What Beer are you Drinking Spring 2010

[HipFlask]

Ok this time I am actually not drinking beer at all. I am rather thinking about drinking beer. It is the time of the year that Mai Bocks are fresh and full of flavor and I will be drinking a Sprecher Mai Bock when I get home. I also need to crack open the Kasteel Double I have at home as it was bottled last year on todays date which just so happens to be my 10th Wedding Anniversary. Gotta Love Spring Gotta Love Beer

[Phischy]

I'm brewing up lighter ABV summer beers now to start to get them into rotation. I have the recipe that won the Stone competiton which will be brewed later this summer, the West Coast Bitter. Guy who won lives a few blocks from me. That's going to the keg this Saturday.

Lighter hoppy, caramel red ale will be brewed this weekend and in 2 weeks a single roasty stout. AFter that I'll probably be back to brewing the WCB again. Uses a TON of hops though...

I need to upgrade some of my brewin equipment to start looking at 10 gallon batches.

[dave ziegler]

Right now I am drinking Red Sky At Night by Heavy Seas Brewing! A very nice spring summer Ale. Also some Stegmaier Bock a tasty bock for sure very malty.

Dave Z

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Beer It Not Just A Beverage Beer Is Food

[unclebunk]

Had a beautiful glass of Paulaner Salvator (doppelbock) with some brats and German potato salad for lunch. I'll be digging lots of bocks this spring as we head towards summer.

[smokinjoe]

A dang fine day, a dang fine run, followed up with a dang fine Two Hearted Ale.

[Phischy]

Last sat while brewing I had a Lost Abbey Hot Rock Lager and a Deschuttes Jubel 2010. Also usually pick up bombers of Alpine's Nelson, just love that beer.

Waiting for my west coast bitter to finish carbing up so I can move it from the garage kegerator to the kitchen kegerator. Hoppy red ale "Goofballs" in the fermenter now.

[Dramiel McHinson]

I just picked up some Kasteel Donke Belgian Ale. This ale is made in Van Honsebrouck, Belgium at 11% alcohol. After I got home I found, in very small print, the serving temperature, 54 degrees F and the bottling date which is 2/25/2009. Oh well, so much for fresh. I really like a dark beer and hope it hasn't gotten too stale after all this time. :cry:

[DrinkyBanjo]

I just picked up some Kasteel Donke Belgian Ale. This ale is made in Van Honsebrouck, Belgium at 11% alcohol. After I got home I found, in very small print, the serving temperature, 54 degrees F and the bottling date which is 2/25/2009. Oh well, so much for fresh. I really like a dark beer and hope it hasn't gotten too stale after all this time. :cry:

Belgian Darks usually age well, you might be in for an unexpected treat.

[craigthom]

Belgian Darks usually age well, you might be in for an unexpected treat.

[Dramiel McHinson]

Thanx Tim and Craigthom! You were absolutely correct. The beer tasted like it was made yesterday. It was velvety smooth and full like melted chocolate with buttery dark brown sugar. It was very sweet and went perfect with the Korean style meal I had with it. I don't think I could drink several in one sitting because of the level of sugar (and alcohol) but it was definitely worth bringing home.

[Phischy]

And, with that much alcohol, it's probably not going to be worse.

The oldest beer I've had was a probably twelve year old bottle of the Sam Adams Triple Bock, and it was fine. It's not your average beer, though.

Did the Trip Bock taste like Soy Sauce? That beer is one of the biggest beer failures ever.

[unclebunk]

Did the Trip Bock taste like Soy Sauce? That beer is one of the biggest beer failures ever.

I still have a few bottles of the SA Triple Bock left but can't bring myself to drink them due to the "soy sauce" factor. The last bottle I consumed was with a small group of friends, and to a person we all hated it. I'm an adventurous beer drinker but that beer simply mystifies me. What went wrong?

[OscarV]

I still have a few bottles of the SA Triple Bock left but can't bring myself to drink them due to the "soy sauce" factor. The last bottle I consumed was with a small group of friends, and to a person we all hated it. I'm an adventurous beer drinker but that beer simply mystifies me. What went wrong?

[QUOTE][/QUOTE]

"What went wrong?"

I am getting to the point where I can't drink any of these kinds of beer from a bottle.

After I have had them "on draft" and fresh, the bottle always sucks or at least is a let down.

[HipFlask]

I just picked up some Kasteel Donke Belgian Ale. This ale is made in Van Honsebrouck, Belgium at 11% alcohol. After I got home I found, in very small print, the serving temperature, 54 degrees F and the bottling date which is 2/25/2009. Oh well, so much for fresh. I really like a dark beer and hope it hasn't gotten too stale after all this time. :cry:

No Worries dude... The alochol amount is high enough that you can cellar that beer for several years just like wine. You will like that bottle to btw it is quite good. The bottle instructions are correct it does have much more flavor at a warmer than frig temp. This is not Bud Light! It does not have to be ICE cold to be drank. I keep mine in the basement frig but take them out and let them sit on the counter top for a while before consuming. Cheers bud

[craigthom]

I still have a few bottles of the SA Triple Bock left but can't bring myself to drink them due to the "soy sauce" factor. The last bottle I consumed was with a small group of friends, and to a person we all hated it. I'm an adventurous beer drinker but that beer simply mystifies me. What went wrong?

