Do you love beer?

September 20, 2001 6:55 AM

Do you love beer? Do you really love beer? What’s your favorite beer? Have you ever made your own beer? The 168th Oktoberfest starts Saturday in Munich Germany. Six million visitors = six million liters of delicious, nutritious beer. I wish I were there instead of here.
posted by UncleFes (138 comments total)

My favorite, with lime.
posted by bjgeiger at 7:11 AM on September 20, 2001

My first link, please be gentle :) I really love beer, and make my own - last night, I enjoyed two pints of my homemade Kolsch, absolutely fantastic. There's nothing like the taste of fresh beer you've cooked and conditioned yourself.
posted by UncleFes at 7:11 AM on September 20, 2001

You ever add salt? I like to add a little salt to Mexican beers.
posted by UncleFes at 7:20 AM on September 20, 2001

had a friend who made "beer" out of malta goya. it was okay.

and i can ferment orange juice in my fridge. it's pretty good. just leave a can of orange concentrate in the fridge for awhile (not the freezer) until it starts to ferment, then make it like normal. wait a few days and you should have a nice fizzy drink.

corona with lime.
posted by kliuless at 7:28 AM on September 20, 2001

good use of the subjunctive - rare these days.

i like the belgian duvel a lot, and there's a local brewery here on long island (blue point brewing) that makes a delicious bitter that i've become obsessed with.
posted by cheesebot at 7:30 AM on September 20, 2001

mmmm beer. I'm a big fan of Hefeweissen, especially in the summer. Which it seems is perpetual here in Austin. A nice pint of stout in the winter is great, Murphys, Guiness (no bashing), etc. A good lager is always welcome to join the party as well.

I haven't ever brewed my own. I've thought about it, but I always seem to have too many hobbies pulling at my interest, and wallet.
posted by jbelshaw at 7:30 AM on September 20, 2001

I make beer, and I love Munich. Jews say "next year in Jerusalem" at Passover.

I say "next year in Munich" at Oktoberfest. Ahh, religion.

My favorite.
posted by norm at 7:32 AM on September 20, 2001

My favorite, I mean. Doh.
posted by norm at 7:34 AM on September 20, 2001

I'm going to Munich in December for the xmas markets. Gluhwein, beer, sausages and cherries dipped in chocolate. Yum. I'm a big fan of all Belgian beers, especially the cherry variety.
posted by Summer at 7:34 AM on September 20, 2001

Oh yes, and I like Australian beer like VB. Carling, Heineken and Carlsberg are the work of Satan.
posted by Summer at 7:36 AM on September 20, 2001

Grimbergen Double!

Zinzinnati's Oktoberfest is this weekend too. Mmmm, beer!
posted by Mick at 7:38 AM on September 20, 2001

I got into beer making as a hobby for a couple of years in the late 1970's. In fact, making the stuff was so much fun that it started piling up. (I'm a bootlegger; when I was doing it it was technically illegal, though the law wasn't enforced.) We ended up with several cases piled up and a friend had a housewarming party, so we took about five cases of our best over and filled his bathtub with ice. It was a really fun party; turned into a beer-tasting session. We were doing a lot of experimenting with mixes of malts, so our beers were quite a lot different. Even though our beer was strong, it was so flavorful that no-one really got drunk because they weren't drinking it fast enough.

Nothing smells the way that fermenting beer does during the first two days. And nothing on God's Green Earth tastes as vile as unfermented wort. It is simply astounding that something as good tasting as beer can come from something as foul as wort. Yeast is a miracle.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 7:44 AM on September 20, 2001

My two favorites have got to be JW Dundee's Honey Brown for a regional microbrew. As an international beer that I can get more often I would go with the French Budweiser, Stella Artois. As Homer said, 'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, Beer.'
posted by wsfinkel at 7:51 AM on September 20, 2001

Samuel Smith's India Pale Ale is my fave, as its very heavy on the hops. As a botanical footnote, the family Cannabaceae has only other one genus besides the obvious: Humulus, in which we find hops.
posted by quercus at 7:55 AM on September 20, 2001

Nothing smells the way that fermenting beer does during the first two days. And nothing on God's Green Earth tastes as vile as unfermented wort.

Try getting it out of the carpet when your siphon goes awry. The cat loves it, though.

other one genus besides

I'll be damned! What a great plant :)
posted by UncleFes at 8:08 AM on September 20, 2001

As great as French wine is, my favorite beer is France's Pelforth Brune. Man, dark, full and slightly sweet, this beer totally satisfies. Unfortunately it isn't imported, so it is only when I get to France that I can partake.

