Thread: Good beer / ale

I didn't see New Glarus Brewing mentioned. It is about 20 miles from me. Dan Carrey is the brewbaster. They have their standard line up which includes "Fat Squirrel" which is a nice smooth dark ale. Their biggest seller is "Spotted Cow" which is what they call a farmhouse beer. Light with yeast on the bottom. Kind of a Lawnmower beer with training wheels.

The beer that has won the most awards is their "Belgian Red" they do a partial lambic fermentation and then add Montmorency Cherries in the secondary. It does well in the fruit beer category. Their process is top secret, thus other details are hard to come by.

Their seasonals are always well done but not always adventurous. Although I do have some of their ice bock in my celler. They also brought out their base beer for the belgian Red as an offering and it was a great Flanders brown style beer on its own.

I also like Old Speckled Hen when I can get it fresh, as well as Old Peculiar.

That doesn't really sound like that secret a process- hell, that's the process most brewers go through when they make fruit beer. their big secret is probably what yeast they used

I'll start this off by saying I don't like beer. Any of it. My choice is Vodka, but have found favorites with all the hard stuff. I've tried a lot of beers, hoping that one would suit me, starting in highschool with whatever Bud/Busch I could sneak. Didn't care for any of it, so it wasn't really a problem.

On to College, the bastion of beer consumption. Introduced to the Heinekens, Guinness, and Brooklyn Brewery. Still didn't care, built up my shot tolerance. One day I walked into a studio and the guy sitting behind the board had a tall bottle marked "Terrible." Intrigued, I asked what it was and if it really was as bad as the label claims. It was a brew by a Canadian company called Unibroue, and it was the first one that made me start to rethink my position. Months later I'm in a liquor store about to purchase my yearly allowance of Kauffman Christmas, and I see a wall of Unibroue, the owner asks what I'd like, then asks if I like wine. Of course, who doesn't, so he hands me a bottle of Unibroue Quelque Chose. A Cherry beer, to be served hot.

Intrigued, I walked out with 2 bottles, and put one in the fridge, the other in the double boiler. After it hit 80 degrees, I poured a glass and my opinion was forever changed. It was like a vintage wine, smooth, slightly tart, with all the bouquet and legs, and so slightly carbonated that it made me have to remind myself that it was, in fact, a beer. The heat made it perfect for winter, and unique since, as far as I know, this was the only beer thats suggested to be served hot. It brought out the flavors, spices, and made the alcohol much more apparent. In the end, I was totally excited to have a beer that I actually liked, loved...for someone who doesn't like beer (any of it). I later tried it chilled, and it didn't work as well. Still great flavor, but none of the impact. The 2nd best solution (for summer, maybe) is to serve it over ice (again, as suggested by the factory)...it is refreshing, but it's worth the wait for cold weather to heat it up.

I'm only posting here 'cause last week I got a response (6 months late) from the BeerGeek. They uncovered 12 bottles of Quelque Chose, and I immediately bought all they had. It'll be here Tuesday, and I'm quite excited about it...as this will probably be my last opportunity to have it (production ceased in 2002). I plan to try it in an Iced Savarin, as well as a substitute in several other rum based reductions. I urge anyone to give this one a try if you're lucky enough to find it collecting dust on a shelf. Buy all they have, I can assure you, if you don't like it, you'll have a buyer ready here.

Originally Posted by DemonsDanceAlone

One day I walked into a studio and the guy sitting behind the board had a tall bottle marked "Terrible." Intrigued, I asked what it was and if it really was as bad as the label claims. It was a brew by a Canadian company called Unibroue, and it was the first one that made me start to rethink my position. Months later I'm in a liquor store about to purchase my yearly allowance of Kauffman Christmas, and I see a wall of Unibroue, the owner asks what I'd like, then asks if I like wine. Of course, who doesn't, so he hands me a bottle of Unibroue Quelque Chose. A Cherry beer, to be served hot.

