GRM beer tasting

Just had a syrah barrel aged IPA at Drakes in San Leandro, an excillent beer and the wine adds a very interesting tang to the beer. I like beers with wicked sour flavors and aged in barrels. I encourage anyone in California to give Drakes a try they make some very tasty and very fresh beer. I'd say Drakes is on par with what I've had at Russian River. RR is great beer also but santa rosa is a hell of a drive and I think their reputation actually exceeds their product. If people wait hours in line to try some beer or you have to give the secret handshake to get some I don't need to be part of it. Another great brewery is Central coast in San Louis Obisbo.

Just had a Cruz. You can only buy it at Walgreens. It tastes like something you'd buy at walgreens. Corona knockoff, and it isn't even as good as Corona. They aimed low and shot lower.

Otto Maddox wrote: Last night, I tried a beer called Red Brick Brown and had a bizarre foamy mess of an experience. It sat in my fridge for a couple days before I opened one. I popped the top and foam went everywhere. I let it sit for about 20 minutes, tried to take a sip, and my mouth just filled like crazy with foam. I tried pouring it into a big beer glass. No matter how carefully I poured it, the filled glass would easily be 90% foam. The whole bottle was like this. I later opened a second bottle and had the same exact experience. Assloads of foam everywhere. I drink tons of beer, all different kinds, and I’ve never seen anything like this.

resolution -

Thanks for contacting us about your experience with our beer. I am so sorry that our Brown Ale was not up to par! From the sound of things, the beer may have been overly carbonated and should not have been available for sale. I apologize. If there is a store near you, we would like to make this up to you by sending you a Publix gift card to replace the beer you purchased.

Gifted to me (share your good beer, folks) was a bottle of To Ol "Goliat" imperial stout. Magnificent. I'm starting to realize that what I hate about a lot of coffee stouts (non-kbs founders breakfast for instance,) is the abundance of carbonation. That ruins a stout for me, but particularly with the coffee brews.

In reply to poopshovel:

Too much carbonation even if your pour into a glass?

I've been drinking Victory Hop Devil for a week now and I still love every bottle. SO damn good.

poopshovel wrote: Gifted to me (share your good beer, folks) was a bottle of To Ol "Goliat" imperial stout. Magnificent. I'm starting to realize that what I hate about a lot of coffee stouts (non-kbs founders breakfast for instance,) is the abundance of carbonation. That ruins a stout for me, but particularly with the coffee brews.

Have you tried Schafly's Coffee Stout? Should I prepare one for shipping?

Otto Maddox wrote: In reply to poopshovel: Too much carbonation even if your pour into a glass?

As a total berkeleying beer snob, I don't drink anything out of a bottle...unless of course, it's on the ride home Yes, founders breakfast stout is too carbonated for my liking. KBS, however, is the nectar of the berkeleying gods. I have one left and am pretending like it's not there until next year.

poopshovel wrote: I'm starting to realize that what I hate about a lot of coffee stouts (non-kbs founders breakfast for instance,) is the abundance of carbonation. That ruins a stout for me, but particularly with the coffee brews.

Word.

Stouts need to be smooth. Either low carbonation, or nitrogen.

RossD wrote: After trying the Leinies' Big Eddy Wee Heavy Scotch Ale, I went back to the liquor store and found 4 more bottles; score. But next to them was this little gem: You could taste the bourbon flavors. It was...awesome.

Oh yeah, that's a good one! They brew it in retired bourbon barrels that have too many cycles on them to get used for bourbon anymore. I used to pick that up sometimes when I lived in the Lexington KY area.

Can anyone recommend a beer with black licorice flavor? I used to like Warsteiner Premium Verum and would always detect a black licorice flavor on the first sip that I liked, but it seemed to disappear afterwards. Anyhow, it made me think I would like a beer with a hint of black licorice. Does this exist?

JamesMcD wrote: Can anyone recommend a beer with black licorice flavor? I used to like Warsteiner Premium Verum and would always detect a black licorice flavor on the first sip that I liked, but it seemed to disappear afterwards. Anyhow, it made me think I would like a beer with a hint of black licorice. Does this exist?

I think I already did:

Josh said: If you'd like something all full of plum and date and anise-y flavors, Gouden Carolus Cuvee van de Kaizer ought to be right up your alley.

Not exactly straight up licorice flavored beer, but some of the taste is there, it's great, try some.

Or you could drop a shot of Jager in your beer, but then I'd have to nut-punch you through the internet.

JamesMcD wrote: They brew it in retired bourbon barrels that have too many cycles on them to get used for bourbon anymore.

Bourbon barrels are used one time. There are legal standards determining what makes Bourbon.

It must be aged in new, charred oak barrels.

Your factoid of the day!

Josh wrote:

JamesMcD wrote: Can anyone recommend a beer with black licorice flavor? I used to like Warsteiner Premium Verum and would always detect a black licorice flavor on the first sip that I liked, but it seemed to disappear afterwards. Anyhow, it made me think I would like a beer with a hint of black licorice. Does this exist?

