GIVE ME YOUR BEER SUGGESTIONS!!

[Kraftster]

I've been off since last Friday and so far have tried:

Stone 12.12.12 Vertical Epic (BSDA) -- 7/10 -- solid but unremarkable
Troeg's Scratch #82 (Tripel) -- 7.5/10 -- a nice effort at a tripel, along the lines of La Fin du Monde flavor wise, I thought.
Ommegang XV (BSDA/Trappist style) -- 7/10 -- solid but a bit too one note on the flavor
Ommegang/Chouffe (collab) Gnomegang (BSPA) -- 8.5/10 -- very tasty, I think its a limited release so I'd try it if you can get it.
Lost Abbey/New Belgium (collab) (American Wild Ale) -- 5.5/10 -- the worst beer I've had in a long time, and I paid $14 for a 12 oz bottle so I had every reason to find a way to like it. It got a bit better as it approached room temp but the most incongruent nose for actual taste I think I've ever experienced. Smells like it should be sour but its not. Very bland, not even much funk. Pear/apple skin was about the only decent flavor to be found. Also lacking carbonation for the style/flavor it seemed to be going for. This one was just lost on me. Not worth the money at all, imo.

Going to be cracking the Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux, which is characterized as a "winter" saison, here in a few minutes. Very curious to try it. Heavy ABV for a saison at almost 10%.

[legame]

Picking up a few sixers of Troegs "Impending Descent" tomorrow to trade with a buddy who works for Big Sky Brewing in Montana.

[Kraftster]

This is really good. Nice balance of funk and sweet. The extra 2-3% abv is hardly noticeable in the taste, perhaps a bit more warming than most saisons. The cork almost rocketed off this thing when I loosened it the tiniest bit, I love the carbonation in saisons. This thing was made for a tulip glass, massive head.

[bhaw]

Guinness Black Lager: well worth the $4 I paid for the 6 pack, but in no way does this hold a candle to normal Guinness beers. Very odd tasting.

[the wicked child]

Should be getting ahold of some Weihenstephaner and Penn Weizen tonight so I'll be able to do a taste test between those and Franziskaner.

Also will be getting some Dark hefeweizen and Vitus from Weihenstephaner, as well as a huge ass bottle of Delirium Tremens.

[Eismann]

Guinness Black Lager: well worth the $4 I paid for the 6 pack, but in no way does this hold a candle to normal Guinness beers. Very odd tasting.

I found it very smooth, but lacking any character. Might taste better less chilled.

[bhaw]

That's probably the perfect description. It is smooth for sure, but it's stuck between regular beer and Guinness. Like the Guinness is trying to get out "help me!"

[malkinshair]

Well, after an extremely stressful week, I'm about to crawl inside a bottle of Sam Smith's Imperial Stout...
then set sail with a six-pack of Heavy Seas Loose Cannon (IPA).

Cheers

[Defence21]

Has anyone tried Penn's Nut Roll Ale?

[Eismann]

Dragonsmilk Stout. So hearty with a perfect finish.

[Froggy]

1 6 pack of franziskaner and a few pints of weihenstephaner tonight... awwww yeah

[the wicked child]

Has anyone tried Penn's Nut Roll Ale?

Yes. It tastes like a nut roll in a bottle.

[the wicked child]

Should be getting ahold of some Weihenstephaner and Penn Weizen tonight so I'll be able to do a taste test between those and Franziskaner.

Also will be getting some Dark hefeweizen and Vitus from Weihenstephaner, as well as a huge ass bottle of Delirium Tremens.

Also a Kristall Weizen from Weihenstephaner.

[Kraftster]

Last minute invite to the OSU vs. Miami game tonight. Quick stop at the Sharp Edge before the game, and I think I've officially had it with that place.

Spoiler:

I looked online at the tap list before going to save myself the time because I knew I'd be cutting it close. Based upon the online tap list I was going to get the Dupont saison I had last night to compare bottle to tap. Got there and, of course, it was not on the actual list at the bar. So I ordered a Chouffe N'ice instead.

"That's currently off." "Oh," I say. "Man, are you guys out of the sours from the tap takeover already?" (there was a sour takeover on one of their taps starting Wednesday) "No, we still have them. The Chouffe is not a sour." "I know, I simply said that because I don't see the sours on the beer list." "Oh, well that's just a special thing so its not on there." "OK, what sours do you have?" She lists them and they are pretty average sours, but hey, at least they have sours. I order the one I haven't tried that is supposed to be good, the Flanders Fred.

