GIVE ME YOUR BEER SUGGESTIONS!!

[Kraftster]

Yeah, I think Supplication is my favorite American sour. I swear the last time I was out at Ho1kB both of those RR selections were like $16. My wife paid $20 for both this past week.
The Cisco she got was $22, which I was shocked that it was that cheap.

I have one 2009 Cascade Kreik in my basement and had one about a month ago. It was definitely awesome.

I'd like to try to find some other Lost Abbey stuff. I didn't love the Red Poppy Ale, but it was done well enough that I figure they have some pretty cool stuff. I think the Red Poppy is like $30 at Ho1kB, though, which is just too rich for me. I am dying to get out to visit my friend in Portland. The beer prices out there seem crazy cheap. I'll probably saddle up to the bar at Cascade and not leave for a full day. He's bringing some hard to get stuff when he comes into town this September including Anchorage Love Buzz, some Cascade stuff and some Upright stuff.

Have you had the Allagash american wild ale at all? I think its Interlude or Odyssey. Hoping to get my hands on that this summer when I run out east to grab the Weyerbacher sour that is being released at the brewery.

The Allagash wilds are amazing - I think you're speaking of Interlude and Confluence. Both are Belgian pales pitched with belgian yeast and then tossed in wine barrels where the Bretts are added. Very well done stuff - but check out their website. They're well known for running a coolship - cooling the wort in a large, thin steel vessel and letting the open air yeasts inoculate. Unfortunately the coolship beers are mainly brewery only which makes them difficult to get.

The upright stuff is supposed to be amazing, if you grab some let me know what you think. It's hard to get.

I hear ya on Red Poppy. I personally love it and traded awhile back for a few bottles - before they arrived at Ho1KB. 30 is steep - I think it runs about 22 in Philly. I believe I had that Cisco, for some reason I'm thinking its a Gueze but I could be wrong. They had a sour tasting at Ho1KB back in April which was epic.

Yeah, it's Interlude that I was thinking of. I figure I should be able to find Allagash stuff around Philly. The last time I was at Ho1kB, the guy I was talking with said that they had the Interlude on tap for the sour tasting. I am pretty miffed that I missed out on that.

The Red Poppy I had brought back from Philly was indeed $22. I know the Cisco I got is aged in chardonnay barrels, and I think its a blonde base.

Do you get into saisons much? The Lodgson Farms Saison Brett that I had last year set the bar pretty high on saisons. Hennepin is a good staple, but I generally can't find too many of the well-regarded saisons around here. There's an apricot saison by some Nebraska brewery that I saw at Ho1kB that I might try at some point this summer.

[Shyster]

I'm not a huge fan of sours, but then again, I've only ever tried one. Maybe it's time to give them another go.

Monk's Cafe (the leading Belgian bar in Philly) has a house sour that's brewed for them by Van Steenberge in Belgium. It's bottled and on tap at the bar. I've bought it before at Vintage Estate Wine and Beer in Boardman, Ohio. It's quite a good example of the variety, and the price is reasonable.

[columbia]

I'm not a huge fan of sours, but then again, I've only ever tried one. Maybe it's time to give them another go.

Monk's Cafe (the leading Belgian bar in Philly) has a house sour that's brewed for them by Van Steenberge in Belgium. It's bottled and on tap at the bar. I've bought it before at Vintage Estate Wine and Beer in Boardman, Ohio. It's quite a good example of the variety, and the price is reasonable.

The curry mussels there are pretty excellent too.

[count2infinity]

I'm definitely up for giving sours a second chance. Now just to find them in my area.

[largegarlic]

The last time I was at H1kB (I like the abbreviation, by the way) was in late April, but I thought they had a fair number of Allagash bottles on the left side of the place when you are walking in. I didn't get any because they were pricey (all > $20) and I didn't know much about them.

[UVM2003]

Yeah, it's Interlude that I was thinking of. I figure I should be able to find Allagash stuff around Philly. The last time I was at Ho1kB, the guy I was talking with said that they had the Interlude on tap for the sour tasting. I am pretty miffed that I missed out on that.

The Red Poppy I had brought back from Philly was indeed $22. I know the Cisco I got is aged in chardonnay barrels, and I think its a blonde base.

Do you get into saisons much? The Lodgson Farms Saison Brett that I had last year set the bar pretty high on saisons. Hennepin is a good staple, but I generally can't find too many of the well-regarded saisons around here. There's an apricot saison by some Nebraska brewery that I saw at Ho1kB that I might try at some point this summer.

I love saisons and I believe they're probably a good starter in funky and sour beers. The ones pitched with Brett are usually awesome - Boulevard, out of Kansas City does one (also called Saison Brett) that is top notch. If you ever find any Fantome, out of Belgium, it's a great Saison that borders on sour. It's a small operation but completely awesome brews.

The Apricot Sasion is by Nebaska Brewing, I believe. I haven't been completely blown away by their beers and they're pricey - but worthy of a shot.

A big push nowadays in in Bourbon/Whiskey barrel aging. Firestone Walker, Goose Island, and Founders do marvelous stuff with stouts and barleywines aged in old barrels. It's definitely not a brew for those new to craft but some of them are mind blowingly awesome. Goose Island started it in the 90's and it's peaking now. Things like Parabola and Sucaba from Firestone, Bourbon County from Goose Island, and KBS/CBS are worth the price tag but are increasingly difficult to find.

[Troy Loney]

I tried some whiskey style beer from founders at the big pour....it was too much for me. It was brewed with cashews or something like that.

[shafnutz05]

Kentucky Breakfast Stout is an absolutely incredible beer. I've only had it once, but what an amazing post-dinner sipping beer.

