The Beer Thread

James wrote:
Maharajah is the ony Avery beer I'd go out of my way to have.

i think that's the reason avery has maintained a higher esteem in my mind than they probably deserved - maharaja was the first beer of theirs that i tried, really liked it, so the glow lives on… but it's finally fading.  i've had their Reverand (an average quad, good but nothing special), the Hog Heaven (unimpressive, see above), Beast (18% alcohol, tastes like paint thinner, might be good with 2+ years aging), and Karma ale (my second favorite of theirs… nice stuff, but i won't be ordering it a second time given the options i have).  batting 1.5/4 is good for a ball player but i expect more from a brewery.  it's probably a case of me giving a micro-brewery a little too much leeway.

also, hog heaven has something of a following on a brewing-related board that i follow so i was excited to try it, which only further compounded the disappointment.

for all you DC-based homebrewers

http://dcbeer.com/2012/05/18/3-stars-brewing-announces-plans-for-onsite-homebrew-store/

this is one of those "stunning in its simplicity" ideas - I bet they get just as much traffic for the homebrew supplies as for the beer itself

brennser wrote:
for all you DC-based homebrewers

http://dcbeer.com/2012/05/18/3-stars-brewing-announces-plans-for-onsite-homebrew-store/

this is one of those "stunning in its simplicity" ideas - I bet they get just as much traffic for the homebrew supplies as for the beer itself

… and plenty of cross-selling too: i'll def be picking up some of their beers when i hit them up for supplies.  this idea is indeed brilliant.  location is a lot closer to me than the other options (falls church, frederick or columbia). 

thanks for posting this brennser!

UPDATE: opening date for the supply store = June 1.

James wrote:
Unibroue and Founders are definitely top 10 for me. And I've only had the Quad and the DIPA from Boulevard, but both were quite solid….they should expand to the DC area!

how timely - dcbeer.com has a bunch of pre-SAVOR write-ups, including one for Boulevard.  among the tidbits: "Available in DC Market: Soon" and "When news broke that Boulevard would be expanding to the area later this year, I immediately went to my happy zone and celebrated in typical fashion." http://dcbeer.com/2012/05/17/savor-brewery-profile-boulevard-brewing-boulevard_beer-2/
;D

also one on avery: http://dcbeer.com/2012/05/17/savor-brewery-profile-avery-brewing-averybrewingco-2/

the missus called me a few moments ago informing me she was in a fancy beer store, asked if i wanted anything and started describing the beers she could see.  she is now on her way home with some founders double trouble, chimay blue and stone RIS.  i'm not saying i'm married to the best woman ever… ok fine.  that's exactly what i'm saying.

sweetcell wrote:

James wrote:
Unibroue and Founders are definitely top 10 for me. And I've only had the Quad and the DIPA from Boulevard, but both were quite solid….they should expand to the DC area!

how timely - dcbeer.com has a bunch of pre-SAVOR write-ups, including one for Boulevard.  among the tidbits: "Available in DC Market: Soon" and "When news broke that Boulevard would be expanding to the area later this year, I immediately went to my happy zone and celebrated in typical fashion." http://dcbeer.com/2012/05/17/savor-brewery-profile-boulevard-brewing-boulevard_beer-2/
;D

also one on avery: http://dcbeer.com/2012/05/17/savor-brewery-profile-avery-brewing-averybrewingco-2/

Ahh thank you for this.  Co-workers from KC rave about Boulevard, I've never tried.  I look forward to Savor, and their exclusive Sierra Nevada colab.

Yada wrote:

Yada wrote:
Confession: I've never had a home brew that I thought was absolutely delicious.

sweetcell wrote:
yada: i have no illusions that my early attempts at brewing will be anything more than "practice", but if/when i get a decent drink together i'll be sure to invite you over.

