3931 replies to this topic

[hammy83]

Its rather funny to me how Canada is suppose to be know for its beer and beer drinkers.  Our craft (micro) beers are good but never available.  Almost ever person here prefers the taste of a commercial brew (coors, molson, bud, blue Brava).  If you go into any bar they most likely have one craft beer on tap if any.  The only place that has more than one are beir market and places that are know for the offerings which are very limited at best.
I wish we would support our local breweries more.  When I was in cleveland I was shocked at how many craft beers were offered and the varieties.  Here we have 5% alcohol and that is about it.  Now I dont care about the alcohol content but it does allow for different tastes.
My point is for a country know for its beer we certainly suck at supporting our local breweries and we definitely have no taste buds for good beer but rather a taste for any beer that is good enough (or cheap enough) to get us drunk.
What doesnt help in the province of Ontario were I live is the beer is only sold at The Beer Store which is owned by the 3 major breweries.  They don't even run credit accounts for large bars or give quantity discounts for them as well.  Our Liquir can only be sold at the LCBO.  With all these monopolies when you come to our great province you will find you pay roughly $34 for a 24 of blue and about $26 for a 26'er of reg vodka, gin etc.  
We Also cant have any funny names or the governement will shut down the brewery until the name is approved or changed.

Sorry for my rant but just venting on why craft (micro) breweries are dying in Canada.

That being said my favourite beer when I was in Cleveland was Dogfish head IPA
Here it is Creemore springs but I do like flying Monkey's offerings (brewery was shut down until the name was approved)

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[sefus12]

itw419, on 11 January 2012 - 06:55 PM, said:

Scott@84, on 10 January 2012 - 11:27 PM, said:

Anything from Russian River Brewing.

I want to try Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger in the worst way. They don't sell it in Michigan though. I have heard nothing but good things about it.

Pliny the Elder can be had outside of Cali (I know it makes it to certain bars in Colorado and Philly), but Pliny the Younger is a draft only beer (can't even get growler fills) that is only sold for 13 days a year at the brewpub and MAYBE once a year at a select bar or two in Cali.  PtY is on my must-try list as well, but it won't be this year (release is at beginning of Feb).  As for the Elder, it's a fantastic IPA/IIPA.  Definitely give it a try if you find it.

[seve1972]

Slapjax7s, on 19 December 2011 - 12:14 PM, said:

I used to drink the big labeled beers, Sam Adams, Coors, etc... After spending time with my neighbor, he introduced me to the World of Craft beer...THANK GOD!

I am interested to hear what everyone here drinks or collects and what they like. I will go first.

I would have to say my favorite is Dog Fish Head as a brand as well as the collectables. In NJ here there is a Brewer called Beach Haus which i have began to like on a Summer basis, but will indulge a little in the winter with their Winter Rental (Lager.)

My Top 5 that I buy on a daily basis is as follows:

Dog Fish

Dale's Pale Ale (can's)

Lagunitas

Troegs

Full Sail & Session

What's everyone else like?!

DOGFISH 60 IS THE STANDARD IMO.   PROBLEM.........THEY DON'T SELL IT ANYMORE IN INDIANA!!!!!.........B%
G&ERS!!!   I DECIDED TO BREW MY OWN.......THAT IS THE NEXT LEVEL IF YOU ARE A HOP HEAD!!!!

[itw419]

I picked up some Bells Hopslam today. It's an awesome beer I would highly recommend if you like hoppy ales

[FATC1TY]

I've been downing bombers lately of

Southern Tiers... they are out of western NY. Prety good stuff. Got their "Creme Brulee" high gravity, around 9.2 or something. Tasty, but not for drinking at dinner.

I love Abita Beers, so I got ahold of some Andygator. It's a Hellesbock.. Really light considering the advertised, 8% abv. Very drinkable, nice hops and finish. I like it alot.

Then, I've gotten hooked on a semi local brewery. Really small. Jailhouse Brewery. Makes some really good stuff. Their wheat is really good, as is some of their special one off "solitary confinement" series.

[seve1972]

itw419, on 13 January 2012 - 08:57 PM, said:

I picked up some Bells Hopslam today. It's an awesome beer I would highly recommend if you like hoppy ales

GREAT beer!!......at 10% alcohol...hold on to your seat....

