The Beer Thread

[Burgess Shale]

My favorites are all Belgians. Lefe, Gouden Carolus, Gulden Draak and Duchesse de Bourgone. The recipes from some of these go back to the fifteenth century.

[MWBailey]

Milk Stout. Can't remember the name.

[von Corax]

My favorites are all Belgians. Lefe, Gouden Carolus, Gulden Draak and Duchesse de Bourgone. The recipes from some of these go back to the fifteenth century.

Exceptional Belgian beers? Chimay, Rochefort, La Trappe, Orval, Westmalle? There's also Westvleteren and Achel, both of which I have yet to see. (La Trappe is actually Dutch, but the knowledgeable drinker will understand why I include it here.)

[Capt. Dirigible]

Belgian beers? Delirium Tremens (8.5% ABV). This stuff is so strong..the bar prices are in braille!  Voted "Best Beer in the World" in 2008 at the World Beer Championships in Chicago, Illinois, USA

WARNING..drink responsibly. Do not drive, operate machinery, try to walk or have a coherent conversation after drinking this stuff.

[Rockula]

I tried some Belgian Stout called 'Hercule' a couple of weekends back when I was in Bruxelles. I think I liked it but it's so hard to remember.

[Birdnest]

Belgian beers? Delirium Tremens (8.5% ABV). This stuff is so strong..the bar prices are in braille!  Voted "Best Beer in the World" in 2008 at the World Beer Championships in Chicago, Illinois, USA

WARNING..drink responsibly. Do not drive, operate machinery, try to walk or have a coherent conversation after drinking this stuff.

I'll take two, please.

[von Corax]

Belgian beers? Delirium Tremens (8.5% ABV). This stuff is so strong..the bar prices are in braille!  Voted "Best Beer in the World" in 2008 at the World Beer Championships in Chicago, Illinois, USA

WARNING..drink responsibly. Do not drive, operate machinery, try to walk or have a coherent conversation after drinking this stuff.

Bush (not Busch!) and Bush de Noël, from Brasserie Dubuisson, both weigh in at 12% abv. I've had the Noël, and there's absolutely no trace of the alcohol when you drink it. Well, not until you try to stand up, anyway…

[Capt. Dirigible]

Delirium Tremens is more like a barley wine than a beer...lethal stuff, though.

[Birdnest]

Delirium Tremens is more like a barley wine than a beer...lethal stuff, though.

In that case, I'll take three please.  Open'em up and let'em breathe and warm up a bit .. << goes off to get a proper receptacle >>

[Ant]

If you like strong but palatable beers try Imperial Stouts - brewed for export from the UK to Russia in the 19th century (so perfect SP beers ) and they had to be robust enough to survive the journey. As a consequence they typically clock in at 10-12% abv.

Very strong stuff but very drinkable.

Personally my favourite beers are India Pale Ales (very hoppy beers brewed for export to India) or just a good pale ale like Timothy Taylor's or Sam Smiths Old Brewery Pale Ale

Fortunately I live in the north of England so we are blessed with top notch real ale pubs

[Prof Eumides Blakehurst]

My favorites are all Belgians. Lefe, Gouden Carolus, Gulden Draak and Duchesse de Bourgone. The recipes from some of these go back to the fifteenth century.

Tried the Clone Brews Gulden Draak:

450g crystal
150g Cara-Munich malt
110g  biscuit malt
60g acid malt
Steep and rest at 66C for 30 minutes.
Strain, sparge, boil then add
4.8kg Muntons extra-light DME
450g Muntons wheat DME
450g rice solids
30g Brewers Gold hops.
Boil 45 minutes, then add
10g Styrian goldings
1 tsp Irish moss  (I don't, but that's the recipe, so you decide...)
Final 15 minutes boil, then cool and add a good Belgian yeast (W1762, W3787, etc.)
After primary fermentation, add a high gravity yeast to finish off the HUGE malt residue.
Will come out to about 11% and need 6 - 9 months before drinking.

This is close but irritatingly "not quite". more experimentation needed... >HIC<

[Birdnest]

If you like strong but palatable beers try Imperial Stouts - brewed for export from the UK to Russia in the 19th century (so perfect SP beers ) and they had to be robust enough to survive the journey. As a consequence they typically clock in at 10-12% abv.

Very strong stuff but very drinkable.

Personally my favourite beers are India Pale Ales (very hoppy beers brewed for export to India) or just a good pale ale like Timothy Taylor's or Sam Smiths Old Brewery Pale Ale

Fortunately I live in the north of England so we are blessed with top notch real ale pubs

Once I have the opportunity to visit your fine lands, I shall be visiting those breweries!

