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Pilsners pair so drat well with pizza! I had never experienced the pairing of them before, mostly because I basically never buy Pilsners. This changed when I bought a Sierra Nevada Beer Camp 12 pk, and paired their Imperial Pilsner with a few slices of pizza. Such a great combination, I'm glad to have found out about that wonderful pairing in this thread. On top of that, all of the beers in the 12 pk seem to be pretty good. Non are mind blowing or anything, but they're all good, and I'm glad to have tried them. I think the Oatmeal Stout is my favorite, I can't wait for SN to release their Narwhal Stout!
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Oct 7, 2012 03:13
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Solid bottle share among four friends: The unlabeled bottle (and one directly behind it) are Westvleteren 8 and 12. I actually liked 8 more than 12. It had a really sour smell to it. 12 was very good, but not a huge fan of the style so probably not the best judge. I loved Black Butte (never had any of the anniversary versions before), Marshal Zhukov (the thickest non-BA'd stout I've ever had and further proof CC can do very little wrong), and Syx. Was surprised with Syx because I found Five kind of boring. But it tasted like, as one of my friends described accurately, a rum-pineapple drink with lots of woody after taste. Also my first time with Askew. Though it doesn't rate as well, I'd put it up there with some of the better American sours I've had. Maybe the two years helped, but found it similar to Love Child No. 2, without the barrel aging aspect. We started with Speedway, and I have to say I was disappointed. I think I went in buying the hype, but we opened two stouts (Butte falls in that level of classification, if you ask me) that were better. Not a bad beer at all, but I expected something amazing. Of course, the best thing all night was King Henry. It still blows my mind.
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Oct 7, 2012 04:10
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danbanana posted:Solid bottle share among four friends: I have to say I thought Pelican's Mother of All Storms was almost equally as impressive as King Henry. Both are amazing.
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Oct 7, 2012 05:54
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danbanana posted:Solid bottle share among four friends: I agree with you on Westvleteren 8 vs 12. To me it's the better all-round beer, wish I could have it for lunch weekly with some sourdough "boterhammen" with old Gouda.
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Oct 7, 2012 10:51
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On my way to Santa Rosa for GABF training and I missed my first flight. I'm not irresponsible at all, why do you ask?
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Oct 7, 2012 17:08
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Oh yeah I should probably make plans for GABF huh? Jesus the number of events around lodo alone the next few days almost make attending the session(s) themselves an afterthought. Drop me a line if you'd like to say yello. Also goto the Austin beer thing at the Starbar on Fri so someone besides me can comment about them 
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Oct 7, 2012 17:49
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I went to a party last night and tried the FFF Dark Lord from this year. I hadn't tried any of them before from any year, so I had no idea what to expect. It was extremely sweet and had a strong cherry flavor. It was good, don't get me wrong, but I didn't think it lived up to the hype. My friend also had two bottles of a Dark Lord with vanilla bean but we didn't open that, but I think it would have been a little easier drinking. I traded a bottle of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout for a six pack of FFF Zombie Dust. Hadn't had Zombie Dust before but I can see why so many people go crazy for it. A really delicious IPA with a citrusy/floral finish, which I like more than a malty or hoppy finish.
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Oct 7, 2012 18:43
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People call Zombie Dust a pale ale, but it's 6.4%, that's an IPA to me, just like Dale's Pale Ale, I don't know why they call it a pale ale.
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Oct 7, 2012 18:57
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Midorka posted:People call Zombie Dust a pale ale, but it's 6.4%, that's an IPA to me, just like Dale's Pale Ale, I don't know why they call it a pale ale. I think of 7% as the IPA/pale ale cut off, I realize. As always, Two-Hearted sets the standard.
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Oct 7, 2012 19:17
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I personally think that anything over 6% with more than a mild-moderate bitterness is an IPA. Dale's is too high in alcohol and has too much hop bitterness for me to even think of it as a pale ale. I mean it's 65 IBU too, that's just pushing it imo.
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Oct 7, 2012 19:37
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SUPER HASSLER posted:Oh yeah I should probably make plans for GABF huh? Jesus the number of events around lodo alone the next few days almost make attending the session(s) themselves an afterthought. I'm planning on my friends doing any of the heavy duty planning and spending any idle time at Great Divide. I will be indistinguishable from every other beer hipster with thick rimmed glasses and an oxford shirt.