[FATC1TY]

I'm drinking a 9.8% right now. It's pretty good. Southern Tier Creme Brulee' Imperial Stout.

Man, it's got alot going on in it. Like drinking a chocolate espresso vanilla bean cake. Oh, and the alcohol.

[JP101]

Two Brothers in Warrenville, IL makes some real tasty beers.

[fore_life]

FATC1TY, on 15 January 2012 - 06:48 PM, said:

I'm drinking a 9.8% right now. It's pretty good. Southern Tier Creme Brulee' Imperial Stout.

Man, it's got alot going on in it. Like drinking a chocolate espresso vanilla bean cake. Oh, and the alcohol.

Must find this, sounds like my dream beer!

[Miss Shanksalot]

FATC1TY, on 15 January 2012 - 06:48 PM, said:

I'm drinking a 9.8% right now. It's pretty good. Southern Tier Creme Brulee' Imperial Stout.

Man, it's got alot going on in it. Like drinking a chocolate espresso vanilla bean cake. Oh, and the alcohol.

I LOVE that stuff. We can't get it around here any longer; they sold out of it in November.

Their Choklat Stout is the most chocolatey beer I've ever had. It's definitely a dessert beer - one that should be drunk by itself.

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[bmlh29]

Since I moved out here to California I've really hit the craft beer scene hard. I was in college, but I had no idea what I was getting into until I really started visiting breweries and really getting into the scene. My favorites (in no particular order):

Ventura Surf - a brand new brewery that opened maybe 7 months ago in Ventura. The guys there have their formulas figured out and do some great takes on traditional styles. They have a hopped cream stout that's fantastic, a black IPA with plenty of malt, and their DIPA is out of this world good

Hangar 24 - A brewery in Riverside that tends to play more in the German/Belgian styles, but they just reformulated their DIPA and brew it with honey. Nice and hop bitter with that honey there to really balance it out

Bootlegger's - Mostly for their DIPA, knuckle sandwich

Russian River - Sours and IPAs are my two favorite styles, and RR has both in spades.

Firestone Walker - Their reserve series is fantastic. Double Jack, any of their stouts and barleywines, you name it out of that series and I probably like it.

[FATC1TY]

Miss Shanksalot, on 16 January 2012 - 06:22 PM, said:

FATC1TY, on 15 January 2012 - 06:48 PM, said:

I'm drinking a 9.8% right now. It's pretty good. Southern Tier Creme Brulee' Imperial Stout.

Man, it's got alot going on in it. Like drinking a chocolate espresso vanilla bean cake. Oh, and the alcohol.

I LOVE that stuff. We can't get it around here any longer; they sold out of it in November.

Their Choklat Stout is the most chocolatey beer I've ever had. It's definitely a dessert beer - one that should be drunk by itself.

It's pretty good. Took me a few sips to get "with it", but I was enjoying that whole bomber all the way till it was gone.

They have a Moka Javah stout that is two of their beers together. Sounds really good, and I think it's somewhere around 11.8/11.2 or something like that ABV.

It's pretty good though, I'll be grabbing another soon.

[FATC1TY]

Anyone getting on the bandwagon of the barrel aged stuff?

Red Brick( ATL ), did 2 years ago an anniversary ale, they brewed up, and aged in Pappy Van Winkle barrels for 13 months, and then only made 200 barrels of it.

Last year, they did the same thing, but did it for 6 months in Jack Daniels casks.


They just finished up brewing the ale for this year, and will barrel it and bottle in March/April, and I've been told it will be in Woodford Reserve barrels, and come in around 11-13% ABV.

Sounds really awesome.. Been keeping my eye out at the local brew joint to see what all they have for barrel aged stuff which seems to be really popular.

Schmaltz brewing company has a HeBrew Genesis 15:15 that is suppose to be barrel aged for a fair amount of time and be really good, but they don't ship down here, save for the odd keg here and there for places like Taco Mac.

[FATC1TY]

Hrm..

Been on a kick lately. I've currently got in the beer fridge:

A growler of Abita Andygator, which is one of my favorite beers, but hard to find at times, and only comes on draft or bombers because of the ABV.

I found a place and picked up some bottles of Southern Tiers Jahva and some bottles of their Oatmeal Stout, YUM!

