Beer, Beer, and More Beer

[TigerFan]

http://www.businessinsider.com/best-beers-in-the-us-2014-10

I've had 21 of them.  Some sure winners in there for sure. 

[HalfSmokes]

Putting Sam's marketing gimmick in there makes the list questionable

[sportsfan882]

meh not a fan of those heavy stouts and chocolate beers. I mean a few are good every once in a blue moon but that's it.

[varoadking]

meh not a fan of those heavy stouts and chocolate beers. I mean a few are good every once in a blue moon but that's it.

I see what you did there...

[houston-nat]

On the other hand, I love stouts but hate IPAs.

I don't recognize the Texas "best beer" art, and am too lazy to click through 50 stupid slides. But they are wrong.

Top five Texas beers (in color order, light to dark)
Revolver - Blood & Honey - wheat/barley ale
Lakewood - Lager
Peticolas - Velvet Hammer - strong red ale
512 - Pecan Porter
512 - Cascabel Cream Stout

Also, technically DQ'd, but Austin Eastciders Gold Top is the best hard cider I have tasted in the United States, period. Hits a flawless spot - dry, but a little sweet, with flawless crisp carbonation. Like Crispin, but slightly friendlier.

[HalfSmokes]

You can just click on view as one page and not bother with the slides, odd list though

[TigerFan]

On the other hand, I love stouts but hate IPAs.

I don't recognize the Texas "best beer" art, and am too lazy to click through 50 stupid slides. But they are wrong.

Top five Texas beers (in color order, light to dark)
Revolver - Blood & Honey - wheat/barley ale
Lakewood - Lager
Peticolas - Velvet Hammer - strong red ale
512 - Pecan Porter
512 - Cascabel Cream Stout

Also, technically DQ'd, but Austin Eastciders Gold Top is the best hard cider I have tasted in the United States, period. Hits a flawless spot - dry, but a little sweet, with flawless crisp carbonation. Like Crispin, but slightly friendlier.

Ever had any Jester King?  If you like fruited beer/sours they are off the chart. 

[sportsfan882]

On the other hand, I love stouts but hate IPAs.

I don't recognize the Texas "best beer" art, and am too lazy to click through 50 stupid slides. But they are wrong.

Top five Texas beers (in color order, light to dark)
Revolver - Blood & Honey - wheat/barley ale
Lakewood - Lager
Peticolas - Velvet Hammer - strong red ale
512 - Pecan Porter
512 - Cascabel Cream Stout

Also, technically DQ'd, but Austin Eastciders Gold Top is the best hard cider I have tasted in the United States, period. Hits a flawless spot - dry, but a little sweet, with flawless crisp carbonation. Like Crispin, but slightly friendlier.

Not a fan of IPAs either.

I like wheat beers, Octoberfests, Pumpkin ales, some lagers.

I'd like to try that cider. Bold Rock Virginia Draft cider is decent. The others I've hard are all pretty similar (Angry Orchard, Strongbow, Redds, Smith & Forge, etc).

[houston-nat]

Ever had any Jester King?  If you like fruited beer/sours they are off the chart. 

I have not liked sours in the past, but am open to new things. Fruited (framboise, kriek), yes I do, but have not seen the Jester King offerings there.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

On the other hand, I love stouts but hate IPAs.

I don't get all the love for IPAs among beer snobs.  Why drink something for bitterness?  Might as well go around licking markers.  Pretty much every other style tastes better: stouts, porters, scotch ales, hefeweizens, bocks, Belgian ales, and probably something I'm forgetting.

[OldChelsea]

[...]I'd like to try that cider. Bold Rock Virginia Draft cider is decent. The others I've hard are all pretty similar (Angry Orchard, Strongbow, Redds, Smith & Forge, etc).

Redd's Apple Ale is not a cider - it is a malt beverage flavoured with apple.

[HalfSmokes]

Redd's Apple Ale is not a cider - it is a malt beverage flavoured with apple.

Speaking of cider, if I want an equivalent of the British stuff stuff, what should I try +(I just saw oz and James drink to Britain and I'm curious)

[OldChelsea]

Speaking of cider, if I want an equivalent of the British stuff stuff, what should I try +(I just saw oz and James drink to Britain and I'm curious)

The Strongbow sold in the grocery stores here is a bit drier than the stuff sold on draught in the London pubs but is nonetheless reasonably authentic. A brand that comes closer to the London taste is Stella Artois Cidre (available in bottle four-packs at Giant).

