BEER

[Zarathustra]

The down side of all this is now when I drink stuff I used to call beer, I find I cant drink it. Just not enough flavor or the flavors are bland.

Dude, you're now a beer snob!

Welcome to the club.

Next..IPA's. I'm going to start trying more and more of those and find what I like with those. Feel free to load me up with some good things to try that you guys already know about.

There are a lot of crappy IPAs out there, since it's become such a trend among the beer hipsters in the last decade. I say start with the "classics" and move on to more aggressive stuff after that. Note: this is ironic advice, since the whole IPA style is an aggressive version of an English pale ale, over-hopped to survive ocean voyages to India centuries ago. (Hops are a natural preservative--and very good for you, too.) American IPAs are a revival of that old style, which had fallen out of favor in England. They are even more aggressive than the English originals. So, by starting with the "classics" in order to be less aggressive, this advice is doubly ironic. American versions (which I recommend below) are neither classic nor tame.

Start with something like Bell's Two Hearted Ale, or Stone's IPA. Make sure it's an IPA, rather than a double IPA (or IIPA or "imperial" IPA), which are much stronger and intense. Sometimes they're too sweet, as well. Also--THIS IS CRUCIAL--make sure it's fresh. Hops fade quickly. I try not to drink an IPA that's more than a month old, if I can help it (unless I've brewed it myself ... I can keep them fresher longer). If an IPA does not have a "brewed on" date, I don't buy it. A "drink by" date is almost as good, but some brewers allow more leeway in these dates than others. As a rule of thumb, get the latest "drink by" date you can find. If it expires this month, skip it.

The reason it's absolutely crucial to get a fresh IPA is because the delicate hop flavor/aroma will fade faster than the hop bitterness, leaving you with a simplistic, unbalanced, bitter beer. The entire reason for an IPA is a showcase for hops. Old IPAs have no use whatsoever, except for perhaps a marinade.

With that said, an IPA is supposed to be fairly bitter. Expect that. You'll just have to get used to it. Some balance out the bitterness with malt sweetness more than others. I prefer them bone dry, not sweet.

Also, this sounds silly, but it's important: drink it in a glass. Smell it as you drink it. Taste is largely informed by smell. Aroma is a bigger deal with IPAs than any other style. It should smell like a bouquet of flowers, mixed with pine and citrus. Possibly even tropical fruits.

[Orlion]

The down side of all this is now when I drink stuff I used to call beer, I find I cant drink it. Just not enough flavor or the flavors are bland.

Dude, you're now a beer snob!

Welcome to the club.

One of us! One of us! I'm always surprised to find that beers I use to drink (Miller Lite or Guinness) are now flavourless swill or just taste bad I never liked Budweiser, and now I mainly drink Yuengling if I'm going to do some "session drinking"... you know, get drunk

Thanks for the advice on IPAs, Z! I, too, am trying to expand my horizons beyond porters, stout, and lagers.... and delicious Blonde Ale!

There are a lot of crappy IPAs out there, since it's become such a trend among the beer hipsters in the last decade. I say start with the "classics" and move on to more aggressive stuff after that. Note: this is ironic advice, since the whole IPA style is an aggressive version of an English pale ale, over-hopped to survive ocean voyages to India centuries ago. (Hops are a natural preservative--and very good for you, too.) American IPAs are a revival of that old style, which had fallen out of favor in England. They are even more aggressive than the English originals. So, by starting with the "classics" in order to be less aggressive, this advice is doubly ironic. American versions (which I recommend below) are neither classic nor tame.

Damn hipsters! I drank a porter recommended by them once....Once!:lol:

The American Pale Ales I've tried thus far have been fantastic, I particularly like the Rhinegeist Pure Fury. It's really something different, and the theme of Rhinegeist seems to be to provide balanced beers.

Now, if you want an interesting display of hops, the Lagunitas Sucks is fantastic. You really have to swish that beer around your mouth in multiple drags to get the full experience. A flowery aroma on the nose (as beer snobs seem to say ) a malty body with various bitter, somewhat citriusy...dare I say melon? flavour and a hoppy after taste to carry the malty freight away.

Edit to add: I remember my first IPA. It's what really helped me to get into beer to begin with. My friend's dad had homebrewed a Black IPA (essentially an IPA made with roasted malt). It was spiritual! Combined with the Penitentiary Ale Savor Dam gave me at Elohimfest, I was shown that beer could be something other than aspirin tasting filth.

[Cail]

Mmmmmmm......IPAs.

It's really hard to beat a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. The Stone IPA is very good, as is the Lagunitas IPA.

Now, if you want an interesting display of hops, the Lagunitas Sucks is fantastic. You really have to swish that beer around your mouth in multiple drags to get the full experience. A flowery aroma on the nose (as beer snobs seem to say Laughing) a malty body with various bitter, somewhat citriusy...dare I say melon? flavour and a hoppy after taste to carry the malty freight away.

