The Beer Thread: 2009 – 2012

[colbyjack]

The fall through winter and into the spring months offer quite a few different beer varieties that I really enjoy trying different kinds. Oktoberfest beers are among those favorites, and this year my favorite was Bell's, although it was a little hard to come by (I could find it at a gas station by work but not at many to most of the liquor stores I frequent by my house). Capital's Oktoberfest was a close second, and was very similar to Bell's.

 

Onto the winter brews. As TLB noted, Capital's Skal is a very good winter brew, and Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale is as good as I remember it. I picked up a 6-pack of New Belgium's 2 below today based on the recommendations here and look forward to giving that a try.

 

I got a quarter-barrel of Riverwest Stein for the Thanksgiving festivities (that didn't last long), and capped off the holiday with a trip to Lakefront on Black Friday.

[thevaccinator27]

New Glarus - Cran-Bic - loved it. However, I love the Raspberry Tart they make, too.

Picked up some Viking Beer from Dallas, WI. Got the Dim Whit and Copper Head . Dim Whit reminded me of Stone Soup. Neither one was mind-blowing, but not bad either. They weren't very carbonated at all, which caught me off guard at first. I also picked up some of their Barley Wine and want to try their Mojd (mead) when I find it.

Anyone else try their beer?

[TooLiveBrew]

Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale is as good as I remember it.

 

Hah -- yet another that I just picked up. I haven't dipped into the 6-er yet, but I've already had some of this year's Celebration Ale, & like cj noted, it's awesome as usual. I hope you like the 2-below, Patrick, but I can't imagine how you wouldn't, given your comments. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Sierra Nevada is a brewery that seems (to me... definitely a 'seems like' here) to get overlooked. It's not a new craft brewery, it's not local to the midwest (obv.), and it's relatively widely-available. I know that combination has led me to overlook it at times, but it's really a good brewery. Their ESB is one of my favorite seasonals, and the Celebration Ale has rapidly shot up my 'Favorite Winter Warmers' list over the past two years.

[TooLiveBrew]

Had the NG Snowshoe -- good, but very filling/heavy. Even for a winter ale.

 

The Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale is heavier than I recalled. It's a hoppier winter ale, which is a nice change of pace. Not overly hoppy, even by midwest standards (west/NW brews tend to be hoppier in general)

[logan82]

Picked up Dark Horse Brewery's Reserve Special Black Ale. It is a very very dark black beer. My wife loved it. Coffee and Chocolate flavors.

 

I was going to ask everybody their top 5 favorite breweries, but I really can't come up with 5 myself very easily.

[Beerambassador]

Top five is tough to put in order, but I can try.

1). Tyranena - Local, and they do stouts/porters and IPA really well (my two favorite styles). I'm in love with their Brewers Gone Wild Series.

2). New Glarus - I've disliked as many of their beers as I've loved, but man have I loved some of their beers.

3). Bells - Two Hearted Ale is probably my favorite beer of all time. A lot of their other stuff is outstanding as well.

4). Unibroue - I'm really getting into Belgian-style ales and Unibroue does them well - and a lot cheaper than Belgian breweries do.

5). Boston Beer Company - They get hated on a lot for being big, but they make a lot of solid beers and some really great stuff here and there. Boston Lager is my fallback brew if beer selection sucks at a bar. Their holiday beers, Fezziwig and Holiday Porter are outstanding. They also make some pretty atrocious stuff (see Cranberry Lambic).

 

Honorable mention to Ommegang, Sierra Nevada, Dogfish Head, Sprecher and Leinenkugels (solely on a nostalgic note for introducing me to craft beer).

 

Edited for spelling issues

[logan82]

1) New Glarus - They make the top spot not because they make my favorite beer(D-Man), but because of their Unplugged series of beers. I don't like most of the Unplugged beers however it is nice to have a brewery try such a wide range of beer. Lambic wouldn't have even been on my radar if not for New Glarus. I would be surprised if everybody couldn't find at least one beer New Glarus makes throughout the year that is to their liking. I think we are lucky to have a brewery that makes solid to spectacular beer in such a large variety.

