OT: BEER Questions
I TOO DO NOT FEAR THE NEG SO I WILL START OT. HAPPY THURSDAY.
I have never been a heavy drinker. Love a beer but always settled for lower quality domestics like bud light, miller light and high life.
About two years ago a switch flipped and I decided to start trying different kinds of crafts whereever I went. I travel a little, maybe 3-6 nights a month, so I have started a tradition of ordering the local craft whereever I am, taking a picture on my phone and noting whether I would order again, etc.. My questions:
1. Where do you live and what is the best local craft?
2. What beer traditions do you have?
I am not afraid to steal it if it sounds fun. Thanks all
EDIT: I just downloaded Untappd. THANKS!!!
Also, if you in Birmingham, my current favorites are Good People pale ale and GP Snakehandler double IPA.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:34 PM ^
I love Perrin. I was bummed when they were bought out by Oskar Blues earlier this year, and I'm hoping it doesn't have a negative impact on their quality at all--that's nothing against Oskar Blues, just concern about being a subsidiary to a parent so far away. Anyway, the brewery is a great place to hang out, and I strongly recommend No Rules. They served a limited batch at Beer Fest in February, and I picked up a bottle last month. Great stuff.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:42 PM ^
I had not heard about them selling. That could very well suck.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:36 PM ^
I love Perrin. My brother took me for a first time when I was in town and it was awesome.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:42 PM ^
Also forgot to mention a true gem in Louisville not too many people know about. It isn't a brewery, but a bar. It's called Sergios. It has the largest selection of bottled beer I've ever seen in one place. Not a ton on tap, but an absolute gold mine of bottles.
The place has no sign outside and all the windows are covered up with flags. I shit you not it is like a unicorn. Walk in the back and there are just lines of the stand up coke coolers full of every bottle you could imagine. It's legit like a movie or something.
Sergios on Story Ave in Louisville if you ever happen to be in town. Legendary.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:45 PM ^
Never understood all the love for Perrin. Save for one sour I really liked, their beers just seem average to below average for me. I don't believe anyone from Bell's or Founders had anything to do with its founding; thought it was just some rich kids bankrolled with Daddy's money.
They aren't the worst brewery or anything. Just puzzled by how overrated they are.
September 17th, 2015 at 2:14 PM ^
It wasn't Daddy's rich kids, it was rich Daddy himself.
September 17th, 2015 at 2:17 PM ^
Probably why he sold it then. If he got wind of some of the things I heard about how unwisely money was spent in the brewhouse...
September 17th, 2015 at 1:46 PM ^
does Sticky Icky Icky compare to Huma? I used to be a very IPA guy, but with some of the IPA's its almost gotten to be a dare as to how bitter you can make them. I'm not a big IPA guy anymore... except for Huma ironically. Still like the malt and hops theme park for your mouth.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:57 PM ^
I can stand Huma. Sticky Icky Icky I could not stand. It's like eating hops syrup.
May as well give it a shot though to see for yourself if you like IPA's. It's damn strong hops.
September 17th, 2015 at 4:05 PM ^
Did someone say my name?
September 17th, 2015 at 6:24 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 17th, 2015 at 7:37 PM ^
September 17th, 2015 at 1:19 PM ^
Quick question before I answer your question: Have you heard of or used Untappd? It's a beer check in app that allows you to check in to a beer, type some stuff out, and also see what else is being consumed in the area, etc.
I live in the Boston area and we have a fair number of breweries. Trillium is a favorite of mine. I work part time for Jack's Abby, which is a pretty good lager brewery. Cambridge Brewing is down the street from me. Those are three of my favorites. I don't have any beer traditions.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:19 PM ^
September 17th, 2015 at 1:20 PM ^
and the best here is Bell's, hands down. If you're ever in town, check them out, you won't be disappointed. Or better yet, drive to the store and pick up a 6 pack of Oberon or the Amber Ale, my two favorites.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:34 PM ^
But also check out Arcadia, Latitude 42, Gonzo's, Reuperts, etc...
Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids are the best two cities in the midwest when it comes to craft beer.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:35 PM ^
Rupert's is very underrated. They've got a few really solid brews.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:39 PM ^
In the summer, Arcadia might be one of the best spots to drink in the state.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:47 PM ^
Went to the Kalamazoo Arcadia for the first time recently and was pretty impressed. Nice space.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:21 PM ^
September 17th, 2015 at 1:22 PM ^
Beer is super subjective, and it should be, so try everything. Sometimes you'll decide that the style du jour that everyone else loves tastes like rotten pisswater to you. More often than not, it's because it does (Gose, anybody?).
September 17th, 2015 at 1:23 PM ^
I live in California. The beer here blows compared to Michigan. Stone and Lagunitas have a few good ones, but overall the Michigan variety and quality is much better.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:32 PM ^
You have to get to Russian River though, when you have a chance. That place is a mecca. Close to Lagunitas, but their beers blows Lagy out of the water.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:35 PM ^
Love me some Lil Sumptin though.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:43 PM ^
Idk if i would consider lagunitas "craft" anymore. They're teetering on the micro/macro line. Just opened up a huge brewery in Chicago. Still great stuff, love the Abv :)
September 17th, 2015 at 2:18 PM ^
50% share. Should be interesting to see what happens to them.
September 17th, 2015 at 2:22 PM ^
September 17th, 2015 at 2:47 PM ^
It's not like the Goose Island takeover where the head brewer left on the same day as the sale. He went off and opened a Cidery in northern Michigan and then that got bought by ImBev a few weeks ago. Dude must be a hell of brewer.
