Favorite Beer

[Cuban_Missile]

I am a Cincy guy so I always appreciate a Little King or 12. I also like Yuengling and just about anything that Sam Adams brews is a good choice.

[Sea Ray]

Anybody heading off the Cincy Beerfest this weekend at the Duke Convention Center? I've never been but I bought tickets this year. It's a little pricey but it sounds like a lot of fun. They've got over 170 beers there to taste. It's basically all you can drink in 4 hours. Specifically they give you 25 4oz beer tickets. I'm looking forward to it

[Cuban_Missile]

Anybody heading off the Cincy Beerfest this weekend at the Duke Convention Center? I've never been but I bought tickets this year. It's a little pricey but it sounds like a lot of fun. They've got over 170 beers there to taste. It's basically all you can drink in 4 hours. Specifically they give you 25 4oz beer tickets. I'm looking forward to it

Link to see more information?

[NoCalRed]

I was just in Oakland and they are waiting with empty glasses for this, which sounds a lot like the beer Don Younger made with Hair of the Dog up here in PDX (and he recently passed)

It's unbelievable the stir this has created. I've had it before when they first started making it and when it came out last year I thought I'd stop by after work on a Friday and have a pint. Wow it was gone in just a few hours, they told me there was a line around the block people with two or three growlers in hand.

Don Younger has a connection to Russian River brewery, I believe "Blind Pig IPA" was his creation. Horse Brass Pub in Portland probably sells it up your way. Both the Pliny style IPA's find their roots in the blind pig you can test the similar hop bills.

RR's blog has a little tribute to Don in it called a Toast to Younger with Younger.

http://www.russianriverbrewing.com/pages/blog.html

[westofyou]

It's unbelievable the stir this has created. I've had it before when they first started making it and when it came out last year I thought I'd stop by after work on a Friday and have a pint. Wow it was gone in just a few hours, they told me there was a line around the block people with two or three growlers in hand.

Don Younger has a connection to Russian River brewery, I believe "Blind Pig IPA" was his creation. Horse Brass Pub in Portland probably sells it up your way. Both the Pliny style IPA's find their roots in the blind pig you can test the similar hop bills.

RR's blog has a little tribute to Don in it called a Toast to Younger with Younger.

http://www.russianriverbrewing.com/pages/blog.html

Had a blind pig Friday night, and the place I was at refuses to sell Pliney in growlers this year

[NoCalRed]

Had a blind pig Friday night, and the place I was at refuses to sell Pliney in growlers this year

So you've had the Pliney:beerme:. I believe Pliny the Younger is not being sold in growlers down here either, but you can still get the Elder in a growler it's probably my favorite beer.

Not to go to far off course here, but sense you're live in Portland and enjoy a brew at a pub from time to time I was wondering have you ever heard of a local band called "The Portland Groove Collective"?

[Sea Ray]

Link to see more information?

Yeah. I didn't know if I was allowed to, but what the heck... If they delete it, I'll PM it to you:

http://www.cincybeerfest.com/

[paintmered]

Cincinnati Bockfest: 4-6 March. It'd be great to run into a few RZers in a celebration of the coming of spring and OTR.

http://www.bockfest.otrbrewerydistrict.org/

[Cuban_Missile]

Yeah. I didn't know if I was allowed to, but what the heck... If they delete it, I'll PM it to you:

http://www.cincybeerfest.com/

Thanks Ray!

[Cuban_Missile]

Cincinnati Bockfest: 4-6 March. It'd be great to run into a few RZers in a celebration of the coming of spring and OTR.

http://www.bockfest.otrbrewerydistrict.org/

This would be a great get together and I will be on spring break so I will be in the cincy area...Keep me posted as it gets close.

[Sea Ray]

Cincinnati Bockfest: 4-6 March. It'd be great to run into a few RZers in a celebration of the coming of spring and OTR.

http://www.bockfest.otrbrewerydistrict.org/

What exactly happens at Bockfest? For instance at the Hall, is there just a bunch of kegs set up and you buy it by the glass or what? What do the participating "venues" do?

[SunDeck]

What exactly happens at Bockfest? For instance at the Hall, is there just a bunch of kegs set up and you buy it by the glass or what? What do the participating "venues" do?

Parade, drinking, music. I like to hang out with Rhonda at Arnolds on Bockfest because they serve stuff like Hasenpfeffer and venison for the occasion.

[paintmered]

What exactly happens at Bockfest? For instance at the Hall, is there just a bunch of kegs set up and you buy it by the glass or what? What do the participating "venues" do?

They do have that at Bockfest Hall, yes. But they also have "unique" events. The Sasauge Queen Competition last year was one of the weirdly hilarious things I've ever seen and was worth the trip to OTR by itself. And while I've never been on one, the historic church and brewery tours always review well and sell out quickly. But at it's core, it's a chance for Cincinnati to break free of its stodgy ways, act weird and celebrate its beer history and OTR.