 

2) Bell's - They make my 2nd favorite beer(Oberon Ale) and several other solid beers in a wide range of categories.

 

3) Hacker-Pschorr - My gateway beer was their Hefe Weisse. Without that I would still be drinking Lite and Leinies.

 

4) Ommegang - Of course this is where my list falls apart. I am perfectly happy sticking mostly to New Glarus and Bell's. I had to get them on because of their Abbey Ale.(8.5% ABV!)

 

5) New Belgium, Central Waters, and Great Dane get special mention in the 5th spot for me. A brewery has to make a wheat beer I like to make the top 5.(I let Ommegang slide with a dubbel) I would put Great Dane solidly in the top 5 but they don't bottle and distribute their beer. You have to go to the brew pub to get it. It takes a special trip and it isn't quite good enough to warrant a special trip more than once or twice a year. Central waters and New Belgium do some things well. Neither really makes a beer I would choose over other readily available beers.

[EdgarDiazRocks]

1. Maritime Pacific

2. Diamond Knot

3. Amnesia

4. Hopworks

5. Boundary Bay

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3533/3701383978_befcbf89ba.jpg

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2649/3768752511_7f75de60a0.jpg

[colbyjack]

I had a 2 degrees below last night and it was good, not great, which is what I have come to expect from New Belgium beers.

 

Top 5:

 

1. Lakefront. Riverwest Stein is my staple, Pumpkin is an amazing seasonal, and Bridge Burner (their 20th anniversary ale, 22oz. bottles) is an amazing specialty. The IPA is among my favorites, and I just wish their Big Easy Mai Bock could come closer to stacking up with Sprecher's and Capital's. They've made some stinkers, but they get huge bonus points for their awesome owners, staff, facilities, tour and of course having Bernie's old chalet and slide in their possession. They personify Milwaukee.

2. Capital. Their tour and facilities are different from Lakefront's, but they are a lot of fun. I don't think I have ever had a beer of theirs that I didn't like. The Amber is a classic, while I look forward to their annual release of their Mai Bock and Blonde Dopplebock seasonals.

3. Odell. They're a little too snobby about their brews, but man are they good. The IPA, 90 Schilling and Levity Amber Ale are very good year-round products, and their Isolation Ale is one of my favorite seasonals of all-time. I hope their new facilities leads to greater distribution.

4. Sprecher. Sprecher was the brewery that opened my eyes to good tasting beers, not to mention pouring such beers into a glass as opposed to drinking from the bottle (wha???). Their Mai Bock remains my favorite seasonal of any brewery, and their Amber is an all-time classic.

5. Bells. This is kind of a "what have you done for me lately" award, since the first time I have had their beer came earlier this year. They make two great beers that would rank very high on my individual beer list, the Oberon and Octoberfest.

 

Leinie's has a great facility and a decent product line, not to mention a nice getaway as they're only 5 minutes away from the in-laws, but they are a macro micro that I have a hard time classifying as a craft brewery.

 

I also give New Glarus a lot of respect for trying a lot of new things and not being afraid to fall of their face in the process, but they have never made a beer that I can latch onto. One a related side-note, my first roommate in college was the son of one of the original co-owners/founders, so I got to try a lot of complimentary, prototype Uff-Das.

[logan82]

I found this list while looking around today. It lists all the beers associated with either AB InNev or MillerCoors. Link

 

Some of the surprising ones.

 

Goose Island - distribution sights

Kona - distribution rights

Franziskaner - ownership

Red Hook - partial ownership

 

I don't mind partial ownership or full ownership even however, I just think in the back of my mind that things start to drift towards medicre when beg brewers buy smaller ones. They are more concerned with making money(not that every brewer isn't) than making good beer.

[diomedeh2]

Top 5:

 

1) Russian River Brewing - just an amazing brewery with incredible selection. From Pliny the Elder to Temptation, their beer really goes to all extremes.

