The Beer Thread

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I thoroughly enjoying the Alt Bier here in Dusseldorf.  It's a style I rarely see in the USA.  The little glasses it's served in is fun.

[warriorchick]

I thoroughly enjoying the Alt Bier here in Dusseldorf.  It's a style I rarely see in the USA.  The little glasses it's served in is fun.

Is it like a tray of kolsch?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Same size glass but beer is dark in color and light in taste.  It's been explained to me that Dusseldorf and Köln are rivals like Boston and New York.  Don't order Kolsch in Dusseldorf and don't order Alt in Köln.
I am visiting Köln tomorrow on my off day.

[Chili]

Same size glass but beer is dark in color and light in taste.  It's been explained to me that Dusseldorf and Köln are rivals like Boston and New York.  Don't order Kolsch in Dusseldorf and don't order Alt in Köln.
I am visiting Köln tomorrow on my off day.

Lots of fun. Also play the game of who can get the most marks on their coaster. If you have a lot of time try to head to Bamburg for Rausch Bier. My wife lived in Dusseldorf for 2.5 years and it's where we got engaged so it has a special place in my heart. We have quite a few friends who still live their too.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Lots of fun. Also play the game of who can get the most marks on their coaster. If you have a lot of time try to head to Bamburg for Rausch Bier. My wife lived in Dusseldorf for 2.5 years and it's where we got engaged so it has a special place in my heart. We have quite a few friends who still live their too.

Chili,  A beautiful place.  For my morning run, have been enjoying the pedestrian only paths and sidewalks on the Rhine and throughout the city. Was in the Aldstadt last night and there is no fair way to explain all the people drinking beer in all the zillion pubs and restaurants.  Incredible!  Had to force myself back to the hotel.....

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Is it like a tray of kolsch?

I thoroughly enjoyed the Kolsch on my visit to Cologne on Saturday.  I made sure to take ample time outs from visiting historical places to enjoying Kolsch.  I had the pleasure of sharing a table and discussing things with some Germans.

[LloydsLegs]

Bucket List checked—had my first Pliny the Elder and Blind Pig at Monk's in Philly last weekend.  I now understand all of the fuss. 

[LloydsLegs]

I've been a few times now to the Ballast Point tap room which opened a few weeks ago in the West Loop.  Around thirty of their beers on tap (with more rotating in), including Barrel Aged Victory at Sea.  Great space, very good food.  I think a concept they may roll out in other places too (currently in a few spots in CA and one in VA).

[Dr. Blackheart]

I've been a few times now to the Ballast Point tap room which opened a few weeks ago in the West Loop.  Around thirty of their beers on tap (with more rotating in), including Barrel Aged Victory at Sea.  Great space, very good food.  I think a concept they may roll out in other places too (currently in a few spots in CA and one in VA).

STZ stock over $232.  I made a lot of Scoopers rich. 

[Chili]

I've been a few times now to the Ballast Point tap room which opened a few weeks ago in the West Loop.  Around thirty of their beers on tap (with more rotating in), including Barrel Aged Victory at Sea.  Great space, very good food.  I think a concept they may roll out in other places too (currently in a few spots in CA and one in VA).

Personally I find their concept stupid. They don't even brew on site. Well, they make 1 batch on a big home brew system a week - woopie!. What's the point? Personally it feels like some marketing person in their offices on Michigan Ave thought they needed a spot in Chicago now that they're based here with Constellation.

From their spot in the West Loop you could go to quite a few better tasting rooms with beer made on site within 10-15 minutes. Also places with better food.

Just my $.02.

[LloydsLegs]

Personally I find their concept stupid. They don't even brew on site. Well, they make 1 batch on a big home brew system a week - woopie!. What's the point? Personally it feels like some marketing person in their offices on Michigan Ave thought they needed a spot in Chicago now that they're based here with Constellation.

From their spot in the West Loop you could go to quite a few better tasting rooms with beer made on site within 10-15 minutes. Also places with better food.

Just my $.02.

And I have!  This is just another option (and a great one for me as I like many BP beers).

You are right that it is an exercise in branding/marketing.  I just think it is an enjoyable one.  Agree to disagree.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

If anyone will be in the Austin, Tx area in the near future, the Black Sparrow Rauch by The Texas Beer Company is OUTSTANDING.  Actual brewery is out in Taylor, TX, roughly 30 minutes north of Austin.

[Hards Alumni]

Just opened a 2012 BCBS... yes, today.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Doesn't like every town have their own brewery now?  Every week I see news of another brewery opening somewhere in Connecticut.

[rocky_warrior]

Just opened a 2012 BCBS... yes, today.

Nice.  Drank my vertical that included a '12 last year.  Now I've just got '13-'17 left.  Regular '15 (not rare, not tainted) is still the best! (I've done a few vertical tastings that included it).  In fact it sadly clobbered the '15 rare   Not a good beer value for the rare.

