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That Beer Was Delicious!

Ceetar Oct 09 2012 08:10 AM

Since we seem to be looking for time-wasting offseason posts anyway, beer! I just bought a bottle of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. It's one of those beers people fawn over, which sometimes means it's overrated, but I figured I'd give it a go. Brewed in honor of the 1000th batch at our original Clybourn brewpub. A liquid as dark and dense as a black hole with thick foam the color of a bourbon barrel. The nose is an intense mix of charred oak, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and smoke. One sip has more flavor than your average case of beer. 14.5% alcohol.

metsmarathon Oct 09 2012 08:59 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

blue point pumpkin ale served with a cinnamon-rimmed glass. yum

Ceetar Oct 12 2012 01:01 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Determined to find this. says it's released in NY/NJ so shouldn't be that difficult. Also need to pick up a 4-pack of Sixpoint Autumnation nano-kegs, as it's one of my favorite fall seasonals.

Edgy MD Oct 12 2012 01:05 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Since we seem to be looking for time-wasting offseason posts anyway, beer! I'm wondering when the last mission-critical post was

Ceetar Oct 12 2012 01:14 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Edgy DC wrote: Since we seem to be looking for time-wasting offseason posts anyway, beer! I'm wondering when the last mission-critical post was clearly the last IGT when we propelled them to victory.

Ceetar Oct 17 2012 11:55 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I'm really a kid in a candy store at beer places. Mamma Mia! Pizza Beer: Unfiltered American Ale Brewed With Basil, Oregano, Tomato and Garlic. Sixpoint Autumnation Our Autumnal brew is made with subtle pumpkin and spice, but its prominent feature is the fresh harvested "wet-hops" that are added. New hop strain and selection every year. Autumnation 2012 features Citra Hops. The Bruery Tart of Darkness We brewed a stout (no, not Black Tuesday, this one is only 5% abv if you can believe it), but we then decided to throw it into oak barrels...and added our special blend of souring bacterias and yeasts. The result is a perfectly tart yet awesomely dark and roasty sour stout. Not a style you see too often - and in our opinion, not a style you see often enough. B. Nektar Evil Genius (IPA-style mead) In an obsure industrial lair resides the man known only as the evil Dr. I.P.A. Using his hadron collider, hidden deep underground, he has conducted his most remarkable experiment to date. The result is a perfect balance of honey and hops. But there are side effects... His lab rats can’t get enough of teh stuff. And soon, neither will you. Introducing teh Evil Genius. The big bang is no longer a theory, it’s your reality. B.=MC2 Epic Sour Apple Saison There may not be a more perfect summer ale. Sweet, yet dry and tart, apples spiced with coriander, grains of paradise, anise, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger. Whether enjoying ice cold under the hot June sun or pairing with a light dinner as the sunsets into the evening, there is no wrong way to enjoy this Saison Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale!

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 29 2012 10:11 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Celebrating hurricane survival with a growler or Barrier Evil Giant IPA. Yum.

Ceetar Oct 31 2012 09:08 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Celebrating hurricane survival with a growler or Barrier Evil Giant IPA. Yum. That's the Oceanside, NY one right? I think they're right across from Whistle Stop cheesecakes and next to the knish factory. I had their Beligan IPA the other day, was pretty good.

Ceetar Oct 31 2012 02:39 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Ceetar wrote: Celebrating hurricane survival with a growler or Barrier Evil Giant IPA. Yum. That's the Oceanside, NY one right? I think they're right across from Whistle Stop cheesecakes and next to the knish factory. I had their Beligan IPA the other day, was pretty good. tying in with Sandy: One local brewery that may have taken the worst hit doesn’t know the extent of the damage yet. Barrier Brewing in Oceanside, Long Island, hasn’t even been able to get to their building yet. “We can’t access our brewery yet,” they said when asked via Twitter how they fared, “but judging by the boats wrecked on the street and the water mark halfway up our door, not good.”

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 31 2012 02:44 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Well, the beer was good while it lasted

John Cougar Lunchbucket Nov 18 2012 09:42 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Sierra 2012 "Celebration" showed up in Key Food this weekend, took home a sixer and just had one, kinda cinamonny? This is the stuff that got me real fat last holiday season.