 

2) Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V. - A limited selection available in America (Rodenbach, Rodenbach Grand Cru), but both are amazing beers that really changed my beer drinking world. For that, I give thanks.

 

3) Brasserie Dupont - Another beer revelation when I began drinking...gotta recognize those breweries that really changed your perception of beer. The Saison is still one of my favorite safety nets when I go out for a beer with friends.

 

 

4) Allagash Brewing - For a long time Allagash was a solid brewery with ok beers, but their recent additions (Interlude, Confluence, Odyssey, Fluxus, Curieux) have really vaulted them up in my mind's eye. Still holding out hope that I can wrangle some of their new barrel aged stuff (Gargamel, Vagabond) away from someone on the east coast...wink wink.

 

5) Jolly Pumpkin - A relatively new find for me, but man are there beers amazing. Oro de Calabaza, La Roja, Noel de Calabaza, etc...those crazy wild fermentation flavors are totally my thing.

 

It's tough putting together a definitive top 5 though...ask me again in a few weeks and, while #1 wouldn't have changed, #'s 2-5 could be completely different. Founders, Victory, Deschutes, Boulevard, New Glarus, Three Floyds, Bell's...all great breweries that could easily slot somewhere in the top 5.

[Beerambassador]

Bump for a few questions for diomedeh2. Do you live in Wisconsin? If so, where are you getting beer from Russian River, Allagash and Jolly Pumpkin? I've never seen any of their beer anywhere. I'd love to try some of their beer but I figured it wasn't available in Wisconsin.

[Marc Newfield of Dreams]

1) Bell's- As a Stout guy, it doesn't get better than Double Cream, and their Rye stout. Like the Amber, Oberon, and Two-Hearted as well.

2) New Glarus- Really have never had a bad beer from them.

3) Founder's- Red's Rye, Breakfast Stout, Cherise.... all great stuff.

4) Three Floyds- When I need hops, this is where I go.

5) Rogue- Can be tough to find, but they make some damn good beer. Love the Chocolate Stout.

 

Honorable Mention- Capital Brewery, Left Hand Brewery, Tyranena

[Bikeage77]

Its hard for me to pinpoint all the breweries, I've gone to so many Onion Beer Societies, that I forgot how many different breweries I've tried, or which I liked the most. I usually just get a different 6 pack of whatever each week to have one when I get home from work. then I just drink PBR or Hamm's on the weekends.

 

1. Lakefront Brewery - for pretty much all the reasons Colby said...the new Local Acre is great, had it last night for the first time. It's the Brewery I know the most. I've been on that tour so many times, at one point Mr Klitsch joked and asked if me or any of my friends wanted to do the tour for him one afternoon. (best place for a wedding reception too!)

2. New Glarus - Spotted Cow is kinda an obvious pick, but still, great.

3. New Belgium - Went nuts and bought a 6 pack of the Fat Tire when I first saw it. Best 25 bucks I'd spent on beers ever (22oz bottles at that)

4. Capital Brewery - I love their winter ale, their Octoberfest was delicious as well

5. Furthermore - I've only tried the Fatty, but it ruled hard.

 

Worst Brewery? MAGIC HAT. I got a 12 pack variety, and each beer made me wanna vomit more than the last, most notably the Winter 09 ale. Lemon water with carbonation. Worst beer ever (and yes, I've tried Steel Reserve)

[diomedeh2]

Bump for a few questions for diomedeh2. Do you live in Wisconsin? If so, where are you getting beer from Russian River, Allagash and Jolly Pumpkin? I've never seen any of their beer anywhere. I'd love to try some of their beer but I figured it wasn't available in Wisconsin.

 

Beerambassador - I actually live in CA, so that explains my ability to get those beers.

 

I was in Milwaukee this weekend and spoke with the beer buyer at Discount Liquor who said that Allagash won't distribute in WI anymore, which is a darn shame. He did have some JP there though (La Roja and Bam Biere).

