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

Since I dry hopped my IPA with some cascade, it tastes just like the fruity hops. It came out really well though. I was surprised, since the recipe was so basic, but fresh beer just tastes vastly different.

My friend brought by a 4 pack of Scaldis. Super strong Belgian quad. It tasted like candy, and it was one of the most interesting beers appearance wise that I've ever seen. When you poured the yeast in, it was suspended and distributed evenly throughout. It got way too hot when it warmed up too.
It was really tasty, but I have trouble recommending it when it's $6 for a 250 mL bottle.
 
[quote name='depascal22']Picked up a sixer of Sam Adams Noble Pils and I love it. Hoppy without being overpowering.[/QUOTE]

I had it on tap and didn't care for it much. But not surprising as I tend to hate pilsners and like uber hobby beers!
 
[quote name='bordjon']I had a Belgian last night for my bday - a year aged Gulden Draak. It sure was tasty![/QUOTE]

My girlfriend and I bought a case of that last year at Whole Foods where we get a discount as she is employed there. Pretty good.

My favorite beer:

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/207/645

Fairly pricey (usually $6-7 a bottle) but insanely good.
 
I think that's the best part of a high priced beer. I'll throw it in the fridge and wait for the Lakers to come on TV or a really bad day at work. It takes the hour I'm sipping on it go that next level if that makes any sense. Back in the day, it was about volume and getting sloppy drunk. Now it's hops, flavor, and savoring the moment.
 
Grabbed a few of my personal favorites today:
La Fin du Monde 22oz
Old Rasputin single
Founder's Breakfast Stout 4 pack

Just not sure what to drink tonight.
 
Trying out some of the local brews in Maine. I picked up Shipyard Summer Ale the other day. It has grown on me a lot, but I would stick with something cheaper as it doesn't taste that different.
 
So I'm watching Beer Wars on Netflix streaming and it got me thinking about independent brewers vs. the big 3. There seems to be a lot of beers these days that seem to be independent but really are just owned by a big 3. Landshark Lager and Blue Moon are great examples which they almost go to great lengths to hide that they are owned by Anheuser-Busch and Coors (respectively). Hell, I was even under the incorrect assumption that Leinenkugels (pretty big in the midwest) was an independent brewery when in reality its owned by a company owned by Miller.

I'm not saying I don't like these beers just because they're owned by a big company but sometimes its kind of fun to support the upstarts/independents. Now I know Sam Adams is indie as well as Dogfish Head (which I think I might try after seeing Beer Wars) but does anyone else have any decent indies to try?
 
[quote name='RedvsBlue']
Now I know Sam Adams is indie as well as Dogfish Head (which I think I might try after seeing Beer Wars) but does anyone else have any decent indies to try?[/QUOTE]

Both of those are good, especially Dogfish Head.

Some other favorite craft breweries of mine:

Stone
Southern Tier
Lagunitas
Troegs
Bell's
Flying Dog
Founder's
Great Divide
Clipper City's Heavy Seas
Rogue
Sweetwater
Victory
Weyerbacher
 
Having a New Belgium Ranger IPA now, picked up sixer at the grocery store on the way home.

It's ok, but not great--just like everything I've had from New Belgium. The Sweetwater 420 I've been drinking lately is much better.
 
I've heard pretty bad things about the Ranger. Have you had their Trippel? For the price point, it's wonderful. It's really nice to not have to shell out (~$8.00 for a sixer) to enjoy a trippel (although Real Ale, a semi-local brewery here has a really good one at the same price point too--I need to compare them, since I've had them too far apart).

2 Below is another good one of theirs, and Fat Tire, while not great, is a nice fall back that you can find everywhere (although my preferred fall back brew is SN's Pale Ale).
 
The only one I've thought was slightly better than ok was the 1554 Enlightened Black Ale.

But yeah, all their beers are ok for easy to find, don't break the bank beers.

But I'd go for things like the Sweetwater 420 (not widely available though), Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, Stone IPA etc. that are around the same price ($8-10 a sixer) over there stuff any time.