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Oct 7, 2012 19:48
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What does ABV have to do with a beer being a pale ale vs. an indian pale ale? The classic IPA is just a pale ale with lots of hops added to preserve it, the amount of alcohol in it has nothing to do with the style? Due to American breweries love of hops, APA's tend to share more in common with an IPA than old style british pale ales. But that's still a function of bitterness, not ABV? Would you consider Lagunitas Daytime a pale ale since it's low ABV?
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Oct 7, 2012 19:57
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Midorka posted:I personally think that anything over 6% with more than a mild-moderate bitterness is an IPA. Dale's is too high in alcohol and has too much hop bitterness for me to even think of it as a pale ale. I mean it's 65 IBU too, that's just pushing it imo. Well, I'll go ahead and be that guy: a quick google search shows that the Brewers Association lists Pale Ale as being up to 5.6% ABV, but Strong Pale Ale as up to 6.3%. Didn't know that category existed. Looks like they've got your back on the IBUs, though: even the Strong Pale only goes up to 50. In the end, though, it's really up to the brewery and how they think it'll best be marketed. It's not like these things are actually regulated. And I now know there's not only a Bitter, Special Bitter, and Extra Special Bitter, but also a Best Bitter. Where can I find this Best Bitter? Is it really the best? These are the things I need to know! In other news, I had Glazen Toren's Cuvee Angelique on tap the other night. What a fantastic, complex beer. A lot of robust, dark fruits and a surprising amount of malts that ramps up into a tangy sourness right at the end. Surprisingly light mouthfeel for a barrel aged dark, as well. Definitely worth checking out!
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Oct 7, 2012 20:13
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It took me a while, but I finally found Widmer in NJ. It's not that it was that hard, but I was just lazy to drive around and find it. It was all that I was drinking when I went out to Portland and now I can drink it out here.
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Oct 7, 2012 20:27
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Retemnav posted:Would you consider Lagunitas Daytime a pale ale since it's low ABV? Yeah, pretty much. With craft beer really taking off among even the non-nerdy types (speaking mostly anecdotally here) the label IPA has a lot of cachet that pale ale can't quite match. Although even typing this has sort of rekindled my distaste for 'beer styles' as anything more than a spur for discussion.
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Oct 7, 2012 21:10
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I'm not into labeling beers or anything, but Lagunitas is really weird. Their IPA Maximus is malty. Their regular IPA is more hop-forward. Their "dogtown" pale ale is just not good. I just tried a Daytime though and it's got some really nice hop flavor. I love that tropical fruit flavor. 54 IBU and 4.6% ABV This is a really yummy summer-time beer. (I live in Florida so it's still hot as balls down here, even if it's not technically summer) Lil Sumpin Sumpin is also a nice summertime beer. Nice wheat beer with citrus flavor. Hopefully Daytime goes the way of LSS, in that it was a one-off beer, but people loved it so much, that it became a regular release. escape artist fucked around with this message at 21:37 on Oct 7, 2012 |
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Oct 7, 2012 21:34
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Had a 2012 KBS today, and I think this beer is a prime example of why serving temperature matters. When it was cold, straight out of the fridge, it was a whiskey bomb. I love bourbon, but this was too much, too overpowering a whiskey flavour. However, as it warmed, the chocolate and coffee started to come back in and by the time I was about halfway through, it was a wonderful, well-balanced beer that deserves its acclamation. I would still drink BCBS over it any day of the week though. edit: Daytime IPA is pretty great, I had it before my KBS, though I'm not sure if I prefer Daytime or FFF Pride & Joy.
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Oct 7, 2012 21:47
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Working on Alpine's 2012 Ichabod Ale. From what I can tell, it's been a few years since they've made their pumpkin beer, though unlike other pumpkin beers all they do is take some base ingredients and put them into different styles. In the past Ichabod's been a wild ale (and other things); this year they went with a 6% porter. Pumpkin, nutmeg, and some spices are mentioned on the bottle, though I'm picking up a heavy sage presence that almost borders on pine, which makes me feel not so much like I'm drinking a porter but instead a black IPA. They claim chocolatey smoothness as well, but I'm not getting any chocolate at all. The nutmeg has a tinge of curry to it as well, and I guess the nutty qualities of the dark grains fit well with the nutmeg, but otherwise I'll chalk this one up as a fairly unremarkable beer. It's not artificially sweet, though, so a tip of the cap to Alpine for staying away from the temptation.