[blatzlight]

My top 5:

 

1. Three Floyds: I am a hop head and just love almost everything they produce. I currently have in my fridge: Gumball Head, Alpha King, Alpha Klaus, Popskull, Broo Doo, Munsterfest, Apocalypse Cow & Moloko Milk Stout. I just like how they put more hops into their beers and use great ingredients.

2. Bell's: Two Hearted, Hopslam and some of their stouts never fail me.

3. Avery: I have had quite a few of their beers which have always treated well.

4. Bear Republic: Just for Racer 5.

5. Georgetown (Seattle): All for Manny's Pale Ale - wish it wasn't just served in Seattle.

 

Locally New Glarus produces some good beers and Furthermores Fatty Boomblatty is just awesome.

[logan82]

New Glarus has some hints at their 2010 beer schedule on their website. They are adding Moon Man(No Coast Pale Ale, whatever that might be) to their year round lineup. Year Round Kind of surprising since most of their year round lineup usually comes from either an unplugged beer(like the Crack'd Wheat for their Imperial Weizen) or a seasonal beer. Looks like they are having 2 bocks in their seasonal lineup. A Wisconsin Bock(?) and a Wisconsin honey bock. Possibly 4 months of D-Man instead of 3, although making it a full time beer would be great. Road Slush comes back, my wife loves that. Seasonals

 

I know, I know, I constantly plug New Glarus and I am sure some people are tired of it. I just really am happy to have a brewery like them locally. I really have not liked any of their Unplugged series, but that series is the biggest reason I like the brewery. They try stuff outside of the norm and in my opinion mostly fail miserably. They make really good wheat beer and solid porters and stouts albeit only seasonally.

 

I can understand some people not liking New Glarus much especially if you like hoppy beer. They don't make really hoppy beer. Much like I don't really care for most of Capitol Brewery's offerings. I think they are mostly "thin" beer. I like their Island Wheat but think most of their beer is good beer watered down. I like beer you can't see through when poured in a glass.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't really care for most of Capitol Brewery's offerings. I think they are mostly "thin" beer

 

Autumnal Fire, man. Check it out next fall if you haven't already http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[logan82]

I might. I didn't mean to slight Capitol Brewery and maybe I did. I was just kind of trying to make the point that beer is so diverse that if a brewery doesn't make a beer you like, it doesn't mean it is making bad beer. I will admit that I believe most people who contribute to this thread probably believe that. I try to keep some stuff Beer Advocate has about reviewing a beer in mind. Specifically this part

 

Keep style in mind

Say you don't like light beers. We suggest that you do one of two things: 1) don't review them if you know you already don't like them - your opinion will be tainted. 2) Review with an open mind and for what the beer is trying to be, not what you think the beer should be or pit it against the kick-ass India Pale Ale that you had earlier. It's also important to note that a beery character that you might not like, could be "to style," and shouldn't be deemed a flaw.

The Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale for instance. It was to hoppy for my liking, but I can see how TLB would like it. I am not sure if I posted about that beer. I don't think it was bad, just not to my liking. It really is a segmented hobby. There is a fine line between beer snob and beer geek. I know I cross the line into snob often especially with the people I work with since they are of the Miller/Bud mass produced preference. I have never reviewed a beer on Beer Advocate, BTW I love their monthly magazine, and probably never will. I am just not good at going beyond good/bad, like/don't like stuff on beer, although I do know hoppy or wheat flavors.

 

I did like the NG Snowshoe. So did my wife. I have been drinking mostly New Belgium Fat Tire lately. Kind of thinner than I usually drink, but I am still trying to branch out from just wheat beer.

 

The only thing about beer I wiil pimp more than NG is Beer Advocate. That site and their magazine are tremendous resources. Respect Beer

 

Basically, if you like hoppy beer, go with mostly TLB selections, if you like wheat beer go with either fstorm(where are you man?) or myself. Beer is so incredibly diverse much like when I was a kid going into the store and picking out Graf's soda, some like grape, some like orange.

