imports its not enough for a place to stock them they need to move em. Not many beers are good when they have sat collecting dust.
I hope I don't come across as a snob either, marketing done by many breweries is a pet peeve of mine. Especially when it says it is a style of beer and isn't.
I would only say this with the Abita turbo dog try it with similarly priced English brown ales. You may not like that style but I think for its price point it competes very well. It has won many awards through the years and inspired many micro breweries, even the advocate bros rate it highly. (Not that they can always be trusted) .... Everyone has their own preferences, I dislike ipa's and that craze, I sometimes recognize that an IPA is well brewed but I just am not a fan of over hopping it, I wouldn't say it's a bad beer, I just don't like super hoppy IPAs.... But who knows maybe next month I will.... Just keep drinking my friends.
DocVOLiday
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9296potsguy
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Cool. Btw, the BA bros are the biggest douchebags known to mankind, especially Todd and his super bi+chy wife. It's a shame that they run the best beer site around and got such a heads up on everyone. Someone could go far if they designed a manageable site with all the reviews of places and beers. It's the huge catalog of beers that would be the hardest to get things going. Also, I tend to like the bros reviews, but once there are enough reviewers (over 100), I tend to go with the masses even though some can be hypnotized by over hyped beers.
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