Beer lovers, where are you?

[Mike]

Am I going to have to resort to telling you what beer I am having with my lunch just to get this feeble forum moving again?

Beer lovers, speak up! Tell us about your beer brewings, likes, dislikes, experiences, food combos, etc, etc.

Beer, the elixir that has been improving self esteem for at least 5000 years, deserves more from us!

If you don't post soon, I will be forced to put up my story about how I was once almost killed over beer.............and you know how boring my stories are...........save yourselves from my ridiculous ancient histories!

[TNbourbon]

My current favorite is Harp Irish Lager, which I can find in at least one place locally. I first had it on draught last month in North Myrtle Beach, during my 50th-year birthday celebratory dinner (go to Flynn's Irish Pub/Restaurant, if you find yourself that way!).
Also in the 'fridge is some Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen Amber, Augustijn ale and its Van Steenberge brethren, St. Bernard Bornem (dubel and tripel). I think there might be a 4-pack left in the back of KoningsHoeven blonde ale, too.
While, generally, I prefer the ambers, the Augustijn ale is also quite enjoyable.
I'm not exactly a beer-lover, by the way, having come to it only within the last 18 months or so. But, I DO enjoy it when I want something cold, but not sweet, and have found enough styles/brands that I like (and plenty that I don't, too!) to warrant keeping some around.

[gillmang]

Tim, judging by that collection, you have a acquired a lot of knowledge about good beers.

The question is always to appraise the malty sweet taste of the barley (and other grains sometimes) as modified by the resinous, flowery or metallic taste and nose of the hops (a climbing vine whose flowers are used to flavour cereal beers). Once you get that basic "taste", a broad range of beers becomes accessible as it were.

Of course, you still will have (as we all do) individual preferences: not all hops taste alike, not all barley malts do, yeasts vary, etc. Beers, even the same brand, really can vary a lot from batch to batch since the natural products used in brewing vary in their characteristics from time to time, and of course freshness and other factors (including cleanliness of the lines in a bar) can dramatically affect how a beer tastes.

Right now I have been turning more to lagers and I had a draft Harp the other day that was quite nice, a little citric and bitter with a distinctive taste.

Gary

[Brewer]

Mike,
Thanks for your continued interest in this forum! I drink a hell of a lot more beer than bourbon. Currently, I'm enjoying an old fav...Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I generally find that I enjoy the variety and flavors of ales as opposed to lagers. Not that there aren't good lagers out there though. As I've noted in previous posts, I like wheat beers during the summer time. I find in particular that "white ales" are very tasty and refreshing.

As an aside, I haven't been very involved in the site lately. After being ill for quite awhile, I recently finally returned to work on a full time basis. This has kept me pretty busy and has required a lot of effort on my part as my endurance and strength have been seriously affected due to my illness. This situation has obviously also had a huge impact on my desire/interest/ability to even enjoy ANY type of booze. So, hopefully, I'm on the mend and will be able to help you Mike, with keeping things interesting not only on this forum, but with the others as well.

[Mike]

Brewer, I worry about you, and am glad to hear that things are going better. You are a fine fellow, with a great sense of humor, a wonderful knowledge of beer, and much missed when you are unable to be here with us.

I too, have always found Sierra Nevada Pale Ale to be an old standard. To my way of thinking, if someone wants to move from the lighter American Big Boys of brewing to something much more tasty, SN PA is a great place to start.

Stay well, Brewer................lots of us on BE are in your corner and wish you only the best!

[Mike]

My current favorite is Harp Irish Lager, which I can find in at least one place locally. I first had it on draught last month in North Myrtle Beach, during my 50th-year birthday celebratory dinner (go to Flynn's Irish Pub/Restaurant, if you find yourself that way!).
Also in the 'fridge is some Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen Amber, Augustijn ale and its Van Steenberge brethren, St. Bernard Bornem (dubel and tripel). I think there might be a 4-pack left in the back of KoningsHoeven blonde ale, too.
While, generally, I prefer the ambers, the Augustijn ale is also quite enjoyable.
I'm not exactly a beer-lover, by the way, having come to it only within the last 18 months or so. But, I DO enjoy it when I want something cold, but not sweet, and have found enough styles/brands that I like (and plenty that I don't, too!) to warrant keeping some around.

For someone who has only been in the beer 'business' for 18 months, Tim, you are doing quite well, thank you............I also enjoy Harp Lager, along with many, many, other beers..........I am not too discriminating in my beer taste............I like them from sweet (Unibrew beers from Canada, McEwans Scottish Ale) to very hoppy, to high gravity, to crisply refreshing like Pilsner Urquel.

[TNbourbon]

... crisply refreshing like Pilsner Urquel.

You know, I've heard many positive remarks about this beer, including from Gary G. (gillmang), and yet my eye always seems distracted by another bottling about the time I start to reach for it. I suspect it might find its way my way pretty soon.

[Mike]

... crisply refreshing like Pilsner Urquel.