I think I already did:

Josh said: If you'd like something all full of plum and date and anise-y flavors, Gouden Carolus Cuvee van de Kaizer ought to be right up your alley.

Not exactly straight up licorice flavored beer, but some of the taste is there, it's great, try some. Or you could drop a shot of Jager in your beer, but then I'd have to nut-punch you through the internet.

I'm going to drop of shot of Jager in a glass of Beck's.

I have a new go-to: Zywiec. Polish stuff. The beer snobs will probably come in and say that it is along the same lines as Becks (mass produced swill, just this one without the marketing), but everyone I know who has tried it comes away pleased.

This is a lager--taste is light, not very strong. It leaves a slightly sour aftertaste, but not bad. The big thing is, for those of us who value drinkability over complexity, it is extremely easy to find the bottom of the bottle and reach for another. Perfect for a warm summers night.

The best part? I usually only see it in 20 packs of 22 oz. bottles, all for only $22.00. That works out to about the same price as Bud, actually a little cheaper for me, for a much better (to me) beer. Only ever seen it at Costco though, and I expect that if you find it at a liquor store it would be priced like a premium.

z31maniac wrote: Bourbon barrels are used one time. There are legal standards determining what makes Bourbon. It must be aged in new, charred oak barrels. Your factoid of the day!

I was touring a distillery in Scotland once and the distiller made a point of saying they buy used Kentucky bourbon barrels to age their whisky. Wouldn't have expected that!

Sounds like some of you would like Harviestoun Ola Dubh, it's a Scottish stout aged in whisky casks. Same idea. It picks up a nice smoky, peaty flavour.

JamesMcD wrote: Can anyone recommend a beer with black licorice flavor? I used to like Warsteiner Premium Verum and would always detect a black licorice flavor on the first sip that I liked, but it seemed to disappear afterwards. Anyhow, it made me think I would like a beer with a hint of black licorice. Does this exist?

More than a hint, but Stone Belgo Anise Imperial Stout might be right up your alley. I think it's only available in bombers. I actually need to try it again. I think it was a little too hot the last time I had it, and the bottles at my spot should have several months of aging by now.

Anybody have any recomendations for a good brown ale?

I haven't tried it, but a friend who likes everything I like, and hates everything I hate really likes Cigar City Maduro Brown.

Ten Fidy is on tap 5 minutes from where I am right now. 5:30 can't come soon enough!!!

Braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaainssssssssssssss

Just picked up a growler (64oz bottle of draft - right from the tap) of Great lakes Holy Moses

Smoooooooth and creamy. Single digits IBU? It wasn't listed and i didn't check. I like the fullness, but it's not a beer for Poopshovel. I imagine his tap water is stronger.

I also bought a 6 pack of Edmund Fitzgerald - also from Great Lakes. I haven't popped one yet. I thought the picture on the bottles was pretty.

Fallon Smoked = yummy. Tasted kinda like bacon.
Newcastle Summer Ale = meh. Like a mix of a Newcastle brown and a strong IPA. And not in a good way.

Rogue Red Ale = Delicious. A bit hoppy for me, but very refreshing.
Banana Bread Beer = Thumbs up. The banana bread taste was not as strong as i feared, and overall very delicious.

Delerium Tremens = STRONG, but not that much body to it. It was fun to be swanky, but i won't buy it again.

This one was a little weird. Very light and clean citrus-y taste with no lingering. Knocked me straight on my ass.

Sam Adams Alpine Spring = I love unfiltered beers, and this was no exception.

Buying draft from the tap is the BEST way to enjoy a well crafted American Beer. If you have the option in your town/city, try it. I'm so going to miss this when I move into Northern Ontario in August.

To clarify - There's a beer store chain in the Buffalo area that sells draft in 64oz bottles for you to bring home and consume on the couch/porch/deck/crapper. They call the bottles growlers (teeheehee). Is awesome.

I just cracked open the first bottle of Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald - I can see why Gordon Lightfoot wrote a song about it. It's good :)

I had a DFH 90 minute IPA for the first time in a while on the way home yesterday. That is just a damned good IPA, and boozey enough for my taste (9% I think?) It's not as good as the Burton Baton, but I guess that stuff is long gone.

I am currently drinking a Deus, Brut des Flandres. I believe this is the single finest beer I have ever had in my life.

Of course, it aught to be. It usually goes for $35 - $60/bottle in the U.S.

I just took a trip to Belgium, and on account of having just graduated brewing school, and some pure dumb luck of showing up at the right time, I got to take a tour of Brauwerif Bosteels, who also make Tripel Karmeliet and Kwak. They were selling this at 9.50euro (about $12) per bottle.

Like I said, most amazing beer I've ever tasted. Brut is an appropriate term for the style. It is sweet and almost has a wine-like flavor. Imagine someone took a silk scarf, soaked it in honey and sunlight and somehow made that a beverage. That would be this.

http://brewercameron.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/deus-brut-des-flandres/