Beer thread

[MS Fowler]

Originally Posted by Skippy

Tom T Hall (I Like Beer) - YouTube

It's rare that I encounter a beer I don't like, though some are definitely better than others.

My first legal beer was a Bass. Selection at the bars I frequent is pretty limited, and I don't drink at home very often anymore, so it's usually MGD or High Life for me. However, I really enjoy an IPA. Last month I went to Seattle and had the good fortune to sample Pike's Double Trouble IPA. Nice stuff. Once in a while I'll make the extra hike to a local bar that has Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA. It's the beer to have if you're only having one. It's 7.2% abv, and the amount of hops in it would surely do unpleasant things to my digestive system if I drank it in large quantity.

I think your observation is a good diving point for beer drinkers. There are those who quantity drink- They drink 4, 6 or more beers at a clip, maybe the goal is to get drunk, or maybe it helps their social skills. I don't judge them, but they are the quantity drinkers. ( Unless they get drunk and then get behind the wheel--then I have a problem with them.)
Then there are the taste drinkers. This group likes the taste of the beer the drink, and they generally limit their consumption.

Maybe that is simplistic, but it seems to account for the popularity of the mass brewed beer, as well as the craft brews.

[jplinville]

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

I think your observation is a good diving point for beer drinkers. There are those who quantity drink- They drink 4, 6 or more beers at a clip, maybe the goal is to get drunk, or maybe it helps their social skills. I don't judge them, but they are the quantity drinkers. ( Unless they get drunk and then get behind the wheel--then I have a problem with them.)
Then there are the taste drinkers. This group likes the taste of the beer the drink, and they generally limit their consumption.

Maybe that is simplistic, but it seems to account for the popularity of the mass brewed beer, as well as the craft brews.

I've found that, generally speaking, quantity drinkers have a complete lack of self control. Those that I've known are so engrossed in the next drink and getting drunk, that they are rarely interested in being productive. They turn to the bottle for celebration, as well as frustration and depression. Sadly, these are the ones that crash out eventually and realize, after they've lost everything good that they ever had, that there's nothing at the bottom of the brown bottle. By then, they are so hooked on it that they don't know where to turn.

I have an older brother that way...one beer is never enough for him. He has to continue until he's made an a$$ out of himself. I guess I'm lucky in that I can take it or leave it. The only drink that could easily put me on the wrong road is rum, so I rarely have anything with rum in it. I've worked too hard to get my kids and for what I have in my life to allow myself to get to that point.

Don't get me wrong...I enjoy beer, I love the flavors and how they enhance different food. I just won't let it rule me.

[cmbdiesel]

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

There is more to life than politics. You might want to think about what motivates you to stalk my threads and post smarmy comments.
This thread is about beer. If you have something to post about beer, then please do.
If not--get off this thread.

Couldn't agree more. The Beer Party accepts all those who have love for it.

There is no room for politics in the Beer Party.

Someone mentioned Belgians.... may have to pick up a couple bottles of Chimay.
As they do not filter their beer, everyone who buys a bottle gets a free yeast culture that, although not commercially available as such, would cost more than the actual bottle of beer. It's the yeast I use for my Grand Cru. Over 600 years of careful propagation by those crafty monks.

[cmbdiesel]

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

I think your observation is a good diving point for beer drinkers. There are those who quantity drink- They drink 4, 6 or more beers at a clip, maybe the goal is to get drunk, or maybe it helps their social skills. I don't judge them, but they are the quantity drinkers. ( Unless they get drunk and then get behind the wheel--then I have a problem with them.)
Then there are the taste drinkers. This group likes the taste of the beer the drink, and they generally limit their consumption.

Maybe that is simplistic, but it seems to account for the popularity of the mass brewed beer, as well as the craft brews.

I prefer the versatility of possessing the skill set from both groups...

I deliberately brew some of my beers (the cream ale in particular) down around 3% so one can have a nice long session without getting plastered.
Then there are the big beers, the flavors one can achieve with expansion of the malts can really be the key to deep and complex flavors. Of course the bigger the grain bill, the bigger the alcohol %... so those are the sippers.


The popularity of the mass produced yellow fizzy beers is, IMHO, a perfect microcosm of what is wrong with this country. No one has any taste, or sense enough to know it. Don't get me wrong, I have a similar approach as Swamp, I can find something good in almost any beer (Harley Davidson Heavy Beer and Blatz may be the only exceptions...) But far too many people have no clue that there is something better out there for them.
Our country needs more local breweries!!! More farmers should be growing barley. Every home should have a hopyard.

[toomany MBZ]

I tried growing hops, nothing.

Fortunately, there is a well stocked supply house nearby.

I don't even measure the alcohol content anymore and use my brew as a cut for store bought stuff.

This way I choose how strong the taste is.

A break from politics is quite welcome, too bad someone has to drag the thread down.

[jplinville]

Originally Posted by toomany MBZ

I tried growing hops, nothing.

Fortunately, there is a well stocked supply house nearby.

I don't even measure the alcohol content anymore and use my brew as a cut for store bought stuff.

This way I choose how strong the taste is.

A break from politics is quite welcome, too bad someone has to drag the thread down.

He can't help being born a poor black boy just waiting on the new phone books to come in...

