https://www.hopt.nl/flessen/1815-you...ate-stout.htmlQuoting Dukefrukem (view post)
Whaddya know, looks like I can order this one after all from a Dutch site. 5.2% doesn't seem too high though. Is it this one?
https://www.hopt.nl/flessen/1815-you...ate-stout.htmlQuoting Dukefrukem (view post)
Whaddya know, looks like I can order this one after all from a Dutch site. 5.2% doesn't seem too high though. Is it this one?
[+] closer to next rating / [-] closer to previous rating
- Dark (S3) ✦✦✦½ [-]
- Fall (Mann, 2022) ✦✦✦½ [-]
- Ms. Marvel (S1) ✦½ [+]
- Dark (S2) ✦✦✦✦
- Moon Knight (S1) ✦✦½ [-]
- Get Carter (Hodges, 1971) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- Prey (Trachtenberg, 2022) ✦✦✦ [-]
- Black Bird (S1) ✦✦✦✦
- Better Call Saul (S6) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- Halo (S1) ✦✦✦ [-]
- Slow Horses (S1) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- H4Z4RD (Govaerts, 2022/BE) ✦✦½ [-]
- Gangs of London (S1) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- We Own This City (S1) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- Thor: Love and Thunder (Waititi, 2022) ✦✦ [+]
I still drink PBR. Sometimes I get lazy and settle for an old favorite.
My buddy loves Miller High Life. He will of course move on to other beers but that is his standard go to.
Blog!
And it's happened once again
I'll turn to a friend
Someone that understands
And sees through the master plan
But everybody's gone
And I've been here for too long
To face this on my own
Well, I guess this is growing up
Yuengling, High Life... nothing wrong with those on my end!
If you order, let me know your thoughts. It's delicious, and I generally start the night with one.Quoting Morris Schæffer (view post)
Day 3: Category 3 - CZECH LAGER
Como Claw Lake Monster Brewing | St. Paul MN
Remember the good old days of early 2019, when you could go to tap rooms? Me neither. All joking (crying) aside, Lake Monster is actually the brewery I most recently visited, and I did so as recently as election day this year. You see, the weather was unseasonably warm at 70 degrees, and Lake Monster has quite the lovely and spacious outdoor seating area, with tables well spaced apart so to allay any concerns about social distancing and whatnot. So, yeah, it was at Lake Monster that I was fortifying myself against whatever the election may bring.Quoting BJCP Style Guide: 3B. Czech Premium Pale Lager
At any rate, I didn't really go into this beer with high expectations. When I first heard of Lake Monster, the local craft beer scene was new enough that each new brewery opening up was noteworthy, and not yet as saturated as it is today, where there's too many breweries open to keep track of them all. Amidst all this, Lake Monster was the first of the local breweries where... I didn't really care for anything they put out. The IPA was kinda meh, so was their porter. No reason to go back, at least not until they opened one of the better outdoor patios in town.
That being said, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this beer. It's actually one of the better pilsners I have had in quite some time. Pours a crystal clear straw, the hops have a nice bite to them, but definitely not a punch in the face, and there is a bit of resin to them, to give it a slightly American twang to its personality. Lets call it a second-gen bohemian character. But don't get me wrong, this is not an IPA by any stretch of the imagination. It is eminently quaffable for the less hop-enamored set.
All my favorite pilsners have just a nice... clean feeling to them, and this would definitely fall into that category. Next time I'm at Lake Monster, hopefully when all this shit blows over, this is the first beer I'm gonna ask for.
I'm gonna give this a 4/5 - great.
21 Beers ta goo!
Losing is like fertilizer: it stinks for a while, then you get used to it. (Tony, Hibbing)
3. Katerfruhstuck (Schoppe Brau)
Literally Breakfast Hangover, this beer is a vanilla stout that is very vanilla forward, almost too much so. Also, I don't know if it's the beer, or just the bottle I got, but there was almost no head at all, even after going aggressive with the pour after the start. What little I got, immediately faded into the smallest ribbon around the glass line. As it warms, it seems to be mellowing out, making it smoother and a bit easier to drink. I'd rather have this one when I have time to slowly enjoy it, rather than when I'm wanting to get through it so I can go to bed after a long day. That's taking some of the enjoyment out of the drink, but otherwise, I feel like this is a pretty solid Imperial stout that just hits a little hard on the vanilla.
21 beers remain.
