The Beer Thread

I just got a six pack of Brewer's alley 1634 ale.  It tastes like drinking a loaf of rye bread. 

Hmmmm, still not sure. As I said, I don't like rye but I do like scotch so maybe I might like it considering it's mixed with other ingredients that might make it tasty. Can't stand Sierra Nevada so that's not helping me at all.

I do really like Bitburger Premium which is very creamy and still maintains a bit of hops flavors. (Never tried the other one.) Might be worth a try but I'd much prefer if they offered a smaller option so I wouldn't haven't open a large bottle just for myself and not like the stuff.

James wrote:
Edit: IBU is a decent predictor of hoppiness. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale IBU is 37, this beer's IBU is 47.

IBU's relationship to hoppiness does hold quite often, but it depends what you mean by "hoppiness".  you can have very bitter beers (i.e. high IBUs) and little to no hop flavor or aroma.  there are pale ales that are bursting with hop flavor and aroma but aren't bitter at all*.  some people don't like bitter, some people don't like hop taste/smell and the two dislikes aren't necessarily related.

another aspect to take into consideration Rye on Rye is 12% ABV.  those 47 IBUs don't go as far as SNPA's 37, since it's only a 5.6% beer.  bigger beers need more hops to counter the sweetness & alcohol they contain.  SNPA could well be perceived as hoppier and/or more bitter than Rye on Rye (again depends on your definition of those two terms).

*dork-alert: the amount of bitterness vs. the amount of flavor/aroma you get from hops depends on when they are added to the boil.  hops that are added at the beginning of the boil contribute almost exclusively bitterness.  hops added at the very end of the boil contribute flavor, aroma, and almost no bitterness.

For me, I'm never really sure how to gage a beer prior to tasting. I don't understand the whole IBU thing or anything really about the chemistry of beer. And if I did, how it would suit me. Though I know what ABV means, I never know whether or not it will be an indicator as to whether or not I'll like or can even stomach the beer. Hey, I can easily drink scotch straight up so there's definitely something more to it for me. Lots of them make me nauseous just by whatever it is that's in the mix. Sometimes I think maybe it may have something to do with the yeast or the combinations of yeast and hops.

I know I tend to not like bitter beers but there are times, just like with teas and other foods, just the addition of something else changes the whole game. Bitburger may be one of those beers since it's so creamy. Just like when I drink a reallly nice strong fermented black tea. Doesn't sit well with me by itself but add a little cream and it's incredible and will sometimes even cure what ailes me.

One of my favorite beers is Burley Oak's Barreled. Could drink that stuff like liquid candy. Yet, someone advised me against it based on what I had said about not being able to stomach hops and many other beers. (Shame they are always pushing their Rude Boy, a red beer which I cannot stand or stomach at all.)

jaggy . . . do what i do.  a six pack of all different beers when you go to buy it.  never buy six packs or even four packs, unless you know the beer.  it is how i discovered all of my favorite beers, and how i realized all lagunitas taste the same.  such a shame too, for i love me some little sumpin.  i will buy a bottle of rye something from some breweries.  who should i try, founders red rye?

stevewizzle wrote:
still awaiting registration to open up.

did you get in?  looks like the servers are crushed - i tried going to the page just to see what it was like, at 3:07, and i'm timing out.  i wonder if this is going to sell out immediately.

from my browser history, this is the registration page: http://www.ahaconference.org/conference/register/ ; might be faster to try getting that than going through the homepage.  at least worth trying in another browser/window/tab.

haven't got in, unfortunately.  has timed out the whole time.

walkonby wrote:
jaggy . . . do what i do.  a six pack of all different beers when you go to buy it.  never buy six packs or even four packs, unless you know the beer.  it is how i discovered all of my favorite beers, and how i realized all lagunitas taste the same.  such a shame too, for i love me some little sumpin.  i will buy a bottle of rye something from some breweries.  who should i try, founders red rye?

That's more or less what I do. Buy something different when I'm out in a bar or restaurant or buy singles at the store. It's just that often the ones that intrigue me are the large 22oz or larger things for more $$ than I can sometimes justify in my budget. Especially when it might be a beer that I can't handle.

I don't get the whole Lagunitas rage. It's okay but not all that great, in my opinion. Never had Sucks so can't speak to that. Accidently had their IPA one night when I was out for half price burger night. Ordered Little Sumpin', or whatever it's called, and the waiter accidently brought me the wrong beer. Decided to play nice and take it as an opportunity to try a beer I'd never choose on my own. Wasn't as bad as I'd expected but I'd never order it again. Had the Little Sumpin' next which I liked a little better but nothing I'd come on this board raving about. To me, it's just a decent average beer. Nothing more, nothing less.

sweetcell wrote:

James wrote:
Edit: IBU is a decent predictor of hoppiness. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale IBU is 37, this beer's IBU is 47.

