Beer Thread

[JW]

Labatt Classic is great. Though if I'm drinking Canadian, I'm drinking Le Fin Du Monde by Unibroue. If we are talking normal drinking beer, I'm going Goose Island's 312. All time favorite though, Prince Blonde by Lobkowicz from the Czech Republic. Might be the best beer I've ever had.

312 is an outstanding local beer.

Everytime I go to Whole Foods or Binny's I see aisles of exotic looking beers. I really should give them a try.

 

[illini4everjp]

312 is an outstanding local beer.

Everytime I go to Whole Foods or Binny's I see aisles of exotic looking beers. I really should give them a try.

Check out Goose Island's Fleur. I had it at the Uncommon Ground on Devon last week, its great. Its like their Matilda but better. Its not in bottle yet but there are spots around town that have it on tap.

 

[illini80]

Give me a break::tsk::tsk:

MillerCoors - the maker of popular beers Miller Lite, Coors Lite and Blue Moon -- is also raising prices in some markets. But these hikes are part of the company's regular fall increases and are "more in line with catching up with costs and commodity prices rather than the economic environment," said Julian Green, director of media relations for MillerCoors.

Unless they are making beer out of gold and silver, I don't think commodity prices are higher in the past year.


http://articles.latimes.com/2009/mar/02/business/fi-foodprices2

The costs of the raw goods that go into almost every food product have fallen by substantial amounts, said Jonathan Feeney, an analyst at Janney Montgomery Scott in Philadelphia.

The dropping price of grains "has widespread impact across food. Not only are corn, soybeans and wheat key ingredients in products up and down the snack, cereal, soup, bakery and other aisles, but they also serve as key inputs in commodity protein and dairy production," he wrote in a recent report to investors.

I get very frustrated with this kind of BS from the food, beverage, and grocery companies. If people understood better they were being lied to constantly, maybe they would fight back.:rage::rage::rage:

 

[BananaShampoo]

Though if I'm drinking Canadian, I'm drinking Le Fin Du Monde by Unibroue. If we are talking normal drinking beer, I'm going Goose Island's 312. All time favorite though, Prince Blonde by Lobkowicz from the Czech Republic. Might be the best beer I've ever had.

:thumb: La Fin du Monde is great stuff. Fairly expensive, though. I like their Trois Pistoles, as well.

You can't realyl go wrong with the 312, but have you ever tried their Demolition Ale? It was in limited release and it was fantastic. Can't find it anymore.

Best beer I've ever had would be hard to say, but it would be a close race between RCH Old Slug Porter, Founder's Kentucky Breakfast Stout, and Dark Lord Imperial Stout.

 

[Edgar Mundo]

I don't know who among you has ever had a "red beer" but I had one recently, out of peer pressure.

Take a draft beer (mine was a bud light, I think) and add a small can of tomato juice. Then drink. (Some people apparently like to add some salt to it.)

It might sound awful, but it was quite tasty. I was extremely skeptical -- I'm not even a tomato juice drinker. It helped that I had many normal beers before it.


It is something to try for breakfast!!

 

[KBLEE]

Interesting Beer Thread from another Illini message board

Corona?? :laugh:

 

[ilphotog]

They need to have a beer tasting event so whimp's like me could try a another beer without wasting $4-$5 bucks if I dont like it.

 

[Champaignillini]

http://www.mikewirthart.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/2009gabfgmedalmap.jpg

 

[BananaShampoo]

Whoah. That is a GREAT map. Thanks for posting that!

 

[illinois_hustle]

Sorry, I haven't read through this entire thread, but does anyone remember Baderbrau with the affection that I do? Man I used to LOVE that beer in the day. It was a pilsner, but one with lots of flavor. I believe it was brewed in my hometown of Elmhurst, and at one time it was on tap in a lot of places within Chicago and the rest of Illinois, but seemed to die out rather quickly. I have a very positive and vivid memory of drinking many pints just off North Michigan Avenue one very cold night.

Is it still brewed at all? Does anyone know why it died out just when the microbrew trend was expanding?

Edit: It appears the brewing co (Pavichevich) went bankrupt in 1997, and Goose Island bought the brand name. I don't believe anyone makes it any more though.

 

[BananaShampoo]

Sorry, I haven't read through this entire thread, but does anyone remember Baderbrau with the affection that I do? Man I used to LOVE that beer in the day. It was a pilsner, but one with lots of flavor. I believe it was brewed in my hometown of Elmhurst, and at one time it was on tap in a lot of places within Chicago and the rest of Illinois, but seemed to die out rather quickly. I have a very positive and vivid memory of drinking many pints just off North Michigan Avenue one very cold night.

I don't remember the beer, but you're from Elmhurst? Me, too! :thumb:

 

[illinois_hustle]

I don't remember the beer, but you're from Elmhurst? Me, too! :thumb:

Cool Banana! My mom's still there so I go to visit every year.

The beer (Baderbrau) was great, very quaffable. Glug glug glug ...

 

[OrangeFever]

Wow, that is a great map! I love living on the West Coast. So much beer, so little time. Despite all the great micros available in this area, I still hold a special spot for Moosehead, and Labatts is a nifty lager, too.

Pyramid Hefeweisen is a classic. Mack and Jack's Amber. Nine River's Stout.

The list just goes on and on. Frankly, almost no one out here would stoop to Flat Tire. It's considered run of the mill, very ordinary beer, out of the bottle or on tap.

