Beer Thread

[Illinell]

Note to all, Hopslam (from Bell's) was released a few weeks ago.

It goes quick, so if you love a huge, hoppy and citrusy IPA try to pick it up.

 

[sfillini]

Anyone try Trumer Pils? If you have a chance check it out. Trumer Pils a beer from Salzburg by way of Berkeley. It's my new favorite beer. I think you can get it in parts of Illinois but I'm not sure about C-U.

http://www.trumer-international.com

 

[SaltLife]

New Beer Is Poured Bottoms Up - Video


http://www.wesh.com/video/26762967/detail.html

 

[illiniracers]

Had a couple good beers at a nice brew pub in Salt Lake tonight. Had Baja Especial from Park City brewery that was similar to Corona and Czech Pilsner from the Bohemian Brewery in Midvale, UT. Both pretty darn good and topped it off with Shock Top at the Jazz game.

 

[BananaShampoo]

I tried the Ordinary Bitter from Blind Pig Brewery over the weekend and it was not bad at all. Most of their house brews I've tried have been pretty decent, especially their Oatmeal Stout and their ESB.

 

[Illinell]

I've been drinking a lot of Modus Hoperandi by Ska.

It's in cans and really good. Ranger IPA is great as well, and relatively affordable.

 

[Illinell]

New Beer Is Poured Bottoms Up - Video


http://www.wesh.com/video/26762967/detail.html

Nice, the guy in the in '76ers shirt is hilarious.

I think I worked with him at Kam's back in the day.

 

[bmuell08]

NATTY

 

[KBLEE]

I had a chance to try Mendocino Brewing's Eye of the Hawk Select Ale this weekend...highly recommended. I generally gravitate to higher ABV brews, and at 8% this one did not disappoint.

 

[illynifan34]

Still not sure why Keystone doesn't get the respect it deserves.

 

[Illinell]

If I had to pick a "keystone" type beer, I think I would go with Dos Equis, Red Stripe, or Sol. There is actually a good session beer that is aptly called "Session".

Keystone doesn't really taste like much, which I guess can be good if you are super hung over, or just don't like beer that much.

 

[carverchile]

If I had to pick a "keystone" type beer, I think I would go with Dos Equis, Red Stripe, or Sol. There is actually a good session beer that is aptly called "Session".

Keystone doesn't really taste like much, which I guess can be good if you are super hung over, or just don't like beer that much.

You might just be talking about lagers? I'm not a huge lager fan, but Red Stripe, Dos Equis, Moosehead and Harp are all really great beers and have a lot of flavor for lagers. Every time I have Red Stripe or Harp in particular, i kick myself for going so long without having it....

 

[Illinell]

Wasn't intending to focus on lagers, but I guess I did.

I can't really think of an ale that I would call an easy drinker. Don't get me wrong, I tend to drink big ales more than anything.

I just can't think of one that I'd put in the "session" category.

 

[bdutts]

Wasn't intending to focus on lagers, but I guess I did.

I can't really think of an ale that I would call an easy drinker. Don't get me wrong, I tend to drink big ales more than anything.

I just can't think of one that I'd put in the "session" category.

Long Haul by Two Brothers is a great session ale. I would consider Fat Tire to be a session ale. Prairie Path Golden Ale by Two Brothers is a session ale.

Any lighter style ale that isn't aggressively hopped is a brew that I would consider to be a session ale. There are plenty out there.

 

[Illinell]

Long Haul by Two Brothers is a great session ale. I would consider Fat Tire to be a session ale. Prairie Path Golden Ale by Two Brothers is a session ale.

Any lighter style ale that isn't aggressively hopped is a brew that I would consider to be a session ale. There are plenty out there.

I get your point, and think it all boils down to taste.

Personally, I feel like I could drink quite a few more Corona's and Dos Equis than I could the 2Bs you mention above (although their brewery and distribution group are awesome). With that said, what I choose to drink varies heavily with the seasons. I am much more apt to go with the options you mentioned during the winter, and the ones I brought up during the summer.

 

[carverchile]

I'm no brewmaster, but one thing that I've found interesting....

When I was growing up (1980's--started drinking beer in the early 1990's), lagers (and pilsners) dominated the scene. I honestly don't recall any major ales on the shelves other than Bass and Guinness. Then, right in the 90's, the micro-brewery thing hit, and it's so heavily dominated by ales. I know there are the occasional microbrew lager, but they seem so far between and aren't as distinctive. For any brewing experts out there, do you think there's something inherently about ales that let them be more diverse than lagers?

 

[pizzaman]

I'm no brewmaster, but one thing that I've found interesting....

When I was growing up (1980's--started drinking beer in the early 1990's), lagers (and pilsners) dominated the scene. I honestly don't recall any major ales on the shelves other than Bass and Guinness. Then, right in the 90's, the micro-brewery thing hit, and it's so heavily dominated by ales. I know there are the occasional microbrew lager, but they seem so far between and aren't as distinctive. For any brewing experts out there, do you think there's something inherently about ales that let them be more diverse than lagers?

The main difference between ales and lagers is that ales use a top fermenting yeast that works quickly at about 60 degrees F. From brewing and pitching yeast to drinking takes 6-8 weeks. Homebrewers (me) find brewing ales easy, the basement in winter is perfect without needing refrigeration. Brew, ferment for 2 weeks, bottle, and start drinking in about a month.

Lagers ferment at much lower temperatures, 40 degrees F. or so using different yeast. They also require much more time between brewing and drinking. Lagering was the cold fermenting process that takes longer at lower temperatures. Except for the yeast, the ingredients in a good brew (ale or lager) are interchangable.

by the way, Pilsner is a lager. Its origin is Pils, Czechoslovakia IIRC.

