The Beer Thread: 2007 – 2008

[fstorm1]

Well, just as TLBrew said, the whole point of this thread was the sharing of "goodness" and "badness". We're definitely seeing the goodness with the Dancing Man Wheat. I figure I've been blabbering about DMW longer than just about anyone here (I see Brettac mentioned almost a year ago), and I take some satisfaction in the fact that hopefully I've turned folks onto some "goodness". I'm not boasting, not my character and folks would've found it eventually anyway, but it's a nice feeling when I talk about something so much, then it actually does turn out to be just as great as I'd hoped, and then others agree with me (which is pretty rare...heck, I've been a Ned supporter since he got here http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/tongue.gif). Drink it up. Soon, most of us will be freezing, watching the snow fly and longing for the days when beer heaven will return to us.

 

But, there's good stuff to be found in the icky months too, although not that good. Recently had a pair of porters, Sand Creeks Badger Porter and Breckenridge's Vanilla Porter. Not nearly my favorite style, but I actually liked both.

[fstorm1]

Forgot to mention that this coming Saturday, Sept. 13th from 12-5 is the 6th Annual Thirsty Troll Brew Fest in Mt. Horeb. Info:

Grundahl Park, Mount Horeb, Wisconsin

OVER 35 CRAFT BREWERS AND 100 DIFFERENT BEERS!

Live Music by The Pints & food served by area organizations.

go to www.trollway.comfor tickets and more info

****NEW GLARUS BEER WILL BE SERVED AT THE EVENT*****

 

Straight from the New Glarus Brewing site. Thinking about going, although I may opt for going up north for one last good weather fishing trip. Decisions, decisions...

[saget]

Gentlemen I have quite a feat in front of me.

 

I just went out to Festival and picked up 2 of those "build you're own" 6-packs. Here are the suitors:

 

New Glarus - Dancing Man

Grolsch Lager

Central Waters - Glacial Trail IPA

Central Waters - Ouisconsing Red Ale

Franzishaner - Weissbeir

Hacker-Pschorr - Original Oktoberfest

Paulaner - Oktoberfest

McSorley's Ale

Eastside Dark Lager

Breckenridge - Avalanche amber

Spaten Oktoberfest

Tyskie Premium Lager

 

I will report back with up-to-the-drink updates.

[fstorm1]

Gentlemen I have quite a feat in front of me.

 

I just went out to Festival and picked up 2 of those "build you're own" 6-packs. Here are the suitors:

 

New Glarus - Dancing Man

Grolsch Lager

Central Waters - Glacial Trail IPA

Central Waters - Ouisconsing Red Ale

Franzishaner - Weissbeir

Hacker-Pschorr - Original Oktoberfest

Paulaner - Oktoberfest

McSorley's Ale

Eastside Dark Lager

Breckenridge - Avalanche amber

Spaten Oktoberfest

Tyskie Premium Lager

 

I will report back with up-to-the-drink updates.

 

You, sir, are my current hero. I love the fact that you picked up so many different styles...I had this huge problem early on in my 6-pack builds, because I refused to pick up a style I didn't like...which was absurd, really. Because of that, I missed out on plenty of opportunities for some really great beer (including all the Oktoberfests you picked, plus Capital's Oktober, which is now a "fall" favorite). Now at the very least, unless it's really awful, I mean REALLY awful, like eyes-watering, tongue-swelling, blood-shooting-from- my-nose-and-ears, flaming-diarrhea, rusty-staples-under-my-finger-and-toenails bad, I won't finish it.

 

You know, like Budweiser.

 

A little tip, something you all may know already: when you buy a wheat that has all the yummy sediment in the bottom, you can do the "Hacker-Pschorr Swirl" to try and get it out, or just turn the bottle over in the 6 pack container, and wait, well, as long as you can (about 10 minutes for me). It may not all ooze down into the beer, but it does help, particularly with the Franziskaner, which has the most sediment of any wheat I've tried.

[burniebrewer]

Capitol Brewery is fantastic in general.

 

I don't really fit into this thread, but if you had the former connections I did...I had two private parties at Capitol where I was literally tapping beer off of the brewing kegs. I tasted the Oktoberfest last year before anybody except the brewmaster...great people, just not my kind of beer.

[bighurt27]

smithwicks on tap cant be beat

[saget]

OK. The Dancing Man is glorious. Oh my goodness. It almost has a fruity taste to it, but it's not overwhelming. I wish I had bought more than one.