Rouge John John Dead Guy Ale- aged in their whiskey barrels, haven't tried it yet.

Double bastxxx- Which I hated. I just don't like this brewery much, infact, I even picked up a bottle of their 11 Epic.. Anaheim Chilies and Cinnamon. Interesting, but I hated it too. Stone Brewery and me just don't get along, unimpressed.

I've got some Victory Intrigue, which is thier Imperial stout, aged in bourbon barrels. Haven't drank it yet.

I've got a bottle of the Crooked Line Cockeyed Cooper barley wine ale. Not sure how I'll like it, on the upper end of the IBU's that I tend to enjoy.

Picked up some Abita Mardi Gras Bock, which was pretty tasty, but nothing to call home about. Drinkable, and enjoyable.


Picked up some Yeti barrel aged stout, which was pretty darn good. Ft Collins imperial stout which I thought was kinda of lack luster and not really good enough to want again..

Going to wait on a few of the others.. My growler needs to be drank down before it goes bad, and at 8-9abv, it's not something I want to have my wife come home and find me with 64 oz gone and passed out on the couch.

[Johnny T]

I'm a huge Terrapin and Southern Tier fan.  I love to find the Terapin special project beers and stock pile them.  Too bad my stock pile is pretty much gone!  The Southern Tier brewery has a nice little tasting room/restaurant so check it out if you are ever in their neighborhood.

[itsernst]

For all you Californicators,  Pliney the Younger gets released Feb. 3rd I believe.  Be on the look out at your favorite watering holes via twitter and facebook to see who is taping the first kegs.  Only out for like 2 or 3 weeks and one of the hardest beers to get.

Edited by itsernst, 29 January 2012 - 08:17 PM.

[FATC1TY]

John John Ale, from Rouge is really good by the way. I thought I wouldn't like it, and I think I tried to crush the glass up and eat it. Great beer.

Also grabbed some Southern Tier Choklat. Wow. Drinking it now- again, and really like it. Great evening time beer after dinner to settle down with.

The Victory Intrigue is really tasty too. Never had it in the normal version, but the barrel aged is nice.

Albino Python from Coney Island brewery wasn't good. Nice light beer, good taste at first, but has a spice flavor to it and I swear it almost had a cough syrupy taste to it. Wasn't a fan of that.

Lookin to try some new stuff this upcoming weekend.

[mflores]

I see it's been mentioned already but Bells came out with their HopSlam recently - that is an awesome beer. Extra hops and some honey in their as well. Here in Chicao it was sold out most places in the first weekend of release. Many of the stores had a limit of 1 6 pack per person.

A real good seasonal is Great Lakes Christmas Ale - great winter beer that's not too over done.

Allagash White is a good drinnking beer if you are in the mood for a few.

I'm also a fan of beers from Three Floyds, Founders, Brooklyn, Stone and local Chicago brewer - Half Acre

[FATC1TY]

3 floyds had some beers I wanted to try, but no luck getting them down here..

I don't like anything stone brewery makes though. Interesting stuff but no go.

Southern tier is a home run in my book though, same for abita. Im getting a six pack of the eurotrash pilz tonight, and some oak aged unearthly from them. Can't wait!

Terrapin has some new seasonal stuff coming out tha I want. Wake n bake especially. Oh, and I really want a bomber of southern tiers pumping ale.

[mflores]

I forgot one that I wish they sold in Chicago

Maui Brewing Co - Mana Wheat. This is infused with Maui Pinapple. Maybe it had to do with where i was drinking these but man did I enjoy my share of those. Their coconut porter is pretty good as well.

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[flyersfan25]

itw419, on 13 January 2012 - 08:57 PM, said:

I picked up some Bells Hopslam today. It's an awesome beer I would highly recommend if you like hoppy ales

I had to drive an hour to do it but I scored a whole case of it!

So awesome.

[FATC1TY]

Man, I had a Uinta Brew last night. Their Crooked Line Tilted Smile.

It's an Imperial Pilsner. Kinda goes against the whole pilsner ideal, and it's unfiltered too. But great beer. Really drinkable, and even the 9% ABV, there was no alcohol taste to it, and finishes clean like a Pilz should.