[KnorrForYourMoney]

What about Samuel Smith's?

[MarquisDeSade]

If you like bubbly alcohol you really can't go wrong with the Muse by Angry Orchard.  It's around $13 for a bottle but it's really sweet stuff that goes well with just about anything. 


The "ICEMAN" is also really good too and with 10% ABV you really can't go wrong.

[houston-nat]

What about Samuel Smith's?

I don't know their cider, but if it's as good as their unfiltered wheat or oatmeal stout...

BTW last week had a terrific oatmeal stout from Big Sky (Montana). Weirdest thing I had last week, though, was the Texas State Fair's official Funnel Cake Ale, which was refreshing and delicious, because it did not actually taste like funnel cake.

I don't get all the love for IPAs among beer snobs.  Why drink something for bitterness?  Might as well go around licking markers.  Pretty much every other style tastes better: stouts, porters, scotch ales, hefeweizens, bocks, Belgian ales, and probably something I'm forgetting.

Agreed, and the ones you're forgetting are dubbels, tripels, and quads.

[OldChelsea]

What about Samuel Smith's?

Haven't tried their cider as yet (must do so on next trip) but I've enjoyed several of their other brews.

While we're on the subject of Sam Smith's - in London you can only get it on draught at their owned pubs (officially known as 'tied estates'). Three in central London that I regularly patronise are:

The Chandos - across street from National Portrait Gallery - the biggest Sam Smith outlet I've seen thus far, and very popular. Tube: Charing Cross or Leicester Square

The Lyceum - next to the theatre of the same name where 'Lion King' is still packing 'em in, in the Strand just before you get to Aldwych (heading east). Tube: Covent Garden

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese - supposedly Samuel Johnson's local (even though some accounts say he was a tee-totaller - he did live near there though) and the tourist pub par excellence, but not bad really if you get there at mid-afternoon before the City after-work crowd start piling in - also watch your head because clearances are rather low. Tube: Blackfriars (followed by a bit of a hike)

[houston-nat]

OC, the Princess Louise near Holborn is a lavish Sam Smith's pub in Victorian kit. Upstairs, you can sit back on big elegant purple couches while you drink.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I'll bet they don't allow Millwall jerseys in there

OC, the Princess Louise near Holborn is a lavish Sam Smith's pub in Victorian kit. Upstairs, you can sit back on big elegant purple couches while you drink.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I've had Sam Smith's cider, which is good, but noticeably different from my favorite American ones (Woodchuck, Angry Orchard), which made me wonder if it's more in line with the English styles.

Didn't know they made an unfiltered wheat.  I've had their Nut Brown and their Oatmeal Stout, which are both exceptional.  Now that I know they have pubs in London, I definitely know where I'm drinking if when I finally go there.

Agreed, and the ones you're forgetting are dubbels, tripels, and quads.

I just kind of lumped them together as "Belgian ales," which is probably an injustice given how good they all are (especially quads - Chimay Grand Reserve would be me choice for only one beer for the rest of my life).

[MarquisDeSade]

I've had Sam Smith's cider, which is good, but noticeably different from my favorite American ones (Woodchuck, Angry Orchard), which made me wonder if it's more in line with the English styles.

I love Woodchuck and Angry Orchard for their ubiquity but if I want really good shiznit I hit up these guys - http://sociablecider.com/

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I'm not going to MPLS just so you can kill/junk-punch me for being too white.  Nice try.

[houston-nat]

I'll be that guy who says Woodchuck and Angry Orchard are merely decent.

My favorite cider in the world is still:

[HalfSmokes]

I love Woodchuck and Angry Orchard for their ubiquity but if I want really good shiznit I hit up these guys - http://sociablecider.com/

damn you - I read the description before the availability section

[OldChelsea]

OC, the Princess Louise near Holborn is a lavish Sam Smith's pub in Victorian kit. Upstairs, you can sit back on big elegant purple couches while you drink.

Looks tempting and not far from where I normally stay (checking on a map it's just a few doors west of Holborn tube) - must check it out on my next trip.

On one recent trip I was in a Sam Smith tied estate (the Chandos I believe), nursing one of their fine original brews, and actually overheard a tourist asking one of the bar staff 'You don't have Budweiser here...?' (At Sam Smith tied estates, even the crisps and nuts are home-supplied.)