The Beer Thread: 2007 – 2008

[TooLiveBrew]

Be sure to pick up Lakefront's Pumpkin in the next week or two before its off the shelves. It is probably the most unique beer I have ever had, and it is truly like drinking pumpkin pie, although you can tell that it is somewhat based off of their Riverwest Stein, which just happens to be my favorite year-long brew.

 

Thanks for the heads-up. Also, I love the Riverwest Stein Beer. Great base off of which to work, no? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

Agreed with ya on Oktoberfest beers, Mac. Oktoberfests = Awesomefestnesses. Brett, I'm embarassed to admit that I've never tried New Glarus's Okt. I will now flagellate myself in shame.

 

What I did pick up tonight, though, is a 6-pack of Full Sail's Wassail (winter ale). And, lo and behold, there was (unbeknownst to me) one bottle of Deschutes Jubilale (also winter ale). Honestly, I like the Deschutes Jubilale a bit better. The Full Sail Wassail is stronger, but the Jubilale is tastier. I think I'm cutesy beer-pun-ed out after this paragraph. To summarize, I love Deschutes Brewery. If Toby has learned anything from watching Cops, it's that I love Deschutes.

[Fatter than Joey]

To summarize, I love Deschutes Brewery. If Toby has learned anything from watching Cops, it's that I love Deschutes.

 

Yeah -- Microbrews are big in OR -- when I lived there, they were huge into putting fruit into beer. Deschutes was always a lot more traditional, I remember when they

were brand new and their Black Butte was their flagship brew.

 

Seriously, though, I hope to get the chance to check out the rest of Oregon, as we're not far from the Pacific Ocean or the east/mountains. Thanks for the tip, FtJ.

 

I know my way around OR -- drop me a line if you need some ideas on the coast or Eastern Or.

[TooLiveBrew]

I still haven't tried the Black Butte, as I'm not a fan of porters, but honestly - at this point, I'm willing to try anything Deschutes turns out. The Jubilale was so much better than the Wassail (which is itself very good), I feel like the beer gods are taunting me for consciously choosing the Wassail over Deschutes' option. So far I've knocked off their Pale Ale, Cascade Ale, Inversion IPA (YUMMY!), and Jubilale. I still have a lot of work to do, but I'm looking forward to it.

 

And I'll definitely not hesitate to ask for some help when it comes to seeing OR. Thanks, FtJ.

[Fatter than Joey]

The other beer I drank a lot in Oregon was the Blue Heron brewed by Bridgeport -- I see that around the country a lot actually, they also make a beer called Knucklehead which is good.

[TooLiveBrew]

Bridgeport is a kick-butt brewery. I've visited their downtown (Pearl District) brewpub, and their beer is delicious. I can actually snag the Blue Heron from my local grocery store. Thanks for the tip! I'll have to keep my eyes up for the Knucklehead.

[Fatter than Joey]

One other suggestion -- I talked to my brother who lived longer in OR than I did -- He said the Full Sail and Roque Ale beers were the best.

 

I am now done.

[moodcrew]

I have been living in Bend, OR for the last six years and the Deschutes Brewery has to be one of the best breweries in the country. Their Jubale is always good, Cindercone Red is fantastic (a personal favorite of my wife's) and their Terminator Dopplebock is hard to pass up (but you will pass out sooner than later). There is always about six seasonal beers on the board at the Public House downtown.

 

We also have four other Breweries in town (not bad for pop. of ~75K). They all have at least one beer that's good, but Deschutes will have five or six great beers on tap. My wife scored a free kegarator from one of the chem profs at the community college where I teach and we get a 50 Liter keg about every month. Much cheaper than pub crawling. Oh, and try an Obsidean Stout ice cream float. You'll never drink a root beer float again. I brought the beer and ice cream to a faculty function and no one would try it so I just helped myself. Soon after everyone gave it a shot and we ran out of beer and ice cream.

 

When we go to the coast, usually Newport, we usually drink Rogue beers. Some are great, but others so so. Oh, and if you like Hefes (hefewisens), Pyramid and Widmar breweries make the best.

