I'll have to try Stone IPA.
I've had Old Peculier in bottles, and it was good ... better than Bass, to be sure.
Now I long for a true British bitter to taste the difference. Bottled beer is better than no beer, and that's certainly true with Samuel Smith's, but I bet the real thing is quite a bit different and better.
Beverage: Beer (favorite brands & articles about)
Moderator: Darb
I went to one of my favorite liquor stores today and picked up a few beers.
16.9oz bottle of Riggwelter Yorkshire Ale by Black Sheep Brewery
750ml bottle of Oude Gueuze by Hanssens Artisanaal
750ml bottle of La Terrible by Unibroue
I finished the Riggwelter a little bit ago. It was quite malty and very good, I would love to try this cask conditioned. I just started on the Gueuze as I'm watching the ALCS ballgame. I love the tartness of the style, but it is an acquired taste or so I'm told. I'll probably save the Unibroue for tomorrow.
16.9oz bottle of Riggwelter Yorkshire Ale by Black Sheep Brewery
750ml bottle of Oude Gueuze by Hanssens Artisanaal
750ml bottle of La Terrible by Unibroue
I finished the Riggwelter a little bit ago. It was quite malty and very good, I would love to try this cask conditioned. I just started on the Gueuze as I'm watching the ALCS ballgame. I love the tartness of the style, but it is an acquired taste or so I'm told. I'll probably save the Unibroue for tomorrow.
That's too bad. Those two along with Moosehead are what most people on this side of the border think of when they think of Canadian beers. Canada has much more to offer, but we don't see much off it down here. Unibroue is, in my opinion, the best brewery in Canada. Also of note are Big Rock from Calgary; Creemore Springs from Creemore; McAuslan from Montreal; Granville Island from Vancouver; and Philips from Victoria.tollbaby wrote:Everybody else drinks Molson or Blue (two more local breweries).
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tollbaby
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Steamwhistle also has a very good India Pale Ale (they're from somewhere near Toronto, I think). I'm not sure if Sleeman's is a Canadian brewery or not, but they're also very popular. And of course, our flagship brewery (the first in Canada, I believe)... Alexander Keith's. Very popular with the uni and pub crowds 
And what manner of jackassery must we put up with today? ~ Danae, Non Sequitur
I didn't know Steam Whistle makes an IPA; I know that they are known for their Pilsner. I've never had it but I hear it's good. Sleeman is a Canadian brewery in Guelph. Some of what they brew is good, some is not. I've had Alexander Keith's IPA and was not impressed at all, for an IPA it had no noticeable hop presence. I have heard that their Honey Brown Ale is pretty good though.
Well, as long as we're on the topic of Canadian Breweries, here's a cut & paste of an old article I wrote for my old homebrewing newsletter, back in 1998 (has it already been that long ?).gpackin wrote:That's too bad. Those two along with Moosehead are what most people on this side of the border think of when they think of Canadian beers. Canada has much more to offer, but we don't see much off it down here. Unibroue is, in my opinion, the best brewery in Canada. Also of note are Big Rock from Calgary; Creemore Springs from Creemore; McAuslan from Montreal; Granville Island from Vancouver; and Philips from Victoria.tollbaby wrote:Everybody else drinks Molson or Blue (two more local breweries).
The information in this article is now very dated, and I don't know if any of the places I reviewed are still in operation. Anyway, enjoy.
Brad wrote:Nova Scotia Brewpub Crawl
(written July 1998)
We never made it to the Glenmore Distillery in Cape Breton (long story), but Mary & I did manage to visit 2 brewpubs and a microbrewery during our honeymoon in Nova Scotia. Despite the province’s name (Gaelic for “New Scotlandâ€
This is from memory, but here goes:
Ale yeast strains come from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae family of yeasts, which are top fermenters, meaning part of the colony flocculates atop the medium they're fermenting (during active fermentation), and the rest stays in suspension. You can go to the website of anchor brewing for pictures of what a top fermenting vat of ale looks like. Ale yeasts tend to ferment best at warmer temperatures (60-85F), and ferment faster and more violently than lager strains, and generally create more fuity esters and spicy phenols ... i.e., they produce stronger and more variable flavors.
