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Post by chalkdevil 😈 on Aug 21, 2020 14:41:05 GMT -5
I don't normally buy crowlers but apparently they only last up to a month, but no one told me. Looks like I'll need to drink all 3 of the crowlers I picked up from that near by brewery back in July this weekend.
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BEER
Aug 26, 2020 22:00:16 GMT -5
Post by Hachiman on Aug 26, 2020 22:00:16 GMT -5
I don't normally buy crowlers but apparently they only last up to a month, but no one told me. Looks like I'll need to drink all 3 of the crowlers I picked up from that near by brewery back in July this weekend. I didn't know they even lasted that long. Back when I regularly used my growler, I usually assumed whatever I bought had to be drunk within a few days max once I opened it, with the carbonation slowly decreasing the longer it is in the bottle. So usually it was a conscious commitment to drink the entire thing within a week. I guess I could share, but that would usually slip my mind. |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Aug 26, 2020 22:08:14 GMT -5
I don't normally buy crowlers but apparently they only last up to a month, but no one told me. Looks like I'll need to drink all 3 of the crowlers I picked up from that near by brewery back in July this weekend. I didn't know they even lasted that long. Back when I regularly used my growler, I usually assumed whatever I bought had to be drunk within a few days max once I opened it, with the carbonation slowly decreasing the longer it is in the bottle. So usually it was a conscious commitment to drink the entire thing within a week. I guess I could share, but that would usually slip my mind. Crowlers are more tightly sealed to start, but once you open them you pretty much have to drink it all within the night. They’re essentially huge cans.,But I prefer them because they’re smaller and do keep a bit longer initially. |
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Post by Hachiman on Aug 27, 2020 0:06:18 GMT -5
I didn't know they even lasted that long. Back when I regularly used my growler, I usually assumed whatever I bought had to be drunk within a few days max once I opened it, with the carbonation slowly decreasing the longer it is in the bottle. So usually it was a conscious commitment to drink the entire thing within a week. I guess I could share, but that would usually slip my mind. Crowlers are more tightly sealed to start, but once you open them you pretty much have to drink it all within the night. They’re essentially huge cans.,But I prefer them because they’re smaller and do keep a bit longer initially. Yeah, they're not really a thing here, but the one time I had a crowler, the impression I got was that there was still a risk of too much air getting in which would degrade the beer pretty quick. All I want is a container that keeps my beer good forever. Is that too much to ask? |
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BEER
Aug 27, 2020 8:05:44 GMT -5
Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Aug 27, 2020 8:05:44 GMT -5
Crowlers are more tightly sealed to start, but once you open them you pretty much have to drink it all within the night. They’re essentially huge cans.,But I prefer them because they’re smaller and do keep a bit longer initially. Yeah, they're not really a thing here, but the one time I had a crowler, the impression I got was that there was still a risk of too much air getting in which would degrade the beer pretty quick. All I want is a container that keeps my beer good forever. Is that too much to ask? sadly, yes |
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LazBro
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Post by LazBro on Aug 27, 2020 8:36:17 GMT -5
A lot of larger breweries, both local and national, are starting to release variety packs now. Six packs with two each of three beers. Or twelve packs with three each of four. Stuff like that. Not a new practice, but I'm seeing it much, much more these days. And that's awesome!
For the past couple months, the Walmart near my house has had a New Belgium IPA variety 12-pack with three each of their IPA, Tropical IPA, Juicy Haze IPA, and an exclusive "Xperimental" IPA. For fifteen bucks.
A six-pack of even the crummiest IPA will set you back more than $7.50 around here, so this thing is an absolute steal and has become my regular. If I'm having a few in a single evening, it's nice to be able to have a choice of flavors. Reminds me of the before-times when we could go to the brewpub and sample around. |
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LazBro
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Post by LazBro on Aug 27, 2020 8:43:21 GMT -5
And in other local beer news, the "prestige beer" scene seems to be hitting North Texas.