 

Cheers,

Jim

[Beerambassador]

I tried the Bell's Winter White Ale the other day at a local drinking establishment. I'm not a big white ale guy, but it was really unique. When the server brought the beer to the table, it looked like a freshly poured Guinness that hadn't settled yet, only it was yellow. So I let it sit there thinking it was a nitro beer and it would settle. It wasn't. It was the most bizarre looking tap beer I'd ever had. I've looked online to see what the deal with the beer is, but I can't really find anything. It was good too. Kinda creamy and sweet, but not overly sweet (I usually dislike white beers because they're overly sweet). I'd definitely check it out if you see it on tap anywhere. Hell, every beer I've had made by Bell's has been good.

[Fatter than Joey]

the Deschutes Brewery has to be one of the best breweries in the country

 

Without a doubt. I am of course, partial to the Wisconsin brews, but Deschutes hangs right in there -- Oregon on a whole has a pretty thriving

micro-brew community -- probably one of the strongest in the nation. They were making all sorts of berry-beers when I was there in

the 90s, but I think they have found their way in more traditional beers.

 

We also have four other Breweries in town (not bad for pop. of ~75K).

 

When my folks moved to Bend in 1987 -- I think the population was about 32K or perhaps less. Shortly thereafter the Deschutes Brewery started

to get some legs. It's amazing how Bend has grown and developed.

 

Oh, and try an Obsidian Stout ice cream float.

 

Yeah -- I had one of these on my last visits to my folks, once you get people to try them, they are fantastic.

[TooLiveBrew]

I am of course, partial to the Wisconsin brews, but Deschutes hangs right in there.

 

Oh, me too - and I absolutely agree with this. In fact, I'd say that in general the microbrews here are as good as WI. I can't wait to try the Stout ice cream float. Sounds intriguing.

 

moodcrew, I'm going to have to make it to Bend for sure now - at least to try the Deschutes public house. Sounds too good to pass up.

 

Also, Bell's Winter White is fantastic. One of few beers that you could honestly describe as 'chewy.'

[Fatter than Joey]

moodcrew, I'm going to have to make it to Bend for sure now - at least to try the Deschutes public house. Sounds too good to pass up.

 

Yeah -- If you like stupid stuff like nature and walking around in said nature -- there is a lot to see in the Bend area that you simply are not

going to see in Wisc. You may want to wait until the spring/summer as the pass can get very hairy -- although if you are in Portland -- that isn't

as much as an issue, you can take the Interstate until you hit 97.

[brettac1]

I picked up a 9 pack (seriously, why don't more beers come in pint bottles?) of Sprecher's Micro-Light Ale. It's OK, but it really tastes like a light beer. It tasted mighty good after opening day of deer season as we were hanging up my buck, though.

 

My local Pick N' Save didn't have Pub Ale http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif. Anyone know of a place in central WI where I can get some (for instance, if getpaddled reads this - anywhere in Point)? I figured that since it's one of their year-rounds that they would have it, but it looked like just Micro-Light and Special Amber were available.

[TooLiveBrew]

Try a local liquor store - I know some of the smaller/st places in my hometown had the best non-Macro-brew selection. If that's 'No Duh!' advice, sorry - but what else would you expect from me?

 

Tried Red Hook's Longhammer IPA this past weekend. Yummy.

[Getpaddled]

Id check JL's (715-3448132) and Charlies (715-344-3313) in point.... Time flys but I moved out of point 2 years ago.. Been in Fond du lac over that time and now moving to marshfield jan 1st. Im going to have to update my cell phone stil have both of there numbers in it.. I used to call them all the time to see who could give me the cheaper keg prices http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[TooLiveBrew]

The other beer I drank a lot in Oregon was the Blue Heron brewed by Bridgeport.

Just snagged some last night, FtJ (& anyone else who cares). I like it, but don't love it. It's an interesting Pale Ale, to be fair, though. Kinda has a Nut-Brown Ale flavor to it - to you Sconsinites, think New Glarus's Fat Squirrel, but less bold of a flavor. Blue Heron's a nice chillout beer. Good to sit back & sip.

[brettac1]

I picked up a 6 pack of New Glarus' Organic Revolution for during and after the Packers game tonight. Seems interesting, I guess.

 

Anyone try any of the new "winter warmers", yet? Like Winter's Bourbon Cask Ale (Anheuser, so I'm leery)? I have surprisingly heard good thiin's about Point's St. Benedict's Winter Ale. But, I mean, it's still Point (I do kind of like their O-Fest, but I think I like most that I try).

