Hops Chops

[Donut]

Each time I see this thread get bumped, I go out and buy a few beers to try.

I glanced at this thread a few weeks ago and it inspired me to try summer beers. I was in a bar a couple weeks ago and tried Sam Adams Summer Ale, it was pretty great. It has a pretty light/smooth taste and almost has hints of fruit. It inspired me to come back to this thread to try some other types.

I got a Troegs sampler, but not the one Paul got. Their wheat beer (Dreamweaver) is pretty good, I think it is the best of the bunch I tried. The Rugged Trail (Nut Brown Ale) is also very good, it has an interesting flavor to it. I think I need to go back and get a 6 pack of that. Since every one I tried out of the sampler was not bad, I went back and got a 6 pack of the Sunshine Pils. Honestly, I don't think it is very good at all. It tastes like a wheat beer mixed with a hoppy beer. I will drink the rest and give a second opinion.

I have been drinking Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA since I saw it suggested and tried it near the start of this thread. It's really good. I tried it again about a week ago, and I think it is too heavy for a summer beer. =\

I was walking through the Aisle and saw Sam Adams makes a Cherry Wheat and Blueberry Wheat. I got a couple of those to try... and my opinion is that they are horrible. It is like bitter soda mixed in with wheat beer. Bitter almost like they mixed tonic water in with the beer. Bleh.

[Cool Breeze]

As a Dutchman I can only say Heineken. Its simply a nice refreshing, cool... aah heck, you all know what Heineken tastes like :)

As for Belgium beer, our southern neighbours can brew some nice beer. Jupiler beeing my favorite and the less known small monestary beers. hmmm suddenly I have a craving for a nice cool glass of yellow and white..

[Donut]

I finished the Sunshine Pils 6 pack today. I think it is a somewhat light tasting beer for someone who refuses to drink anything that is not hoppy.

I tried another Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA yesterday and it is still good when it is not very hot outside.

I went through a 6 pack of Samuel Adams Summer Ale over the weekend. It is my favorite summer beer by far. It's a wheat beer, very light, good hops. I really didn't think it was a wheat beer the first time I tried it. I thought it was just very smooth. The label on the bottle says that it has lemon zest. The lemon is very very slight, not sour.

[clovisc]

As a Dutchman I can only say Heineken. Its simply a nice refreshing, cool... aah heck, you all know what Heineken tastes like :)

As for Belgium beer, our southern neighbours can brew some nice beer. Jupiler beeing my favorite and the less known small monestary beers. hmmm suddenly I have a craving for a nice cool glass of yellow and white..

I always think of the Dennis Hopper Heineken quote from the film "Blue Velvet" ...

[clovisc]

i've recently become a big fan of mactarnahan's amber ale... friendly amber with a nice west-coast style hop-kick.

i went to Pike Brewery a few times during my honeymoon in Seattle, and spent some time with the brewmaster, kicking it, and talking about beer making. i really like their Double Ale -- it's like a $5.99 bottle of Chimay. has that peppery taste and big ol' malt flavor.

other beers i've been into on a pretty consistent basis lately...

Year-old Homebrewed Lambic with Wild Alaskan Red Huckleberries
Full Sail Keelhauler (Scottish Ale)
Lagunitas Hop Stoopid (great imperial IPA)
Lagunitas Lucky 13 (Hoppy Red Ale)
Spaten Optimator (Dopplebock -- an all time favorite)
Deschutes Inversion IPA (pretty well balanced IPA)
Deschutes Red Chair (hoppy Irish Red ale -- AWESOME)
Alaskan IPA (a favorite... pretty laid back IPA... great summer sipper for up here)
MacTarnahan's Goose Bump Imperial Stout (Coffee Imperial Stout)
Old Rasputin (Russian Imperial Stout)
Pike Brewery Kilt Lifter (Scottish Ale)

[The Deacon]

Been on a sampler kick lately. Picked up the latest yesterday, this one by Mendocino Brewing Co. Beer store called it "Cast of Hawks" since hawk based names seem to be the brewery's theme, but MBC just calls it their variety pack. Three bottles each of their Red Tail Ale, White Hawkl Ale, Black Hawk Stout, and Eye of the Hawk Ale, which is the one I tried last night. Enjoyable brew, hoppy, but not overly so. In spite of the name, the stuff I got is bottled locally, by a brewery they own in Saratoga. However, the California "nanny state" influence does rear its silly head on the bottle caps...