I didn't get the soy sauce from it. It was very port-like, thick and sweet, just as it was back when it was released. There wasn't a lot of difference.

I've still got a bottle. Maybe I should open it.

[craigthom]

"What went wrong?"

I am getting to the point where I can't drink any of these kinds of beer from a bottle.

After I have had them "on draft" and fresh, the bottle always sucks or at least is a let down.

Did you have any of the Sam Adams triple? Since it wasn't carbonated, I doubt anyone ever had it on tap.

There are a lot of Belgian beers, too, that improve with a little age.

The hoppy ales I like, for sure, are much better on tap. Bottling tends to deaden the floral nose of the finishing hops.

[unclebunk]

I didn't get the soy sauce from it. It was very port-like, thick and sweet, just as it was back when it was released.

"Port-like, thick and sweet" I would have enjoyed. But the bottles I bought back in 1997--pure soy sauce, even then. I'm guessing my bottles weren't cared for properly (i.e.--were exposed to heat or direct light, went from warm to cold to warm, etc.). I'm tellin' you, Craig, these were pure dogshit. I'm glad your experience has been much better.

[dave ziegler]

Last night it was Penn Gold Lager from Pittsburg's newly reopened Penn Brewing co and it is as good as their Beers have always been. The Original owner bought the brewery back as the group he sold it too when he retired was having the beers brewed for them by outsource The Lion in Wilksbarrie it was still real good but nothing like getting it from the Old Penn Brewery and I am sure people in Pittsburg are real happy to have a brewery operating in town again!

2 weeks ago i has their Kaiser Pils wow it was good! I also got a case of Penn Dark a wonderful Dark Ale.

Dave Z

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Beer its Not Just A Beverage beer Is Food

[unclebunk]

Last night it was Penn Gold Lager from Pittsburg's newly reopened Penn Brewing co and it is as good as their Beers have always been. The Original owner bought the brewery back as the group he sold it too when he retired was having the beers brewed for them by outsource The Lion in Wilksbarrie it was still real good but nothing like getting it from the Old Penn Brewery and I am sure people in Pittsburg are real happy to have a brewery operating in town again!

2 weeks ago i has their Kaiser Pils wow it was good! I also got a case of Penn Dark a wonderful Dark Ale.

Dave Z

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Beer its Not Just A Beverage beer Is Food

That's good news Dave that the brewery is up and running again. Is that the only active brewery in Pittsburgh? If so, that amazes me, as the area has a long history of beer production (and consumption). I'll have to check out Penn Gold the next time I pass through on my way to NYC.

[unclebunk]

Enjoyed a Bakalar Lager from the Czech Republic last night. It's fairly hard to find even around here, despite our huge population of homegrown Czechs, but worth picking up if you come across it. The initial aroma could be a bit off-putting to some, as it comes across as "skunky" but that diminishes after a few moments and may simply be the by-product of the heavy dose of Zatec hops. Hop-heads will enjoy the bite found in this beer and the creaminess of the head lasts to the bottom of the glass, so I'd say it was $1.30 well spent for a pint of beer.

[dave ziegler]

That's good news Dave that the brewery is up and running again. Is that the only active brewery in Pittsburgh? If so, that amazes me, as the area has a long history of beer production (and consumption). I'll have to check out Penn Gold the next time I pass through on my way to NYC.

Yes Unclebunk it is as of now the only working brewery in Pittsburg just reopened from what I know in Dec once they could get enough fresh product out and it is as good as it always was! Pittsburg brewing now does Iron City Bottles at Latrobe and cans for now till they set up the new caning line at Latrobe at Lacross Wis. Labrobe is not far as you know from Pitts but I am very glad that the place has reopened and will be giving them lots of Bussiness, also the Resturant there at the brewery is reopening from what I know it may even be open now!

Dave Z

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Beer Its Not Just A Beverage Beer Is Food

[Gillman]

Pilsner Urquel. The best lager in the world in my opinion (from the broad range tried in 30+ years). Rich and biscuity, with a full Saaz (Zatec) hop taste that blends well with the grainy malt. We get it very fresh in Ontario (usually about 8 weeks from canning). Very fine.

Gary

[dave ziegler]

Gary That is a great Lager have a couple of Bottles in the fridge right now. But Last Night I was drinking some of my Case of Anchor Steam 2009 Christmas/ Winter Ale good stuff! Also I had a bottle of Penn Gold Lager. I just love to listen to music and drink Beer.

Dave Z

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Beer Its Not Just A beverage Beer Is Food

[jesskidden]

Yes Unclebunk it is as of now the only working brewery in Pittsburg

What happened to the East End Brewing Co.?

[unclebunk]

Had a great beer from the Two Brothers Brewery in Warrenville, Illinois last night. It's called "Cane & Ebel" and is made with rye and Thai palm sugar. The beer is quite heavily hopped (in a good way) and is akin to an IPA, and yet not quite the same. The rye gives the beer a nice spicy kick which is balanced by the sugar, but you'd be hard-pressed to find any noticeable sweetness in the glass. This is a limited-run beer that I found at Trader Joe's that is well worth trying if you can find it.

http://www.twobrosbrew.com/all%20year%20beers.htm