Lessoned Learned

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

True, but it's certainly better than the toilet water that Miller, Anheuser Busch, Coors and Pabst sell.

Not always.... I've had some pretty crappy craft beer; I've had some really, really bad stuff that had an almost petroleum aftertaste - awful and nearly undrinkable (by me, anyway). Maybe it was skunked, (I dunno, I'm not sure what "skunked" beer tastes like), but it was awful.

The popular mass-market beers are bland, but they don't taste BAD; they just don't have much taste at all. JMO.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Not always.... I've had some pretty crappy craft beer; I've had some really, really bad stuff that had an almost petroleum aftertaste - awful and nearly undrinkable (by me, anyway). Maybe it was skunked, (I dunno, I'm not sure what "skunked" beer tastes like), but it was awful.

The popular mass-market beers are bland, but they don't taste BAD; they just don't have much taste at all. JMO.

For example, I once had a smoked beer from the Purple Onion (Outter Banks, NC). Tasted like what I assume would be licking an ashtray.

I want a beer that tastes like BEER. Not strawberry, not cherry, not lime, not coffee, not lemon, not....well, you get the point.

I blame it on today's generation which has to have some type of gum flavor in everything, from their coffee to their beer, water to vodka.

[NCASAUmp]

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

For example, I once had a smoked beer from the Purple Onion (Outter Banks, NC). Tasted like what I assume would be licking an ashtray.

I want a beer that tastes like BEER. Not strawberry, not cherry, not lime, not coffee, not lemon, not....well, you get the point.

I blame it on today's generation which has to have some type of gum flavor in everything, from their coffee to their beer, water to vodka.

Yeah. There's a craft brewer here in the Twin Cities that has an almost cult-like fanbase. I tried a 6-pack of their best known brew --- Surly Furious --- supposedly an ale in the American IPA style. I swear it should instead be called Omar's Hard Limonade. The citrus flavor dominated. I won't be buying any more of that stuff.

They (Surly) do, however, put out a seasonal called Bitter Brewer, an ale in the English Bitter style. Now, THAT stuff is good! Too bad it is seasonal.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Surly Furious --- supposedly an ale in the American IPA style.

Tell me how that works? How can you have an American India Pale Ale?

Why can't these folks just get over themselves.? There is no such thing as a true IPA in this century.

Okay, someone "found" an old IPA recipe, but that recipe was based on long-term process that no longer exists. So why not jsut call it whatever it is based on an IPA recipe. The folks who do this marketing probably do the FP/SP bat thing we constantly hear about from the players.

[Welpe]

Well, I'm thirsty.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Tell me how that works? How can you have an American India Pale Ale?

Why can't these folks just get over themselves.? There is no such thing as a true IPA in this century.

Okay, someone "found" an old IPA recipe, but that recipe was based on long-term process that no longer exists. So why not jsut call it whatever it is based on an IPA recipe. The folks who do this marketing probably do the FP/SP bat thing we constantly hear about from the players.

American IPA

Description:
The American IPA is a different soul from the reincarnated IPA style. More flavorful than the withering English IPA, color can range from very pale golden to reddish amber. Hops are typically American with a big herbal and / or citric character, bitterness is high as well. Moderate to medium bodied with a balancing malt backbone.

Average alcohol by volume (abv) range: 5.5-7.5%

Style Examples
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Two Hearted Ale Bell's Brewery, Inc
Stone IPA Stone Brewing Co.
60 Minute IPA Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

(source: Beer Styles - BeerAdvocate)

Personally, I prefer English Bitter style or American Pale Ale style rather than A-IPA, but I'd tried some Two Hearted Ale and it was quite good, so I thought I'd see what all the hub-bub was about with Surly. The choice of hops can give an ale a citrus flavor, but the Surly Furious was overpowering with the citrus, like they had actually added lime to the brew. But, then, the A-IPA is not my favorite style anyway.

[IRISHMAFIA]

American IPA

Description:
The American IPA is a different soul from the reincarnated IPA style. More flavorful than the withering English IPA, color can range from very pale golden to reddish amber. Hops are typically American with a big herbal and / or citric character, bitterness is high as well. Moderate to medium bodied with a balancing malt backbone.

Average alcohol by volume (abv) range: 5.5-7.5%

Style Examples
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Two Hearted Ale Bell's Brewery, Inc
Stone IPA Stone Brewing Co.
60 Minute IPA Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

This is my point. Why call it an IPA if it is not. The English IPA is more buyable since it was the English who brewed the IPA.

And I'm familiar with Dogfish since they are from this area and the sponsor brewer of a local entertainment venue. However, not all of their product is, to my taste, that palatable. Also, familiar with SN & Stone. Not bad, but not something I would go out of my way to get.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

This is my point. Why call it an IPA if it is not. The English IPA is more buyable since it was the English who brewed the IPA.

And I'm familiar with Dogfish since they are from this area and the sponsor brewer of a local entertainment venue. However, not all of their product is, to my taste, that palatable. Also, familiar with SN & Stone. Not bad, but not something I would go out of my way to get.

