Re: Let's talk good beer
 

There's a Maine beer event going on today at my local watering hole. Lunch, Mo, Peeper, and Zoe. On the fence as to whether I want to go or not, chilly day out. Feels like a stay at home kinda night. We'll see.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

Spiegelau 2-Pack Beer Classics IPA Glass, 19-Ounce [url]https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BTPUT3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_qKYDwbVRT33MX[/url]

These beer glasses are sweet - very thin glass but sturdy

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[quote=fbirks;1133588]Spiegelau 2-Pack Beer Classics IPA Glass, 19-Ounce [url]https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BTPUT3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_qKYDwbVRT33MX[/url]

These beer glasses are sweet - very thin glass but sturdy[/quote]

Yeah, I peeped those...thanks for your endorsement. Im probably grab them after the holidays, my wallet is getting killed this Christmas.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

I have a cabinet full of pint glasses from various places, but my go-to glass is usually the goblet I got at Flying Dog.

[IMG]http://flyingdogbrewery.web-stores.biz/assets/images/goblet500.jpg[/IMG]

For smaller pours, I have a snifter beer glass I got from the Maryland Craft Beer Festival.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[quote=Chico23231;1133060]Just found out my beer store tapped Maine - Lunch the other day...time to get the growler filled.


Folks, is there a preference "glass ware" you break out for drinking good beer? For the last 6 months I've been using wide mouth mason jars and its great. keeps the beers surprising cold and the wide mouth drinks for maximum consumption when I need to go there( i.e. listening to an annoying conversation by a semi-girlfriend, watching the opposing team score a touchdown against the skins)[/quote]


I have six of these and always in the refrigerator (not freezer)

[url=http://www.berkshirebrewingcompany.com/product/berkshire-pint-glass/]The Mighty Pint by Berkshire | Berkshire Brewing Company[/url]

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

Budweiser buys Breckenridge. Good luck with that Budweiser. Breck is not good imo and tends to sit on shelves w no real movement.

[url=http://fortune.com/2015/12/22/anheuser-busch-buys-breckenridge/?xid=yahoo_fortune]Anheuser Busch-InBev Buys Third Craft Brewer in 5 Days - Fortune[/url]

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[QUOTE=over the mountain;1133872]Budweiser buys Breckenridge. Good luck with that Budweiser. Breck is not good imo and tends to sit on shelves w no real movement.



[url=http://fortune.com/2015/12/22/anheuser-busch-buys-breckenridge/?xid=yahoo_fortune]Anheuser Busch-InBev Buys Third Craft Brewer in 5 Days - Fortune[/url][/QUOTE]


Tried their vanilla porter once and it was just meh. Love how Bud makes commercials ragging on craft beer, all while buying up craft breweries. Fuck them and their piss water.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

I had their imperial vanilla porter last night and it was a bit sweet. I don't run into their stuff too often.

Bigger guys will continue to buy up the smaller guys to keep their part of the market secured. Smaller guys will continue to take the money in hopes that they continue to have creative freedom.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

Breckinridge is one of those breweries in the late 90s I cut my teeth on...I fondly remember the grateful dead lighting bolt on the label on the original label..oatmeal stout used to be their big beer..porter mentioned above became big.

But one of my all time favorite beers was their trademark pale ale. Just awesome...don't really see it much around for last 5 years...

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

Let’s see…what have I had the last few days…

NYE dinner was at an awesome pizza shop in Kensington, MD called [URL="http://www.franklypizza.com/"]Frankly Pizza[/URL]. The owner’s wife used to work with my wife, so we’ve watched the business grow from an idea to a mobile unit to a booming brick and mortar. They have 4 beers and 4 wines on tap. I had DC Brau’s The Corruption and Starr Hill Snow Blind. I just can’t get into DC Brau. The beers of theirs I’ve had just aren’t that good to me. Snow Blind was great. Actually helped balance the heat from the pizzas I had (pickled jalapeños do the trick).

