Beer! Beer! Beer!

[myshel]

I know that there's a thread for wine here, but try as I might, I just can't get into wine. I am, however, very much into trying new beer.

I thought this thread could be a place to share our favorites, give reviews of new beers we've tried, or a place to just ask questions or discuss beer in general.

I know that there are some great microbrews out there and those are regional, but share your experiences with those too. DH and I travel a lot and like to hit the local breweries or try local favorites on our adventures.

Discuss away!

[myshel]

These are some of my favorite breweries:

New Belgium (http://shop.newbelgium.com/index.php)

Millstream Brewing Company (http://www.millstreambrewing.com/)

Cedar Brewing Company (http://www.cedarbrewing.com/beer.html)

Big Sky Brewing (http://www.bigskybrew.com/)

[msnicolea]

My very favorite beer in the world, I think available only in Wisconsin,is New Glarus Spotted Cow.
http://www.newglarusbrewing.com/images/l_spottedcow2.gif

Heaven. Sheer Heaven. We actually drove home to our wedding with 20 or so cases in the back of our rental just so we could serve it at our rehearsal dinner/reception.

http://www.newglarusbrewing.com/

[greenbunny]

DH's and my favorite beer we've had in the US is the lager at The Crab House on Pier 39 in San Fransisco. Unfortunately they do not sell it outside the restaurant.

We were recently at a beer fest, and a local brewer makes a milk beer--so odd, but very good. DH also belongs to a beer club and has had a few great ones, though we've been disappointed at how often then send lousy IPAs.

I prefer a light beer, but DH goes for the darkest stuff. (Sam Smith's Taddy Porter is his favorite mass-produced beer.) I think my favorite was a pale wheat ale at the beer fest, I think it's made near Reading.

[kissmary]

My favorite beer is New Castle Brown Ale.

We recently visited a local brewery, because we already love their beer: Abita (http://www.abita.com). Abita Amber has been great on tap, but I'm a fan of Turbo Dog in bottles. Their special Strawberry Harvest Lager, available now for a limited time is pretty tasty, too.

[mkvh]

a local brewer makes a milk beer--so odd, but very good.

You're from PA, right, greenbunny? If it's a stout, I've had it, and it's awesome! Mmmmm!

The title of this thread made my mouth water as I haven't had a beer since November 3rd! Only 6 more weeks to go!!!


Favorite for everyday consumption? Yuengling Black & Tan. I'm also a fan of Sierra Nevada Summerfest. But those are just the mass-produced ones....can't think of any micros offhand.

[PG-rated]

I was out last night and tried a Hook and Ladder Backdraft Lager for the first time. I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a medium-dark lager.

I think my favorite mass-distribution beer is Samuel Adams Cranberry Lambic. Too bad it's so hard to find in season.

[myshel]

At softball tonight, I had a pretty yummy Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout. It was pretty smooth for a stout.

I also tried a Leinie's Berryweis (sp?) this weekend. It was good, but a bit too sweet for me. DH tried an interesting beer this weekend-- Chili Beer (http://www.chilibeer.com/index2.htm)made by the Cave Creek Brewery out of Arizona. It's a Corona-like beer that has a whole chili pepper in the bottle. My DH is Hispanic and loves spicy foods (and has taught me to love them as well), and even he was tamed by this beer. It's definitely a sipping beer.



mkvh: I was excited once DS stopped getting BM, and I could drink beer again.

[KarenS]

Shiner Bock is my favorite beer.

I'm also fond of Bass and and NewCastle.

Karen

[Myra]

My favorite is Julius Echtor, but only one bar here sells it.
Also a fan of Blue Moon, Victory Golden Monkey, Chimay, and Yeungling Lager (tastes like my early 20s).
We're moving to CA, and my husband is thrilled that he'll be able to get Fat Tire on a regular basis.

[greenbunny]

You're from PA, right, greenbunny? If it's a stout, I've had it, and it's awesome! Mmmmm!

Yup, that's it! I will have to look up the brewery.

[Lil_Mrs_0702]

MMMMMMMMmmmmmm! I am a big beer fan! My favorite is Mac and Jacks. It is brewed locally in redmond I think and it is sooo good. It's an African Amber and it goes down like apple cider. I can only find it at bars on tap.

I think my introduction to Mac and Jack and bar food were the best parts of turning 21.

