I think we need a beer thread. Mainly I want to ask the question, "What is your favorite beer?". But feel free to share any beer related stories you want.


So, I stopped in at my local LCBO today, because I felt the desire to pick up a bottle o' wine.

Just as an aside, the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario), is where you buy your wine and spirits in Ontario. You can buy beer there too, or you can buy beer at the nearest Beer Store, which is, actually the official name of the company, "Beer Store". At least you know what they sell without having to go in and check it out. These are the only places you can buy spirits in Ontario, other than of course bars/taverns/restaurants/etc. If you want to enjoy a beverage at home you have to go to either the Liquor Store or the Beer Store, or the occasional grocery store that has a Wine Rack, and are allowed to sell wine only. Beer Store is owned by the provincial government still, I believe, but the LCBO is now a private corporation, if I'm not mistaken, but still have a monopoly on spirits.

I know, conservatives and libertarians, it's a horrible socialist system, and buying alcohol here is about twice as expensive (that's not entirely an exaggeration) as anywhere I have lived in the U.S., where I could purchase items from any grocery or corner store.

Anyway, back to my story. I stopped at the Liquor Store to buy wine, but the cool thing about the LCBO's beer stock is that they tend to have more interesting foreign and microbrew options than the actual Beer Store. I discovered that they carried one of my favorite beers, Smithwicks, so I bought a can of it. Yes, just one can.

I don't think I've had a Smithwicks (Irish ale) since university, where one of the bars I frequented used to carry it on tap. I don't remember ever coming across it in the States, and I don't frequent bars/pubs with any frequency any more so I had no idea that it was even produced, let alone available at the LCBO.

I drank it as soon as I got home. It was as good as I remembered.

Yum.

What's your favorite beer?

Mine is: New Glarus Spotted Cow

When i was living in wisconsin last year i would drink this, but they dont sell it here in minnesota so i got to drive a little ways now to get some. An excellent beer

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My Blog:http://nrm88.wordpress.com/
Where i post my thoughts and also review video games

i hate to sound so very boring and unpretentious, but my two favorite beers are corona and blue moon... i also quite enjoy me a stella....

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Isn't it pretty to think so?

Now this is my kinda topic!!

My favourite style of beer is American Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada is a good commercial example. Lots of malty goodness with a massive hop schedule. Hops, hops and more hops!!! load it up. Make sure you get em fresh though as hop fragrances/flavours delplete over time.

I'm a beginner in the craft brewer field, which is distinct from the home brewer in that it's the love of brewing and experimentation that are the drivers. Sure, I do love to drink it as well.... mmmmmmm

Another favourite style, if I'm in an extravagant mood, is a Bière de Garde called Trois Monts - Biere de flandre, a french farmhouse style ale which is cellared usually for 18 months or more. It's about $25 AUD per 700ml bottle here which is quite expensive, however most people think nothing about spending that on wine.

I was trained in wine tasting (previous job) but I now find much more diversity and refinement in beer. My palette has been elevated (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!!). Beer is so very underated.

Pinning it down to a few styles is difficult though, as there are some great beers around, i.e. Kolsch, lagers and even just a real simple ale. Once you escape the 'dumbed down drink it ice cold to kill the flavour' styles that are the staple, brewed for economy, the avenues are limitless.



tehBelle, you've lost a LOT of ground with Corona (it can pass on a hot day with a bit of lime for flavour), gained a bit with Blue Moon (from a wiki read) and then you've gone 'Bell' curved with the Stella


I'll keep a look out...

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i had a worm in my hair and i slept on the worm and then i found it in my soup and i sat on a hot piece of tin and my skirt inched up and my panties got hot so i went to the freezer and I ate a big onion is that bad de doo de dee doo

*rolls up sleeves* What an excellent thread this is

I can't pick one favourite so it's going to have to be at least several.. Included in my list would be:

UK - Deuchars IPA, Pendle Witches Brew, Greene King IPA, London Pride
Belgium - De Koninck, La Chouffe (and their Christmas beer), Ninkeberry
Germany - Köstritzer (Schwarzbrau), Erdinger Weissbier, Warsteiner

I think I'll stop at Europe for now and give somebody else a turn

Also - do they call Stella 'wifebeater' everywhere else too?