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Oct 7, 2012 22:26
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So apparently Cantillon Zwanze Day is on December 1st, and like last year, West Lakeview Liquors will be hosting again. I didn't get to go last year, but are any other Chicagoans planning on attending? I know I will be...
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Oct 7, 2012 22:42
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crazyfish posted:So apparently Cantillon Zwanze Day is on December 1st, and like last year, West Lakeview Liquors will be hosting again. I didn't get to go last year, but are any other Chicagoans planning on attending? I know I will be... I think I could do that...
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Oct 7, 2012 22:48
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crazyfish posted:So apparently Cantillon Zwanze Day is on December 1st, and like last year, West Lakeview Liquors will be hosting again. I didn't get to go last year, but are any other Chicagoans planning on attending? I know I will be... First I've heard of that date. If it really is two weeks before Kerstbier Festival I'm going to need to start saving, like, today.
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Oct 7, 2012 23:37
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It's been announced that Dec. 1st is Zwanze Day, but I didn't think they've announced locations yet? I'm hoping Louisville is one of them again! I missed out last year.
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Oct 8, 2012 00:07
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escape artist posted:Their regular IPA is more hop-forward. Their "dogtown" pale ale is just not good. Just in case it's been a while, they replaced Dogtown with New Dogtown three or so years ago, and New Dogtown is a fantastic hoppy beer that probably trends closer to an IPA than a pale ale, perhaps even more so than their "IPA".  If it was the New Dogtown you've had, there's a good chance you've had an old bottle, because New Dogtown is fantastic. I think I'll probably pick some up tomorrow, it's been a while.
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Oct 8, 2012 00:10
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screenwritersblues posted:It took me a while, but I finally found Widmer in NJ. It's not that it was that hard, but I was just lazy to drive around and find it. It was all that I was drinking when I went out to Portland and now I can drink it out here. What does Widmer make that is worth seeking out, given the awesome distribution NJ gets?
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Oct 8, 2012 00:36
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Sublimer posted:It's been announced that Dec. 1st is Zwanze Day, but I didn't think they've announced locations yet? I'm hoping Louisville is one of them again! I missed out last year. West lakeview posted about it on facebook, but I don't think there is a more complete list yet.
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Oct 8, 2012 00:43
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Midorka posted:What does Widmer make that is worth seeking out, given the awesome distribution NJ gets? nothing.
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Oct 8, 2012 00:53
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funkybottoms posted:nothing. Correct.
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Oct 8, 2012 01:01
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Midorka posted:What does Widmer make that is worth seeking out, given the awesome distribution NJ gets? Their Rotator IPA has been constantly good, and the Brother's Reserve SXNW I had last month was legitimately a great beer. I'd probably seek out the SXNW, but I'm pretty sure it was a rather limited release. Their regular lineup is nothing special. I'd say they're all solid enough beers that I pick up occasionally, but absolutely not worth seeking out.
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Oct 8, 2012 01:07
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I liked their Galaxy Hopped Saison (or barleywine? I forget) that was on sale for 4.99 bomber.
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Oct 8, 2012 01:20
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TenaciousTomato posted:I liked their Galaxy Hopped Saison (or barleywine? I forget) that was on sale for 4.99 bomber. Yeah, the Galaxy Barleywine was pretty good too, but since that was a release from about this time last year IIRC, I doubt there's too much sticking around. Generally, their big bomber series is worth picking up, but is often a bit too pricy for what you get. The SXNW I thought was an exception though, worth every penny I paid, and it's their latest big release as well. Edit: Their Omission Pale Ale is easily the best gluten free (or rather "gluten reduced") beer I've had, and really the only one that might be worth drinking if you don't suffer from celiac. I hear Harvester Brewing are doing some drinkable things with gluten-free too. deadwing fucked around with this message at 01:55 on Oct 8, 2012 |
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Oct 8, 2012 01:51
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screenwritersblues posted:It took me a while, but I finally found Widmer in NJ. It's not that it was that hard, but I was just lazy to drive around and find it. It was all that I was drinking when I went out to Portland and now I can drink it out here. You really didn't branch out much beyond Widmer? In Portland?  Midorka posted:What does Widmer make that is worth seeking out, given the awesome distribution NJ gets? funkybottoms posted:nothing. Does Widmer make anything special? No. It's not bad, but they don't really make anything great either. deadwing posted:Their Rotator IPA has been constantly good, and the Brother's Reserve SXNW I had last month was legitimately a great beer. I'd probably seek out the SXNW, but I'm pretty sure it was a rather limited release. Their regular lineup is nothing special. I'd say they're all solid enough beers that I pick up occasionally, but absolutely not worth seeking out. The Rotator series has ranged from decent to abominable (Spiced IPA) for me. The SXNW is fine, but maybe I just didn't think it was very good because I drank it in a lineup of generally excellent beers. But, yeah, I think your statement pretty much nails it. Hey SUPER HASSLER, go drink the Crux Fermentation Project Fresh Hop Crystal Zwickle if you can find it. I was at the Hood River Hop Fest last weekend and the Portland Fresh Hop Festival this weekend and it was far and away the best fresh hop beer I've had this year.