 

Oh yeah, Hops N Props is on March 6th in 2010. I hope to make it and see some of you guys there.

[stoops17]

This thread needed a bump.

 

Just tried my first Bell's Hopslam, I think I am in love. It really lights up my hop heart.

[TooLiveBrew]

I should've posted about this earlier, but I just forgot to do so. I'm not sure how new it is, but I recently tried New Belgium's Mighty Arrow Pale Ale. The hops are just incredible, really flowery aroma. You don't often (imo) find beers with this good of hops in the midwest. It's not overly hoppy or overwhelming in any way. For my tastes -- I love Pale Ales -- this is as good a beer as I've been able to find in WI. As of now, the BeerAdvocate score is a B+. I honestly don't seek out really hoppy beers, but this one is a winner.

 

Given how much I liked Mighty Arrow, I'd like to try their Ranger IPA. This one I would expect to be really hoppy, perhaps overwhelmingly so to some. However, they've showed me that they know how to employ hops, and I'd be curious to try their first shot at an IPA. Per their website, "This clear amber beauty bursts at the starting gate with an abundance of hops: Cascade (citrus), Chinook (floral/citrus), and Simcoe (fruity) lead off the beer, with Cascade added again for an intense dry hop flavor. This beer would certainly not be for everyone, but I hope I get a chance to try it out.

I also tried Capital Brewery's new(er) U.S. Pale Ale. It was solid, not nearly as good imo as Mighty Arrow, but a bit more mild so I could see how some might prefer it. BA grades it a B- so far. I'd have to agree... maybe a B grade. Man, does the Capital Brewery website need improving. How boring.

[diomedeh2]

Given how much I liked Mighty Arrow, I'd like to try their Ranger IPA. This one I would expect to be really hoppy, perhaps overwhelmingly so to some.

It's a pretty solid offering from New Belgium, a brewery that I've found to be hit or miss overall. Nice and clean hop flavors, nothing too overwhelming, and it packs a solid punch at 6.5% abv. I think it's a pretty good beer to have around.

My latest New Belgium want is Eric's Ale. I can't get enough of the sours.

[diomedeh2]

While it's some time away from now, I'll be flying back to SW Wisconsin in June for a week or so and was hoping to get some people together for a beer tasting one afternoon / evening. I'll be in the greater La Crosse area and should be able to bring back a few bottles of Russian River stuff (probably the sours like Temptation or Consecration).

Any of you guys think you'd be interested in attending something like that?

[Beerambassador]

I just can't get into New Belgium. I don't know if they use some sort of common malt or yeast strain in all their beers, but man, all their beers taste the same to me. Trippel, 1554, Fat Tire, 2 Below...they all taste the same. I almost bought some of their Lips of Faith series beers the other day, but I worried they'd have that underlying taste to them that all their other beers have, so I passed.

 

I also want to say how underwhelmed I was by New Glarus Cabin Fever Honey Bock. They made a blonde bock several years ago which I really enjoyed, but Cabin Fever was a disappointment. It reminded me of a mass produced lager. Just really, really bland. Boo on New Glarus for this beer.

 

I did really enjoy the other beer I picked up last weekend, North Coast Pranqster. A four pack only ran me $7.50 and it was quite delicious. I've seen others compare it to Duvel, and while I didn't think it was in the same league, it had a similar taste profile. Great value.

[diomedeh2]

I almost bought some of their Lips of Faith series beers the other day, but I worried they'd have that underlying taste to them that all their other beers have, so I passed.

While I tend to agree that NB is not really a great brewery, and far be it from a really good one even, La Folie truly is an outstanding beer, if you're one for the sours. Their other Lips of Faith offerings that I've had (Transatlantic Kriek, Dandelion, Biere de Mars, Le Fleur Misseur) do leave a bit to be desired, unfortunately.

And I definitely agree on Pranqster...it's one of my staple beers. Northcoast kicks out some quality beverages. The Old Rasputin XII is really a (high priced) treat.