The Beer Thread: 2007 – 2008

[fstorm1]

Argh! Rescued from page 7, yikes. Feel like I'm slackin', sorry. Actually, more than anything, I'm depressed because my regular beer building hang outs are featuring more and more fall/winter brews...which of course means that summer's (almost) over. What a drag.

 

Still can find my Dancing Man, however, and thank goodness for that. Holy cow, what a spectacular beer. Everything about it is perfection. Not only the best American made wheat I've ever had, it's well within the top 2 or 3 worldwide. Just amazing. Finally tried a Sprecher Hefe (very nice), and neat hefe with vanilla (which, depending on the day and/or how I feel, would either be really good or really bad), a beer that boasts the addition of black pepper that apparently I'm the only person in the world that can't taste the black pepper, and a hugely surprising Oktoberfest that is almost certainly the best of that style I've ever had. Almost makes me a little excited for fall...almost.

 

I actually took the totally geeky/alcoholic step of transferring my beer list from BA into a spreadsheet that I shrunk down and carry around in my wallet, so I 1)don't buy a beer I've already tried, and 2) can pick out the "best" of a particular style that I haven't yet had. Very handy on trips to Flanagan's and Festival and such.

 

Sadly, a number of injuries are keeping me from working regularly, which means cash is low, which means beer buying will probably be at a minimum here for awhile. But go out and scoop up those wheat's everybody, before their gone.

 

Oh, and on my last trip to Flanagan's, saw Grolsch Amber Ale. Can't remember if anyone had been looking for that or not...

[JumpinMacFlash]

My favorite Leinenkugels beer is the Creamy Dark.

 

Oh man...I love that stuff. That is just delicious. I also advocate trying their Oktoberfest beer, it's out again and I liked that. I'm also waiting for New Glarus's Staghorn, but when looking I also saw Dancing Man Wheat in the store the other day. I want to pick up a six-pack real soon.

 

What I did pick up at the store was a sixer of Harvest Moon. I tried that last fall and I really enjoyed it. This year was no exception.

 

One of the things that irritates me is the lack of choices I get around here. I'll get New Glarus beers and some of the Madison breweries, but that's about it.

[fstorm1]

Oh man...I love that stuff. That is just delicious. I also advocate trying their Oktoberfest beer, it's out again and I liked that. I'm also waiting for New Glarus's Staghorn, but when looking I also saw Dancing Man Wheat in the store the other day. I want to pick up a six-pack real soon.

 

What I did pick up at the store was a sixer of Harvest Moon. I tried that last fall and I really enjoyed it. This year was no exception.

 

One of the things that irritates me is the lack of choices I get around here. I'll get New Glarus beers and some of the Madison breweries, but that's about it.

Since Oktober's were never one of my favorites, I used to deliberately avoid them. But after Capital's Oktober blew me away, I'm looking forward to trying Leinie's, and the Staghorn as well.

 

By all means, get the Dancing Man. Spectacular. The best wheat's have a wonderful banana/clove/bubble gum smell as well as taste, and that is the finest example of it I've found in a bottle (had a Hacker Pschorr on tap once that was perfect, and the Shipwrecked Restaurant, Brewery and Inn in Egg Harbor has a seasonal that was spot on as well...I've now sampled better than 40 hefe's from around the world, and those are the three best I've found). Dunno if you like the wheat's or not, but you should at least try it, yeah? Hope you like it.

 

I tried the Harvest Moon last year, and didn't really care for it. Kind of a bummer, as I enjoy the Blue, Honey, and Rising Moons'. If you're into the pumpkin thing, see if you can find Lakefront's (Milwaukee) Pumpkin Lager. Excellent.

 

Mac, I assume you're in the Madison area? A quick search spit out University Liquor, which features a "sixer mixer" with an " always changing collection of over fifty micro brews". Although I suddenly get the feeling that Madison-ites will be screaming "NO", and that that is the wrong place for beer. If so, sorry, just trying to help.

[Chio151]

I look forward every year to Lakefront Pumpkin. Still the best Pumpkin beer I've ever had.

 

I tried to look up a brewing recipe though.... ummm not so easy. I'll leave the Pumpkin to the pros.

[datrain711]

Hey guys this is my first post in this thread. I consider myself a huge beer junkie so I'll contribute whatever I can.

 

New Glarus Dancing Man is the best hefeweizen I've ever tasted. It is a little strong (7.2%) but you don't taste the alcohol. I'd definitely recommend if he like a flavorful beer.