September 17th, 2015 at 2:06 PM ^
I hate the State of California - they (you) get Oberon year-round while it is a seasonal beer everywhere else. For that reason alone you should be despised.
September 17th, 2015 at 2:21 PM ^
September 17th, 2015 at 3:32 PM ^
I buy Firestone Walker when I'm desperate...very mediocre IPA from them IMO. And the Ballast Point Scuplin is also good, not great.
September 17th, 2015 at 4:37 PM ^
September 17th, 2015 at 6:05 PM ^
Love me some Bruery beers! Will have to get my buddy out there to ship me some Firestone Walker sours.
September 17th, 2015 at 2:32 PM ^
Michigan is probably in the top 5 when it comes to craft brewing states but if you think California "blows" for craft beer you haven't really tried much. You mention Stone and Laguntias which are both top 10 breweries by volume as your barometer for how good the beer is.
Want to try some really interesting shit? How about The Bruery, Lost Abbey, Alesmith, Modern Times, Russian River, Toolbox, Kern River, Fifty Fifty, etc...
San Diego in and of itself can compete with Michigan when it comes to quality and variety. I think you are living off of nostalgia and nothing else.
September 17th, 2015 at 3:03 PM ^
Bruery, Lost Abbey, etc. are great. But variety? Maybe in the state as a whole, but when I was in San Diego it seemed all many of those places made was IPA, double IPA, or imperial stout. It was like no other styles of beer existed.
Fun trivia: Firestone Walker's head brewer is from Michigan.
We are definitely in the top five beer states.
September 17th, 2015 at 4:03 PM ^
This is spot on. California wins on volume, but it doesn't seem close to Michigan in terms of creativity and variety of solid brews. I love a good crazy-hoppy IPA (see my username), but it seems like almost everything coming out of California is in that same vein. I want some Founders or Shorts-esque creativity in different styles, etc. Maybe I am biased just because of proximity to Michigan and all the really interesting brews from CA breweries don't make it this far ...
All of that said I did recently have a really great barrel-aged imperial black ale / stout from Green Flash called the Silva Stout -- highly recommend.
Btw, my favorite beer is Founders Backwoods Bastard. Amazing brew.
September 17th, 2015 at 3:07 PM ^
Have to agree, California is filled to the brim with good breweries, that make some amazing beers and I think they push the limit on strong beers really well.
Michigan has a great scene and I miss it greatly, but California wins the battle of breweries hands down.
I have now said the only nice thing about California I expect to today.
September 17th, 2015 at 3:35 PM ^
Then why don't they actually sell any of this stuff at the grocery or liquor stores? All I typically see is 20 different kinds of Lagunitas and Stone. I've had a few of the others (see above) and nothing I've had is what I'd consider great.
Around here the local breweries are Claremont Craft Ales and Dale Brothers. I went with my wife and sister to Claremont Craft a couple weeks ago and we got two flights, essentially sampling everything on the menu. It was all subpar to us.
September 17th, 2015 at 4:58 PM ^
September 17th, 2015 at 5:11 PM ^
Ummmm...what?! Firestone Walker, The Bruery, The Lost Abbey, Russian River, The Rare Barrel, Noble, Stone, Ballast Point holy cow I could go on and on.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:25 PM ^
This stuff is good...5.9%
September 17th, 2015 at 1:28 PM ^
I didn't like this stuff. Flavor is very bleh. Has a medicine chemical taste. I'd rather add some booze to better tasting root beer.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:31 PM ^
It's my only experience with hard root beer, so I don't have anything else to compare it too. Coney Island is supposed to be really good I heard.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:39 PM ^
had a hard root beer as part of their "Patriot's Pack" 4-bottle sampler a number of years ago that was really good, but alas, it was a one-off run in celebration of some patriotic anniversary (Maybe 2011 in celebration of 235 years since 1776?). Hoping they bring it back.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:57 PM ^
If you are in the Chicago area, you can get Not Your Father's root beer on draft. Be careful though, it's 10.7%! The difference between the draft and bottle is staggering, and the draft clearly is better. It tastes nothing like a beer that strong, so that makes it even more appetizing.
A few select places around Chicago occasionally have a 20% version. Lightweights need not apply.
Coney Island Hard Root Beer (Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams)) is the best I've found in a bottle, but still falls flat in comparison to the NYFRB on draft.
September 17th, 2015 at 2:20 PM ^
A large strong draft of that, in some pub Chicago on a fall day, sounds good on so many levels.
September 17th, 2015 at 2:44 PM ^
makes a killer hard root beer. It's 7.5% and you can get it on draft or in the bottle.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:25 PM ^
I love New Holland's Dragons Milk Stout. It has a great flavor and is really smooth.
September 17th, 2015 at 1:25 PM ^
September 17th, 2015 at 1:26 PM ^
So out in 4 corners area, and the best beer for 50 miles in any direction is the Dolores River Brewery. The problem is they're hit and miss. If it's good though it's pretty spectacular (looking at you upcoming holiday seasonal). If i'ts bad it can get pretty dicey.
Legalwife used to brew before she got pregnant with Son of Legalblue (or Daughter, hoepfully Son). that was always a good time. A basic setup to make beer is a couple hundred bucks. It's worth trying a couple times before you decide whether or not it's for you. Also be prepared to like your beer way more than your friends do.