[CENTER][/CENTER]

I use an opener all the time, since somewhere less than 25% of the beers I buy have screw caps. But that's the first time I ever saw that "warning" printed on a cap. :D

[CanisMajor]

Figure I'd bring this thread back from the dead. Anybody try any new beers out that they really liked?

I had
Boulder Beer Hazed And Infused
Stone Vertical Epic 10.10.10
Rogue Morimoto Imperial Pilsner
Rogue Juniper Pale Ale

Had some others, but cant remember.

Canis

[Chopping Broccoli]

I've been enjoying some Long Trail Brewmaster Series Imperial Porter's lately.

Also recently had a Dogfish Head Bitches Brew.

[jackburton9807]

I am fundamentally opposed to microbrews. I like a lot of stuff from Eastern Europe, the UK and even some Mexican beers. I've had some truly amazing beers from Chile (got lost in The Ritz one night looking for my room after far too many). Where I run aground is the beers that seem to be a better mousetrap; the winter wheat pale vinegar chocolate yeast holiday pumpkin brew is what draws my ire.. My response to these beers is to say "your best bet is to go eff yourself". Folks, you will have a mighty hard time making the wheel any more round than it already is. A lot of beer drinkers have a laugh at wine aficionados that swirl the glass and talk about bouquet, let's not mistake beer for something it's not and just enjoy it. Don't get me wrong, if we are making an IPA or pilsner of some sort, great, but please stop trying to break the sound barrier with beer.

Please, keep in mind that I am just back from pub where I had (according to the tab) 9 beers and then some girls gave me some vodka.

Jeff

[Bluntrauma]

I've been enjoying some Long Trail Brewmaster Series Imperial Porter's lately.

Also recently had a Dogfish Head Bitches Brew.

How did you like the bitches brew? I have been trying to find it since the brew masters episodes and have not been able to even see a bottle. Lately I have pushed up to higher ABV's and have found some tasty beers.

New Belgium Trippel
Chimey Blue Label
Pike's Old Bawdy
The Sixth Glass

[Neomik]

I hate this thread!!!
I lived in the world's Beernation No1 Germany for many years!!! And must say that German Beer in general is the tastiest.
German "Pilsner's" are very tasty and not to bitter. German Pils is bitter! And the Hefe Weizen and Weissbier's from Bavaria are the most tasty with a likely sweetness to them!
I do not drink beer anymore because I live in Greece and the local beer tastes like crap... the imported brands are Heineken, Amstel, and Stella... and I never liked those!
Buying German beer in stores that import it here is simply to expensive so I decided to not drink it anymore !

Favorite breweries in the past:
Becks (Bremen)
Stuttgarter Hofbraeu (Stuttgart)
Dinkel Acker (Stuttgart)
Schwaben Braeu (Stuttgart)
Paulaner (Munich)
Erdinger (Erding)
And many local beer breweries that are too many and unknown to be mentioned!
I hate this thread!!!

[clovisc]

Lately, Bridgeport Hop Czar, which has become my new favorite IPA. Deschutes Hop Henge is a close second... Sierra Nevada Torpedo is in third place.

Also really enjoying the MacTarnahan's Goosebump Russian Imperial Stout (still). I literally bought every bottle on the island. :D

Still enjoying some homebrewed Lambic with wild Alaskan red huckleberries, as well...

[clovisc]

Also, Deschutes Red Chair is currently in season. Another all time favorite. :D

[clovisc]

There are definitely some weird, stupid microbrews (had a Rogue chipolte beer that was HORRIBLE -- tasted like pork), and many of them appear around Xmas time. However, there is so much diversity out there, that there's sure to be something that suits everyone's taste!