Spent the ball drop with some friends. Had fresh cans of Manor Hill IPA, which is one of the better MD IPAs out there. Helped share in my friend’s 4 Hands Chocolate Milk Stout Variety Gift Pack. Already had OG, so we had the Tiki and Horchata versions. Quite tasty. We also split a 4 Hands/Stone/Bale Breaker Sorry Not Sorry, which was decent. Most of the Stone collabs seems to be just ok. Points Unknown I think is still my fave. Looking forward to NXS though.

Had a flight at my favorite beach watering hole on Saturday. Oskar Blue Hotbox Coffee Porter, Magic Hat Snow Roller, Mispillion River Praetor, Troegs Mad Elf, and 2 [URL="http://www.bigoysterbrewery.com/"]in house brews[/URL], a winter warmer and a pale ale.

Getting some New England goodies from a friend of mine this weekend. He made his holiday trip to see the in-laws in CT and goes on a Heady hunt. I’m getting a small sample of his load: Heady Topper, Tree House Julius, Sap, & Eureka, Lawson Sip of Sunshine and Special Session #2, and Fiddlehead Second Fiddle. I’m really excited as I’ve only had half of these beers (heady, julius, sip).

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[quote=BDBohnzie;1136201] I’m getting a small sample of his load: Heady Topper, Tree House Julius, Sap, & Eureka, Lawson Sip of Sunshine and Special Session #2, and Fiddlehead Second Fiddle. I’m really excited as I’ve only had half of these beers (heady, julius, sip).[/quote]

Dang, nice score.

I like the Corruption, there arent enough good piney beers avail in MD imo. plus you can normally find it brewed within 30 days. with that said, i havent gotten it in a while.

for NYE we had neighborhood kids over so it was kinda tame alcohol wise. champagne and maybe some bells two hearted? the champagne kinda got me though.
-----------------------------------------

NEW RELEASES -- apparently Sierra Nevadas beer camp "tropical" IPA is on shelves in MD today. While this has the beer camp label ive read this is not a collab. Also a bit early for a spring seasonal release ... im stopping by tonight to get some.

[url=http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/sierra-nevada-2016-beer-camp-tropical-ipa.327012/]Sierra Nevada - 2016 Beer Camp - Tropical IPA | Community | BeerAdvocate[/url]

NEW LOCAL BREWERY - 7 locks brewery. gonna have to stop by for a flight.

[url=http://www.7locksbrewing.com/]7 Locks Brewing Home - 7 Locks Brewing[/url]

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

SN tropical IPA is a really good tropical ipa. kind of a more bitter grapefruit sculpin. also really fresh right now w a dob of 12-9-15. at 17.99 a 12 pack, highly recommend.

Manor Hill IPA - ive had manor hill at victorias before and thought it was okay but i got a sixer of cans last night and wow .. looks, tastes and feels like a dipa. really well balanced. dob of 12-17-15 is awesome. at 14.99 a sixer, highly recommend. thanks for keeping mentioning this BD, i had kinda written off manor hill as decent but not great.

Maryland beers are really starting to step up.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

Going to do a mixed case with some friends next weekend of SN Tropical, 21st Marooned on Hog Island, and 2 others (maybe some more Manor Hill IPA) . Need to replenish the fund after the haul I'm getting tonight.

Heard 7 Locks is just ok. It's up the street from my wife's Aunt's house, so next time we visit, I'll wander over.