[amorey]

My favorite beer is Viking Brewing Company (http://vikingbrewing.com/). It’s brewed by a former coworker of mine and my dad distributes it in the Twin Cities. It’s only available in Minnesota and Wisconsin, but if you can get it it’s soo yummy. It’s a live, non-pasteurized or cold filtered beer, so you have to refrigerate it or it goes bad. The fun thing about this is that the beers get more alcoholic as they age. The darker beers last longer and they get *really* good after a while. :cool:

[msnicolea]

I have enjoyed a few Viking "Copperheads" in my time!

[amorey]

msnicolea, that’s really cool! It’s weird for me to think about people picking it up at a bar or liquor store because the brewer had the hardest time getting it sold in Minnesota. We always had to make trips out to the brewery. I still get excited when I see it at the liquor store.

[Tanya]

The best light beer available nationally is Sam Adams Light. DH and I both really enjoy that one. Shiner Bock Light is pretty good too.

[msnicolea]

msnicolea, that’s really cool! It’s weird for me to think about people picking it up at a bar or liquor store because the brewer had the hardest time getting it sold in Minnesota. We always had to make trips out to the brewery. I still get excited when I see it at the liquor store.

I had it at a beer fest, first, and we've stumbled across it a few other times--maybe at one bar and one store? It's tasty!

[myshel]

The best light beer available nationally is Sam Adams Light. DH and I both really enjoy that one. Shiner Bock Light is pretty good too.

I'm not a light beer girl, but I do like Sam Adams light. My DH swears by Michelob Golden Light. We just got it here in IA (it used to be available in MN and WI) and all of DH's buddies love it. I tried it last night-- pretty tasty.

[maniach]

The best beer I have ever had in my life was some kind of Nut Brown Ale that was a super-microbrew and won some competition that allowed it to be mass bottled and sold for 2 years. I had it one time and have never seen it again.

My favorite every day beers are Yuengling and Blue Moon (this month, anyway--they constantly change!).

[amorey]

Ooo! I love Blue Moon, too.

[emmjay]

I love beer! :D

I like wheat beer in the summer, and Shiner Bock is another of my favorites (all year ;) ). I also like Negra Modelo. DH likes IPAs (India Pale Ales) because he likes the really hoppy flavor - those are good with spicy food but I don't like them just to drink.

If anyone wants to take a beer-related vacation, the Great American Beer Festival (http://www.beertown.org/events/gabf/index.htm) is an annual event in Denver, and it will be at the end of September. We went last year and it was awesome - breweries from all over the US and Canada participate. Tickets are $40, you get a little 1- or 2-oz glass and you can have unlimited samples of all of the hundreds and hundreds of beers! We had a blast.

[KarenS]

you get a little 1- or 2-oz glass and you can have unlimited samples of all of the hundreds and hundreds of beers! We had a blast.Oh Dear Lord. ;) I'd be falling down drunk in no time. Events like this don't work for lightweight drinkers like me. But I'd love to try it!

Karen

[emmjay]

Oh Dear Lord. ;) I'd be falling down drunk in no time. Events like this don't work for lightweight drinkers like me. But I'd love to try it!

Karen

What is so funny is that you don't even realize you are drunk because you're just drinking little ounces of beer - all of a sudden you look around and think, "what in god's name just happened to me???". We left after 2 hours, but I think the whole thing is 4-5 hours long per night, so you can imagine there are some hammered people there by the end of the evening! :D

I want to go this year but we will have a 2-month old baby. According to the rules you can bring kids under the age of 2, but that probably wouldn't be a very good idea... ;)

[elladee]

This thread made me realize how much I miss beer... I even wanted to go to grad school to become a brewmaster (Cornell has a program). I did my senior project (for my undergrad chem eng degree) about some colloidal properties of beer and wine. :D

But then my fellow beer fiends moved away, and I spent all last summer pregnant, and haven't really gotten back into things since. I think that's going to have to change. DH is pretty picky when it comes to beer, but I do think he has the potential of getting hooked.

This:
you get a little 1- or 2-oz glass and you can have unlimited samples of all of the hundreds and hundreds of beers
sounds like a blast!

