What Beer are you drinking summer 2011

[ILLfarmboy]

Had a couple pints of Guinness with supper last night.

Guinness is really growing on me. I have found some of the brewpub versions of a stout to be pleasingly heavier than Guinness but after about a pint they seen a little too sweet, not dry enough, and I want to stop at one pint....or sometimes less.

What micro or macro dry Irish stout is heavier than Guinness but just as dry? Am I asking too much?

[Gillman]

I'd try Taddy Porter from Samuel Smith, an import which is fairly commonly available. It is on the dry side but somewhat richer and more tasty than Guinness. The same outfit makes an Oatmeal Stout which also is fairly dry and light-bodied (relatively). It's true that most craft porters and stouts tend to be fairly rich-tasting. It gets complicated (the history), but porter, the low gravity version of stout, was not a sweet beer in the 1800's. It was fermented fairly high (well-attenuated) to ensure a dry palate. Taddy Porter is one of the few porters I know that actually tastes the way 1800's accounts described - Guinness too, but Guinness can be too bland for many palates today.

A good domestic choice in the style you requested is Yuengling Porter, made by an old-established small brewery in Pennsylvania. It increasingly has good distribution in many States.

Gary

[ILLfarmboy]

Thanks Gary. That's just the kind of information I was seeking.

[AaronWF]

What micro or macro dry Irish stout is heavier than Guinness but just as dry? Am I asking too much?

I'm finding Firestone Walker's Walker's Reserve Porter to be very pleasing. I'm a fan of Guinness from a can, but it's hard to compare it to the Firestone Porter. The Porter is just the right amount of creamy with a complex body not overly sweet. I'd say it's dry, but in a florally kind of way.

[BradleyC]

Picked up some de Struisse Pannepot and Firestone Walker Parabola today. I'm going to hold off on the FW for a little while. I did however get into the pannepot. I haven't had any in a good while. I forgot how excellent this beer is. I might pick up a few more to hide from myself for a while.

[craigthom]

Thanks Gary. That's just the kind of information I was seeking.

The Taddy Porter is made by Samuel Smith.

It was one of the original offerings of Merchant du Vin, a Seattle company that introduced a wide range of imported and domestic beers across the country.

They've got a lot of competition on the shelf now, but in the early '80s having those beers widely available was a godsend.

[SBOmarc]

Was out last evening and was drink Sam Adams summer on tap. When the keg kicked it was replaced with Sam Octoberfest.

After getting over the fact that summer was now over, I gladly finished the night with a few under my belt.

It turns out that there were more kegs of the Summer Ale that went missed. I was surprised that the Octoberfest was already released. Yes...I checked. It was not a hangover keg from last year.

[MarkEdwards]

Right now I'm enjoying a bottle of Stone smoke porter, which has a very nice smoky flavor to it. great accompaniment to a ground bacon/Monterrey Jack/sirloin burger.

[unclebunk]

All this discussion about porter has me thinking of a few other classic American porters--Anchor Steam, Founders and Bell's. I really love these three and would highly recommend checking them out, though Taddy Porter from Samuel Smith is still the benchmark in my book.

[macdeffe]

Den Blege Indianer, Ølfabrikken Pilsner, Ølfabrikken Pale Ale, Raasted Buur, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Crouch Vale Sterling, St. Austell Proper Job, Bitter & Twisted and Deuchar's all in all a bunch of summery ales with hops and not too high ABV

Steffen

[sutton]

All this discussion about porter has me thinking of a few other classic American porters--Anchor Steam, Founders and Bell's.

The Founder's Porter is one of my favorites - finished cutting the lawn earlier and downed a Kingfisher - the bottle was 2/3rds gone before I came up for air ... yes, I know, in my younger days it would have been all gone, but, some things do not remain the same...

[jcg9779]

All this discussion about porter has me thinking of a few other classic American porters--Anchor Steam, Founders and Bell's. I really love these three and would highly recommend checking them out, though Taddy Porter from Samuel Smith is still the benchmark in my book.

