The Favorite Beer Thread

[CharlieMopps]

My favorite beer: Lion Stout

It's better than Guinness.

And all of you "claiming" Guinness is your favorite... Guinness comes has around a half dozen versions. The best of which (imo) is "Guinness Extra Stout"

What most of you are probably drinking is Guinness Draft.

[stray]

Eh... I'd say the draft is much harder to come by than the stout. Where the hell do you live?

[Stormwaltz]

How about a worst brews ever thread?

Trois Pistoles: Foulness from Quebec. Definitely among the most unique flavors I've encountered in beer. But not in a good way.

[DraconianOne]

Lots you won't have heard of.

Current tipple: Side Pocket for a Toad.
Favourite this year (that I can remember the name of): Headless Pedlar

Basically, any real ale.  

I live very close (like 200 yards away) to a privately owned pub which has something different on every month.  There's also a microbrewery in the nearest town that makes some very good beer so there's always something new to try each month.  

[Yegolev]

I think the worst beer I have ever tasted is Corona.  It manages to taste just like the bile that leaks from my esophagus after a particularly hearty dry-heave, before the blood starts.

[CharlieMopps]

Eh... I'd say the draft is much harder to come by than the stout. Where the hell do you live?

Wisconsin, USA
Actually, I mistyped. I meant "Draught" not draft. And that is what is in 99% of the taps I see. 1 bar that I've ever been in had "Extra Stout" on tap.

http://www.ivo.se/guinness/faq.html

There are so many kinds of Guinness

[CmdrSlack]

Schmidt's (known at the shitty Schmitty by kids in Lakeville, MN) is by far the worst thing I've ever tasted outside the malt liquor world. It's like drinking rusty razor blades.

A beer I'm enjoying a lot lately is Anderson Valley's Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout. They use some pale malt, which adds a nice bit of sweetness that cuts across the hops quite nicely.

[SnakeCharmer]

About as artsy fartsy as I get in my beer is Sam Adams or Yuengling.  Otherwise, I'm good with Coors Lite or Corona.

Kinda partial to Red Stripe, as well.  Also, never underestimate the power of the PBR.

I'm not a beer snob.  I'm not going to try to impress anyone with my gastrointestinal prowess by drinking a loaf of bread (Guiness).

[CharlieMopps]

About as artsy fartsy as I get in my beer is Sam Adams or Yuengling.  Otherwise, I'm good with Coors Lite or Corona.

Kinda partial to Red Stripe, as well.  Also, never underestimate the power of the PBR.

I'm not a beer snob.  I'm not going to try to impress anyone with my gastrointestinal prowess by drinking a loaf of bread (Guiness).

yea dude, but none of those things you just named are "Beer"
You can't make beer from Corn. (well, Sam Adams is a real beer I guess)

[Bunk]

My worst beer experience ever would be a can of Milwuakee's Best that had sat in a friend's parents' fridge for a year or so. It was the most bitter, foul tasting beer I've ever drank. I finished the can, as a man who opens a beer - finishes the beer.

As far as I know, Guinness Extra Stout is what we get on tap here. My record on Guinness was set at the Blarney Stone Pub, New Years Eve 2000 - 9 pints downed in one evening.

[stray]

About as artsy fartsy as I get in my beer is Sam Adams or Yuengling.  Otherwise, I'm good with Coors Lite or Corona.

Kinda partial to Red Stripe, as well.  Also, never underestimate the power of the PBR.

I'm not a beer snob.  I'm not going to try to impress anyone with my gastrointestinal prowess by drinking a loaf of bread (Guiness).

yea dude, but none of those things you just named are "Beer"
You can't make beer from Corn. (well, Sam Adams is a real beer I guess)

You can make beer with anything (provided the basics are there). You can make beer with pumpkins, honey, bananas, and freakin jalapenos and brussel sprouts if you wanted to. They're called adjuncts.

[UD_Delt]

I have lately been enjoying the Left Hand Brewing Companies Milk Stout
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/418/3434

And the local (as in a 5 minute walk) brew pub took the Magic Hat #9 off the list. They must have run out...