But I'll also freely admit that I'm a huge beer snob and don't mind spending a lot on that hobby. :D I'll get something like that or Sam Adams when I just really want a drink and don't feel like going to the good beer store that's a bit out of the way! :D
 
My alcohol: RUM!!!
and bitch drinks lol

don't get me wrong, I mean I love drinking and getting drunk, but I'm a bitch at drinking (unless it's rum...and vodlka)
 
I wish I had a budget like that, dmaul! I've just taken to brewing (I'm planning a kolsch next, to sip on during our brutal summers :)) and getting sixers when I'm feeling like something fresh. :lol:

I do really need to try the Stone IPA though. I keep hearing great things about it.
 
What's so bad about New Belgium's Ranger IPA? It's not the best but I'd hard pressed to find an IPA that's miles better in the same price range.

Back to new beers, I tried Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy at the Reds game Saturday. Pretty good wheat beer with the normal citrus notes. I'd rather get Blue Moon cheaper but definately a good middle inning beer.
 
I've been drinking duplicates of what I've already posted about earlier mostly.

I picked up a six of SN Torpedo and have had a couple. It's an IPA - comes in at 7.2%. Relatively complex but not my kind of IPA. Piney and sweaty and maybe only a hint of citrus for me. Not very sweet. Very bitter at the end. Really - I bet I could grow to love it - it's just not what I'm currently use to with an IPA. Gets great reviews.

Also had a St. Bernardus Pater 6. Very carbonated but an easy drinker for me. 6.7% abv.

Just picked up another case of Costco's Kirkland Signature beer. It's brewed by Matt Brewing (Saranac) here on the east coast. It's 18.99 for a case and it's decent beer for what it is. I use it as filler after I've had a bit nicer beer but still want something to drink.
 
[quote name='Liquid 2']
I do really need to try the Stone IPA though. I keep hearing great things about it.[/QUOTE]

It's damn good. And not all that pricey. Usually $9-10 a six pack. Their Ruination Double IPA is great as well, but more pricey at around $15-16 a six pack.

[quote name='depascal22']What's so bad about New Belgium's Ranger IPA? It's not the best but I'd hard pressed to find an IPA that's miles better in the same price range.
[/QUOTE]

I didn't say it was bad, just mediocre. Even buying at the grocery store, the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale and Sweetwater IPA are all $8.99 a six (same as the Ranger) and area better ipas/pale ales IMO.

And if I hit the real beer store there's Stone IPA, Lagunitas IPA, Victory Hop Devil, Avery's various IPAs etc. that are $1-3 more a sixer which hardly breaks the bank for much better beer.

Ranger is a fine IPA in a pinch, but I doubt I'll get it again since there's some other stuff at or near the same price that I like better. But as I said, I'm a huge beer snob and don't mind shelling out the money on that hobby, especially since I finally make real money!

[quote name='bordjon']
I picked up a six of SN Torpedo and have had a couple. It's an IPA - comes in at 7.2%. Relatively complex but not my kind of IPA. Piney and sweaty and maybe only a hint of citrus for me. Not very sweet. Very bitter at the end. Really - I bet I could grow to love it - it's just not what I'm currently use to with an IPA. Gets great reviews.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I had that last year and didn't dig it that much either. And I tend to like the piney IPAs. It just didn't have a pleasant bitterness to it. The finish was just too harsh.
 
Neither our brewery modernization act nor our homebrewing legalization act passed both house and senate this year. Actually each passed one but didn't come up for a vote in the other. It is an election year and AL had some issues (the whole gambling fiasco that got the feds involved among others.)

The good thing is our gourmet beer bill that passed last year raising our abv has been ammended to allow for the sale of high grav beers in grocery stores without the requirement of an on-premises license. That means Publix, Winn-Dixie, Bruno's etc can now sell the high grav stuff. Not a big issue for me because I live in Bham and there are plenty of places for me to pick the stuff up just a few miles away. But now grocery stores all around the state can carry whatever is available - regardless of abv.
 
Hard to say if they'll pick up any high grav. stuff anyway.

Only whole foods market here has some high grav stuff, the Publix, Kroger etc. don't really. Exception being the Sweet Water Happy Ending (their winter seasonal) which is local an 9%.