That makes it so much more enjoyable. ahhhh

After that it would have to be Chimay and Spaten's Franciskus.
posted by malmec at 8:09 AM on September 20, 2001

My favorite Cleveland bar for microbrews, The Winking Lizard, always has something new to try. My two new favorites? Pike Brewery's XXXXX Stout (no anchors, so scroll down to the seasonal specials) - an American stout as good as Guinness, with hints of espresso, mmm! The Lizard was also lucky enough to be the only chain in the US to have this beer: Ayinger. This beer is what Budweiser aspires to be. Light, refreshing, but not weak and watery. I love beer.
posted by starvingartist at 8:12 AM on September 20, 2001

yes, yes, coopers and yes
posted by eyere at 8:15 AM on September 20, 2001

Well, as many of my friends will attest Shiner Bock is a Texas tradition and my personal favorite.

Thay have a winter brew that's hearty, not too sweet, and not overly heavy. It's a real treat in the winter.
posted by Benway at 8:17 AM on September 20, 2001

It's so, so good to see Worthington's White Shield being brewed again. The consolidation of Britain's breweries may have wiped out some of the country's best-loved craft beers, but there are plenty of people prepared to make the investment and take up the cause. (The same applies to Double Maxim...)
posted by holgate at 8:17 AM on September 20, 2001

Hey, homebrewers! Where's a good place to get info on getting started in homebrewing? I am very interested in learning how to make my own beer... and mead! Also, roughly how much could I expect to spend in starting materials, and how hard is it really to make beer?
posted by starvingartist at 8:17 AM on September 20, 2001

I just wish I could find Tetley's in stores around here (Dallas/Ft. Worth). I saw some in the supermarket when I was in Oregon the other week.. Anyone know if Cost Plus/World Market stocks it?
posted by SiW at 8:22 AM on September 20, 2001

My favorite local brewpub is The Tap Room - great beer, terrible food. But the beer is worth it. They make a perfect pilsner - it's not fancy, it doesn't have weird spices in it, but it is absolutely delicious, day in and day out, any time you walk in the door.

homebrewing?

Buy Charlie Papazian's book. Then go to St. Pats, get their basic homebrew set and an extract kit. Their catalog has detailed instructions. Super easy! and less than $100 to get started.
posted by UncleFes at 8:23 AM on September 20, 2001

Six million visitors = six million liters of delicious, nutritious beer

Only one litre each? What's the matter with these Germans? ;-) Maybe they'd need more if they were drinking London Pride.
posted by mudskunk at 8:30 AM on September 20, 2001

Ah yes, Hefeweissen is a beautiful thing. As is Weihenstephaner, my new beer of choice.
posted by fusinski at 8:37 AM on September 20, 2001

Yes. Yes. Fullers ESB or Weihenstephaner(sp?) depending on my mood. Yes.
posted by revbrian at 8:38 AM on September 20, 2001

I was VERY into home brewing when I was in grad school. It was a great hobby, and I could then drink beer that I could afford no other way. I haven't made any in a few years, but I had a kegging system and dedicated refrigerator, the whole deal. Hmmmm.....maybe I need to get back into that.

The best source for information and suppiles that I found was Alternative Beverage in Charlotte, NC. Even after I left the area, I found I could usually order stuff from them cheaper than buying it locally. Their catalog doubles as a primer for brewing, with lots of information about beer styles and brewing technicques. I can't give these guys enough praise.
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:39 AM on September 20, 2001

i love mexican beers (corona and carta blanca, mmm) and i like going to kelly's brew pub, in albuquerque, where they have lots of homemade stuff on tap.

(ps, that review is old. they have this really rad open space now. and a patio, where you can take your dog and drink beer under the stars.)
posted by sugarfish at 8:40 AM on September 20, 2001

i love and miss kokanee...just moved here to québec a little over a year ago...before moving here, i spent 20 years of my life in vancouver, british columbia and i believe that is the only place you can get kokanee...nothing takes it's place for me
posted by maggiemay at 8:41 AM on September 20, 2001

Dos Equis is also a great beer if you're into them Mexican beers. On a hot day there's nothing like a Dos Equis Special Lager with a lime. Wooo, baby.
posted by fusinski at 8:42 AM on September 20, 2001

Oh, Tupper's Hop Pocket Ale: "designed by adept beer drinkers for experienced beer drinkers."
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:43 AM on September 20, 2001