Going to have to try something new now... Recommendations from their list?

http://www.buckeyebeerengine.com/ontap.php

The Founders Breakfast Stout sounds interesting and haven't tried that.


PS... If you are ever in Cleveland this place also has the BEST burgers I have ever eating. Better than the Kobe burger from Hyde Park that used to be my favorite.

As far as I know, Guinness Extra Stout is what we get on tap here. My record on Guinness was set at the Blarney Stone Pub, New Years Eve 2000 - 9 pints downed in one evening.

Is 9 pints a lot to most people? Fuck I must drink too much...


As far as worst beer experience that had to have been my first sip of Genny Cream Ale. Part of the issue was when it was offered to me my brain heard "want a cream soda?" and I was expecting an A&W cream soda but didn't pay attention to what I was drinking when that foulness hit my tongue.

[CharlieMopps]

About as artsy fartsy as I get in my beer is Sam Adams or Yuengling.  Otherwise, I'm good with Coors Lite or Corona.

Kinda partial to Red Stripe, as well.  Also, never underestimate the power of the PBR.

I'm not a beer snob.  I'm not going to try to impress anyone with my gastrointestinal prowess by drinking a loaf of bread (Guiness).

yea dude, but none of those things you just named are "Beer"
You can't make beer from Corn. (well, Sam Adams is a real beer I guess)

You can make beer with anything (provided the basics are there). You can make beer with pumpkins, honey, bananas, and freakin jalapenos and brussel sprouts if you wanted to. They're called adjuncts.

Yes, I know, I brew beer myself. But adjuncts are just that... ADJUNCTS. You add them to beer. An alcoholic beverage, made almost entirely of corn. With no Malt. Is not a beer.

[stray]

Oh, I see what you're saying.

[Murgos]

Sam Adams has a 25% beer called Utopias.  Now that is madness.

My dad wanted me to bring him one of these (the 2007 should be out now) but at $140 a bottle he's going to go disappointed.

[Mortriden]

Domestic:  Amber Bock, I don't know what it is, but I just love the taste.

My two favorite for Imports are Guinness (Extra Stout) and Zlaty Bazant.  Zlaty Bazant is just an all around excellent beer. 

[Teleku]

About as artsy fartsy as I get in my beer is Sam Adams or Yuengling.  Otherwise, I'm good with Coors Lite or Corona.

Kinda partial to Red Stripe, as well.  Also, never underestimate the power of the PBR.

I'm not a beer snob.  I'm not going to try to impress anyone with my gastrointestinal prowess by drinking a loaf of bread (Guiness).

yea dude, but none of those things you just named are "Beer"
You can't make beer from Corn. (well, Sam Adams is a real beer I guess)

You can make beer with anything (provided the basics are there). You can make beer with pumpkins, honey, bananas, and freakin jalapenos and brussel sprouts if you wanted to. They're called adjuncts.

Yes, I know, I brew beer myself. But adjuncts are just that... ADJUNCTS. You add them to beer. An alcoholic beverage, made almost entirely of corn. With no Malt. Is not a beer.

I thought Coors and Bud make heavy use of Rice for their beer.  At least, my parents (rice farmers) end up selling alot of rice to them (or I should say, or co-op does).

[CmdrSlack]

About as artsy fartsy as I get in my beer is Sam Adams or Yuengling.  Otherwise, I'm good with Coors Lite or Corona.

Kinda partial to Red Stripe, as well.  Also, never underestimate the power of the PBR.

I'm not a beer snob.  I'm not going to try to impress anyone with my gastrointestinal prowess by drinking a loaf of bread (Guiness).

yea dude, but none of those things you just named are "Beer"
You can't make beer from Corn. (well, Sam Adams is a real beer I guess)

You can make beer with anything (provided the basics are there). You can make beer with pumpkins, honey, bananas, and freakin jalapenos and brussel sprouts if you wanted to. They're called adjuncts.

You can also make excellent beers without gleutin-containing grains. Sorghum, rice and millet are excellent. I've had celiac-friendly beers that range from Belgian Dubbel and Trippel ales to crisp, bright beers like a wit style to lagers. There's even an English ale.  There are five good options and one shite option for celiacs or those avoiding gleutin in my area right now. Only one is a beer that can't be obtained nationally.

