Craft Beer

[Clay M]

I have to say I am very impressed with the New Belgium brewing company in Fort Collin ,Co.
Fat Tire is my go to beer, but today I picked up some of their Hoppy Blonde .Wow, this is nice. It has the beautiful hop taste without being too heavy.

I also pick up some Heineken. I quit drinking it many years ago because ,to me what I got was old and had a skunky taste.
This I bought today is amazingly fresh and a very excellent Lager.


I don't brew my own. Wish I had time, but too many irons in the fire.

So what is your favorite craft brew?

"Senor, senor, do you know where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon?
Seems like I been down this way before
Is there any truth in that, senor?"

That line in a song reminds me of For Whom The Bell Tolls, by Hemmingway.

..It Tolls for thee..

[lightman]

I'm into craft beer, but I don't have a favorite. New Belgium makes some solid beer. I've visited the brewery at Ft Collins. I love the bitter taste of IPA's, the malty taste of a good stout or porter and I'm a big fan of barrels aged stouts. But oh my, the calories and the cost! If I had to name a favorite it would probably be something from Firestone Walker or Lost Abby.


http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy164/PTheodo/IMG_0299.jpg (http://s788.photobucket.com/user/PTheodo/media/IMG_0299.jpg.html)


http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy164/PTheodo/IMG_0300.jpg (http://s788.photobucket.com/user/PTheodo/media/IMG_0300.jpg.html)

This is how I take a break from a casting and smelting and is a hobby for me. We travel some to attend beer festibles and/or special releases. Its another hobby for me.

[Outer Rondacker]

Very nice looking fridge. I like Hoegaarden belgian white but then again I am not sure that is a craft beer as it is not made in the USA.

[MaryB]

Fat Tire is my go to but I just started brewing again. Small batches of 1 gallon. Have Caribou Slobber in the fermenter right now.

[Blue2]

I like an ale with a bite of hops. Up our way a "treat" beer for me is most any of the offerings from Innus & Gunn, a Scottish beer maker. They brew their beer and then age it in oak casks and often previously used whiskey or rum barrels. It is not for guzzling but a very pleasent sipping brew. I do not care much for the "lite beers" I believe that lite beer is brewed for people who don't care for the taste of beer. But as my brother in law says--"some taste better than others but I have never had any in my mouth that I felt obliged to spit out"

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I like a Hoppy brew, if it has enough malt to balance it out.
I'm still looking for one that rivals my own :drinks: :2 drunk buddies:

[skeeter2]

I brew my own. Have several batches in secondary right now. I just do one gallon batches. My favorite from a store is New Holland's Dragon's Milk. It's a bourbon barrel porter with 11% alcohol. No sense bothering with all the extra water.

[StolzerandSons]

I'm not a huge fan of beer, I prefer a well aged single malt scotch but my son turned me to a root beer that I enjoy once in a while, it's call "Not Your Father's" root beer, 5.9% and it's pretty tasty. They also make a "Not Your Father's" ginger ale but I'm not a fan of ginger ale.
162544
http://smalltownbrewery.com/our-beers/

[NavyVet1959]

I picked up a Sierra Nevada IPA sample 12-pack about a week ago. It has 4 different IPAs in it. One of them, I had already tried (Torpedo Extra IPA) and it was good enough that I had bought a full keg of it for my kegerator at one time. The other 3 IPAs were "Five Hop", "Hop Hunter", and "Ruthless Rye". I liked them all. I wish my keg was empty so I could replace it with *any* of them.

http://www.cdn.sierranevada.com/sites/all/themes/bootstrap_sierranevada/img/page-specialty-beers/beers/4way-12pack-2016.png

[marlin39a]

Grand Canyon Brewery in Williams, Arizona makes "Black Iron IPA. Best I've found yet.

[jonp]

Brasserie Dieu du Ciel's Peche Mortal. Unbelievable Coffee Stout. Beer Advocate ranks it 97 and I've seen it go 100 on other sites. It is definitely in that range. My first comment after a taste was "OMG".

More common is anything by Unibroue. All of the Belgium style they do are superb.
Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout is pretty darn good. I pick up a case every fall and try one every few weeks.
Dogfish Head's Olde School is a very good Barleywine but be warned. It is in the 15% ABV range. It is very good if put away for several months.

The brewers at Stone know their stuff. The Double Bastard Ale is as nice an imperial as you will find.

Clown Shoes makes great beer. Their Blaecorn Unidragon is a very good Imperial Stout. Their limited release A Fistful Of Unidragons Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout was good if you like Bourbon Barrel.



We are lucky in NC to have well over 100 micro brewers in the state and I think 6 more are opening up this summer. Next month is NC Craft Beer Month where all of the brewers host guest taps from the others so you get a chance to try some you may never get to visit on your own.