When it comes to beer, wine, and coffee, we are snobs, but still nothing like that 4Illini pinhead. As I recall, he tried to make the case for Guinness in a can with the nitro bubble. It was a nice try, and that's a mighty fine choice, but, still . . . Get real.

 

[AK Illini]

Fat Tire is acceptable, but imo overrated and yes it has been in chicago for years.

A proper Guiness pour will always have a place in my heart.

I'm a huge fan of the Three Floyds Alpha King and the Dogfish 90 min IPA as everyday drinkers.

 

[illinois_hustle]

A proper Guiness pour will always have a place in my heart.

YES! My pubs faves are either that, or Black & Tan (with Bass), Half & Half (with Harp), or a Black Castle (with Newcastle).

I cannot talk about these without picturing them in front of me, then my mouth starts to water, then my hands start to twitch, then my legs bounce up and down ...

I will commence the search for one now.

 

[OrangeFever]

YES! My pubs faves are either that, or Black & Tan (with Bass), Half & Half (with Harp), or a Black Castle (with Newcastle).

I cannot talk about these without picturing them in front of me, then my mouth starts to water, then my hands start to twitch, then my legs bounce up and down ...

I will commence the search for one now.

You are just moments away from desire-induced slurring of speech . . .

 

[BananaShampoo]

Fat Tire is acceptable, but imo overrated and yes it has been in chicago for years.

A proper Guiness pour will always have a place in my heart.

I'm a huge fan of the Three Floyds Alpha King and the Dogfish 90 min IPA as everyday drinkers.

I agree that Fat Tire is a bit overrated. New Belgium does have some decent beers, but Fat Tire is not their best.

OrangeFever - I'm jealous that you get to live in the northwest and be surrounded by so many great local breweries (Hales, Elysian, Red Hook, etc.). That is one other reason why my goal is to live out that way someday.

 

[OrangeFever]

I agree that Fat Tire is a bit overrated. New Belgium does have some decent beers, but Fat Tire is not their best.

OrangeFever - I'm jealous that you get to live in the northwest and be surrounded by so many great local breweries (Hales, Elysian, Red Hook, etc.). That is one other reason why my goal is to live out that way someday.

It's worth it just for the beer. Then add the country's best coffee. An internationally significant wine industry. Some of the most beautiful country and natural resources anywhere. A cutting edge music scene. Progressive, people-friendly urban centers. Trend setting land use and environmental programs.

Okay, so it's grey and wet 5-6 months out of the year. I guarantee, however, that if you had experienced our summer this year, you would find a way to stay and never, ever leave.

It's almost enough to make me shift my fundamental [geographic] loyalty from Illinois to Washington. Almost.

 

[illinois_hustle]

You are just moments away from desire-induced slurring of speech . . .

Yesh!

 

[AK Illini]

It's worth it just for the beer. Then add the country's best coffee. An internationally significant wine industry. Some of the most beautiful country and natural resources anywhere. A cutting edge music scene. Progressive, people-friendly urban centers. Trend setting land use and environmental programs.

Okay, so it's grey and wet 5-6 months out of the year. I guarantee, however, that if you had experienced our summer this year, you would find a way to stay and never, ever leave.

It's almost enough to make me shift my fundamental [geographic] loyalty from Illinois to Washington. Almost.

This part, hands down ftw, the rest of your points though nice, don't do it for me, but the natural beauty of the PNW is out of this world. I’m sure growing up in the flattest place on earth contributes to that envy.

 

[AK Illini]

312 is an outstanding local beer.

Everytime I go to Whole Foods or Binny's I see aisles of exotic looking beers. I really should give them a try.

Only one question, what have you been waiting for? :laugh:

 

[BananaShampoo]

It's worth it just for the beer. Then add the country's best coffee. An internationally significant wine industry. Some of the most beautiful country and natural resources anywhere. A cutting edge music scene. Progressive, people-friendly urban centers. Trend setting land use and environmental programs.

Okay, so it's grey and wet 5-6 months out of the year. I guarantee, however, that if you had experienced our summer this year, you would find a way to stay and never, ever leave.

It's almost enough to make me shift my fundamental [geographic] loyalty from Illinois to Washington. Almost.

Amen to that! Actually, I was in the PNW on vacation just a couple of weeks ago for 11 days. The weather was beautiful the whole time except for a very short light rain in Portland one night. We had perfect weather when we were in Seattle, Bellingham, etc. And yes, the scenery is fantastic. I took PLENTY of pics. :thumb:

 

[KBLEE]

Good craft beer article in today's Chicago Tribune

With an ugly recession raging this spring, Goose Island Beer Co. launched Sophie, a high-end Belgian-style brew with a retail price of $8 to $9 per 22-ounce bottle. The first batch sold out in a week.

Sophie's launch is emblematic of relatively heady times for craft brewers. While the growth rate of sales of pale ales, porters and the like has slipped some this year, it remains strong, particularly compared with the anemic performance of conventional premium beers and an even worse showing by imported beers.

 

[MTILLINOIS]

I'm a fan of Miller Lite because it cheap. But my favorite of all time it Hacker - Pschorr Weisse. It's so smooth.

 

[illini4everjp]

Interesting article on craft beers and the success of Goose Island

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-tue-craft-beer-0908-sep08,0,5553409.story