The Beer Thread

[DButz65]

Had some Flying Dog Old Bay Summer Ale over the weekend.....not a fan.  By to sampling other Summer Brews.

 

 

On draft or bottle?

Its 100x better on draft than in the bottle IMO

[Skinsfan1311]

On draft or bottle?

Its 100x better on draft than in the bottle IMO

 

With very few exceptions, isn't everything?  

[Dan T.]

Thrillist ranks the best beer bar in every state and DC...

 

 

What does "beer bar" mean? If you said "a bar that serves beer" you'd be right, and yet also wrong. A true beer bar obsesses over beer and caters to those who do the same. It cares about stuff like clean lines and proper glassware. It generally has a bunch of interesting beers on tap, but doesn't cheapen quality in a chase for sheer quantity. So wherever you happen to be in this country, if you seek out one of these 50 fine establishments, you can rest easy knowing you'll be having a better time than anyone else in the state.

https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/best-beer-bar-the-best-beer-bar-in-every-state

Worth a look.  (It's one link - not one of those pain-in-the-ass clickfests with a zillion ads.)

 

 

Locally:

Maryland - Max's Tap House, Baltimore (Haven't been... anybody?)

Virginia - Mekong, Richmond (odd choice, IMO... a pho restaurant. [shrug])

DC - ChurchKey (Not a bad choice.)

 

 

 

Edit: Looking into Mekong, and it looks to be the real deal for beer lovers.  Need to visit.

 

Here's a pic:

Edited May 10, 2016 by Dan T.

[dfitzo53]

I know the area where Max's is, but I've never been.  Might make a good birthday trip some time.

[DButz65]

With very few exceptions, isn't everything?  

 

True true lol but his one especially

[Why am I Mr. Pink?]

I used to live in Fells Point (a couple of times), had a friend who bartended at Maxs.  

 

They have pretty much every beer you can get in Maryland and then some. About 50 taps and a ton of bottles. But I go to about 3 different craft beer stores and can get any beer offered in MD anyway without the Max environment. 

 

Its def a browski environment though. Even on a nice quiet Saturday afternoon its pretty packed and they will be blarring Pearl jam or something like that. If there is a pub crawl, forgetaboutit. 

 

I spent most of my time at Blarney Stone across the street. Quality beer selection, awesome barkeeps, great juke box selection. Its like the hipster, bearded people, graffiti spot i guess. Id pop over to Maxs to try 1 or 2 beers I knew they had then get the hell out of there. 

 

Back to Maxs - what they do do that puts them on the map (besides the selection) is hosting various beer festivals where they will get beer you cant really find in Md. They also do beer releases for breweries. 

 

This week is their American Craft Beer Week and you can get Maine Lunch and Praire BOMB (2 beers i really like). Interesting that they were able to get Praire. I have never seen that in MD and have to order it online from a shop in Iowa City. 

 

Next week it looks like its Scandanavian Week. 

 

Def go to Max to try a wide selection of beers if you havent been before or if they have a particular beer you like that you cant find anywhere else. But I cant take more than 30 mins at a time there.  

--------------

 

edit - please go and make up your own mind and impression. I dont want to pre-condition anyones experience. Just not my particular favorite for an extended drinking session. 

 

Also, anyone try Goose Islands Bourbon County Brand Stout yet? It was alright. IM going to cellar a few bottles and see if it cant become a little more mealy and evolve the taste. KBS or BOMB is a tier above imo. 

Edited May 10, 2016 by Why am I Mr. Pink?

[China]

'Some say why - we say why not?' Craft brewery makes beer from yeast strains found in BELLY BUTTON fluff

 

• A Victorian brewery has created a batch of beer from belly button fluff 
• 7 Cent Brewery is set to release its new beer next month
• The beer will be tested at the 2016 Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular
• It was inspired by an American beer grown from beard hair in Oregon 

Click on the link for the full article

 

[China]

Budweiser seeks approval to be called ‘America’ this summer

 

American currency has long held claim to being the only thing found in bars that boasts the phrase “E Pluribus Unum.”  This summer, Budweiser wants to change that by rebranding itself as “America” and peppering its packaging with that very phrase, alongside some others like “Liberty and Justice for All” and “Indivisible Since 1776.”