Ceetar Nov 19 2012 05:52 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Sierra 2012 "Celebration" showed up in Key Food this weekend, took home a sixer and just had one, kinda cinamonny? This is the stuff that got me real fat last holiday season. no no, don't blame the beer! Think about it, most of them probably hvae the same amount of calories as 1-2 cookies and you enjoy it a hell of a lot longer! I don't think I've had celebration. I had Sierra Nevada Harvest, that was good.

metsmarathon Nov 19 2012 07:29 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

i just snagged a six of celebration as well. but before i drink 'em all and get more, i still have some pumpkin beers to drink first. mmm, pumpkin

John Cougar Lunchbucket Nov 19 2012 07:38 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Ceetar wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Sierra 2012 "Celebration" showed up in Key Food this weekend, took home a sixer and just had one, kinda cinamonny? This is the stuff that got me real fat last holiday season. no no, don't blame the beer! Think about it, most of them probably hvae the same amount of calories as 1-2 cookies and you enjoy it a hell of a lot longer! I don't think I've had celebration. I had Sierra Nevada Harvest, that was good. After I wrote that message I was looking to see whether there were "reviews" of this year's brew only to find out that Celebration is the same beer year after year, only the date on the label changes.

Ceetar Nov 19 2012 07:38 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I love Resin by sixpoint. 103 IBU double IPA. Just picked up a 4-pack. I also picked up two "5-packs" to bring to thanksgiving. Long Trail Hibernator. Pretty good casual brown ale. Perfect for thanksgiving I think. Also New Belgium Cabin Fever, which is a darker and maltier brown, and delicious in a different way.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Nov 19 2012 08:05 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Speaking of cookies, if you want your Winter Ale with less citrus/spice, and more toffee-caramel-molasses-type tastes (but still a little crisp), you might prefer Anchor's Christmas Ale, which actually does do the different-recipe-every-year gimmick.

Ceetar Dec 05 2012 07:29 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

picked up a bottle of Stone Brewery Enjoy By 12/21 a fresh-hopped double IPA. It's freaking delicious. crazy hoppy, but fresh and rich resiny. the scent of the hops explodes out of teh bottle when you open it, and it's got a sweet piney aroma. flavor is terrific, bitter, but not harshly so. Of course, it's 9.6% alcohol and comes in a 22oz bottle and my wife doesn't like IPAs.

Ceetar Dec 13 2012 09:17 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Took off yesterday for a day in the city. 12.12.12 marked the last beer released in Stone Brewery's Vertical Epic series, starting with 2.2.2 a beer was released every year and a day (including 10.10.10, my wedding date) all meant to be saved until yesterday. Stone had a huge party in San Diego, but also had a release here at Alewife NYC in Queens. (good beer bar btw, right by the 7 too in LIC) they didn't bring the 2.2.2, very limited that was, but the others were very excellent. 9 year old beer probably the oldest I've ever tasted. Was pretty busy for 12:12 on a Wednesday, and I imagine it got pretty packed after work. Also drinking 10 6oz tastes of beer, high % beer, tends to make you tipsy. But nothing wandering around the holiday shops and Dos Caminos can't fix.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 13 2012 09:27 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Ceetar wrote: Stone had a huge party in San Diego, but also had a release here at Alewife NYC in Queens. (good beer bar btw, right by the 7 too in LIC). My old hood, and still where I catch the 7. That place was previously a cowboy bar, then a Japanese place. Haven't been to the current incarnation yet.

Ceetar Dec 13 2012 09:36 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Ceetar wrote: Stone had a huge party in San Diego, but also had a release here at Alewife NYC in Queens. (good beer bar btw, right by the 7 too in LIC). My old hood, and still where I catch the 7. That place was previously a cowboy bar, then a Japanese place. Haven't been to the current incarnation yet. Had some water damage from Sandy too. They were originally Alewife Queens, but rebranded as Alewife NYC and I wonder if it's because they are desperate to attract some of the Manhattan crowd (it's one stop off the 7 and then 1 block after all) Went to a beer bar fest in Manhattan last year and they were having an after party and offering rides back to queens.

Edgy MD Dec 13 2012 09:36 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Oddly enough, I was at the Alewife Baltimore last night.

Ceetar Dec 13 2012 09:40 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Edgy MD wrote: Oddly enough, I was at the Alewife Baltimore last night. *checks menu* I would've had the Union Craft Brewing Coffee Balt Alt if I was there. Sounds interesting and very local.

Edgy MD Dec 13 2012 09:51 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I usually get the bus across the street from there. The bus stop is in front of a beautiful old bank, vacant like much of the neighborhood. (Alewife is also in an old bank.) Monday night, waiting for the bus. I lean against that thar bank. The boarded up windows have colorful posters over the wood, with pictures indicating what they aspire the neighborhood to return to, so it's not that unsightly, but my head briefly makes contact with the poster behind me, and I'm surprised at how soft and giving the wood underneath is. I turn and see 100 pellet holes that have tenderized the wood, and realize my head is in a spot where some concerned citizen decided to blast a shotgun. In such a situation, aside from picking one's head up, should a person move, and while not necessarily finding a safer position, put some distance between himself and his mortality, or stay and take comfort in the dubious notion that lightning won't hit the same spot? Both choices seem irrational to me, but I felt some decisive action was called for.

