Beer, Beer, and More Beer (2008-2013)

[tomterp]

Wheat beer in these temps?

You should drinking scotch ales, porters and stouts in this cold.

I miss those Sam Adams scotch ales.  Best beer they have ever made, but now only available in a variety six pack.   

[JCA-CrystalCity]

a lot of the german beers aren't real good over here because they degrade during shipping, Weihenstephaner is one of the exceptions that I've found.  A few of the other wheat beers are pretty good as well (Franziskaner and Augustiner are pretty good as well).  I had a bottle of Weihenstephaner original at a restaurant in LA a few weeks ago and it was outstanding.   Most of their beers are near the top, or at the top, in Beer Advocate from what i've seen.

This is one of the reasons I liked Dinkel Acker's weis beer.  Because it was pasteurized, it tended to ship better.  Franziskaner was another one we tried.  Does that have the monk on the label?

[PowerBoater69]

I miss those Sam Adams scotch ales.  Best beer they have ever made, but now only available in a variety six pack.   

Latitude 48 is the only Sam Adams beer that I've ever been a fan of.

[HalfSmokes]

I liked noble pils and summer ale for what they are, but I think Sam is the most overrated brewery around

[PowerBoater69]

I liked noble pils and summer ale for what they are, but I think Sam is the most overrated brewery around

They should be credited with jump starting the craft beer craze but yeah, never that great.

[HalfSmokes]

They should be credited with jump starting the craft beer craze but yeah, never that great.

Sierra Nevada was around back then too,  and their stuff has stood up pretty well.  Sam was great at marketing,  and that was great for beer,  and apparently they provide a lot of seed money to micro breweries,  but, yeah,  the beer isn't that good

[blue911]

Anchor Steam is generally regarded as the granddaddy of them all.

[PowerBoater69]

Sierra Nevada was around back then too,  and their stuff has stood up pretty well.  Sam was great at marketing,  and that was great for beer,  and apparently they provide a lot of seed money to micro breweries,  but, yeah,  the beer isn't that good

Sierra Nevada was the best beer readily available for a number of years and stands up against all the competition today.  But Sam Adams marketed their way up into the conversation with Bud, Miller, and Coors.  Anchor Steam may have beat Sierra Nevada to market but it wasn't as good and faded away, I assume it is still available but can't remember the last time I saw someone drinking one.

[Mathguy]

Well, it didn't quite fade away.  I had an Anchor Porter tonight.  If we were in the west USA, I'm sure we would see more Anchor beers.

Sierra Nevada was the best beer readily available for a number of years and stands up against all the competition today.  But Sam Adams marketed their way up into the conversation with Bud, Miller, and Coors.  Anchor Steam may have beat Sierra Nevada to market but it wasn't as good and faded away, I assume it is still available but can't remember the last time I saw someone drinking one.

[HalfSmokes]

Anchor steam is a solid plain beer. I stock it for the inlaws since it tastes good,  but without too much hoppiness or strong flavors

[PowerBoater69]

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I like Anchor.  As the "payday beer" from my bike messengering days in the 80s, it has a lot of nostalgia value.  Plus it's pretty good.   

[Mathguy]

Powerboater - that's funny

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[tomterp]

Anchor Steam is generally regarded as the granddaddy of them all.

What a great beer.  Anchor Porter also.

[houston-nat]

There's plenty of Anchor here in Texas, although I think Steam is kind of meh. The Porter is good. I've heard good things about their Christmas brews...?

[houston-nat]

Has anybody tried Genghis Pecan Pie Porter? I just realized, I've had my bottle for a year so I've accidentally aged it!

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I had the Christmas ale the other night.  Really good, but not something I'd want more than one or two of. 

There's plenty of Anchor here in Texas, although I think Steam is kind of meh. The Porter is good. I've heard good things about their Christmas brews...?

[Dave B]

 bourbon county stout  by goose island.  almost fifteen percent alcohol.  it was good.  kinda sweet.  viscous. I like  yeti  and  dragons milk better

[Mattionals]

bourbon county stout  by goose island.  almost fifteen percent alcohol.  it was good.  kinda sweet.  viscous. I like  yeti  and  dragons milk better

I liked this year's BC Stout over last year's version.  Was a little bit smoother, but still had the "boozyness" to it that I like.  There have been a few bourbon stouts I've had that taste way too much like straight alcohol and not as smooth as a good bourbon.  Yeti is good, but I don't think it compares to BC Stout.

Also, I've learned to throw out the ABV numbers.  When I first got into craft, I always figured higher was better.  I've had a ton of craft from the lightest of lights in the 4.0 ABV range up to the Sam Adams Utopias and imported Barley Wines (28-60 ABV) and I can honestly say that my favorites range from 6-12, but most fall into the 7-9 category.

I just took another trip up to Vermont to get more Heady Topper, but I couldn't find any the weekend of Thanksgiving.  It really sucks that they don't have a retail outlet anymore, and hopefully on my next trip up there, the new retail operation will be open.  Still, the Prohibition Pig in downtown Waterbury, VT is a damn good bar.

[HalfSmokes]

I used to love goose Island, but I prefer to avoid giving money to in bev if I can help it

[tomterp]

Accidentally found myself in Rustico last weekend where they were offering DC Brau's "Bête Noire", a baltic porter, described thusly:

This is our first collaboration with Right Proper! It's Bête Noire (Dark Beast) Baltic Porter. Our collaboration is characterized by a wonderful dark brown color with smoky and roasted brown malts with a complex bitter taste!

This beer I sampled well.   

[Mathguy]

Thanks Terp - we'll be up there next weekend

Accidentally found myself in Rustico last weekend where they were offering DC Brau's "Bête Noire", a baltic porter, described thusly:

This beer I sampled well.   

[HalfSmokes]

DC Brau has quietly gone from good staples to having some very good more flavorful beers. 

[OldChelsea]

Certainly not Coors Light anyway

Homesick Americans can actually get that on draught here in London, at the Maple Leaf pub in Maiden lane (tube: Covent Garden). It's a pub with a Canadian theme but not much else (only real Canadian they have is Moosehead in bottles, nothing on draught; they have ads for Sleeman's but I didn't see any round there).

Now why someone would fly upwards of 3500mi to get here and then drink Coors Light....

[OldChelsea]

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There is a pub called the Old Shades in Whitehall (tube: Charing Cross or Westminster) which lists Asahi lager as a 'craft beer'. (Actually it's a pretty good pub that I go to often - just that one lacuna in their nomenclature.)