OT: The beer thread

[gomez1012]

i think that is their specialty, but they do have a Pils, Stout, and a few others

Every one Ive tried has been great - IPA, Lil Sumpin Sumpin, The Maximus, Censored

http://lagunitas.com/beers/#

[hardcorebee24]

Isn't Lagunitas (the brewery) really known for super-hoppy brews, generally speaking? I was trying to read up on the difference between a beer being bitter versus hoppy and how the two terms are incorrectly used interchangeably. Then I ended up reading more on why hops are used, how they're used, etc. I've always said/though I disliked real hoppy beers, and especially IPAs. I end up looking at the IBUs on the label and if it's over a certain number, I usually avoid the beer.

But then, I drank---for example---the Founders Dirty Bastard (Scotch Ale), and it's got like 60 IBUs. Yet, very malty and I like it. No hop really.

So...dunno what my point is, other than hoping some of you beer nuts could expound on it.

I looked up Lagunitas Sucks and it's a Double IPA. It sounds interesting, but I just don't think I'd like it because of the super amount of hops. Tried looking up the regular Brown Shugga, but it also sounds hoppy. Do they do anything that isn't?

Hops are used for lack of a better description as a balancing act in beer and also as a flavoring agent depending on the type of hops you're brewing with (bitter hops or aroma hops). They are added at different times during the brewing process. Malt is steeped in hot water to extract sugars, in order to balance the sweetness of the malt extract brewers add hops at the beginning of the boil. Towards the end of the boil flavoring hops can be added to give the beer a unique taste. The mixture is then chilled and yeast is added for the fermentation process.

[tmoney1224]

Isn't Lagunitas (the brewery) really known for super-hoppy brews, generally speaking? I was trying to read up on the difference between a beer being bitter versus hoppy and how the two terms are incorrectly used interchangeably. Then I ended up reading more on why hops are used, how they're used, etc. I've always said/though I disliked real hoppy beers, and especially IPAs. I end up looking at the IBUs on the label and if it's over a certain number, I usually avoid the beer.

But then, I drank---for example---the Founders Dirty Bastard (Scotch Ale), and it's got like 60 IBUs. Yet, very malty and I like it. No hop really.

So...dunno what my point is, other than hoping some of you beer nuts could expound on it.

I looked up Lagunitas Sucks and it's a Double IPA. It sounds interesting, but I just don't think I'd like it because of the super amount of hops. Tried looking up the regular Brown Shugga, but it also sounds hoppy. Do they do anything that isn't?

Hops are used for lack of a better description as a balancing act in beer and also as a flavoring agent depending on the type of hops you're brewing with (bitter hops or aroma hops). They are added at different times during the brewing process. Malt is steeped in hot water to extract sugars, in order to balance the sweetness of the malt extract brewers add hops at the beginning of the boil. Towards the end of the boil flavoring hops can be added to give the beer a unique taste. The mixture is then chilled and yeast is added for the fermentation process.

Good post. Just a couple quick items for clarification.

Malt is usually the description for the grain used (i.e. Malted Barley) once the grain is mashed in the hot water it becomes wort. That is just the hot liquid with the sugars and other characteristics of the the malt that was mashed (and eventually the hops). A lot of the sugars are eaten by the yeast during the fermentation process, and, depending on the yeast used, starting gravity (amount of sugar in the wort), and mashing temperature, it will makes the wort more or less sweet (more residual sugars that the yeast don't or can't eat). When you have a higher gravity or alcohol content, depending on the style, but for the most part you will need more hop bitterness to balance it out. So a beer that has a very high IBU but also has a high ABV can still seem very balanced and not too hoppy. The amount of IBU is a good initial indicator for bitterness, but style and abv definitely need to be taken into account. Another component that makes beer seem hoppy are the aroma hops and/or dry hops. These are the hops that are added late/or after the boil that don't impart much bitterness but a lot of hop character. When you smell a nice west coast IPA and you get all those floral or citrus notes, those are the late hop additions. They won't add much to the IBUs but it will definitely add to the "hoppyness".

So make sure you take style into consideration when judging the IBUs, some just need that so it is not cloyingly sweet. Most IPA are going to be really hops forward no matter where the abv is, while like your example of a Wee Heavy, the hops are more for the balance and the malt is what is being showcased (Although 60 IBUs for a Strong Scotch is still pretty high). For the most part, breweries tend to do a decent job putting their beers in the right category and then describing what they are trying to accomplish if they are deviating. For a good guide for what a style is set out to achieve check out the style guidelines from BJCP: http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/catdex.php

[gomez1012]

Grabbed a Six Pack of this last night. Going to try tonight.

[Cagiva9]

Grabbed a Six Pack of this last night. Going to try tonight.

