The Beer Thread

[Josey Wales]

What are you guys drinking for the 4th? I picked up some Sierra Nevada Torpedo and Pale Ale, Old Rasputin 4 pack, and a Widmer Brothers Mixed 12er.

[reinko]

Just finished some Harpoon UFO (unfiltered weiss beer) and it seems a bit boring, but some old fashion PBR's out of the 16 oz., ice cold just hit the spot sometimes.

[MU B2002]

sam adams summer ale and miller high life for the 4th.

[Spotcheck Billy]

the Mrs. wanted to have lunch at Hooligan's yesterday so I managed to put a few Ale Asylum Bedlams down the hatch 

[MUBurrow]

happened upon some Magic Hat Wacko, and echoing what MUFan had said I guess it was fine.  theres not a lot there, the sweetness from the beets isnt overwhelming, which is good. but nothing really stands out from it other than its red-pink color and typical-for-Magic Hat extreme packaging and self aggrandizing.  not a bad choice though if your forced to encourage the wife/girlfriend/high priced prostitute to have a couple with you, thus preventing you from thinking too much about drinking alone for the third day in a row.

[Spotcheck Billy]

I picked up a few bottles of Founders Devil Dancer (triple IPA @ 12%). $5/bottle at Discount makes this the same price as KBS. Although this is a very tasty brew, while the KBS is a unique style so I don't mind stocking up as much as possible (2 more bottles there Saturday!) the Devil Dancer is not what I would consider unique and it makes Hopslam look affordable.

I also talked to Discount's beer rep for Founders (and many brands), seems like he's always there Friday evenings, he said that Founders expanded 2 years ago by doubling capacity and they are doubling it again now but since they are also expanding their distribution territory supply is worse now than before. Last year he got 120 cases of Devil Dancer and this year only 40 cases, that's for the entire state of WI. Each Discount location got 1 case.

[MUfan12]

Had New Belgium's Skinny Dip. Tasted like a watered down Fat Tire. Was supposed to be "light and citrusy" but had next to none of that.

I'm beginning to see the issues some had here with their beers. Unless they are making a certain style, their beers have a similar taste profile. That toasty, bready malt is great in Fat Tire, but not in the Blue Paddle Pilsner or Skinny Dip.

The beers I've liked from them all are kind of niche beers. 1554, Mothership Wit, and the Ranger IPA were all very good. But their styles didn't call for that bready malt characteristic.

[MU B2002]

Had a few Schell Zommerfest beers this weekend.  It was ok, but the bartender had told me if I liked summer ale style I would enjoy it.  It seemed to be missing the citrus component.

[Josey Wales]

I picked up a few bottles of Founders Devil Dancer (triple IPA @ 12%). $5/bottle at Discount makes this the same price as KBS. Although this is a very tasty brew, while the KBS is a unique style so I don't mind stocking up as much as possible (2 more bottles there Saturday!) the Devil Dancer is not what I would consider unique and it makes Hopslam look affordable.

I also talked to Discount's beer rep for Founders (and many brands), seems like he's always there Friday evenings, he said that Founders expanded 2 years ago by doubling capacity and they are doubling it again now but since they are also expanding their distribution territory supply is worse now than before. Last year he got 120 cases of Devil Dancer and this year only 40 cases, that's for the entire state of WI. Each Discount location got 1 case.

have you heard anything about them possibly distributing CBS in the future?

[Spotcheck Billy]

have you heard anything about them possibly distributing CBS in the future?

no, the only of CBS I've ever heard is from a friend that lives near the brewery and has it on tap there like this Special Agent IPA last week

Tap Room BRAND NEW BEER: The Special Agent IPA (crafted by our very own, Johnny
Utah)...4 malts, 3 hops (Magnum, Simcoe, Centennial)...7.4% ABV and
secretly delicious, deceptively crisp...get after it! ONLY available in
the Founders Taproom...

[Josey Wales]

Awesome taps at Captain Mikes in kenosha friday night! If you are around and free tomorrow definitely worth the trip.

Their tap list includes (but not limited to)

Canadian Breakfast Stout (that is not a typo)
Founders Breakfast stout
Kentucky breakfast stout (not sure if it was tap or bottle - but someone had one in a glass)
Goose Island Night Stalker
Great Divide 16th Anniversary Wood Aged double IPA
Three Floyds Gumballhead
Robert the Bruce
Oaked Yeti
Mikkeller Amarillo Single Hop IPA

I know I am missing some great one's (there are over 30 beers on tap + over 100 in bottle). Get there quick if you want to try the CBS, it will be gone very soon they said. Also, they make some great burgers using kobe beef.

