Beer Sampling

[sosomething]

God I love Optimater, it's waaaaaaaaaaaaay better on tap tho. Once you have it on tap, you'll never wanna drink it outta a btl again, seriously. That stuff does get you pretty wasted tho. Try Paulaner Salvator, it's another dbl bock, just not as dark or thick, but it's better in a btl that Opti.

I'll look for tha Paulander Salvator.

Unfortunately we do not have a tap in the studio, thus bottles it must be (), but the same should be said for all good beer.

[Gr8Scott]

If you can stand the wait, get a case of Paulaner Salvator and stick it in a closet with no temp variance for 5 years. Occasionally get a bottle out and sample one bottle per year until you get to year 5. After that, it won't get much better with age and should be consumed because it's going to be smooth as silk and holy cow will it knock you for a loop quickly. It's not thick, and the age knocks off the alcohol taste and just leaves a nice dark beer to enjoy. It's SOOO good that way. Celebrator is almost too sweet for me. I don't like them to be that imbalanced. I love a good bock, but my tastes have changed a bit since my college days when I first found Bock beers. Bock beer is what started me brewing my own beer because in a backwoods state like mine they had a law for a while that banned any beer over 6% alcohol. No legislator would take it on because they were afraid of having angry MADD women taking the podium etc and they deflected the issue when I emailed them. Turns out the MADD women didn't have an issue with the alcohol percentage of beer and wouldn't oppose it. The change in the law passed just barely a couple of years ago. Microbreweries have started making high gravity ales as a result and we're getting more beer diversity now than ever. I am thankful for that.

[MikeS]

I'm one of those IPA drinkers that the real dark beer drinkers tend to dismiss as beer drinkers. Some folks do prefer a beer stronger on the hops than malts. I will agree that there are some that go way overboard, but I'm also not afraid to try a double IPA. I've had a few that were way too heavy on the hops, sure, but I do tend to prefer hoppier brews. Hey, if all beers were perfectly balanced there wouldn't be much point in having such a wide selection... we'd all be drinking the same brews.

I like many kinds of beer, and I prefer to find beers that best compliment my food. I rarely drink a beer as a "dessert" so I tend to search for beers with a crisp finish that go well with foods. While I'll drink the occasional "milkshake" beer, I've yet to find one that really acts like a beverage when consumed with a meal. Heck, some of those beers are a meal.

[ArtieToo]

I'm sipping a Dogfish Head 90 minute Imperial IPA as we speak. I just recently discovered these and love 'em. The 60 minute is good too, as is the Chicory.

I also like Nostradomus, Delerium Tremens and Nosturnum, and my all time favorite . . . Chimay Grande Reserve. (Blue label)

Great stuff.

[ArtieToo]

If you spot the following on your favorite imported liquor store . . . La Fin du Monde

I just bought a sixer of these last week. A little "lite" compared to what I normally drink, but a dang good brew when I want something thats not so heavy. I like Spatens for the same reason.

[MikeS]

I'm sipping a Dogfish Head 90 minute Imperial IPA as we speak. I just recently discovered these and love 'em. The 60 minute is good too, as is the Chicory.

I like it, too. The 60 Min. isn't that hard to come by, but I only know of a couple places that have the 90 min around here, and they are all out of my way. It's also $15 for a 4 pack here, so I don't partake that often.

If you like the IIPAs Artie then might I suggest Stone Ruination. It's tough to come by this far east, but **** worth it when you find it.

[Gr8Scott]

I like it, too. The 60 Min. isn't that hard to come by, but I only know of a couple places that have the 90 min around here, and they are all out of my way. It's also $15 for a 4 pack here, so I don't partake that often.

If you like the IIPAs Artie then might I suggest Stone Ruination. It's tough to come by this far east, but **** worth it when you find it.

I wouldn't dismiss a hop-head as being anything less than I am. That being said, I'll leave those stone brews to you man. I can't hang with that stuff. Isn't that the brewery that makes Arrogant Ba**ard and Double Arrogant Ba**ard? Tore my head clean off my body those beers did. I'm not man enough to drink them.

[guitfiddle]

I wouldn't dismiss a hop-head as being anything less than I am. That being said, I'll leave those stone brews to you man. I can't hang with that stuff. Isn't that the brewery that makes Arrogant Ba**ard and Double Arrogant Ba**ard? Tore my head clean off my body those beers did. I'm not man enough to drink them.