Ceetar Dec 13 2012 10:04 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

hmm... stand across the street, presumably behind where a gunman would've fired from?

Ceetar Jan 09 2013 09:50 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Who's going to try it? [url]http://www.thedailymeal.com/wynkoop-release-rocky-mountain-oyster-beer-cans-nationwide

Swan Swan H Jan 09 2013 09:55 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I'll pass, thanks. Went out to dinner a couple of weeks ago and I felt like having a beer rather than wine. I ordered a Troubadour Obscura based on the description on the menu, and it was very good.

Ceetar Jan 09 2013 10:00 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Swan Swan H wrote: I'll pass, thanks. Went out to dinner a couple of weeks ago and I felt like having a beer rather than wine. I ordered a Troubadour Obscura based on the description on the menu, and it was very good. well sure, how can you go wrong with something brewed by Brouwerij De Musketiers? Musketiers!

Mets – Willets Point Jan 09 2013 01:18 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I signed up for a New England craft beer share. My first pickup is on Friday. I'll report back on how they taste.

Swan Swan H Jan 09 2013 01:42 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Ceetar wrote: Swan Swan H wrote: I'll pass, thanks. Went out to dinner a couple of weeks ago and I felt like having a beer rather than wine. I ordered a Troubadour Obscura based on the description on the menu, and it was very good. well sure, how can you go wrong with something brewed by Brouwerij De Musketiers? Musketiers! Perhaps I should have had three.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jan 09 2013 04:04 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Swan Swan H wrote: Swan Swan H wrote: I'll pass, thanks. Went out to dinner a couple of weeks ago and I felt like having a beer rather than wine. I ordered a Troubadour Obscura based on the description on the menu, and it was very good. well sure, how can you go wrong with something brewed by Brouwerij De Musketiers? Musketiers! Perhaps I should have had three. Once you fall for one, you're one for all.

Ceetar Jan 09 2013 05:24 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Hit Taphouse Grille (a local awesome Beer Bar near work) for their second anniversary 'rare beer fest'. Had.. Cricket Hill Smoked Rye. Pretty good, if you're into that stuff. had a distinct smokiness to it, and a almost wet maltiness. Good. And the Firestone Walker XVI. and imperial IPA. came in a tiny snifter since it's 13% (yikes!) supposedly a blend of 8 beers aged in hundreds of barrels. It was very very complex and you could taste the richness of the barrels, bourbon probably. enjoyed that one too.

MFS62 Jan 09 2013 09:26 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

If you want nearby variety, go to Vermont. It has the most breweries per capita of any State (California has the most per State). http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-a ... beer/2931/ Later

Ceetar Jan 10 2013 05:08 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

MFS62 wrote: If you want nearby variety, go to Vermont. It has the most breweries per capita of any State (California has the most per State). http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-a ... beer/2931/ Later Cool. You don't see a lot of the Vermont brewers distributing though, besides Long Trail ,must be hyper-local.

Edgy MD Jan 10 2013 07:48 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Deregulation for beerheads: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/nyreg ... .html?_r=0

Ceetar Jan 10 2013 07:50 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Edgy MD wrote: Deregulation for beerheads: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/nyreg ... .html?_r=0 You're the second person I've seen link that in 10 minutes. Good news though, New Jersey has always been crazy with stupid antiquated regulations, good to see some loosening. (Hello, let me freaking shop on Sunday! Capitalism!)

Ceetar Jan 14 2013 07:29 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

You music nerds may appreciate this: The brewery I visited on Saturday, Singlecut Beersmiths, plays music on a record player.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 14 2013 07:58 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

How was their beer?

Ceetar Jan 14 2013 08:05 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious! Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 14 2013 08:26 AM

How was their beer? delicious. 19-33 Lagrrr!: typical pilsner Jån Olympic White Lagrrr!: sill a lager, supposedly brewed with matzo meal. was delicious and flavorful. John Michael Dark Lyric Lagrrr!: Black lager. my favorite. mild roastiness on top of the very drinkable lagrrr! Dean Pacific NW Mahogany Ale: More of an amber than a brown (Mahogany infers brown right?) very hoppy, given the pacific NW. probably could've used a little more maltiness balance, but was tasty nonetheless. [url]http://www.ceetar.com/gvny/2013/01/singlecut-beersmiths-new-queens-brewery-is-a-keeper/?utm_campaign=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter

Mets – Willets Point Jan 14 2013 08:13 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Could be dangerous to drink a known depressant while listening to The Smiths.