[Missy2U]

Being from Chicago, I'm a lover of Goose Island (http://www.gooseisland.com/index.asp). They're Christmas ale is my one of my brother's Christmas presents every year. :) We even have a logo on one of our walls at home. (Long story - let me know if you want a picture - my husband does the "decorating" in the living room. :rolleyes: )

We're also lucky to have Millrose (http://www.millroserestaurant.com/) and Prairie Rock (http://www.prairierockbrewingcompany.com/schaumburg/index.shtml) close by. When it comes to regular every day drinking though, we're all about the Old Style. (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tips/getAttraction.php3?tip_AttractionNo==1447) Oh don't laugh! $1.75 drafts??? Come on - it don't get much better than that! ;)

[LIZNKEITH]

I saw “Beer, Beer, Beer” and had to come a-runnin’. :)

My favorite micro is a local beer, Sweetwater 420. Their Sweet GA Brown is really good as well. As far as big name brands go, I’d have to say Guinness or Bass. Do any of you have a Taco Mac (http://www.tacomac.com/) nearby? They have over 108 beers on tap and 350 bottled. I’ve recently signed up in their Passport Club (earn T-shirts and stuff after you’ve drinken x number of different beers). It offers some incentive of trying something new. A couple of good ones I’ve had since joining are Heavy Seas Peg Leg Stout (out of MD) and Spaten Franz Dunkel Hefe (out of Germany). Both VERY good.

[myshel]

we're all about the Old Style. (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tips/getAttraction.php3?tip_AttractionNo==1447) Oh don't laugh! $1.75 drafts??? Come on - it don't get much better than that! ;)

I'm so sorry! :p One of DH's softball buddies bought a whole case of Old Style with the idea that he'd give it to people at a party he had, so they wouldn't drink his "good beer." Needless to say, this guy pulls up to softball every week with four can of Old Style.

[mkvh]

emmjay---I was thinking how a sling would work for a Sept. trip to Denver....;) :p

greenbunny--IIRC, it was Lancaster Milk Stout, wasn't it? (I'm originally from PA.)

Shiner Bock--one of our local specialty grocers just started carrying this, and DH is a fan. We've got some in the fridge right now.

Yuengling--Now that I live in OH, I have to smuggle it across state lines. No distribution rights here. I think I'll be picking some up next weekend!

Light beers--amazingly enough, the new Michelob Ultra Amber (or whatever it's called) is not at all offensive. I'm an amber fan and was a bit worried...had to have a taste to see, pg or not!

Great Lakes Brewing Co.--regional and haven't had one I didn't like. Particularly a fan of the Burning River Ale.

A seasonal favorite...since someone brought up the Christmas beers...St. Nickolas Bock from Penn Brewery. Mmmm! Where, BTW, they have a quite fun Oktoberfest in the fall. Makes a good weekend trip to Pittsburgh!

[KarenS]

My favorite micro is a local beer, Sweetwater 420Ah yes. I like this one a lot. We haven't been to Taco Mac in a while - mostly because the one near us didn't become non-smoking until just this year.

Karen

[LIZNKEITH]

Karen,
Have you ever been to the Sweetwater Brewery? For $2 you get like 2 free beer tickets and for $5 you get a free Sweetwater pint glass and 5 free beer tickets. It was a really cool experience. Very laid back. People even had their dogs there. LOL!

[KarenS]

Have you ever been to the Sweetwater Brewery?No! Never been... but it sounds like someplace fun to go. Maybe DH and I should plan to visit some weekend.

K>

[allison]

Shiner Bock--one of our local specialty grocers just started carrying this, and DH is a fan. We've got some in the fridge right now.

Yuengling--Now that I live in OH, I have to smuggle it across state lines. No distribution rights here. I think I'll be picking some up next weekend!



Dh and I love Shiner....so tasty!
We coudln't get Yuengling here for so long, but now we can!
We're also fans of Saint Arnold Amber, SA Texas (good with BBQ), SA Lawnmower, SA Christmas and Stout. Yummmy! They also have a rocking root beer.

When DH and I were in South Africa we fell in love with Windhoek lager which we haven't been able to find here in the States.
We also like Bavaria lager.

[emmjay]

emmjay---I was thinking how a sling would work for a Sept. trip to Denver....;) :p

Ha, I was imagining the same thing! I actually brought this up to DH last night - he looked at me like I was completely insane and told me there is no freaking way we're bringing our baby to the beer fest. BOOOOOO! ;)

Has anyone mentioned Guinness yet? I know it's like a meal in a glass, but sometimes a pint of Guinness is soooo good!