Other favorites:
Guinness - all-time favorite
Bass Ale
Harp (see Guinness)
Lindeman's Geuze
Sam Adam's Cherry Wheat
Anything from Crooked River Brewery
posted by starvingartist at 8:46 AM on September 20, 2001

Guinness - all-time favorite

A funny, not very well known thing about Guinness: into each batch, they put some old Guinness purposely soured with lactobacilli. It adds that funky taste to each glass, and it makes Guinness almost impossible to replicate. There really is nothing like a Guinness.
posted by UncleFes at 8:51 AM on September 20, 2001

Oh, and I forgot Anchor Steam and, I'm a little ashamed to admit it, Tequiza.
posted by starvingartist at 8:52 AM on September 20, 2001

Thank you for that bit of info and the recipe, Fes!
posted by starvingartist at 8:54 AM on September 20, 2001

I have developed an allergy to hops, barley, and many of the ingredients of beer.

Bwaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!

I love Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier and I drink it when I can. I also love Guinness, and even a $1 PBR at my local bar.

My allergies just mean that I get a little, um... gassy. I can deal with that.
posted by hotdoughnutsnow at 8:58 AM on September 20, 2001

i couldn't locate a good, informative link, darnit.

i'm quite partial to negro modelo, imho the best mexican beer available in the u.s.
posted by lescour at 9:00 AM on September 20, 2001

My allergies just mean that I get a little, um... gassy.

So long as your cigarette lighter doesn't make the scene, I think we can all agree to avoid making mention of the pungency :)
posted by UncleFes at 9:02 AM on September 20, 2001

Maggiemay -- You miss Kokanee, that's funny. I wonder if Quebecois miss Labbatt 50 when they're out west.
posted by cburton at 9:04 AM on September 20, 2001

Our secret weapon is Frankenmuth which holds its Ocktober fest in september(was ist?) Having lived in Midland, i came across chemistry students who made beer. thing is, he could explain the process, but they(chemist) are not quite sure how all the stuff becomes beer...like some missing link.
posted by newnameintown at 9:21 AM on September 20, 2001

Mmmm beer.

My favorites:

Samuel Smith's Pure Filtered Lager
Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome
Guinness
Mackeson's Triple Stout
Stella Artois (Which seems to be totally unavailable in California now...I asked a hopeless lackey at Beverages and More annd was told they no longer import it)
Old Peculier
Anchor Porter

Never ever ever give me a beer that has fruit in it. Dem's fightin words!

On the tangent of Beverages and More, when I moved to SoCal a couple of years ago I was shattered by the absence of these stores. The first time I visited one I waandered to the beer section with a gleam in my eye, and was immediately approached by a woman who offered me some beer to taste as I wandered the aisles. "That's it," I thought. "I'm stayin!"
posted by Kafkaesque at 9:29 AM on September 20, 2001

Dem's fightin words!

C'mon K, you've never tossed a slice of lemon in a Weiss?

And realistically, after a few, it's rollin' around on the floor like a coupla dorks words.
posted by UncleFes at 9:38 AM on September 20, 2001

OK OK I guess it's more this Cranberry Lambic kind of crap that makes me shudder. It is to beer what Boone's is to wine.
posted by Kafkaesque at 9:42 AM on September 20, 2001

Anything from Bragdy Ceredigion, two miles down the road. When I can get bottled conditioned ales like Barcud Coch and Gwrach Du direct from the brewer's house (or from the local pub, bless their hearts) there doesn't seem much point in making my own.
posted by ceiriog at 9:45 AM on September 20, 2001

Maggiemay,

I moved from Montreal to Calgary, and I miss Quebec beer like crazy. Kokanee is great on a hot summer's day, but those are few and far between here.

Montreal's (well, chambly, but same thing really) Unibroue make excellent belgian style beer, which they sell in 750ml bottles (with corks!). Check out the triple fermented "Fin du Monde" at 9%

Other really good Quebecois beer includes Boreale (I love the rousse), McAuslan (makers of the delectable St-Ambroise), and Cheval Blanc.

I think I need a road trip.

