Beer snob thread!

[Deezus]

As a HUGE beer snob, let me rub it in all of your faces that I'll be going to The World Beer Festival in two weeks:
http://events.triangle.com/raleigh-nc/events/show/82540194-world-beer-festival-raleigh
150 Breweries and over 400+ different types of beer... As much as you can drink in 4 hours for $40... its glorious.

Some of my favorites:
- Dogfish Head 60 minute and 90 minute
- Anything Chimay
- Hennepin
- Bell's Two Hearted Ale + Bell's Oberon (try to find a mini-keg of these for your next BBQ)
- Rogue Dead Guy Ale
- Weihenstephaner (My favorite Hefeweizen ever!)
- Sweetwater 420 Ale (Sounds like a gimmick, but its a deliciously hoppy pale ale)
- Murphy's Irish Stout (just might be better than Guinness.. at least equal IMHO)
- Victory's Golden Monkey (9.5% of deliciousness... Hopslam is better, but much more rare)
- Anything Great Lakes (Always buy at least 2 6-packs every time I'm back home in Ohio... Dortmunder Gold and Burning River are ridiculous!)

... One thing I never knew about until I moved down here (and was still a beer-newbie) is the Growler. A growler is a big 64 ounce jug that you can take to many micro-breweries and have filled up with fresh-from-the-tap beer... absolutely the way to go if you live near a good brewery and can drink the whole jug within a day or two. Definitely try it out!

Growler:

 

[Kouki]

Stone makes a really good "Smoked" Porter as well.

I've heard excellent things about it but I haven't had it yet...sounds like it would go well with the first Cavs playoff game though, and a big bowl of bean dip.

 

[Danboone2006]

If anyone is near the North Olmstead area, you NEED to try Fatheads Brewery. The Bumble Berry will change your life.

http://fatheadscleveland.com/ourbeer.php

 

[sgolenski]

If anyone is near the North Olmstead area, you NEED to try Fatheads Brewery. The Bumble Berry will change your life.

http://fatheadscleveland.com/ourbeer.php

Headwiches rock!!!

Try Brew Kettle on Pearl off I-71 in front of the Home Depot. Awesome food, great beer, plus if you're interested, you can brew a batch yourself.

 

[cavsrook25]

Sierra Nevada is a beginners IPA were Stone's more on the advanced side after you aquire a taste for the hoppyness of Pale Ale's. I'm a big fan of Stone, but do yourself a favor and get your hands on some Ithaca Flower Power. It's a level up.

I really like Stone's IPA, but they sell single bottles of the Ithaca Flower Power at Mustard Seed in Solon so I picked one up based on your recommendation. It is a great brew. Thanks for speaking so highly of it. I cannot say whether I like Flower Power or Stone better, would have to do a side by side test, but if anyone likes IPA's both are great options. Since I have been back in Ohio I've been drinking a lot of Great Lakes Dortmunder. Always loved the Dortmunder and always go back to it when I'm in Ohio. I should probably try Commodore Perry while I'm comparing IPA's. Anyway, thanks again JustWine.

 

[Otsego Mar]

Anybody try Fatheads microbrews? Their Bumbleberry Ale is so freakin' good.



I also think their Christmas Ale was better than Great Lakes.

I'm with ya man.

 

[Lo Key]

Of course I am, no one I know drinks fosters.

And I guess now you're gonna tell me none of you eat at Outback.

 

[Kouki]

I have a great picture that sums up my taste in beer as a beer snob AND a college kid...

http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/4540/0524101234.jpg

12.99 bottle of Chimay Grand Reserve

14.99/30 pack of Natty Ice

Beautiful.

Other favorites....anything from Great Lakes (I have collected almost all the bottles now...just missing Blackout Stout I think...Edmund Fitz is my fave), anything from Stone, anything from Dogfishhead (try their India Brown Ale or whatever its called...excellent)

 

[Aussie]

And I guess now you're gonna tell me none of you eat at Outback.

Serious, i haven't even see a can of Fosters for years.

 

[kookoo]

It's pretty easy to find a good beer that isn't available everywhere. The important question is what you guys think the best mainstream beer is.

 

[LeLarry32]

It's pretty easy to find a good beer that isn't available everywhere. The important question is what you guys think the best mainstream beer is.

If I go to a restaurant and know they don't have a solid beer selection, I just order a Sam Adams Boston Lager. You can find it anywhere and it is a solid beer.



I'm a big fan of hoppy beers, so I recently tried Dogfish 120 Minute IPA.....it's like 20% ABV. Let me tell you, it goes down like gasoline (you have to take small sips) and after having like 5 beers before it I was pretty wasted. Needless to say the night ended with me and some buddies going in the backyard and smashing beer bottles with baseball bats. Thankfully this sort of behavior is acceptable in college

 

[markkuhar83]

no just kidding...Great Lakes Glockenspiel is fucking amazing

 

[Randolphkeys]

I know this was posted a few months ago. I really don’t know how I missed it. However, that statement is absurd. Nothing against beer market because it is a hell of a place with some really cool brews. However to talk down on Winking Lizards beer tour is just ignorant. They have some the most unique brews in the world thanks to their globally recognized buying power and ability o move product. For example: traquair Lards Legacy is a Scottish Ale with a production of a mere 1000 cases. The only reason Ohio has even seen this stuff is thanks to the Lizards who convinced Traquair to allocate 200 of those cases to them. Duvel Green is also a very limited beer that is on the beer tour (not at every location unfortunately). Not to mention Brooklyn has brewed a special beer for a feature at the Lizards that will only be available at the winking Lizards and it'll only be around for about a month. They are also constantly staying up to date with the newest and latest stuff coming out. I could go on but I feel I've illustrated my point.

I think I was drunk when I posted that one. I deserved to be called to the carpet.

I actually worked at a Winking Lizard for two years while getting through undergrad. I guess I never really think back at that place with good memories. The beer is fine... I am absolutely sick of the atmosphere and food, however.

 

[bcort]

Can't believe I forgot to mention "Seadog Blueberry Wheat Ale."

That stuff is amazing. One of the best beers I've ever had. Smooth taste with just enough blueberry too keep you sippin. Looks beautiful in the glass too. Nice color to it.

At any given time during the summer it's almost a 100% safe bet that there is at least one bottle in my fridge.

I'm back in Ohio for a little while, so I had to see if my local store had this. Turned out they didn't, so I went to Sea Dog's website, found the distributor for Ohio, emailed the West Cleveland guy and found out where they sold it.

Friendly Mini Mart (Detroit Ave, Lakewood)
Simone's Beverage (Detroit Ave, Lakewood)
Heinen's Rocky River (Detroit Rd, Rocky River)
World Liquor & Wine (Brookpark Ext, North Olmsted)

(For anyone else on the west side looking to try this.)


By the way, where do you guys go to get your beer (good beer)?

 

[Earl]