The Founder's Porter is one of my favorites - finished cutting the lawn earlier and downed a Kingfisher - the bottle was 2/3rds gone before I came up for air ... yes, I know, in my younger days it would have been all gone, but, some things do not remain the same...

I've never had the Founder's Porter, but I like all the other Founder's stuff that I've had (and I was drinking a Founder's Dirty Bastard tonight). I'll have to give it a try.

I do love the Taddy Porter as well - it's a great beer.

[miller542]

I was surprised that the Octoberfest was already released. Yes...I checked. It was not a hangover keg from last year.

Seems like it comes out earlier every year. It'll be stale by the time the weather around here is appropriate to drink it. And the winter lager comes out about halloween. seems like they should push their entire seasonal schedule back about a month.

Anyway, I'm really enjoying Leinenkugels Sunset Wheat this summer. I haven't been a big fan in the past, but something changed this year and I'm loving it.

[smokinjoe]

Seems like it comes out earlier every year. It'll be stale by the time the weather around here is appropriate to drink it. And the winter lager comes out about halloween. seems like they should push their entire seasonal schedule back about a month.

Anyway, I'm really enjoying Leinenkugels Sunset Wheat this summer. I haven't been a big fan in the past, but something changed this year and I'm loving it.

So true. I'm almost hesitant to make our monthly trip to Costco, tomorrow. I remember picking up last years SAO at Costco in August. Doesn't seem right when it's 95, outside. Regardless, it remains my favorite Sam Adams seasonal, and fave O'fest release.

As far as what I enjoyed today...A couple of cans of Dale's Pale Ale. :yum:

[unclebunk]

Still on a Scottish ale kick: Sam Adams SA, Loch Down SA (from Arcadia Brewing Co. in Michigan) and Founder's Dirty Bastard. Tonight we'll be enjoying a four-pack of high octane Skull Splitter all the way from Orkney. I feel a Highland Park 12 coming on!:grin:

[bigtoys]

Moose Drool Brown Ale

Shock Top Belgian White

Lost Coast's Tangerine

Sierra Nevada's Tumbler

just picked up a pack of Newcastle Werewolf, 'cuz I like Newcastle Brown so much.

[jcg9779]

Enjoyed a Bell's Two Hearted Ale after work today.

[nor02lei]

Me and Yvonne had K´night and Hercules DIPA on an outdoors bar in Stockholm yesterday. Both were very good, but I actually liked Hercules slightly better yesterday. The former is just a new label for Gordon’s IPA, as I have been told, but I don’t think it is as good as it was on its peak period. I think I will look for Grubna instead when the opportunity comes for some Oscar Blues beer.

Leif

[Gillman]

Hockley Black & Tan, an in-house blending of two beers by a well-regarded micro here, a dark ale and a stout. The result is on the dry side with a slight smoky taste.

Some info on them:

http://hockleybeer.ca/thebeer.html

Gary

[jcg9779]

Left Hand Milk Stout....good stuff!

[jcg9779]

A couple of standard beers over the past couple of days, but they were tasting pretty good. Fat Tire and Sam Adams Light after some time on the beach.

[MarkEdwards]

I've kind of been stuck on Guinness lately. In fact, with the extreme heat around here today, I was feeling the urge for something cold, and some pub food. So went into the cozy little dump across from the post office today, ordered Guinness and... a chef salad :skep:? Gah, must be getting old or sedate or something. But I did discover that Guinness goes nicely with a chef salad.

[jcg9779]

I finally found a bottle of Samuel Smith Yorkshire Stingo. I'm looking forward to trying this one!

[Gillman]

That Sam Smith Stingo is a genuine 1800's-style English old ale, long-aged in wood. I'd be interested in a report.

Gary

[Vosgar]

A bottle of Hop Head Red after mowing the yard tonight. The little hint of citrus in this one really hit the spot.

Gary