I'll take you up on this!

yada, you free next weekend?  'cause i've got a rye IPA that is pretty damn awesome, IMHO. 

it's my 5th brew so far.  the first two were pretty darn good, especially considering my lack of experience, but weren't worthy of having you over.  #3 is a strong belgian (over 9% abv) that is still aging, it probably won't be ready for another 2 or 3 months (if not more).  #4 was an experimental wheat that didn't really work out.  #5, the rye IPA, is my first home-run.

the offer still stands ;D

i'd love to just sit, and watch you drink it.

walkonby wrote:
i'd love to just sit, and watch you drink it.

Maybe they should videotape the event and upload a link here. Don't think that Sweets has a cat but I know he has a dog. Make sure there's some good cute and funny footage of the little furry baby. Who knows, it could go viral. If that happens, than maybe Sweets could start up his own micro-brew. Maybe he could then name the different brews after various forum members based on the type and their personalities. I'd love to know what a Walkie's Cat Mountain Top Brew would taste like or a Whole Yada Lovin'. We already know that a Mad James Ford Hoppin' Wild would be hoppy and very bitter.  ;) Hutch's Backyard Brew would be au natural. Hey, that's a natural. The possibilities are endless! 

awesome!

of course . . . i just wanna see sweetcell naked.

Jaguar wrote:

walkonby wrote:
i'd love to just sit, and watch you drink it.

Maybe they should videotape the event and upload a link here. Don't think that Sweets has a cat but I know he has a dog. Make sure there's some good cute and funny footage of the little furry baby. Who knows, it could go viral. If that happens, than maybe Sweets could start up his own micro-brew. Maybe he could then name the different brews after various forum members based on the type and their personalities. I'd love to know what a Walkie's Cat Mountain Top Brew would taste like or a Whole Yada Lovin'. We already know that a Mad James Ford Hoppin' Wild would be hoppy and very bitter.  ;) Hutch's Backyard Brew would be au natural. Hey, that's a natural. The possibilities are endless! 

LOL, nice one jag ;D  depending how many brews are served, the video could indeed be funny.  yup, no cat, one puppy.  i'm a cat person but the pup is pretty damn photogenic - probably make for more entertaining video.  she's a riot/mobile disaster-maker.  add hoominz on homebrew and…  :o

whole yada love - might have to use that one!  and yours would be "Jag's Foot-Staring Ale" (a take on shoegaze) made with all-natural ingredients - 0% government involvement… or so they claim.

walkonby wrote:
of course . . . i just wanna see sweetcell naked.

i'm afraid i'd disappoint, walkies.  too much beer, not enough gym.

didn't you know . . . i love bigger guys!  hot!

oh, be careful about brewing beer . . . you might just be considered a terrorist if a protest comes to town.

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/05/chicago-police-arrest-beat-nato-protesters-with-batons-arrest-other-protesters-who-were-in-possession-of-beer-making-equipment.html

sweetcell wrote:

… and yours would be "Jag's Foot-Staring Ale" (a take on shoegaze) made with all-natural ingredients - 0% government involvement… or so they claim.

It'll floor ya!  :D

Regarding, Walkie's link: I was going to say that being a home brew will definitely fit the bill. Then I saw that good ol' Walkie posted the link. (Very scary, actually!)

Regarding your other comment, Sweets: you could brew up a selection just for the Bear community (should do well at Blow-Off) called Sweetcell's Honeypot Sweet Bear. That would probably taste pretty good considering that I tend to like sweet beers.

walkonby wrote:
oh, be careful about brewing beer . . . you might just be considered a terrorist if a protest comes to town.