"Here you go, they are only 5 oz pours." Splendid, I get a little taster glass of this sour after all that hassle. I later find that the 5 oz pour is $6 - about right for Sharp Edge.

So, now I set out to find what else I will order. I look at the tap list. It is literally the same GD Sharp Edge tap list that I see every time I am there except for some decent Christmas options (though not the N'ice, its currently "off"). Over the Edge, Bornem, Chimay ($14.50 per pour), Dekoninck, Duvel, Grimbergen, Gulden Draak, Leffe, Piraat, Wittekerke, Karmeliet, Framboise. I'm like, "I seriously don't want any of that. I'd drink a Chimay but not for $14 f'ing 50."

"Do you know what you want?" "How bout the Corsendonk Christmas?" "We basically don't have any of the belgian christmas beers on there." "Umm...ok, how bout the Goose Island Christmas?" "We have the Lancaster Winter Warmer." "No thanks. And you don't have the Dupont winter saison, do you? I saw it listed online. "Umm, hey guy (other bartender), do we have any bottles of the saison dupont?" "I don't want a bottle."

So I look at the domestic list again. Do you have the Founders Breakfast Stout?" "Yeah, we have some bottles of it." I say, "That's ok." She goes and is about to open a bottle of it and I yell "Stop, I don't want a bottle." "Ok, well the darkest thing we have is probably this Kostritzer." Suddenly I'm searching for only "dark" beers? Anyway, I had already decided I would have that because it was right in front of me and I know its pretty good.

I kind of can't stand that place anymore.

Edit: God, that is way longer than I thought it was seeing it posted. I am spoilering it because it is a bad tl;dnr csb.

[Froggy]

sharp edge will always be the place that i got top 5 all time drunk with a bunch of lgp'ers, so that's good in my book.

[Kraftster]

Hmm. Something happened with this Southampton Saison Deluxe that I just cracked. Should be seeing a couple fingers of head and I'm barely seeing any even with a vigorous pour. Should be smelling some classic saison grass, pepper, and yeast, and I smell nothing but tart. This tastes like a sour (which is fine, I like sours) with some sugar you'd get with a saison. Strange, not sure what would cause this thing to go sour.

[the wicked child]

Final tally from this haul:

8 Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen
1 pint Weihenstephaner Dark Hefeweizen
1 pint Weihenstephaner Kristall Hefeweizen
1 pint Weihenstephaner Vitus
750mL Delirium Tremens

1 Penn Weizen (traded my friend a Franziskaner for it)

Yeah, I am pretty damn happy right now.

Also tried some beers from Butternuts tonight:

Heinnieweisse - solid hefe
Porkslap Pale Ale - ok, nothing special
Snapperhead IPA - ok, nothing special

[the wicked child]

Which Sharpedge did you go to Kraftster?

[the wicked child]

Has anyone tried Penn's Nut Roll Ale?

Yes. It tastes like a nut roll in a bottle.

as a note, I was not being a smart ass... it literally tastes like you are drinking a nut roll. Perhaps interesting for a taste, but not really worth a full glass, IMO... although I noticed if you get it @ the brewery, they dip the edge of the glass in brown sugar, so perhaps that makes it a bit more interesting.

If you found yourself @ the brewery though, you'd be much better served having St. Nick or St. Nick's Reserve...

[Kraftster]

Downtown.

[the wicked child]

Downtown.

Ah, so the emporium or whatever it's called. I usually go to the Creekhouse in Crafton... it has yet to leave me down.

[Defence21]

Has anyone tried Penn's Nut Roll Ale?

Yes. It tastes like a nut roll in a bottle.

as a note, I was not being a smart ass... it literally tastes like you are drinking a nut roll. Perhaps interesting for a taste, but not really worth a full glass, IMO... although I noticed if you get it @ the brewery, they dip the edge of the glass in brown sugar, so perhaps that makes it a bit more interesting.

If you found yourself @ the brewery though, you'd be much better served having St. Nick or St. Nick's Reserve...

Haha, I was wondering. Thanks for the tip!

[llipgh2]

Has anyone tried Penn's Nut Roll Ale?

Yes. It tastes like a nut roll in a bottle.

I don't think I could drink a glass of this. Sounds too sweet.

[shafnutz05]

Let me guess, someone stole your sweet roll?

[the wicked child]

I don't really remember the Nut Roll Ale being overly sweet, but unless you REALLY like nut rolls, you should pass.