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What Beer Are You Drinking? - Fall 2011


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I had a taste of Founder's Canadian Breakfast Stout. An Imperial Stout with a sweet taste from Maple Syrup.

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My German friend also loves the Sam Adams, and boy, is he proud of German beers, so he rarely speaks well of American beers. Here's my ranking:

1. Sam Adams

2. Great Lakes

3. Harpoon (who would have thought?)

4. Flying Dog Dogtoberfest

The others I've had pretty much rank lower and equal to each other, except for an Avery Imperial Octoberfest, which goes completely against the concept of such a beer but is delicious anyway.

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All the breweries mentioned are excellent, and I'd say we exceed German brewing in many areas now. I was there last year (Bavaria) and had some excellent beers but I've had many equally good in the U.S. or better in some cases, with more stylistic variety.

Beers I've enjoyed lately include Galt Knife Old Style Lager, an Ontario craft lager, Russian Gun, the Imperial Stout from the same brewery, and a cask pale ale from Black Oak brewery, a Toronto-area craft operation.

Gary

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Oh yeah, I try not to let him get started on the German purity law. Which he doesn't abide by, anyway, as a hefeweizen fanatic. Anyway, that law was made solely to keep people from using all the wheat they grew to make beer, and thus drive up bread prices. Silly to stick with it for 500 years and use it as a badge of honor. It just stifles innovation.

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It's overcast, breezy, a touch coolish outside. Just perfect for a Great Lakes Oktoberfest while listening to the Colts and Chiefs on the radio. Just like seemingly everything else this brewery puts out, this is wonderful beer.

So, at this point in my Octoberfest beer tastings, these beers make the podium:

Sam Adams Octoberfest

Great Lakes Oktoberfest

New Belgium Hoptober

This really is a nice time of year for beer drinking.

That's a great line-up, Joe. And nothing like enjoying a fine Oktoberfest beer on an autumnal day while listening to sports on the radio. That's living, my friend!:grin:

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Cool, a Detroit area brewery! My wife's from West Michigan, so we always hit up Bells, Founders, and New Holland when we visit, but I'm only now getting into the east coast (of Michigan) stuff.

I also liked the Atwater Brewing Blocktoberfest.
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Well that's it, there are historical reasons for the pure beer law, and it wasn't followed everywhere in Germany, especially in the north which had a huge array of interesting top-fermenting beers, however when the country unified, it became the national law, subject to some exceptions including wheat use for the weizen beers. In one sense the law is admirable because it focuses on all-malt, and few beers ever went wrong using all malt, but still we must recognize that with some exceptions regionally, virtually the whole country drinks lager, often very good lager although not always. America produces all the lager styles but also so many others. As always though it's a question of searching out the best (here or anywhere)...

Gary

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It's overcast, breezy, a touch coolish outside. Just perfect for a Great Lakes Oktoberfest while listening to the Colts and Chiefs on the radio. Just like seemingly everything else this brewery puts out, this is wonderful beer.

So, at this point in my Octoberfest beer tastings, these beers make the podium:

Sam Adams Octoberfest

Great Lakes Oktoberfest

New Belgium Hoptober

This really is a nice time of year for beer drinking.

I've never had the Great Lakes offering...is that available in Georgia? I don't remember ever seeing it but, then again, I've never looked for it specifically.

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Really digging Avery IPA and Sierra Nevada Torpedo Ale these days, though Two Brothers' latest creation, Heavy Handed Ale, is absolutely killer, IMO. Too bad their distribution is so limited--they've climbed to the ranks of Bells and more people need to discover their beer.

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Found two lonely Sweetwater Festive Ales 2010 in the back of the fridge this evening (their winter offering). Seemed to have decent balance, but I wish there was a little more of the "spice" that they advertise. I can't remember how this beer was fresh, so I don't know if the eight months or so had any effect on taste. All in all, it hit the spot while watching some football tonight.

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The others I've had pretty much rank lower and equal to each other, except for an Avery Imperial Octoberfest, which goes completely against the concept of such a beer but is delicious anyway.

The Kaiser? I loved my bomber.

My favorite standard-viscosity Octoberfests (unranked) are Sam Adams, Bell's and New Glarus. Need to work all three into an evening and determine a champ.

Also a fan of Two Brothers Atom Smasher (oaked Marzen), though I think they released a bad batch of it -- the draft I had this year was superb, but the sixers I brought home had an off, sourish finish. Someone else on beeradvocate who had the same batch (best by 12-25) noted this as well, so it's not just me.

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Last night: Haandbryggeriet Fyr & Flam, Augustijn Grand Cru, Ichtegem's Grand Cru, Dieu du Ciel Chaman, Dogfish Head World Wide Stout...and some Eagle Rare 17 from 2007. Good drink night

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My favorite standard-viscosity Octoberfests (unranked) are Sam Adams, Bell's and New Glarus. Need to work all three into an evening and determine a champ.
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Had some Founders KBS and CBS at a beerfest over the weekend.Then got lucky and picked up a bottle of CBS yesterday.

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Last night was a Great Lakes Brewing Dortmunder Gold. Earlier in the week I got to try their Eliot Ness amber lager. I wouldn't want to have to choose between these two, they are both pretty tasty.

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Last night was a Great Lakes Brewing Dortmunder Gold. Earlier in the week I got to try their Eliot Ness amber lager. I wouldn't want to have to choose between these two, they are both pretty tasty.

As I've said many times before, I'm a big fan of Great Lakes and continue to marvel at how good their beer is, with not a dud in the bunch. Have you worked your way through the rest of their year-rounders?

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Nope, just getting started. I discovered a terrific little hole-in-the-wall near my wife's work that specializes in craft beer, and he does a create-a-sixer for just about everything he stocks.

Unfortunately his whiskey selection is one step above non-existent. But he doesn't have the market for it yet (or the space, for that matter).

But yeah, I was shocked at how good these two from GLB are. I'll be working my way through their range.

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I enjoyed a handful of Sam Adams Oktoberfest at the Horse Track last night. Not a special beer, but a good value for a "bar" that has a pretty limited beer selection.

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I enjoyed a handful of Sam Adams Oktoberfest at the Horse Track last night. Not a special beer, but a good value for a "bar" that has a pretty limited beer selection.

I had a couple Sam Adams Octoberfests at a bar yesterday and enjoyed them quite a bit. Goes perfect with watching football.

Today I had a few thirst quenching Miller Lites while sitting on a patio at a local sports bar watching the games. It was a high of 85 today, and the beer was going down quite easily.

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Have been out and about lately and have found,

Sam Adams Octoberfest. As always a great beer

Smuttynose IPA. Liked it, very much

Founders Centennial. Sorry, next.

Brooklyn East India Pale. Another winner

Victory Hop Devil. The Smuttynose was better, but liked this also.

Victory Golden Monkey. Not for me

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