I was at the beer store last night, and the shelves were loaded with Texas breweries offering tallboy 4-packs for ridiculous prices, like $25.99 or something. These beers may be great, I dunno, but I'm sad to see this packaging and pricing model finally come to my neighborhood. I don't know if we have any local breweries who do the whole "stand in line for two hours on release day and pay $30 for your 4-pack" thing yet, probably we do, but I don't know which ones they are. Only a matter of time though. (We already do that for BBQ.)
Unless I'm intentionally splurging, like as a celebration or something, $13.99 is my absolute upper limit for a 6-pack of beer ... and even then that's rare. I really try to keep it under $10. I have to really want it to go higher.
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BEER
Aug 27, 2020 9:02:41 GMT -5
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Aug 27, 2020 9:02:41 GMT -5
And in other local beer news, the "prestige beer" scene seems to be hitting North Texas.
I was at the beer store last night, and the shelves were loaded with Texas breweries offering tallboy 4-packs for ridiculous prices, like $25.99 or something. These beers may be great, I dunno, but I'm sad to see this packaging and pricing model finally come to my neighborhood. I don't know if we have any local breweries who do the whole "stand in line for two hours on release day and pay $30 for your 4-pack" thing yet, probably we do, but I don't know which ones they are. Only a matter of time though. (We already do that for BBQ.)
Unless I'm intentionally splurging, like as a celebration or something, $13.99 is my absolute upper limit for a 6-pack of beer ... and even then that's rare. I really try to keep it under $10. I have to really want it to go higher.
I'm divided on whether I'd rather spend $25 for a 4-pack or $10-15 for a single bomber. I don't do either regularly, but I have occasionally. Funny you mention standing in line; I've decided that Bourbon County Stout is not worth the hype (though I'd still order it in a restaurant/bar if I saw it on tap) but Revolution's Deth's Tar, which doesn't have the same hubbub around it, is just as good if not better. And I did buy a 4-pack of 12-oz cans of that for some ridiculous price, but I've been slowly slowly spacing out drinking them. Typically though my threshold is around $10/6 pack. |
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Post by chalkdevil 😈 on Aug 27, 2020 9:19:41 GMT -5
I didn't know they even lasted that long. Back when I regularly used my growler, I usually assumed whatever I bought had to be drunk within a few days max once I opened it, with the carbonation slowly decreasing the longer it is in the bottle. So usually it was a conscious commitment to drink the entire thing within a week. I guess I could share, but that would usually slip my mind. Crowlers are more tightly sealed to start, but once you open them you pretty much have to drink it all within the night. They’re essentially huge cans.,But I prefer them because they’re smaller and do keep a bit longer initially. Minnesota has some weird, restrictive brewery laws, so the breweries can only sell beer for offsite in growlers, bombers, or crowlers. If they put it in standard cans then it has to be sold through a liquor store. Although that is also only available if you don't produce too much beer, so this hits the smaller brewers who don't have wide distribution (and it's really its the large distributors who are fighting to keep these laws in place). It was only in 2011 that breweries could sell pints of their own beer at the brewery as well. Before that you either had to be a brewpub or you had to do a thing where you pay to "tour" the brewery and then you get a pint or two at the end for "free." I should also point out that alcohol isn't available to buy in Minnesota grocery stores either*. They have to be sold in separate liquor store. And up until recently, you couldn't buy alcohol on Sundays except in restaurants. Anyway, crowlers. It's a good size, pretty much two full pints, but you've got to be committed. I usually like to buy them to share but my wife doesn't drink so, it's all on me now. And as an update, I forgot I had 4 crowlers, not 3, but I only drank 2. Both were from a small brewery near me, Wild Mind Ales, which generally just does a lot of experimenting and small batch beers so you have to get it while it's available because there is a good chance they won't make it again. Of the two, one I liked much better than the other. One was a dry-hopped German pilsner. It was ok. A little hoppy-er than I would have liked but not bad. Nothing too special. The second was a blackberry, raspberry, cider which was super tart and tasty. I have another crowler of this so it's good that I liked it. *You technically can buy beer and wine coolers at MN grocery stores, but it is special, 3.2% alcohol beer. So, its for those that are desperate or unwitting outlanders. |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Nov 2, 2020 11:15:58 GMT -5
Probably you've heard of Bourbon County Stout, but if you haven't, it's an annual release from Goose Island - the OG of bourbon barrel aged beers. As time has gone on, they've added more variants, and it's become a Big Deal Thing with Black Friday release parties, long lines, etc. It's also become easier to find, especially with AB/InBev buying Goose Island - I've seen 4-packs at our local liquor megamart in September from the previous year. I don't know if it's the best bourbon barrel stout around anymore, but it's definitely one with a lot of history. I've had a few over the years and they're always somewhere between interesting and really good. (It's also expensive - a single 12 oz bottle runs $13-15 or so)
This year, of course, they don't want people crowding into liquor stores to buy overpriced beer, so Binny's (the megamart) has introduced a drawing -- basically if your name is picked you're guaranteed an allotment, which of course you still have to pay for.