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/05/chicago-police-arrest-beat-nato-protesters-with-batons-arrest-other-protesters-who-were-in-possession-of-beer-making-equipment.html

not sure what to think of this story.  on the one hand it seems excessive on the part of police - can't help but suspect that this was done to intimidate protesters.  on the other hand, the story is misleading: they were not arrested because the had beer-making equipment.  they were under suspicion of plotting to use molotov cocktails - i.e., deadly force - against the police, so they were raided and police nabbed anything that looked like bomb-making equipment.  although there was a legitimate use for the bottles (beer-making), seizing them during a molotov-cocktail raid makes sense.

other links to the same story:
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/05/18/arrested-protester-charges-mistreatment-after-police-raid-apartment/
http://www.suntimes.com/12616221-761/3-protesters-charged-with-conspiracy-to-commit-terrorism-lawyer.html

Boulevard is coming to Maryland, DC, and Virginia in early June. Hallelujah! I love their Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale.

http://www.beerpulse.com/2012/05/boulevard-brewing-co-opening-new-markets-in-june-new-packages-coming-this-summer/

woohoo, nice to have a date on that.  i'm going to buy a bottle of Tank 7 tonight to celebrate (i'm currently on the road and it's available here).  i'd love to get my mitts on some Saison Brett.

Random beer observations from the past month or so:

I went up to Philadelphia for the Van Gogh exhibit last month, and I stopped at one of the Iron Hill Brewery restaurants in the area afterward. Good thing I wasn't driving because I loved every beer they had there and I had four of them: Honey Do Wit, a barleywine, the dunkleweizen, and one other I can't recall. All excellent. If you're in the area, I'd recommend stopping in.
http://www.ironhillbrewery.com/media/monthly-releases.htm

I went to Duffy's before a 9:30 Club show a couple weeks ago, and I was very disappointed to discover that they no longer had Ommegang Witte on tap. They didn't have anything else on tap that seemed at all enticing. They also got rid of Shepherd's Pie from their menu. Most disappointing. I doubt I'll be stopping in there again anytime soon.

The Black Cat downstairs has Bell's Amber on tap; I tried it last night. It wasn't bad, but nothing to rave about. I had a similar reaction to Ommegang Rare Vos recently. Not bad, but it's not my favorite Ommegang by any stretch. I keep trying amber ales and being disappointed by them. I think I should throw in the towel and conclude that it's just not a style of beer that I like.

I've become a huge fan of Stillwater Artisanal. I've enjoyed all of theirs that I've tried.

When it comes to amber ales, i've got two words: Nugget Nectar. And Hopback Amber.

Bell's Amber is indeed pretty middling. I do like Rare Vos, but indeed it may be Ommegang's weakest beer next to BPA.

tank 7: a really strong saison.  aroma of grapefruit, but smell is a little on the weak side overall as compared to the taste: spicy, fruity and has a mild yeast bite to it.  really intense.  several reviewers on BA described it as a great summer drink, but prefer my summer drinks to be a little more sessionable & hydrating.  this one is more of a sipper IMO.  a tasty one at that.

had dinner at the local tap-o-rama.  started off with a North Coast Le Merle saison (t'is the season of saisons?).  really nice, super dry with a lingering almost pungent aftertaste on the tongue.  second was a boulevard IPA - ok, even above average but nothing as good as their other offerings that i've had.  i looked it up on their website and they claim it's in neither the west coat nor the east coast style, instead it's a "midwest IPA".  i guess u i now know why i've never heard of midwestern-style IPAs… they've nothing particularly special.  good to know Boulevard isn't infallible. 

also bought a Stone's Cali-Belgo IPA and a Rahr's 2011 Bourbon Barrel Aged Winter Warmer… but those, my friends, are for another time.

Please allow me to share the names of a few midwestern breweries that make some pretty decent IPA's.

Bell's
Founders
Three Floyds
Surly
Minneapolis Town Hall

That should get you started.  ;)

sweetcell wrote:
  second was a boulevard IPA - ok, even above average but nothing as good as their other offerings that i've had.  i looked it up on their website and they claim it's in neither the west coat nor the east coast style, instead it's a "midwest IPA".  i guess u i now know why i've never heard of midwestern-style IPAs… they've nothing particularly special.  good to know Boulevard isn't infallible. 

also bought a Stone's Cali-Belgo IPA and a Rahr's 2011 Bourbon Barrel Aged Winter Warmer… but those, my friends, are for another time.