My suspicions are that beer brewed in Wisconsin/Minnesota area would be very good. I once had a discussion with an older couple from Buffalo, when I was living in Oregon, where we agreed that beer from the Pacific Northwest was the best North America had to offer. We concluded it was because of the water quality in the area.

Now, this is just an impression and not based on any practical knowledge, but I think your area has good quality water as well, and, theoretically, should have good beer!



Beers from the NW that I remember fondly: Fat Tire, Terminal Gravity, and some local pub that brewed some awesome beer whose name I can't remember.



Pale Ale is my preferred brew. Sierra Nevada is a fine example, but not my favorite. Although it may be the best nationally sold pale ale...







I don't mind either way what people think about beer... ...Movies, on the other hand... ...you just boggle my mind...



Yeah, I've never heard of any of those crazy beers.

Personally, I don't call Stella anything. I don't even consider it...

Little Creatures Pale Ale. Made in Fremantle in Western Australia, a wonderful drink to have by the sea.

Most other beers are too bitter.

Shiner Bock It's medium color beer. States neighboring Texas get it I think. That or Guinness.

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The world moves on a woman's hips
The world moves and it swivels and bops
The world moves on a woman's hips
The world moves and it bounces and hops
A world of light...shes gonna open our eyes up

-Talking Heads

Ne, Ni, Ti, Se, Fe, Fi, Si, Te

I just tried this beer for the first time this evening!!! My reaction: - truly superb.

It's just beautiful isn't it?

I once brought over a 6 pack to a friend's place (we were going to watch the footy together). We didn't around to the Little Creatures so it sat in his fridge until he had a barbeque that I didn't go to for some reason. The next day, the people who went to the bbq came over to me and told me I was a god for providing them with that beer.

I just saw that at the bar when i went to get some beer, but i ended up getting Sierra Nevada pale ale (which i think is pretty good ). I think ill try that Shiner bock next though, since i can get it.

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My Blog:http://nrm88.wordpress.com/
Where i post my thoughts and also review video games

Let's see...

First of all, I have to mention our local Missouri craft beers... Schlafly in St. Louis and Boulevard in Kansas City. I'm not sure how much distribution they get out of state, but they brew some really good beers... I like both of their porters. We've also got a really good brewpub here in Columbia called Flat Branch... great beer and great food. My favorites from them are Katy Trail Pale Ale and Oil Change Stout (and the green chili chicken fingers, but this is about beer...).

Outside of the local stuff, I've got a number of favorites that I enjoy. Goose Island in Chicago makes some good beers... I especially like the Honker's Ale, IPA, and Oatmeal Stout. Sierra Nevada's good, and they've got an IPA now, too that I quite enjoy. I don't think I've met a Sam Adams that I haven't liked yet. Newcastle Brown, Bass, Guinness, Smithwicks...

Oh, and Rogue Dead Guy Ale and Shakespeare Stout.

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These are my perceptions... Take them as you will...

INFP, Enneagram Type 4w5, sx/sp, R|L|UAI

(Note: I'm pretty ignorant of what I'm about to ask so if anything you hear comes across as uninformed, it probably is. Bear with me)

Last semester I wrote an argumentative essay for college. The essay's prompt was "Beer, when consumed in moderation, has more health benefits than health risks." I was inspired to write the essay after reading a random pro-beer article online that talked about how healthy it is. I read it and thought to myself "Actually, this makes a lot of sense".

Now the points of the article are too long to go into but that's not really important right now. What's important is this: that article inspired me. I want to find some beer that would taste good to me and also to maybe take a stab at brewing later on. I hear alot of bad adjectives attached to mainstream beer in the U.S.: i.e. Budweiser and Coors. They say it's watered-down, bland, tasteless, too light...and maybe some other things. It seems likely, considering how most Americans (and probably alot of non-Americans too) know so little about nutrition and don't really eat enough proper food. For example, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are less common than saturated fats and whole grains have fallen out of style in favor of white grains.