And you know, I've never been willing to stand in line for beer (I mean, festivals notwithstanding) but I went ahead and entered the allotment drawing because... well, because 2020. What the hell.
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LazBro
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Nov 2, 2020 11:23:48 GMT -5
Post by LazBro on Nov 2, 2020 11:23:48 GMT -5
Probably you've heard of Bourbon County Stout, but if you haven't, it's an annual release from Goose Island - the OG of bourbon barrel aged beers. As time has gone on, they've added more variants, and it's become a Big Deal Thing with Black Friday release parties, long lines, etc. It's also become easier to find, especially with AB/InBev buying Goose Island - I've seen 4-packs at our local liquor megamart in September from the previous year. I don't know if it's the best bourbon barrel stout around anymore, but it's definitely one with a lot of history. I've had a few over the years and they're always somewhere between interesting and really good. (It's also expensive - a single 12 oz bottle runs $13-5 or so) This year, of course, they don't want people crowding into liquor stores to buy overpriced beer, so Binny's (the megamart) has introduced a drawing -- basically if your name is picked you're guaranteed an allotment, which of course you still have to pay for. And you know, I've never been willing to stand in line for beer (I mean, festivals notwithstanding) but I went ahead and entered the allotment drawing because... well, because 2020. What the hell. It's actually brilliant, and I wish they'd do it all the time. I'm never going to stand in line for the hopes of getting a rare beer, but I'd happily throw my hat into a lottery every time something interesting came along. |
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Nov 2, 2020 11:39:19 GMT -5
Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Nov 2, 2020 11:39:19 GMT -5
Probably you've heard of Bourbon County Stout, but if you haven't, it's an annual release from Goose Island - the OG of bourbon barrel aged beers. As time has gone on, they've added more variants, and it's become a Big Deal Thing with Black Friday release parties, long lines, etc. It's also become easier to find, especially with AB/InBev buying Goose Island - I've seen 4-packs at our local liquor megamart in September from the previous year. I don't know if it's the best bourbon barrel stout around anymore, but it's definitely one with a lot of history. I've had a few over the years and they're always somewhere between interesting and really good. (It's also expensive - a single 12 oz bottle runs $13-5 or so) This year, of course, they don't want people crowding into liquor stores to buy overpriced beer, so Binny's (the megamart) has introduced a drawing -- basically if your name is picked you're guaranteed an allotment, which of course you still have to pay for. And you know, I've never been willing to stand in line for beer (I mean, festivals notwithstanding) but I went ahead and entered the allotment drawing because... well, because 2020. What the hell. It's actually brilliant, and I wish they'd do it all the time. I'm never going to stand in line for the hopes of getting a rare beer, but I'd happily throw my hat into a lottery every time something interesting came along. Yeah, same, I kinda hope they keep that model - seems fairer than "who can afford to stand in line at the buttcrack of dawn the morning after Thanksgiving". |
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GumTurkeyles
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Post by GumTurkeyles on Nov 2, 2020 11:39:44 GMT -5
I have one from the year that they issued the recall. I never checked to see if mine was one of the ones from the funky bunch, and it's still aging in the basement. We'll find out sometime in the future if I got a bad one. From what I've heard, they weren't awful; just not up to par with their normal quality. And if you like wild ferments, it's fine.
