Landing the Whale: Beer thread

[Allentown]

I know beer is pretty regional these days. Lets talk about it regardless!

My untappd name is "monkeykins" if you also have that and want to check out what I am drinking/have drunk.

Finally recently got a bottle of Pliny the Elder, that was fun! I really enjoyed it.
My beer tastes are pretty seasonal, and very rarely will I have a beer more than once. This time of year I try and build at least a 6 pack of different Oktoberfests- Ayinger is my current favorite after a blind taste test. I hope to do another blind test in the next week or two.

I have two cases of wild/sour beers in my basement from my favorite local place, Brewery Vivant. If you see their beers around, I think they are worth a shot- they distribute mostly just in the Midwest so far, with Farmhand and Big Red Coq being their two flagships.

I also live about 10 minutes from Founders, and about an hour from Bells, so for anyone making beer pilgrimages, I've got a place if you want to lift/hang out in "Beer City USA."

[Manveer]

I have two cases of wild/sour beers in my basement from my favorite local place, Brewery Vivant. If you see their beers around, I think they are worth a shot- they distribute mostly just in the Midwest so far, with Farmhand and Big Red Coq being their two flagships.

The sour you gave me from Brewery Vivant was excellent. Loved it.

I like most of the sours from The Bruery in CA.

I'm terrible at remembering the names of beers.

Some favorites:
Avery Maharaja
The Bruery Chocolate Rain
Three Floyds Zombie Dust
St. Bernardus 12
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissen
Founders CBS
Ommegang Hennepin
Pliny the Elder - last time I had it was like 5 years ago though

[omaniphil]

I know beer is pretty regional these days. Lets talk about it regardless!...

I've been drinking mostly Cleveland beer these days - Seems like we've had about 10 breweries open up in the last couple of years, 5-6 of which sell to stores. Having a 1 year old, I don't get out nearly as much as I used to, but I'm thankful that these local places sell to most of the grocery stores around here.

My beer tastes have changed - I used to enjoy big bold Belgians, doppelbocks, stouts, but now I drink mostly lighter bodied IPAs, pale ales, pilseners. Platform's Cleveland Palesner is my current favorite.

I also live about 10 minutes from Founders, and about an hour from Bells, so for anyone making beer pilgrimages, I've got a place if you want to lift/hang out in "Beer City USA."

I went to school in GR. Spent most of my weekends at Founders, back when it was on Monroe. GR wasn't quite the beer scene back in the early-mid 2000s. You ever go to International Beverage on East Paris? Rishi had the best selection around back then.

[Root]

I've been digging the Brother Theloneous from North Coast Brewing

[slowmotion]

I drink mostly IPAs and pale ales from local microbreweries. Not many American beers like that here in Norway that I know of, so it is difficult to compare, of course.

[Root]

My beer tastes are pretty seasonal, and very rarely will I have a beer more than once. This time of year I try and build at least a 6 pack of different Oktoberfests- Ayinger is my current favorite after a blind taste test. I hope to do another blind test in the next week or two.

I picked up a case of the Hacker-Pschorr oktoberfest at Costco. Stuff is pretty dang good imo.

[Allentown]

I've been drinking mostly Cleveland beer these days - Seems like we've had about 10 breweries open up in the last couple of years, 5-6 of which sell to stores. Having a 1 year old, I don't get out nearly as much as I used to, but I'm thankful that these local places sell to most of the grocery stores around here.

My beer tastes have changed - I used to enjoy big bold Belgians, doppelbocks, stouts, but now I drink mostly lighter bodied IPAs, pale ales, pilseners. Platform's Cleveland Palesner is my current favorite.

I also live about 10 minutes from Founders, and about an hour from Bells, so for anyone making beer pilgrimages, I've got a place if you want to lift/hang out in "Beer City USA."

I went to school in GR. Spent most of my weekends at Founders, back when it was on Monroe. GR wasn't quite the beer scene back in the early-mid 2000s. You ever go to International Beverage on East Paris? Rishi had the best selection around back then.

I've been trending toward lighter beers, as well, for regular "daily drinkers." My plan this summer was to make it the "Summer of Hefeweisens" but then I never got around to buying many.

I love IBEV, back when I went there 1-2 times a month the guys there knew I had a $100 limit and would help me stay below that! It's moved to 28th street, they bought the building behind it, and added a tap system these days. It's HUGE.

The sour you gave me from Brewery Vivant was excellent. Loved it.

I like most of the sours from The Bruery in CA.

I'm terrible at remembering the names of beers.

Some favorites:
Avery Maharaja
The Bruery Chocolate Rain
Three Floyds Zombie Dust
St. Bernardus 12
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissen
Founders CBS
Ommegang Hennepin
Pliny the Elder - last time I had it was like 5 years ago though

I don't remember which one I brought? I've been dating the bottles, and coming up in 2018 I'm going to have 5 or 6 from 2016 that I'm planning on opening. I particularly like the idea of opening a bottle of, say, 2016 vintage just before they release the 2018 version, and seeing how the ingredients and time have changed the beer.