Yes indeed. That is a truly magnificent beer.

[SoulBiter]

Mmmmmmm......IPAs.

It's really hard to beat a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. The Stone IPA is very good, as is the Lagunitas IPA.

Now, if you want an interesting display of hops, the Lagunitas Sucks is fantastic. You really have to swish that beer around your mouth in multiple drags to get the full experience. A flowery aroma on the nose (as beer snobs seem to say Laughing) a malty body with various bitter, somewhat citriusy...dare I say melon? flavour and a hoppy after taste to carry the malty freight away.

Yes indeed. That is a truly magnificent beer.

. Does that only come in 32oz bottles? I saw some today but thought I would ask

[Cail]

Mmmmmmm......IPAs.

It's really hard to beat a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. The Stone IPA is very good, as is the Lagunitas IPA.

Now, if you want an interesting display of hops, the Lagunitas Sucks is fantastic. You really have to swish that beer around your mouth in multiple drags to get the full experience. A flowery aroma on the nose (as beer snobs seem to say Laughing) a malty body with various bitter, somewhat citriusy...dare I say melon? flavour and a hoppy after taste to carry the malty freight away.

Yes indeed. That is a truly magnificent beer.

. Does that only come in 32oz bottles? I saw some today but thought I would ask

That's the only way I've seen it. The local bar keeps a stash for me and a few other regulars.

[SoulBiter]

I'm going to go ahead and try one this coming week based on you guys really liking this

[Cail]

It's divine.

[Orlion]

I was able to find another bottle! I'm soooo happy!

Probably won't be drunk until next Sunday, but it should keep till then.

Today, I tried an experiment. I started drinking some Pure Fury (Rhinegeist's American Pale Ale) from a can and then poured it into a glass. My friend and I agree, it is (as Z pointed out) a completely different experience. From the can, the citrusy and bitter overtones dominated, but from the glass is where we got a fuller range of flavors.

I'm going to have to try Great Lake's Burning River again, since I drank it direct from the bottle when I had it. This time around, I'll have to do it from a glass.

[Savor Dam]

Last time I sampled Great Lakes, it was on draft in the Flats during the late '90s near downtown Cleveland...and spectacular.

This afternoon, Dam-sel and I visited Hi-Fi Brewing after three months of not really paying attention to their brews. She liked the Peanut Butter Wolf, and I stuck with the Whiskey Porter.

[Zarathustra]

Today, I tried an experiment. I started drinking some Pure Fury (Rhinegeist's American Pale Ale) from a can and then poured it into a glass. My friend and I agree, it is (as Z pointed out) a completely different experience. From the can, the citrusy and bitter overtones dominated, but from the glass is where we got a fuller range of flavors.

I just had Rhinegeist's IPA for the first time this weekend. Not bad at all! It reminded me of Schlafley American IPA a little (one of my favs).

Yeah, drinking out of a glass is more than just looking 'sophisticated.' If you drink out of the can or bottle, it's like eating while holding your nose. You miss most of the flavor. I've got a set of different glasses for different styles, but the tulip glass is my favorite for concentrating the aromas.

[SoulBiter]

I'm going to go ahead and try one this coming week based on you guys really liking this

I bought a bottle of Lagunitas sucks and I will drink it this weekend. I also splurged for a $12 dollar bottle of Thieves in Law.

Even better news. My favorite brewery is relocating to the town I live in and taking over the old Snapper building (where they made lawnmowers) so they can expand their operation.

[SoulBiter]

I'm going to go ahead and try one this coming week based on you guys really liking this

I bought a bottle of Lagunitas sucks and I will drink it this weekend.

Loved this beer! At first I was a bit put off by the sheer amount of stuff (taste) in this beer. But as I settled in to enjoy it, I found myself appreciating the character. Although I didn't get 'melons' I did get 'citris'.

One other thing I learned. My wife decided that we needed to go to town so I couldnt finish the quart of beer. I used one of my wine corks to re-cork it. I didnt get back to the beer until last night...So two nights later. When I uncorked, it made a refreshing sound and poured with a nice head. So last night I finished it and it didnt appear to have lost anything by corking. Yes I would buy this again!!!

[Zarathustra]

Yeah, you don't lose too much over the course of a day or a weekend by recorking (or capping). Since I've got a bottle capper and lots of caps around, I do this a lot. It's the same principle with filling a growler and drinking that over the course of a weekend.

Eventually, the extra air in the bottle will oxidate the beer and give cardboard or stale flavors, but it's not intended for long term storage.

I'll have to try Sucks. I just saw it arrive in my market a few weeks ago.

[SoulBiter]

So my two favorite stouts seem to have dried up for a bit.. Cant find them anywhere and I have tried many stores looking for them. So I had to break out of the mold and try some more new stuff.

