"Beer" Ale Porter Stout etc

by **Arama86n** on Sat Sep 14, 2013 12:56 am

So, last night I tried one I hadn't had for years, I'd been avoiding it tbh.
Brewdogs' Zeitgeist.
I found it rather bland last time I had one 3-5 years ago.

What can I say... Well at first contact I found some chocolate overtones and a hint of that stout feeling, but then it recedes into that far too common trait, the aura of citrus...
I've learned long ago that if I ask for a more easy going IPA at a pub on a summer day, they'll always give me one that's made love to a lemon. And I think too many IPA's go that way.

In this case though, I wonder if it's more "me" and not the beer. I suppose Zeitgeist is supposed to be a dark lager, and as such go, maybe it's great? Maybe it's just me that doesn't like dark lager?
Whatever the case I think it's the weakest of Brewdogs portfolio.

To finish on a positive note... now BrewDogs Riptide... there ladies and gentlemen we have one worth drinking

by **Lootifer** on Sat Sep 14, 2013 1:01 am

tzor wrote:
Lootifer wrote:People try to pretend that beer above 10-12% tastes good, but really they're just being hipsters. I have yet to see any improvements in flavour from going above this level.

I generally find that the standard deviation is too great to make any general argument. Some good beers have, by the nature of their brewing a higher content. Generally speaking most with the very high content tend to go outside of the "beer" territory. They can be interesting, but it all depends.

Yeah I wasnt really referring to barleywine and other things that cant really be called beer per se.

by **BigBallinStalin** on Sat Sep 14, 2013 10:39 am

Lootifer wrote:
tzor wrote:
Lootifer wrote:People try to pretend that beer above 10-12% tastes good, but really they're just being hipsters. I have yet to see any improvements in flavour from going above this level.

I generally find that the standard deviation is too great to make any general argument. Some good beers have, by the nature of their brewing a higher content. Generally speaking most with the very high content tend to go outside of the "beer" territory. They can be interesting, but it all depends.

Yeah I wasnt really referring to barleywine and other things that cant really be called beer per se.

Aren't they beers though?

I know that in some States, you need to re-categorize the higher APR (ABR?) beer; otherwise, they'd hit you with producing/serving alcohol without meeting regulations for hard liquor or wine.

by **tzor** on Sat Sep 14, 2013 11:06 am

Lootifer wrote:Yeah I wasnt really referring to barleywine and other things that cant really be called beer per se.

Yes, but you also get a lot of beers that approach the barleywine. My basic argument is that "beer" needs to be served in some proper variant of a pint glass. When the glass starts to get into a smaller rounded thing it starts to get way from beer and I've seen a number of them that aren't at the level of barleywine that are so presented.

by **Timminz** on Sat Sep 14, 2013 6:12 pm

BigBallinStalin wrote:APR (ABR?)

ABV

by **luns101** on Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:45 pm

@MoB Deadly: I recently went to the Central Market Brewniversity event they have out here in the DFW area. If you're a fan of the stouts, you should check out this company based in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin - Leinenkugel. Their Octoberfest seasonal was pretty awesome in and of itself, but their Russian Imperial was out of this world (and I usually hate stouts). It pours out like molasses. link

Serbia wrote:I really want to post something coherent, but I can't right now.

Bollocks.

Still hung over from last year's loss to the Blackhawks, eh?!!

by **AAFitz** on Wed Sep 18, 2013 7:33 pm

fisherman's pumpkin stout... pretty fuckin good.

I stopped in a liquor store I hadnt been in, and it turns out its awesome. Not only did I find a 16yr Aberlour that Ive been looking for, for a year, but I grabbed the pumpkin stout after a half hour of shopping, and I simply could not be more blown away about how good it is.

I had a long day and didnt eat anything pretty much all day, but I double checked with the mrs. and she agreed its damned good...both, though at only 16yrs, there is still just a bit of bite on the first sip.

He said hes getting an 85 yr brandy tomorrow.... I cant even imagine.