I buy alot of my food fresh and organic, from small producers, so I know it's good. I don't like my food overly processed or so loaded with chemicals that its more unhealthy than healthy. What beer brands would fit this description? Healthy, organic beer that still has all the B6 and B12 and phosphorus and niacin that I read about and researched? I haven't looked around the beer section of the local farmer's market but I plan to very soon.

Thank you to all respondents.

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"It is a melancholy fact that massive works of the intellect do not spring from the abstract workings of the brain and the imagination; they are deeply rooted in the personality." -Paul Johnson

INFP, 4w5 sx/sp

I don't know about organic beers, but I would imagine they exist. I think the best option would probably be to go to a liquor store that has a lot of small batch or craft beers and read the description on the pack to see if it mentions anything about organic components.

As far as the complaints about the large American beer companies, my dad and I have a theory as to why this is so. First of all, a lot of Americans (if I may generalize a bit here) do not have the most refined tastes and have not developed an actual appreciation for the taste of beer in general. However, they also want to be able to get drunk sometimes. These larger companies cater to that. They make beer for people who don't like the taste of beer, but want to drink it large quantities.

As I said, it's just a theory, but it kind of makes sense to both my dad and me. (But we're kind of beer snobs as it is...)

Also, I failed to mention another small American company that I enjoy: Red Hook, I just picked up a six pack of their Long Hammer IPA the week before I became unemployed again, and it is quite good.

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These are my perceptions... Take them as you will...

INFP, Enneagram Type 4w5, sx/sp, R|L|UAI

Thank you Greg.

I've heard the theory that Budweiser and Coors design their beer for being consumed in large quantities before and you're another voice in favor of it. I'd bet it's true.

I will look into the brands that everyone in this thread has mentioned so far but I hope it tastes better than it smells. I guess when I say "organic", I mean beer that has its natural ingredients fairly intact.

I forgot to add that I'm not legally old enough to drink and the only friend I have who does drink moved to San Francisco last summer. So any plans or decisions I mention will probably have to wait.

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"It is a melancholy fact that massive works of the intellect do not spring from the abstract workings of the brain and the imagination; they are deeply rooted in the personality." -Paul Johnson

INFP, 4w5 sx/sp

Budweiser and Coors and stuff like that are labelled as lagers over here, as far as the UK's concerned there is a distinct difference between them and beers or ales. IIRC I remember hearing somewhere that lagers were first brewed in response to customer demand for a lighter. more refreshing product. Ale and beers are great and all but they can be a bit heavy for a quick drink on summer's afternoon.



I think organic (in terms of them having no artificial ingredients) beers are actually pretty common over here, we have to compete with the German brands more than I think you guys in the US do, and the Germans have really high legal standards for what kind of things can go in their beers.



You're 20 aren't you? You should be able to pass for 21, surely? Or are they real sticklers where you are for demanding to see your ID?

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What would the world be, once bereft
Of wet and of wildness? Let them be left,
O let them be left, wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet. - Gerard Manley Hopkins

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i had a worm in my hair and i slept on the worm and then i found it in my soup and i sat on a hot piece of tin and my skirt inched up and my panties got hot so i went to the freezer and I ate a big onion is that bad de doo de dee doo

I grew up in a beer-drinking, beer-making family. Had my first big gulp of beer (lager actually) at four. I like beers with sweetish roasted malt or smooth bitter hop. I enjoy a pale lager or a shandy on warm days. (I don't like Budweiser - probably the worst I've ever tasted.)

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Actually, lagers and ales are two different styles of beer, but both are still beer. It does sort of make sense that lagers are considered separate from beer in the UK, as most of the beers native to the UK fall under the ale category, and lagers originate in Germany. My dad could get into the real technical nitty gritty stuff because he brews his own beer, but the basic difference has something to do with the brewing process itself.

That being said, the large American beers may be labeled lagers, but they do not in any way stand up to the quality of real German lagers, and again I have to assert that they're designed for fast mass consumption by people who don't actually like beer.

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These are my perceptions... Take them as you will...

INFP, Enneagram Type 4w5, sx/sp, R|L|UAI