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LazBro
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Post by LazBro on Nov 2, 2020 12:19:48 GMT -5
I have a 2016 Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA. It's a super-high alcohol beer, between 18-20% (DH never commits), so even though it's an IPA it's still intended for cellaring. I didn't mean to keep it for so long, but I forgot I bought it. Really. I'd stowed it far back in the liquor shelf, where things go to die, and only re-discovered it about 6 months ago. I've since moved it to the fridge, which I guess is the first step toward getting serious about drinking it, but I don't know. I try to keep my beers relatively low alcohol, since I'm the kind of guy who, if I'm going to have one, I might as well have five.
But who knows. Maybe if things actually go okay tomorrow I could crack it finally?
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Nov 6, 2020 13:26:46 GMT -5
I won a BCBS allotment! It's a lot of money! But fuck it, we deserve it.
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LazBro
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Post by LazBro on Dec 25, 2020 11:31:51 GMT -5
The Walmart near my house had the Goose Island 2020 Bourbon County Stout for $9 a bottle. So yeah I bought some.
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repulsionist
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Dec 26, 2020 23:48:07 GMT -5
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Post by repulsionist on Dec 26, 2020 23:48:07 GMT -5
Vitalsberg 5
With a heritage from 1516 this cheap lager can say its can bears an appearance similar to Heineken. Perfectly adequate pairing for takeaway.
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BEER
Dec 26, 2020 23:57:48 GMT -5
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Dec 26, 2020 23:57:48 GMT -5
The Walmart near my house had the Goose Island 2020 Bourbon County Stout for $9 a bottle. So yeah I bought some. That’s a very good price! At the liquor mega mart here it tends to be $12 or so. we opened our Bourbon County Caramella wheatwine for our Christmas Eve beer. It was really good, with just enough caramel, apple and cinnamon notes without overpowering the beer. |
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Dec 29, 2020 22:13:15 GMT -5
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Post by repulsionist on Dec 29, 2020 22:13:15 GMT -5
Old Monk Beer Strong does not a Zen koan or obvious maxim make. It portends. A fruity malt liquor that aggravates the senses until its alcohol stunts sensation. Measuring anywhere between 5% and 8% ABV, the monk can creep up on the un-initiated. Beware.
The PREMIUM MALT'S Premium Pilsner works its definitely-articled superlatives into a reasonable froth worth its suds on the Suntory side of things. Recommended.
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Feb 22, 2021 16:45:09 GMT -5
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Post by repulsionist on Feb 22, 2021 16:45:09 GMT -5
Feldschlößchen Dresden Lager
Another bottom rack find in the bottle shop. This one's a keeper. Smooth drinking pleasure. I doubt I will venture further afield to their Weiß beer or other items. This one suits just fine.
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Apr 7, 2021 22:54:50 GMT -5
Post by repulsionist on Apr 7, 2021 22:54:50 GMT -5
DAB Maibock is a 7% ABV bier. It's a dab that'll do ya, but it isn't a creamy beer. Brilliant!
This is the jingle I'm riffing on. Did anyone know it's possible for wit to wilt?
