the Beer thread.

[Ack]

Ok guys, I have a question for you. I enjoy stouts, the blacker, the better. Of course, everybody under the sun has tried Guiness, I'll drink Yuengling Black and Tan when I don't have any other choices besides the typical shit my friends and family drink for chief (hence those High Lifes that were in my apartment), and I enjoy the Samuel Adams Imperial Stout when I get the chance, but what are some others that I can find stateside that I should check out?

I don't know if you know this Ack, but Alabama has some of the most draconian anti-beer laws in the US. Up until 2009, you could not even buy beer that was over 6%. Thanks to the good people of the free the hops organization, the law has been changed to 13.9%.

However, Alabama still has several laws that are detrimental to craft beer, most notably their container laws. You can't purchase anything in a bottle that is larger than 16oz. That pretty much makes it impossible for you to buy some of the best beers ever brewed since a lot of them come in single bottles, usually 22oz or 750ml (standard wine bottle, approximately 23.5oz).

That is on top of their anti-home brewing laws and restrictive policies for brewpubs and breweries.

You can learn more at http://www.freethehops.org/

No, unfortunately I'm fully aware of our asstastic beer laws. A good friend of mine was into the Free the Hops movement in Birmingham and called me to celebrate when they managed to pass that 13.9% law. But I do have family in Georgia, so crossing the border is always a possibility.

[sevin0seven]

I don't drink beer but I have British bar towels so I'm cool too, right guys? Guys?

Hobie, your always cool in my book.

This is why we're friends.

If you haven't, check out Sprecher's and Goose Island root beer. Also, if you're ever in the midwest, look out for some Potosi brew. That's some great stuff.

*e-high five buddy!

[the King]

Are you sure those are actually "beers". I am by no means a master brewer, but I don't see how it's possible to make a beer with that large of an ABV. I was always under assumption that Samiclaus which was at 14% ABV was the strongest beer in the world.

We have Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus at my pub, technically it isn't beer either. It's lager. It tastes like lager, and to be honest, isn't that enjoyable. It's ok, nothing spectacular. Regardless, Mikkeller Black I mentioned in my post - which definitely IS beer - is 16% anyway...

Freeze distilling is a bone of contention amongst many beer enthusiasts and brewers at the moment. A lot of them denounce TNP, Bismarck etc as beers since they are freeze distilled to attain such high ABVs. They call them hopped whiskeys or wheat spirit. Having tried all (including the former strongest beer in the world 'World's Strongest Beer' by Schorsbräu) but the End of History of these super high ABV beers, they still taste like beer to me. To me, that is what counts.

Edit: In fact, I remember incorrectly, just checked the Black and it's 17.5%.

Lager isn't beer?

Yeah, I've had the Samichlaus before and didn't think too much of it, more hype really with being brewed once a year and the ABV.

I don't know too much about the super high ABV beers and the freeze distilling process, but once you start talking about something being distilled I'm not sure I'd call it beer either. Next time I'm at the home brew store(inside a local brewery and distillery) I'm going to ask some of those guys about it.

[YoshiEgg25]

I don't drink beer but I have British bar towels so I'm cool too, right guys? Guys?

Hobie, your always cool in my book.

This is why we're friends.

If you haven't, check out Sprecher's and Goose Island root beer. Also, if you're ever in the midwest, look out for some Potosi brew. That's some great stuff.

*e-high five buddy!

*e-five!*

I'm a huge root beer guy. I can tell the tastes between Mug, A&W, and Barq's without any problem. One time I had ten in a 24 hour period.

[GryeDor]

What a wonderful thread I've come upon.

My current list of favorite beers.

1. Bell's Expedition Stout
2. Founder's Breakfast Stout
3. Great Lakes Christmas Ale
4. Youngs Double Chocolate Stout
5. Dog Fish Head's 90-Minute IPA

Other contenders...
Bison Chocolate Stout
Guinness/Strongbow mix (Black Velveteen)
Great Lakes Nosferatu and Holy Moses

[Hobie-wan]

However, Alabama still has several laws that are detrimental to craft beer, most notably their container laws. You can't purchase anything in a bottle that is larger than 16oz. That pretty much makes it impossible for you to buy some of the best beers ever brewed since a lot of them come in single bottles, usually 22oz or 750ml (standard wine bottle, approximately 23.5oz).