Ceetar Jan 18 2013 05:08 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Eno Sarris proposes a "Beers above replacement" BAR system on fangraphs. It's predictably awesome. [url]http://www.fangraphs.com/not/index.php/introducing-beers-above-replacement/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NotGraphs+(NotGraphs+Baseball)

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jan 18 2013 09:06 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Ceetar wrote: Eno Sarris proposes a "Beers above replacement" BAR system on fangraphs. It's predictably awesome. [url]http://www.fangraphs.com/not/index.php/introducing-beers-above-replacement/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NotGraphs+(NotGraphs+Baseball) This is fan-f*cking-tastic.

Ceetar Feb 05 2013 08:57 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

bought a bottle of Dogfish Head Noble Rot today. Beer made with rotting grapes. Awesome. I love botrytis/late harvest/ice wine style wines, so looking forward to this. (and relatedly, Eataly is an amazing place) The first addition is unfermented juice, known as must, from viognier grapes that have been infected with a benevolent fungus called botrytis. This noble rot reduces the water content in the grapes while magnifying their sweetness and complexity. The second is pinot gris must intensified by a process called dropping fruit, where large clusters of grapes are clipped to amplify the quality of those left behind. Also saw this, which I didn't buy...yet. (yes yes, technically not a beer. bite me)

Ashie62 Feb 05 2013 10:02 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Diabetes in a bottle lol.

Ceetar Feb 06 2013 05:44 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Ashie62 wrote: Diabetes in a bottle lol. still probably less sugar than a can of soda in the whole bottle.

Ceetar Mar 19 2013 06:15 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious! Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Mar 19 2013 06:35 AM

[url]http://torontoist.com/2013/03/new-brewery-marries-twin-passions-for-baseball-and-beer/ [url]http://torontoist.com/2013/03/new-brewery-marries-twin-passions-for-baseball-and-beer/ New brewery in Ontario. Eephus Oatmeal Brown Ale 6-4-3 Double IPA Maris American Pale Ale

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 19 2013 06:32 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Expect to sample lots of beers next week in Asheville.

MFS62 Mar 22 2013 07:39 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

We knew beer was important. But this important? http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/03/21 ... ilization/ Later

Ceetar Mar 22 2013 09:38 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

We knew beer was important. But this important? http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/03/21 ... ilization/ Later Beer IS the answer to all life's problems.

Mets – Willets Point Apr 06 2013 10:28 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I'm a cross between a snob and explorer.

Ceetar Apr 07 2013 05:57 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Mostly an explorer, but probably also a connoisseur/beer geek that's not listed. i.e. if you tell me you have Bell's Hopslam I might have a beer whether or not I want one, much like if you tell me you have lasagna i might have a piece whether or not I'm hungry.

TheOldMole Apr 07 2013 06:06 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Egalitarian.

MFS62 Apr 07 2013 08:42 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Loyalist. Light beer only. Late

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 07 2013 09:22 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

As with everything, egalitarian/explorer.

Ceetar Jun 07 2013 09:56 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

New site (that I'll be writing for) launched today. Beergraphs is basically Fangraphs for beer

Ceetar Jun 24 2013 08:13 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Had an American IPA from Kuka Beer this weekend, brewed with Maca root. Lepidium meyenii, known as Maca, is a root-like vegetable shaped like a radish that grows high in the harsh climate of the Andean Mountains in South America at elevations up to 15,000 feet. It is one of the few plants that can be cultivated in the harsh climate of the Andes. For more than five millennia, native Peruvians have used it as food and medicine, to promote endurance and improve energy, vitality, sexual virility and fertility. Was pretty good. Nice flavor, nice bitterness. had lots and lots of sediment, but looked past that and enjoyed it anyway.

TransMonk Jun 24 2013 08:16 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Wasn't Maca root featured in the new season of Arrested Development last month? It was so un-funny that I don't remember.