 

Also, I'm a huge fan of New Glarus Belgian Red. I don't know if you guys like "fruity" beer, but if you do, this is the best one out there.

 

Sam Adams Summer Ale is also a favorite this time of year

[fstorm1]

Hey guys this is my first post in this thread. I consider myself a huge beer junkie so I'll contribute whatever I can.

 

New Glarus Dancing Man is the best hefeweizen I've ever tasted. It is a little strong (7.2%) but you don't taste the alcohol. I'd definitely recommend if he like a flavorful beer.

 

Also, I'm a huge fan of New Glarus Belgian Red. I don't know if you guys like "fruity" beer, but if you do, this is the best one out there.

 

Sam Adams Summer Ale is also a favorite this time of year

Welcome to the thread.

 

The Belgian Red was the first beer my nice lady friend and I sampled at last year's Hops and Props. I am well aware of it's standing as perhaps the best fruit beer around, but I gotta tell ya, it, as is mentioned in a number of reviews at BA, is "all cherry, all the time", and "tastes nothing like beer". Which are the two reasons we didn't like it. I've had about a dozen or so fruit beers and the only two I can recommend are Pyramid's Apricot Ale and Orange Blossom Cream Ale. But I'm pretty much in the minority in my liking of those.

[TooLiveBrew]

Welcome to the thread indeed!

 

 

New Glarus Dancing Man is the best hefeweizen I've ever tasted. It is a little strong (7.2%) but you don't taste the alcohol. I'd definitely recommend if he like a flavorful beer.

 

You almost say "strong" like it's a bad thing. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif In no way trying to steal your thunder, you're not the first in the thread to recommend the Dancing Man. It sounds like an awesome beer -- and I don't care much for wheats.

 

 

I've had about a dozen or so fruit beers and the only two I can recommend are Pyramid's Apricot Ale and Orange Blossom Cream Ale

 

Pyramid is brewed out here in Portland, and I've tried the Apricot Ale. It's a solid 'beer + apricot' blend, but I don't like the fruity flavor. I haven't yet tried the orange cream ale, but will make sure to do so... that way I can weigh in on it beyond, "I THINK it's not going to be good" http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/tongue.gif

 

 

EDIT: Is the Orange Blossom Cream Ale you speak of the Buffalo Bill's brew? I don't recall it being a Pyramid product. Buffalo Bill's brews a mean Pumpkin Ale. I've had that, and it was very good.

[fstorm1]

EDIT: Is the Orange Blossom Cream Ale you speak of the Buffalo Bill's brew? I don't recall it being a Pyramid product. Buffalo Bill's brews a mean Pumpkin Ale. I've had that, and it was very good.

Indeed it is, sorry for the poorly written sentence. And, yeah, neither is something I'll go out of my way for to drink all night. I'm grading them against other fruit's I've had. In actuality, fruit/vegetable beers are consistently the worst style I've sampled (10 total, and only 2 of them are above a C grade). But I could see myself ending a night of drinking with one or the other.

[JumpinMacFlash]

Mac, I assume you're in the Madison area?

 

Not really, I'm in Platteville. However, I was in Madison last night and one of my friends gave me a beer I hadn't seen before. It was called Ambergeddon. It wasn't too bad, kinda bitter, but I liked it. I also give it extra points for having a skull with handguns on the bottle. Neat look.

[datrain711]

Welcome to the thread.

 

The Belgian Red was the first beer my nice lady friend and I sampled at last year's Hops and Props. I am well aware of it's standing as perhaps the best fruit beer around, but I gotta tell ya, it, as is mentioned in a number of reviews at BA, is "all cherry, all the time", and "tastes nothing like beer". Which are the two reasons we didn't like it. I've had about a dozen or so fruit beers and the only two I can recommend are Pyramid's Apricot Ale and Orange Blossom Cream Ale. But I'm pretty much in the minority in my liking of those.

I'm not a fan of apricot ale's, but I am very interested in that Orange Blossom Cream Ale. Sounds like something I might enjoy. the Belgian Red is something I absolutely love if it for one or two glasses. I agree the fruit flavor is very strong, and I wouldn't drink bottle after bottle of it. But it fits very nicely as a "dessert beer"

 

Another beer I have to recommend is Masala Mama IPA. Since you read BA, I'm sure you know it is highly ranked. I lived in Minneapolis for over a year and stumbled upon this accidentally. When I tried it, it was one of the first IPA's I ever tasted, and I didn't realize how good I had it until I tried others http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Has anyone tried any of the "breakfast stouts" before? I am interested in getting my hands on one, but I don't know the nearest place that makes a good one. I see a few reviews of some from out of state that sound really good.