[logan82]

fstorm1 wrote:

A little tip, something you all may know already: when you buy a wheat that has all the yummy sediment in the bottom, you can do the "Hacker-Pschorr Swirl" to try and get it out, or just turn the bottle over in the 6 pack container, and wait, well, as long as you can (about 10 minutes for me). It may not all ooze down into the beer, but it does help, particularly with the Franziskaner, which has the most sediment of any wheat I've tried.

Here is a video on the proper way to pour a wheat beer. It is about 1:30 in. I know I posted this already, but I don't want to go back and find out where. I am not positive it makes a difference, but I like to believe it does. I know that with the Dancing Man you can see a cloud descend through the beer after you do the swirl and pour the last little bit into the glass. I am sure that some people might think it is gross to pour the sediment into the glass, but I feel that the sediment was supposed to be part of the beer and enhances the taste.

[fstorm1]

Here is a video on the proper way to pour a wheat beer. It is about 1:30 in. I know I posted this already, but I don't want to go back and find out where. I am not positive it makes a difference, but I like to believe it does. I know that with the Dancing Man you can see a cloud descend through the beer after you do the swirl and pour the last little bit into the glass. I am sure that some people might think it is gross to pour the sediment into the glass, but I feel that the sediment was supposed to be part of the beer and enhances the taste.

Yeah, Logan, that was the "Swirl" I was referring to. Just about every good hefe/american wheat ale, if even slightly unfiltered, has residue on the bottom (this is one of the things I dislike the most about Leinie's Honey Weiss, although a good tasting beer). Franziskaner is about the only one I've had that the residue doesn't mix in with the beer...stays "solid" and "chunky". But I most definitely agree that that goodness needs to get mixed in.

 

Now that I think about it, Dancing Man is probably the hardest to get all that residue on the bottom out of...or at least, because of the foaminess, the longest. I'll typically have to keep the bottle at my side for maybe 5-10 minutes and wait for the head to settle down. It probably looks like I'm trying to pour a new bottle of ketchup the way I end up shaking the bottle.

 

Anyway, its seemes that the flipping over of the bottle in the six pack carrier helps, even if only a little. When I finally do pop the cap, a decent amount of the goodness is now under the cap and stuck to the mouth. Pouring at that point mixes that in with the brew. But more often than not, I still end up doing a swirl.

[logan82]

fstorm1 wrote:

Now that I think about it, Dancing Man is probably the hardest to get all that residue on the bottom out of...or at least, because of the foaminess, the longest. I'll typically have to keep the bottle at my side for maybe 5-10 minutes and wait for the head to settle down. It probably looks like I'm trying to pour a new bottle of ketchup the way I end up shaking the bottle.

I have noticed the Dancing Man really foams up. My wife drinks it out of the bottle and it always foams out of the bottle. I have to pour it into a 16 oz weizen glass(it comes in a 12 oz bottle) to keep it all in and it still goes over the top sometimes.

[TooLiveBrew]

I tasted the Oktoberfest last year before anybody except the brewmaster

 

I'm ... so ... jealous. That's pretty cool, even though their beer isn't your style. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

 

OK. The Dancing Man is glorious. Oh my goodness. It almost has a fruity taste to it, but it's not overwhelming. I wish I had bought more than one.

 

Alright, so at this point, we know that pretty much any beer flow-chart in this thread would look something like:

Dancing Man Wheat > .... > Budweiser Lime

[Gobias Industries]

I took everyone's advice and pretty much cleaned out Festival on the Dancing Man Wheat. I heard it was seasonal so I figured I should stock up. Report to follow!!

[saget]

All of this beer-etiquette stuff is cool. There's like a whole beer world I had no idea about.

 

Different pours for different brews. I need to study.

[datrain711]

I just found out I'll be taking the new glarus brewery tour in 2 weekends, so I'm looking forward to seeing how their wonderful brews are made.

 

Also I found out that Painted Parrot has $1 Red Stripes on wednesday nights, so I think i'm going to put a few of those down tonight as I try to forget about the brewers recent woes. thankfully they at least won today!

 

Has anyone tried a "breakfast" stout type of beer? I've heard that these are good but I've never had the chance to try one. Let me know guys if you have any suggestions.

[TooLiveBrew]

$1 Red Stripe? Hooray (cheap) beer!

 

Wish I could partake in some of that, datrain.

[Gobias Industries]

Tried some of the Dancing Man Wheat and it's alright. I must not be a fan of wheat beers, as I had similar feelings about Hacker Pschorr. I must admit I'm liking it a bit better with each beer, which is good, because I have a ton of it.

