The Beer Thread

[Impossiblegears]

Fraoch (heather ale) or Grozet (gooseberry ale) from Williams Bros when they are available, Innes and Gunn (obviously, it is a fabulous ale), most st Peter's ales are good and reasonably priced, Black Sheep for general drinking

I. am. so. thirsty. 

[D.Oakes]

Right now I have a Yuengling Lager.  Brewed right here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 

[von Corax]

Fraoch (heather ale) or Grozet (gooseberry ale) from Williams Bros when they are available, Innes and Gunn (obviously, it is a fabulous ale), most st Peter's ales are good and reasonably priced, Black Sheep for general drinking

I. am. so. thirsty. 

• I've had both Fraoch and Grozet, as well as Ebulum (elderberry) and Alba (Scots pine), although the bottles say "Heather Ale Ltd, Craigmill, Strathaven" — have they changed hands, or is there more than one brewery making these?
• Innis & Gunn do a Canada Day Limited Edition — does anyone see this outside of Canada?
• St. Peter's also show up at the LCBO from time to time and, as I recall, are quite tasty.
• I used to drink Black Sheep, until the LCBO delisted it back in May. Fortunately, Plowman's Ale (Grand River Brewing, Cambridge ON), while different, has proved to be an entirely satisfactory replacement. (It's also a hair less expensive; it doesn't travel nearly as far ∴ much smaller carbon footprint; it fits the 100-Mile Diet; it supports local business/industry — I can find all kinds of rationalizations for switching!  )

[Angus A Fitziron]

I keep an eye out for Innes and Gunn specials - the local supermarket sometimes has the rum cask but never seen a Canada Day Limited Edition. I'll make a note in my diary for this year!

I saw this lonely bottle of Jamaican Dragon Stout from the folks at Red Stripe. It was abandoned on the energy drink shelf so I had to take it home. 7.5% ABV and very reasonably priced. Slightly spicy with a warm aftertaste, this proved to be a perfect aperitif whilst I prepared dinner. I will buy some more.

[von Corax]

I recently sampled Muskoka Brewery (Bracebridge ON) "Winter Beard," which is a very interesting (and tasty) double-chocolate cranberry stout.

[Angus A Fitziron]

Ooh Wnter ales and stouts, 'Winter Beard' sounds right up my street - I love this time of year! News like that has me wanting to visit folks in Canada again.

Had an interesting time sampling some fine brews, including 'Comrade Bill Bartrum's Egalitarian Anti Imperialist Soviet Stout' (6.9% abv) at the 5th Colchester Winter Ale Festival.

[Capt. Dirigible]

'Comrade Bill Bartrum's Egalitarian Anti Imperialist Soviet Stout'

What a fabulous name for a beer! Sounds like it's been made up for comedic purposes (like 'Scruttocks Old Bowel Basher'..strong?..the bar prices were in braille!!*)









*copyright Ben Elton 1987

[aka]

My favorite beer is Heineken

[Professor J. Cogsworthy]

harumph.... you cannot vote for more than one. 

[Birdnest]

This weeks favorite:

Bitterroot Brewing's Red Dread Imperial Red Ale ... toasty and hoppy @ 9%.  One bomber will bomb ya!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

http://bitterrootbrewing.com/beers.html

My favorite tipple though is Barleywine.  Open up a bottle and carefully pour it into the perfect glass, then let it set on the counter for 30 minutes or so ... to bleed off some carbonation and allow it to warm enough to really bloom the flavor.

Birdnest, I would like to invite you to join The Beer Thread to discuss your preferred barleywines at greater length.

Unfortunately, all of the local barleywines are off-tap right now.  They are usually about in late November through January, and don't last long.  Most often, they're made from triple-malt batches set aside for a year or so.  The latest was one made from a Belgium-Trippel and weighed in at 11% ... really smooth ... deadly potent.    I'm hoping for a batch derived from the previously mentioned Red Dread!  and ... I recently had a really fine taste from Full Sail in Mt. Hood.

To get a proper British brew, I've got to drive to the nearest city (Missoula MT) where there is a beer store with quite a selection ... 65 miles though.  In the meantime there are three excellent breweries within 15 miles, and another five in the city to the north.  The local breweries are Northwest / British style. Anyone from the N.West U.S. knows that the local brews are heavy, hoppy and incendiary.  My favorite so far though was from Anderson Brewing in Northern CA ... very malty with a super heavy creamy head.  A great barleywine should be thick (heavy), strong as hell, somewhat flat and no nose of alcohol.

I've got a few snifter glasses dedicated for the sole use of Barleywine - they hold the aroma and get rid of the cold.

As one may guess, I'm a pretty serious beer snob    I judge in the local brewfest and run the tent with the taps as the resident "expert" (lush).

[von Corax]

I haven't really had much opportunity to study barleywines. I do have some Mill Street '09 and '11 in the cellar right now, but I blinked when the '12 was on the shelves.

Tell me: how long do you typically cellar a barleywine before opening, or does it make any difference?

[Birdnest]

I haven't really had much opportunity to study barleywines. I do have some Mill Street '09 and '11 in the cellar right now, but I blinked when the '12 was on the shelves.