The participating bars all have the special edition brews and food deals for the weekend and there's free transportation to shuttle you between all of them.

[westofyou]

Not to go to far off course here, but sense you're live in Portland and enjoy a brew at a pub from time to time I was wondering have you ever heard of a local band called "The Portland Groove Collective"?

Heard of them, never seen them however I will keep my eye out for them.

Article on Pliney

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110204/ARTICLES/110209678/1350?Title=Pliny-fever-strikes-Santa-Rosa

[NoCalRed]

Heard of them, never seen them however I will keep my eye out for them.

Article on Pliney

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110204/ARTICLES/110209678/1350?Title=Pliny-fever-strikes-Santa-Rosa

Just curious the guitar player is an old friend of mine, haven't seen him in years. We split an apartment while attending SFSU, played that guitar many a night keeping us entertained. Plays just about anything and well from my perspective anyway.

[Spitball]

I just got back from The Diamond Bear Brewery in Little Rock. It wasn't part of our original plan of scheduled stops, or I would have brought my growler for a fill up. I had their Two Term Double IPA and loved it. It is excellent.

I have had their double IPA before but have not tried others. Does anyone have experience with other brands?

[SunDeck]

Just polished off a sixer of this:

http://www.beerobserver.com/sites/beerobserver.drupalgardens.com/files/styles/large/public/sierra-nevada-glissade-2.png

Name sounds a little like a room freshener, but the beer is "echt" bock.

[bounty37h]

Best light beer? Hmm... my favorite is probably Coors Light. Natural Light gets a vote for being really cheap though.

I change what I consider my "favorite" a few times a year, but def love micros the best usually and love to explore new ones. My fav style overall is an IPA, but like more stouts in the winter. Mmm, beer. Reminds, me, its time to go take my lunch break ;)

[muddie]

Just polished off a sixer of this:

http://www.beerobserver.com/sites/beerobserver.drupalgardens.com/files/styles/large/public/sierra-nevada-glissade-2.png

Name sounds a little like a room freshener, but the beer is "echt" bock.


The stuff I like from these guys is the Celebration Ale and the Kellerweis.

[SunDeck]

The stuff I like from these guys is the Celebration Ale and the Kellerweis.

I concur on the Celebration Ale. Good drinking stuff. Have not tried the Kellerweis.

[cincyinco]

I concur on the Celebration Ale. Good drinking stuff. Have not tried the Kellerweis.

Try the Kellerweis, it's delicious.. As for me, right now I'm indulging in Left Hand Brewery's Milk Stout.. Solid.

[westofyou]

Hey beer man! The top 10 brews available at big league ballparks

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Hey-beer-man-The-top-10-brews-available-at-big-?urn=mlb-wp164

[Sea Ray]

Bummer that our Lager House didn't rate

[Chip R]

Bummer that our Lager House didn't rate

Or the Over The Rhine.

[BoydsOfSummer]

Just had my first Sammy Noble Pils. Me likey. I'm a big fan of Sammy Adams as a rule.

[muddie]

Just had my first Sammy Noble Pils. Me likey. I'm a big fan of Sammy Adams as a rule.

I used to be a huge Sam Adams fan. Still like their stuff and buy some here and there. The Noble Pils is pretty good indeed. Local breweries are getting my attention nowadays.

[15fan]

The local brewery here is out with their seasonal beer that's my absolute favorite. I'm not really a fan of stouts, but this is a lot of fun to order, particularly when the Mrs. is at the table and the young waitress is not unattractive...

http://thefullpint.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/sweetwater-happy-ending-225x164.png

[reds1869]

Had two pints of Irish Guiness tonight...yummy.

[Sea Ray]

Had two pints of Irish Guiness tonight...yummy.

Gettin' started a little early?:)

[cincyinco]

Full Sail #5.. Pretty tasty

[GAC]

A co-worker, who has spent several hundred dollars in brewing equipment, etc., he's really into the hobby, has made several simply fantastic home brews lately. A hefeweizen, dunkel, and the latest was an IPA (India Pale ale).

I loved them all, but really enjoyed the IPA. He's fermenting a cherry wheat right now.

[tom nuetten]

Best beer is a local beer in Germany, near my hometown it is called "Rothaus Tannenzäpfle"

http://www.patrick-fink.de/biere/Tannenzaepfle.jpg

[SunDeck]

Best first post ever. Wilkommen!

[goreds2]

I tried some of this tonight. It is Very Good! If you like Bud Lite Lime or Corona, you will love this and it has more "kick" if you know what I mean. ;) My beverage store at the moment only sales it in 24 ounch cans. I saw it advertised during the Reds opening game last Thursday. Whew!