I have the Saison Rue from Bruery, I wanted to open it last night with a berry pie but my wife's parents were over and a) I didn't want to share with more than one person and b) no one seemed interested in drinking, and my wife doesn't like drinking around her family unless other people are, or something, it's this weird dynamic.

I wish I had CBS, they had it at the Black Party this past year, and I ended up not going because of some drama. I haven't had it since 2011 or something.

[Manveer]

I don't remember which one I brought? I've been dating the bottles, and coming up in 2018 I'm going to have 5 or 6 from 2016 that I'm planning on opening. I particularly like the idea of opening a bottle of, say, 2016 vintage just before they release the 2018 version, and seeing how the ingredients and time have changed the beer.

It was the Angelina (Plein de Vie series). 8.4% ABV, not sure what year. That's all I can tell from the picture on my phone.

[Allentown]

It was the Angelina (Plein de Vie series). 8.4% ABV, not sure what year. That's all I can tell from the picture on my phone.

Oh yeah. 2016. I have a few of those, and a few of the 2017 Angelina down there.

[broseph]

"Summer of hefeweizens" would be my jam.

It seems like different regions cater to different styles. Like almost EVERYTHING around here is high bitterness; IPA's and Imperial everythings. Maybe because "Beer City USA" and all real beer lovers love bitter? Last time I was in Florida the shelves were full of hefeweizens and witbiers the way ours of full of IPA's.

Cloudy straw colored beer with spiciness and fruity esters... Yeesssssss

[TimK]

I really don't like anything bitter or hoppy. My favorite beers are mostly stouts, porters, browns, etc. Wizard Burial Ground (from Brewery Vivant, for all you foreigners) is one of my favorites ever. I really liked Lizard of Koz last year too (Founders). I'll drink a hefeweizen or other lighter beers occasionally if I want something more refreshing. I like sours every now and then but they're not my go-to. I'm also a sucker for anything on nitro and anything with peanut butter or vanilla.

[broseph]

I too enjoy browns, porters, and stouts. Cabin Fever from New Holland was my first ever micro brew. I remember thinking “so THIS is what all the fuss is about”

I recently had Captain Brunette from Trail Point- a toasted brown aged in rum barrels. I could drink that every day and I’m not even a rum guy. (Is anyone?)

[TimK]

I too enjoy browns, porters, and stouts. Cabin Fever from New Holland was my first ever micro brew. I remember thinking “so THIS is what all the fuss is about”

I recently had Captain Brunette from Trail Point- a toasted brown aged in rum barrels. I could drink that every day and I’m not even a rum guy. (Is anyone?)

Argh matey, love me rum.

Actually one time at The Knickerbocker (New Holland's GR taproom) I had a rum-barrel aged variety of Dragon's Milk. It was awesome.

[Allentown]

I really liked Lizard of Koz last year too (Founders).

If for some reason I end up with a bottle of this, I will pay you to take it from me.

[Manveer]

I really liked Lizard of Koz last year too (Founders).

If for some reason I end up with a bottle of this, I will pay you to take it from me.

haha. I thought it was just OK.

[TimK]

I really liked Lizard of Koz last year too (Founders).

If for some reason I end up with a bottle of this, I will pay you to take it from me.

Deal!

[TwoFoursStrohm]

Never liked IPA until I had some of the New England style and havent looked back. The stuff coming out of Other Half, Trillium, Tree House, Tired Hands, etc is unbelievable and blows all of the bitter west coast style IPAs out of the water in my opinion.

I don't use untappd because the rating system for me is a little weak. I just use the full web version on my phone of Beer Advocate for all my ratings. User name is Strohm

[Allentown]

I don't use untappd because the rating system for me is a little weak. I just use the full web version on my phone of Beer Advocate for all my ratings. User name is Strohm

I stopped rating beers unless it is really fantastic or really terrible. I noticed almost all my ratings were falling between 3.25/5 for a "bad" beer and 4.25/5 for a "good" beer. Occasionally a 2.5 for a beer I REALLY don't like, and a 5.0 for a favorite. That's not helpful. The rating of a beer also doesn't matter to me- if something looks or sounds good, or someone recommends it, I'll try it. I'm not going to "like" a 5/5 beer more than a 3.0 beer just because other people do. Lizard of Koz, for example, got a 5 from a friend of mine who had nearly 2,000 beers logged. I literally find it undrinkable, and have poured it out both times I've had it. I'm not going to contribute to people seeking out or avoiding beers/breweries/styles/etc based on my opinions. And since I rarely have a beer more than once, a rating isn't going to do me any good when all that really matters is the check in.

[TimK]

Lizard of Koz, for example, got a 5 from a friend of mine who had nearly 2,000 beers logged. I literally find it undrinkable, and have poured it out both times I've had it.

You monster!

[Allentown]

Lizard of Koz, for example, got a 5 from a friend of mine who had nearly 2,000 beers logged. I literally find it undrinkable, and have poured it out both times I've had it.

You monster!

To me it tasted like someone spilled a drop of bourbon into a glass that they drank a stout out of before filling it back up with blue Nyquil. I'm sorry. I just can't do it.