The scotch is alcoholic caramel...just as I remembered.

by **jonesthecurl** on Sat Sep 21, 2013 11:45 pm

Way back, the Bruce's Brewery people that started u the "x & firkin" chain used to make a beer called gobstopper, which was very strong... I don't recall how strong, but the grafitti in the Goose and Firkin (their first pub) was "I thought the bottom had dropped out of my world untilI drank gobstopper...then the world dropped out of my bottom".
They stopped making it due to complaints from local employers.
Then some anniversary came up (10th?) and they did some research to find the strongest beer brewed in the UK at that time (if I recall correctly, it was served at the Blue Anchor pub in Cornwall). They set out to make a stronger one - and came up with "Worldstopper". a limited edition which was I think about 16%. The bastards did this when it was my birthday, so we all trooped down there from work and set to. It cost about three times what a normal beer cost, and was served only in half-pints (10 fl oz).
It was bloody disgusting. It tasted like barley wine with a whiskey in.
But I still drank a feck of a lot of it on my birthday... people wouldn't buy me anything else.
I was the boss and they wanted to embarrass me...
It all gets a bit vague after that... for me reason "South Norwood" and "Frederica" come to mind.

by **Gold Knight** on Thu Sep 26, 2013 11:31 pm

tzor wrote:
Gold Knight wrote:Or maybe the good beer makes the food taste better...

It's more than just the taste. Let's just take Browns Brewery in Troy NY. They post their specials online. These are today's lunch specials.

Wing Sauce of the Day: Jamaican Jerk :: $11.99
Risotto of the Day: Chorizo Sausage. Tri Colored Peppers, Roasted Tomatoes, Pepper Jack and Pico de Gallo. :: $12.99
Beef Bolognaise: Chopped Sirloin Strip Bolognese, with Carrot, Stewed Tomato, Celery and Onion. Tossed with Ditalinni Pasta and Topped with Shredded Parmesan Cheese and a Biscuit. :: $10.99
Steak Quesadilla : Mexican Spiced Sirloin Steak Stuffed into Two Golden Flour Tortillas with Melted Cheddar Cheese, Grilled Peppers and Onions, Corn and Fresh Cilantro. Served with Salsa, Sour Cream and Guacamole. :: $12.99
Soup: Early Harvest Vegetable Stew
Beer of the Day: Porter :: $3.75 Pints all day

Sorry to go back to page 2, but Browns is solid. Don't go there as often as I probably should, just because of distance, but good prices, drinks, and food. Plus I got with one of the waitresses awhile back, so will always have a place in my heart...

by **Doc_Brown** on Sat Oct 12, 2013 10:52 am

Ah.

So it's sunny and 72 degrees today (22 deg for those of you that use a more sensible set of units). I'm sitting on my back porch watching my two older kids run around the yard and waiting for 5 gallons of Flanders Red beer wort to finish mashing. Football games start in 15 minutes, and I have bombers of Straight to Ale's bourbon barrel aged Laika Russian imperial stout and Stone's Ruination IPA in the refrigerator (in addition to the 5 beers I have on tap in the garage). Today, life is good!

by **skillfull** on Sat Oct 12, 2013 11:51 am

Doc_Brown wrote:Ah.
So it's sunny and 72 degrees today (22 deg for those of you that use a more sensible set of units). I'm sitting on my back porch watching my two older kids run around the yard and waiting for 5 gallons of Flanders Red beer wort to finish mashing. Football games start in 15 minutes, and I have bombers of Straight to Ale's bourbon barrel aged Laika Russian imperial stout and Stone's Ruination IPA in the refrigerator (in addition to the 5 beers I have on tap in the garage). Today, life is good!

by **tzor** on Sat Oct 12, 2013 6:15 pm

Today wasn't the best of days. Last second announcement about Corned Beef for dinner. Had to buy beer from the fridge. Settled on a Long Ireland Celtic Ale.