The 'favorite beer' thread.

[cuchullainn]

^Quite the collection up there!

Hoptimum is great! Sure has a bite and is so aromatic. I wouldn't age it

Thanks, I'd like to get a pic of the whole thing, but my camera sucks and I bury it pretty well. I had a party earlier this year and a guest helped himself to a bottle of 120, not realizing what it was >:(

As far as the Hoptimum, I'm only aging 2 bottles. Just an experiment. I did it with 90 minute, aged 1 year, and it was almost undrinkable. Super super sweet. If this fails, I'm only out 2 beers.

. I just started, what's your set-up like? I don't have a cellar so I keep mine in an insulated chest. It's a little higher in temp than suggested but I think it will work until I find something better.

Just my basement, stored in old 24 count cases. Stays in the 50's pretty consistently. 60 degrees is considered the max for cellaring, but I've left a bottle in my car on a hot day (90+) for hours, stuck it in my basement for a month, then drank it and it tasted great. High alcohol beer has to get pretty hot for a long time to skunk. It will age faster at higher temps though.

[e34john]

The new ones I got say 55 degrees on them. Guess I'm going to have to go get a mini fridge, but I know that thing will fill up fast. I currently have them around 70.

[z31maniac]

Really loving Widmer Brothers' Alchemy Ale lately. That may be too mainstream for you guys though. Cool thread!

Nothing wrong with mainstream beers (as long as we aren't talking BMC)

IMHO, many of the brewers nowadays are going too far in the malt/hops/booze just for the sake of it. Making these great big beers that really aren't very good.

Don't get me wrong, I like some big beers, but the race to out do each other is starting to go to far.

[mcskibadee1]

Nothing wrong with mainstream beers (as long as we aren't talking BMC)

IMHO, many of the brewers nowadays are going too far in the malt/hops/booze just for the sake of it. Making these great big beers that really aren't very good.

Don't get me wrong, I like some big beers, but the race to out do each other is starting to go to far.

I agree, sometimes nothing hits the spot better than a coors light on a hot day. After a couple of hours of basketball the last thing I want is a hoptimum, haha.

These breweres are testing the boundaries and a lot are a great and a few are bad. I have a lot of respect for Stone and the Bruery but I have had a couple of their brews that were horrific but I am sure there are a select few that love them.

These IPAs are getting crazy and I have to say that if you do it right I am all for it, imagine if they didnt do this, we wouldn't have as a broad selection. I love going to Vendome and testing stuff.

[ST1G]

I'm a pretty big fan of Root Beer myself. I'm a particular fan of A&W in a frosty glass.

[z31maniac]

I agree, sometimes nothing hits the spot better than a coors light on a hot day.

Plenty of good beers that aren't BMC (Bud Miller Coors)

[mcskibadee1]

I'm a pretty big fan of Root Beer myself. I'm a particular fan of A&W in a frosty glass.

Mammoth brewery in mammoth lakes makes an excellent root beer. Probably better than some of their beers.

Plenty of good beers that aren't BMC (Bud Miller Coors)

It is cheap and readily available so I am not spending a bunch of cash when I hand out beers at my house.

What are some good ones that aren't BMC that you could recommend at a good price point. I actually love mommas little pils as a nice lighter beer.

[Cabriolet]

Lunch beer
Im a sucker for Reds at lunch
Speakeasy Scarlett Red Rye
It never over powers the meal and wont get you drunk over lunch
It starts with a good aroma, is sweet going down and just bitter enough to have another sip.

W/ dinner beer
Stone Brewing Co. Arrogant Bastard Oaked.
Rich IPA with a hint of the cask, camel and a complex IPA. I enjoy it with a burger, but it does over power a good steak so i would think of it better as a burger and beer setting.

After dinner beer
Samuel Adams Thirteenth Hour Stout
Very rich, sweet, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, bordering on a porter.

[cuchullainn]

What are some good ones that aren't BMC that you could recommend at a good price point.

Do you guys get Smuttynose in your neck of the woods? Around me you can pick up a 24 count case for 30 bucks for there full time beers, so a little less than 8 bucks a six pack. Their beer is fantastic, as good as alot of the big names on the west coast.

[e34john]

What are some good ones that aren't BMC that you could recommend at a good price point. I actually love mommas little pils as a nice lighter beer.

You have a sprouts market near you? There's always a few on sale each week, a few months back all green flash stuff were 5 a case, usually almost twice that. And when you get better beer people don't usually pound them like they do the water that comes out of the mass produced cans.

[Dermeister3]

W/ dinner beer
Stone Brewing Co. Arrogant Bastard Oaked.
Rich IPA with a hint of the cask, camel and a complex IPA. I enjoy it with a burger, but it does over power a good steak so i would think of it better as a burger and beer setting.

Wouldn't call it an IPA, but it is a hoppy strong ale.

What are some good ones that aren't BMC that you could recommend at a good price point. I actually love mommas little pils as a nice lighter beer.

Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold / Eliot Ness. Both great lagers. about 7.99 a six pack

Victory Prima Pils / Headwaters Pale Ale. Refreshing, light, and tasty. 8.49 a six pack




O and I got a WOOTSTOUT! YAYAYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Can't wait to open that one. I saw it in my store, and bought it immediately.

[JTDay]

Did you see the other labels they had on the wootstout? I was only going to buy one, but then saw the comic book label and had to get another. It is a KICK ASS beer.

Any FW fans here? I got these few on a trade. If anyone can scoop up some extra Velvet Merkin when it releases I'd offer slave services, or money, or more beer.

Cheers!

[e34john]

Did you see the other labels they had on the wootstout? I was only going to buy one, but then saw the comic book label and had to get another. It is a KICK ASS beer.

Any FW fans here? I got these few on a trade. If anyone can scoop up some extra Velvet Merkin when it releases I'd offer slave services, or money, or more beer.

Cheers!

You get all 3 of the W00tstout bottles? I will look to grab a couple of the FireStone Walker. What do you think of the Speedway Stout? I just ran out of the Vietnamese coffee version, so much better. I should have picked up the limit. Alesmith is having a bottle sale on location for the next month, a whole bunch of old rare stuff they've been hoarding.

[e34john]

What are some good ones that aren't BMC that you could recommend at a good price point. I actually love mommas little pils as a nice lighter beer.

Forgot to mention the Trader Joes house brand. I drink a lot of their stuff too because I buy them to cook with. 9.99 for a 12 pack.

[mattscrog]

here are some of my favorites,
in order of least favorite to most favorite



4.
Shift Pale Lager
Fort Collins, CO

3.
Golden Chaos
Fullerton, CA

2.
Franziskaner Hefeweizen
Munich, Germany

1.
Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen
Freising, Germany

The Weihenstephaner is hands down my favorite, and yes it really is the oldest brewery in the world.