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$(KGrHqR,!m!E1F3RliZbBNg8SFLq,g~~_35.JPG

http://www.ironcitydist.com/images/Labatt-Light-Lime.jpg

[jwdoc77]

A co-worker, who has spent several hundred dollars in brewing equipment, etc., he's really into the hobby, has made several simply fantastic home brews lately. A hefeweizen, dunkel, and the latest was an IPA (India Pale ale).

I loved them all, but really enjoyed the IPA. He's fermenting a cherry wheat right now.

Whoa, internet life meets real life. I grew up in Bellefontaine, and have a fried who still lives there and is really into home brewing. Last I talked to him he was brewing a cherry wheat also. Probably not the same person, but strange none the less.

[LvJ]

I want to add Pipeline Porter to this thread. Yes sir.

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Check out the beers on tap at The Lackman, at 13th and Vine in Over-the-Rhine, just 13 blocks from GABP :cool:

The perfect lineup: A pair of local brews (Moerlein's OTR Ale and Rivertown's Vienna Style Amber Lager) plus some of Colorado's finest from Breckenridge Brewery.

[muddie]

Newcastle has a Summer Ale out this year, totally new. I sampled a 12 pack in the last week and it is probably worth a try if you've not had one yet. It does come in a six pack as well. It has a bit more traction than the average summer beer. Most summer beers are a bit smoother than this one but it isn't bad. It is 4.4% abv. If anyone tries it let me know what you think.

Tried the Widmer Pale Ale last night. This is a pale ale, hands down. Some pale ales aren't as hoppy tasting as others but this one is trademark. It is OK but I probably would not buy it again because I'm not a huge PA guy.

The beer thread deserves more love.

[juvey21]

Ive been trying a lot of different beers lately. I like Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat and Sam Adams Winter Ale is pretty good. Im mainly a Miller Lite drinker but im not real picky when it comes to beer. Woodchuck Cider is also pretty tasty. This is a good thread.

[SunDeck]

Anyone tried Hudepohl Lager? Wondering if it's supposed to be like a pre-prohibition beer?

[Sea Ray]

Anyone tried Hudepohl Lager? Wondering if it's supposed to be like a pre-prohibition beer?

If you're talking about Hudepohl Dark, yes it's very good for the money.

Also I was at Arnold's last night sampling Moerlein's limited edition Porter:


Moerlein Lagers & Ales Celebrate American Craft Beer Week With A Cask Conditioned Arnold's 1861 Porter!


Arnold's Bar & Grill
210 East 8th St.

Unfiltered. Unpastuerized. Unequaled.

Come to Arnold's and experience the traditional brewing technique, tapping, and service of the Arnold's 1861 Porter - served at 55 degress and a carbonation level of 2.2 volumes in honor of American Craft Beer Week and Arnold's Bar & Grill 150th Anniversary.


This is the traditional way of brewing and serving beer, just like you would have experienced in 1861!

A cask conditioned beer, sometimes referred to as a "real ale", is an unfiltered, unpasteurized beer that still contains live yeast, which continues conditioning the beer in the serving vessel. This is known as a secondary fermentation. This process creates a natural CO2 carbonation and allows malt and hop flavors to develop resulting in a richer tasting drink with more character than a standard force carbonated keg. Real ale is always served without any extraneous gas to push the beer out of the keg.

It was great and a bargain at $1.50/glass

[SunDeck]

If you're talking about Hudepohl Dark, yes it's very good for the money.

Also I was at Arnold's last night sampling Moerlein's limited edition Porter:



It was great and a bargain at $1.50/glass

Say hi to Rhonda next time you're at Arnold's. There's a Hudepohl amber ale that I haven't had yet.

[CrimsonCrusader]

Kind of a "traditionalist" here. Bud Light is the "usual" choice..but I like a Killians every once and again.

[muddie]

Ive been trying a lot of different beers lately. I like Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat and Sam Adams Winter Ale is pretty good. Im mainly a Miller Lite drinker but im not real picky when it comes to beer. Woodchuck Cider is also pretty tasty. This is a good thread.


Unless Sam is doing something different in your area, that is a Winter Lager. If I'm mistaken, please let me know. Thanks.

[LoganBuck]

My wife wants to know what is up with the ad at the top of the page? It is for something called a chuggler, which appears to be a combo plastic mug, beer bong.

[bucksfan2]

Anyone tried Hudepohl Lager? Wondering if it's supposed to be like a pre-prohibition beer?

Can they even make the pre-prohibition beer? With all the new FDA rules I don't know if that is possible.

As for the Lager its ok. Smooth and tastes much better than Hudy Delight

[SunDeck]

Can they even make the pre-prohibition beer? With all the new FDA rules I don't know if that is possible.