Tell me: how long do you typically cellar a barleywine before opening, or does it make any difference?

At least a year to at the very least build up the body and potency.  I think it can start to degrade after five years or so.  My personal preference is 18 months to 2 years ... it gets that nice thick maltyness and no alcohol smell.   

Your '12 may well be something that was brewed a year or two ago ... and the '12 means "Drink Me Now"

[Uncle Arthur]

OH MY! Nothing like a nice slice of beer!!

[von Corax]

I haven't really had much opportunity to study barleywines. I do have some Mill Street '09 and '11 in the cellar right now, but I blinked when the '12 was on the shelves.

My mistake — what I have is the '08 and '10. I should have gotten some of the '12 to keep up the pattern... The LCBO Product Finder says there's none anywhere here in the Deforested City; the nearest they list is 9 bottles in Cambridge, 6 in Kitchener and 1 in Windsor.

Tell me: how long do you typically cellar a barleywine before opening, or does it make any difference?

At least a year to at the very least build up the body and potency.  I think it can start to degrade after five years or so.  My personal preference is 18 months to 2 years ... it gets that nice thick maltyness and no alcohol smell.   

Your '12 may well be something that was brewed a year or two ago ... and the '12 means "Drink Me Now"

I don't think so; I recall the first bottle of '08 seeming a bit harsh, while the last one I opened (sometime around Christmas) was noticeabley smoother. I suspect Mill Street's "vintage" is the actual production year.

[Birdnest]

There's obviously a slight gap in the definitions of vintages of brews in your parts than here.  Here, they set on them and set the date when they have aged to the satisfaction of the brewmaster ... and the date reflects when they are meant to be sold and enjoyed.  Yup ... the Northwest has its own ideas of things    Our runs are really short, and rarely bottled  

None the less, I'd love to try the varieties available to you!

[von Corax]

I suspect our brewers use the concept of "vintage" the same way winemakers do, which (AIUI) refers to the date it comes out of the fermenter. For most styles of beer this is also the best time to drink them, but it's my impression that barleywines are meant to be aged, the same as grape wines.

None the less, I'd love to try the varieties available to you!

The sentiment is mutual, sir! We do see some of Rogue's products in Ontario from time to time; I have seven of them on my list so far.

[Unsubtle Pete]

Eight pints of Titanic Brewwery RFull Steam Aheasd.

Guaranteed to induce drunken singing.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Oh in lifetime father never was a quiter (HNEVER$!) I know he would not be a quiter now (Avabanana)

[Angus A Fitziron]

Guaranteed to induce drunken singing.

and drunken typing too    but we think we know what you are saying. Best wishes from the internet.

ffitz

[Unsubtle Pete]

Guaranteed to induce drunken singing.

and drunken typing too    but we think we know what you are saying. Best wishes from the internet.

ffitz

Thank you for the kind wishes, sir. Eight hour turnaround from that to mathematical analysis of brittle failure. Not so bad.

While generally I have tried to get out of the dreadful habit of going onto the internet post pub, last night was something of an exception as the cricket score simply could not wait until the morning.

Having seen said score, of course, I realised that it could have waited for morning, or preferably, not have happened at all.

Full Steam Ahead really is a brilliant beer, incidentally.

[Sir Nikolas Vendigroth]

I found a treasure-house of beery goodness yesterday.

This shop sells bottled beer, and is run by the people who run the Ship & Mitre in Liverpool, which I can definitely recommend.

It's like a sweet shop for adults  It was all I could do not to put my wallet down on the counter and tell the man to help himself.

[Professor Phineas Brownsm]

Homebrewed Alcoholic Ginger Beer is always a bit of fun!!

[Wormster]

I could reeelllllyyyyy go a pint of potholer (served in my own pewter tankard at my fave pub) RIGHT now.

Unfortunately the wallet* and drink drive regulations forbid me from so doing!

*Opens wallet and a few moths, buttons and fluff fall out!

[Mercury Wells]

Just imbibing a chilled bottle of Rabbie Burns made by Traditional Scotish Ales Ltd. (1.49 @ Aldi)
Would be better on a long warm summer's evening though.

[Sam Watson]

This poll isn't exactly legit.... "Ale" and "Lager" are two really huge categories.

Ale
Lager

Stout - is an ale
IPA - is an ale
Weizen - is an ale
Lambic - is an ale
Porter - is an ale
Pilsner - is a lager
(Hard) Cider - isn't an ale or a lager
Bock - is a lager

So why vote for "ale" or "lager" when they encompass so many different styles?

[von Corax]

So why vote for "ale" or "lager" when they encompass so many different styles?

Because ESB wasn't on the poll, and I enjoy stout and IPA equally?

Also, I'm not certain, but I think weisen might actually be either a lager or a hybrid. (I'm not sure which yeast they use, but I know they're supposed to be decoction-mashed, the same way lagers are supposed to be decoction-mashed. (Papazian's HBC describes them collectively as a "mixed" style.) I also think lambics qualify as "neither," since they use an entirely different genus of yeast (Brettanomyces rather than Saccharomyces) as well as (sometimes) Pediococcus and Lactobacillus bacteria.