BEER

[Tomas]

@Tomas

Quality Czech beers, which one might have some chance of finding in the US?

I think I might have already mentioned it here, but I pretty much gave up on drinking Czech beers in the US. Mainly because of:
- Czechs for some strange reason think that beer=lager. Which is fine, but if you like variety...
- it may be a subjective feeling, but for me, the bottled Czech beer in the US does not taste as good as the bottled beer in the Czech Republic (transportation issues?) - which itself is vastly inferior to the tap beer in Czech pubs.

This being said:
- You can find Pilsner Urquell everywhere. I don't think its the best Czech beer, and I think it is somewhat overpriced, but it is still a decent lager.
- In most states I have been, you should be able to buy Czechvar. This is the Czech Budweiser (i.e. beer brewed in the city of Budweis), just renamed for the US market due to the trade mark war with a certain American brewery. That one, I'd say, is the best Czech lager you can buy here.
- There are two other brands I saw in the US (both PA and AR) - Staropramen and Primator. I think in terms of quality they will be not that different from Pilsner Urquell, but at least $1.50 cheaper per 6-pack...

[count2infinity]

Maybe this belongs in the unpopular opinion thread, but I think America has the best beer scene in the world. America>Belgium>Germany>rest of the world, IMO. Last week one of the guys from our German office came over an echoed this sentiment.

[tifosi77]

We just recently watched a documentary on Netflix called Crafting A Nation. It's a couple years old and maybe 20 minutes too long, but it's worth a watch. I found it especially interesting to see the pieces with Jim Kock (Sam Adams) and Ken Grossman (Sierra Nevada); while they have long since grown past the point of being craft brewers, that sort of mindset is still clearly with the founders.

[MWB]

Speaking of which... what's yinz favorite super hot summer day kind of beer? Luckily with my keezer empty, it'll make a great fermentation chamber to do a quick lager or kolsch, so I'm definitely making one of those as it'll be ready by mid July. I'm thinking maybe a saison as well?

Just got Sierra Nevada Sidecar. It's an orange pale ale. Very smooth and only a hint of orange. Great summer beer.

[the wicked child]

So I found a DFH Burton Baton in my basement... I believe it is about 2 years old... think it is still ok to drink?

[Robot B9]

My friend was staunchly against ordering the Westvleteren because there wasn't any proof that it was sanctioned by the monastery... he did order quite a few of those beers I listed from there, and did receive them.

I ordered from Beer of Belgium. Seeing as how i've never seen a legit bottle of Westy 12 up close, and cant' seem to get a clear photo on the monastery's site, it will be interesting to see what arrives at my house.

I know that the Westy monastery is uber strict that you can only buy it there and reselling is contract breach.

So, basically, i really just need to go there some day.

Yeah, that was where we got the Tre Fontaine, the La Trappes that aren't typically imported, and such.

I believe the beer that you get will be legitimate in the sense of being what you ordered... Legitimate in terms of sanctioned by the Monastery... That is unknown.

Beers arrived today; took about 2 weeks from when the order was placed. Bottles in tact, good packaging. Have them cooling. Will open the Westys tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

https://twitter.com/KevinHornePSU/statu ... 5296526338

[eddy]

So I found a DFH Burton Baton in my basement... I believe it is about 2 years old... think it is still ok to drink?

If I'm drinking 2 year old ic mangs for the cup run and still going strong, go to town bud

[Kraftster]

https://twitter.com/KevinHornePSU/statu ... 5296526338

[columbia]

Bourdain in a wine snob (and can afford to be), so I wouldn't expect him to care about beer.

[count2infinity]

"I DON'T HATE CRAFT BEER! It's just that when I go into a bar, I go there to sit down, relax, drink something cold, and maybe lose a little bit of myself. And what ruins it for me is the guy sitting next to me with 12 little glasses in front of him with a pen and a notebook, fussing over every little detail, and peppering the bartender with question after question for five minutes."

I've read similar statements from Bourdain before... and this description of a craft beer drinker is ridiculous at best. I don't think I've ever seen someone in a bar or restaurant taking notes on a sampling of beer.

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

"I DON'T HATE CRAFT BEER! It's just that when I go into a bar, I go there to sit down, relax, drink something cold, and maybe lose a little bit of myself. And what ruins it for me is the guy sitting next to me with 12 little glasses in front of him with a pen and a notebook, fussing over every little detail, and peppering the bartender with question after question for five minutes."

I've read similar statements from Bourdain before... and this description of a craft beer drinker is ridiculous at best. I don't think I've ever seen someone in a bar or restaurant taking notes on a sampling of beer.

Same. I wonder if he experiences it more in his line of work though, or perhaps he goes to places more pretentious than what we encounter in PA where that sort of thing is not met with snide remarks from other patrons.

[Kraftster]

Yeah, I agree. My eyeroll is more applicable to the East End dude. I don't think they make very good beer, so hearing him say maybe we shouldn't geek out too much over beer reads a lot like the DFH or Stone dude that said craft beer is being threatened like never before.