As for the Lager its ok. Smooth and tastes much better than Hudy Delight

Beer is not necessarily like other food; if it's not brewed in a pristine environment, bacteria will invade and ruin it. That's always been the case, and in fact it's why Budweiser became so popular; it was the first company to brew its beer on a large basis, with the same consistent flavor. Their innovative brewing techniques were a model for the rest of the world because of the cleanliness and precision methods they had developed. FDA (or probably more correctly USDA) regulations have really never had anything to do with it- the process of beer brewing requires high quality ingredients and a sanitary environment. Otherwise, the yeast eats the bacteria, completely changing the product to a stinky gruel.

By pre-prohibition, I mean the recipes used prior to the time Hudy and other brewers switched to "near beer" to survive the era. After prohibition was over, they found that consumers had developed a taste for the lighter (read less flavorful IMO) beers and thus many "pre-prohibition" recipes were filed away in favor of the lighter product (the trend in the US towards lighter beer started earlier, but that's another story). There are a few members of the Bloatarian Brewing League in Cincinnati who have claimed to brew old recipe Hudy, which I have tried and liked a lot. It's a very nice lager.

Speaking of lager, I bought a sixer of Bell's Lager yesterday and was mightily impressed. I was also struck by the lack of lagers as I strolled through the beer garage at Big Red Liquors, which I attribute to the fact that Ales are just easier to make and possibly because they are usually quite a bit more hoppy than lagers. Me, I'll take a well brewed lager over an Ale most of the time. It's a much more complex product, in my opinion, and I appreciate a brewer that is willing to take the extra time, resources and skill necessary to brew a good one.

http://www.beergeeknation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/bellslagerofthelakesbox.jpg

[bucksfan2]

Beer is not necessarily like other food; if it's not brewed in a pristine environment, bacteria will invade and ruin it. That's always been the case, and in fact it's why Budweiser became so popular; it was the first company to brew its beer on a large basis, with the same consistent flavor. Their innovative brewing techniques were a model for the rest of the world because of the cleanliness and precision methods they had developed. FDA (or probably more correctly USDA) regulations have really never had anything to do with it- the process of beer brewing requires high quality ingredients and a sanitary environment. Otherwise, the yeast eats the bacteria, completely changing the product to a stinky gruel.

By pre-prohibition, I mean the recipes used prior to the time Hudy and other brewers switched to "near beer" to survive the era. After prohibition was over, they found that consumers had developed a taste for the lighter (read less flavorful IMO) beers and thus many "pre-prohibition" recipes were filed away in favor of the lighter product (the trend in the US towards lighter beer started earlier, but that's another story). There are a few members of the Bloatarian Brewing League in Cincinnati who have claimed to brew old recipe Hudy, which I have tried and liked a lot. It's a very nice lager.

Speaking of lager, I bought a sixer of Bell's Lager yesterday and was mightily impressed. I was also struck by the lack of lagers as I strolled through the beer garage at Big Red Liquors, which I attribute to the fact that Ales are just easier to make and possibly because they are usually quite a bit more hoppy than lagers. Me, I'll take a well brewed lager over an Ale most of the time. It's a much more complex product, in my opinion, and I appreciate a brewer that is willing to take the extra time, resources and skill necessary to brew a good one.


Man you like your beer :beerme: I may have to try the Bells Lager. I am generally not a big fan of heavy beers. And when the weather warms up I typically stick to the lighter beers, Pilsners, Lagers, and Mexican beers. To me the more "taste" a beer has the less refreshing it is.

Every time I have traveled overseas I have found that the beer tastes much better. Even in wine country (Italy) the beer is much crisper and almost tastes fresher if that can happen. In German the beer is fantastic and I have always heard its because in Europe you don't have to put certain preservatives in the beer that they make you in America. Even the Micro-Brews taste great but don't hold up to the overseas brew. I was wondering if that is why the beers changed after prohibition, not a different recipe.

I recently have been drinking North Coast Skrimshaw Pilsner and its fantastic. A very smooth beer, I may have to head down to the party source and buy some more. http://www.northcoastbrewing.com/images/brand-Scrimshaw.jpg

[SunDeck]

Man you like your beer :beerme: I may have to try the Bells Lager. I am generally not a big fan of heavy beers. And when the weather warms up I typically stick to the lighter beers, Pilsners, Lagers, and Mexican beers. To me the more "taste" a beer has the less refreshing it is.

Every time I have traveled overseas I have found that the beer tastes much better. Even in wine country (Italy) the beer is much crisper and almost tastes fresher if that can happen. In German the beer is fantastic and I have always heard its because in Europe you don't have to put certain preservatives in the beer that they make you in America. Even the Micro-Brews taste great but don't hold up to the overseas brew. I was wondering if that is why the beers changed after prohibition, not a different recipe.

