...the premies

Here's a chance to talk about a topic dear to us away from the unwashed masses, Beer.

In the spirit of Phillip's original beer thread, I'll kick it off with what I look for in a beer, and local favorites.

I typically drink locally, and my current favorite is the Bridgeport IPA. I believe this is in national (US) distribution and is worth looking for on tap if you can find it. This beer is not for the hop-squeemish, but maintains a great balance to avoid unnecessary bitterness. 'Course with winter coming on, I'm likely to head towards porters and stouts again.

Another nice beer that may be more difficult to find is Rogue's Hazelnut Brown Nectar. I haven't found a nut brown more true to its style besides Samual Smith's (another wonderful family of beers I hope to try on tap some day). Rogue's is silky smooth with a very pronounced nutty taste.

Well, I've made no secret of the fact that when it comes to beer, I drink dairy [newglarusbrewing.com]. Sure, you need to upsize the fridge, but...

That aside, I like beers that have a good balance of hops and malt. I like the occasional IPA, and I like Stouts with texture, but I'm as happy with a Hefeweizen as I am an Amber. I find myself more and more recently putting some sort of citrus in any beer lighter than an Amber, again as much to balance out the hops as just cause I like it.

I find I have a fairly voracious and wide range of beers I'll drink.

Ones I return to or intend to return to tend to have one thing in common which is "Something Distinctive". Half the time I can't even really describe a beer properly until I have drunk it on a number of separate occasions.

The one thing that annoys the hell out of me is paying premium prices for a beer which is just a typical beer of that variety. I find I can normally brew something close enough myself and have it on tap at home without much trouble.

The white label triple Chimay [chimay.com] (tried one of these on the weekend, outrageously expensive, I think I liked it enough to buy more when I get a bonus or something ;). I think it could be described as being sweet in that hoppy way. Definitely something I am glad I tried and next time I'm in Belgium I'll probably drink more if it is not quite so depressingly expensive.

I tend to prefer light beers, lagers, and nothing too bitter. I generally buy Yuengling Lager and maybe a few other things for home (rather liking the new Sam Adams Oktoberfest batch).

Unfortunately, I live in a state with antiquiated alcohol laws. I can only buy from certain stores, and it's nearly impossible to buy less than a case of anything that's not Bud. That makes it hard to experiment -- I don't want to drop $40+ on something that looks interesting, but that I may not like and will then have 35 bottles of sitting around the house forever. That's why I more often drink wine these days...

There are some rather nice brew pubs in the area, though. I'm rather fond of the Church Brew Works [churchbrew.com]. Great beers and sacrilege all rolled up in one!

Piffle, I forgot my links. Here they are for the beers I mentioned earlier:
Bridgeport IPA [bridgeportbrew.com]
Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar [rogue.com]
Samual Smith [merchantduvin.com]

Are any of you interested in starting a beer exchange program? We could ship like quantities of our local beers to each other, and enjoy beers of the world (depending on international shipping restrictions) from the comfort of our own homes.

Wow! I only just noticed this enticing beer thread! I really like beer also, especially the Ray Hines' Gamble Boat beer from Germany (though of course I'd drink the normal Mexicans beer if that's all there is on hand - some beer is better than no beer at all. All we beer enthusiasts like you and me know that).

Has anyone tried the Hobbes beer? A good friend and I did some research about this stuff and found out it's connected to reefer! I don't claim to understand all the principles behind this complex beer (like the motivations for peace and causes of war), but I know a good nose tickler when I drink one, if you know what I mean (and I think you do).

Anyways, have to get back to beating my kids and being surly. My first born, Bruce, is a real handful! Munch some peanuts for me the next time you down some Lager, everyone.

It's nice to be in similar company with you all. I feel so comfortable. Can anyone loan me $20?

- Chad

In Response to Oedipa_Maas (#2029):

This is a delightful idea. I like it an awful lot.

Kind of like an international form of a wine club. but with a common link between members. Something missing from most wine clubs. Maybe kind of like Oprah's book club?

It does have certain amounts of work involved if it were to be international though. I would be a super surly chap were I to subscribe and find some fat ugly customs chaps drinking my beer. And not just because I hate finding fat ugly customs guys.

So... is someone going to investigate the whole international shipping thing? Remember that for this to be way fun I'd envisage something like each person taking a turn at sending out beers from their country... (not that I have any experience of some countries claiming to be the only actual country in the world) and members paying through paypal or something...