That's funny, cause it says on the bottle "You're not worthy" I love me a couple of them once in a while. As hoppy as they are, they still balance. Better than most IPAs, anyway.

If you get a chance, Gr8scott, you should head on over to Boone and go to the Cottonwood brewery. The IPA there is the one shining exception to the over-hopped IPA rule, and it is delicious!!!

[MikeS]

The Dogfish 60 and 90 both balance well, and that's probably why they are so tasty.

I haven't had the Stone Arrogant Bastard yet. There's only one place I know of that has Stone around here, and it's a 30 minute trip if traffic on I-75 doesn't suck... but when the hell does that ever happen?

[Gr8Scott]

That's funny, cause it says on the bottle "You're not worthy" I love me a couple of them once in a while. As hoppy as they are, they still balance. Better than most IPAs, anyway.

If you get a chance, Gr8scott, you should head on over to Boone and go to the Cottonwood brewery. The IPA there is the one shining exception to the over-hopped IPA rule, and it is delicious!!!

Yes the bottle did warn me that I wasn't worthy. I didn't listen. I learned my lesson.

I don't think Cottonwood is still running their own show per se. Carolina Brewery is making their beers for them and they changed the recipe's slightly. I'm not as much of a fan of those beers unless they are on tap somewhere cause the bottling process kills most of the flavor for some reason.

[mediumpimpin]

If you can stand the wait, get a case of Paulaner Salvator and stick it in a closet with no temp variance for 5 years. Occasionally get a bottle out and sample one bottle per year until you get to year 5. After that, it won't get much better with age and should be consumed because it's going to be smooth as silk and holy cow will it knock you for a loop quickly. It's not thick, and the age knocks off the alcohol taste and just leaves a nice dark beer to enjoy. It's SOOO good that way.

I'm definitely gonna do that one of these days. Does the beer continue to ferment and get stronger when it sits?

Arrogant bastard isn't bad, but I'm definitely not worthy.

[Gr8Scott]

I'm definitely gonna do that one of these days. Does the beer continue to ferment and get stronger when it sits?

Arrogant bastard isn't bad, but I'm definitely not worthy.

No. It gets smoother and is easier to drink. If you like raspy beer that is rough on your tongue and throat, drink it while it is young. If you like smooth and refined flavor, drink it after it has aged 5 years. No further fermentation will occur. It only gets easier to drink and tastes better IMHO.

[ginormous]

For some reason, my expectation of the subject was a different meaning of the word "sampling"...


"Bud..." *wikka-wikka-wikka* "weis..." *wikka-wikka* "...er."

[ex-250]

I'm sipping a Dogfish Head 90 minute Imperial IPA as we speak. I just recently discovered these and love 'em. The 60 minute is good too, as is the Chicory.

im a big fan of dogfish head. ive had the chicory stout on tap at their restaurant actually (one of the benefits of going to school in delaware). i love the 60 and 90 minute IPAs, but a friend of mine has had the 120 minute and said it wasnt very good. while this is kinda disappointing...thank god. that means i dont have to spend $9 on a single bottle of beer (and im sure its even pricier for you out-of-delware people)

[ArtieToo]

No, thats the same price it is here. The 90 is around $11.50 for a 4-pak. I've never tried the 120 just because the alcohol content is just too much for even me. I believe its around 20%. That beer would hurt me.

[sosomething]

I wouldn't dismiss a hop-head as being anything less than I am. That being said, I'll leave those stone brews to you man. I can't hang with that stuff. Isn't that the brewery that makes Arrogant Ba**ard and Double Arrogant Ba**ard? Tore my head clean off my body those beers did. I'm not man enough to drink them.

LOL That stuff is great! AB is always good but the Double Bastard is one of my favorites.

Stone has a number of really good brews. The afore-mentioned Ruination IPA is rockin' on a Summer day and I would never turn down one of their smoked porters either.

[Gr8Scott]

LOL That stuff is great! AB is always good but the Double Bastard is one of my favorites.

Stone has a number of really good brews. The afore-mentioned Ruination IPA is rockin' on a Summer day and I would never turn down one of their smoked porters either.

The smoked porter does sound nice. Is it loaded with enough hops to fry my tastebuds into oblivion?

[sosomething]

The smoked porter does sound nice. Is it loaded with enough hops to fry my tastebuds into oblivion?

NO! It's smooth and malty. Very tasty.

If you try it and like it, move up to Left Hand "Smoke Jumper" smoked imperial porter. That stuff will change your life.