Well, why call the lead runner R1 instead of R# where #=the base the runner occupies? I didn't invent beer nomenclature any more than I invented softball nomenclature.

However, "ale" describes how it is brewed; "pale" means not dark; "American" means American hops. There are all kinds of ales, and tagging an ale as "India Pale" references the high hoppiness and pale color (pale compared with, say, Guinness) of the original... it is a style, not an exact formula.

For example, an American Pale Ale is less hoppy than an American India Pale Ale, which is in turn less hoppy than an American Double IPA (also called an Imperial IPA).

Anyway, of the beers I listed, I've only tried the Two Hearted... the examples of the style came from BeerAdvocate.com (where they have more examples listed, including the Surly Furious). I may try the Stone IPA sometime, since it is distributed here.

[HugoTafurst]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

For example, I once had a smoked beer from the Purple Onion (Outter Banks, NC). Tasted like what I assume would be licking an ashtray.

I want a beer that tastes like BEER. Not strawberry, not cherry, not lime, not coffee, not lemon, not....well, you get the point.

I blame it on today's generation which has to have some type of gum flavor in everything, from their coffee to their beer, water to vodka.

Speaking of drinks being what they should be, what's with Appletini, Chocolatini, Strawberrytini, etc....

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

For example, I once had a smoked beer from the Purple Onion (Outter Banks, NC). Tasted like what I assume would be licking an ashtray.

I want a beer that tastes like BEER. Not strawberry, not cherry, not lime, not coffee, not lemon, not....well, you get the point.

I blame it on today's generation which has to have some type of gum flavor in everything, from their coffee to their beer, water to vodka.

What, exactly, is it, that you think beer should taste like? Using different methods, ingredients, flavors is historically a part of brewing. If it weren't, there would be only one type of beer. No porters, stouts, pale ales, wheat beers, dortmunders, marzens, lagers, pilsners...etc. Belgian trappists have used fruit in their brewing for centuries (lambics.)

Smoking the malt to roast it has been around for a while, as well. I am sure that there are some really bad smoked beers, as there are really bad all types of beer. However, there are also some really good examples of the style. One of Alaskan Brewing's more successful offerings is a seasonal smoked porter. Tasty, but rich.

My point is diversity in brewing is an age old tradition, not some Johnny come lately scheme to play into the hands of wealthy metrosexual bar rats looking for the next big thing. Do some modern day brewers use tradition methods for that reason? No doubt. But all in all, diversity of flavor and style are long a part of the tradition, and one that I embrace.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

What, exactly, is it, that you think beer should taste like? Using different methods, ingredients, flavors is historically a part of brewing. If it weren't, there would be only one type of beer. No porters, stouts, pale ales, wheat beers, dortmunders, marzens, lagers, pilsners...etc. Belgian trappists have used fruit in their brewing for centuries (lambics.)

Don't mind hoppy, but not overly hoppy. Should be clean. Even a good stout or porter will not leave an aftertaste. What it shouldn't taste like ditto fluid. Don't mind tart, but not something that is going to make you pucker. It should be smooth, not biting. It should not taste like hard liquor. If I wanted bourbon, I would buy bourbon. Any additional "flavoring" like chocolate or coffee, should just be a trace, not something that stands out beyond the beverage itself.

Smoking the malt to roast it has been around for a while, as well. I am sure that there are some really bad smoked beers, as there are really bad all types of beer. However, there are also some really good examples of the style. One of Alaskan Brewing's more successful offerings is a seasonal smoked porter. Tasty, but rich.

I smoke meats, nuts, fish, etc., but this tasted like someone threw a bucket of ashes in the vat. "Smoked" anything should be a flavoring to compliment the taste of the item, not the predominent taste.

My point is diversity in brewing is an age old tradition, not some Johnny come lately scheme to play into the hands of wealthy metrosexual bar rats looking for the next big thing. Do some modern day brewers use tradition methods for that reason? No doubt. But all in all, diversity of flavor and style are long a part of the tradition, and one that I embrace.

I have no problem with people trying different things, but I have been to places where if I wanted a beer, there were no option than their brews and they all were made with a wine drinking crowd in mind.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

...I want a beer that tastes like BEER. Not strawberry, not cherry, not lime, not coffee, not lemon, not....well, you get the point. ....

I agree, and longstanding "tradition" of mucking about with beer flavors notwithstanding, barley and hops should be the predominate flavor, otherwise, it is merely some kind of fruity flavored grain beverage. One of the top-rated fruit beers had this comment by a reviewer "Smells almost like fruity pebbles!"

No thanks.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Dakota

I agree, and longstanding "tradition" of mucking about with beer flavors notwithstanding, barley and hops should be the predominate flavor, otherwise, it is merely some kind of fruity flavored grain beverage. One of the top-rated fruit beers had this comment by a reviewer "Smells almost like fruity pebbles!"

No thanks.

Pebbles smelled fruity? I guess Bamm Bamm would know!

[NCASAUmp]