[Hards Alumni]

Just had my first bottle of New Glarus' Enigma.

very strange.  Sour beer... almost a cider beer... but with cherries.

I can understand why there is a lot of demand for this beer, but I am only so so about it.

my wife loved it...

[reinko]

Hards, where you been all summer!  You get married on us?

Disclaimer: I'm getting married a month from today

[Hards Alumni]

ha funny story, i worked underneath a different boss who was a slave driver for the last two months.

so basically no time for scoop!

congrats reinko!.. and I got married last year in sept.

[Henry Sugar]

Victory Brewing - brewery out of PA

Picked up their "Prima Pils" as a last gasp for summer brew.  Really a good crisp Pils. 

Also, I note that the beer fridges are now being filled with Octoberfest brews.  I am not ready for Octoberfest beer until after Labor Day.

[Henry Sugar]

Separate question

If I were interested in doing some home brewing, any tips or pointers out there?

[Ari Gold]

friend of mine tried to the New Glarus Belgian Red Cherry Ale...awful. kind of like Cold medicine and berry weiss

[Josey Wales]

friend of mine tried to the New Glarus Belgian Red Cherry Ale...awful. kind of like Cold medicine and berry weiss

If your talking about the belgian red thats funny because its one of the highest rated fruit beers in the world (might be # 1 actually). Its a sour brown ale aged in giant oak vats with over a pound of real Wisconsin cherries per bottle... anything but mediciney. And comparing it to the fake tasting berry weiss is a joke.

[Ari Gold]

If your talking about the belgian red thats funny because its one of the highest rated fruit beers in the world (might be # 1 actually). Its a sour brown ale aged in giant oak vats with over a pound of real Wisconsin cherries per bottle... anything but mediciney. And comparing it to the fake tasting berry weiss is a joke.

nope sorry, staying with my opinion. that beer is awful.

[Chili]

nope sorry, staying with my opinion. that beer is awful.

you also called cider beer once too.

[Hards Alumni]

Victory Brewing - brewery out of PA

Picked up their "Prima Pils" as a last gasp for summer brew.  Really a good crisp Pils. 

Also, I note that the beer fridges are now being filled with Octoberfest brews.  I am not ready for Octoberfest beer until after Labor Day.

Hopwollop by Victory is great also.

I wish I could remember the different beers I have had over the last month...

If you are starting to homebrew, I think the most important thing is to be patient, and make sure to NOT let the pot boil over... even if it takes forever, dont walk away for 2 min... I did.

also, start with something dark, the darker the beer the easier it is for it to turn out decent.

[Josey Wales]

also, start with something dark, the darker the beer the easier it is for it to turn out decent.

Yup, much easier to hide 'off' flavors in the beer.

There are a lot of great sites with a ton of info online. Just do a quick google search for home brewing and you will be on your way.

[MUfan12]

Been away from this thread too long! Had a couple first timers since.

Tyranena Scurvy IPA- Pours a very nice orangey-copper color with a decent head. Aroma is pure hops and orange/lime citrus. The orange peel gives it an interesting dynamic, but this is a hop bomb at heart. Pretty bitter, but the citrus gives it a nice finish. Not a session beer for me, but a nice twist on a traditional IPA.

Hinterland Cherry Wheat- Bought a 4 pack of this on a whim. Glad I did. A very smooth wheat beer, with a perfect balance of cherry. The aroma is more wheat, with a hint of cherry. The tartness of the cherry really plays well with this beer. One of the better cherry beers I've had.

Bell's Poolside Ale- Really enjoyed this one, had it on tap at Sugar Maple. It's a pale wheat ale, again with a hint of cherry. Between the mild bitterness of the hops, the bready wheat, and the brightness of the cherry, it was very refreshing. Wish I would have found this beer earlier this summer!

Also had Dreadnaught on tap. Unbelievable, as some have said here before. Glad I finally got around to trying it. Since it got cold tonight, I enjoyed a couple Staghorn Octoberfest's from New Glarus. Still one of the best American Marzen's I've had, can't recommend it enough.

[WildBill77RT]

For those of you still in the mke area, in Racine (30 min south) there is the Great Lakes Brew Fest in 2 weekends.

Linky: http://www.greatlakesbrewfest.com/main.html

Friday night is Wisconsin Brews only, and Saturday is over 350 brews.

$39 for all you can drink.

[MU B2002]

Picked up a six pack of Leffe Blonde this past weekend.  I wish I still lived in Belgium.