Last edited by Gizmo; 12-04-2020 at 04:27 AM.
yes, that's the one.Quoting Morris Schæffer (view post)
also, check out https://www.craftbeer-shop.com/ that's who I'm using. They don't have a lot of American beer, but plenty of American styled beer from Europe.
Out of stock or simply no longer available on that site, and other Dutch and Belgian ones also. Will see what is possible.Quoting Dukefrukem (view post)
[+] closer to next rating / [-] closer to previous rating
- Dark (S3) ✦✦✦½ [-]
- Fall (Mann, 2022) ✦✦✦½ [-]
- Ms. Marvel (S1) ✦½ [+]
- Dark (S2) ✦✦✦✦
- Moon Knight (S1) ✦✦½ [-]
- Get Carter (Hodges, 1971) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- Prey (Trachtenberg, 2022) ✦✦✦ [-]
- Black Bird (S1) ✦✦✦✦
- Better Call Saul (S6) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- Halo (S1) ✦✦✦ [-]
- Slow Horses (S1) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- H4Z4RD (Govaerts, 2022/BE) ✦✦½ [-]
- Gangs of London (S1) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- We Own This City (S1) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- Thor: Love and Thunder (Waititi, 2022) ✦✦ [+]
Katerfruhstuck - as much fun to say as it is to drink.
Examples:
- I've got a Katerfruhstuck in my exhaust pipe and now my car won't start
- Sorry, can't hear you. I've got a Katerfruhstuck in my ear.
- My dog has a Katerfruhstuck up his ass and now he's barking at the wind.
Last edited by bac0n; 12-04-2020 at 03:24 PM.
Losing is like fertilizer: it stinks for a while, then you get used to it. (Tony, Hibbing)
I cant come in today, I've got Katerfruhstuck.
4. Roundhouse Kick (Crew Republic)
Another Imperial Stout, which probably will be a trend this year (I don't 100% recall what all I ordered, as I ordered things in small bunches and set some aside for this while drinking the others). Roundhouse Kick is a change from yesterday's imperial, but also in the same ballpark. This one is not as sharp and therefore easier to drink in bigger gulps. I'd pick this one before others, for sure.
20 beers remain.
Day 4: Category 4 - PALE MALTY EUROPEAN LAGER
but i couldn't find anything in this category in single cans, so instead it's gonna be...
IPA Hairless Dog Brewing Company| Minneapolis MN
Yup, your eyes aren't deceiving you. That's 0.0% ABV. This is a non-alcoholic beer. Without going too much into the details, certain events that transpired over the course of the last 12 months or so have made me ponder my own mortality, and more specifically, how I would rather that not happen for quite some time yet. And further, as my 50s loom closer and closer, I find myself approaching that age where typically, a lot of the less wise lifestyle choices a fella makes start to catch up with him. So, I'm trying to eat less shitty, exercise more regularly, and most importantly, I'm trying to throttle back on the alcohol intake.
But the problem is, I really fucking like beer! And the days, they are getting more often, that after a long arduous day of meeting after meeting, fire drill after fire drill, an ice cold brew is just a nice way to bring me down, and another beer after that is even better. And next thing ya know, you're having 3-4 beers a day, every day. That's not sustainable.
So what's a fella to do? Well, lucky for me, a guy I know from highschool found himself in a similar problem a while back, so he decided to start himself up a brewery that makes NA beer, and not just that, NA beer for the craft beer set. Sure, no-one's gonna mistake this beer for Pliny the Elder, but ya know what - I can throw down an entire six pack of Hairless Dog and not spend the entire next day feeling like I've been run over by a monster truck. Can't say that for Pliny.
So, on its own merits, this is a middling beer. The hops have a tangerine twang to them, but as a recovering homebrewer, they taste like hop pellets smell before you throw them into the wort to boil. Not bad, but an acquired taste. That's what hits you up front, but it slowly fades, a bit of sweetness tries to sneak in, then finishes on a bit of a tart note, green apple, I would say. An okay IPA, I would say, but leaps and bounds over other NA beers on the market, which are nigh lifeless.
Measuring this beer with the same stick as I do others, it doesn't amount to much. 3/5 (serviceable) at best. But again, sacrificing a few flavor points is a tradeoff I am increasingly willing to take if it also means I get to ditch the alcohol and the baggage it can bring with it.
20 beers to go!