Alternative grains combined with yeast == beer.

What CharlieMopps is saying is that beer based on rice and corn doesn't deserve to be called beer. It's a beer snob attitude that I only endorse when it comes to my personal beer choices. I also enjoy PBR and Old Style, so it's not like I'm some beer nazi.

[Teleku]

Yeah, I only drink "good" beer myself, but I never understood the hatred for Coors, Bud, Corona.  It DOESN'T TASTE BAD.  My only issue with it is that it doesn't taste like much.  Its very light, and has a weaker taste.  Still is fine and easy to drink, and I can understand why alot of people would be happy to drink it (especially on hot days, and its cheep).  The translation into vomit or foulness you hear people say has to be sheer snobbery.  It doesn't have enouph taste for that :P.

I never drink any of those because there are others I like much better, but I still find it mind boggling sometimes.

Oh, and yes, I've had me some very good rice beer, heh.

[Evildrider]

I'm not a big beer drinker, but I prefer Guiness, Red Stripe, and Sam Adams.

I prefer me some Vodka.   

[stray]

Yeah, I only drink "good" beer myself, but I never understood the hatred for Coors, Bud, Corona.  It DOESN'T TASTE BAD.  My only issue with it is that it doesn't taste like much.  Its very light, and has a weaker taste.  Still is fine and easy to drink, and I can understand why alot of people would be happy to drink it (especially on hot days, and its cheep).  The translation into vomit or foulness you hear people say has to be sheer snobbery.  It doesn't have enouph taste for that :P.

I never drink any of those because there are others I like much better, but I still find it mind boggling sometimes.

Oh, and yes, I've had me some very good rice beer, heh.

No, I really think Bud (particularly Bud Light) tastes horrible. To me, it really does have a sour/vomity taste. I can never finish one. I'm not a beer snob at all (snobby about wine and vodka maybe), and will take a Coors/Miller/Corona if someone gives it to me. I'll reject free Bud though.

[Murgos]

Miller Lite and Bud Light have practically identical tastes to me.  Actually, Miller Lite tastes more sour to me than Bud Light does.

Coors though?  Coors is just nasty.

[Tale]

And all of you "claiming" Guinness is your favorite... Guinness comes has around a half dozen versions. The best of which (imo) is "Guinness Extra Stout"

By Guinness, we mean Guinness. You can call it draught if you want. We mean the stuff that Irish people have been drinking for generations, before modern marketing pressures forced the company to come up with other beers. If you need us to specify which beer we mean when we say Guinness, you don't know enough about Guinness.

[schild]

^^^truth

Least favorite beer is Triple Bock.

[Tale]

[Evildrider]

... oh yeah.. props to Shiner Bock too.. but I haven't seen that around since I lived in Houston.  Don't think it gets as far north as Indiana.

[Furiously]

I'll agree with Stormwaltz on the Blue Moon.

[lamaros]

The wife keeps insisting that Aussies have the best beer in the world but mysteriously none of it is available for import to the US.

Just like all good US beers are avaliable for import in AUS?

Most places in the world dont have their best local beers imported globally. You'll have to trust me on this one. I live in Australia, yet when I went to the Delerium Cafe in Brussles, a bar that has a beer menu of over 2000 beers from around the world, they only have 4 aussie beers listed. None of these beers were examples of fine aussie beers. Hell, one was a beer I'd never heard of and I highly suspect was never sold in Australia. Most of the fine beers they had there were from Belgium and Germany. The greater the distance the more issues you have, especially for micro breweries.

It's just rather hard to ship all that sort of stuff around the world.

Of the interesting breweries in AUS I can name off the top of my head:

Mountain Goat (Melb, Victoria) http://www.goatbeer.com.au/
Cascade (Tasmania's south) http://www.cascadebrewery.com.au/
James Boag (Tasmania's north) http://www.boags.com.au
Mildura (Mildura, Vic country) web address given above
Coopers (SA) www.coopers.com.au
Little Creatures (Freemantle, Western Australia) www.littlecreatures.com.au
James Squire (Melb, Victoria) http://www.jamessquire.com.au/

There are many many more.

