Since the mention of beer did a mini-hijack at the Chat Tonight. thread, I figured I'd just start up a Beer topic. I thought about putting it under General Food Chatter, then felt Entertainment was a perfect forum for it, but thought better of it.

With no intention of offense to anyone, I feel the existence of cheap, mass-produced domestic beer is wrong and unacceptable. Well, maybe not that drastic, but close *ahem*. And while I'll never hold it against anyone who likes that stuff, I'll always have that maternal feeling of "aww..." towards them. j/k

Being in Hawai'i I'm limited in what I can find here but I love keeping an eye out for recommendations made whenever I make the trek to the the mainland.

I'll start by mentioning/recommending a few of my favorites.

If you can find New Belgium in your state, go with Fat Tire, Sunshine Wheat and 1554. This brewery can not be beat, IMO. On top of loving the taste and all the magnificent memories in my life surrounding the drinkage of NBB, you can taste the love put into making it. Honest.

I've yet to be done wrong by Deschutes Brewery out of Bend, OR. I recommend
Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Obsidian Stout, the latter is a total lip smacker.

And, for you west coast folk, we've got a delicious brewery on the Big Island called Kona Brewing and I've seen their beer in California. If you find it, you gotta try the Fire Rock Pale Ale. The color, the scent, the taste.. 'tis a doozy, that one.

I have more, of course, but I'll bust those out for starters. So please, my fellow beer appreciating Orchard dwellers, talk to michelle, tell me of your top hops.

Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza. - Dave Barry

Sierra Nevada (I know, boring)

This beer tastes like kind bud so pass around
drink it up slowly and don't make a sound
old uncle Sammy's got his ear to the ground
this beer tastes like kind bud so pass it around

That's a real song about Sierra Nevada.

Cheers.

Never been fond of beer myself. Kind of liked Sam Adams Cherry Wheat, and when I was in Puerto Rico they had this beer called Medalla that I was fond of - wish I could find it in Detroit just for nostalgia's sake. But other than that... not much use for beer. More of a vodka guy, myself.

The Midwest has Bells which makes a GREAT summer wheat.

I took a tour of Breckenridge Brewery a month or two ago when I was in Denver and they have a great HEFE WEISEN out! THey gave me a twelve pack sampler. Nice of them. I had to leave most of them at my folks though before I came back to Detroit. I wonder if there will be any left when I head out there next.

Oh Ya...GO AVS!

im with JP on the vodka, but when it comes to beer i don't really know that much, other than Corona is my fave. dont forget the lime

Miller Lite all the way!

I drank Schmidts (a defunct economy pilsner brewed in Philly) for many years because it was the best beer I could afford. On special occasions, I would splurge for Michelob. Actually, I'm still OK with Budweiser for outdoor events on hot summer days, but I don't consider that watery stuff to be "real" beer any more.

I've tried hundreds of premium beers since actually having any disposable income, and I still think Sam Adams Boston Lager is the best all-around brew I've ever tasted. Substantial, rich flavor but not too heavy, perfectly balanced... yum. That's my standby.

Sam Adams used to make a great porter too, but I think they've discontinued it. My favorite porter (good for those cold winter nights) now is Anchor Steam, and I also like their regular brew quite a lot. Sierra Nevada is quite good too.

My favorite stout on tap is Guinness. I usually drink black & tans (half Guinness Stout and half Bass Ale on tap) when I can get them. Sam Adams and Brooklyn Brewery both make pretty good bottled stouts.

A favorite summer brew is Paulaner Hefeweizen, the only wheat beer I've tried so far that I really like. My favorite Oktoberfest is Spaten.

I really like the pricey 90-minute IPA from Dogfish Head Brewery that Michelle accidentally introduced me to a couple of weeks ago. Huge taste, insanely hoppy, and it will kick your butt in a hurry.

Some other microbrews I've really enjoyed in my travels include that Fat Tire stuff from Colorado, Long Trail Ale from Vermont, Shiner Bock from Texas, and Tuckerman's Pale Ale from New Hampshire (their brewery is about the size of my house).