Of course there are some excellent microbrews here as well, with Big Rock and Wild Rose taking the lion's share.

mmmmmmm, beeeer.
posted by sauril at 9:46 AM on September 20, 2001

Back before I stopped drinking, my favorite beer was Anchor Porter. I attended the World Science Fiction Convention in The Hague once and some europeans decided to have a beer-tasting party. The idea was that everyone should bring some beer they were proud of from their homes -- and of course, everyone expected to sneer at the Americans. (This was about 1988, before the microbrewery revolution got underway.) So I took a sixpack of Anchor Porter and blew them away with how good it was; they had been expecting Budweiser or similar bull-piss.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 9:55 AM on September 20, 2001

Draft Oberon is fantastic... very hard to beat. But for some reason it tastes dramatically different when it's bottled--to the point where I no longer like the taste. It's very strange.
posted by fusinski at 10:02 AM on September 20, 2001

On a recent trip to Montreal, I encountered Blanche de Chambly. Having exhausted the 12 I brought home, does anyone know anything about this beer/ a good place to buy it (online, unless you're local to NH, USA) ? I found a place on the web, but paying $60.00 for a case might sour the taste a bit.

Either way, I recommend it to anyone visiting Montreal. If they open the border again.
posted by yerfatma at 10:06 AM on September 20, 2001

Montreal's (well, chambly, but same thing really) Unibroue make excellent belgian style beer

Ok, so I should really read the whole thread before posting.
posted by yerfatma at 10:07 AM on September 20, 2001

Mmmm...nice topic. Just north of Seattle in Bellingham is the Orchard Street Brewery. Yummy stuff and very affordable at Trader Joe's.
posted by borgle at 10:09 AM on September 20, 2001

possibly offensive to true beer lovers as it's more of a dessert beer...but IMHO nothing beats a Framboise!
posted by xochi at 10:18 AM on September 20, 2001

And a more specific link to the best Framboise on this earth. Lindeman's even comes complete with a cork!
posted by xochi at 10:23 AM on September 20, 2001

Black Sheep Mmmmm... Beer! Really nice, especially with salt and vinegar crisps.
posted by stevridie at 10:24 AM on September 20, 2001

My favs:

Belhaven Scottish Ale. First had it on tap at a pub called The Burran in Sommerville, MA. Nice and smooth, very creamy.

Delirium Tremens from Belgium. Strong stuff (8.5%) but tasty as all get out.

Weihenstephaner. Wow. So. Very. Good. My favorite tavern (before it became seriously yuppified, crowded, and impersonal) used to get this every now and then. All other beers went by the wayside.
posted by RakDaddy at 10:26 AM on September 20, 2001

Oh, and I should add that Svyturys Baltijos from Klaipeda, Lithuania kicks much ass. Too bad you can only get it over there.
posted by RakDaddy at 10:32 AM on September 20, 2001

My favorite summer brew (with Lemon, of course), though these come in a close second and third.

It's coming up on winter here in the Northeast, though. Almost time to bust out the Guinness. Mmmmmmm......Guinness.
posted by brand-gnu at 10:47 AM on September 20, 2001

O, lucky me! I live in beervana! I keep trying to find a favorite, and the local brewers keep dreaming up new recipes. If I ever get tired of beer, Oregon's got 168 wineries. I think I'm set.
posted by apollo at 10:54 AM on September 20, 2001

Ack! Try this link instead. Sorry!
posted by apollo at 10:59 AM on September 20, 2001

as a college student, I mainly drink Meisterbrau and Natural Light, but when I get the good stuff, I'm usually reaching for Guinness or Bass, and occasionally Boddington's


//btw, its so nice to see a long and interesting thread that doesn't revolve around the trade center, hopefully this place will get back to normal one of these days
posted by rorycberger at 11:02 AM on September 20, 2001

Full Sail (from Oregon) is some good stuff, too. I wish I could get it here...
posted by sauril at 11:04 AM on September 20, 2001

I mainly drink Meisterbrau and Natural Light

Augh! :)

Which leads us down the other side of that path - what the WORST you ever drank? When I was in college, we had a fairly varied selection of cheap crappy brews: Sterling, Weideman (which we dubbed "Weideman Weep"), Blatz, Drummond Brothers ("Have a Drummy with a Dummy"), Stag (Q. How do you make a Carbondale Martini? A. Stag beer with a booger in it), and Schlitz.

But the very VERY worst? Rhinelander Bock. If it wasn't ice-cold (and I mean close to absolute goddamned zero coldness), your throat would close involuntarily and reject it before it could make its putrid way down your gullet.

Copping a buzz is TOUGH on a budget, ain't it? :)
posted by UncleFes at 11:15 AM on September 20, 2001

The worst?

No-name, Harley-Davidson branded, have to open with a can opener, $3 for a flat, just before bike week in Daytona.