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Oct 8, 2012 03:01
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XxGirlKisserxX posted:Definitely come to Tampa. It'll be an awesome time. Quick CCB question - do you guys ever intend to re-release brewery exclusive beers like Leon or are they a one-and-done deal?
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Oct 8, 2012 03:16
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deadwing posted:New Dogtown is a fantastic hoppy beer Agreed. I love their IPA but will buy New Dogtown first every time.
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Oct 8, 2012 03:49
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Midorka posted:People call Zombie Dust a pale ale, but it's 6.4%, that's an IPA to me, just like Dale's Pale Ale, I don't know why they call it a pale ale. Because it's Three Floyds. Their "mild ale" (Pride & Joy) is a pale ale, their "pale ale" (Alpha King) is a quintessential IPA, and every drat beer they make is mildly to ludicrously overhopped for the style or is simply formulated to be a hop bomb. About the only exception would be Dark Lord, but you pretty much can't make that bitter enough to balance out the residual sweetness. That being said, they're still tasty. Goose Island can only afford to send so many brewers to GABF, so I'm going to miss it this year.  And so many Siebel friends I wanted to say hello to...Crap, there goes my black Matilda variant. 
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Oct 8, 2012 04:45
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Had a Gumballhead on draft tonight at a tiny local dive bar, and it tasted really weird. The hop character seemed muddled and didn't sport the usual grapefruity notes at all, and there was something else that I couldn't really put my finger on. Kind of like funky breakfast cereal? I'm guessing it was old, maybe? I've heard that wheat beers don't keep very well, but can anybody describe what actually happens to the taste when they start to fall off? Also decided to be adventurous and try another Indiana beer with a 4 Horsemen Hop Rush IIPA. I was expecting something fairly mediocre at best, but I have to say this far exceeded my expectations by being just incredibly un-good. It was flat and tasted like rusty meat. On a positive note, I think it was supposed to be 9% ABV or so and it actually managed to hide the alcohol pretty well. So, yay for that, I guess?
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Oct 8, 2012 04:52
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nominal posted:Had a Gumballhead on draft tonight at a tiny local dive bar, and it tasted really weird. The hop character seemed muddled and didn't sport the usual grapefruity notes at all, and there was something else that I couldn't really put my finger on. Kind of like funky breakfast cereal? I'm guessing it was old, maybe? I've heard that wheat beers don't keep very well, but can anybody describe what actually happens to the taste when they start to fall off? Likely a dirty draft line. Happens a lot with lovely bars, especially sports bars. Sierra Nevada always tastes awful at places like that.
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Oct 8, 2012 04:56
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nominal posted:rusty meat  If it's meaty or broth-y, that sounds like yeast autolysis, where the beer sits on the inactive yeast way too long and takes on flavors from the yeast dying. But I've never had an autolyzed beer outside of crappy homebrew.
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Oct 8, 2012 05:18
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Ubik posted:
I've had Hoegaarden on draft that literally tasted like water used to boil a bunch of hot dogs. It was at a meathead bar that mostly sold Bud Lite and Jaegerbombs so the keg was quite likely ancient, not sure why Hoegaarden was even on there. But yeah, I've tasted something I can only chalk up to autolysis at least once commercially
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Oct 8, 2012 05:23
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I just noticed that I still have the unexpectedly bought extra bottle of Enjoy by 9/22.... Welp.
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Oct 8, 2012 07:52
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Sublimer posted:It's been announced that Dec. 1st is Zwanze Day, but I didn't think they've announced locations yet? I'm hoping Louisville is one of them again! I missed out last year. Sorry, I wasn't trying to say it wasn't true, just that it's news to me. Still isn't up on the Cantillon website, but maybe they'll post it after Quintessence.
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Oct 8, 2012 11:53
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