The Great Beer Thread!

[Drachen]

Mechanic, I notice you're also from Minnesota, you ever have Grain Belt Premium? Personal favorite right there. Though a lot of people at bars and such can't stand it.
But I can't stand St. Pauli Girl. That's probably the only beer I've never finished lol.

I also have a mini fridge with assorted Warstiener, Bass, St. Pauli Girl, Young's Double Chocolate Stout, Moose Drool and Bell's.

Hooray for BEER!

[Mechanic79]

Mechanic, I notice you're also from Minnesota, you ever have Grain Belt Premium? Personal favorite right there. Though a lot of people at bars and such can't stand it.
But I can't stand St. Pauli Girl. That's probably the only beer I've never finished lol.

I'm sure I've had Grain Belt. The only thing I like about it is the sign over the Hennepin Avenue Bridge.

I like my beer with flavor. As far a MN beer is concerned I like Summit Pale Ale.

[cdacda13]

You guys are doing it all wrong. The cheap crap is the weak crap. Find a store that sells Steel Reserve. Not just the 40s, but the cans (because let's face it, the best thing about a can is never having to drink the butt of a 40). You can get a twelve pack of Steelie for about $7, it tastes way better than that watered down piss and it's 8.2% alcohol. Much better bang for your buck than the cheap stuff; a single can of Steelie does the job of several watery crappy beers combined. Plus you don't have to spend your time choking down three cans of goat piss as fast as you can when you could be enjoying a nice strong beer.

Just saying. Maybe after Steelie you can find some beer that's worth drinking for reasons other than getting hammered.

I never said I enjoyed that stuff. But, its cheap and when you are underage, you take what you can get. I enjoy Sam Adams and Heineken but then again my beer taste buds are still young and I have time to change my habits. (Once that 21st birthday rolls around)

[skife]

i can't stand Heineken. ewww.

i dig the kegerator though, didn't know you could get bell's in Minnesota.

its made about an hour south of here.

[Trigger_Happy]

My main keg/beer fridge.


Home brew in the small kegs. Summit or New Castle in the Large Keg.

I also have a mini fridge with assorted Warstiener, Bass, St. Pauli Girl, Young's Double Chocolate Stout, Moose Drool and Bell's.

Hooray for BEER!

Sweet mercy, you and I should be friends. Where in the city do you live?

[Bolter]

Of course, I hear the stuff in Ireland puts their exports to shame.

Nope thats an urban legend. Its nice being in Ireland and having a Guinness but it tastes the same Im afraid.

[Eatem Alive]

Newcastle is my favorite. Sam Adams has some good flavors.

[Mechanic79]

If I told you where I was I couldn't brag about all the beer I have

[robnix]

If I told you where I was I couldn't brag about all the beer I have

http://www.chimay.com/

Chimay!

[robnix]

Nope thats an urban legend. Its nice being in Ireland and having a Guinness but it tastes the same Im afraid.

True, it simply doesn't make any economic sense to have seperate breweries for beer that will be exported. Any difference in flavor in imported beer is most likely attributed to the age of the beer, or if it's draft, the condition of the lines and the air source that the bar uses.

[ThePixelGuru]

Nope thats an urban legend. Its nice being in Ireland and having a Guinness but it tastes the same Im afraid.

True, it simply doesn't make any economic sense to have seperate breweries for beer that will be exported. Any difference in flavor in imported beer is most likely attributed to the age of the beer, or if it's draft, the condition of the lines and the air source that the bar uses.

I don't doubt that if there is any difference it's due to freshness, but it's quite possible freshness makes a huge difference (especially with a stout). I wouldn't know; like I said, I've never been to Ireland.

[robnix]

I don't doubt that if there is any difference it's due to freshness, but it's quite possible freshness makes a huge difference (especially with a stout). I wouldn't know; like I said, I've never been to Ireland.

6 weeks to a year.

Shelf life depends on a few things; pasteurization, filtering, the ingredients, and cooling.

Pasteurization: Increases shelf life, removes flavor.
Filtering: Filtering all hops out will increase shelf life, removes flavor
Bottle Conditioning: Leaving in Yeast will increase shelf life.
Ingredients: Hoppy beers, and beers with a high alcohol content have a longer shelf life.
Cooling: Constantly being cooled after brewing is the biggest thing the increase shelf life.

As far as Stouts go, it depends, there are some very hoppy stouts, and stouts with pretty high alcohol content, Guinness unfortunately has neither, so for a large brewery beer, it has a relatively short shelf life of about 4-6 months depending on conditions. Hoppier beer and higher alcohol beer can be good up to 12 months.

Large breweries will also use all four of the methods involved to increase shelf life, micro breweries will use none sometimes.

Tips for buying fresh beer:

1 - check for a bottling date, the fresher the better.
2 - only buy beer from a cooler
3 - avoid sale beer

Beer trivia! Who was the first brewer to stamp their beer with a bottling date?
2 -

[Bolter]

I don't doubt that if there is any difference it's due to freshness, but it's quite possible freshness makes a huge difference (especially with a stout). I wouldn't know; like I said, I've never been to Ireland.

We also call it a meal in a glass. For example we often say "Do I need a burger before I get drunk, or shall I just have a Guinness?"

Never used to like the taste until I hit maybe 28yrs old and then suddenly I loved it. Very acquired taste.

[snoopay700]

Not me, thanks. I decided in college that I'd rather enjoy my drinks, not just their effects.

If the only reason I drank was to get screwed up, I never would have sworn off Rubinoff. $10/handle vodka, looks like the russian word for rubbing alcohol and tastes about the same. I swear the stuff is almost as viscous as jello. If you spill it it beads up to like twice the height water will. Weird stuff.

See, i decided that before i even got to college, dunno if i'm weird or what.

[MoeMag]

See, i decided that before i even got to college, dunno if i'm weird or what.