[TooLiveBrew]

Spoiled myself with some Kona Pale Ale tonight. The force is strong with this one.

[Beerambassador]

datrain711 wrote:

Has anyone tried a "breakfast" stout type of beer? I've heard that these are good but I've never had the chance to try one. Let me know guys if you have any suggestions.

I picked up a 4-pack of Founder's Breakfast Stout at Woodman's yesterday for $10 (ouch). I haven't tried it yet, but I'll report back after I do. It was pricey, but it's the first time I've seen one in a store. I also picked up the Viking Brewery Viking Horde. A nine-pack with nine different varieties inside. Oh yeah, and the Dancing Man wheat. My wife reminded me I don't like wheat beers, but I told here everyone here was raving about it so I had to try it. I bought a lot of beer, but my wife is 8 months preg-o, so she said my expensive beer habit has to be reigned in when the kid arrives. I guess that was my last hurrah at Woodman's for awhile.

 

So Woodman's has breakfast stout...if you have a Woodman's nearby. I also saw it on the reserve beer list at the Horse and Plow in Kohler. They were out of it when I tried to order some. That's another option if they're nearby. Even if they aren't nearby it's worth a visit to. Amazing beer selection, good food and reasonably priced. And you get to feel all classy since it's in the American Club complex.

[datrain711]

datrain711 wrote:

Has anyone tried a "breakfast" stout type of beer? I've heard that these are good but I've never had the chance to try one. Let me know guys if you have any suggestions.

I picked up a 4-pack of Founder's Breakfast Stout at Woodman's yesterday for $10 (ouch). I haven't tried it yet, but I'll report back after I do.

Thanks for this, I am driving right by a woodmans on friday night so I'll stop and check this out. If you try it before then, please let me know how it was.

 

As for new brews I've tasted, I had Hennepin white and I thought it was very good. Not as strong of a flavor as Delerium Tremins, but very good tasting. It is 7%, but I like the strong ones anyhow http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Beerambassador]

Thanks for this, I am driving right by a woodmans on friday night so I'll stop and check this out. If you try it before then, please let me know how it was.

It was complex for a stout. Bitter and sweet at the same time. I don't know if I'd buy it again, but worth trying.

[datrain711]

Thanks for this, I am driving right by a woodmans on friday night so I'll stop and check this out. If you try it before then, please let me know how it was.

It was complex for a stout. Bitter and sweet at the same time. I don't know if I'd buy it again, but worth trying.

ok good to know. by the way, was this the "regular founders breakfast stout, imperial breakfast stout, or kentucky breakfast stout?

[Beerambassador]

It was just the regular Breakfast Stout. Now that I've thought of it, the Tyranena Devil Over A Barrel Imperial Oatmeal Coffee Porter Aged in Bourbon Barrels aims for the same thing as a breakfast stout. Probably very similar to Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout. In my humble opinion, it was a better beer. It was a limited edition from late spring/early summer, but you might still find it at Woodman's. It'll be a bit cheaper. I stocked up on it and have some sitting under my bar in the basement. Ridiculously good.

[Chio151]

The only thing that makes it a 'breakfast' stout is the lower gravity (alcohol content). Otherwise, it's made the same as any of the wonderful stout family. I would also recommend a sweet stout.

[datrain711]

The only thing that makes it a 'breakfast' stout is the lower gravity (alcohol content). Otherwise, it's made the same as any of the wonderful stout family. I would also recommend a sweet stout.

 

if you have any suggestions on a good "sweet" stout, please let me know. Off all the mainstream beer types, I have tried the fewest amount of stouts.

 

beerambassador....thank you very much for your imput. I'll be rolling through beloit on my way to visit my girlfriend's family this weekend. I will be stopping at woodman's and looking for a few of these. the tyranena looks like it also has been received positively, and if it is cheaper i'd be inclined to give that a shot as well. I'll also be looking to try sierra nevada harvest ale if they have it there.

[Beerambassador]

if you have any suggestions on a good "sweet" stout, please let me know. Off all the mainstream beer types, I have tried the fewest amount of stouts.

Since you asked...I really enjoyed Left Hand Brewing Company's Milk Stout. Very creamy and sweet. And delicious. While not technically a "sweet stout," Young's Double Chocolate Stout is very chocolate-y. It comes in the nitro pub cans like Guinness. I kind of think of it and Guinness as "beginner" stouts, but they're both good.

 

I love stout.