The Great Beer Thread

[filfoster]

Favorite beer

Remember your first taste of beer? The one your dad or mom let you sneak from their long neck bottle or church key opened can back in the 50's? Before Child Protective Services sprang from its demon crucible? Ok, I love Schlitz. No classy panache. No high profile pitchpeople. No advertising at all that I can find outside of vintage magazines. It's beer that tastes like beer did back in the 50's and 60's when, guess what? it was a popular beer.
Even the can looks the same except for the pop top.
It's the hardest beer to find in my area and my friends all love to drink mine but won't (who may be watching, don't you know? and all that self image) buy it themselves. That's OK. I know where to find it and they don't.

 

[MEDIUMMYND]

Young"s special London ale tonight a 6.4% bottle conditioned ale lovely

 

[dnjan]

Comments on Firestone Walker beers?

Does anyone have any comments on Firestone Walker beers (Paso Robles, CA)? The reason I ask is that a recent newsletter from my "home" brewpub (Hales in Seattle) announced that they had just hired Dave Seiler as their new head brewer, and that he had previously brewed at Firestone Walker. Hales' previous head brewer (for around 20 years) has left in order to try to start a distillary. I'm curious as what to expect in any new brews from Hales.

 

[John in Covina]

Firestone Beers are superbly crafted and really quite nice. Their brews are excellent examples of existing styles and they do have some with their own twist- a new recepie.

Fear not they are good!

 

[Kermez]

Rogue XS Imperial Red Ale - expensive ($17 for a 26 oz. bottle), but worth trying.

 

[Tomasso]

Can you say Emeril?

Are craft brewers trying to grab a little celebrity, as chefs have done recently?

(Crain’s) — Two popular microbreweries are collaborating on a specialty brew to create buzz among local craft beer lovers.

Dogfish Head and Three Floyds will brew Popskull, a limited-batch German-style brown ale, at Three Floyds’ Munster, Ind., brewery Thursday. The beer, aimed at hardcore micro-brew fanatics, will be sold at the Munster brewery and possibly some select Chicago-area retailers and bars.

“These are two shining stars in the beer world and both are very popular in Chicago,” said Jerry Glunz, general manager of Louis Glunz Beer Inc., a Lincolnwood distributor that works with both companies. “They are both very innovative brewers and people are very excited to see what they will produce.”

Lincoln Anderson, a sales and marketing representative with Three Floyds, said Popskull is a slightly sweet, high-alcohol malt beer. He estimates a 22-oz. bottle will sell for $12 to $25.


To celebrate the launch, Nick Floyd, founder of Three Floyds, and Sam Calagione, founder of Delaware-based Dogfish, will meet with fans Wednesday at The Bottom Lounge.

 

[John in Covina]

On the West Coast and in particular the Pacific Northwest there is about 25 years of explosive microbrewing acton. Collaboration , people moving, continual experimentation and specialty brews are all part of what it takes to get and keep a happy consumer. Stone Brewing by San Diego has an extraordinary history of special brews and a like many brewers a devoted following.

 

[Frykitty]

Here in Nelson BC, We have a little craft brewery that puts out some really decent beers, they have an oatmeal stout, a honey ale and a few other ales. All of which are great. The best part is they're organic... but my current cold draught of choice has to be the Okanagan Springs 1516, a clean tasting beer all around. huh, now I'm thirsty.
cheers.

 

[tortswon]

Dave Seiler

Don, Dave is a fine brewer and a fine guy. His beers are edgeless but not boring, IMO. We were in Paso Robles in October and enjoyed a number of his beers. He was at GABF so I did not seem him this go round but we have met on several occasions. Try to meet him. I think you'll hit it off. If you see him, please send regards from Tom, George and Sam, the Philly beer guys. Best, Sam

 

[dnjan]

Thanks, John and Sam

for your words of encourgement concerning the new brewmaster at Hales. I hope to make it over there next week. (due to a tax-cutting citizens' initiative a number of years ago, the bus that went direct from my work to right in front of Hales was severely cut back, and the transfer required now makes it tougher to get there. I've disliked the guy who wrote that initiative ever since ...)

I will pass on the strong recommendations the two of you have provided, and impress upon him the high level of expections I have.

thanks!

 

[rumblefish]

I just got back from Southampton Publick House for lunch and their limited release of these beers. I tried the Imperial Russian Stout while waiting for my allotment (four of each type per customer). Wowsee! It's a lot like North Coast's Old Rasputin. A bit headier having 1.5% more alcohol. There's slight, very slight hint of licorice, which I couldn't really identify until a girl next to me on line pointed it out.

I spoke with the Brew Master about the Berliner Weiss they put out some years ago. It seems so many people have been asking for it, so he going to try for a spring release this year. It won a few awards and I've heard good reviews but I have never tried it.

 

[bdb71]

My favorite would have to be . I believe its German..FreeandCold..

Paulaner Hefe
Fat Tire
Bass Ale
Dos Equis Lager

and really cold PBR in mass quantities

 

[yobbos1]

Hobgoblin.

 

[John in Covina]

An old time brew, Rainier Ale AKA the Green Death. I picked up a six pack of 16oz cans at Galco the soda pop place in Highland Park. It has the wang flavor from too much sugar to make the alcohol high, but they are a lot like a martini in effect.

 

[dnjan]

Rainier used to have the greatest commercials! Didn't like their beer that much, but the commercials ...
Rainier motorcycle commercial

Rainier light

 

[wildturkey8]

I like beer. I probably cannot designate one as a favorite. I like Boulevard Beers of KC, Diamond Bear Beer in Arkansas, New Belgium Ales, as well as Red Seal Ale of CA. I love Guinness, Bass, Newcastle, Boddingtons, but sometimes I like an ice cold Budweiser, Michelob Ultra or Old Style.

 

[Kermez]

Hobgoblin.

Yes, very nice, if rather pricey. I buy a few six pack throughout the year, generally in summer/fall.

(Winter/Christmas is my favorite time of the year, beer-wise, and I buy so much of it that there's little room for anything else until late spring / early summer - I keep my stock rotated by expiration, of course.)

 

[AtomicEraTom]

My dad is a heck of a businessman. He's been successful in many business endeavors. Real Estate, Lawn Equipment, Guns and Ammo, and his next endeavor he plans on going into once he gets the gun store fully relocated is to start a microbrewery. He's always wanted to do it and thinks that it will do rather well in the area. Many around here have really been thriving. Here's hoping that we can get it up and going, and maybe one of these days some of my FL buddies will be enjoying some of the family product!

 

[John in Covina]

My dad is a heck of a businessman. his next endeavor he plans on is to start a microbrewery. Here's hoping that we can get it up and going, and maybe one of these days some of my FL buddies will be enjoying some of the family product!

***********
Best wishes for that endeavor, local brew is a wonderful thing.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

***********
Best wishes for that endeavor, local brew is a wonderful thing.

Thank you! I'll have to buy a round for all my friends here once we get going.