Yeah, I've liked their beers. Ben (Twitter @Here4DaBeer) does a great job. Their DIPA Citra Splendor is really juicy. Their canned IPA tastes better than what I had on tap...I wonder if they changed it up a bit? Either way, they're spitting off more cans today, hitting shelves next week.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

A buddy of mine does a bit of beer blogging. Nothing serious, just stuff that he's drank and his reactions. Latest entry is Day 1 of the Brewery Crawl we did in October:
[url=http://oldlinebeer.com/]Old Line Beer - Living the Beer Dream in Maryland[/url]

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

Been on a bit of a beer hiatus lately, but I plan on getting back in the game this weekend. Hard.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

Here is the bone yard pic from my Friday night, which was shared among several friends
[IMG]https://sites.google.com/site/bohnzie5001/uploads/IMG_2426.jpg[/IMG]

Celebrated a friend's 40th birthday Saturday night. Had a black rye IPA at Capital City Brewing Company, then had Bell's Java Stout and Bear Republic Racer 5 at RFD. Today, got to try [URL="http://bellsbeer.com/blog/367-Milchkaffee_Stout_uses_a_blend_of_two_coffee_beans_roasted_locally_by_Kalamazoo_Coffee_Co_"]Bell's Milchkaffe[/URL] and popped my growler of rar Farmhouse Nectar (Their flagship IPA done with saison yeast).

I may have to take a day or 2 off to recover.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[quote=BDBohnzie;1137125]Here is the bone yard pic from my Friday night, which was shared among several friends
[IMG]https://sites.google.com/site/bohnzie5001/uploads/IMG_2426.jpg[/IMG]

Celebrated a friend's 40th birthday Saturday night. Had a black rye IPA at Capital City Brewing Company, then had Bell's Java Stout and Bear Republic Racer 5 at RFD. Today, got to try [URL="http://bellsbeer.com/blog/367-Milchkaffee_Stout_uses_a_blend_of_two_coffee_beans_roasted_locally_by_Kalamazoo_Coffee_Co_"]Bell's Milchkaffe[/URL] and popped my growler of rar Farmhouse Nectar (Their flagship IPA done with saison yeast).

I may have to take a day or 2 off to recover.[/quote]

I'm most intrigued by the Hill Farmstead growler in the back.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[quote=RedskinMike;1137257]I'm most intrigued by the Hill Farmstead growler in the back.[/quote]
Unfortunately, that was from a previous trip my buddy made. He usually makes a Hill Farmstead stop, but didn't fit it in this time. He makes 2-3 trips to visit the in-laws in New Haven, CT each year, and chases the Heady trucks all over Northern Vermont for a few days while up there.

We did split a growler of New England's Locust Reign to start the evening. And that was quite tasty.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

heavy seas double cannon - disappointing imo. came off as a strong ale instead of a dipa or imperial. kind of a malty muddled mess with no good real taste point sticking out.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

I love Heavy Seas' bombers. Their uncharted series is top notch. But their regular beers are meh. Loose Cannon is ok. Cross Bones is ok. Gold and Cutlass are ok. Nothing they do on the regular is anything I want to have on the regular.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

I am going to start home brewing.

I need some kind of activity for me and my daughter to do during the next few months of winter.

Anyone home brew or have suggestions on a good starter kit?

Im thinking I just want to get a simple set up and dabble for a few months to see if i like it. then, if i want to pursue it for real, drop a couple hundred on some real equipment. I have decent space in my back utility room/work space area.

[url=http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Brew-Home-Brewing-K6/dp/B01467U8KY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452784390&sr=8-1&keywords=home+beer+brew]Amazon.com: Monster Brew Home Brewing Supp Complete Beer Equipment Kit (K6) with 6 Gallon Glass Carboy, Gold: Kitchen & Dining[/url]

^^$90 bucks, good reviews.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[quote=over the mountain;1137543]I am going to start home brewing.

I need some kind of activity for me and my daughter to do during the next few months of winter.

Anyone home brew or have suggestions on a good starter kit?

Im thinking I just want to get a simple set up and dabble for a few months to see if i like it. then, if i want to pursue it for real, drop a couple hundred on some real equipment. I have decent space in my back utility room/work space area.