'round here, we've ... 'stolen' ... what you know as IPA and call it NWPA (northwest pale ale).  Most breweries battle over who can make the most outrageous hoppy sinister brew.  Most hover around 7-8%, and are stuffed with the local hops:

- One of my favorites (aka grapefruit beer) - from the breweries website:
"CTZ Single Hop
This big Northwest style Pale Ale is brewed exclusively using CTZ hops. This medium bodied brew has citrus and grapefruit flavors with a long yet dry hop finish. "

[kidkunjer]

i had one of the best beers of my life in prague. no idea what it was i just said "beer" and they gave it to me. it was like a kind of light and slightly sweet stout... really really good. if only i could find out what it was.

[von Corax]

If anyone's interested, over at The Brewers' Guild we've been discussing "If Brass Goggles were a beer, what style would it be?" with the objective of (perhaps) coming up with a recipe. All input is welcome.

[von Corax]

As I bump this thread, I'm sipping a glass of Highballer Pumpkin Ale from Grand River Brewing. Cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins in the aroma; cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and pumpkin in the flavour. This is the first pumpkin beer I've had which actually merits the description "Pumpkin pie in a glass." Yum!

[J. Wilhelm]

Belgian beers? Delirium Tremens (8.5% ABV). This stuff is so strong..the bar prices are in braille!  Voted "Best Beer in the World" in 2008 at the World Beer Championships in Chicago, Illinois, USA

WARNING..drink responsibly. Do not drive, operate machinery, try to walk or have a coherent conversation after drinking this stuff.

Ha, ha, I've seen this at my local super.  I'll keep the warning in mind, ha, ha!

State laws vary in the US, but after a certain percentage of alcohol is surpassed, it can't be categorized as beer and one of the names used is "Malt Liquor" (!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malt_liquor

While ordinary beers in the United States average around 5% alcohol by volume, malt liquors typically range from 6% up to 9% alcohol by volume. A typical legal definition is Colorado's Rev. Stat. ss. 12-47-103(19), which provides that:

    "Malt Liquors" includes beer and shall be construed to mean any beverage obtained by the alcoholic fermentation of any infusion or decoction of barley, malt, hops or any other similar products, or any combination thereof, in water containing more than three and two-tenths percent of alcohol by weight.

I tried some Belgian Stout called 'Hercule' a couple of weekends back when I was in Bruxelles. I think I liked it but it's so hard to remember.

That's because it burned your neurons away...  sort of like not being able to remember when you had a near fatal car accident.

[Wormster]

I'd love to have a go at his one

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

http://www.brewdog.com/product/tactical-nuclear-penguin

[DreamHazard]

Brewdog beers are excellent, I've tried a few of them. Punk IPA is a particular favourite, and for someone who pretty much hates IPAs that's something noteworthy

[Professor Phineas Brownsm]

Had a few pints of 5AM SAINT the other day.

[Himself]

Brewdog beers are excellent, I've tried a few of them. Punk IPA is a particular favourite, and for someone who pretty much hates IPAs that's something noteworthy

I'd also put in a vote for punk IPA, but I do like IPA :-)

[Angus A Fitziron]

Become a bit of a fan of Sharp's Doom Bar. It was on tap at the Lyttleton Arms in Mornington Crescent and the first was so good it had to verified...

Also, in my 'local' The Hospital Arms, I noticed a reduction in the average A.B.V. of the draught beers on sale. Is this just a local lurch towards offering more session beers than the hitherto selection of brain damage or a more widespread phenomena? It makes sense as the reduction in strength will reduce duty allowing more profit and hopefully reduced prices, as well as a more social drinking environment.

Just a thought.

[SPBrewer]

I must say, I did not see my favorite in here.  I even did a search and nothing.
It's the one drink to not only put a smile on your face, but also ward off Werewolves!
Of course, I am speaking of the Silver Bullets!  I can honestly say at no time, even during the full moon, have I ever been attacked by Werewolves while consuming a Silver Bullet!

[hexidecima]

I must say, I did not see my favorite in here.  I even did a search and nothing.
It's the one drink to not only put a smile on your face, but also ward off Werewolves!
Of course, I am speaking of the Silver Bullets!  I can honestly say at no time, even during the full moon, have I ever been attacked by Werewolves while consuming a Silver Bullet!

assuming you're mentioning Coors on a beer thread    no wonder the poor beasties stay away from you 

[J. Wilhelm]

Coors is equine piss and totally unworthy of being categorized as a beer.  Only the brand name is Victorian.

[Rev. Jade]

Coors is equine piss and totally unworthy of being categorized as a beer.  Only the brand name is Victorian.

Of the "American Lagers" Coors is the best in my opinion. Far better than Budweiser or Miller.
That said, I much prefer a beer with some actual substance to it.
A nice oatmeal or milk stout usually hits the spot.