[Spotcheck Billy]

2014 BC stout on tap right now @ Erv's mug.

[Sir Lawrence]

In my opinion there is a lot of bad beer in the local Milwaukee craft brewery tap rooms right now.  Too many brew masters trying to be cute with creative beers, rather than producing a consistently decent product.  And the whole IPA menu imbalance has already been discussed, but continues.

Which leads me to the reason for this post:  I was invited to sample the beers at http://www.gatheringplacebrewing.com/ yesterday and I came away very impressed.  Quality beers are being brewed there.  I really enjoyed the winter seasonal.  And they offer more than just one or two beers on the malty side of the scale. 

[MUfan12]

In my opinion there is a lot of bad beer in the local Milwaukee craft brewery tap rooms right now.  Too many brew masters trying to be cute with creative beers, rather than producing a consistently decent product.  And the whole IPA menu imbalance has already been discussed, but continues.

Which leads me to the reason for this post:  I was invited to sample the beers at http://www.gatheringplacebrewing.com/ yesterday and I came away very impressed.  Quality beers are being brewed there.  I really enjoyed the winter seasonal.  And they offer more than just one or two beers on the malty side of the scale.

The tap room is a great place to try the one-offs and see what works and what doesn't. That said, I don't think Eagle Park needs 8 NEIPAs and 4 Milkshake IPAs on their menu.

I had some of Gathering Place's beer shortly after they opened and it was hit or miss. Hopefully they're hitting their stride. Rooting for them, as they are a MU alumni biz.

Semi-related... anyone been able to find the new Lakefront BA Barleywine in MKE?

[Not all scoop users are created equal apparently]

Doesn't like every town have their own brewery now?  Every week I see news of another brewery opening somewhere in Connecticut.

Every town has its own brewery with a flagship IPA, amber, and porter. And they all taste about the same. They also all look the same. Or maybe that is just the trend here in the PNW. The innovation is dying.

[MUBurrow]

Every town has its own brewery with a flagship IPA, amber, and porter. And they all taste about the same. They also all look the same.

There's a lot of this, but I would guess it'll start swinging the other way before too long. Brewing unspectacular beer seems pretty scalable, so I think a restaurants and pubs are just adding brewing. But it's to the point where places with good beer lists are sticking in my head more often than brewpubs.

[Not all scoop users are created equal apparently]

There's a lot of this, but I would guess it'll start swinging the other way before too long. Brewing unspectacular beer seems pretty scalable, so I think a restaurants and pubs are just adding brewing. But it's to the point where places with good beer lists are sticking in my head more often than brewpubs.

I would agree with you there. I rarely hit up the breweries here much anymore (Portland) because it's kinda been there done that, the city breweries rightfully cater to the tourist crowd and it's just not very imaginative anymore (couple exceptions that continuously delight). But the tap room down the street from me has 30 taps of every style imaginable. No contest.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

The tap room is a great place to try the one-offs and see what works and what doesn't. That said, I don't think Eagle Park needs 8 NEIPAs and 4 Milkshake IPAs on their menu.

I had some of Gathering Place's beer shortly after they opened and it was hit or miss. Hopefully they're hitting their stride. Rooting for them, as they are a MU alumni biz.

Semi-related... anyone been able to find the new Lakefront BA Barleywine in MKE?

Making NEIPAs in the Midwest.  Nice.

3rd Space has a Midwest IPA?  Is that trying to mimic NEIPAs?

I keep wondering when the saturation point will be.  The guy in my local liquor store said the new local breweries here in CT are still pulling sales from the national brands and are not yet cannibalizing each other. 
Trying to be different, a brewery opened in New Haven in 2018 and they only make German style beers.  Another brewery just tried making Belgian style beers but they had to take on contract brewing to survive.
Each region of Germany has there own breweries and most instances their own style to boot.  (When I was in Dusseldorf, there are six breweries and they pretty much only make Alt Beer and you won't see any other brands )  Maybe this is where it will head? 

[NYWarrior]

We beer drinkers owe a lot to 70 year-old stiltwalkers

https://twitter.com/BBCArchive/status/1099988627713474560

[Spotcheck Billy]

Boston Beer Co. and Dogfish Head to merge

https://www.brewbound.com/news/boston-beer-company-and-dogfish-head-agree-to-merge-in-300-million-deal

[Sir Lawrence]

Work took me to Washburn, Wisconsin earlier this week (Bayfield County seat).  Had a pint or three of Lake Superior Brewing Company "Sir Duluth Oatmeal Stout."  Thinner than many stouts, but very drinkable.   

https://lakesuperiorbrewing.com/

Never heard of the brewery.