Tried their Cockeyed Cooper Barrel Aged Barleywine Ale, and did not like it. Not a fan of barleywines, and at the 11.1% it didn't hide well and had a hot finish.

[FATC1TY]

So tonight..

I had the day old rare release of Wild Heaven "Let there be Light" brew. around 4.7% abv, their take on light beer. Has too rare hops apparently, pretty hoppy finish, clean, citrus, and a bit of orange peel in a copperish hazy beer. Pretty tasty, I enjoyed it.

Had the Jailhouse Hop Riot, Double/Imperial IPA. I'm not much an IPA fan, but I've been branching out. Loved this one. Really heavy on the hops, lingering finish, darker copper color beer with a pretty hefty head and lacing. Liked it, had that nice hop and malt taste their other beers have, but something was missing for me. This is a new beer that dropped around 2 weeks ago.

Then I had the Rouge Smoked Ale. It was okay. Had that light beer taste of the regular Rouge Ale's. Similar to the John John Ale, but had some smoked malts I think in it. Smelled smokey, tasted like it a bit, finished more smokey. Wasn't bad if you liked smoked foods, but I thought it was almost odd. Smelled like alderwood, which I don't like, and don't use when I smoke, but couldn't really put my finger on it.

Then I popped out my Southern Tier Oak Aged Un-Earthly, Double IPA. This was a REALLY good beer. MASSIVE overload of hops, so this ain't for your wussy guys who can't take the massive amount of hops and dry hops. Has a fair amount of malt though, so it was a really balanced beer that really surprised me after reading the bottle. I liked this beer, and it was my first take on something from Southern Tier, that wasn't from their stout line up "Blackwater". I will get this again.

[FATC1TY]

Made a Oatmeal Stout Creme Brulee tonight.

Bangerang Rufio!

[_MS22_]

flyersfan25, on 01 February 2012 - 07:13 PM, said:

itw419, on 13 January 2012 - 08:57 PM, said:

I picked up some Bells Hopslam today. It's an awesome beer I would highly recommend if you like hoppy ales

I had to drive an hour to do it but I scored a whole case of it!

So awesome.

I'm lucky enough to be located within 10 minutes of two places with a few sixtels and they have been filling up growlers for me on a near-nightly basis.  One of the places isn't telling anyone save for a few special guys like me he even has any on tap.

Couple Hopslam's with a buddy watching NCAA BBall . . . nothing better.  

Hopslam is the only reason I like January. Nugget Nectar gets me through February. And Aprihop in March means the winter is over!

[itw419]

Hopslam and Aprihop are two of my favorites. I have never had Nugget Nectar but it sounds awesome. It doesn't look like its available in Michigan though.

[Bobcat43]

You heard it here first....

Calfkiller Brewing Company in Sparta, TN;

Calfkiller Brews


Sergio's Ole Evil-a$$ Devil Bullsh!t Ale ... No I'm not kidding It's damn good.

Edited by Bobcat43, 08 February 2012 - 08:55 PM.

[FATC1TY]

I hate looking at brewery's calendars of planned brews... Makes me wish the year away just about.

That said.. I love me some beer. I polished off the last bit of my growlette of Wild Heaven Eschaton Quad.. Man that was good.

My growler of Ft. Collins Smoked Dopplebock is about gone too. Pretty good, but not the best Dopple I've had.

Looking forward to warmer weather and then really diggin in some good Pilsners and Double IPA's.

[_MS22_]

itw419, on 08 February 2012 - 08:19 PM, said:

Hopslam and Aprihop are two of my favorites. I have never had Nugget Nectar but it sounds awesome. It doesn't look like its available in Michigan though.

With all the Bells and Founders stuff you guys get released through the year I'm sure I can send ya a few 22oz bombers for whatever may be floating around MI at the time.

[itw419]

_MS22_, on 09 February 2012 - 09:39 AM, said:

itw419, on 08 February 2012 - 08:19 PM, said:

Hopslam and Aprihop are two of my favorites. I have never had Nugget Nectar but it sounds awesome. It doesn't look like its available in Michigan though.

With all the Bells and Founders stuff you guys get released through the year I'm sure I can send ya a few 22oz bombers for whatever may be floating around MI at the time.

Sounds good to me

Edited by itw419, 09 February 2012 - 11:59 AM.

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