Losing is like fertilizer: it stinks for a while, then you get used to it. (Tony, Hibbing)
5. The Oracle(White Pony)
So a few years back I had a buddy stationed here with me who I talked into tasting beer rather than just drinking beer, and turned him on to Belgian styles and venturing through the German beers rather than just buying a rack of whatever was at the local shop. We also have a bistro near by that imports and properly stores (I'm talking 7 or 8 mini fridges at controlled and varied temperatures) Belgian beers. It's a favorite place for us to go grab a bite and some beers (in fact, if/when I move I'm looking into what's available in that village so I can make it a walking trip). Anyway, one night he's there for dinner and all I hear after that is him raving over this beer called "oracle". Well, we tried and tried to go when they still had it in stock, but never any luck, so I'm not sure he ever got his hands on another before he left. I was finally able to order 1 (I tried ordering 3, actually, but they only had 1 by the time of shipping) and it's now in my glass.
I'll admit, I'm not a fan of barley wines (or wine wines, really) so seeing this as a barley wine made me apprehensive. I should not be, as this thing is really solid. It's heavy malt with a strong, but not overpowering, fruit/grape tone. It drinks a lot like a quad, but doesn't taste as alcohol-y, even though it's right there in the ABV. As I've allowed it to warm, it's melded very nicely and almost became creamy. I can't taste the barley, which is what I most dislike about barley wines, which makes it all the better. This really is a very very good beer and well worth the wait and hassle of finally acquiring one.
19 beers remaining.
Last edited by Gizmo; 12-05-2020 at 04:05 PM.
Day 5: Category 5 - PALE BITTER EUROPEAN BEER
Kölsch Venn Brewing | Minneapolis MN
I was double happy to see this beer in the bottle shop when I was building the collection of beers to be reviewing this month: one, because this is my favorite kölsch in town, and two, because they have a dedicated label for it now. No longer the generic Venn label with Kölsch written on it. That, I would believe, means that this beer is popular enough for Venn to add to the regular rotation.Quoting BJCP Style Guidelines: 5B. Kölsch
And, in another fortunate turn of events, Scar texted me the other day wondering if we wanted to have a porch beer together, so we got to spend an hour or so earlier today bullshitting in lawn chairs out front, and, yes, splitting this kölsch. There are a whole lot worse ways to spend a clear but moderately chilly late fall afternoon.
Now, I have mentioned before how I love a good kölsch, and a lot of the reason why is how drinkable it is, but mostly it is because of its distinctively dry AF finish - that's what really sets the style apart from the rest, and this kölsch, you can feel the moisture being sucked off your tongue as it finishes up. Couple that with a smooth start that has a pear-like sweetness to it up front, balanced with a nice malt presence and low bitterness, and you have yourself a wonderful warm weather porch pounder.
There are several good kölsches in town, another notable being Surly's Heat Slayer, but as I mentioned a bit ago, this one is my favorite local one, and if you had to twist my arm and say if it's my favorite overall, it would come in a close second after Land Grant's 1862. I'm gonna give this one a 4.25 - Great, borderline awesome.
Scar - would love to read your comments on this one as well.
19 Beers Remain!
Losing is like fertilizer: it stinks for a while, then you get used to it. (Tony, Hibbing)
Definitely a great Kolsch. Probably the driest finish on a beer I’ve had. I should’ve cranked the space heater to max so it felt more like Kolsch weather. I’m guessing it tops Wicked Worts Kolsch easily, but I think my favorite is Surly’s Heat Slayer. Speaking of Kolsch’s, I didn’t see one can/bottle of Alaskan Kolsch this year. Add that to the list of 2020 bullshit.
How hard of a quest will it be to find Land’s Grant 1862?
“What we are dealing with here is a perfect engine, er... an eating machine. It's really a miracle of evolution. All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks and that's all.”
It's as easy as booking a flight to Columbus Ohio!Quoting Scar (view post)
Losing is like fertilizer: it stinks for a while, then you get used to it. (Tony, Hibbing)
Ah man, that means I’d have to say hi to Skitch.
;-)
“What we are dealing with here is a perfect engine, er... an eating machine. It's really a miracle of evolution. All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks and that's all.”
6. Organic Chocolate Stout (Samuel Smith's)
Had this one after dinner, so hours ago, forgot to post. This one was very dark chocolate flavored, and smooth, but something felt a bit off too. A nice desert beer, though, and I'd drink it again.
18 beers to go!
Lmao gross. Can I buy you one mail it? Lol maybe a care package of ohio brews?Quoting Scar (view post)
To hell with Scar, sure.Quoting Skitch (view post)
Losing is like fertilizer: it stinks for a while, then you get used to it. (Tony, Hibbing)
Day 6: Category 6 - AMBER MALTY EUROPEAN LAGER
but i couldn't find any Oktoberfests and Rauchbiers aren't my thing so instead it's gonna be...
