The Great Beer Thread

[mrfish]

Just looking at it makes my mouth water. I tend to get the Extra Stout more than the standard draught style, but this sounds so tasty that I'll need to make an effort to find it.

You won't be disappointed. It really is quite spectacular. My new favorite winter beer.

I find that summer calls for a lighter style. Pilsner Urquell or Red Stripe or an excellent local:

 

[Kabel]

Hey guys, I've got a question. I'm sort of enjoying a pint of Newcastle Brown Ale at the moment. I'm not a huge beer drinker and have a bit of a sweet tooth. I remember drinking ales in England that were a little sweeter than Newcastle Brown. Does anyone have suggestions? I'm quite new to the whole world of beer.

 

[DJH]

Kabel, Newcastle (and brown ale in general) is way too sweet for me personally, so I've not ever tried to find anything sweeter than that.

This evening I'm enjoying a Ruthless Rye IPA from the folks at Sierra Nevada.

It doesn't look as red in the glass as in the nicely lit enhanced shot on their website, but it is a nice easy drinking IPA and the rye gives it a little bite. Worth checking out if you see it around.

 

[Dinerman]

A great ad.

 

[DJH]

Love that one - too cool. So the ad is from 1937 (assuming Pabst started in 1844)?

Next time I'm a member of a yachting party, I'll know what to order.

 

[John in Covina]

Hey guys, I've got a question. I'm sort of enjoying a pint of Newcastle Brown Ale at the moment. I'm not a huge beer drinker and have a bit of a sweet tooth. I remember drinking ales in England that were a little sweeter than Newcastle Brown. Does anyone have suggestions? I'm quite new to the whole world of beer.

Most Barley Wines that are not American will ahve some sweetness to them as will many Scotch ales. Beer thru the beeer engine or "pump' have lower carbination and will be less dry as their bottled or c anned versions. Try Maibocks from Germany they are malt heavy and not as hoppy.

 

[dnjan]

an excellent local:

I head back to Pittsburgh in a week. Church Brew Works is my regular Saturday lunch. How have their special brews been? When I left in December, they had been on a string of strange, spiced/flavoured beers.
And there is no need to ever add licorice to beer ...

 

[Kabel]

Most Barley Wines that are not American will ahve some sweetness to them as will many Scotch ales. Beer thru the beeer engine or "pump' have lower carbination and will be less dry as their bottled or c anned versions. Try Maibocks from Germany they are malt heavy and not as hoppy.

Thank you for the advice John and DJH, I'll be sure to give both those a try and I'll have a look at the Scotch ales too.

 

[1961MJS]

Most Barley Wines that are not American will ahve some sweetness to them as will many Scotch ales. Beer thru the beeer engine or "pump' have lower carbination and will be less dry as their bottled or c anned versions. Try Maibocks from Germany they are malt heavy and not as hoppy.

To add to what John mentions, and being OBVIOUS, Barley Wines do NOT equal Scotch ales. I don't like (as opposed to really hate) Barley Wines, but I like most Scotch ales I've tried. Some of the Barley wines I've had were almost sticky, like a movie theater floor. I also like Scotch ales much more than Russian Imperial Stouts. There are a bunch of brands in a lot of styles for a reason is my point.

Have fun trying them ALL!!

 

[Kabel]

To add to what John mentions, and being OBVIOUS, Barley Wines do NOT equal Scotch ales. I don't like (as opposed to really hate) Barley Wines, but I like most Scotch ales I've tried. Some of the Barley wines I've had were almost sticky, like a movie theater floor. I also like Scotch ales much more than Russian Imperial Stouts. There are a bunch of brands in a lot of styles for a reason is my point.

Have fun trying them ALL!!

I have this very peculiar feeling that I'm going to have quite the belly after all this try-tasting. I hope I'll find one I like and if beer's not my palette, there's always good ol' cognac to fall back on...

 

[1961MJS]

I have this very peculiar feeling that I'm going to have quite the belly after all this try-tasting. I hope I'll find one I like and if beer's not my palette, there's always good ol' cognac to fall back on...

Why YES YOU ARE, Barley Wines, Imperial Stouts, and Scotch Ales have say 6 times the calories of your regular beer. Drink two and you'll be slightly drunk, and way too full to stand up.

