Sam Adams Imperial Stout and Other Training Beers
02-13-09, 10:18 AM
#77
Resident Old Fart
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 1,295
Bikes: Douglas Precision Ti
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I want just enough hops to keep the beer from tasting too sweet. I can't understand why anyone would ever take a second drink of an IPA unless it was all they could get, which is exactly how IPAs came to be.
__________________
Wag more, bark less
Wag more, bark less
02-13-09, 10:19 AM
#78
Gunner.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Santa Clarita, CA
Posts: 1,735
Bikes: Giant TCR, Spooky Skeletor, Pivot Mach 6
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times
in
3 Posts
Unfortunately, some people appear to be conditioned to think that small = good. Chief illustrative example: Dogfish Head. I can't believe the raving I hear about this brewery. I've had a couple of their brews, and frankly, it's pretentious, high-brow swill. I have a pretty diverse palate when it comes to beer, too - if I don't like what I try and that happens twice, it's not a good sign. Of course, part of the problem is DH's poor taste; right, like putting malt liquor in a 12 oz. longneck and slapping a high price and expensive attitude on it is going to make it good. Dream on.
+1 Easily in my top 5 favotire beers.
Few others I diodn't see mentioned:
Allagash 4
Aventinus
Sam Adams Imperial Pilsner
Colorado Brewing Co's Mojo IPA (This stuff literally almost killed me)
One that is tough to find here: Zwiecz. It's a Polish beer that will lay you out without knowing it.
And too many others to mention.
Good thread.
Rob
02-13-09, 11:00 AM
#80
markyore
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NH
Posts: 669
Bikes: Specailized s-works E5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I'll have to agree and disagree. It depends on the bar, if they sell a lot of Guinness then yes what you get here is just as good. However, a lot of smaller bars here don't sell as much so the keg sits around too long and Guinness can go stale pretty quick. Also, for Guinness its really pimortant to keep the lines clean.
I'm not a big fan of Smithwicks an as for Harp....meh!
02-13-09, 11:38 AM
#82
Wheelsuck
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 6,158
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I'm good with an IPA that is well done. The brewer needs to know his stuff, though, it's not an easy beer to get right. A lot of guys just seem to throw a stupid amount of hops at a normal ale, and hope for the best. They end up with a pale ale that tastes like they dumped a bag of grass clippings in the fermenter. No thanks.
Again, it all has to be in balance. You want an IPA to be hoppy, but it has to have a bigger malt influence to keep the bitterness in check and that has to be done without turning it into beer syrup. It's not an easy thing to get right.
02-13-09, 12:43 PM
#84
Knowing's half the battle
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 6,119
Bikes: 2009 Cannondale CAAD9 BB30, SRAM Red, Fulcrum Racing 3s
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Those are really good! 
But I like amber Scotch Ales a bit more than IPAs. I for sure wouldn't turn an IPA like that down though.
But I like amber Scotch Ales a bit more than IPAs. I for sure wouldn't turn an IPA like that down though.
02-13-09, 01:30 PM
#85
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NorCal
Posts: 2,457
Bikes: Cervelo R3 (Force)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I know a lot of people who swear by Lagunitas IPA but that stuff just tastes like boiled hops. I think people just like it because they grow other green plants along with their hops...
02-13-09, 01:52 PM
#87
Resident Old Fart
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 1,295
Bikes: Douglas Precision Ti
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
If you can find it, try a Tilburg's Dutch Brown Ale. It has the best malt taste I have found and just the right amount of hops. Plus, it has a really funky label with a Bosch painting on it.
__________________
Wag more, bark less
Wag more, bark less
02-13-09, 02:34 PM
#88
Wheelsuck
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 6,158
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hops (humulus) are actually in the same plant family as cannabis. It shouldn't be tough to grow them side by side. You'll only find THC in cannabis, though.
02-13-09, 11:02 PM
#90
meow
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Hint: check out my BF name
Posts: 5,831
Bikes: 2016 Parlee Altum, 2013 Cannondale Super Six Evo Hi Mod Di2 only, 2011 Cannondale Super Six, Dura Ace 7800, 2007 Cannondale System Six Dura Ace 7800, 1992 Bridgestone RB-1, MB-2, MB-3, MB-5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Liked 3 Times
in
2 Posts
02-14-09, 09:16 PM
#92
Wheelsuck
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 6,158
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Scotch Ale is a real term, not a cocked up Americanism. Even Scottish breweries use it. It describes a high gravity (lots o' alcohol) malty, brown beer. Generally, they have very mild hopping rates and they're very sweet. I've had one that doesn't even use hops, but heather for bittering instead. Interesting enough, but not really a favorite of mine. I like malty beers, but these are too sweet for me.
