The Beer Thread: 2009 – 2012

[logan82]

Per Beer Advocate

 

Belgian IPA

 

Description:

Inspired by the American India Pale Ale (IPA) and Double IPA, more and more Belgian brewers are brewing hoppy pale colored ales for the US market (like Chouffe & Urthel), and there's been an increase of Belgian IPAs being brewed by American brewers. Generally, Belgian IPAs are considered too hoppy by Belgian beer drinkers.

 

Various malts are used, but the beers of the style are finished with Belgian yeast strains (bottle-conditioned) and the hops employed tend to be American. You'll generally find a cleaner bitterness vs. American styles, and a pronounced dry edge (very Belgian), often akin to an IPA crossed with a Belgian Tripel. Alcohol by volume is on the high side. Many examples are quite cloudy, and feature tight lacing, excellent retention, and fantastic billowy heads that mesmerize (thanks, in part, to the hops).

 

Belgian IPA is still very much a style in development.

[Beerambassador]

Stone Cali-Belgique was a pretty damn good Belgian IPA. I really liked the way the Belgian yeast and hops played together. Really, a well done beer. Tyranena just released their La Femme Amère, which just didn't do it for me. The Belgian yeast was just way too subdued.

 

Personally, I like the style. I think IPA's have gotten stale to an extent - "I can make my beer so bitter only a handful of people can actually enjoy it," which is just another aspect of the big beer trend – so it's nice to see a different trend with IPA's. As an aside - I'm dying for a trend where brewers go nuts with session beers. I'm not holding my breath.

[Ando Calrissian]

You know what, Beerambassador, I'm totally with you. A session beer revival would be most welcome. This is why the last time I brewed I made a basic English ale. Good enough flavor and low enough alcohol where you can make an evening of it and be relatively guilt free.

[Beerambassador]

A session beer revival would be most welcome. This is why the last time I brewed I made a basic English ale. Good enough flavor and low enough alcohol where you can make an evening of it and be relatively guilt free.

The last beer I brewed was a british bitter. About 3.5% alcohol. And it's got great flavor. Nice and rich, malty, with good hop balance. I read an interview with Dan Carey from New Glarus here. While he's not really a big time session beer brewer, he's got great insight into it. Moon Man, awesome beer, period. And it's staggering how simple it is.

 

You can do incredible things with simpler and smaller amounts of ingredients. But the market right now is big, bigger, biggest. I think Moon Man is great step in a different direction and I'd like to see more brewers try that approach - and I think they will, because in that interview, Carey says Moon Man is now their number two seller. If you want something lower alcohol, you shouldn't have to reach for a bud/miller/coors. You'd think you'd have tons of craft options - but you don't.

[TooLiveBrew]

Moon Man is awesome. Definitely one of my favorites that NG has done.

[logan82]

There was an article in a recent Beer Advocate about session beer. You are seeing more and more about session beers. My 2 favorites are not necessarily session beers but the alcohol isn't so strong to be overpowering that I couldn't drink a lot.(Oberon 5.8% and D-Man 7.2%) If you tasted D-Man you would be shocked to know the ABV is 7.2%. You don't taste the alcohol at all.

 

I think in Moon Man they either left out or cut way down on the first addition of hops.

[Funketown]

Agreed on Moon Man. I have yet to find someone who isn't impressed by it. Heck, I do enjoy west coast pales, but after a while they get a bit old.

 

I've found all of NG's wheats to be sessionable, with the exception of the Imperial Weizen, which is still an interesting brew. We're definitely spoiled by NG when it comes to wheat beers here in Wisconsin; I find myself disappointed by just about every other wheat I drink.

[logan82]

Looks like Central Waters has a new double IPA out. Not my taste but I thought the IPA guys might be interested. Doesn't look sessionable.

 

 

I ran accross this article today on light beer. During our beer tour at New Glarus our tour guide said that light beer was just good beer with water added to it. He wasn't completely wrong but he wasn't right either. Light beer appears to be low gravity wort that would only end up around 2% ABV but has enzymes added to convert complex sugars, that yeast wouldn't be able to convert into alcohol, into simple sugars that yeast can convert into alcohol. So basically instead of a high calorie/low ABV beer you get a normal ABV beer with a normal alcohol level.