 

That’s right. The company wants to replace “Budweiser,” the name of the beer, with the word “America,” the name of our country, for the summer. According to AdAge, Anheuser-Busch InBev has filed the above label for approval from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

 

In addition to the aforementioned phrases, the word-heavy label would include, in all capital letters, the following: “Land of the Free,” “Home of the Brave” and “From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters this land was made for you and me.”

 

Don’t worry — there’s more.  It’s topped with a diamond containing “U.S.” and a smaller “United States of America” and that is topped with the lyrics from the first four bars of the “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

 

It’s hard to imagine a more patriotic label, particularly for a brand that’s not even technically American. In 2008, Anheuser-Busch was purchased by InBev, a beer conglomerate based in Belgium and Brazil.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[RonJeremy]

Man you need to get those taste buds fixed. That's my go-to summer brew.

 

I find Flying Dog really hit or miss with their beers...this was a big swing and a miss.  I have lived in MD my whole life and was raised on Old Bay....and this isn't my favorite use of the spice. 

 

On draft or bottle?

Its 100x better on draft than in the bottle IMO

 

I had it a party in a bottle.  

[my_friend_goo]

Budweiser seeks approval to be called ‘America’ this summer

American currency has long held claim to being the only thing found in bars that boasts the phrase “E Pluribus Unum.” This summer, Budweiser wants to change that by rebranding itself as “America” and peppering its packaging with that very phrase, alongside some others like “Liberty and Justice for All” and “Indivisible Since 1776.”

Click on the link for the full article

If it don't squeeze the phrase "I rode across the desert on a horse with no name" onto the packaging, it ain't legit.

I think my favourite of all the ironies in this idea is that a brand which fought in the courts to be called budweiser against a brand with a legitimate entitlement to the name now wants to brand itself "America".

Edited May 10, 2016 by my_friend_goo

[Why am I Mr. Pink?]

The Beer Camp variety 12 pack is awesome. I had 5 of the 6 types last night. If you see it, get it. I was told Montgomery County only got 100 cases. Im going to get another 12 pack today after work. I wish this was around 365 bc I would just buy this and not think twice. The saison farmhouse ale is awesome. The Trillium/Lawson rye pale ale is great. Sweet table beer, really good. The imperial session IPA and west coast pale ale were solid.   

[Dan T.]

I find Flying Dog really hit or miss with their beers...this was a big swing and a miss.  I have lived in MD my whole life and was raised on Old Bay....and this isn't my favorite use of the spice. 

 

 

I got a little caught up in the hype last year when Dead Rise first came out and it was scarce.... I was calling around because it was sold out everywhere. DButz65 was even helping out with where shipments were going.  I finally got hold of a six pack and... meh.     I agree with your last line - I like Old Bay, but it just didn't work for me as a beer ingredient. 

 

Generally I'm good with Flying Dog's beers.  I liked their Bloodline blood orange ale. 

The Beer Camp variety 12 pack is awesome. I had 5 of the 6 types last night. If you see it, get it. I was told Montgomery County only got 100 cases. Im going to get another 12 pack today after work. I wish this was around 365 bc I would just buy this and not think twice. The saison farmhouse ale is awesome. The Trillium/Lawson rye pale ale is great. Sweet table beer, really good. The imperial session IPA and west coast pale ale were solid.   

 

 

I don't think I've ever had a bad Sierra Nevada brew.

[RonJeremy]

I got a little caught up in the hype last year when Dead Rise first came out and it was scarce.... I was calling around because it was sold out everywhere. DButz65 was even helping out with where shipments were going.  I finally got hold of a six pack and... meh.     I agree with your last line - I like Old Bay, but it just didn't work for me as a beer ingredient. 

 

Generally I'm good with Flying Dog's beers.  I liked their Bloodline blood orange ale. 

 

 

 

 

I actually had the Blood Orange ale last Friday night on draft....I will give credit where it is due...I enjoyed that one.  

 

I am looking to visit a brewery local to me...Jailbreak...next week and see what the have to offer.  I have only had their Kolsch (Christoph's Waltz) and thought it was very good.

[Enforcer_FFX]

I actually had the Blood Orange ale last Friday night on draft....I will give credit where it is due...I enjoyed that one.  