Lager yeast strains come from the Saccharomyces carlsbergensis family, and generall flocculate on the bottom of the fermenting container, while the rest stays in suspension. Lager yeasts tend to ferment best at cooler temperatues (40-60F), work more slowly, and produce less esters than ale strains - yeilding a more delicate and restrained flavor.
I dont know the exact science behind why one strain tends to be bouyant whereas the other is less so ... it might be a simple as the fact that when looked at under an electron microscope, the former has a rougher surface or more pourous interior that allows some of the dissolved CO2 it produces during active fermentation to cling to the yeast cells, causing them to float.
In both cases, once fermentation is complete, both types of yeast settle to the bottom of the fermentation container.
Incidentally, WINE yeasts are a bit different in that they might be either top of bottom fermenting - the thing that makes them suited to winemaking is their (a) higher tolerance of alcohol, and (b) higher tolerance to the presence of sulfites, than their ale/lager counterparts.
Baking yeasts might come from either family as well, but are selected for the ability to activate and ferment very fast, and for having high tolerance to heat.
Think dog & cat breeding - just like dogs and cats each have different sub-strains, ales and lagers and wine yeasts each have different sub-strains as well ... hundreds of them, each originating from different parts of the world and/or embraced by different breweries for their various qualities and quirks.
Once upon a time, I could easily recite at least 75-100 different strains of ale, lager and wine yeasts from memory, along with their flavor and fermentation characteristics. These days, I'd be lucky to hit 20-25.
Ale yeast strains come from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae family of yeasts, which are top fermenters, meaning part of the colony flocculates atop the medium they're fermenting (during active fermentation), and the rest stays in suspension. You can go to the website of anchor brewing for pictures of what a top fermenting vat of ale looks like. Ale yeasts tend to ferment best at warmer temperatures (60-85F), and ferment faster and more violently than lager strains, and generally create more fuity esters and spicy phenols ... i.e., they produce stronger and more variable flavors.
Lager yeast strains come from the Saccharomyces carlsbergensis family, and generall flocculate on the bottom of the fermenting container, while the rest stays in suspension. Lager yeasts tend to ferment best at cooler temperatues (40-60F), work more slowly, and produce less esters than ale strains - yeilding a more delicate and restrained flavor.
I dont know the exact science behind why one strain tends to be bouyant whereas the other is less so ... it might be a simple as the fact that when looked at under an electron microscope, the former has a rougher surface or more pourous interior that allows some of the dissolved CO2 it produces during active fermentation to cling to the yeast cells, causing them to float.
In both cases, once fermentation is complete, both types of yeast settle to the bottom of the fermentation container.
Incidentally, WINE yeasts are a bit different in that they might be either top of bottom fermenting - the thing that makes them suited to winemaking is their (a) higher tolerance of alcohol, and (b) higher tolerance to the presence of sulfites, than their ale/lager counterparts.
Baking yeasts might come from either family as well, but are selected for the ability to activate and ferment very fast, and for having high tolerance to heat.
Think dog & cat breeding - just like dogs and cats each have different sub-strains, ales and lagers and wine yeasts each have different sub-strains as well ... hundreds of them, each originating from different parts of the world and/or embraced by different breweries for their various qualities and quirks.
Once upon a time, I could easily recite at least 75-100 different strains of ale, lager and wine yeasts from memory, along with their flavor and fermentation characteristics. These days, I'd be lucky to hit 20-25.
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This past Friday, I had the pleasure of sinking a few pints from a rare keg of Stone 11th Anniversary Ale ... one of only 3 such kegs sent to the NY area.
Style: Think a brown ale version of a San Francisco style "Imperial IPA".
AbV: 8.6%
Body: Medium
Color: Dark Brown
Hops: Very hoppy - tastes like cascade (white grapefruit).
Recommended ... if you can find it. Some states have it in 22oz bomber bottles, as well as a magnum.
Style: Think a brown ale version of a San Francisco style "Imperial IPA".
AbV: 8.6%
Body: Medium
Color: Dark Brown
Hops: Very hoppy - tastes like cascade (white grapefruit).
Recommended ... if you can find it. Some states have it in 22oz bomber bottles, as well as a magnum.