I recently have been drinking North Coast Skrimshaw Pilsner and its fantastic. A very smooth beer, I may have to head down to the party source and buy some more. http://www.northcoastbrewing.com/images/brand-Scrimshaw.jpg

Good american beers nowadays can stand up to european beers, but it seems we are much more into ales whereas lagers are the thing in Europe, especially Germany. On the issue of preservatives, it's probably the pasteurizing that people are referring to. From my days as a student in the country, I remember that German beer brewed to stay in Germany is not pasteurized and yes, it does taste better. German beer brewed for "export" is indeed and inferior product. Speaking of which, I used to live in a suburb of Hamburg just north of St. Pauli and my host family informed me that St. Pauli's was a terrible beer, brewed specifically for sale outside Germany. They even joked that the whole idea of a "St. Pauli's Girl" probably had something to do with prostitution and a subtle reference to the quality of the beer thereby. If you know the region, St. Pauli's is where the Reeperbahn- and legalized prostitution- is located.

Anyway, I agree with you- brighter ("helles" in german) beer can be fine tasting product. For that matter, I've said so here before, Budweiser is a high quality beer. It's brewed with rice mash, which many people do not like and which is seen by purists as a sellout, but it's brewed to very high standards. Nevertheless, I don't like it much, but I'm ever on the prowl for Pils and crisp, clean lagers, so thanks for the tip on Scrimshaw. Ales have their place, but when I'm out in the sun I usually opt for a lager too. :beerme:

[SunDeck]

A little more follow up:

The availability of gillions of kinds of grain (wheat, rice, different strains of barley), hops (literally thousands to choose from), and different kinds of yeast can result in infinite combinations. Water, too...yes, water makes a difference. Harder water brews better beer.

Lagers are brewed with yeast that ferments at lower temps, whereas ale yeasts can ferment in a closet. For this reason, ale is the choice of many home brewers. Some of you may know about the tunnels under Clifton that were used by breweries; they were specifically for fermenting, then "lagering" of beer, which means they had to sit for a time while the product "matured" (really, it's continued, slow fermentation). That's traditional German beer brewing, the real art of which is to create a clear, crisp product, using a subtle combination of grains/hops, and with careful, fastidious methods. Some beers are "clarified", but the best way to create a clear beer is to use grains that don't shed globs of protein in the fermenting process. This last point may be a reason european beers are always so clear and refreshing- many are traditionally brewed with lower protein barley that is just cleaner than american (six row) barley.

[bucksfan2]

A little more follow up:

The availability of gillions of kinds of grain (wheat, rice, different strains of barley), hops (literally thousands to choose from), and different kinds of yeast can result in infinite combinations. Water, too...yes, water makes a difference. Harder water brews better beer.

Lagers are brewed with yeast that ferments at lower temps, whereas ale yeasts can ferment in a closet. For this reason, ale is the choice of many home brewers. Some of you may know about the tunnels under Clifton that were used by breweries; they were specifically for fermenting, then "lagering" of beer, which means they had to sit for a time while the product "matured" (really, it's continued, slow fermentation). That's traditional German beer brewing, the real art of which is to create a clear, crisp product, using a subtle combination of grains/hops, and with careful, fastidious methods. Some beers are "clarified", but the best way to create a clear beer is to use grains that don't shed globs of protein in the fermenting process. This last point may be a reason european beers are always so clear and refreshing- many are traditionally brewed with lower protein barley that is just cleaner than american (six row) barley.

Didn't know all that. I have always thought, and it may be somewhat true, that with pilsners and lagers you didn't have the range to create a different beer. I thought that water was really the key and determining factor in the tastes of pilsners while the darker you went the more you could mend your own type of beer with the hops, barley, and malt.

The hellis over in Germany was fantastic. Loved the story about St. Pauli Girl. My roommate had a sign of her up in college but I can honestly say I have never tasted the beer. I did find that beer over in Germany was more basic. You either got a hellis, dunkel, weizen, or rattler. By the way stay as far away from the rattler as possible. You didn't necessarily get a choice on your brand of beer, just style. Each house and restaurant had their specific brand of beer and you didn't get to choose. And those crazy Germans drank beer with every meal.

[SunDeck]

I think the differences between lagers are pretty subtle, but they can range from bright to black. Ales and stouts are much more variable and from what I have seen in the US probably offer more opportunities to be creative. Interestingly, one of the ways past brewers would mask inconsistencies in their beers was to flavor them heavily, so that the drinker would not notice subtle variations, which again demonstrates the skill required to brew good bright beers. Once you get away from overwhelming the tastebuds, you really have to know what you're doing. This is something Jim Koch realized when he started brewing Sam Adams, understanding that the most important thing, aside from the recipe, was to put the process in the hands of a skilled brewer.