Our Special Ale 2020 (Anchor Christmas Ale) Anchor Brewing Company | San Francisco, CA
You're damn right I drank this beer from a moose glass ala Christmas Vacation. Interesting side note. Scar got me these glasses, too. Anywho, today was the annual decorating of the tree, which as I get older and my kiddos do as well, comes down to more of me hauling boxes around and managing the mess while they hang the ornaments on the tree. Which is okay, because that gives me carte blanche to enjoy my single most favoritest beer in the whole wide world, Anchor's Christmas Ale.
This year's batch is definitely a step up form last year's, with more molasses to balance out the omnipresent ginger and cinnamon, a little bit less on the plum. In short, it reminds me of the huge tin of cookies my Grammy Lervick, God rest her sweet soul, would have waiting for my brother and I when we rolled into Williston ND for Christmas, in essence, the things I like best about this season, in liquid form.
I can gush until your eyes bleed, but I've done it at least a half a dozen times in this here thread, so I'll spare you. Just search this forum on Anchor Christmas Ale, and you'll have enough reading material to last you to March.
This beer gets a 5/5 for me, one of the few. Christmas seasonals, bow down before the might of Anchor.
18 beers left!
Losing is like fertilizer: it stinks for a while, then you get used to it. (Tony, Hibbing)
7. Jöuluöö (Pöhjala)
Yet another Imperial vanilla/chocolate comes out of the bag, and I'm a little irked at past me for setting current me up for all these heavy beers. Future me hopes past me has a bit more variety in store. Anyway, This beer, apparently from Estonia, may be the best blend of chocolate and vanilla in a porter I've ever had. I downed this far faster than I should have, and immediately wish I had more. Smooth and silky and delicious. A good start to the 7th (it's now 5:30 in the am and I'm about to go to bed). I work the next two nights, so 8 will either come in 24 hours or 48, depending on how I feel after work.
17 beers remaining.
Day 7: Category 7 - AMBER BITTER EUROPEAN BEER
Alt-1848 Utepils Brewing | Minneapolis MN
Classic straight-up German brews are Utepils' schtick, so it doesn't surprise me one bit that they are one of the few breweries in town that produces an alt, and the only one I can think of, that has one in its regular rotation. To be honest, I don't have them that often, because for a reason I will explain in a moment, I kinda think of them as special occasion beers. You see, back when I lived in St. Paul, I knew a guy, born and raised in Germany, who would have us over to his place for gettogethers, with plenty of beer. But there was always a sixer he kept in the fridge, and he made it very clear that it was for him and him alone. It was an altbier. So, I figured, if it was good enough to get a German that possessive of it, in particular one who would give you the shirt off his back, then it must be something special.Quoting BJCP Style Guidelines: 7B - Altbier
Pours a deep copper with nice head retention and legs up the side of the snifter I poured it into. Nose is a combination of malt and cider. Taste-wise, this is definitely a malt-forward German beer - you could be forgiven for mistaking it for a bock. Crisp, dry and sharp up front, then a sweetness of red apple, with the bitterness sorta fanning out and not kicking in until it hits the periphery of my palate. Throughout the entire experience is the presence of the malt, lending subdued flavors of graham and brown sugar, just enough to balance out the bitterness, which itself is held nicely in check.
True to its style, this alt is a nicely balanced beer, managing to juggle a deceptive amount of complexity for a German beer, which can sometimes get to be a bit one-dimensional. I'm gonna give this a 3.5/5 - Good. Definitely worth your while if you're looking for something more interesting than a light lager and less obnoxious than an IPA.
17 Beers to go!
Losing is like fertilizer: it stinks for a while, then you get used to it. (Tony, Hibbing)
8. Icelandic Toasted Porter (Einstök)
I know I've mentioned not liking the run of heavy dark beers, but really it's what I enjoy drinking, and this year's crop has been amazing for the most part. Here we have another, and this is another top notch beer. A toasted porter that is very toasty and dry, and has a slight rauch beer touch, without the smokey flavor lingering. It was smooth and dry and delicious. I may put in an order for some more. A favorite of the month, among many contenders.
16 beers to go!
I've come across their white ale and enjoyed that a lot. They didn't have the toasted porter but imagine it's awesome.Quoting Gizmo (view post)