Later

 

[anon`]

Ale:

Clearly, not drinking it yet. Probably at least two weeks off, still. Probably closer to three.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi, years ago, I made some Scotch ale and managed to keep two of the bottles for a year. They were MUCH better than the ones I drank "green" at about 3 months.

Later

 

[anon`]

Were I making a sour ale, it would sit and age. But this is not a sour ale, so it will be drank rather quickly.

Not least because I don't want to have to buy another three cases of bottles just to start the next batch.

 

[1961MJS]

Were I making a sour ale, it would sit and age. But this is not a sour ale, so it will be drank rather quickly.

Not least because I don't want to have to buy another three cases of bottles just to start the next batch.

Hi, Scotch ales aren't sour, but are usually sweet. The one I made was very, very good when bottled and aged 3 months, I made myself wait. Letting it go a year really did improve it. Highly hopped ales are meant to be aged, the hops is a preservative. India Pale Ale was brewed in England and took the long boat to India, aging it along the way.

Brown ales can be aged a little while, but I don't think that they improve much.

Later

 

[anon`]

Yes, I know that Scotch ales are not sour. I also know why IPAs are called IPAs. I reject the assertion that highly-hopped ales were "meant" to be aged, however.

But none of that changes the fact that I'm not going to sit on a beer that isn't a sour--or maybe a barley wine or other big beer--for the sole sake of ageing it at this point in my brewing career.

 

[dnjan]

I would tend to disagree that highly-hopped ales are meant to age. Hops may be a preservative, but the hops flavour actually fades somewhat quickly. Sweeter (and stronger) ales, if properly stored, will mellow with time and (in my opinion) taste better.

And I would be all for drinking that ale in the fermenter as soon as it is properly bottle-conditioned (though three weeks may be a bit optomistic!)

 

[1961MJS]

I would tend to disagree that highly-hopped ales are meant to age. Hops may be a preservative, but the hops flavour actually fades somewhat quickly. Sweeter (and stronger) ales, if properly stored, will mellow with time and (in my opinion) taste better.

And I would be all for drinking that ale in the fermenter as soon as it is properly bottle-conditioned (though three weeks may be a bit optomistic!)

Hi Don

I agree sweeter and stronger ales do mellow in a good way over time. Traditionally, the highly hopped ales are only somewhat meant to be highly hopped in flavor. Hops used to be primarily a preservative (stabilizing agent) for beer. I do agree that highly hopped ales lose their hoppy flavor over time. I think it depends on your expectations as to whether or not that's a good thing. I'm beginning to need a Guiness and it's 12:25PM, and I have shooting tonight darnit.

anon, I figured you knew about IPA and aging beer, but that was for illustration.

Later

 

[John in Covina]

High hopping was used as a preservative which is the concept behing India Pale Ale. Hopped and brewed to take the long voyage to India from England. With many live things aging does have an effect. IPA were good but fell into a sleep mode after a time then about a year in the bottle then flavors woke up again and the beer was much improved. (From Michael Jackson's report) Beer may sit and have subtle changes or great changes as time progresses. Heavy hopping will ususally aid aging as will higher alcohol content when paired with a heavier malt basis. So Barley wines, double IPA's and Scotch ales often take to aging better. Light (lite) beers, most pilsner types and many lagers won't age gracefully. Aging for drinkability for home brew also has some guidelines. the heavy / strong beers tend to need longer aging to get past being green, the larger the bottle or container the longer the aging to get past being green. (For non-homebrewers this green refers to unripe as in an apple that should be red to be ripe eaten green has green unripe flavoras and is not ready. The same occurs with beer. I have drank at brew pubs that were serving unripe - too early beer.

I was a certified beeer judge in the AHA. Beer remains a favorite subject.

 

[1961MJS]

...So Barley wines, double IPA's and Scotch ales often take to aging better. Light (lite) beers, most pilsner types and many lagers won't age gracefully. ...

Hi John

That really matches what Grandpa Mike said years ago. He was a fireman on the railroad before Prohibition and said that all of the local towns in Illinois had a brewery back before 1918 and that all of their beer was better that what's available now. He said that the breweries in the railroad towns would leave a fresh keg tapped and you could go by and fill up the cup from your lunch on your way home from work.

He did mention that one town had skanky water, and therefore had skanky beer to match.

Guinness, Guinness, darnit again.