[URL="http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Brew-Home-Brewing-K6/dp/B01467U8KY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452784390&sr=8-1&keywords=home+beer+brew"]Amazon.com: Monster Brew Home Brewing Supp Complete Beer Equipment Kit (K6) with 6 Gallon Glass Carboy, Gold: Kitchen & Dining[/URL]

^^$90 bucks, good reviews.[/quote]
Seriously? Now your daughter is helping in your addiction.

Bro, come on.

Let's talk good beer
 

I helped my Dad make wine when I was a kid. I don't see anything wrong with it myself.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[quote=MTK;1137549]I helped my Dad make wine when I was a kid. I don't see anything wrong with it myself.[/quote]

Its none of my business and I should not have commented. I just think OTM is a great guy that needs some help. Its a little deeper then just making some beer.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

I can't say that I know the process of microbrewing at home. But, to me, it seems like it would be a little more involved than making wine. Maybe it isn't though. My brother-in-law was into wine making for a little while. At one point, he had considered opening a vineyard, but decided against it.

I've become such a craft beer snob now, that I almost can't even stomach the taste of Coors or Budweiser anymore.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

A buddy of mine homebrews and has used the internet for a lot of guidance and help.

OTM, I'd find some homebrew sites and boards and post up there and see what they say. Unfortunately, I haven't done any myself. My expereince stems from watching every episode of Brew Dogs on Esquire Network :)

My wife has talked about wanting to do it. So the next few batches my buddy makes, we're going to go and help.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[quote=BDBohnzie;1137644]A buddy of mine homebrews and has used the internet for a lot of guidance and help.

OTM, I'd find some homebrew sites and boards and post up there and see what they say. Unfortunately, I haven't done any myself. My expereince stems from watching every episode of Brew Dogs on Esquire Network :)

My wife has talked about wanting to do it. So the next few batches my buddy makes, we're going to go and help.[/quote]

it seems easy and a lot of fun. who knows, maybe ill move back to new orleans and do a craft beer truck!!

this is original thought by me and i may need to act on this.

a craft beer truck ... . . in nola you can drink on the street so it all good. i could travel to alabama and LSU games, festivals ... ..

---

[IMG]http://ianwhiteportfolio.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/photo.jpg?w=910[/IMG]

nevermind. these a holes beat me to it.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[quote=BDBohnzie;1137497]I love Heavy Seas' bombers. Their uncharted series is top notch. But their regular beers are meh. Loose Cannon is ok. Cross Bones is ok. Gold and Cutlass are ok. Nothing they do on the regular is anything I want to have on the regular.[/quote]

Below decks is still one of the best barleywines I have ever had.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[quote=over the mountain;1137543]I am going to start home brewing.

I need some kind of activity for me and my daughter to do during the next few months of winter.

Anyone home brew or have suggestions on a good starter kit?

Im thinking I just want to get a simple set up and dabble for a few months to see if i like it. then, if i want to pursue it for real, drop a couple hundred on some real equipment. I have decent space in my back utility room/work space area.

[url=http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Brew-Home-Brewing-K6/dp/B01467U8KY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452784390&sr=8-1&keywords=home+beer+brew]Amazon.com: Monster Brew Home Brewing Supp Complete Beer Equipment Kit (K6) with 6 Gallon Glass Carboy, Gold: Kitchen & Dining[/url]

^^$90 bucks, good reviews.[/quote]
$90 is not a bad starting point. Remember this does not come with a kettle. When it comes to a kettle bigger is better. Pay a little more and get at least a 10 gallon kettle because once you start homebrewing you will end up buying one anyway. Homebrewtalk.com is a great board with a wealth of info. Just remember when you buy equipment think big, I would guess homebrewing is going to be up your alley and you will very quickly want to brew as much as you can in each session so go big because you will be buying later anyways. I have been homebrewing for a decade so if you have any questions feel free to ask. Its quite the rewarding hobby.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[url=http://www.austinhomebrew.com/The-AHS-Brewing-Equipment-Kit-PET-Secondary.html]The AHS Brewing Equipment Kit (PET Secondary)[/url]You are actually better off with this.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[url=http://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/dining/first-draft/2016/01/22/here-comes-hopslam/79197522/]Here comes Hopslam[/url]