Ceetar Jun 24 2013 08:18 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

TransMonk wrote: Wasn't Maca root featured in the new season of Arrested Development last month? It was so un-funny that I don't remember. Don't watch. Wikipedia says the root is growing in popularity though. Someone send an email to the AD folks and tell them to drink the beer instead.

sharpie Jul 03 2013 09:06 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Cheap beer ranking. Discuss. http://deadspin.com/36-cheap-american-b ... -638820035

Ceetar Jul 03 2013 09:10 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Cheap beer ranking. Discuss. http://deadspin.com/36-cheap-american-b ... -638820035 very arbitrary about what's on the list and I haven't heard of #1. I'm not a huge Yuengling fan but it doesn't belong on this list at all, nor does Narragansett. I usually stick to Budweiser when I'm stuck drinking cheap beer, but Miller High Life would probably be up there on my list of cheap crappy beers. [url]http://beergraphs.com/leaderboards/ for all your beer ranking needs.

seawolf17 Jul 03 2013 09:18 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I've only recently become a beer guy, but Yuengling has definitely become a go-to for me.

sharpie Jul 03 2013 09:42 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I've never had Keystone but Bud Light Lime would top my list of worst beers. I do enjoy a Corona with lime on a hot day (preferably at the beach) but the artificial limeyness of BLL is revolting.

Ceetar Aug 22 2013 11:50 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I've noticed Beer Table Pantry in Grand Central for a while, but I never realized they did actual pints of beer. Tempted for lunch tomorrow, because I've been really wanting to try Sixpoint's Spice of Life Simcoe beer and they have it.

MFS62 Aug 22 2013 12:30 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

sharpie wrote: Cheap beer ranking. Discuss. http://deadspin.com/36-cheap-american-b ... -638820035 Wow! No Old Bohemian? IIRC it was about $2.00 for a six pack, and at that it was widely overpriced. But when you're drinking on Army salary, you take what you can afford. Later

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 24 2013 07:48 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

So making our way to the Ommegang Brewery was on the agenda for our trip to Cooperstown but I had no idea what we were in for. I knew Ommegang as a kind of niche among the niche -- European abbey style beers and expensive large corked bottles, etc etc -- but still was expecting something along the lines of your typical brewery/brewpub experience -- ramshackle, done on the cheap, if classily so in this case. But I could barely believe how beautiful the place was when we pulled in (gorgeous weather was a plus) and I was trying to figure out from the start what local craft brewer could possibly have the scratch to pay for all of this -- and that was before I saw the barroom inside. Photo does no justice. It all made sense (kinda) once the tour started and the guy explained that Ommegang was founded as an offshoot of Belgian brewer Duvel's local importer; Duvel was an investor from the start and today owns the whole shebang. They built the farmhouse, the pub/restaurant, provided all the brewing and bottling equipment, did all the package design and branding, handle the selling and distributor relationships. It feels very foreign feel because it is foreign. I just didn't know that. Anyhow, I really like how these Belgians do business, and am reminded how over-investing in an otherwise under-invested industry is doubly exciting. If I were a small brewer and visited Ommegang I'd go home and kill myself. Or, I'd put a for sale sign on the door. We did the tour, played frisbee in the huge field out back where they do festivals and concerts and stuff, had mussels and frites in the pub, drank a sample flight and drank the special Harvest ale they had on tap, Wifey had the import Liefman's thing which was like fruit juice on ice. Really nice, unexpected highlight of our trip.

Ceetar Aug 24 2013 09:59 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

well um, wow? When I was in Cooperstown 3ish years ago it was more the ramshackle bit you'd expect. small room off the brewery/warehouse, one normalish sized bar with the 6-7ish taps/tastings. In fact, if was probably the size of the total sq ft you can see in your bar picture. edit: found an article: [url]http://thebeersessions.com/blog/2011/01/ommegang-prepares-for-temporary-shutdown-new-facilities/ And here's an old image of it. Now I want to go back! Well, I guess I did say I wanted to go up for Piazza's induction..if that ever happens.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 24 2013 11:04 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Interesting. Well, the new cafe is really nice, seriously one of the nicest bar rooms I ever visited, built just behind the brewhouse. The main room has a long bar and three huge square communal tables sitting 16 around, plus a giant patio. All nice materials (looked like real oak tables). It was hard to tell whether these Belgian people just had no idea how cheaply their competitors did things, or they truly set out to raise the game, but in either case it is really impressive and worth a visit for sure. All this was further confounding considering their beers, as good as they are, are kind of outliers. They have good distribution coverage but don't sell nearly as much as some of the bigger craft guys. The bottling line wasn't even running when we visited. I do think they are moving toward a more "mainstream" upscale image, their BPA is definitely more competitive with the typical American craft styles than Hennepin or Abbey ales, so I would guess that and more acquisitions are the future.