So I picked up:
Deep Six Robust English Style Porter
Stone IPA
Highland Black Mocha Stout

And another 32oz Lagunitas Sucks... See what you guys have done!!!


Hopefully my go-to Stout will be back in stores soon. <sniff>

Edit - Highland Black Mocha Stout and it was a decent stout. It was hoppy on the nose but no hops to speak of in the taste. Good coffee and chocolate tones. Pours a deep black but a little under medium body. Almost no head. I would drink it again, but I wouldn't buy this every week.

Deep Six Robust English Style Porter - Really good. I would buy this again for sure. Nice and malty, good body, continued to improve/change tastes as it warmed. I will definitely buy this again.

I will let you guys know how the rest go

[Zarathustra]

I'm going to go ahead and try one this coming week based on you guys really liking this

I bought a bottle of Lagunitas sucks and I will drink it this weekend.

Loved this beer! At first I was a bit put off by the sheer amount of stuff (taste) in this beer. But as I settled in to enjoy it, I found myself appreciating the character. Although I didn't get 'melons' I did get 'citris'.

...Yes I would buy this again!!!

I'm trying my first one right now. I was expecting something more like Arrogant Bastard, since it's listed as an American Strong Ale style (though, that's a catch-all style with wide variety). However, it tastes like an imperial IPA. In fact, it tastes a little like Stone's Ruination IPA, a little like Founder's Double Trouble (IIPA), and something all its own. Aroma is candy-sweet malts and floral hops.

I've got to say that this particular batch is quite bitter. Almost too bitter. I like the floral hops, but that bitterness has got something funky and unpleasant in the aftertaste, like fruit that's going bad. I'm getting a lot of metallic taste that hits on the back of the tongue like really sour candy. It makes my taste buds feel like they're cringing. [Edit: on second thought, I believe it's spiciness of the rye malt ... which I usually love, but not here.] There's also a dishwater taste that reminds me of Yuengling lager. Not pleasant.

I see that it's very highly rated, and comes highly recommended here. It's possible I got a bad bottle or batch. I'll have to try it again sometime. At less than $8 for 32 oz, it's a good buy.

[SoulBiter]

So I drank the Stone IPA last night and it was good...a solid beer. I have a local IPA (Mugshot IPA) that I have been drinking that it reminds me of. I still prefer the Mugshot IPA but I enjoyed the Stone. IF any of you get down to Georgia, stop by Hampton on a Thursday/Friday/Saturday afternoon and try some of the Jailhouse beers. As I have been learning about beer, Im finding that their beers are truly superb!

Something my local brewery did when I was there, they poured me a IPA but then added some stout (like a quarter cup) to the pint of IPA. I wasn't sure what to expect but it was so good. It added some malt/roast taste to the hops and bitterness of the IPA. I hadnt though of mixing my beers like that, but I will try that again at home.

Sorry to hear you didn't like or got a bad batch of the Lagunitas. I didnt get a metalic taste but a piney taste when I drank mine with a nice citris on the nose but I could see that piney taste turning to metalic if it was an old or bad batch. I haven't opened mine yet but I will soon. I did try to find a date stamp on it but I couldn't see one. Course people like different things and it might just be that there is something about this beer that doesnt appeal to you. I know people that LOVE Guinness and Murphy's but I cant stand the taste of it.

[Menolly]

Something my local brewery did when I was there, they poured me a IPA but then added some stout (like a quarter cup) to the pint of IPA. I wasn't sure what to expect but it was so good. It added some malt/roast taste to the hops and bitterness of the IPA. I hadnt though of mixing my beers like that, but I will try that again at home.

Did they layer them, like in a black and tan?

[SoulBiter]

Something my local brewery did when I was there, they poured me a IPA but then added some stout (like a quarter cup) to the pint of IPA. I wasn't sure what to expect but it was so good. It added some malt/roast taste to the hops and bitterness of the IPA. I hadnt though of mixing my beers like that, but I will try that again at home.

Did they layer them, like in a black and tan?

No, they were packed at the time and were just pouring as fast as they could. However I will try that at home sometime soon. Just open an IPA, layer it with a stout. Usually its more IPA less stout so I would probably need to be prepared to cap off the stout or drink 3 pints, (2 IPA pints layered with a pint of stout).

[Savor Dam]

You need someone to drink with!

[SoulBiter]

You need someone to drink with!

All too true. Sadly my wife is not much of a beer drinker. On occasion I can get her to drink a beer but not very often. The biggest reason is that she is trying to lose that last 2 lbs to hit her goal weight in WW and beer really packs on the calories, especially full flavored craft beers.

My neighbor and I drink a beer or two here and there but he drinks swill (coors light mostly) and lots off it LOL. So I sit down to drink a couple of beers, he sits down to drink a 12 pack. Its hard to truly enjoy the flavors and aroma of a good beer when the guy next to you is downing them without any regard for anything other than session drinking.