[logan82]

I am so glad this thread has a tag. I have had a few Dancing men now(that didn't sound good). Dancing Man Wheat. I think it ranks right up there with Hacker Pschorr. Hacker Pschorr was the beer that got me started on beers other than Miller Lite. Dancing Man Wheat by New Glarus is one of the few wheat beers my wife will drink, along with Hacker Pschorr. My wife isn't much of a fan of unfiltered wheat beer like I am.

 

In the Madison area Woodmans is a good place to find a nice selection of beer. TLB also posted a few places to check out in Madison for beer a few pages back. I think one was something like Brenneman's.

[TooLiveBrew]

Brennan's. They have killer selections (Flying Dog Brewery & Tommyknocker Brewery are two to try), and offer the build-your-own-6-pack deal.

 

 

I am so glad this thread has a tag.

 

It has two tags! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/devil.gif

[logan82]

TooLiveBrew wrote:

I am so glad this thread has a tag.

 

It has two tags! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/devil.gif

I know edr-sucks is one tag. What is the other?

[Principessa21]

I don't know much about beer, but I just picked up one I liked. It's from the Lagunitas Brewing Co. and is a seasonal in honor of a Frank Zappa album. It's a "Belgium style triple ale" and it's yummy.

[EdgarDiazRocks]

Here's another shot from the PDX beer fest . . .

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3228/2821301742_caa1f08a4f.jpg

 

pretty much says it all.

[TooLiveBrew]

Your photography is always awesome, EDR. Not sure what that shot of the couple from the Beer Fest earlier in the thread was, but I'll treat it as an anomaly.

[Marc Newfield of Dreams]

I picked up a 6 pack of the Dancing Man yesterday based SOLELY on the accolades in this thread... unbelievable. Probably the best hefeweizen I've had.

 

I'll also second the Creamy Dark props earlier, I picked some up this weekend after not having it for awhile. Forgot how good it is.

 

I'll also reccommend Honey Moon. Very smooth, dangerously drinkable, with a nice subtle citrus flavor.

[JumpinMacFlash]

Honey Moon doesn't really do a lot for me. It's tasty, but I don't think I'd get it again.

 

I'm gonna echo the sentiment on the Capital Oktoberfest also. I had it this weekend and it was delicious.

[logan82]

Enjoy the Dancing Man while you can. This is the last month New Glarus Brewery will be making the beer until next year in July.

[TooLiveBrew]

Capitol Brewery is fantastic in general. It's been a while since I had their Oktoberfest, but I remember it being awesome.

 

 

I picked up a 6 pack of the Dancing Man yesterday based SOLELY on the accolades in this thread... unbelievable. Probably the best hefeweizen I've had.

 

I'll also second the Creamy Dark props earlier, I picked some up this weekend after not having it for awhile. Forgot how good it is.

 

That's so cool, Marc. The exact purpose I hoped this thread could serve. Makes me http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif. When I'm back in WI, I'm going to try to find the Dancing Man Wheat... and I'm not even that big of a fan of wheats. I see it's got an "A" over at beeradvocate.com. That's pretty rare.

[logan82]

My wife had to buy a "build your own 6-pak" at the grocery store to get Dancing Man for me. I only got 4 of them.

[Schlitz001]

Honey Moon doesn't really do a lot for me. It's tasty, but I don't think I'd get it again.

 

I'm gonna echo the sentiment on the Capital Oktoberfest also. I had it this weekend and it was delicious.

I give Honey Moon a big thumbs down. I really like the Harvest Moon though. I got to drink it for free after doing the Coors tour in Golden, CO.

 

I'm stoked to finally be able to at least get two kinds of Leinenkugel in Montana (Summer Shandy and Sunset Wheat). According to the distributor there are no plans to expand beyond that as of yet.

 

Right now I'm liking Head Smashed In (lots of alchol) and anything from Steamworks in Durango, CO.

[logan82]

Shandy is a seasonal from April to August. Man I feel like a party pooper lately in this thread.

[fstorm1]

Man I feel like a party pooper lately in this thread.

Don't, because...

 

Shandy is a seasonal from April to August

This is good news. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[JumpinMacFlash]

Beer Update!! I indulged myself last night. I went out and bought a sixer of Dancing Man Wheat. After reading all the comments on it, I had to go out and get some for myself. It was very tasty and refreshing. It has a unique taste that made me want to drink all six. (I stopped at two)