The small liquor store in my little town has a pretty good selection of beer, it's a much better selection than you'd think from a store where the big seller seems to be 18 packs of bud products. They seem lately to be bringing in some different beers that they haven't stocked before. This a good for two reasons. The first reason is I don't always have to drive fifteen minutes to get to one of the two stores that I normally go to, and the second is they are getting better rotation on the shelves now. They haven't been the best at getting rid of older stock that hasn't sold, I've seen some of the same six packs there for close to two years.
My latest new finds there were La Choulette Blonde and Southampton Double White Ale. La Choulette Blonde is a Bière de Garde from France, one of my many favorite styles. It was pretty good, but in my opinion 3 Monts by Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre is a better Bière de Garde. The other find was a strong version of a Belgian Witbier from Southampton Publick House on Long Islands, I'm sure Brad must be familiar with it. It was really good. It reminded me of a higher ABV version of Calabaza Blanca by Jolly Pumpkin. If you haven't had anything by Jolly Pumpkin, they all have a touch of sourness to them. The Double White Ale had this same sour characteristic to it, it's something I enjoy in certain beers.
My latest new finds there were La Choulette Blonde and Southampton Double White Ale. La Choulette Blonde is a Bière de Garde from France, one of my many favorite styles. It was pretty good, but in my opinion 3 Monts by Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre is a better Bière de Garde. The other find was a strong version of a Belgian Witbier from Southampton Publick House on Long Islands, I'm sure Brad must be familiar with it. It was really good. It reminded me of a higher ABV version of Calabaza Blanca by Jolly Pumpkin. If you haven't had anything by Jolly Pumpkin, they all have a touch of sourness to them. The Double White Ale had this same sour characteristic to it, it's something I enjoy in certain beers.
Agreed about Tres Monts.
Here's a tasting review I wrote on that beer (for my old newsletter), back c.1996. I apologize in advance for the slightly borked formatting ... I'm posting it as is, rather than correcting it:
[quote="Brad"]Trois Monts (St. Sylvestre), Grand Reserve Special Ale
Style: French Biere de garde, in the style of a Belgian ‘Golden Strong Ale’
Score: World Class - I’d give it an 93 (of 100)
Color: Full Gold (SRM » 6-7)
Body: Dryish, medium palette (fuller than the Leffe)
Hops: Medium
Brewing Info: OG (actual) = 1.076 Hops (actual)= Brewer’s Gold & Tettnanger
Abv (actual) = 8.5 % Grains (actual) = Pilsner, CaraPils, Aromatic, and a little candi sugar.
Yeast (guess) = I’d try Wyeast 3787 to approximate this.
Taste: Dryish yet malty, slightly winey, spicy, and aromatic. Complex, elegant, and seductive, with hints of ‘cork/cellar muskiness’, lite bread dough, and the slight ‘sour/yeasty’ character typical of a Belgian Golden Strong ale. Dense, creamy, and long lasting head, with excellent lacework. Similar to, but lighter & less aggressively hopped than Duvel - accordingly, it’s a little more approachable and flexible with food. As advertised, this is a special ale to lay down and save for an evening of fine food with that special someone in your life.
Food Suggestions: This is more of an aperitif beer, but it’s so nice that I found myself searching for ways to build an entire meal around it. I haven’t verified this with experience yet, but something about this ale says ‘have me with mild cheese, cream sauces, heavier types of fish (salmon/sword), or poultry’. As an aperitif it should match very nicely with crudite and warm soft cheese (like brie). Since this is a potent ale, I’d match it with heavier entrees like pasta & chicken alfredo, broiled salmon w/cream sauce and/or blackened spices, veal marsala, or duck. For inexpensive take-out fare, try it with foods that are ‘cheesey, briny/garlicy, or gamey’: pizza (w/mushrooms & meatballs); linguini w/white clam sauce, pecorino & garlic; veal parmigan; or lamb gyros.