Had a couple at a friends a few weeks ago. Usually I like a little more bitter in my IPAs but whatever they did it seems to work. Still like their "Torpedo" better though.

[gomez1012]

yeah the torpedo is a go to. this is a bit bolder.

[hardcorebee24]

Balls cold here and a blizzard, wife stuck in the city, just me and dog. Made me a steak, sweet potato and asparagus. Drinking Founder's Porter... It's fucking awesome. One of the best beers I've ever had.

[hardcorebee24]

Drinking Founder's Porter... It's fucking awesome. One of the best beers I've ever had.

Yeah, that was my intro into Founders. Just a great brew, and a great brewery. Salud.

Cin cin

[tmoney1224]

Additional note from his trip; he said the Lagunitas brewery was the best overall brewery experience as far as brew and food that he's ever had, and he's probably the only person I know in person who I'm confident has a better knowledge of beer and breweries than myself. Tmoney definitely knows more about beer than me as well, we just haven't met in person yet

Love, love, love Pliny the Elder. They don't distribute here, but usually about once every couple months a person from my brewing club would take a trip and bring a couple back. Always a good meeting when that happens.

I think you have probably tasted a bit more than me, I just understand the process better since I have done it. I've been pretty lax the last year on really trying to taste everything I could. Ever since I went to Portland and drank everything in sight and got on my big sours kick, lol.

[gomez1012]

Pliny the Elder flies off the shelf as soon as its stocked out here in the Bay. A few select liquor stores will carry and they know people are always clamoring for it.

[hardcorebee24]

Founder's Curmudgeon. Picked some up. Will drink on Sunday. Reviews to follow. Might be too sweet but we'll see.

[tmoney1224]

Founder's Curmudgeon. Picked some up. Will drink on Sunday. Reviews to follow. Might be too sweet but we'll see.

I am really excited that Founders is finally starting to get into my area, I have never had anything of their and they sounds like they do a really nice job.

(Also, hardcore, since that other thread got shut down...My corvette was a L48 350 with a few mild upgrades like the carb and intake manifold. I sold it about 8 months ago, just didn't have the desire to put any more money into it. Still my favorite style of corvette.)

[hardcorebee24]

I am really excited that Founders is finally starting to get into my area, I have never had anything of their and they sounds like they do a really nice job.

(Also, hardcore, since that other thread got shut down...My corvette was a L48 350 with a few mild upgrades like the carb and intake manifold. I sold it about 8 months ago, just didn't have the desire to put any more money into it. Still my favorite style of corvette.)

I don't think you'll be disappointed. Founder's is the only thing Stench and I agree on so that says something right there. Anytime I see something by them that I haven't had before I try it. My beer distributor is cool in that they allow you to make your own six pack for 10 bucks of any beer they have and they have growlers. Basically you don't have to commit to buying an entire six pack of beer you haven't yet tasted. I always buy the entire four pack or sixer of Founder's though, I really haven't had anything from them that I'm not happy with. Lagunitas as well, they do no wrong.

I hear you on vehicles, they get to be a burden and If you're not totally committed they become a dust collector. I have motorcycles filling up my garage, may have to unload in the spring... to then jones for a new one and do it all over again.

[hardcorebee24]

Drank two of the Founder's Curmudgeon last night. Out of all of their beer that I've had I liked this the least, actually I didn't really like it at all. This wasn't because of anything they did per say. This beer didn't appeal to my taste. I've had other Old English Style Ale's and Barley Wines that I've liked, so I don't' think the style was the problem. It pours a amber/reddish color with small head I drank it out of a standard American Pint glass. Immediately when you smell it you smell the fruit and oak, very pleasant. Upon taste it was just too boozy. I drank the first beer and it actually left a nice after taste. The second beer I had was much colder and seemed less strong. Maybe because I was used to it? I don't know. I was better than the first but still had a very strong booze taste to it. I looked up reviews and other people report tasting bourbon as well and they seemed to like that. I didn't much care for it in that I felt it was overpowering an otherwise tasty beer. As with everything Founders the quality was top notch.

[hardcorebee24]

Good stuff, bee. I was reading up on this one and was excited to hear your feedback. I get what you're saying and I agree that there's a fine line between having a nice boozy feel to being overpowered by the alcohol.

I'm itching to go back and buy another 4-pack of the Breakfast Stout.

That Stout is awesome.

I was disappointed with this.

It did however taste much better really cold. I'd like to ask one of our beer experts if drinking Old English Ales really cold is the preferred method.

[hardcorebee24]

Generally, from all the beer blog reviews I've read, they say that more flavors and tastes should come out as the beer warms a bit. So, in theory, your beer should have tasted more complex/better as it became less cold.

Although I, like you, like my beer really, really cold. Maybe we're just savages lacking complex palates?