[FunksG]

For all you Dancing Man fans. Might try to head out tonight to Woodman's on the West Side of Madison, hopefully they have it.

[logan82]

I bought some over the weekend but forgot to post about it. I also forgot that you should only drink 1 or 2 a night. That 7.2% ABV hits you fast.

[Beerambassador]

I don't care for wheat beers generally speaking. Too many of them are just waaayy to sweet. But Dancing Man is a spectacular beer. Crack'd Wheat is also a great hefe, albeit a heavily hopped one.

[EdgarDiazRocks]

Heading down to the Oregon Brewers Festival today! Sad there will be no Brewers talk this year.

[TooLiveBrew]

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif

 

Have a blast, and your viewing public demands you post your first-rate photos. My challenge to you is: roller-derby girls at the OBF

Is the EDR spawn making the journey?

[logan82]

Stopped at Cooper's Tavern today. Had an Ayinger hefe. Nice place, good beer. Looked like they had specific glasses for each beer they served. Hennepin served in a Hennipin tulip glass. Ayinger served in an Ayinger weizen glass. Hoegaarden served in fancy pint Hoegaarden glass. I have heard that is the way they do it in some places in Europe. Every brewery designs their own glasses specifically for their beer. The beer geek in me was very impressed.

 

Saw quite a bit of Lagunitas beer in Woodman's today that I dont' recall being there on my last visit. Didn't pick any up of course. Looked mostly like IPA's.

[chrisisoutrunning]

I don't know if anyone else has picked some up, but I just thought I'd pass along the good (understatement) news, DANCING MAN IS BACK! (and to me at least, that deserves the all caps.)

[EdgarDiazRocks]

My challenge to you is: roller-derby girls at the OBF

next.

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/4838062720_87925eb11a.jpg

[TooLiveBrew]

HA! Incredible. (even if it's only a bike helmet)

[logan82]

I tried a couple Potosi Brewery beers tonight. Snake Hollow IPA and Pure Malt Cave Ale. I am not going to be a repeat customer. Sorry to say that since they are a nonprofit brewery(from the little information I have).

 

I know Dan Carey recently talked about how important sessionable beer is but I have a hard time buying what he is saying when he keeps making high ABV beers. New Glarus' new Unplugged beer is an ABT(which I beleive is also known as a quadrupel) that comes in at 9.6% ABV. Though I think that is typical for this style.

[Funketown]

I know Dan Carey recently talked about how important sessionable beer is but I have a hard time buying what he is saying when he keeps making high ABV beers. New Glarus' new Unplugged beer is an ABT(which I beleive is also known as a quadrupel) that comes in at 9.6% ABV. Though I think that is typical for this style.

I don't know if that's fair to Carey. Outside of the Unplugged series, I'd consider pretty much everything they brew to be sessionable. If you compare the lineup of New Glarus to that of Stone, FFF, Founders, DH, etc., they definitely have more of a focus on everyday/session beers.

 

I sampled Potosi's Snake Hollow at Steve's Liquor in Madison a couple weeks ago, and I thought it was a pretty decent IPA. Not awesome, and I probably wouldn't choose it over other options (Goose, DH).

[EdgarDiazRocks]

Sorry for strayin' to other threads . . . Best of the Oregon Beer Fest?

 

Hopworks Organic Rise Up Red

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/4834678058_498f5f8387.jpg

 

Of course the best beer I had all weekend was Lucky Lab's Super Duper Dog, but their beer at the fest, the Summit IPA was horrid.http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/4840680245_734073f88a.jpg

[Funketown]

EDR - good call on bringing beer discussion back to the beer thread. As I'm stuck in Iowa right now, my beer choices are pretty dismal. However, I did raid HyVee's singles selection and grabbed some really nice beers for $1.50 each, including

 

Unibroue La Fin du Monde, Trois Pistoles, Don de Dieu, and Maudite: All very good, but La Fin du Monde and Trois Pistoles were my favorites.