[jonp]

Lightman: is that a Firestone on the bottom shelf far right? If so and you have not tried it I think you will like it.

[Clay M]

My wife likes Heineken and Corona so I usually wind up drinking that from time to time.

I like many of the Stouts and Craft beers

I also like red wine ..The Cabs in particular.

I stopped drinking all hard liquor some years back.
I was a blues guitarist at the time, and I figured if I kept drinking whisky ,I would die.:smile:

So I limit what I drink..

[JWT]

I'm a big fan of Bell's. Their double cream stout, porter, and their pale ale are my favorites. I used to go on tours of the brewery back in the 80s while in college. Atwater in Detroit makes a good java porter.

http://bellsbeer.com/

[MUSTANG]

I hate the Beer Halls in Montana (not really). They make me feel like a blubbering idiot as I ask what they have on tap. I make them go through the list 2 or 3 times until I finally make a selection. Lots of choices and they are almost all good. I have to be more patient with the Daughter in Law who can never make a decision wherever we go, at least with me it's only what beer to get.

[lightman]

jonp, yes it is, good eye! FW is one of my favorite breweries. I wish it was distributed in Arkansas. I bring a lot of it home when we travel out of state. We did a tasting last fall during duck season with 7 of the different anniversary years.

[MaryB]

Bought a 6 pack of New Belgian Brewery Rampant today. WOW HOPS! Bitter, citrus, pine... bit dry but a good sipping beer.

If you can find it(not sure how far they distribute) Brau Brothers Brewery makes some very god and unusual craft beers. Local to me so I have tried most of them.

[EMC45]

Brasserie Dieu du Ciel's Peche Mortal. Unbelievable Coffee Stout. Beer Advocate ranks it 97 and I've seen it go 100 on other sites. It is definitely in that range. My first comment after a taste was "OMG".

More common is anything by Unibroue. All of the Belgium style they do are superb.
Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout is pretty darn good. I pick up a case every fall and try one every few weeks.
Dogfish Head's Olde School is a very good Barleywine but be warned. It is in the 15% ABV range. It is very good if put away for several months.

The brewers at Stone know their stuff. The Double Bastard Ale is as nice an imperial as you will find.

Clown Shoes makes great beer. Their Blaecorn Unidragon is a very good Imperial Stout. Their limited release A Fistful Of Unidragons Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout was good if you like Bourbon Barrel.



We are lucky in NC to have well over 100 micro brewers in the state and I think 6 more are opening up this summer. Next month is NC Craft Beer Month where all of the brewers host guest taps from the others so you get a chance to try some you may never get to visit on your own.


I did notice that when the family & I went to Brevard a couple years ago. There were 2 in downtown Brevard IIRC. Also when you went to the grocery there were tons of craft choices. My Dad just came up the TN to visit and was blown away when he went to the Food City and saw all the available beers. Also the fact they had a "growler" filling station in the middle of the grocery store took him by surprise.

[jonp]

Great Fridge, Lightman. I see the picture of the inside was taken down but it looks like a lot of craft brew aficionado's dedicated beer fridge. A lot of people don't understand that you can't find some of the beer everywhere so you pick it up when you see it and store it the same as a wine cellar. The higher ABV of most of the craft over mega's like Bud or Miller lets them sit for 6mths and be perfectly fine with the higher ones able to be shelved for a few years. My step son bought me a Long Trail 25th Anniversary 2yrs ago for Christmas 2014 and I kept it in the closet for a year then cooled it down and opening it Christmas Eve 2015

I saw Dogfish, Firestone even a La Fin Du Monde peeking out. Right now I'm finally done another 13hr day and enjoying a Highland Brewing Black Mocha Stout.

Our local grocery store put in a craft corner and has 8 rotating taps to fill growlers. A small 32oz growler filled on a saturday morning while grocery shopping lasts me the weekend. Mostly local brews from White Street, Lonerider, Deep River or the like I did get one last week of Stones Arrogant Bastard along with a bomber of Ommegang Three Philosophers. We are lucky that I don't have to store a fridge like that anymore. I have several beer stores and grocery stores near me that I can pick out a mixed six pack or a few bombers that last me some time whenever I want and one in particular that will order whatever micro I see online that I want if they can get it. Sam's Quick Stop in Durham is legendary. http://samsquikshop.com/beer/ with 4 or 500 beers in stock it can be overwhelming. They have a few taps to sip a beer while you browse. Another has several taps, shelves of beer and a large cooler with cold beer and growlers from local brewers. Lowes Foods has a pretty decent beer guy buying their stuff and the Whole Foods Market's guy I spoke for 15 or 20 min one morning and he really knows his stuff and tries to lay in a great selection.