[KarenS]

Has anyone mentioned Guinness yet? I know it's like a meal in a glass, but sometimes a pint of Guinness is soooo good!The beer you chew? :)

DH makes black & tans all the time - in fact we even have the special Guinness spoon for doing so ... and proper pint glasses, too. :) Every now and then I'll drink one with him, but really I find Guinness just too much for my taste. Although I do have a recipe for a chocolate Guinness cake and a Guinness fruitcake, neither of which I've tried.

Karen

[myshel]

Guinness... oh, how I love thee! Guinness was probably the single thing I missed most while being pg. After I was done BFing, the first beer I had was a deliciously cold Guinness in a local pub/grill place. I still remember everything about that night.

It can be a bit much, but I tell myself that "it's liquid bread; it's good for you." I read somewhere once that Guinness was so popular in Ireland because anyone could drink it in place of an actual meal. Pregnant women actually drank it when a healthy meal wasn't affordable! I might be way off, but I remember thinking it was interesting.

[elladee]

I *heart* Guiness. :D It's my favorite big name beer.

[LIZNKEITH]

Karen,
I think they only do the tours on Tuesday's and Thursdays. The tour starts at 4:20 , of course. ;)

Guinness
One of my fave's as listed in my post. Three years ago DH and I made the trek to our Mecca, the Guinness Brewery in Dublin. And as far as pregnancy/BFing goes, I just read an artical somewhere that said it was good for a pregnant woman to drink one every now and then. Something about the iron content, I think. I even drank a couple while I was BFing to try to increase my supply, but it didn't help much.

[ruledbymercury]

My favorite beer ever is La Fin Du Monde from the Unibroe company in Quebec. I've seen it at my local Publix grocery store here in Orlando, but it's pricey and only comes in four-packs. It tastes like a beer/champagne hybrid! Love it! They make a slightly darker version called Maudite that is also great. And a green apple beer called Ephemere. I'll pretty much drink anything made by Unibroe.

I also love all the fruity-beers. Sea Dog Blueberry & Raspberry, Wicked Pete's Strawberry Blonde, Pumpkinhead Lager, etc.

[LIZNKEITH]

Mmmmm...I'm getting so many inspirations for the next time I go to Taco Mac. There are so many here that i want to try.

[FallingforPhil]

also tried a Leinie's Berryweis (sp?) this weekend. It was good, but a bit too sweet for me.

Ah, see--you missed a very important step! You've got to mix the Berryweiss with a bottle of Honeyweiss! Yum, Yum, Yum. I can't believe it's June and I've yet to have the first Berryweiss of the season--thanks for reminding me!

DH and I are big Leinie's fans--I like all of their varieties, esp. Honeyweiss and Big Butt. Their new one--Harvest Wheat, maybe??--tastes really similar to Blue Moon, which I also love. Has anyone else been to the Leinie's brewery in Chippewa Falls? It's pretty cool-they still do lots of steps by hand.

[strwbrygirl]

Has anyone here been to the American Beer Fest (http://beeradvocate.com/fests/)? We're thinking about checking it out this month.

Microbrew-wise, I'm a fan of Smuttynose IPA, Whale's Tail Pale, Dogfish Head Pumpkin, Portsmout Brewery's Old Brown Dog, Great Lakes Brewing Co's Eliot Ness and their Cellar Dweller ... but I'm definitely up for trying new flavors! (That milk stout sounded really good!)
We're really lucky that there are a lot of microbreweries around this area. Actually, we were just walked to our local "beer bar" for dinner tonight- The Publick House (http://www.thepublickhousebrookline.com/).

I also like some of the ciders- Woodchuck Granny Smith, Cider Jack, but I have to be in the right mood.

[kugrrly]

mmmm all of these yummy beers mentioned and I am stuck here with the old Miller lite

[LIZNKEITH]

Tried a couple of new ones over the weekend, all of which were pretty good:
1. Pete's Wicked Rally Cap (a refreshing beer with a twist of lemon)
2. Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde (good if you like flavored beers)
3. Shiner Bock (wasn't so impressed...I know, I was shocked after the reviews in here)
4. Sweetwater Double D's (VERY good! A High Gravity beer with a great flavor. I even tried to find it in the store later. Definitely one I would go back to.)

[greenbunny]

Karen, I'd love to try those Guinness recipes, if you wouldn't mind posting them.