 

I am looking to visit a brewery local to me...Jailbreak...next week and see what the have to offer.  I have only had their Kolsch (Christoph's Waltz) and thought it was very good.

Yeah, Flying Dog is good - I really like "The Fear" - their fall beer...

 

Jailbreak is solid too.  It's been awhile since I visited their brewery.  I remember liking their stout...

 

Went to http://dirtfarmbrewing.com/about/ a couple of weekends ago.  They are in the far reaches of Loudoun Co., in Bluemont. They have a nice set-up up atop of a hill and good brews.  Nice little side, day trip in No Va.

[China]

Brooklyn Brewery and the Billion Oyster Project Have Collaborated on a Limited-Edition Saison

 

Brewing beer with oysters is today a somewhat lesser known way of adding flavor to suds, but it's been done in oyster-loving, beer-drinking places like Ireland for almost a century. Typically, the beers have been stouts — the minerality of the bivalves complements the style's natural richness — and as the method has received renewed attention, that's the direction craft brewers like Harpoon, Upright Brewing, and Flying Dog have gone in. Now, Brooklyn Brewery has collaborated with the Billion Oyster Project on something a little different: the Billion Oyster Saison.

 

Brewed with whole bivalves from New York's Fishers Island Oyster Farm, it's a beer you should feel better drinking. The Project is dedicated to restoring oysters to New York Harbor, which biologists estimate once contained half the world's oysters, and is an organization definitely worth supporting. The beer will debut on May 19 at this year's Billion Oyster Party at Pioneer Works in Red Hook.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Skinsfan1311]

Brooklyn Brewery and the Billion Oyster Project Have Collaborated on a Limited-Edition Saison

Brewing beer with oysters is today a somewhat lesser known way of adding flavor to suds, but it's been done in oyster-loving, beer-drinking places like Ireland for almost a century. Typically, the beers have been stouts —

Click on the link for the full article

The Flying Dog Oyster stout is really good. They have it in draft, at a bar near us.

[RonJeremy]

Last night I had Saint Bernardus Abt 12 Belgian Quad.  It was recommended by a co-worker and was on draft at my favorite Happy Hour spot.  It was fantastic!!!  I highly recommend it.....one of the original recipes from the day of the Trappist monks of Westvleteren. One of the best beers I have ever tasted.

[my_friend_goo]

Last night I had Saint Bernardus Abt 12 Belgian Quad. It was recommended by a co-worker and was on draft at my favorite Happy Hour spot. It was fantastic!!! I highly recommend it.....one of the original recipes from the day of the Trappist monks of Westvleteren. One of the best beers I have ever tasted.

Never had it on tap before, but like it out of a bottle. I'm a big fan of the quads/dubbels/dark trappist style ales. My go-to is Rochefort 10, one of the finest beers going in my opinion. Not too hard to get hold of in the UK, fortunately.

[twa]

tried some Don Jalapeno today(pale ale brewed with smoked jalapenos).....definitely different

 

first taste was of pale ale with some spice, then the aftertaste hit 

 

time I finished it the flavor was growing on me....or my taste buds went numb

[dfitzo53]

I'd try it once. Forehead brought some chili wine to a tailgate once and it wasn't atrocious. Apparently with a dab of cheese wiz on the finger is the proper way to eat it.

[twa]

a food pairing would help, definitely not a session beer

 

trying the Breckenridge vanilla porter now, pretty good, a bit too smooth for my taste

[chipwhich]

Is that like the Habanero Sculpin? By Ballast Point

[Skinsfan1311]

I'd try it once. Forehead brought some chili wine to a tailgate once and it wasn't atrocious. Apparently with a dab of cheese wiz on the finger is the proper way to eat it.

Oh Good Lord!

I had forgotten about that. If memory serves, they were squirting cheese out of a can, onto their fingers, licking it off and taking sips, (shots?), of wine. I was wondering what that was all about.

[twa]

Is that like the Habanero Sculpin? By Ballast Point

 

never had it,but same principle I guess

[Jaron]

Regarding the best beer bar article......

 

Churchkey is unbelievable.  If any of you guys get the chance to check it out, do not hesitate.  Probably the best beer bar i have ever been to.  Went there a few months ago when i was in DC for the ACC tournament.