However, I wouldn't say that Australia has the best beer in the world. I woudn't say that of any country. I certainly wouldn't say that in regards to VB, Carlton or any of the other popular beers. I would also note that from state to state the popular beers change rather signifinicantly. There is no 'Australian' beer bar Forsters, which is Australian insofar as it a popular beer overseas (brewed overseas too). It's never seen here; the first time I drank Fosters was in London.

One should also note that many beers are local brews of global brands. Stella Artois and Becks for example have gained popularity in Australia recently. They used to be imported but are now brewed in South Australia. The quality is significantly different because of this (worse).

Delerium is a delicious beer, especially on tap. Westmalle Tripel is delicious. Duvel, Kwark, Leffe, etc are all nice. German Wheatbeers are fantastic. But only the most popular for these beers are avaliable for import in other countries. I suspect I consumed 100 different types of beer in europe, but probaby only 30-40 would be avaliable in Australia.

[cmlancas]

If you have a Gordon Biersch around you (I had it first in the ATL with recommendation from Yeg), their Marzen is really good. If you like dark, Dunkles is good too, but the Marzen was really head and shoulders above everything else.


Sam Adams Brown Ale is tasty. For something cheaper, if you hate the terrible American domestic brews, Yuengling Black+Tan is pretty damn good, I think. At $8.99/12pk bottle, I can't go wrong with that.

There's also a German eatery type place that is in this shitty shitshit mall that used to be the nicest (and only) in Tampa called Mr. Dunderbaks. It's fucking amazing. They have brews in bottles/on tap I can't even pronounce or remember. If you come to Tampa, and you want German food, go to Dunderbak's.

Edit: As I pour myself another glass of Foster's Special Bitter out of another oil can, I should point out I've been drinking a shitton of this lately. Yum.

[Lt.Dan]

I've been loving me some Little Creatures recently.  They have a great range of good taasting beers. 

Other recent tipples:
- Pepperjack Handcrafted Ale - made by a wine maker and very, very, good.
- VB - Just 'cos I was weeding in the garden and everyone knows that a hard earned thirst deserves a big cold beer, and that beer is Vic, Vic Bitter.

[trias_e]

Trois Pistoles: Foulness from Quebec. Definitely among the most unique flavors I've encountered in beer. But not in a good way.

Wow!  I adore this beer.  I don't know what to say.  For someone to put it as their worst beer...well, that's interesting.  Maybe it's a love it or hate it thing.  Do you dislike Unibroue's other brews?  I find that most of them are similarly unique (and I like em all pretty much).

[Sky]

Why is Mopps being a dick in the happy fun beer thread?

I just had the Dundee Hef last night. Ecch. It's odd, some Hefs just don't taste like Hefs. My nicest guess is that they are too old or something and lost their flavors in the bottle? I'm not educated enough to know, but the Dundee should've been pretty fresh, I'll have to look for a date. I normally drink Hefs like a week after bottling, maybe I'm spoiled? Because I've not had one as good as Long Trail or Saranac, including the ubiquitous UFO (which the Dundee reminded me of).

[MrHat]

Brewer's Art in Baltimore has recently started bottling their beers.

I had a Green Peppercorn Triple w/ my turkey on T-Day and it was glorious.

[rattran]

My favorite right now is Dogfish Head 120minute IPA. Pricey, way too much alcohol (21%), and marvelous.

It's hard to find, so right now I have some local Two Brother's Heavy Handed IPA, some Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, and the last 4 Duck-Rabbit Milk Stouts I brought from NC.

And a case of Huber's Regal Brau. Cheap, drinkable Bavarian beer that's good for cooking with.

[Stormwaltz]

Maybe it's a love it or hate it thing.  Do you dislike Unibroue's other brews?  I find that most of them are similarly unique (and I like em all pretty much).

It probably is love or hate. Like I said, it's one of two or three really unique flavors I've tried (not including novelty stuff). It was the first Unibroue I tried ("Hey! A dark beer I've never seen before!"), and afterwards I wasn't inclined to try the others.