You know, I've heard many positive remarks about this beer, including from Gary G. (gillmang), and yet my eye always seems distracted by another bottling about the time I start to reach for it. I suspect it might find its way my way pretty soon.

Tim, I would have to place it very, very, high among 'refreshing' beers..........but don't pin me down as to exactly what that means. Something like, a slight hoppy edge to the taste that gains traction in the mouth immediately; a sweetness that is barely there, so is never cloying; a crispness that offers a rather quick end.........begging for another sip; and a lightness that is not filling.........while offering some substance (quite unlike light beers..........which are vaporous and, if I may be so bold, are stupid drinks, fit for the foolish and confused, very much like tasteless white bread).

[enzo]

My favorite is Maredsous 10 Tripel. I've tried just about every Belgian style Ale I can get my hands on, and for my money, and the 10% alcohol, I gotta go with the Maredsous. It's lighter, crisper, and more enjoyable than Chimay or anything similar in the same vein... but has twice the flavor and complexity.

I have a strange affinity for a Canadian beer called Kokanee. I know it's nothing special.. but there's just something I like about it.

Every once in a while.. a Sessions or a Red Stripe really hits the spot. Might just be the shape of the bottle.

[ggilbertva]

I'm a complete novice when it comes to beer....but....I do like it. I traveled extensively through Europe a number of years back and had some really terrific pours. I only have a couple selections in my fridge right now....

Flying Dog PA
Hofbrau Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest Ur-Marzen
Duvel Belgian Ale

There's a store not too far from me that has a very nice selection of craft brews. I'll have to strengthen my collection when the weather turns warmer.

[chefnash51]

ok. I'll bite. I just joined this site. I've been on StraightBourbon.com for a bit but on BeerAdvocate.com for several years now.

As my interest sway back and forth from beer to bourbon.. beer was my first love. I am very much into aging beers and seeking out new beers via beer trades across the country.

I mostly cellar Russian Imperial Stouts, BarleyWines, Barrel Aged brews, Belgians ( Strong Dark, Quads).

I love hops and enjoy a strong Double IPA often. A solid Lager is something to cherish, a tasty Saison is a treat, a sour beglian is not always understood

Actually it was beer that got me into Bourbon. A more resent "style" has been aging beers in bourbon barrels.. and obviously the beer picks up many barrel notes.. which led me to wonder if I would enjoy bourbon... short answer, very much so.

I will leave it at that for now. I can talk about beer all day. Here are some pictures from my beer cellar. Though as of now, it's about twice the size.

http://s298.photobucket.com/albums/mm27 ... CF0275.jpg

chefnash51

[bunghole]

Mike,

I drank a beer today, but it is not one you would approve of. A Yuengling 'blonde' lager. I liked it, but nothing special. A good solid beer as far as I am concerned. Very American, which is something ima likes. The whole micro-brewery trend in the United States of America is a good thing!

ima

[Mike]

Bunghole, I do approve. I like Yuengling's beers too!

[Bourbon Joe]

I'm a little surprised that Yuengling beer is so widely known. It is brewed in Pottsville, PA which is about 25 miles North of where I live. I thought it was sold only regionally. I now think differently. It is a staple in these parts.
Joe

[gillmang]

Joe, Yuengling was indeed a regional sales-only company for most of its existence. It was regarded as a bridge between the old style American breweries and the micro- and craft breweries when they started because it was a small operation, always made good products, including Lord Chesterfield Ale and the Porter, and also Michael Jackson lauded the brewery in his influential World Guide To Beer in 1978. What enabled the brewery to grow and distribute widely though was good management. The family kept ownership, unlike many similar breweries which were sold to large concerns and closed, and had a vision to expand production and sales which worked. This happened in the last 20 years or so. As mentioned too the products were right, Yuengling Traditional Lager has the right degree of assertiveness and people like it (I included). It is particularly good on draft. It was a new product introduced about 25 years ago in the wake of the craft brew innovators, and that was a smart move. I don't think the previous mainstream beer, called Premium Lager I think, would have done as well. Probably Traditional Lager was derived from the kind of beer Yuengling made before Prohibition.

Furthermore,there has been a trend in the last decade or so towards old-style beers with retro appeal. PBR is the classic instance. I think Yuengling got on this bandwagon too.

It is an inspiring story because so many of the older small breweries could not survive industry consolidation. Dick Yuengling and other family members perceived the opportunities, though. Also, they were assisted by having a strong local market - it formed the base on which the expansion in production and sales could occur. This strength I think was due to the brewery's relative isolation. The big boys never could penetrate the market the same way as in urban centers and rural areas more amenable to their distribution networks.

Pennsylvania's case purchase system may have helped too, because at a time when Budweiser and the other national aspirants were regarded as premium products, buying a case would have been rather more expensive than buying a case of local beer, whereas if you just bought six you wouldn't notice the difference as much.

So there were many factors I think in Yuengling's expansion but the major one in my view was the company has been very well run over this crucial period of its growth.

Gary