The Beer Thread

[Chili]

Any beer lovers here heading to Great Taste in the Peoples Republic on Saturday? I'll be the bearded one with a beer shirt on.

[mu03eng]

Any beer lovers here heading to Great Taste in the Peoples Republic on Saturday? I'll be the bearded one with a beer shirt on.

Would if I could, but I'll be up in the UP drinking PBR while playing 54 holes....otherwise I would have joined you in the beard, beer shirt

my favorite:

[MU82]

Sounds like the kind of guy that kicks puppies

Nah, but he PBR-boards people who are withholding information.

[mu03eng]

Nah, but he PBR-boards people who are withholding information.

He'd fit right in with the group we have going up to the UP this weekend for our annual golf outing. 11 of us two years ago drank Island Resort and Casino out of PBRs in one night....had to switch to Coors

[MUsoxfan]

If anyone is in the SW burbs of Chicago, the head brewer of Metal Monkey in Romeoville is MU '00

Damn fine beer. And they make beers with different twists

[MU82]

Recently had an Allagash Curieux (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Tripel), and it probably was one of the 10 best beers I've ever tasted. Unique and bursting with flavor.

[Hards Alumni]

Any beer lovers here heading to Great Taste in the Peoples Republic on Saturday? I'll be the bearded one with a beer shirt on.

I'll be there as always.  I usually wear my local liquor store's shirt (they give a free 6 pack to anyone who does... Trixie's btw), but maybe something else this year.

And yes, I get your joke.  Everyone that attends will be wearing a beer shirt and 90% of dudes have beards!

[Spotcheck Billy]

Central Waters BBA Quad is tasty, they should have rolled this one out years ago instead of the BBA cherry stout.

[mu03eng]

Heading to Zoo Brew tonight....not expecting a ton of new beers, but District 14 did surprise pleasantly last year so hoping for a repeat.

[Benny B]

Counter-intuitively, I have a real problem with bars that have 100 taps of micros and crafts on the wall.  Seemingly, it would be heaven for guys like me (us), but it with that many choices, it takes me five minutes to decide what I actually want, and that's four extra minutes of sobriety I'll never get back.  Applying the same principle, putting a guy like me in San Diego - micro capital of the world - is pretty much Webster's definition of indecisiveness.... with 120+ breweries in the county and only five days at my disposal (with limited hours each day), I definitely need a plan going in.

Accordingly, one would think a family vacation would relieve me of the burden of necessitating a choice, but in my infinite "wisdom" (which, strangely, only manifests when it involves beer), I decided to purchase an airplane ticket for my mother, a/k/a the complimentary babysitting service.  Which brings me back to my original quandary...  5 days, 120 choices and so far, Stone is the only one on the list (primarily because it's dinner one of the nights).

So, my Cicerones..... what suggestions have you??   Who's been where?  Whatdidya think?  Whatdya recommend?  Etc.

All else equal, my wife and I prefer tasting rooms to brewpubs, but good beer and a decent selection (less than 100, of course) wins every time.

[Golden Avalanche]

Counter-intuitively, I have a real problem with bars that have 100 taps of micros and crafts on the wall.  Seemingly, it would be heaven for guys like me (us), but it with that many choices, it takes me five minutes to decide what I actually want, and that's four extra minutes of sobriety I'll never get back.  Applying the same principle, putting a guy like me in San Diego - micro capital of the world - is pretty much Webster's definition of indecisiveness.... with 120+ breweries in the county and only five days at my disposal (with limited hours each day), I definitely need a plan going in.

Accordingly, one would think a family vacation would relieve me of the burden of necessitating a choice, but in my infinite "wisdom" (which, strangely, only manifests when it involves beer), I decided to purchase an airplane ticket for my mother, a/k/a the complimentary babysitting service.  Which brings me back to my original quandary...  5 days, 120 choices and so far, Stone is the only one on the list (primarily because it's dinner one of the nights).

So, my Cicerones..... what suggestions have you??   Who's been where?  Whatdidya think?  Whatdya recommend?  Etc.

All else equal, my wife and I prefer tasting rooms to brewpubs, but good beer and a decent selection (less than 100, of course) wins every time.

You should take time to drive out to Alpine. 40 minutes from downtown. Well worth it. It has maintained it's high quality on-site output even through the turbulent packaging deal with Green Flash

North Park neighborhood is your nirvana: Hamiltons and Toronado are two of best bars around plus Rip Current, Hess, and Belching Beaver have tasting room locations there.

Societe and AleSmith are both quality and highly rated, though the latter is farther north in San Diego county not the city proper.

Finally, if you're already visiting Stone it's worth checking out Pizza Port's Ocean Beach location. One block from the ocean, quality brews, and you can avoid some of the mayhem of ordering their pizza since dinner is at Stone.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Had a few new beers this weekend.  They were new to me but I'm sure some of you have tried them before.

Founders Mosaic Promise

Had a small sample and didn't care for it.  Too bitter for my taste.  (I don't like IPA's and APA's are hit or miss).

3 Floyds Alpha King

After FMP, I moved on to sample this one and really liked it.  Enough to order a pint.  The citrus nose and subtle caramel malt sweetness was followed by a hoppy (but not too hoppy) finish.  The complexity and taste gives Alpha King the nod over Mosaic Prose.

New Belgium 1554 Black Lager

Fall is here; time to break out the darks and reds.  Superb beer.  Balanced, clean, and a hint of chocolate.  Like drinking a lighter Guinness.  (The real stuff made in Dublin, not the Canadian imposter swill).