Or just drink and eat things the way we like and say fuck the world if they don't like it.

[tmoney1224]

I prefer my more alcoholic/complex brews to be on the warmer side (approx 50F). The only thing I drink ice cold is mass produced light lagers and that is because when it is that cold you can't really taste all the off flavors going on. A little trick is with Bud Light. Next time you are at a party (heaven forbid you buy it yourself ), take a drink when it is ice cold and then let it warm up just a bit and see what a difference it makes. Ice cold you are tasting next to nothing, but let it warm up and you will taste all sorts of acetaldehyde (green apple).

I'm not sure of the exact reason why the temperature makes such a difference, but I have heard that your taste buds react to temperatures differently so what you end up actually tasting changes as the temperature does. Would be curious if anyone else has done any more reading on that.

[tmoney1224]

To continue on that temperature thought, I prefer cold drink of anything over their hot counterparts (coffee, tea, etc.). I'm guessing that has to be a similar principal as the beer. Was just curious if other people are similar in that regard?

[hardcorebee24]

I prefer my more alcoholic/complex brews to be on the warmer side (approx 50F). The only thing I drink ice cold is mass produced light lagers and that is because when it is that cold you can't really taste all the off flavors going on. A little trick is with Bud Light. Next time you are at a party (heaven forbid you buy it yourself ), take a drink when it is ice cold and then let it warm up just a bit and see what a difference it makes. Ice cold you are tasting next to nothing, but let it warm up and you will taste all sorts of acetaldehyde (green apple).

I'm not sure of the exact reason why the temperature makes such a difference, but I have heard that your taste buds react to temperatures differently so what you end up actually tasting changes as the temperature does. Would be curious if anyone else has done any more reading on that.

Well if that's how I'm supposed to drink it than they can keep that one.

I like everything but coffee ice cold.

Money, you like boozy type beers? And can you get Blue Point out by you? Curious to see what you'd think of some their beer.

[hardcorebee24]

To continue on that temperature thought, I prefer cold drink of anything over their hot counterparts (coffee, tea, etc.). I'm guessing that has to be a similar principal as the beer. Was just curious if other people are similar in that regard?

Get out of my head!!!!

[tmoney1224]

I prefer my more alcoholic/complex brews to be on the warmer side (approx 50F). The only thing I drink ice cold is mass produced light lagers and that is because when it is that cold you can't really taste all the off flavors going on. A little trick is with Bud Light. Next time you are at a party (heaven forbid you buy it yourself ), take a drink when it is ice cold and then let it warm up just a bit and see what a difference it makes. Ice cold you are tasting next to nothing, but let it warm up and you will taste all sorts of acetaldehyde (green apple).

I'm not sure of the exact reason why the temperature makes such a difference, but I have heard that your taste buds react to temperatures differently so what you end up actually tasting changes as the temperature does. Would be curious if anyone else has done any more reading on that.

Well if that's how I'm supposed to drink it than they can keep that one.

I like everything but coffee ice cold.

Money, you like boozy type beers? And can you get Blue Point out by you? Curious to see what you'd think of some their beer.

Hadn't heard of them, I just checked out there website and the farthest west they go is Michigan. So that sounds like a no.

I drink anything. The boozier types are typically not my favorite or not something I really gear toward since I have to drink a whole damn bottle myself. I like a drink or two of it and if I can get it at a bar in the 8oz glasses, I definitely go for those. I don't really go for the ones that are advertised as using bourbon barrels ect. If it is well balanced with just a little of the boozy flavor, then I am pretty happy. If I just want to taste bourbon, I will just drink bourbon.

[hardcorebee24]

Hadn't heard of them, I just checked out there website and the farthest west they go is Michigan. So that sounds like a no.

I drink anything. The boozier types are typically not my favorite or not something I really gear toward since I have to drink a whole damn bottle myself. I like a drink or two of it and if I can get it at a bar in the 8oz glasses, I definitely go for those. I don't really go for the ones that are advertised as using bourbon barrels ect. If it is well balanced with just a little of the boozy flavor, then I am pretty happy. If I just want to taste bourbon, I will just drink bourbon.

Same here.

[Peat56]

I'll always love Guiness, whcih goes down very nice in the cooler weather.

This is gonna sound really corney but I have always like Budweiser because of its endless sponsorship of boxing.

Has anyone tried their Platinum Light beer - comes in a metal bottle, is stronger, and goes down easy. Awesome beer for drinking on your deck

[Peat56]

It's a nice beer to drink pool side on a hot summer day. So clean and clear.

[hardcorebee24]

http://www.webpronews.com/trappist-beer ... me-2014-01

Trappist Beer Brewed in Massachusetts.

Looks like I'm making a trip up to Mass this year.