Intrigued, I walked out with 2 bottles, and put one in the fridge, the other in the double boiler. After it hit 80 degrees, I poured a glass and my opinion was forever changed. It was like a vintage wine, smooth, slightly tart, with all the bouquet and legs, and so slightly carbonated that it made me have to remind myself that it was, in fact, a beer. The heat made it perfect for winter, and unique since, as far as I know, this was the only beer thats suggested to be served hot. It brought out the flavors, spices, and made the alcohol much more apparent. In the end, I was totally excited to have a beer that I actually liked, loved...for someone who doesn't like beer (any of it). I later tried it chilled, and it didn't work as well. Still great flavor, but none of the impact. The 2nd best solution (for summer, maybe) is to serve it over ice (again, as suggested by the factory)...it is refreshing, but it's worth the wait for cold weather to heat it up.

.

Belgian ales and Belgian style ales will do that to you!
I hated beer too...until I discovered home brew, but once I discovered the fantastic ales of Belgium, there was no turning back!!

Originally Posted by artilleryo

I live in the Pacific Northwest, so I consider good beer a basic human right.

Here here! Not just good beer,but great beer. I happen to live just a short drive from two stellar brew-pubs, and a not so short drive (still under an hour) from the Rogue brewery. If you get into Portland or Seattle, you can't throw a rock without hitting a decent brewery (even if you throw like a girl).

I have long since given up on the idea of having a "favorite" beer. There are so many great beers available these days that I could never pick one, or even a dozen. What I like depends on what I eating with it, what the weather is like, the time of year, and my mood.

I know that most Europeans still hold the stereotype that American (err, I mean United-Statsian) beer is uniformly weak and bland, but over the past two decades the American beer scene has had a renaissance. There are literally thousands of great breweries here now making hundreds of styles. I would encourage all you Europeans who visit to give them a try.

Some GREAT Pac Northwest brewers include;
Deschutes (some excellent ales and an absolutely stellar porter)
Rogue (famous for their "Dead Guy ale". It's a Maibock, but brewed with a top fermenting yeast. Pretty tasty)
North Coast Brewing (the "Old Rasputin Stout" is really worth a try. It's delicious)
Alaskan Brewing (their popular "Alaskan Amber" is a German style alt beer. Don't miss it)
Anchor Brewing (OK, technically, not from the Pac NW, but well worth the mention. "Anchor Steam" is was one of the first beers of the micro-brew revolution. It's also one of the best)

This list could go on for a few pages

Originally Posted by joesixpack

. If you get into Portland or Seattle, you can't throw a rock without hitting a decent brewery (even if you throw like a girl).

Its about the same way in my home state of Colorado (just better view while drinking it) .

One of my favorites is Fat Tire from New Belgium Bewery in Fort Collins. Spotted Cow is a good one from Wisconsin for a light beer.

Technically it's illegal for me to drink beer (19). But I do it anyway from time to time. I like Guinness, either by itself or in a cold black and tan. For the tan portion of my black and tan, so far I've used Labatt and Miller High Life. I think I preferred having the Labatt as my tan. I drink it UK style (mixed instead of separate layers) contrary to my roommates who liked to drink it the American way. Heineken, Yuengling, Labatt, Miller and some other Canadian one that escapes me now weren't too bad. Not as good as Guinness or black and tan, but definitely better than Corona, Bud or Keystone. Corona with a slice of lemon is more tolerable. To my recollection, Boddington wasn't that bad either. I Haven't tried a whole lot of beers. But those are the ones I really liked and wouldn't mind drinking. The other one's that I've tried tasted gross. Most of what I tried I did't like.

Originally Posted by rastewart

We're lucky enough to have an excellent brewery in Chicago: Goose Island--I've liked everything I've tasted from them, but my favorite G.I. brew might be Honker's Ale.

Have you had GI's Root Beer? Best on earth!

Alcohol-wise:
Maredsous Trippel
Tetley's English Ale
Boddington
Guinness
Guinness Extra Stout
Fat Tire Abbey

Originally Posted by foundlingofdollar

Fat Tire Abbey

May I ask who makes Fat Tire Abbey?

My current two favorites:

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA - Oh my, even if you hate IPAs, this beer will make you rethink that.

Chimay Grand Reserve Blue - Wow. The definition of a Belhian beer (at least for me.) Good to great stuff.