First I will say that I do not drink adult beverages. Root beer is the only beer for me. That said here are some suggestions and little known facts about beer.

I highly recommend trying Grant's Scottish Ale. It's from my hometown of Yakima. I don't know how it fares currently, but I do know that a few years ago it beat many of your beloved Sam Adams in taste tests. Grant's also makes some other selections, but I don't know much about them. Grant the guy has a pub in my hometown that is reported to have some excellent rootbeer on tap as well. It is unfortunately available only at the pub. Now don't go getting excited. I know everyone wants to go to Yakima to find out more. However, you beer officianados might find Yakima more interesting than you think. More hops are grown in Yakima than anywhere else in the world outside the entire country of Germany. For beer that is a good thing. For me, it brought smelly autumns.

Id on't know if we can still claim this, but Portland was at one point the micro brew capitol of the world. Umm, let's see we have Widmeere, which is famous for their "hefeweisen." There's the Portland brewing company, which makes McTartehans (though it has gone down hill recently). There is also rougue brewery (actually that's in another part fo the state). And of course we also have bridgeport (blue heron ale), full Sail, and of course, there is always Mcminemins

::

Whenever a beer discussion gets going, I have to recommend Arrogant Bastard Ale as the all-time best beer. Ohio is one of the select states in which you can get it - shipped refrigerated from the west coast . . . so you should all pick some up on your next visit!

However, if you happen to be unfortunate enough to be living in Michigan (like me), you can console yourself with Bell's Amber Ale from K-zoo. But I go back to Burning River from Great Lakes Brewing Co. in Cleveland when I want a taste of home.

Or if you have something against micro-brews, Guinness Extra Stout (mmm) and Sam Adams are both tasty.

-Jim

Until recently, my favorite was Leinenkugel's Honey Weiss. But then I moved from Chicago to LA, and you can't get it here. Even talking about it now is making me sad . . . and thirsty.

My other favorite is Stella Artois. And one I haven't had in a while but really like is Blue Moon.

Mmmm, beer.

mmmmmmmmmm, beer.
-homer j. simpson

Guinness, guinnes guinness all the way. Unless I am low on funds, then good old Rolling Rock. Is it too early to pop open a warm one?

It's 12 O'clock somewhere, Russ.

''

I only get rolling rock when I'm broke (it's really cheap usually) and at a show. I do like the lack of aftertaste.

You can't forget the Pabst Blue Ribbon! All the way! haha. Just kidding. Guiness is the only beer that i am fond of...

ACtually, the barbershop / hairstylist I go to serves pabst while you wait. It is a very hip beer in this town for some reason.

Okey doke my fellow beer loving apples, I'm headin' to O-Hi-O and i'm taking suggestions.

I already know I won't be going home until I've tried an Arrogant Bastard, but start shootin' me some other good micro-brews I need to be on the lookout for besides any already mentioned? Can you get that Tuckerman's in OH?


Add to my lush list..?

Arrogant Bastard
Burning River

Mmmmm....Corona.

I LOVE Fat Tire
(too bad they don't sell it in my state....they don't sell it east of the Mississippi...)

Blue Moon, Pale Ale, with an orange, on draft....

beer is good. i like beer.

Not likely, you can't even get it in southern New Hampshire! I'll bring some Dogfish Head for you, though.

[QUOTE]

Bah! I pull for the Avs only because 1) Foppe is the greatest player in the game at the moment, and 2) I hate (HATE), hate, hate (HATE!!!!!) HATE the Red Wings, and that's a great show when those two play.

go 'Canes!


================

Michelle,

Do you live on Oahu? There used to be a great little microbrewery down on Moana Lua (spelling? it's been so long) , near the shopping center, across from Studebakers. Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmy. Know where I mean?

My favorite beers:

Stouts, Guinness or Beamish... and I swear, at the risk of sound pretentious, that Guinness in Ireland IS in fact better. Maybe the shipping? No clue.

Ales, Sam Adams or any number of Scottish brews... John Stout used to have a good one.

In general, I recently gave Saranac pale ale and others a whirl and liked 'em quite a bit.

I'm on Maui and rarely travel inter-island so I'm not sure on location but I do know that O'ahu has Ali'i Brewing (I've had the amber and golden ale, tasty stuff), does that sound like the one? I also haven't seen it in stores for a long time now that I'm sitting here thinking about it...


Mmm...
Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout
Rogue Shakepeare Stout
Deschutes Obsidian Stout
Dogfish Head Chickory Stout

Lip smackin' delirium, those stouts.

You know, I just have no memory of the name of that place. Chock that up to good beer.

Stouts: as above, Beamish & Guinness, but also (ALSO!) Caffrey's. Ummmmmmmm, tasty.

Believe me, I understand how you feel about the Wings. Nothing made me happier than being there in person to see them get swept in the first round last year. Having said that though, given that Paul Kariya is now an Av, the only team I'd struggle to cheer for when they're playing Colorado would be the Kings.

It's funny, I didn't used to like the darker beers, now it's been almsot all I've been drinking.

I'm not much of a beer guy myself, short of hard ciders (which aren't really beers at all), but this morning I was rather intrigued to see the founder of Sam Adams introducing his chocolate-flavoured beer to the world on ABC's World News Now (an early-a.m. news feed; and a very enjoyable one at that, if you happen to be a night owl). The anchors all really seemed to like it.

Anyone here had it just yet? Chocolate Bock, I believe they're calling it.

$15/bottle.

Welp, I had my first Deschutes seasonal last week. Their Mirror Pond Pale Ale is my favorite after work beer. It's my Coor's Light, basically. Anyway, I picked up their Cinder Cone Red Ale last week and me oh my. De-lish. If you love ales and despise beer wanna-be's, you gotta try this!

Michelle...you did NOT just use the phrase "Coors Light" in a sentence. Tell me you didn't.

MOLSON XXX

Calm down Steve.... It was analogical. *pats your back comfortingly*

You know, I can't get my arms around that stuff. Knocks you on your booty, to be sure, but it just tastes... blech.

*Looks suspiciously at michelle*

Mmmm hmmm.

You still made reference to piss in a can. Even if it was analogical.

i have nothing to say here. i just wanted to say 'hey' to you all and i was feelin a little left out.
i prefer to wine~!

hahahahahahahahahah

(c'mon you smiled, admit it) besides i owe tory (thats tory to you guys)

My dad likes Molson Golden - thank goodness. My brother is a Bud Light slave so my dad picks up his slack.


EDIT: Uh-oh... now I just used 'bud light' in a sentence... IN THE SAME HOUR! Do you need a hug, steve?

::shakes head::

Just sittin' here, still waitin' for some funny to walk by.

Yes, I smiled, and I think it's Troy to us guys who haven't had too much wine to type straight. (Sorry, Deb, but I was feeling left out and just wanted to post something.)

Oh, and I have a kind of six-pack abs, but it's not from beer. (try ice cream)

mwahtayabth =
mwah to you both. (sorry for the wine breath)

Yes. Desperately.

I think I'll just go drink some wine with AG.

I'll just give you a real one in Dayton. While holding a bottle of some quality, tasty beer. Just for that extra something special. *ahem*

I think we should try espresso beer, too, Michelle. No point wasting time, it's gonna be a short weekend.

hey! i might just like that. ummmmmmm er was that literal tory? or am i missing an innuendo? reserved for mich and "friend".
just checkin.

*sigh* Red Hook's Double Black Stout. Had it accidentally at a Food Festival here years ago. Mighty tasty. I think my armpit hair grew a whole inch after drinking that... When I had it they were still using Starbucks for it, then they changed. It's now retired, no more *sigh*. So I guess I have had espresso. Just not by itself, or hot.

::blinks::

And chance you can wear a long sleeve shirt while we do that?

I will hold you to that.

Wine wine wine wine....