[RichRed]

Tried this one for the first time last night.

http://aleheads.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/mamaslittleyellapils.jpg

Not a ton of flavor, but it's a crisp, refreshing pilsner - good for a warm spring/summer night. Not bad.

[Johnny Footstool]

To me, pilsner is the beer of beers. It doesn't taste like coffee, or fruit, or rope soaked in bitter hops. It just tastes like beer. And if you get a good one, it's glorious. But the bad ones are still pretty good.

[SunDeck]

To me, pilsner is the beer of beers. It doesn't taste like coffee, or fruit, or rope soaked in bitter hops. It just tastes like beer. And if you get a good one, it's glorious. But the bad ones are still pretty good.

+1

[muddie]

Way too many good beers to annoint one type beer the best.

[SunDeck]

Way too many good beers to annoint one type beer the best.

I beg to differ- free beer is the best. Always.

[muddie]

Tried the Shiner Double Wheat 102 from a bottle. Not so great, would not recommend.

[westofyou]

We win

http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-beer-cities/1

[RBA]

I hear Fall City Beer is pretty good. ;)

[Johnny Footstool]

We win

http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-beer-cities/1

We're #11!

[Spitball]

I had too many Belhaven Scottish Stouts last night. I enjoyed them too much, also.

[cincyinco]

We win

http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-beer-cities/1



Denver comes in at #2.. two of the greatest beer cities in the country for sure.. :thumbup:

[Sea Ray]

I'm going to be hosting a rather large beer tasting one week from tonight and I'd be interested in your suggestions for beer. I want to go heavy on Michigan craft beers, lagers, a couple hoppy IPAs and maybe even a couple premium European brews. All in all I'll serve about ten different beers. Any suggestions on muchies? For me I usually do typical bar fare like pretzels and chips. Any and all suggestions of do's and don'ts are welcome

[SunDeck]

I like pilseners and lagers more in the Summer and if the weather's hot then I don't really prefer really hoppy ales or stouts. If I were doing a tasting this time of year I'd be going with lighter beers (color, not as in diet :)).

[SunDeck]

And did you come up with this because July is Michigan Craft Beer Month? Sweet.

[bucksfan2]

Head down to party source and pick up a bunch of seasonal summer packs. Certain breweries make them and they put the lighter variety in for the warmer weather.

I agree with SunDeck focus on the lager and pilsners. If you want to get more "tasty" you may want to try some summer wheat but I wouldn't really suggest heading down the IPA, Porter, or Stout path.

Let me know what you come up with.

[Sea Ray]

I like pilseners and lagers more in the Summer and if the weather's hot then I don't really prefer really hoppy ales or stouts. If I were doing a tasting this time of year I'd be going with lighter beers (color, not as in diet :)).

I'm with you but I know I've got some IPA lovers coming so I'm going to throw them a bone or two. I read somewhere that the Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster is a nice hoppy IPA. Anyone tried it?

[Sea Ray]

And did you come up with this because July is Michigan Craft Beer Month? Sweet.

I wish I could say I was that smart but actually it was just dumb luck. The "Tasting" just happens to be in northern Mich. I just found out recently that it is Mich Craft Beer month. I'm also ashamed to say that Michigan kicks Ohio's butt on craft beers. They've got 3x as many microbrews as we do.

If you're ever traveling up north checkout the microbrew where I-75 and route 23 intersect in Flint, Mi. It's a steakhouse/brewpub (hell of a combination, huh?) called RedWood Lodge. Excellent beers there. I will pickup a couple growlers on my way up to be sure

[SunDeck]

If you're going to be in Northern Mich, I guess the weather won't be counter to hoisting a few IPAs. Unfortunately, the only thing I know about Michigan beer is that I wish Ohio and Indiana would get working and catch up. :)

[izzy's dad]

Just had a leinenkugels (spelling) summer shandy. Delicious, not something you drink to get drunk. Very good beer.

[bigredmechanism]

Just had a leinenkugels (spelling) summer shandy. Delicious, not something you drink to get drunk. Very good beer.

Lol a few years ago I would have disagreed, but over time I am gravitating towards low alcohol beers. Shandy not as much as others but I bought a 12 pack of that the other night after I left the bar. I tend to like mild English ales lately, as I can drink seemingly an unlimited amount. Fuller's London Pride is my current favorite, except the price is a little high. (9.99 for a sixer of 4.7 ABV)

[muddie]

Along that same line, I tried the Redhook Wit this past week from a bottle. Not bad for the summer.

The Dundee Summer Wheat Ale is a good summer beer as well.

[Sea Ray]

Head down to party source and pick up a bunch of seasonal summer packs. Certain breweries make them and they put the lighter variety in for the warmer weather.