[Hello Kitty]

I've only had this a few times, but Kasteel (a belgian white) is really good. And, erm, it's 12% or something :o so you get a little more bang for your buck.

http://www.wittyswine.com/labels/P00670.jpg

I also had a cider (woodchuck, IIRC) and I really liked it. It's not bitter or savory like other beers, but it's not sickeningly sweet like hard lemonade and such.

[1MegMeg]

emmjay and strwbrygirl - Wow, those beer fests look so fantastic! I wish there was something like that close to me!

Oh beer, how I love thee, let me count the ways. lol!

I like beer, all beer, but here are some of my favorites:

Guiness
Yuengling
Alaskan Brewery Smoked Porter - Soooo good, wish they distributed to the east
Sea Dog Blue Paw Wheat Ale
Dunedin Brewery (local) Beach Tale Pale Ale
John Courage (from England)
Old Peculiar (also from England)

[strwbrygirl]

Here's a link (http://beeradvocate.com/events/calendar.php?id=1&c_id=&s_id=&) to some upcoming festivals- sorry, I didn't see any for FL this month, but it looks like there's one in Jacksonville next month. (Not sure if that's near you or not.) It seems like there are a bunch in PA!

Karen, I'd love to try out your Guinness recipes as well, if you're willing to post them!

[KarenS]

Here are the recipes. I haven't tried either one of them, but both came from a friend who I trust completely and she says they're wonderful.

Chocolate Guinness Cake
2 c Guinness
4 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 c dutch-process cocoa powder (unsweetened)
4 c flour
4 c sugar
1 T baking soda
1 1/2 t salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 c sour cream

Ganache
2 c whipping cream
1 lb bittersweet semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a large bundt pan (alternately you can use 3 9" cake pans lined with parchment and buttered) and dust with cocoa powder (you can use flour, but the cocoa powder avoids the white dots on the dark cake).

Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined and pour into Bundt pan.

Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes.

While cake is cooling, make the ganache: Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. You can either pour the ganache over the cake as is and let it just drip down the sides and puddle, or you can let the ganache sit until room temperature and then whip on high speed with a mixer until light and fluffy and use as frosting.

The recipe can also be halved if you have a small Bundt pan or want to make a 9x13 sheet cake.

Guinness Fruit Cake
1 c butter or margarine
1 c brown sugar
1-1/4 c Guinness
1-1/2 c raisins
1-1/2 c currants
1-1/2 c golden raisins
3/4 c mixed candied citrus peel
5 c flour
1/2 t baking soda
1 t mixed spice
1 t nutmeg
3 large eggs

(There's a step in the middle that involves cooling - so don't preheat your oven until you're past that step.) Preheat oven to 325. Butter a 9 inch cake pan and line with parchment paper.

Place the butter sugar and the Guinness in a pan and bring slowly to the boil stirring all the time until the sugar and butter have melted. Mix in the dried fruit and peel and bring mixture back to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and leave until cold. Sift flour spices and baking soda into a large mixing bowl, stir in cooled fruit mixture and beaten eggs.

Pour into cake pan and bake in the center of the oven for ~2 hours or until the tester comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Lightly dust with confectioner's sugar.

-----------
If you try them, let me know what you think. I may have to make one for BIL's birthday now.

K.

[myshel]

Thanks for sharing those, Karen. When I get back from my vacation, I'll try to make them and let you know. Man, what I wouldn't do for a beer right now!

Oh, I tried Heineken for the first time (you can laugh at me if you want to... I'm kind of lame like that) and I loved it. It was really... refreshing.

Oh, I wanted to add that Kidd Lager by the Fort Collins Brewing Company is absolutely delicious.

[kk junebug]

i live in CT and we dont get this certain beer in this area, but New Belgium's FAT TIRE is the absolute BOMB! its based in Colorado and i have my friend in Denver send me some every chance she gets!

[Smittenk]

Can't believe I haven't seen this thread until now!

My absolute favourites that I can basically drink like juice are lambics.

I love love Chimay

http://www.chimay.com/img_clipart/a2_a1_fbleue.jpg
Named Grande Réserve in 75 cl (25.4 fl.oz.) bottles, it is principally distinguished by its character of a strong beer.

This is a beer whose fragrance of fresh yeast with a light, flowery rosy touch is especially pleasant.

Its flavour, noticed when tasting it, only accentuates the pleasant sensations perceived in the aroma , while revealing a light but pleasant touch of roasted malt.