[lightman]

I'm about 35-40 miles from a good bottle shop, hence the fridge. I have had a good bit of Stone in there but currently the only one is an Enjoy After.
Three Philosophers is one of my favorites and I usually have 3 different years, this years and the last 2 years. The same with Sierra Nevada Bigfoot.

It sounds like you are in an area with a lot of good beer. You're Lucky to have good stores near you. I do have to watch the dates, both when I'm buying and in my fridge. I've only had a few go flat over the years, but a few types of hops fade quickly. I keep the fridge set in the mid 40's so things age fairly slow. And yeah, I have to travel far and wide to find some of those.

I'll sip on any one of these in the afternoon, sitting in my shop door, weather permitting. Before I retired I had many days like your 13 hour one and would unwind sitting in my shop door. The Hot Soccer Moms walk by and wave and an occasional Bud will stop by.Fun Times!

[longranger]

If any of you craft beer lovers have not tried some of the "sour beers" that are becoming popular in some areas of the country.You owe it to yourself try some.The Belgians do some very nice sour beers as well some brewers here in the states such as Dog Patch and Rare Barrel.My sons and I have found pouring a half a glass of sour beer and half a glass of Camp Fire stout by High Water Brewing(Smores) is an amazing taste experience.The Petrus Red Ales(sour cherries) are reasonably priced and quite delightful.

[longranger]

This one is usually not to hard to find.

[Clay M]

This one is usually not to hard to find.


I see you are from Buffalo ,Wy. Very nice town with friendly people. I always liked visiting there on they way to Cody.

[jonp]

I see they put your fridge back up, Lightman. I see Founders, Sierra Nevada, Evil Twin and a couple of others I recognize. If you have not tried the Evil Twin regular or Imperial Biscotti Break find and get one. They have a barrel aged one too. Very, Very good. Local bottle store had the Imperial on tap one day and I tried one while shopping and bought 2 bombers to put away.

[longranger]

Yes sir,best town and state I have ever lived. We are more than a one horse town, we have 2 horses.:-)


I see you are from Buffalo ,Wy. Very nice town with friendly people. I always liked visiting there on they way to Cody.

[Clay M]

Yes sir,best town and state I have ever lived. We are more than a one horse town, we have 2 horses.:-)

It is a fantastic little town. I would definitely live there.

We usually camp at Devils Tower and take the pass at Buffalo over the Big Horn range.
I always wanted to walk to the Medicine Wheel ,I believe it is on the pass going from Sheridan over.

[Minerat]

....but I have never had any in my mouth that I felt obliged to spit out"
Then you never tried Brown Derby. It was a beer a buddy and I spent $2.00 a 6 pack for from Safeway back in 1971. We left 4 cans in a mailbox in rural Colorado threw the other 2 out the window. It had to be bad when 2 teenagers wouldn't drink it and that was all the money we had between us. To call it squaw **** is rating it too high.:razz: I kinda like Blue Moon from Coors Field myself if that qualifies, but I'd rather have a little Jamisons neat.

[MaryB]

Remember generic beer? Aluminum unpainted can that just had BEER on it ins black letters? Yeah a friend bought a case of it, he raved it was great cheap beer... he was the only one who would drink it! Skunked Schlitz Malt tasted better! Memories from my youth...

[lightman]

I did not know that my fridge pictures were taken down. Did I violate one of the rules? If so, I apolizise.

[Bulliwig]

A discussion about beer, I#m fond of this!
I think as a german, beer is something I can talk with you. My favourite ist this :
http://www.westerwald-braeu.de/
A small brewery (not so small anymore...) near my home brews this and I have to tell you, thats the tastiest beer ever ran down my throat!

[JSnover]

Fat Tire and Hoppy Blonde are both good, along with Blue Moon. I also like this one from Flying Dog (not sure if I can print the name without a violation) http://flyingdogbrewery.com/?beers=raging-bitch
The best thing about craft beers is there are so many good ones to choose from. Close your eyes and point, no matter what you get it beats Budweiser!

[jonp]

Remember generic beer? Aluminum unpainted can that just had BEER on it ins black letters? Yeah a friend bought a case of it, he raved it was great cheap beer... he was the only one who would drink it! Skunked Schlitz Malt tasted better! Memories from my youth...

Your one of the only people besides me that seems to remember that beer! Ours was in a plain white can that said BEER in big black letters across it. It was one of the first attempts at store brands and was joined by KETCHUP, MUSTARD, CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP etc I remember it as being the Miller Lite or Natty Light of its day.

[Clay M]

Schlitz Malt is the worst thing I remember from back in the day.
I always hated Schlitz too.