What Beer Are You Drinking? Spring '09

[jesskidden]

Tonight I am drinking Back to the future good Old Ballantine XXX Ale and I admit I still love it! I always have and I do not care who makes it still tastes good to me!

Well, I'll offer that most people who "care" about the current version of Ballantine XXX Ale are more concerned with HOW it's made, not by whom. (OTOH, there are what I think are valid reasons to dislike the S+P/Kalmanovitz/Pabst company but they are more "personal/political" than based on the beer itself).

In the case of the Miller-contract-brewed BA, the objections are an apparent switch to lager yeast (brewed in the "bastard ale" method of warmer fermentation), a much lower alcohol rate, a change of hops and the switch to dry hopping from distilled hop oils. "Tasting good" is, of course, a personal opinion- most will say it "tastes different".

I notice that Victory is currently brewing a draught-only "Ballantine XXX Ale" clone (using Cascades, according to some reports, rather than Brewers' Gold hops). They are not the first craft brewer to do so - I think there's been a good half dozen such "tribute" ales - and their's is dubbed Three Ring Ale. It's currently available on tap at their brewpub and I've seen reports that it's also being shipped to other Victory draught accounts. Have yet to see anyone who is familiar with the "original" (Newark or even Cranston) review it, however.

Maybe you could take a drive over to Downingtown and have a beer (or two) for us, Dave, and find out?

[dave ziegler]

Well, I'll offer that most people who "care" about the current version of Ballantine XXX Ale are more concerned with HOW it's made, not by whom. (OTOH, there are what I think are valid reasons to dislike the S+P/Kalmanovitz/Pabst company but they are more "personal/political" than based on the beer itself).

In the case of the Miller-contract-brewed BA, the objections are an apparent switch to lager yeast (brewed in the "bastard ale" method of warmer fermentation), a much lower alcohol rate, a change of hops and the switch to dry hopping from distilled hop oils. "Tasting good" is, of course, a personal opinion- most will say it "tastes different".

I notice that Victory is currently brewing a draught-only "Ballantine XXX Ale" clone (using Cascades, according to some reports, rather than Brewers' Gold hops). They are not the first craft brewer to do so - I think there's been a good half dozen such "tribute" ales - and their's is dubbed Three Ring Ale. It's currently available on tap at their brewpub and I've seen reports that it's also being shipped to other Victory draught accounts. Have yet to see anyone who is familiar with the "original" (Newark or even Cranston) review it, however.

Maybe you could take a drive over to Downingtown and have a beer (or two) for us, Dave, and find out?

You Know what that is something I want to do very soon as I want to try the stuff they make that has the Yeast and someother things that make it seemilar to Good old Schimd's Of Phila their Site talkes about having it from April till June for celabration of the end of Prohibition. If I get over I will try both!
Dave
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Beer its Not Just A Beverage beer Is food

[jesskidden]

You Know what that is something I want to do very soon as I want to try the stuff they make that has the Yeast and someother things that make it seemilar to Good old Schimd's Of Phila their Site talkes about having it from April till June for celabration of the end of Prohibition. If I get over I will try both!

Yeah, I think they call that "Throwback Lager". There's a cool article on the 'net (maybe it's on the Victory site, now that I think about it) about a bunch of former Schmidt's guys touring Victory.

They also quite a few other draught-only and brewpub-only beers.

[Jono]

Took a friend out for lunch and had a couple of "special price" ($3.00 bottle) Heineckens...I never used to like it when I was younger but I find it ok now.

[nor02lei]

Goose Island Bourbon county stout at Monks café in Stockholm. Very very heavy and flavorful. Almost as an “essence”. The 35,5 cl would have been enough for 2 people easy.

Leif

[Jono]

I had no idea Goose Island was exported...

http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/our_story/6.php
"he company currently ships its beers to 15 states and the U.K." (Sweden..via the UK?)

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1146/10672

http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/our_beers/3.php

I have not seen half of these in the liqour stores...limited distribution?

[nor02lei]

I had no idea Goose Island was exported...

http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/our_story/6.php
"he company currently ships its beers to 15 states and the U.K." (Sweden..via the UK?)

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1146/10672

http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/our_beers/3.php

I have not seen half of these in the liqour stores...limited distribution?

All roe Sweden is a small country we are the biggest importers of American microbrewery beer in the world. The interest in micro beer is very big here in Sweden. We have quit a lot of our own microbrewery now, despite the fact that they all have a hard time with the authorities. Our neighbour country in the south Denmark has the fastest microbrewery development in the world.
A bit ironically it is much easier to get American micro beer than Swedish here.

Leif

[DeanSheen]

Jolly Pumpkin "Bam Bier" on tap.

Great stuff.

[smokinjoe]

Yeah, what beer am I drinking Spring '09? SPRING!!! It friggin' snowed today. This is Georgia, for crying out loud! So, I'm switching gears, and going back to a dark warmer brew...a Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout. Ahhh...that's better. Whining over...After a Thos. Handy Rye. But, that's for another thread.

[dave ziegler]

Tonight I had a bottle of Tommyknocker Coco Porter given me by a friend and it was awesome! The last couple of nights i was Drinking Red Hook brewings Copper Hook and real nice spring Ale.
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Beer Its Not Just A Beverage Beer Is Food
Dave Z