Ceetar Aug 24 2013 09:37 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Interesting. Well, the new cafe is really nice, seriously one of the nicest bar rooms I ever visited, built just behind the brewhouse. The main room has a long bar and three huge square communal tables sitting 16 around, plus a giant patio. All nice materials (looked like real oak tables). It was hard to tell whether these Belgian people just had no idea how cheaply their competitors did things, or they truly set out to raise the game, but in either case it is really impressive and worth a visit for sure. All this was further confounding considering their beers, as good as they are, are kind of outliers. They have good distribution coverage but don't sell nearly as much as some of the bigger craft guys. The bottling line wasn't even running when we visited. I do think they are moving toward a more "mainstream" upscale image, their BPA is definitely more competitive with the typical American craft styles than Hennepin or Abbey ales, so I would guess that and more acquisitions are the future. They've stepped up their game, particularly one-offs, the last couple of years. and they're distributed in most of the country now. (imo, there should be a tap of something, hennepin or BPA at least, in every major league ballpark. And not just the Delta Sky club) The HBO deal with Game of Thrones will certainly get them recognition as well.

Ceetar Oct 14 2013 08:16 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

transferred my MAD Coco-Nutz to secondary fermentation yesterday. It's a toasted coconut brown ale. Already tastes pretty good.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 14 2013 09:01 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

We had a growler of Ommegang's "Game of Thrones" beer this week. I think it's called "Take the Black" and it was very good.

Ceetar Oct 14 2013 09:41 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: We had a growler of Ommegang's "Game of Thrones" beer this week. I think it's called "Take the Black" and it was very good. ooh, Growlers. I've got a bottle of Take the Black Stout in the fridge. I want to drink it with my wife but taking the black infers an oath of celibacy and..

Ceetar Nov 25 2013 09:23 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

fyi, http://www.mckenziesbeverages.com/ makes a Seasonal Reserve apple cider that tastes just like apple pie (and smells like it) But is some of the best you'll find. (hard stuff anyway)

Lefty Specialist Nov 26 2013 08:30 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Probably had a few too many last night.

Ceetar Jan 26 2014 03:43 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Vermont has some great beer:

Ceetar Mar 29 2014 02:05 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Mikkeller Brunch Weasel is amazing. Coffee Oatmeal Stout. the coffee is that stuff that civet cats poop.

Ceetar May 08 2014 04:25 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 08 2014 05:13 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I take it you've heard/read about the Mikkeller/Evil Twin sibling-rivalry business? Vaguely hilarious article in the Times Magazine about a month back about all that. (Short version for anyone else reading: one's in Copenhagen, the other's in Brooklyn; they're each run by one of a pair of identical twins who don't speak to each other anymore.)

Ceetar May 08 2014 06:23 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I take it you've heard/read about the Mikkeller/Evil Twin sibling-rivalry business? Vaguely hilarious article in the Times Magazine about a month back about all that. (Short version for anyone else reading: one's in Copenhagen, the other's in Brooklyn; they're each run by one of a pair of identical twins who don't speak to each other anymore.) yeah, that was good stuff. They both make excellent beer. Aren't they making a tv show or something?

themetfairy May 11 2014 06:12 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I tried Shock Top's Twisted Pretzel Wheat last night. It's darker than what I usually drink, but much smoother than most dark beers. And you can really taste the pretzel - a very nice change of pace.

themetfairy May 17 2014 05:38 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I liked the Twisted Pretzel Wheat so much that I bought a growler of it today. It's my first growler ever!

Ceetar May 17 2014 10:57 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

themetfairy wrote: I liked the Twisted Pretzel Wheat so much that I bought a growler of it today. It's my first growler ever! mmm, growlers.

Mets – Willets Point May 18 2014 01:12 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I haven't enjoyed Shock Top beers in the past, but you're making me curious.

themetfairy May 18 2014 03:15 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

The Twisted Pretzel Wheat is very different from the other varieties.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Sep 10 2014 01:07 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I don't often take advantage of PR people but sometimes when they cram your inbox asking if you'd like a free sample you gotta tell them, yeah sure, what the hell.

Ceetar Sep 10 2014 01:24 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I don't often take advantage of PR people but sometimes when they cram your inbox asking if you'd like a free sample you gotta tell them, yeah sure, what the hell. sorry in advance. I will now bug you at least once a month to see if you started this.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Sep 10 2014 01:56 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

What am I in for? I would guess this is the EZ-Bake Oven for beermakers but will be fun to whip up a batch.

Ceetar Sep 10 2014 02:26 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: What am I in for? I would guess this is the EZ-Bake Oven for beermakers but will be fun to whip up a batch. pretty much, but in general it's not much different than 'real' brewing, just smaller scale. (in general brewing is easy) some cleaning/sanitizing, some boiling with randomly dumping things in a boiling pot, then cooling and dumping into the fermenter and waiting.