[Jim]

"I DON'T HATE CRAFT BEER! It's just that when I go into a bar, I go there to sit down, relax, drink something cold, and maybe lose a little bit of myself. And what ruins it for me is the guy sitting next to me with 12 little glasses in front of him with a pen and a notebook, fussing over every little detail, and peppering the bartender with question after question for five minutes."

I've read similar statements from Bourdain before... and this description of a craft beer drinker is ridiculous at best. I don't think I've ever seen someone in a bar or restaurant taking notes on a sampling of beer.

Same. I wonder if he experiences it more in his line of work though, or perhaps he goes to places more pretentious than what we encounter in PA where that sort of thing is not met with snide remarks from other patrons.

How about people that wait outside a place in the cold for 6 hours before they open to get one glass of a beer?

[count2infinity]

Those people are ridiculous as well; however they are the 1% of the 1% of craft beer drinkers. Hardly defines the entire community.

[beerman]

So I found a DFH Burton Baton in my basement... I believe it is about 2 years old... think it is still ok to drink?

Yeah for sure, I've done the DFH tour on a couple of occasions and they actually age a lot of the beers they make. They said they'll hold a case or two back randomly and they throw it on a shelf in the one area of their warehouse. They'll have little parties for their employees every now and then and crack them open.

I'd like to be employed there.

[Robot B9]

My friend was staunchly against ordering the Westvleteren because there wasn't any proof that it was sanctioned by the monastery... he did order quite a few of those beers I listed from there, and did receive them.

I ordered from Beer of Belgium. Seeing as how i've never seen a legit bottle of Westy 12 up close, and cant' seem to get a clear photo on the monastery's site, it will be interesting to see what arrives at my house.

I know that the Westy monastery is uber strict that you can only buy it there and reselling is contract breach.

So, basically, i really just need to go there some day.

Yeah, that was where we got the Tre Fontaine, the La Trappes that aren't typically imported, and such.

I believe the beer that you get will be legitimate in the sense of being what you ordered... Legitimate in terms of sanctioned by the Monastery... That is unknown.

Beers arrived today; took about 2 weeks from when the order was placed. Bottles in tact, good packaging. Have them cooling. Will open the Westys tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

This was the order. Hope to get to them tonight:

St. Benedictus Abdij de Achelse Kluis Achel Brown Extra
La Trappe Gift Pack (quad and dubbel)
Trappist Westvleteren 12
Trappist Westvleteren 8
Trappist Westvleteren 6
Brouwerij De Ryck Arend Double
Brouwerij Roman Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold
Embrasse

[the wicked child]

This was the order. Hope to get to them tonight:

St. Benedictus Abdij de Achelse Kluis Achel Brown Extra
La Trappe Gift Pack (quad and dubbel)
Trappist Westvleteren 12
Trappist Westvleteren 8
Trappist Westvleteren 6
Brouwerij De Ryck Arend Double
Brouwerij Roman Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold
Embrasse

Sounds awesome.

[Robot B9]

This was the order. Hope to get to them tonight:

St. Benedictus Abdij de Achelse Kluis Achel Brown Extra
La Trappe Gift Pack (quad and dubbel)
Trappist Westvleteren 12
Trappist Westvleteren 8
Trappist Westvleteren 6
Brouwerij De Ryck Arend Double
Brouwerij Roman Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold
Embrasse

Sounds awesome.

Welp, the Westy 12 is pretty much the best quad I've ever had. Amazing depth and balance, completely clean finish.

Induces this:

Looking forward to trying the Embrasse next.

[the wicked child]

Awesome, Glad to hear it lived up to the hype.

[MR25]

Hit up Grist and Draai Laag tonight. Both are always good.

[shafnutz05]

Those people are ridiculous as well; however they are the 1% of the 1% of craft beer drinkers. Hardly defines the entire community.

Yup, I've seen people like that before but they are few and far between. They are generally the same people that post reviews on BA.

[columbia]

Any other weirdos, who like room temperature beer?

[Robot B9]

Any other weirdos, who like room temperature beer?

Anything in the darker malty realms i can only enjoy at cellar temps.

[Robot B9]

This was the order. Hope to get to them tonight:

St. Benedictus Abdij de Achelse Kluis Achel Brown Extra
La Trappe Gift Pack (quad and dubbel)
Trappist Westvleteren 12
Trappist Westvleteren 8
Trappist Westvleteren 6
Brouwerij De Ryck Arend Double
Brouwerij Roman Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold
Embrasse

Sounds awesome.

Welp, the Westy 12 is pretty much the best quad I've ever had. Amazing depth and balance, completely clean finish.

Induces this:

Looking forward to trying the Embrasse next.

Westy 6 - This is the blonde / tripel version. Like, but better than, La Fin du Monde. Really not my style, but no way i was not drinking it. Strong hop, medium bitter/citrus. Exceptionally smooth, very gentle finish, so it was doable.

Embrasse - Sweet strong ale. Enjoyable.

Adriaen Dark Gold - Rich, but could have used more body. Great flavor.

Arend - Very interesting dubbel. Many sour notes, but managed to bring out caramel sweetness.