This top fermented Trappist beer , refermented in the bottle, is not pasteurised.


Framboise and Kriek Lambics Like Lindemans

http://www.merchantduvin.com/images/brewery_art/lindeman_art/lind_framboise_bott.gif


Magnificent aroma, delicate palate of raspberries with undertones of fruity acidity; elegant, sparkling clean natural taste. Style—Raspberry Lambic. Color—Rose.


I am also a big fan of Guinness but I really love it at the factory in Dublin...it really does taste different!

ETA...that is me and DH at the Guinness Factory this past V-Day!

[chefker]

kk junebug - I am in CT also, and DH & I LOVE Fat Tire! So hard to find around here.

Other than that, I like several other beers: Smithwick's, Dixie Blackened Voodoo (another one I can't find around here!), Guinness, and Smuttynose Old Brown Dog ale.

Any New England area folks been to Northampton Brewery (http://www.northamptonbrewery.com/) in Northampton, MA? Their Raspberry Gold is to die for. I usually get the sampler whenever we go there---I think you get 4 good size samples of beer. :)

[myshel]

i live in CT and we dont get this certain beer in this area, but New Belgium's FAT TIRE is the absolute BOMB! its based in Colorado and i have my friend in Denver send me some every chance she gets!

I love all of New Belgium's beers. In fact, I even took a vacation once to Fort Collins to see the brewery. A few years ago, DH bought me some of their beer promo posters and had them framed for my birthday. They're hanging in our dining room. Their Sunshine Wheat is fabulous too.

Like someone else mentioned, their beer is completely regional. I can NEVER find it in Iowa.

[Tanya]

Can't believe I haven't seen this thread until now!

My absolute favourites that I can basically drink like juice are lambics.

I love love Chimay

http://www.chimay.com/img_clipart/a2_a1_fbleue.jpg
Named Grande Réserve in 75 cl (25.4 fl.oz.) bottles, it is principally distinguished by its character of a strong beer.

This is a beer whose fragrance of fresh yeast with a light, flowery rosy touch is especially pleasant.

Its flavour, noticed when tasting it, only accentuates the pleasant sensations perceived in the aroma , while revealing a light but pleasant touch of roasted malt.

This top fermented Trappist beer , refermented in the bottle, is not pasteurised.
Ah, but Chimay is not a beer, it's an ALE (as DH likes to say)! I agree, it's good stuff, but it's 9% alcohol, so be careful! Almost as high as some wines. And I love Framboise as well--a bar around here used to actually have it on tap. Now they only have it in the bottle.

[Smittenk]

but it's 9% alcohol, so be careful! Almost as high as some wines

Yep I only need one to start making me feel a little loopy!

[strwbrygirl]

Any New England area folks been to Northampton Brewery in Northampton, MA? Their Raspberry Gold is to die for. I usually get the sampler whenever we go there---I think you get 4 good size samples of beer.

Haven't been yet, but I want to check it out!

[seattleguamgirl]

Add me as another Fat Tire fan. I didn't know I had it so good--I can buy Fat Tire at Costco! I can't imagine not being able to get it!

I also love Guiness and Black & Tans--my first alcoholic beverage after having DS. :)

[vee05]

Rockbottom has some great German Ales!
Yummo

[JenInAZ]

Yay New Belgium fans :o) I, too, love Fat Tire and Sunshine Wheat (grew up in CO and went to college about 45 mins from Ft. Collins, where it's brewed) and am so glad it's readily available where I live now (AZ). Poor SO gets bummed when he's in Seattle or LA for work and can't get Fat Tire all week. I also really like plain ol' MGD. :o)

[Kelly's Girl]

My brother had Fat Tire on tap at his wedding- it rocked!

Any Ga. beer girls out there? I LOVELOVELOVE sweetwater 420 (or any sweetwater!)

I am from La., and I am currently all into the Abita Restoration. It not only is the tastiest, they donate to the hurricane relief!

MMM...other beers in my fridge right now:
Coors light- always
Dos Equis Lager (green bottle)
Corona Light
Abita Wheat
Sam Adams
Shiner Blonde

Can you tell I luvs my beer?

[LIZNKEITH]

Kelly's Girl,
Any Ga. beer girls out there?
ME!
I *heart* Sweetwater! I actually have 420 and Hummer in my fridge right now. Have you tried Sweetwater Double D's yet? Probably my favorite yet. They have it right now at Taco Mac. Yum! I've been searching high and low to find it bottled. I'm going to the brewery Thursday and plan on asking.