I couldn't finish one can.
posted by sauril at 11:22 AM on September 20, 2001

The worst beer I've ever drank? Old Vienna in 7oz bottles. Rotgut. Also, the classics: Millwaukee's Beast, Blatz, Shlitz, etc.

Why do all american beers that end with "z" suck?
posted by brand-gnu at 11:23 AM on September 20, 2001

Why do all american beers that end with "z" suck?

tradition :)
posted by UncleFes at 11:37 AM on September 20, 2001

Two worst beers I ever had - National Bohemian, which I had during senior week in high school and could only drink with a beer bong (ah, those were the days :), and Drummond Brothers, which was popular in my fraternity house in college (any Theta Chis here?) We were fond of making up slogans for Drummon Bros. Our two favorites were:

"Drummond Bros - When you want a beer really bad, we've got a really bad beer for you", and

"Drummond Bros - A carefully measured handful of dirt in every can."
posted by starvingartist at 11:41 AM on September 20, 2001

Consumer Reports recently (August 2001) rated beers. The most interesting were the domestic ratings:

1) Stroh's
2) Michelob
3) Bud
3) PBR
4) Coors original
5) miller high life
6) red dog
7) busch
8) MGD
9) old milwaukee
10) milwaukee's best
11) rolling rock
posted by preguicoso at 11:46 AM on September 20, 2001

Starving Artist:


Hmmm. Natty Bo!
posted by preguicoso at 11:46 AM on September 20, 2001

You from MD, preguicoso?
posted by starvingartist at 11:48 AM on September 20, 2001

has anyone said goose island yet? i love that beer.
posted by m2bcubed at 11:49 AM on September 20, 2001

Rare Vos
Hoegaarden
posted by pedantic at 11:50 AM on September 20, 2001

Rare Vos
Hoegaarden

So is this for the best or worst list. One beer I've had that could possibly qualify for both is Xingu Black Beer. Tastes kinda like Guinness with licorice.
posted by boaz at 11:59 AM on September 20, 2001

The worst beer in my experience is, hands down, Pearl Light ....uggghhh that beer sucks. The hangover is hideous as well.
posted by Benway at 12:04 PM on September 20, 2001

:-) mmm
posted by danOstuporStar at 12:24 PM on September 20, 2001

I think Belgian beers are the best overall for a country. A great thing about those WildOats-WholeFoods-BreadandCircus-FreshFields places is that they stock lots of Belgian beers usually. If you travel to Belgium you can go to really wonderful bars and try out all kinds of really, really tasty beer.

Best cheap American beer IMHO is Michelob. Weinhard's (sp?) is also Ok if you're on a budget.
posted by cell divide at 12:30 PM on September 20, 2001

mmm dan-- TURBODOG!!
posted by cell divide at 12:31 PM on September 20, 2001

I can't believe no one has mentioned Courage Director's Bitter, possibly the best Real Ale (feel free to disagree ;) in England. Even if it's brewed by John Smith's.
posted by tommasz at 12:38 PM on September 20, 2001

Yeah, but why drink a cheap American beer when you can buy an equally cheap but better Mexican beer like Corona?
posted by starvingartist at 12:38 PM on September 20, 2001

Hands down worst beer-like concoction has to be Crazy Horse. I'm surprised Neil Young hasn't burned the brewery down just on principle. It's like Old English with Jasco added. But I guess malt-liquor-oppression-drinks don't really count as beer, do they.

Got to give a shout out to Lucky Lager. Love those rebuses on the bottlecaps. Sometimes I can just picture the guys making those...blurring one of the pictures juuust enough that you can't tell what it is. Lucky also has the distinction of coming in an 11oz bottle as opposed to the usual 12, and kind of looks like a prescription bottle...which in a way it is I guess.

Anyone not familiar with it may have seen Brad Pitt quaff a few in Kalifornia.
posted by Kafkaesque at 12:41 PM on September 20, 2001

Goose Island is great. One of the many things I miss about Chicago.

The worst beer i've ever had has to be, hands down, bar none, Rhinelander. Fresh from the north woods of Wisconsin, this stuff cost us about $4-5/case of bottles in college. Horrible, plus you had to return the bottles to get your deposit back. Just remembering to not leave the bottles all over the place is hard enough.
posted by jbelshaw at 12:45 PM on September 20, 2001

Watney's Cream Stout - hands down.
posted by fuzzynavel at 12:48 PM on September 20, 2001

RakDaddy- That would be The Burren, my favorite watering hole in Boston...