I agree with SunDeck focus on the lager and pilsners. If you want to get more "tasty" you may want to try some summer wheat but I wouldn't really suggest heading down the IPA, Porter, or Stout path.

Let me know what you come up with.

As promised, here's the scoop...

OK, I ended up with 11 beers. Two of them I chose by "tasting" at a microbrew on my drive up. I sat down at about 10 o'clock at night and said " I want a taste of every beer you've got on tap". $40 later I've got a ton of beer in front of me. So I took two of the best ones in a growler and served that. I don't know that this microbrew sells in bottles so you likely cannot get RedWood Lodge beer at your local store.

I chose some others based on what I'd read online or what beer sales people told me. I particularly like amber lagers and Pilsners so I went heavy on those. I knew I had a few IPA folks in the crowd so I got a couple of those for their benefit.

Honestly we didn't get a loser out of the bunch. None were below avg. I'll give you the concensus of the 20 folks who tasted

Here goes:

1) Full Circle Kolsch by New Holland Brewing Co in Holland, MI.
--very smooth, refreshing beer for summer. Above avg

2) Hudepohl Amber Lager clearly the cheapest beer of the lot. These Mich folks had never had it so I wanted to introduce them to it and it went over real well. They thought it tasted real ggod and were very surprised to hear it was only $9.99 for a 12 pack at Biggs/Walmart. Higher marks than the Kolsch

3) Bad Ass Amber Lager by Michigan Brewing Co in Webberville, MI. Probably the lowest rated of the group. Despite its name, it lacked taste. It would be fine as a refreshing summer beer but there wasn't much to it. Kinda like Coors Light. Average to maybe a tick below

4) Sergeants Easy Amber Lager also by Mich Brewing Co--Probably my favorite. Nice dark color, smooth and tasteful. I'm not sure how easy it is to get outside of Mich but this is an excellent beer and not too pricey either. This one gets an outstanding grade from me

5) Brown Ale by Redwood Lodge in Flint, MI. This comes from an excellent microbrew/steakhouse where route 23 and I-75 come together in central Michigan. This got excellent grades even by folks that normally don't like Ales. Outstanding

6) Uber Ursa Imperial Pils by Atwater Brewery in Detroit, MI This is an outstanding Pilsner; even the IPA drinkers were impressed. Outstanding

7) Blue Spruce Pils by Shorts Brewery in Bellaire, MI This limited edition Pilsner is one of those that you have to try once because it's very interesting but you probably wouldn't go back and get another 6 pack. They mix a touch Blue Spruce needles in with the hops which gives it an interesting flavor but it's done well. It's smooth. Above avg

8) IPA by Redwood Lodge. Pretty darn good. Cloudy and hoppy as you'd expect an IPA to be. Above avg

9)Great Lakes Monster Imperial IPA, Cleveland, OH. Good, strong and expensive. $9.99 for a four pack. Doesn't come in a 6 pack. I gave a leftover 4 pack away to an IPA drinker at the party and it was like Christmas to him. Above avg

10) Dragon's Milk Stout by New Holland Brewing Co. I don't drink a lot of stouts but this one was excellent , thick, as the name implies, the consistency of milk. I think this is a chick kinda beer. It resembles a dessert drink. My wife loved it. Outstanding grades throughout the group although it is a sipping beer. I doubt you'd want to drink more than one at a sitting

11) Founders Porter by Founders Brewing Co in Grand Rapids, MI This was rated by the "experts" as a 99 out of 100 before I even bought it. With that kind of rating I had to try it out on our group to see if they agreed. Like the Dragon's Milk it is a thick, dessert type beer but I do agree it is outstanding. Not really my kind of beer but if you're into Stout's you'll be thrilled with this one. Another outstanding

I hate writing long posts as I know it's a turnoff so I think I'll stop here but please respond with any questions or clarifications you may need. :)

[BoydsOfSummer]

Just had a leinenkugels (spelling) summer shandy. Delicious, not something you drink to get drunk. Very good beer.


Toking on a sixer of that right now. Decent beer but too lemonadey for me. I also have a sixer of Sammy Summer Ale. Just a dash of lemon zest in it but doesn't over power it like in the Shandy. I'm probably biased since I'm a big Sammy fan but I don't think so. I have liked the other Leinenkugel offerings better than the Shandy.:beerme:

[bigredmechanism]

10) Dragon's Milk Stout by New Holland Brewing Co. I don't drink a lot of stouts but this one was excellent , thick, as the name implies, the consistency of milk. I think this is a chick kinda beer. It resembles a dessert drink. My wife loved it. Outstanding grades throughout the group although it is a sipping beer. I doubt you'd want to drink more than one at a sitting

11) Founders Porter by Founders Brewing Co in Grand Rapids, MI This was rated by the "experts" as a 99 out of 100 before I even bought it. With that kind of rating I had to try it out on our group to see if they agreed. Like the Dragon's Milk it is a thick, dessert type beer but I do agree it is outstanding. Not really my kind of beer but if you're into Stout's you'll be thrilled with this one. Another outstanding

I haven't tried the other ones on your list, but I love both of these beers. New Holland and Founders are two great breweries.