[MWB]

I'm not a huge fan of sours, but then again, I've only ever tried one. Maybe it's time to give them another go.

Any barley wine fans in here? 21st Amendment's Lower Da Boom is amazing.

Have had a few Ridge Runner Barely Wines from Rock Art brewery. First couple times I tried it I didn't really like it. However, last night I enjoyed it. Not sure if it was because of the food I had it with (pesto) or what, but it was tasty.

[MWB]

Kentucky Breakfast Stout is an absolutely incredible beer. I've only had it once, but what an amazing post-dinner sipping beer.

Going to see if I can find this tomorrow.

[UVM2003]

Kentucky Breakfast Stout is an absolutely incredible beer. I've only had it once, but what an amazing post-dinner sipping beer.

Going to see if I can find this tomorrow.

Just FYI - KBS is released in March of every year and is very limited. While four years ago this would sit on shelves and could be purchased through August, nowadays this release is rationed with lotteries as many people hoard/sell on eBay, etc. Very weak. It will probably be almost impossible to find.

[MWB]

Thanks, thought it would be tough, but didn't realize hoe tough. May try to find some of the whiskey barrel beers instead.

[MWB]

Founders Double Trouble tonight. Pretty good double IPA. Very good actually. Also picked up Maudite, Fin du Mode, Three Philosephers Doppelbock, and Bells Consecrator.

[Froggy]

yeah... aventinus is avenTASTIC

[count2infinity]

Got some Shadow's Wild black. It's interesting at first, but becomes very very powerfully sweet as it warms up. Almost to a point where it's not drinkable. I figured since it was a lager, I'd cut it with a Yuengling. Actually is much much better when you drinking it 50/50 with a lager.

[Troy Loney]

Had a Bacchus yesterday at Bocktown, they had two sours at the bartender suggested the bacchus over whatever else they had. I liked it, I will definitely be on the lookout for more of them. Very expensive though, so it might just be a special occasions kind of thing going forward.

[Kraftster]

Supplication for true bloodtonight. Mmm.

[Troy Loney]

anyone else going to this?

http://www.madmex.com/regions/pittsburg ... 012/06/23/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think I want to go to this. My illness has knocked out a big chunk of home-improvement-that-must-be-completed-before-my-daughter's-first-birthday time, though. I have to figure out whether I have time to get drunk at 4:00 on a Saturday.

Make time. $40 for 4 hours of food and drink is hard to beat.

This turned out to be kind of a bust. Plenty of awesome beer to drink, but mostly IPA's. I would normally be more than cool with that, but it was hot as **** I could have used to lighter stuff at some point, like some more pilsner or wheats. But the beer wasn't the problem, for an afternoon beer fest 4 hours long, all they gave you to eat was a taco, some gross corn on the cob and a piece of watermelon. And all the water they had was a couple cases of bottled water that ran out like 20 minutes after they put it out.

Shame on you Mad Mex, I'm souring on the Mad Mex establishment.

[Kraftster]

Had a Bacchus yesterday at Bocktown, they had two sours at the bartender suggested the bacchus over whatever else they had. I liked it, I will definitely be on the lookout for more of them. Very expensive though, so it might just be a special occasions kind of thing going forward.

Bacchus is a Flanders Brown. I'm not as big a fan of Browns as I am reds. Browns, to me, don't have as much depth of flavor.

I was unfamiliar with Bocktown. Checked out the website. I gotta get there soon, seems like a solid place with great beer selection.

[Kraftster]

Wow. I just looked at the Mad Mex (NH) tap list. Nothing but IPAs. Boo, Mad Mex.

[Troy Loney]

Had a Bacchus yesterday at Bocktown, they had two sours at the bartender suggested the bacchus over whatever else they had. I liked it, I will definitely be on the lookout for more of them. Very expensive though, so it might just be a special occasions kind of thing going forward.

Bacchus is a Flanders Brown. I'm not as big a fan of Browns as I am reds. Browns, to me, don't have as much depth of flavor.

I was unfamiliar with Bocktown. Checked out the website. I gotta get there soon, seems like a solid place with great beer selection.

That was my first time there, it's a pretty awesome place. Not a ton on draft, but a huge bottle selection and great burgers. Their meat and produce is local too (I think).

[columbia]

Wow. I just looked at the Mad Mex (NH) tap list. Nothing but IPAs. Boo, Mad Mex.

Yeah, but the chickpea chili is really good.

[Froggy]

today was a hefe re-assessment... got a pint of schneider weiss, a pint of erdinger, and a pint of weihenstephaner. drank them in reasonably close proximity (maybe too close because i've only been home for like an hour and a half), and here are my findings.


erdinger doesn't really taste like a hefe. there are some botanical notes i picked up... almost like a really really really light IPA. not the typical banana/clove/bubblegum type flavors you'd associate with a hefe. it didn't have the nice swirl of yeast in the glass, either. the pour was just murky. the overall taste was ok, but really nothing special. i felt the need to re-try this one because it was so forgettable the first time i had it. if i had to rate it, probably 6 numbers out of 10. certainly drinkable.

schneider weiss... better than i remember it being. good flavor... good pour.... really solid hefe. 8 numbers out of 10

weihenstephaner... yeah, it's good. it kicks all other hefes in the nuts. great flavor... looks like a lava lamp when poured in a 22 oz glass, which means that the yeast is sort of spiralling down, rather than sitting in a murky cloud. thick frothy head... the best of the hefes, and still my favorite beer in the world. 10 numbers out of 10...


i have a couple more pints of weihenstephaner to enjoy, so peace...

[shafnutz05]

Victory Baltic Thunder....excellent porter, and I like that it is not overly smoky.

[columbia]

I just killed a High Life and am about to get another.