[cmbdiesel]

Hops really want to climb, and if given the opportunity, they will generally thrive.
I planted some rhizomes 3 years back, and at this point I have to cut them back.
The arbor/arch that I put up over the stairs to the deck is 20' tall, and completely covered.

I have been known to occasionally make a black and tan with storebought, but usually for the opposite reason... to make the home brew last longer.

I have a great supply store near me, run by an old grumpy codger who has 2 of everything in the back covered in dust.... Great guy - once he gets top know you. He made a trip a year or so back out to Colorado to visit breweries, and I was able to hook him up with the owners of a few breweries that know from my time out there in the brewing business. Been pretty good friends ever since

For ingredients, I generally use Austin or Northern brewer. In fact, the lemongrass ginger is a recipe that I pirated directly from Austin homebrew.
It is definitely cheaper for me to buy bulk grains from them than it is to buy local. Sometimes, they are actually cheaper for ingredient kits (all the malts, hops and yeast) than if you bought the components separately. I often buy kits that are on sale and just use the ingredients in my own recipes. It's an interesting way to try different hops or yeast or malts.

[cmbdiesel]

Originally Posted by toomany MBZ

I tried growing hops, nothing.

Fortunately, there is a well stocked supply house nearby.

I don't even measure the alcohol content anymore and use my brew as a cut for store bought stuff.

This way I choose how strong the taste is.

A break from politics is quite welcome, too bad someone has to drag the thread down.

I rarely check post ferment, but I check carefully during my sparge.

Best thing I ever purchased was a refractometer. Allows you to take gravity readings using a drop or two of liquid at any temperature. Beats hell outta filling a cylinder, getting it to temp and then floating a hydrometer.
$50 and I can fine tune the SG to exactly what I am looking for.

Heres the one I bought - Austin Homebrew Supply

[jplinville]

My wife surprised me yesterday with 3 growlers she picked up at the East End Brewing Company...a local micro-brew pub. One is Monkey Boy, which is a Hefeweizen, and the other two are BigHop Havest Ale, which is a wet-hop ale. I'll be opening these this afternoon.

She picked up Barmy Ginger Ale and rootbeer for the kids. They're not too fond of the ginger beer, as this batch is a bit warm in the throat, but I like it.

I love having a decent amount of micro-brews only a few miles away, as well as 2 small neighborhood pubs.

[cmbdiesel]

Originally Posted by jplinville

My wife surprised me yesterday with 3 growlers she picked up at the East End Brewing Company...a local micro-brew pub. One is Monkey Boy, which is a Hefeweizen, and the other two are BigHop Havest Ale, which is a wet-hop ale. I'll be opening these this afternoon.

She picked up Barmy Ginger Ale and rootbeer for the kids. They're not too fond of the ginger beer, as this batch is a bit warm in the throat, but I like it.

I love having a decent amount of micro-brews only a few miles away, as well as 2 small neighborhood pubs.

Gotta love a wet hop!! and a wife who comes home with beer!!

My hops are getting close, and I think I will be using them in a wet hop this year, as my last attempt at drying was less than stellar...

[cullennewsom]

Tücher Helles Hefeweizen
Shiner Hefeweizen, because it is easiest Hefeweizen to get here.
Most other Hefeweizen, but not Pyramid for some reason.

Corona, Corona Light
Shiner Blonde

Lindemans Framboise, this stuff is like Kool Aid, only much more expensive, takes a year to make a batch!

[MS Fowler]

Originally Posted by jplinville

My wife surprised me yesterday with 3 growlers she picked up at the East End Brewing Company...a local micro-brew pub. One is Monkey Boy, which is a Hefeweizen, and the other two are BigHop Havest Ale, which is a wet-hop ale. I'll be opening these this afternoon.

She picked up Barmy Ginger Ale and rootbeer for the kids. They're not too fond of the ginger beer, as this batch is a bit warm in the throat, but I like it.

I love having a decent amount of micro-brews only a few miles away, as well as 2 small neighborhood pubs.

3 growlers, is that 1 1/2 GALLONS?
wow!

[cmbdiesel]

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

3 growlers, is that 1 1/2 GALLONS?
wow!

I know... what is everyone else going to drink??

[alabbasi]

I used to drink lagers when I lived in England and Kroninburg (French beer) was a favorite. I've only recently started seeing it here in the US, but now my tastes have changed and I'm more into Hefeweizen's as lagers are now too gassy.

[elchivito]

Originally Posted by jplinville

My wife surprised me yesterday with 3 growlers she picked up at the East End Brewing Company...a local micro-brew pub. One is Monkey Boy, which is a Hefeweizen, and the other two are BigHop Havest Ale, which is a wet-hop ale. I'll be opening these this afternoon.

She picked up Barmy Ginger Ale and rootbeer for the kids. They're not too fond of the ginger beer, as this batch is a bit warm in the throat, but I like it.

I love having a decent amount of micro-brews only a few miles away, as well as 2 small neighborhood pubs.

Best use for that spicy ginger beer:

in a rocks glass

ice, three shakes angostura bitters
squeeze of lemon
ounce and a half of good rye whiskey. Sazerac, Bulleit 95, etc.
top with the ginger beer

You can use bourbon or sour mash I guess if the hogs don't mind sharing their corn