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[quote=Chico23231;1138273][url=http://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/dining/first-draft/2016/01/22/here-comes-hopslam/79197522/]Here comes Hopslam[/url]

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes[/quote]

Thats been around out here for a while.
While I am a big Bells supporter, that beer is way overpriced.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

Before the snow plowed us in, I grabbed a mix 6 for the wife and a 6 of rar Nanticoke Nectar to compliment what I had in the fridge. I snuck in a [URL="http://3starsbrewing.com/citra-lemon-peel-saison/"]3 Stars Citra Lemon Saison[/URL] into the 6er for me. That's a good beer. Nice summer slammer. Drank the Nectars during Royal Rumble last night.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

there is a keg of SN celebration ale tapped at DTC. i guess 4 months isnt too old for a pressurized keg but ... kinda a turn off. im a snob.

i saw another US brewer (forgot who) who had a "fresh hop" beer brewed in december ... my understanding is any american hops are harvested in sept - oct, so how could you fresh hop anything in Dec? unless they freeze dried whole cones at harvest then dethawed them? but thats not fresh hopped.

would like a nelson hop blend from NZ be harvested not in sept-oct like we do? but then, how could you even fresh hop it given the distance. theres no way those hops are 24 hours fresh from NZ.

-----

got a sixer of hop hunter dob 12.15.15 for the terps game tonight .... havent seen a fresh batch in MD in a long time.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

looks like Stone enjoy by 2.14.16 got to us a little late. black ipa this time.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

[quote=over the mountain;1138582]looks like Stone enjoy by 2.14.16 got to us a little late. black ipa this time.[/quote]

It was both the black ipa and unfiltered. I got some a week ago and thought it was later than usual. They both were on point so I'm sure they were awesome right after bottling.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

Bell's special double cream stout

Avery's Raja

Firestone's Easy Jack IPA

Tasty Sunday fun day

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

the stone enjoy by black ipa was really really good. the fruit/citrus of the hops played very well with the roasty malt. balanced.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

rar did a 3 can release party last Saturday. Had 2 different friends go and pick up ware.

1st Meal Breakfast Stout. Very Maple-y. Like you could render it down and use it on pancakes and waffles. Decent stout, but a tad sweet for my liking. The other 2 beers (Pulp and Northeast Nectar) are on tap this weekend.

Re: Let's talk good beer
 

I must be getting old...had a great weekend with family and friends. Plenty of good beers and now I'm feeling it this morning. Not hungover by any means, but slow, sore and tired.

Saturday did a Central MD/Baltimore crawl which included [URL="http://manorhillbrewing.com/"]Manor Hill Brewing[/URL], [URL="http://jailbreakbrewing.com/"]Jailbreak Brewing[/URL], [URL="http://www.unioncraftbrewing.com/"]Union Craft Brewing[/URL] (which was so packed we didn't stay and missed out on Double Duckpin on draft), [URL="http://www.thebrewersart.com/"]The Brewer's Art[/URL], and [URL="http://thewhiteoaktavern.com/"]The White Oak Tavern[/URL]. Ended the day at my buddy's house helping him with his latest homebrew batch, which is an ode to Lawson's Sip of Sunshine and Treehouse's Julius. Probably my favorite beer of the day was a new porter Manor Hill did, which happened to be my first beer of the day.

Yesterday we had people over for the Super Bowl, and shared more beers with some killer food. Favorite of the day was my last one...rar's Northeast Nectar.

It's all up on [URL="https://untappd.com/user/JohnnyFieldgoal"]untappd (handle: JohnnyFieldgoal)[/URL] if you want to see what I was able to taste (and remembered to check in) this weekend.