I am fundamentally opposed to microbrews. I like a lot of stuff from Eastern Europe, the UK and even some Mexican beers. I've had some truly amazing beers from Chile (got lost in The Ritz one night looking for my room after far too many). Where I run aground is the beers that seem to be a better mousetrap; the winter wheat pale vinegar chocolate yeast holiday pumpkin brew is what draws my ire.. My response to these beers is to say "your best bet is to go eff yourself". Folks, you will have a mighty hard time making the wheel any more round than it already is. A lot of beer drinkers have a laugh at wine aficionados that swirl the glass and talk about bouquet, let's not mistake beer for something it's not and just enjoy it. Don't get me wrong, if we are making an IPA or pilsner of some sort, great, but please stop trying to break the sound barrier with beer.

Please, keep in mind that I am just back from pub where I had (according to the tab) 9 beers and then some girls gave me some vodka.

Jeff

[CanisMajor]

^Agreed. Rogue and Dogfish Head especially come out with some strange brews. Good to see you posting again clovisc.

I've also recently tried Bell's Two Hearted and I liked it a lot. Also had a bottle of Stone Lucky Bastard a few weeks ago, and really enjoyed it, strong and full of hops.

Canis

[clovisc]

I grew up in Delaware, and was in a band that played at the Dogfish Brewery a number of times. I should feel a closer affinity to them... but I still think the west coast is getting better results -- especially when it comes to IPAs. Last time I was in DE and went to Dogfish Head (a little over a year ago), the brewmaster dude came out and gave me a big wine bottle of extra special Squall IPA to take back to Alaska. Definitely one of the better IPAs I've had, but there are a lot of readily available IPAs out here that are head and shoulders above it, in my opinion. Deschutes, MacTarnahans, Bridgeport, and Lagunitas... even Sierra Nevada's Torpedo... are the IPA leaders.

[CanisMajor]

Had a Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous a minute ago. I LOVE this Ale!

Canis

[Donut]

I've been liking Sam Adam's Spring Brew, the Noble Pils.

I went to the store a couple weeks ago thinking I would get a few Spring beers and there aren't many out! I got a Gordon Biersch Spring Sampler and wasn't too crazy about any of them, the carbonation was almost the strongest flavor in any of them. I don't think Blue Moon's Spring Blonde Ale is super great. Sam's Noble is the best I've had this spring.

[Blerv]

What a monk ordained thread!!! So much love :)

I love the heavier stuff. If it's not slightly opaque (or black) I'll pass. My local staple is from Mac & Jacks Brewery: African Amber. People in Washington drink more of this than Bud Light! Their others are good but all hoppy as well. If not for these I'll take a good winter ale from most places or a decent Hef. I frequently get Russian Old Imperial Stout or Mexican beers (like Dos XX amber) at the store.

For the more exotic offerings my bro has turned me to the UK beers. Optimator and some of the Baltika's (9 & 6). Chimay grand reserve (blue), Gulden Draak, or anything ST Bernardus are my faves by a long shot. If it's nutty and in-your-face it's my kind of temperament :) .

I'm open to anything else again that isn't clear and served in a plastic cup.

[clovisc]

hugely, hugely disappointed when Alaskan Brewery informed me they weren't doing their Baltic Porter for 2010. fortunately, i still have a few bottles put away from 2009. this is probably my favorite beer of any style.

Alaskan Brewery's new "pilot series" Black IPA is the best beer i've had in this relatively new style (except my own black IPA, which I made before I first began hearing about / seeing commercial black IPAs).

their smoked porter tastes better than last year's batch.

i've been digging on Pike Brewing's beers... their Kiltlifter is a gem, and their double IPA is pretty decent. met the brewmaster in seattle on my honeymoon -- a great guy. he tried to out-lambic-snob me, until he realized that I was using a more authentic yeast in my own lambic... :D :p offered to give me a ton of yeast to take back, but I didn't have a convenient way to transport it.

i gotta get back into brewing. now that i own my own home, perhaps i can start growing hops... :D