Glassware: As an aperitif, I’d serve it in an oversize tulip glass (not to be confused with a ‘flute’ glass), just like you would a fine Brut Champagne - it concentrates the complex bouquet, shows off the pinpoint carbonation, and allows the fine lacework of the head to “strut it’s stuffâ€
Here's a tasting review I wrote on that beer (for my old newsletter), back c.1996. I apologize in advance for the slightly borked formatting ... I'm posting it as is, rather than correcting it:
[quote="Brad"]Trois Monts (St. Sylvestre), Grand Reserve Special Ale
Style: French Biere de garde, in the style of a Belgian ‘Golden Strong Ale’
Score: World Class - I’d give it an 93 (of 100)
Color: Full Gold (SRM » 6-7)
Body: Dryish, medium palette (fuller than the Leffe)
Hops: Medium
Brewing Info: OG (actual) = 1.076 Hops (actual)= Brewer’s Gold & Tettnanger
Abv (actual) = 8.5 % Grains (actual) = Pilsner, CaraPils, Aromatic, and a little candi sugar.
Yeast (guess) = I’d try Wyeast 3787 to approximate this.
Taste: Dryish yet malty, slightly winey, spicy, and aromatic. Complex, elegant, and seductive, with hints of ‘cork/cellar muskiness’, lite bread dough, and the slight ‘sour/yeasty’ character typical of a Belgian Golden Strong ale. Dense, creamy, and long lasting head, with excellent lacework. Similar to, but lighter & less aggressively hopped than Duvel - accordingly, it’s a little more approachable and flexible with food. As advertised, this is a special ale to lay down and save for an evening of fine food with that special someone in your life.
Food Suggestions: This is more of an aperitif beer, but it’s so nice that I found myself searching for ways to build an entire meal around it. I haven’t verified this with experience yet, but something about this ale says ‘have me with mild cheese, cream sauces, heavier types of fish (salmon/sword), or poultry’. As an aperitif it should match very nicely with crudite and warm soft cheese (like brie). Since this is a potent ale, I’d match it with heavier entrees like pasta & chicken alfredo, broiled salmon w/cream sauce and/or blackened spices, veal marsala, or duck. For inexpensive take-out fare, try it with foods that are ‘cheesey, briny/garlicy, or gamey’: pizza (w/mushrooms & meatballs); linguini w/white clam sauce, pecorino & garlic; veal parmigan; or lamb gyros.
Glassware: As an aperitif, I’d serve it in an oversize tulip glass (not to be confused with a ‘flute’ glass), just like you would a fine Brut Champagne - it concentrates the complex bouquet, shows off the pinpoint carbonation, and allows the fine lacework of the head to “strut it’s stuffâ€
Last night I put Spaten Optimator on tap. After that's done I'll probably move to an Anchor Porter.
I'm psyched because a friend of mine has a 2005 vintage keg of Old Guardian Barleywine from Stone Brewing squirreled away in his walkin that will be going online soon ... apparently one of only 2 such kegs available anywhere in NY state.
I'm psyched because a friend of mine has a 2005 vintage keg of Old Guardian Barleywine from Stone Brewing squirreled away in his walkin that will be going online soon ... apparently one of only 2 such kegs available anywhere in NY state.
Both of those are great beers. Anchor Porter is one of my favorite porters.Brad wrote:Last night I put Spaten Optimator on tap. After that's done I'll probably move to an Anchor Porter.
Tonight I picked up:
a six pack of Tröegs Mad Elf Ale
a six pack of Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager (for my wife)
a 750ml bottle of Fantôme Saison D’Erezée - Hiver by Brasserie Fantôme
a 750ml bottle of Saison D’Erpe-Mere by KleinBrouwerij De Glazen Toren
question for ya'll...thinking of giving an assortment of beers to my dad for christmas. did it once before on a cheap-beer level (packaged assortment from a "world market" store) and it was well received, but this time i'd like to up the quality level a bit. not really sure what types of beer are his favorites ...i know he drinks yuengling on occasion, and he had a bass ale once at a restaurant that he seemed to enjoy. i think he'd be willing to try most types of beer at least once. any suggestions? looking to give him a box of about 8-12 different beers, preferably bottled.
blessed are we who can laugh at ourselves, for we shall never cease to be amused.
daetara,
My suggestion to you, since you are in Richmond, would be to go over to Corks & Kegs located at 7110 A. Patterson Ave. They are supposed to have a great beer selection and helpful staff. Tell them what you are looking to do and ask for some suggestions, I'm sure they would be happy to help you.