[Johnny Footstool]

Toking on a sixer of that right now. Decent beer but too lemonadey for me. I also have a sixer of Sammy Summer Ale. Just a dash of lemon zest in it but doesn't over power it like in the Shandy. I'm probably biased since I'm a big Sammy fan but I don't think so. I have liked the other Leinenkugel offerings better than the Shandy.:beerme:

Shandy in a can is OK. It's better if you DIY -- mix a hoppy pale ale with a sour lemonade, and summer disappears. The two harsh flavors really complement each other.

[RollyInRaleigh]

There is a brewery in Asheville, N.C. that some of you may be familiar with, Highland Brewery. I have been enjoying several of their beers over the break. The Black Mocha Stout and the Porter are good. Their Gaelic Ale is probably my favorite.

I aslo tried the Bell's Winter White Ale and found it to be a nice break from the darker beers.

Very good beer. The owners daughter worked for my wife when we lived in Charlotte. Great girl and a real beer enthusiast. She has since gone to work with her father to take over operations of the brewery. My wife got to tour the brewery once and came away very impressed. The Gaelic Ale is, indeed, very good.

Anyone ever try SweetWater Blue? I have never been a big fan of fruity beer but this is really pretty good. I brought two six packs with me from North Carolina when we moved to Indy. Nice summer beer. Light and not "too" fruity.

[Spitball]

Anyone into being healthier:

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100275944&GT1=31036

There seem to be a lot of fruity beers, and I am not into fruity beers...and don't use healthy as a goal when picking out a beer.

[Matt700wlw]

I had Kentucky Bourbon Barrell Ale last week at a place. Very tasty, and very STRONG (8%).

I had two....I was pretty happy :)

They serve it in a Brandy Snifter.


When I was at Kroger the other day, they had it. You can only get it (12oz bottles) in 4 packs, and they're $11.99 per.

I didn't buy any.

[billyjordon]

I think budweiser is the best for the price, i like harp , and i like just about everything. I also like Snow Cap Winter Warmer great taste and packs a punch!

[jojo]

Currently:

Meantime London Porter

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/5062/25548

[Redhook]

Sierra Nevada is my go-to beer. Delicious!

[muddie]

Just tried Dundee Oktoberfest. Not a bad beer. Their Summer Wheat beer was a pleasant surprise so I gave this one a chance. At $6.99 a six, I'm in.

[Sea Ray]

Just a reminder that this weekend at Sawyer Pt in downtown Cincinnati is Brew Ha Ha. This is a fun event and a great chance to sample beers

http://cincinnatiusa.com/Events/detail.asp?ProdID=67651

[paintmered]

Just a reminder that this weekend at Sawyer Pt in downtown Cincinnati is Brew Ha Ha. This is a fun event and a great chance to sample beers

http://cincinnatiusa.com/Events/detail.asp?ProdID=67651

I sincerely hope it is a better event this year. I went down there last year. The beers I wanted to try were already sold out, and the stand-up comedy didn't work in an open air venue. Poor Tim Wilson spent most of his bit pleading with the crowd to work with him even a little.

It's a great named event for a good idea. I hope the organizers learned from what worked and what didn't to make it better.

[Sea Ray]

I sincerely hope it is a better event this year. I went down there last year. The beers I wanted to try were already sold out, and the stand-up comedy didn't work in an open air venue. Poor Tim Wilson spent most of his bit pleading with the crowd to work with him even a little.

It's a great named event for a good idea. I hope the organizers learned from what worked and what didn't to make it better.

I've gone the last few years and I must say I've never gotten much out of the entertainers. Some are on the big stage, some are just on the sidewalk but what is good is the selection of beer and the descriptions in the flyer give you good backround so you can thin out your choices from the get go. I didn't notice a lot of sold out beers but I know that can be very troubling. The beer tastings on Fountain Square have been a bigger problem with sold out beers in my experience.

I'll be down there on Sat night. I'll report back

[redsmetz]

With Yuengling now being available here in Cincy, I thought some would enjoy this piece my cousin's son put together.

http://youtu.be/X0Dx5nm0mHM

[mdccclxix]

Red Hook Winter Lager is my favorite among all seasonal beers. Not sure if it's available in the midwest yet.

[gonelong]

Red Banshee - Fort Collins Brewing

Oh. My. Goodness!

GL

[Boss-Hog]

All,

I just noticed this thread has over 1,000 replies; per our policy, please start a "part 2". Thanks...