Ceetar Oct 03 2014 07:53 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Okay, so did you Mr. Beer yet? I got my scoresheet back from the Baseball Stout I submitted to Sam Adams Longshot competition. 39.5/50. two judges averged a 42 and 37. 38-44 is the Excellent range, meaning no flaws but not World Class. One judge marked me down for Wonderful intangibles. take that Jeter.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 03 2014 08:47 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

That's a pretty impressive score (I think). I haven't even taken Mr. Beer out of the box yet but hope to have some time for it next weekend.

Mets – Willets Point Oct 09 2014 10:21 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Any beer drinkers here ever use an app to record and review beers? Just wondering what's good out there as it's hard to separate the wheat from the chaff (and then ferment it into a delicious beverage).

seawolf17 Oct 10 2014 03:35 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I've been using Untappd. It's more social than hard-core reviews, but it works for me.

Ceetar Oct 10 2014 05:56 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

seawolf17 wrote: I've been using Untappd. It's more social than hard-core reviews, but it works for me. yes, BUT it goes into a database that I have secondary access to and then use to mine for beer writing purposes at BeerGraphs. Not really meant for reviewing as much as you said, but it's got a half-star to 5 star rating system so you can at least go back and say "Hey, that beer was delicious!" and it does have comments to stick some basic review stuff in.

Nymr83 Oct 12 2014 11:08 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

They're only available at a few bars so far, but try these guys out, if you get a chance... I went to one of their events and was impressed with both beers. [url]http://www.irishyankee.com/#!events/c66t

Ceetar Oct 13 2014 08:47 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Nymr83 wrote: They're only available at a few bars so far, but try these guys out, if you get a chance... I went to one of their events and was impressed with both beers. [url]http://www.irishyankee.com/#!events/c66t I'm (planning on) g oing to the NYC Craft beer fest and it says they'll be there, so I'll check 'em out.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 13 2014 09:45 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Hey I did Mr. Beer this weekend. Took all of 20 minutes. Now I just need to wait 2 weeks for it to beerify, then bottle, then wait 2 more weeks. Then drink it, probably on Thanksgiving.

Ceetar Oct 13 2014 10:00 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Hey I did Mr. Beer this weekend. Took all of 20 minutes. Now I just need to wait 2 weeks for it to beerify, then bottle, then wait 2 more weeks. Then drink it, probably on Thanksgiving. awesome. Wait, 20 minutes? Didn't you have to boil for an hour? (I'm unfamiliar with the specific Mr. Beer)

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 13 2014 10:02 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Nope. It told me to boil the water, then remove it from the heat and mix in the malty stuff, then add that to keg.

Ceetar Oct 13 2014 10:17 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Nope. It told me to boil the water, then remove it from the heat and mix in the malty stuff, then add that to keg. ahh. an hour boil is typical, but mainly for hop additions.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 13 2014 10:21 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Yeah this one was the "light American lager" flavor that came with the kit. I get the impression that preparation of more flavorful varieties is considerably more involved (and smelly?) Wifey will surely divorce me if I make smelly beer in our bedroom, but I have no other 65-degree places to go till the summer in the shed.

Ceetar Oct 13 2014 10:47 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Yeah this one was the "light American lager" flavor that came with the kit. I get the impression that preparation of more flavorful varieties is considerably more involved (and smelly?) Wifey will surely divorce me if I make smelly beer in our bedroom, but I have no other 65-degree places to go till the summer in the shed. the hops add a little aroma, but 95% of it is the malt. And only when you boil. Once it's in the fermenter it's air-locked and you won't really smell it. Finding a place to store it though is the biggest issue, though. yes. Fermentation isn't really that delicate for laymen though. as long as you get it between 62-70ish. Too warm could make it watery, too cold and it won't ferment. Winter is usually best because it's 70ish inside and you can usually find a closet or something that's on the cooler side. Also, making beer in the winter is nice because if you're doing hop additions and all that you're boiling a pot of water for an hour. Great cure for a dry house.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Nov 14 2014 11:04 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Beer in the fridge now. I actually screwed up the bottling and didn't close the lid tightly enough on 3 bottles (~25% of the brew) which I think had to have gone bad. Otherwise concerned at how opaque it is, it was the "light" variety but I dunno. We'll see on Thanksgiving day. Definitely want to do a more "challenging" beer because as I've said this brew was too easy, and doesn't seem nearly interesting enough.