My suggestion to you, since you are in Richmond, would be to go over to Corks & Kegs located at 7110 A. Patterson Ave. They are supposed to have a great beer selection and helpful staff. Tell them what you are looking to do and ask for some suggestions, I'm sure they would be happy to help you.
Yes, local beer distributors that focus on a wide selection of microbrews are fun for guys to explore and/or get gifts from ... you can also do things like a gift certificate to a local brewpub (or a restaurant advertising a healthy selection of beers).
One thing I dont generally recommend is a mail order 'beer-of-the-month' club, as inconsistencies with regards to freshness, temperature control, and agitation (which contributes to oxidation in the bottle, and results in cardboardy/skunky nuances) are not uncommon ... I would never, ever, for instance, buy a cork-finished beer bottled on the lees from a mail order outfit.
A local retailer, brewpub, or well-stocked restaurant, is probably your best bet.
Pay particular attention to always giving preference to domestic microbrewed ale kegs over their bottled counterparts, and the latter are very often microfiltered and flash pasteurized in order to be shelf stable at room temperature, whereas kegs (which are designed to be constantly refrigerated) are fairly often un-pasteurized, and are typically filtered less aggressively ... and therefore, taste much better, and are fresher. That's predicated on finding a good establishment that religiously cleans and maintains their beer and CO2 lines however, to avoid off flavors.
One thing I dont generally recommend is a mail order 'beer-of-the-month' club, as inconsistencies with regards to freshness, temperature control, and agitation (which contributes to oxidation in the bottle, and results in cardboardy/skunky nuances) are not uncommon ... I would never, ever, for instance, buy a cork-finished beer bottled on the lees from a mail order outfit.
A local retailer, brewpub, or well-stocked restaurant, is probably your best bet.
Pay particular attention to always giving preference to domestic microbrewed ale kegs over their bottled counterparts, and the latter are very often microfiltered and flash pasteurized in order to be shelf stable at room temperature, whereas kegs (which are designed to be constantly refrigerated) are fairly often un-pasteurized, and are typically filtered less aggressively ... and therefore, taste much better, and are fresher. That's predicated on finding a good establishment that religiously cleans and maintains their beer and CO2 lines however, to avoid off flavors.
Tonite, on my way home, I'll be picking up a selection of porters and oatmeal stouts for comparison tasting. It turns out my early favorite (Anchor Porter) is not available in keg form in my area ATM, so I'll have to pick a fallback. I'll probably go with a local similar option ... such as Bluepoint Oatmeal Stout, which is very nice, as well as price competitive - and avail in both 1/6 keg and 1/2 keg formats.
As a footnote, I had a 22 oz bomber bottle of 2007 vintage "Old Guardian" barleywine from Stone Brewing Co. An excellent west-coast style barleywine. Very smooth & mature (too many american barleywines are immature and require several extra months of bottle maturation), big alcohol, and, to my relief, it was neither overly sweet, overhopped (as many west coast barleywines tend to be), nor overdark (overuse of caramel malts and darker pale malts is commonplace). Excellet.
I'm looking forward to my friend tapping the 2005 vintage keg of Guardian he has squirred away in his tavern's basement walk-in ... the extra 2 years of lagering should be wonderful, but he always serves his beers a bit undercarbonated ... so much so that you have to pour from a height (or roll the beer into another glass from height) to get anything resembling a head.
As a footnote, I had a 22 oz bomber bottle of 2007 vintage "Old Guardian" barleywine from Stone Brewing Co. An excellent west-coast style barleywine. Very smooth & mature (too many american barleywines are immature and require several extra months of bottle maturation), big alcohol, and, to my relief, it was neither overly sweet, overhopped (as many west coast barleywines tend to be), nor overdark (overuse of caramel malts and darker pale malts is commonplace). Excellet.
I'm looking forward to my friend tapping the 2005 vintage keg of Guardian he has squirred away in his tavern's basement walk-in ... the extra 2 years of lagering should be wonderful, but he always serves his beers a bit undercarbonated ... so much so that you have to pour from a height (or roll the beer into another glass from height) to get anything resembling a head.