Franziskaner & Weihenstephaner Hefeweizens: Haven't had the Franziskaner yet, but the Weihenstephaner just knocked Dancing Man to second place on my favorite wheats list.

Rogue Mocha Porter: A good porter, although I was a bit disappointed (this stuff retails for $12.99/6 around here)

Sprecher Impy Stout: A decent impy from a decent brewer. At $1.50 for a 16 oz. bottle, I really can't complain.

[sgtcluels]

I had Illumination a few times. It's a pretty solid Double IPA, a bit on the bitter end with out enough citrus notes imo. But I'm a big hop head.

 

Furthermore: Oscura - Tastes like a stout poured through foldgers. I can't explain how terrible it is, unless you love Foldgers

Immegang: Zuur - Weird. Blend of a sour and lambic. For Belgium sour fans.

Samuel Smith: Imperial Stout. A bit astringent, could use some aging, but far better imperial stouts out there.

Left Hand Brewing: Chainsaw. It's pretty bitter, just ok.. disappointing over all.

3 Floyds: Apocalypse Cow - Traditional Engligh Pale Ale. Pretty tasty.

Goverhopke: Extra. Hints of tangy, for a Belgium fan. (Not I)

Lindemanns: Faro - It tastes like drinking rock candy. Weird mouth feel. To sweet.

[FVBrewerFan]

I've decided that Franziskaner is not only my favorite Hefe, it's my favorite beer period. For some reason I've gravitated towards wheats in general, and this is the best one. It's very good on tap, or by the bottle.

[Beerambassador]

I stopped at the New Glarus brewery last week. Not to tour it, just to check it out and maybe pick up some R&D beer. What I saw of the new brewery looks amazing. Sat outside and had a beer and just admired the view from the hill top. Very nice.

 

I picked up a bottle apiece of the Golden Ale and the Two Women Lager. The Golden Ale was dominated by the brett, giving it a nice funk. The hop character was pretty much non-existent. It would've been nice to be able to taste it fresh just to see the difference. Nice beer that I really enjoyed. The Two Women Lager was an outstanding pilsner. I hope they turn it into a regular beer of theirs, because I'd drink a well-crafted pilsner by them by the bucket. That said, $5 was a bit ridiculous for what is basically just a well-crafted pilsner. Worth picking up a bottle if you're in the area. I also missed - by two freakin' days - their two new R&D beers, the bourbon barrel kriek and gueuze. The kriek is already sold out per their facebook page.

 

Anyone do the Great Taste in Madison over the weekend? My sister went and said it was amazing.

[Funketown]

I missed the Great Taste of the Midwest, although given the lineup, it was probably a great time. I've never been to such an event (before you burn me, I just turned 21 3 months ago).

 

From BeerAdvocate, here are a few other festivals coming up. Obviously none are as good as the Great Taste of the Midwest, but one might be worth checking out. Does anybody know anything about what specific beers are at these fests (does NG bring just a couple, or would they bring the Gueuze and Kriek, etc?)

 

08/28/10 Potosi Brewfest, Potosi http://www.potosibrewery....ts_detail.cfm?eventID=16

09/11/10 Thirsty Troll Brewfest, Mount Horeb http://www.trollway.com/productlist.asp?cat=85

09/17/10 Great Lakes Brewfest, Racine http://www.greatlakesbrew...wers-attending-2010.html

 

As for us Iowans (does this need to be plural?), looks like the Festival of Iowa Beers in Amana on September 5th is all there is in the near future.

 

I grabbed a pretty decent staff at Woodman's last weekend for a northwoods trip:

 

Dogfish 90 Minute: Awesome IIPA. Totally worth $9.49 per four pack.

Bear Republic Republic Hop Rod Rye: $1.65 for a single. Another very good pickup.

Lagunitas Imperial Stout: $3.99 for a 22oz bottle. Not a good Impy. Very rough around the edges, but not good enough in the first place to age.

Lagunitas IPA: $1.65 single. Solid sessionable IPA.

FFF Gumballhead: $1.65 single. Very good change of pace from my typical New Glarus/German Hefe wheat lineup. I could easily knock down a sixer of these on a hot day.