Beer lovers?

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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:47 am

I am unfortunately a beer geek, although I spread my geekery around other areas as well. For the longest time my tipple of choice was La Chouffe, and next best was most any Belgian tripel (with occasional dalliance into German dunkels and English milds).

These days my favourites are from Kernel (a newish london brewery: historically influenced beers with no small hint of US craft influence), Struise (Pannepot especially) and Mikkeller (although some of the experimental beers are just awful). I also like BrewDog's beers but am a little fatigued of their relentless "rebel" marketing campaign. And still drink a lot of real ale - there is a real boom lately in small local brewers, some of which are not half bad.

I know there are a lot of great US craft beers out there (and many terrible experiments even by good brewers) but choose not to drink them for political reasons. Ha! who am I kidding - they just seem inordinately expensive, would rather wait and drink them whenever I'm back in the US.

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:32 am

I've never really been into beers - more a wines and spirits person - but I've been tempted recently by a couple of the fruit beers in my local supermarket. What do you veteran drinkers think - would a sweet toothed beginner enjoy these?

http://www.marksandspencer.com/Belgian-Cherry-Wheat-Beer-Case/dp/B006MR2HTC?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_11&nodeId=341236031&sr=1-11&qid=1339500173&pf_rd_r=00B7681K78C62KZGJ9D7&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=341236031&pf_rd_p=215570647&pf_rd_s=related-items-3

http://www.marksandspencer.com/Greenwich-Raspberry-Wheat-Beer-Case/dp/B007XX5FFC?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_4&nodeId=341236031&sr=1-4&qid=1339500173&pf_rd_r=00B7681K78C62KZGJ9D7&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=341236031&pf_rd_p=215570647&pf_rd_s=related-items-3

Actually they have quite a varied range, might be worth a nosy round.

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:07 pm

I wasn't sure if this counted as beer to you all but since Cougar ^^^ broached it...

I drink it like raspberry pop, sometimes much to my embarrassment.

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 1:45 pm

Last year in August, I visited London. During the only rain shower I had during the 4 days I was there (yeah, I was lucky), I fell into a nice little pub, and had 4 pints of these:

It was really good and refreshing, so good that I never noticed that the rain had stopped after the 2nd pint. Laughing

Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2012 1:59 am

bravo95 wrote:

@PantzOnFya touched a nerve did we? Smile

I was referring to mass produced products. I do agree there are some good American beers out there.

Don't get me wrong... as a pro brewer I do have a weird intellectual respect for what the AB InBev and SAB MillerCoors companies produce, because I know how difficult it is to produce consistent product. I try to avoid consuming those products at all costs, however, because they are consistent junk.

I think it is ironic that in spite of the massive amount of knowledge, $$ and resources the big guys have, Coors Light and Bud Light are what they make... it's a crying shame, but also embarrassing. I believe that a society may be judged on what beer they find great, and that doesn't bode well for most Americans!

That's why I get a little touchy when someone implies that ALL beers in America are made that way. I make great beer, and drink great beer.

I just happen to be American while doing it.

Cheers!

Baiting Guru Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 2531 Location: AU

Corona is usually stocked in my fridge

However you will usually find some coopers pale ale in there

on tap it is usually stella artois or carlton draught

rekorderlig swedish cider is a good one. The apple and the pear go down well.

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 3:28 am

Does it look like this, Masterbabe? Wink

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:17 am

i bring you Black Sheep Bitter:

http://www.blacksheepbrewery.com/

Mrs C and I did the brewery tour on one of our anniversaries.
they do a stronger version called Riggwelter :

Quote:

Riggwelter Ale takes its name from a local Yorkshire Dales farming term which has Old Norse roots; “rygg” meaning back, and “velte” meaning to overturn. A sheep is said to be rigged or “rigwelted”, when it has rolled onto its back and is unable to get back up without assistance.

It seemed the perfect name for a strong beer from the Black Sheep Brewery in Yorkshire.

Other miscellany - round here Stella Artois is known as 'wifebeater', and @iMike, do you remember when Old Tom was only sold in quarter pints, from a barrel on the bar?

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 11:45 am

^^^ remember it well. Though it didn't stop me from drinking 4 pints of the stuff one night
Shocked

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 12:52 pm

I was in Berlin in October, and had a wonderfully tender Wienerschnitzel and two pints of the homemade pilsener in this gastro-brewpub . If you ever come to Berlin, do go there and have lunch or dinner. The beer is fantastic (and the food is great, too)!

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 3:56 pm

TheDane wrote:

a wonderfully tender Wienerschnitzel

You can get some cream for that...

As regards the Old Tom, it was over 30 years ago, I was a student & found a pub which had regular 'guest ales'. There was a barrel of OT on the bar - I don't think they'd ever heard of the '1/4 pint only' rule, & I just couldn't help myself. Allegedly I walked home with a plank because it said it was going to be my friend. Don't have much recollection of the evening funnily enough.

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 4:13 pm

A lot of the locals rave about Bell's "Oberon" here. It's another micro-brewery nearby. I like it but it's above my price-range for regular usage. The last 6-pack I bought was over $10.00 USD. A regular 6-pack of Busch is only $5.00. Cheaper ones are availble (Milwaukee Best) but I don't drink them.

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 4:59 pm

Milwaukee's Beast! Laughing

A bit OT but in the same genre Boone's Farms!

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 7:40 pm

Anyone else ever choked one of these down?

Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 7:28 am

Okay so I while I was in Japan in January, I managed to try a beer that wasn't too bad (well, better than Bud Lite anyway).

Asahi Beer:

http://cdn-ak.f.st-hatena.com/images/fotolife/r/rap_city/20090805/20090805145329.jpg

Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 3:47 pm

^^^That isn't a bad beer. I drink it at the sushi place sometimes when I'm having sake bombs. Sometimes I hold the sake but not often.

Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 3:54 pm

Innis and Gunn is lovely, and is sold in most UK supermarkets.

http://www.innisandgunn.com/en/the-range.aspx