Well, one Kroger occasionally has Dog Fish Head 90 minute as well.
 
Picked up a case of Sam Adams Summer Ale, I highly recommend. You can always count on Sam Adams.

I grabbed a sixer of Victory Whirlwind Witbier, never tried it before, tastes like a lighter Hoegarden. I normally enjoy Belgian wheats like Blue Moon, but not a fan of this one or Hoegarden for that matter.
 
Woohoo! Facebook update from one of the local beer stores that Southern Tier is available now.

I'd really missed their beers since moving to Atlanta last summer!
 
The Southern Tier news made me hit the beer store on the way home.

Picked up:

Southern Tier Unearthly Imperial IPA
Southern Tier Jahva Stout
Dales Pale Ale (6 pk)
Heavy Seas The Big Dipa (double IPA)
Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale
Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Fritz and Ken's Stout

Have had all before but the SN Anniversary. Didn't see much new to try, so went with old favorites. Was hoping to find the Bells Hopslam as they had it listed on the website, but turned out that was old news and long since sold out. :(
 
I don't want to spoil it for you, but Sierra Nevada's 30th Anniversary is delicious.

---

I had the Hitachino earlier and, while a good brew, foamed all over the place upon cracking it. Right now, I'm drinking another Dogfish Head Immort.
 
Have you heard anything about Goose Island's Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout? It's make rumblings on BeerAdvocate, and it's only available until the end of April.
 
[quote name='rabbitt']Put a Hitachino Nest XH in the refrigerator for later.[/QUOTE]

Good beer, but too expensive. Not sure how much it is near you but it's about $7 - $8 per bottle.

They finally sell 6-packs of Rouge' Juniper Pale Ale around here. It's a awesome beer to have during a hot day.
 
[quote name='Rodimus']Good beer, but too expensive. Not sure how much it is near you but it's about $7 - $8 per bottle.

[/QUOTE]

Agreed on both points. It's about $5 a bottle here.
 
Wow this thread was buried pretty deep!

I had a couple beers that are new to me this past weekend. Avery IPA - nice, complex beer at 6.3 or 6.3 %. Was a bit more citrus than I expected - though still not as much as an east coast ipa - but this one is outta Boulder, CO. Good carbonation too.

Terrapin Monk's Revenge. They say a combination of a Belgian tripel and a double IPA. 9.6%. This one was odd. Not bad at all but hard to place. Sorta in a category all it's own. It had that bubblegum smell and maybe a bit of banana so it leaned a bit towards the tripel. Had more bitterness than a tripel but not near enough as a double IPA. Also lacked that syrupy sweetness of a double IPA. A bit of alcohol burn at the end. All in all not a bad beer - just threw me for a loop. This was the 2010 release. It has now been added to the monster beer tour - previously just a side project beer for them. I have a 2009 side project bomber but haven't cracked it open yet.
 
Haven't had anything new lately.

Did have the Koningshoeven Quad on Tap and Victory Hop Devil on cask the other night which where both damn good. Had the first only in bottle, the latter in bootle and tap, but not cask conditioned before.
 
Haven't had anything lately.

I stopped drinking beer for over a month. But I may go out and pick myself up a little treat for later tonight. Maybe a 4 pack of Old Rasputin or Rouge's Juniper Pale Ale.
 
Firestone Walker, ladies. If you don't have the blessed awesomeness of living in California, find it in bottles.

IPA's, IPA's, and more IPA's....they definitely rank right up there with Allagash and Dogfish in terms of quality.

And every once in a while, they put gems out like Firestone Walker Parabola (Imperial Stout) to mix things up a bit.

:beer:
 
CVS screwed up and put 12 packs of Stella on sale for $8 a piece. Let's just say there was a very pissed up manager and no more Stella at the CVS in Greenwood.
 
this is whats on tonights menu

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Icehouse always got me drunk!

What I've been drinking lately - Avery IPA and Terrapin Monk's revenge.

Tonight I had a 2009 Stone Imperial Russian Stout. Last night had Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Extra.
 
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