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BEER
Apr 21, 2021 8:47:21 GMT -5
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Post by pantsgoblin on Apr 21, 2021 8:47:21 GMT -5
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LazBro
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Post by LazBro on Apr 21, 2021 11:53:09 GMT -5
I don't care for Fat Tire specifically, but I'm fond of New Belgium's line of IPAs (Voodoo Ranger). I'm especially fond of how they are relatively cheap for the quality, and come in mixed 12 packs so I can have a few different flavors in an evening if I want. |
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BEER
Apr 21, 2021 12:38:29 GMT -5
Post by pantsgoblin on Apr 21, 2021 12:38:29 GMT -5
I don't care for Fat Tire specifically, but I'm fond of New Belgium's line of IPAs (Voodoo Ranger). I'm especially fond of how they are relatively cheap for the quality, and come in mixed 12 packs so I can have a few different flavors in an evening if I want. I have yet to sample a New Belgium brew that hasn't entirely sucked, and I've largely drank it around little Colorado towns. Who really knows what these mid-level breweries are up to? |
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BEER
Apr 21, 2021 13:54:30 GMT -5
Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Apr 21, 2021 13:54:30 GMT -5
I don't care for Fat Tire specifically, but I'm fond of New Belgium's line of IPAs (Voodoo Ranger). I'm especially fond of how they are relatively cheap for the quality, and come in mixed 12 packs so I can have a few different flavors in an evening if I want. I have yet to sample a New Belgium brew that hasn't entirely sucked, and I've largely drank it around little Colorado towns. Who really knows what these mid-level breweries are up to? My husband loves La Folie, which is not my thing, but I think it's a good example of a sour. I haven't had a ton of their stuff, but it's fine? *shrug* |
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repulsionist
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May 14, 2021 23:52:50 GMT -5
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Post by repulsionist on May 14, 2021 23:52:50 GMT -5
Kotsberg Strong is a 6% abv beer from India. I do enjoy finding cheap cans or bottles of beer. Sometimes, though, they do whet instead of wet one's whistle. This is a whetter. Maybe even a stabber. The headache from one beer simply wasn't worth the wager. And this is coming from a guy who purposely bought menthol malt liquors when they were a thing 30 years ago.
Royal Dutch Post Horn Lager is a better choice for the same price point. I stick with the 5% abv and haven't ventured to their 8 or 12% abv; wisely so, I reckon.
Orion Premium Draft Beer is an awesome drink to pair with a good ramen, which I did today.
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Post by repulsionist on May 20, 2021 1:30:05 GMT -5
A few facts about FAXE:
A Danish beer brand starting in the early 20th century.
A woman guided the beer to its first tier of monetary value and cultural respect as a national brand.
In the 70s the brand branched out to making a soda.
In NZ, two variants of the beer are readily available in supermarkets. 5% (Premium) and 10% (Extra Strong). Both are sold in 1L cans.
As a Danish lager/pilsner the 5% is much better than Carlsberg or Tuborg. Definitely worth a guzzle.
Like an album's title track, the beer brand's name is its town of origin.
This has been a short essay of facts about FAXE.
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GumTurkeyles
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Post by GumTurkeyles on Jun 3, 2021 8:19:44 GMT -5
A few facts about FAXE: A Danish beer brand starting in the early 20th century. A woman guided the beer to its first tier of monetary value and cultural respect as a national brand. In the 70s the brand branched out to making a soda. In NZ, two variants of the beer are readily available in supermarkets. 5% (Premium) and 10% (Extra Strong). Both are sold in 1L cans. As a Danish lager/pilsner the 5% is much better than Carlsberg or Tuborg. Definitely worth a guzzle. Like an album's title track, the beer brand's name is its town of origin. This has been a short essay of facts about FAXE. Once you compared it to other Danish lagers, this became a FAXE simile. |
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Jun 11, 2021 4:40:24 GMT -5
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Post by repulsionist on Jun 11, 2021 4:40:24 GMT -5
I didn't grab the beer, but I will soon: Harbin Wheat King. It's from Hubei province. Something new to tick off the list of cheap adjuncts. In a bottle, no less.
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Post by repulsionist on Jul 27, 2021 4:57:23 GMT -5
Finally got the Harbin Wheat Beer. It has no relationship to what a wheat beer from the German tradition might imply. Harbin Wheat Beer portrays an adjunct lager reminding the drinker that they are consuming a fizzy drink in a bottle containing some amount of alcohol.
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