[JumpinMacFlash]

One of my roommates and I grabbed 6-packs of both New Glarus' Organic Revolution and Point's St. Benedict's Winter Ale a couple of nights ago.

 

I thought the Organic had a nice clean, classic beer taste and was really good. I'm not sure what I really think about St. Benny's. We've been sampling a lot of beer lately and I don't think I've ever tried anything like it. It doesn't taste bad, but it's really unique and I don't quite know how to describe it.

 

I wouldn't discourage you from trying either one of them. I'm also looking for new suggestions...anyone find anything brand new?

 

Give Blue Moon's winter beer Full Moon a shot too. It tastes kinda like a red. I thought it was tasty.

[brettac1]

One of my roommates and I grabbed 6-packs of both New Glarus' Organic Revolution and Point's St. Benedict's Winter Ale a couple of nights ago.

 

Great minds think alike.

 

Give Blue Moon's winter beer Full Moon a shot too. It tastes kinda like a red. I thought it was tasty.

 

That Full Moon was staring me in the face today when I went beer shopping, actually. Especially since it was a 12 pack, and I have a three day weekend. If the New Glarus is good, chances are I will need to shop again tomorrow night, so I'll check out some of the winters. I'mnot huge on reds, but I haven't had one in a while.

[TooLiveBrew]

I tried out some of the winter brews up here in Oregon, brett, but don't know any that well in WI. Deschutes's Jubilale & Pyramid Brewery's (in Portland) Snow Cap. Both were really, really good.

[Jode403]

Brettac - Have you stopped in to the new liquor department (Cellar 70) at County Market in Stevens Point? They've got a pretty large beer selection there (wine too). I've only been in there once so far, but it looks like a really nice place, better than most of the liquor stores in town.

[brettac1]

TLB - you need my mailing address to send me all these sweet Portland beers. I am actually having an ice fishing/microbrew drinking "date" (as crazy as that combo sounds) with this ridiculously hot girl that I work with. I could totally impress her with some beer from the far away land of Oregon. (only half-kidding)

 

Jode - I check out beeradvocate.com quite often and always see a guy from Point that reviews a lot of the WI beers and says he buys them at that place. I will definitely have to check it out. Seems like they have a lot of the ones I am looking for. I usually shop in Wausau, but Point is only about a 10 minute longer drive.

 

I am liking this Organic Revolution. I've had two thus far, and it starts kind of bitter, but then it gets to be excellent by the end. For whatever reason, it always seems like New Glarus brews are good to the last drop. Good beer.

[Ando Calrissian]

Since I'm sampling something new tonight, I thought I'd throw it out there for consideration.

 

I really dig on some of the holiday brews available this time of year. Last year I couldn't get enough of Samuel Smith's Winter Warmer.

 

This year it's Weyerbacher's Winter Ale. I'm not quite sure how to classify it, but it reminds me more of a festive bock than a brown ale. At any rate, it's mighty tasty. Weyerbacher is brewed in Easton, PA and makes many, many fine brews of note, their "Heresy" in particular which is an oak aged stout. Yum.

[aracko]

Not to change the mood here, but I have been drinking pabst the last few weeks, and it just tastes like Classic America to me. Its been a while since I enjoyed just a straight "American lager" and Pabst has gathered such a bad name by the public lately. It doesnt really give you Pabst Butt - thats a myth - well maybe if you drink like 13 of them.

[germanking]

I also am a great lover of beer. I have tried too many to name, but am currently enjoying a Czechva from the Czech Republic. A rather tasty lager, and better than their Pilsner Urquil. On Thanksgiving, I tried New Glarus's Unplugged Smoke on the Porter. It felt like there was a party in my mouth and everyone was invited. I like stouts, lagers, porters. For domestic I like Miller and usually have Lite in the fridge. For those who live between Milwaukee and Madison, the Delafield Brewhaus has a nice selection of beers, I'm rather partial for their porter.

[TooLiveBrew]

I could totally impress her with some beer from the far away land of Oregon. (only half-kidding)

 

If you're > 50% interested, pm me.

 

I am liking this Organic Revolution.

 

I don't really know why, but I have this sneaking suspicion that this phrase is going to prove very handy at some point in the future.

 

EDIT: This new beer I'm having tonight... "Whiske" - it's pronounced like our potential new RP's name. But it makes me feel all nice. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif