CAG Beer Drinkers Unite! Beer Snobs and Cheap Ass Drunks Welcome!

I've been drinking since 16 and I'm 30 now. Going to high school in St. Louis means you pretty much grow up around beer.

Started with 40s of bad malt liquor and then moved onto the horrible Busch, Keystone, Natty Ice Unholy Trinity. By the time I hit the Air Force I was drinking MGD and Bud. After I got out, I moved onto Corona, Sam Adams, and Heineken. I'd say I really started trying everything (and actually appreciating it) in my mid 20s.

And I think Fertility was jokingly quoting CM Punk from the WWE. Either way, it wasn't very funny or appropriate for a beer drinkers thread. Then again, it's way too easy to be a douche on the internet.
 
Indeed.

I have no problem whatsoever with people who choose to drink. I just loathe the straight edge losers who go around insulting people who drink and assume everyone who likes any kind of alcohol is some loser drunk and/or does it out of peer pressure.
 
Another old fart beer drinker here - 33 years old. I drink as a hobby - kinda like a collecting hobby but all you really have are the memories of the flavor (I do take lots of photos though.) It's sorta like Pokemon - I gotta try 'em all. I usually have one to two beers a night. Generally higher grav beers but not always. It's an expensive hobby - I've spent over 200 bux in the past week (granted that included a pretty large haul from out of state!) I get a minor buzz but that's definitely not what it's about. It's about experiencing the complexity of the aroma and taste. I reserve the "getting drunk" for only a few times a year when I'm at brew fests (Brewgrass in Asheville in Sept.!!!) I don't particularly want to get real drunk but it's hard not to at a brew fest. And I even pour out beers that I'm not fond of at the fests so I don't get as drunk (you only get around 2-3 oz. per sample so it's not like I'm wasting a ton of beer but there are hundreds of samples to be had - plus they have buckets specifically for this - it's sorta like spitting out wine at a wine tasting.)

And back to the matter at hand... Had a Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA and North Coast Pranqster last night. Tonight will be a Chimay Blue and probably a Sweetwater IPA.
 
I usually drink Heineken and Budweiser. Light beer is too watery, so I tend to steer clear. I will drink light beer if there is no option to drink regular beer. Being a college student, I'm often around super cheap beer, such as Keystone, but I try to avoid drinking these since they have poor flavor.
 
Found a great little bar in Collinsville, Illinois last night. Stop by Johnny's on Main St. if you're looking for Bitburger, Lagunitas IPA, and other great beers on tap. There's also hundreds of other bottles they have available.

Also went to the Horseshoe bar which is a little local dive on St. Louis Ave in Collinsville. Tried Boulevard there and it tastes like a wheatier version of Bud Light. Not very good. I switched to Guiness after that.

Hadn't been in that part of the woods in almost a decade so it was good to see new bars and great craft beers/imports in a small Metro East town.
 
[quote name='Danil ACE']I usually drink Heineken and Budweiser. Light beer is too watery, so I tend to steer clear. I will drink light beer if there is no option to drink regular beer. Being a college student, I'm often around super cheap beer, such as Keystone, but I try to avoid drinking these since they have poor flavor.[/QUOTE]

That's a start, but Hekineken and Bud are pretty devoid of flavor compared to most of the beers mentioned in this thread. :D

I encourage you to try some--maybe start with some stuff like Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale since those are easy to find and not to extreme in being very hoppy and/or high alcohol like a lot of the microbrews mentioned here.

Beer is definitely an acquired taste, so it takes a while to work up to the extreme beers. I hated IPAs up until 3 or 4 years ago, and now I love the super hoppy double IPAs (Stone Ruination, Dogfish Head 90 Minute etc.) and often complain about a lot of regular IPAs being bland when I used to think they were terribly bitter.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']That's a start, but Hekineken and Bud are pretty devoid of flavor compared to most of the beers mentioned in this thread. :D

I encourage you to try some--maybe start with some stuff like Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale since those are easy to find and not to extreme in being very hoppy and/or high alcohol like a lot of the microbrews mentioned here.

Beer is definitely an acquired taste, so it takes a while to work up to the extreme beers. I hated IPAs up until 3 or 4 years ago, and now I love the super hoppy double IPAs (Stone Ruination, Dogfish Head 90 Minute etc.) and often complain about a lot of regular IPAs being bland when I used to think they were terribly bitter.[/QUOTE]

even easier than SNPA i would say go to an amber ale. its a lot easier to drink for someone who isnt used to the bitterness of a pale ale. id suggest alaskan amber, which is pretty widely available. but im the same way now, ive grown to love stouts and ipas whereas a few years ago i wouldnt touch them.
 
Yeah, an Amber would be good. Or the Sam Adams.

I think it's just important to try a lot of different stuff, but to start with some milder ones. And a real key is to not write off a beer (and especially a style of beer) after not liking it. Give it a try a year or two down the road and see if your palette has evolved. Like I said, I hated IPAs and other bitter beers up until a few years ago and they're now among my favorites (right behind a good Imperial Stout).
 
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I agree with Ram. You kind of have to train your palette for IPAs and Stouts. Amber ales, red ales, and even some pale ales would be a good step in that direction. Try Bass for a complex beer without the overpowering hoppiness or maltiness of some beers. It might lead to a serious Pale Ale and IPA love affair.
 
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Kirin Ichiban is my favorite "you can find anywhere" fairly cheap beer. I don't know about getting drunk off it cause it is a little filling, but great with meals.

I remember the first time I had an Old Rasputin, I was like "WTF is this?" But after a few months the flavor mystified me and was out buying more. I think that beer permanently altered by taste buds.

Anyone tried the Rouge's Juniper Pale Ale? I had one during a hot day of grilling outside and I loved it. A little citrus, hoppy, and great to chug on a hot day. My only complaint was the price costing about $7-$8 per bottle. Compared to some nice Belgian beers like Chimay which you could buy for only a few more bucks.
 
[quote name='Rodimus']Kirin Ichiban is my favorite "you can find anywhere" fairly cheap beer. I don't know about getting drunk off it cause it is a little filling, but great with meals.

I remember the first time I had an Old Rasputin, I was like "WTF is this?" But after a few months the flavor mystified me and was out buying more. I think that beer permanently altered by taste buds.

Anyone tried the Rouge's Juniper Pale Ale? I had one during a hot day of grilling outside and I loved it. A little citrus, hoppy, and great to chug on a hot day. My only complaint was the price costing about $7-$8 per bottle. Compared to some nice Belgian beers like Chimay which you could buy for only a few more bucks.[/QUOTE]

Rogue beers are amazing. Living in Bend, OR I have had plenty of experience with Rogue Brewery as a whole. But yes, the cost is a bit much, but out here they are usually around $5 a bottle...
 
Yeah, Rogue makes some good stuff. Some is hit or miss, but some of their best are pretty high up on my rankings. I really enjoy the Double Dead Guy and the Shakespeare Stout.

Stone Brewery is definitely my favorite. Southern Tier, North Coast, Oskar Blues, Troegs and Weyerbacher are some other favorites of mine.

Yeah, it's all a bit pricey, but as with most things in life you get what you pay for. I've been drinking good beer long enough to not mind the $5-12 a 22oz or 750ML bottle or $10-15 for a sixer of something I love. Not to try some even pricier stuff sometimes, as I just love trying new beers.
 
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I've seen it at 3 diffrent places and the cheapest was $6.99. I'd buy it more if I could find it for $5. That seems like a reasonable price.

I haven't tried too many of Rouge's beers. I like the Dead Guy Ale and Double Chocolate Stout. I saw Morimoto (Iron Chef and famous Japanese cusine chef) has a beer out under Rouge's brand. I've been curious to try it.
 
I love a good stout with a lot of coffee flavor personally--especially a good imperial stout. But I think that Mikkeller one (and all their stuff in general) is overrated--especially for the price it goes for relative to other good beers of similar styles.

But maybe you're just not a Stout guy. But I also hated them a few years back, so give one a whirl every once in a great while and see if your tastes change.

But those type of stouts do really require a love of coffee and beer/hops, and even then not everyone will dig them.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']That's a start, but Hekineken and Bud are pretty devoid of flavor compared to most of the beers mentioned in this thread. :D

I encourage you to try some--maybe start with some stuff like Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale since those are easy to find and not to extreme in being very hoppy and/or high alcohol like a lot of the microbrews mentioned here.

Beer is definitely an acquired taste, so it takes a while to work up to the extreme beers. I hated IPAs up until 3 or 4 years ago, and now I love the super hoppy double IPAs (Stone Ruination, Dogfish Head 90 Minute etc.) and often complain about a lot of regular IPAs being bland when I used to think they were terribly bitter.[/QUOTE]

I've had better beers than Heineken, Budweiser, etc, but not that many of my college buddies are willing to chip in for beer that is more expensive than Bud, so I usually buy "mainstream" beer. I haven't experimented with too many different beers, but I've found that Fat Tire Amber Ale is pretty good.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']I love a good stout with a lot of coffee flavor personally--especially a good imperial stout. But I think that Mikkeller one (and all their stuff in general) is overrated--especially for the price it goes for relative to other good beers of similar styles.

But maybe you're just not a Stout guy. But I also hated them a few years back, so give one a whirl every once in a great while and see if your tastes change.

But those type of stouts do really require a love of coffee and beer/hops, and even then not everyone will dig them.[/QUOTE]I don't think it was the stout so much as it was the coffee. I just can't stand coffee, or anything with it. My friend (a coffee lover) insisted I try it though.

Definitely going to try more stouts out in the future.

[quote name='rabbitt']And be sure to pour into a glass. It makes all the difference when trying a complex brew.[/QUOTE]

Always.

I definitely had the wrong kind of glass for the stout though, since the head was like 3-3.5 inches tall. :lol:
 
[quote name='Liquid 2']I don't think it was the stout so much as it was the coffee. I just can't stand coffee, or anything with it. My friend (a coffee lover) insisted I try it though.

Definitely going to try more stouts out in the future.
[/QUOTE]

Definitely keep trying them. But the bulk of stouts have a coffee and/or chocolate flavor to them, so you may not find many you like unless your taste's change.
 
Had a good one tonight.

Heavy Seas The Big DIPA Double India Pale Ale from Clipper City Brewing. Ironically I never found it while in the DC area (it's a Baltimore Brewery) but found it here in Atlanta.

One of the better DIPAs I've had. Nice, sweet and malty up front with a ton of hops in the finish.

Also picked up some old favorites--Sierra Nevada Anniverasry Ale (assuming it's as good as the 2007 and 2008's were) and Old Rasputin.
 
No clue...was up at DaveCo exploring the beers. Saw this 'Lion Stout'. Bought a case just for kicks. I end up liking the stuff. It's real heavy (at least to me) plus the taste is quite chocolaty mocha as the back of the bottle states. Latest till I get a chance to venture to DaveCo again.
 
I went on a cruise up to canada (yeah I know :roll:) and in Halifax I went on a brewery "tour" of Alexander Keith's brewery. Their IPA isn't bad, and I'm not usually don't like IPAs.

On the cruise itself I also had Grolsch. It had the coolest (but obnoxious) swing-top caps.
 
I like the Grolsch swing top caps. Makes you slow down and enjoy the beer instead of chugging it.

I found a great liquor store on the southside of Indy. Discount Liquors on Stop 11 (between Madison and Emerson and just west of the train tracks) has everything.

I picked up a sixer of Bell's Pale Ale and a bottle of Stone Ruination IPA. The prices are a little high but the selection really can't be beat. I might go with Young's Double Chocolate Stout next time but I have a feeling that it'll take me years to try most of the brews there.
 
A month ago, I tried something called Shock Top, a wheat beer. Was pretty good-- any other wheat beers I should try? Gonna try Blue Moon when I get the chance.
 
It's my favorite time of the year when it comes to beer. I love all the different Oktoberfest and Pumpkin Spice Ales. Last night I got the Sam Adams Oktoberfest on draft and picked up some Dogfishhead Pumpkin Spice. It makes me wish it was Fall all year round.
 
Yeah I enjoy the fall beers as well--I dig the winter more when the imperials start rolling out etc., but the fall beers are nice. Especially after the summer beers since I'm not big into hefe weissens and the other wheat beers all that much.
 
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I had Sam Adams Octoberfest last night to kick off the fall, and was overall unimpressed.

Sure, it's smooth, but that's mainly because it lacks taste.
 
Yeah, the octoberfest beers are always pretty light and bland for the most part. And many more so than the Sam Adams.

I'm not a huge fan, but it's a decent beer for a hot late summer/early fall day. And at least a step up from the summer wheat beers IMO.

But I generally stick with IPAS/DIPAs, stouts, porters and barleywines year round. But like to mix it up every now and then. And I like some of the fall beers, more so some of the pumpkin ales than the generally bland and watery Octoberfest/Marzens. With Dogfish Head Punkin probably being the best I've had.
 
Is that Dogfish Head available now? I have a hard time finding Dogfish Head around here that isn't outdated, so maybe I'll check my specialty beer store the next time I'm thirsty.
 
It usually comes out sometime in September. I'm not sure this year as I haven't been to the beer store for 3 weeks or so.
 
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[quote name='Rodimus']Yeah it's available. I got a 4-pack a few days ago.[/QUOTE]

Cool. I'll look for a 4 the next time I'm out, tracking down Allagash.
 
DH seems to hover around the $11 mark here. At least, the 60 and 90 minuters are about that. Is the Punkin priced higher than the others?
 
The place I bought it from is generally more expensive with their prices than this Total Wine I go to. Unfortuntly Total Wine is 20 minutes away. I'm sure you could find it cheaper.
 
One would think that bars atleast in my area would have the different sam adams but they dont. Out of every bar I have went to and asked for an october fest or summer ale(I think that is the one out in the summer) not one has had them. Sure I could buy them at the store but I tend to only drink when I go out to bars.
 
The Punkin was $11 or 12 when I bought it last year--but that was at a store that was cheaper. I have seen it go for $15.

I figure it will be the same, the beer store I go to in Atlanta (Greens) is as cheap or cheaper on most beers than the place I frequented in Maryland.
 
Pleasant surprise. Found the Punkin Ale at Kroger while grocery shopping and it was only $8.79! Also grabbed another sixer of the Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale for $8 something as well.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Pleasant surprise. Found the Punkin Ale at Kroger while grocery shopping and it was only $8.79! Also grabbed another sixer of the Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale for $8 something as well.[/QUOTE]

Where? Damn good deal. I was stoked to find a $10 pack at Gravity Beer Market in Oly.
Can't decide between this brew and Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale... they're both so good.
 
What are some brands of stout beer that are not a microbrew? This is the first I have heard of stout beer as I usually just walk in and order a beer or drink what people have at their place when i go over. I usually only know by the brand name and not what type of beer it is. I haven't really been a beer drinker till the past year or so.
 
I hope I can find some of Stone's newest brews. They look mighty fine.

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and their colab.

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Yeah, I'll have to keep an eye out for them, Greens in Atlanta has a pretty good selection of Stone Brews so they should get them. The Vertical Epic has been very good the past couple years, and the Macadamia Coconut Porter sounds interesting!
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Guinness would be the biggest name stout.

Why no microbrews? That's where it's at when it comes to good beer.[/QUOTE]

Most places I goto don't have microbrews and if they do it is schlaflys. Atleast out of the bars I go to they don't.
 
Check www.beeradvocate.com for good places with microbrews in your area. Just register for a free account, then search your city in the search box with "places" selected in the drop down. Then you can see the bars and liquor stores that have good reviews in your area.

Great site with a ton of info on beer in general.
 
There's a place an hour away in PA that sells micro beer in bulk. I'm going to pick up a case of Dogfish Head Punkin and a Unibroue. I've heard that they sell cases of bombers too, which makes me even more thrilled.
 
Just had my first St. Bernardus brew last night - Prior 8. Was pretty impressed with it. I've been drinking a good bit of Belgian and Belgian-style ales lately and this one was certainly near the top. I can wait for the ABT 12 that I'll crack open Friday.

I had some of the SA Octoberfest over the past week and it's very drinkable but not real complex and nothing to write home about. Sorta reminds me of a less tasty Celebrator.

Heading to Brewgrass in Asheville, NC in a week - can't wait!
 
[quote name='rabbitt']There's a place an hour away in PA that sells micro beer in bulk. I'm going to pick up a case of Dogfish Head Punkin and a Unibroue. I've heard that they sell cases of bombers too, which makes me even more thrilled.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, most of the stores I go to will sell stuff in bulk. I bought a case of Stone Imperial Russian Stouts this spring. Not a big savings, but wanted a case so I could keep some around and try one every few months as it's supposed to age well.
 
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