Of course a larger project (G:the beer group?) may be along the lines of:
join the group for a fixed price and, if you get chosen by other members of the group, if you choose to send out a beer "block" to the other members you get refunded by the group (not the members).

This kind of project needs a core member who is trusted and has something to lose.

That member will also have a certain amount of liability to the group (people could whinge and moan etc).

I see one obvious choice for that member (I mean he drinks enough that buying an extre couple and sending them out would be a trivial exercise) but that person would be exposed to a trust exercise also and may choose not to (I wouldn't - then I am lazy).

In Response to tor (#2515):

I like the club idea. I was, however, thinking of something a tad more simple to start.

All members involved in the exchange would be paired up once a month (week, or whatever frequency the members desired). Each pair would then ship the same quantities of their favorite local beers to each other. The members in each pair would be responsible for discussing pertinent international or national shipping laws to ensure the best likelihood of one's shipment making it to the other.

This would still require one member to keep everyone involved organized and pair up the members on a regular basis. Since I threw this idea out there, I'd be happy to be the ring leader (oh goody, do I get to use a whip?) for a while.

The biggest fault I see with this system is the occasional deadbeat who neglects to send beer to their partner or a yahoo from Missouri who sends out budweiser. After due process I would not be against public humiliation and immediate removal from the exchange program of the above mentioned twerp.

'Course there is the whole legal drinking age thing too. Tor's club idea could involve a way to deal with this where my simple plan does not address this potential liability. Any suggestions on how to deal with this?

In Response to Oedipa_Maas (#2523):

I think the simple expedient of each person being required to send as well as receive beer will do a lot to ensure the legality of said person receiving beer.

I like this idea, and would probably participate. As to the whip bit, go wild! but I doubt you'll get much satisfaction since we're all on the other side of the digital divide (no, not that [digitaldividenetwork.org] digital divide).

I believe most jurisdictions make a distinction between alcohol shipped across borders for *personal* use for business use.

In Response to Chad (#2478):

Actually, all beers with hops are related to the magical green flower. Hops are one of the closest relatives of marijuana.

In Response to zamphir (#2681):

Damn that digital divide.

If any other people are interested in the unofficial Goats International Beer Exchange Program, contact me at the e-mail address next to my username.

Rogue makes some damn fine beers...I tend to like their stuff. Sadly, the pub no longer carries the Brutally Bitter Ale [rogue.com], which was one of my favorites of theirs.

In Response to phillip (#2717):

In lieu of the Brutal Bitter you might try Rogue's Imperial IPA [rogue.com]. Though, I'm not sure it will be any easier to find on tap.

I'm on medicine now, as an old man who's falling apart, consarn it. So I can only drink beer when I'm ready to die, but I won't drink beer as a form of suicide -- I mean, Hell. Respect the damn beer.

But I can remember, damn it. And memory is a powerful thing.

I guess my favorite beer goes back to the Chapterhouse Brewpub in Ithaca, back in the early Nineties. I think the owners of changed since then, so maybe they still brew this and maybe they don't, but if they do, well... once a year they put up the Blond Double-Boch, and that was damn fine. Damn damn damn fine. Smooth, with little aftertaste but very full body.

Being a Brewpub Sort, there was also the Big Time Brewpub in the U-District in Seattle. They had an Oatmeal stout that made a lovely, lovely breakfast.

But now... you kids today with your Icehouse Beer and your baggy pants and your voting Republican... why, I oughta....

I'm a huge Hefeweizen fan, and it was the first 'real' brew that I had that turned me onto the sweet sweet necter that is beer. I mostly drink Paulaner or Erdinger because it's what's available where I am now; although I was spoiled for a time by having Weinstephaner (and about 20 others) available at a fantastic wonderland called Beers of the World when I was in college in Rochester, NY.

I'm also a fan of IPA's. Harpoon has become one of my regulars lately, since I was about 5 miles from the brewery in Boston until a few months ago. Not the most adventurous IPA, but a good one, and readily available on tap.

Brown ales are also high on my list. In Portland, ME, there is a fantastic brewery called Gritty McDuffs http://www.grittys.com/. Their brown ale is one of the best that I've ever had, and their seasonal brews are top notch.

Sadly, I'm currently living in central Mass, where the finest offerings at the 'best' micro brew house are stale old Belhaven and Magic Hat #9. Stale because everyone in the place is swilling $4 bottles of bud and coors light. All the more reason to stay with my old roomies in Manhatten and visit the Pequliar I guess.