So no pouring a 40 out for one's homies then, eh?

What a stupid law though. Unless the law kept you from buying more than 16 oz per store visit, you just buy more bottles which wastes more resources in making more smaller bottles and transporting more weight to stores.

[saturnfan]

However, Alabama still has several laws that are detrimental to craft beer, most notably their container laws. You can't purchase anything in a bottle that is larger than 16oz. That pretty much makes it impossible for you to buy some of the best beers ever brewed since a lot of them come in single bottles, usually 22oz or 750ml (standard wine bottle, approximately 23.5oz).

So no pouring a 40 out for one's homies then, eh?

What a stupid law though. Unless the law kept you from buying more than 16 oz per store visit, you just buy more bottles which wastes more resources in making more smaller bottles and transporting more weight to stores.

I am not sure about the rational of the laws. Alcohol laws in every state are incredibly complicated, Alabama just happens to be one of the most restrictive, although there are other states that come close to it. For instance several states have ABV and container size maxes, with (I believe) Ohio currently having the lowest cap at 12%.

I used to work in a liquor store and I remember looking at a state issued book specifically for liquor stores (there are of course separate laws for distributors, bars, clubs, brew pubs, breweries, possession, sporting events and like 1000 other things you can think of). It was like 400 pages and dealt with the weirdest scenarios.

[Niode]

Lager isn't beer?

Yeah, I've had the Samichlaus before and didn't think too much of it, more hype really with being brewed once a year and the ABV.

I don't know too much about the super high ABV beers and the freeze distilling process, but once you start talking about something being distilled I'm not sure I'd call it beer either. Next time I'm at the home brew store(inside a local brewery and distillery) I'm going to ask some of those guys about it.

It's a different product, it's brewed in a different way, I don't class lager as beer. I class Real Ale and craft beer as beer. That's just me though. I'm pretty sure CAMRA agree with me though.


Anyway on a lighter note, had the awesome Green Hopped IPA by Darkstar last night. 6.5% of huge hop delight. Then finished it off with this monster:

mikkeller1000IBU.jpg (76.43 KiB) Viewed 711 times

mikkeller1000IBUpoured.jpg (80.82 KiB) Viewed 711 times

Mikkeller Barrel Aged 1000 IBU 9.6%

First let me describe the smell. It's like a super peaty whiskey, think Laphroaig 12 Year and you're not far off. Really intense peat, wood, hints of bonfire toffee. The taste is incredible. Super strong peaty flavour, very light on hops, they're there but not prominent at all just for bitterness really. It explodes in your mouth. Each sip fills your mouth with flavour, similar in flavour to Brewdog's Paradox Smokehead but smoother, less sour. If you like whiskey you'll love this. Not as good as the Mikkeller Black but it's not as strong and nowhere near as expensive. Presentation is nice in a paper wrapped bottle. Bottle is the typical Mikkeller green bottle but with a caged cork instead of waxed.

[saturnfan]

Beer can't be a 1000IBUs, they have determined that their is no real taste difference after 100. And besides, any IBU rating from 1-100 can be made negligible (taste wise) by countering it with more malt.

[the King]

Lager isn't beer?

Yeah, I've had the Samichlaus before and didn't think too much of it, more hype really with being brewed once a year and the ABV.

I don't know too much about the super high ABV beers and the freeze distilling process, but once you start talking about something being distilled I'm not sure I'd call it beer either. Next time I'm at the home brew store(inside a local brewery and distillery) I'm going to ask some of those guys about it.

It's a different product, it's brewed in a different way, I don't class lager as beer. I class Real Ale and craft beer as beer. That's just me though. I'm pretty sure CAMRA agree with me though.

Lager isn't beer because of the way it's brewed, but some distilled spirit is? My father-in-law is going to be pretty suprised when I tell him the winter lager he's suppose to bottle today isn't craft beer.