[mu03eng]

Counter-intuitively, I have a real problem with bars that have 100 taps of micros and crafts on the wall.  Seemingly, it would be heaven for guys like me (us), but it with that many choices, it takes me five minutes to decide what I actually want, and that's four extra minutes of sobriety I'll never get back.  Applying the same principle, putting a guy like me in San Diego - micro capital of the world - is pretty much Webster's definition of indecisiveness.... with 120+ breweries in the county and only five days at my disposal (with limited hours each day), I definitely need a plan going in.

Accordingly, one would think a family vacation would relieve me of the burden of necessitating a choice, but in my infinite "wisdom" (which, strangely, only manifests when it involves beer), I decided to purchase an airplane ticket for my mother, a/k/a the complimentary babysitting service.  Which brings me back to my original quandary...  5 days, 120 choices and so far, Stone is the only one on the list (primarily because it's dinner one of the nights).

So, my Cicerones..... what suggestions have you??   Who's been where?  Whatdidya think?  Whatdya recommend?  Etc.

All else equal, my wife and I prefer tasting rooms to brewpubs, but good beer and a decent selection (less than 100, of course) wins every time.

Ballast Point is absolutely a must. What's more, make your decisions easier by going the experimental tasting only

[tower912]

Founder's Pale Joe.   Special limited edition for Art Prize.    Pale Ale brewed with Coffee.   Pretty sure it is a love/hate thing.   

[MUfan12]

Founder's Pale Joe.   Special limited edition for Art Prize.    Pale Ale brewed with Coffee.   Pretty sure it is a love/hate thing.

Just had Stone's Mocha IPA not too long ago. Surprised at how much I liked it.

[spartan3186]

Counter-intuitively, I have a real problem with bars that have 100 taps of micros and crafts on the wall.  Seemingly, it would be heaven for guys like me (us), but it with that many choices, it takes me five minutes to decide what I actually want, and that's four extra minutes of sobriety I'll never get back.  Applying the same principle, putting a guy like me in San Diego - micro capital of the world - is pretty much Webster's definition of indecisiveness.... with 120+ breweries in the county and only five days at my disposal (with limited hours each day), I definitely need a plan going in.

Accordingly, one would think a family vacation would relieve me of the burden of necessitating a choice, but in my infinite "wisdom" (which, strangely, only manifests when it involves beer), I decided to purchase an airplane ticket for my mother, a/k/a the complimentary babysitting service.  Which brings me back to my original quandary...  5 days, 120 choices and so far, Stone is the only one on the list (primarily because it's dinner one of the nights).

So, my Cicerones..... what suggestions have you??   Who's been where?  Whatdidya think?  Whatdya recommend?  Etc.

All else equal, my wife and I prefer tasting rooms to brewpubs, but good beer and a decent selection (less than 100, of course) wins every time.

If I were picking I'd go with:

Modern Times
Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey
AleSmith
Societe

[Hards Alumni]

Founder's Pale Joe.   Special limited edition for Art Prize.    Pale Ale brewed with Coffee.   Pretty sure it is a love/hate thing.

Thoughts?  I saw it at the store and really love Founder's in general... but Coffee Pale Ale is just a little too much for me.

[Sir Lawrence]

A friend that works for Anchor Steam brought a few bottles of the legendary Pliny The Elder (Russian River Brewing Company) back from NoCal last week and gave me one.  Clean, grapefruit and pine scent, but too bitter for my taste.  I'm not, however, much of an IPA fan.  Or in this case, a DIPA.

[Chili]

A friend that works for Anchor Steam brought a few bottles of the legendary Pliny The Elder (Russian River Brewing Company) back from NoCal last week and gave me one.  Clean, grapefruit and pine scent, but too bitter for my taste.  I'm not, however, much of an IPA fan.  Or in this case, a DIPA.

Great beer when fresh. Consecration is my favorite beer of theirs. If you ever get a chance to get up to Santa Rosa (or Napa / Sonoma), their brewpub is a must stop to get the tasting paddle.

[Golden Avalanche]

Great beer when fresh. Consecration is my favorite beer of theirs. If you ever get a chance to get up to Santa Rosa (or Napa / Sonoma), their brewpub is a must stop to get the tasting paddle.

Must stop, seconded. Without hyperbole, I say it alone is worth a pilgrimage. Dynamite brewery with nearly every style.

[rocky_warrior]

Great beer when fresh. Consecration is my favorite beer of theirs. If you ever get a chance to get up to Santa Rosa (or Napa / Sonoma), their brewpub is a must stop to get the tasting paddle.

I've got a Consecration in my fridge right (distributed around Denver during GABF).  Been to the brewery a couple times - if you haven't been recently - go early and prepare to wait.  There's almost always a line now.

[Hards Alumni]

I've got a Consecration in my fridge right (distributed around Denver during GABF).  Been to the brewery a couple times - if you haven't been recently - go early and prepare to wait.  There's almost always a line now.

Nearly two hours when the wife and I went last August.

[Chili]

I've got a Consecration in my fridge right (distributed around Denver during GABF).  Been to the brewery a couple times - if you haven't been recently - go early and prepare to wait.  There's almost always a line now.

Fridge? Make sure you leave that thing out on the counter for a n hour or two before drinking to fully enjoy it's flavor.

I'll step off my beer case now.

[MU B2002]

Had a Bells Black Note last week.  Was outstanding, and very different from any of the other bourbon barrel stouts I have tried.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Goose closing brewpub for five months to renovate. 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/drink/beer/ct-food-goose-island-brewpub-renovations-20170103-story.html