 

[carverchile]

The main difference between ales and lagers is that ales use a top fermenting yeast that works quickly at about 60 degrees F. From brewing and pitching yeast to drinking takes 6-8 weeks. Homebrewers (me) find brewing ales easy, the basement in winter is perfect without needing refrigeration. Brew, ferment for 2 weeks, bottle, and start drinking in about a month.

Lagers ferment at much lower temperatures, 40 degrees F. or so using different yeast. They also require much more time between brewing and drinking. Lagering was the cold fermenting process that takes longer at lower temperatures. Except for the yeast, the ingredients in a good brew (ale or lager) are interchangable.

by the way, Pilsner is a lager. Its origin is Pils, Czechoslovakia IIRC.

If I'm interpreting correctly, what you're saying is that the prevalence of ales (and variations thereof) in microbrews is because they're easier to brew, so there's more people making them and experimenting more?

Yeah, I didn't make it clear, but I knew pilsner is a type of lager. As a matter of fact, it seems like about 80% of the lagers on the market are pilsners, or at least it seems that way to me, or perhaps I don't know the names of other styles of lager. I believe a bock is a lager, correct? I haven't had a bock in years....

One other random question for the brewmasters here: why no light (low-cal) ales? Do any exist? If not, why not? I'd think there'd be a market for them.

 

[illynifan34]

If I had to pick a "keystone" type beer, I think I would go with Dos Equis, Red Stripe, or Sol. There is actually a good session beer that is aptly called "Session".

Keystone doesn't really taste like much, which I guess can be good if you are super hung over, or just don't like beer that much.

Don't take me seriously, please, Keystone is good to get really drunk on. That's about it.

 

[pizzaman]

If I'm interpreting correctly, what you're saying is that the prevalence of ales (and variations thereof) in microbrews is because they're easier to brew, so there's more people making them and experimenting more?

Yeah, I didn't make it clear, but I knew pilsner is a type of lager. As a matter of fact, it seems like about 80% of the lagers on the market are pilsners, or at least it seems that way to me, or perhaps I don't know the names of other styles of lager. I believe a bock is a lager, correct? I haven't had a bock in years....

One other random question for the brewmasters here: why no light (low-cal) ales? Do any exist? If not, why not? I'd think there'd be a market for them.

Bock is a lager. It's available. (Leinies makes a pretty good 1888 Bock) There are red and dark lagers. Virtually all of the traditional american beer (Miller, Bud, Pabst, Old Style etc.) are just ordinary Pilsners. They got to be popular after prohibition ended and stayed that way. Part of it was that golden clear color and clear glass. Clear glass was a real innovation back a century or so.

Most of the real 'hoppy" stuff (pale ales) tend to be ales. I don't know if microbreweries tend toward ales because they are easier but they are faster and eliminate the need to "hold the lager" for longer time before serving. For homebrewers, ales are definitely the quick and easy route.

As for light beer, just buy a beer you like and water it down. That's all it is. The only way to get rid of calories and carbs is to use less malt. The malt has the sugar (and calories) that the yeast digests and gives us Alcohol as an exchange. Hops, yeast and water don't offer much for calories or carbs. (Beer is water, malt, hops and yeast, that's all.)

 

[pizzaman]

One other beer tidbit that is just stupid. Miller advertises that their Light is triple hopped. All beer is triple hopped. Hops provide bitterness and a natural preservative through their alpha acids and hops are added early in the brewing and boiled for bitterness, hops are added in the last 10 minutes of boiling for flavor and in the last 2-3 minutes for aroma.

Malts are the roasted grains which can be barley, wheat or rice or some other grain in really cheap beer. Bud is a rice malt and that's why it is so light in color. Roasted, almost burned barley malt gives the dark color and toasted, nutty flavor.

I like beer.

 

[carverchile]

I like beer.

Same here, though no brewing of my own. I stick with gardening and looking for cooking for my hobbies. If I can be so bold as to assume your username from a previous board, I thought the wife kept your diet pretty monitored? The beer sneaks its way in? ;-)

Hmm...I'm trying to remember a dark (non-bock) lager. Maybe Beck's dark? Don't run into them much....

 

[KBLEE]

I like beer.

+1

Give me a good Belgian Dubbel any day and I'll be a happy camper.

 

[carverchile]

Don't take me seriously, please, Keystone is good to get really drunk on. That's about it.

Back in college, I always went for the Olde English or Colt 45 over the Keystone/Natty Light. Give me the horrid, bitter taste of malt liquor over the horrid sour taste of those two. Also, 32 degrees was key!

 

[bdutts]

The main difference between ales and lagers is that ales use a top fermenting yeast that works quickly at about 60 degrees F. From brewing and pitching yeast to drinking takes 6-8 weeks. Homebrewers (me) find brewing ales easy, the basement in winter is perfect without needing refrigeration. Brew, ferment for 2 weeks, bottle, and start drinking in about a month.

Lagers ferment at much lower temperatures, 40 degrees F. or so using different yeast. They also require much more time between brewing and drinking. Lagering was the cold fermenting process that takes longer at lower temperatures. Except for the yeast, the ingredients in a good brew (ale or lager) are interchangable.

by the way, Pilsner is a lager. Its origin is Pils, Czechoslovakia IIRC.

Spot on pizzaman. Good to see there are a few of us out there (homebrewers). I am one and I look forward to firing up the equipment next month.