IBU's relationship to hoppiness does hold quite often, but it depends what you mean by "hoppiness".  you can have very bitter beers (i.e. high IBUs) and little to no hop flavor or aroma.  there are pale ales that are bursting with hop flavor and aroma but aren't bitter at all*.  some people don't like bitter, some people don't like hop taste/smell and the two dislikes aren't necessarily related.

another aspect to take into consideration Rye on Rye is 12% ABV.  those 47 IBUs don't go as far as SNPA's 37, since it's only a 5.6% beer.  bigger beers need more hops to counter the sweetness & alcohol they contain.  SNPA could well be perceived as hoppier and/or more bitter than Rye on Rye (again depends on your definition of those two terms).

*dork-alert: the amount of bitterness vs. the amount of flavor/aroma you get from hops depends on when they are added to the boil.  hops that are added at the beginning of the boil contribute almost exclusively bitterness.  hops added at the very end of the boil contribute flavor, aroma, and almost no bitterness.

I thought there were different type of hops. some for flavor and some for aroma?

Can anyone explain why I get a big, fat, happy buzz from Hopslam and no other IPA or DIPA?  Anyone else experience this?  It's even more the case when its on tap……  Liquid candy!

Bagley wrote:
Can anyone explain why I get a big, fat, happy buzz from Hopslam and no other IPA or DIPA?  Anyone else experience this?  It's even more the case when its on tap……  Liquid candy!

Because it's 10% alcohol?  :o

Yada wrote:

Bagley wrote:
Can anyone explain why I get a big, fat, happy buzz from Hopslam and no other IPA or DIPA?  Anyone else experience this?  It's even more the case when its on tap……  Liquid candy!

Because it's 10% alcohol?  :o

Had the DFH Burton Baton, SN Hoptimum, Firestone Double Jack, etc- all around the same ABV, not the same effect.  Is it the lack of malt, and/or obverabundance of hop, particular variety of hop, carbonation level?

atomicfront wrote:
I thought there were different type of hops. some for flavor and some for aroma?

any hop that is used for flavor is also used for aroma.  "flavor hop" and "aroma hop" can be used interchangeably. 

there used to be a distinction between bittering hops (added early in the boil) and flavor/aroma hops, AKA late addition hops.  some hops were perceived as being good at both and were designated as dual-purpose hops.  but over the past few years brewers have experimented with using traditional bittering hops as aroma hops - and in many cases it's worked out really well.  in some cases it's worked out too well: simcoe and citra are high-alpha acid hops that were developed for bittering, but once people figured out how great they taste as late additions they sky-rocketed in value.  using those hops for bittering, their original intent, is relatively rare these days.

so while there are hops that are probably better suited to bittering (only) or aroma, the distinction isn't so black-and-white anymore.

sweetcell wrote:

stevewizzle wrote:
still awaiting registration to open up.

did you get in?  looks like the servers are crushed - i tried going to the page just to see what it was like, at 3:07, and i'm timing out.  i wonder if this is going to sell out immediately.

3-day full-conference tickets sold out in less than an hour.  2-day passes still available.  conference hotel sold out within minutes this morning.  pretty healthy demand!

sweetcell - when are you going to brew a 930-themed beer, like my favorite sports blog:

http://www.casualhoya.com/2013/1/15/3876948/georgetown-hoyas-casual-hoya-casuALE-beer

nice!   dude is a baller: he makes 18 gallon batches in a 25 gallon kettle.  that's about 200 12-oz bottles (i make 5 or 6 gallons at time).  nice screenshot of the brewing software - dude is sharing his recipe, appears to be a nice all late hopping american pale ale.  i'd be interested in trying one of those.  have you had it, hoya? 

i will be brewing a tangentially 930-related beer at the end of summer: i promised to brew a IIPA/DIPA for the fantasy football league's draft party. 

or i could brew a throw-back beer, based on the aromas of the old 930 club on F street…

my next growler was of the mighty north coast brewery (the brewery to beat all breweries, state side) old rasputin which i do believe was a "nitro" thingy madoodle.  nice . . . but goes flat quick.  sometimes growlers are nice, sometimes they are a shame due to the sealing tops not doing their job.  the beer was still good.

sweetcell wrote:
nice!   dude is a baller: he makes 18 gallon batches in a 25 gallon kettle.  that's about 200 12-oz bottles (i make 5 or 6 gallons at time).  nice screenshot of the brewing software - dude is sharing his recipe, appears to be a nice all late hopping american pale ale.  i'd be interested in trying one of those.  have you had it, hoya? 

i will be brewing a tangentially 930-related beer at the end of summer: i promised to brew a IIPA/DIPA for the fantasy football league's draft party. 

or i could brew a throw-back beer, based on the aromas of the old 930 club on F street…

no, I haven't tried it yet, but I hope to in March when he brings it to the blog party (internet parties!!!!).

the best part of this story is that he got his brewing gear from blindly following a kentucky derby trifecta recommendation on a college basketball blog, then made a beer for said blog.

http://blog.sbnation.com/2013/1/15/3879156/when-does-a-blog-become-a-beer-when-casual-hoya-gets-involved

Founders may finally come to Maryland.
http://beerpulse.com/2013/02/founders-brewing-in-contract-negotiations-in-texas-florida-maryland/