[myshel]

Tonight, I drank a Chocolate Stout (that's the name) from the Fort Collins Brewing Company. Holy cow! Love it!!!

I also drank a Grant's Lazy Days which is a pale ale. It was good, though pale ales aren't always my favs.

We are currently stocked with beer as well. We have 10 different kinds in there right now. I'll have to check and see what we've got.

[pyjammy]

I can't say I'm a huge beer connessieur or anything, but I do love wheat beers, especially Blue Moon and Hoegaarden. Mmm! I also like Paulaner Hefe-Weisen (yeah, I know I'm butchering the spellings) and (another Louisiana girl here) Abita Wheat. A PP mentioned their strawberry beer they have right now - it is SO good! I love fruit in my beer. :)

[LIZNKEITH]

I also like Paulaner Hefe-Weisen

I just tried that this past weekend for the first time. Very good beer. I really am starting to enjoy a nice Hefe every now and then. Especially with summer here. There very refreshing with a twist of lemon.

[seattleguamgirl]

Poor SO gets bummed when he's in Seattle or LA for work and can't get Fat Tire all week.

I'm in the Seattle area and can get plenty of fat tire here. Where is he looking?

[sinderstorm]

For the New Belgium fans- we did a brewery tour and their new Skinny Dipping beer is REALLY good. I think it just came out in the last few weeks as their seasonal summer beer.

[FoxyBlue]

Sam Adam's Winter Ale (I think)- Seasonal
Shiner Bock- Excellent Texas Beer
Chimay Trippel-Trappist Monk Ale, My fave!
New Belgium 1964- I think.... Excellent dark

[paiger]

I pretty much take whatever's the darkest porter/Lager or stout on tap. I love stouts, but if I'm going to be drinking all night, then I go with a darker lager or porter, if they have one. I LOVE to go to microbreweries and get their dark lagers. I'm not really a Wheat Beer fan or Indian Pale Ales.

I'm also a fan of Flying Saucers, b/c of all the beers they have on draft.

I do like (off the top of my head):
Highland Oatmeal Porter
Highland Gaelic Ale
Newcastle
Shinerbock
Negro Modelo
Guiness
German Beers - Dunkle
Yuengling and Coors Light are my cheap beer staples

[LIZNKEITH]

So, what did everyone drink or serve at yesterday’s festivities?

We served Liberty Ale (http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beers/libertyale.htm) in the spirit of the occasion. I had never tried it before, but it was really good if you like a hoppy beer. It seemed to be a hit. I only had a few left over this morning.

ardathpaige,
I really enjoy Highland beers. I tried a few for the first time when I was in Asheville for a friends wedding 3 years ago. I liked it so much, I brought a couple of 6’s home with me. Taco Mac near us serves them, so I’ve ordered them a few times as well. Very good beer!

[myshel]

Over the weekend, we tried a few new beers. The first is called Major Tom's. It's brewed by the Fort Collins Brewery and is billed as Pomegranate Wheat. It's a pretty easy drink and has a bit of a sweet/tart taste to it. DH loves it.

The other we tried is called Wheach and is brewed by the O'Fallon Brewing Company (O'Fallon, MO). It's a peach wheat beer. It's so smooth. Man, I swear I drank the whole six pack this weekend. It's fruity, but not in an overpowering way. I'm surprised I liked it so much.

[LIZNKEITH]

Warning!!

I just had the worst beer of my life last night, Flying Dog Horn Dog. If you encounter this beer, turn and run the other way. I ordered it because I've liked the other Flying Dog's I've tried. This one was really heavy on the barley and sickly sweet. It was painful to finish.

[kari]

I am such a fish out of water! I live in the wine country and love beer!!

Fat Tire
Sierra Nevada
Hefewisen
Stella Artois
Red Tail Ale
Corona
Boddingtons
Red Stripe

The best trip I have ever taken was to Oktoberfest! German beer is the best! No hangovers!

[LIZNKEITH]

Kari,
My SIL lives in Germany. I keep hoping that we’ll get out there for an Oktoberfest, but it looks doubtful for the next several years with kids and all. We did get out there Summer of 2004. I’m with you on the German beer. So good. I believe we were drinking on Bittenbergers when we were out there?