Ceetar Nov 15 2014 07:15 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Beer in the fridge now. I actually screwed up the bottling and didn't close the lid tightly enough on 3 bottles (~25% of the brew) which I think had to have gone bad. Otherwise concerned at how opaque it is, it was the "light" variety but I dunno. We'll see on Thanksgiving day. Definitely want to do a more "challenging" beer because as I've said this brew was too easy, and doesn't seem nearly interesting enough. Definitely do one with steeped grain and hop additions. That's basically the difficult end of extract brewing (all-grain brewing is a little more complicated, requires a mash tun with pounds and pounds of grain that you sparge with really hot water to basically make the malt extract you just added. ) and from there you can branch out to your own recipes if you like or at least experiments of your own (like, "I bought this Stout kit, and I'm gonna add a pot of this really delicious coffee I like") opaque usually doesn't mean anything. proteins in the beer and what not. doesn't affect taste. Usually you clear opaqueness with some IRish Moss 15 minutes before end of boil, and 'cold break' which is really just quick cooling the wort off the stove down to the fermentation temperature. It's hard to cool that much liquid (At least, my boil is usually 3-4.5 gallons) that fast. I use a sink full of cold water with ice packs and empty my ice maker. some people use a wort chiller, which is basically a water pipe that you run through the beer, but that's just more equipment. The unsealed bottles are probably not bad, but they're probably flat. you could put a pinch of sugar (Even table sugar is fine. or brown) into the bottle and reseal if you have more caps. careful with that though, too much sugar makes BOOM.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Nov 15 2014 11:47 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I will try that, thanks.

A Boy Named Seo Dec 02 2014 09:59 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Would you have bought the Mr. Beer thing afterall? I'm looking to get my brother a kit for xmas.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 02 2014 10:10 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Hey I had the beer over the weekend and it was... not bad. Like I said I'd been underwhelmed by the "craft" part of it, since it's really just mixing a few ingredients then waiting a month, but inasmuch as having a keg thing with a spout helps the process it was worth it to get. I would like to use the equipment maybe with my own ingredients and other recipes next. The "American lager" came out fizzy and orange, very little head, maybe more flavorful than Budwesier but not particularly complex. I still have a few bottles left!

Ceetar Dec 02 2014 10:14 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Looks like beer. Good job.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 02 2014 11:55 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

What's the key to getting good head? (yes I know, vacuuming and flowers). But with beer?

Ceetar Dec 02 2014 03:12 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: What's the key to getting good head? (yes I know, vacuuming and flowers). But with beer? sanitation, oats/malts. I've never actually had a problem, supposedly there is something with protein rests, ( so maintaining temperature is important) which is more an all-grain thing but sometimes plays in to mini-mash/steeping type brews. Basically you don't want your beer sitting at 120-140 type temperatures for very long (or ever really) It's probably because you had just extract. once you mix in some steeped grains enough protein should get out to help with the head. there are some malts/grains better than others. flaked oats helps supposedly. There are other additives you can buy. you could always add a smidge more sugar on bottle conditioning. (not too much, KABLOOEY!) and make sure your glass is clean of soap and scum.

themetfairy Dec 15 2014 07:59 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I understand that Shock Top has Twisted Pretzel Wheat as part of their Winter Sampler Pack. I'll need to look for that!

Ceetar Dec 16 2014 09:00 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

I understand that Shock Top has Twisted Pretzel Wheat as part of their Winter Sampler Pack. I'll need to look for that! I suspect, knowing Anheuser-Busch/InBev, that it'll be everywhere. my favorite pretzel beer:

themetfairy Dec 16 2014 09:13 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

That sounds good! Are there other pretzel beers?

Ceetar Dec 16 2014 09:19 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

themetfairy wrote: That sounds good! Are there other pretzel beers? not that I can think of. probably. But most of the 'bread' would ferment out so it's probably just salt. There are beers with salt though. They're a sour style though. Gose.

themetfairy Dec 16 2014 09:45 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

That doesn't sound very appetizing. I don't generally like dark beers, but I fell in love with the Shock Top Pretzel Wheat last spring. Half of the reason I went to so many Trenton Thunder games this year was that they had it on draft through the end of August.

Ceetar Feb 18 2015 05:53 PM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

NYC Beer week this weekend/next week. Covering, at least, the Brewer's Choice event for BeerGraphs on Tuesday.

Ceetar Apr 27 2015 07:31 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

when you put 2 pounds of black sesame seeds in a beer, it gets very nutty.

Ceetar May 14 2015 09:46 AM Re: That Beer Was Delicious!

Bergen County's first official brewery, Brix City Brewing, opens tomorrow in Little Ferry.