Beers I can't do without:

Duvel, which is very close to my heart, but oh so pricey;
Longtrail Blackbeary Wheat which is almost but not entirely unlike a lambic;
Sierra Nevada, which is the first beer I recall actually liking;
Blue Moon as a decent standby;
Hoegaarden; and Anchor Steam.

The ONLY beer I've been unable to finish due to its horrid taste- Old Speckeld Hen...

If any of you MeFi fanatics are in the area, and want a beer, the pint's on me- at the Burren. Nice orderly line now, folks...
posted by kahboom at 12:51 PM on September 20, 2001

mmm dan-- TURBODOG!!

yeah man ... turbodog and crawfish and 100% humidity!

this thread (and 9.11) is so making me regret my decision to move back to DC after livin in louisiana for a few years.
posted by danOstuporStar at 12:51 PM on September 20, 2001

I was there last year. I fell down. A lot.
posted by hellinskira at 12:57 PM on September 20, 2001

I always enjoy a good Guinness.

Blue Moon Belgian White is quite good, with or without an orange in it. Haven't been able to find that out here yet.

Someone mentioned Samuel Smith's India Pale Ale, which is also good.

Beer drinking has been more interesting since I got out here to Cali, at least as far as the readily-available beers are concerned. Sierra Nevada was tough to come by in NY and was a great treat. Now it's just the stuff I get every time (which certainly doesn't make it bad). I had never heard of Gordon Biersch back east, and it is also quite good for something so common. (I don't mean to sound snobby or anything, but up in central NY, if it was readily available, it was bad... the only stuff you'd ever find in most stores was the cheap crap like Bud or Beast. Or Busch... shudder)

If anyone in the Bay Area can find me some Harpoon Winter Warmer in about a month, I will make love to you.

Hell, just about any harpoon is good. But the Winter Warmer, which has a hint of Pumpkin pie, is just amazing. (Sam Adam's Winter Brew, for which I had to settle when I couldn't find any Harpoon, is just bad when compared to Harpoon...)
posted by Bernreuther at 12:58 PM on September 20, 2001

Here's another one: Buckeye Hippie IPA. A wonderful pale ale, and it comes in a 22-oz. bottle! Go, Ohio breweries!
posted by starvingartist at 1:08 PM on September 20, 2001

worst? well, of course, natty ice. meisterbrau (breakfast of champions!) and this really, really disgusting hard rock cafe beer i had once. it was like, four bucks a case, and i think that was almost as drunk as i've ever been. whoo boy.
posted by sugarfish at 1:08 PM on September 20, 2001

Hmmmm


Turbodog and crawfish!!!

That's it. I'm going back to new orleans
posted by preguicoso at 1:11 PM on September 20, 2001

My favorite ever would be a can of Guinness direct from Dublin. The mix is way, way smoother and creamier, with a fraction of the bitterness you get in the American version. Sad they don't sell the Irish mix here, I'm sure more people would like it.

Worst beer is natural light, but that's not fair because it's pretty much just water. I have lots of bad college memories of downing Mickey's big mouths (malt liquor for the honky set) and that small bottle crap that comes in sets of 11 with the puzzles under the cap? What's that crap called? Lucky Lager.
posted by mathowie at 1:11 PM on September 20, 2001

There is no beer better than Xingu.
posted by eyeballkid at 1:20 PM on September 20, 2001

My friends and I have a nice system worked out for beer. Normally, when we're just drinking, it's Kokanee (the pride of western Canada). If we're feeling affluent, it's Heineken. If we're binge drinking or poor at the time, it's Molson Canadian. Kokanee is perhaps the best regular beer I've ever had, amazingly flavourful.
posted by spyke at 1:26 PM on September 20, 2001

All beer-lovers out there owe it to themselves to track down some Czech beer ("pivo")--some of the best beer in the world. Try the Budweiser that puts the American version to shame. Radegast, Staropramen, Velkopopovický Kozel... Why not just order a road tanker?
posted by owen at 1:31 PM on September 20, 2001

Has anyone had Tsin-ha (and no, I don't mean "tsing-tao"). Tsin-ha is Southeast Asian - Cambodian or Thai, I think.

I had been innocently drinking it with cambodian dinners in Oakland for quite awhile before I realized it was malt liquor, not beer.

It gets ya' drunk.
posted by preguicoso at 1:34 PM on September 20, 2001

The worst beer ever was "Billie Beer". It's a long story; it was named after Jimmy Carter's brother (actually, licensed by him) and it was horrible. Sold as a novelty in 1977, lasted a month or so and then vanished without a trace.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 1:34 PM on September 20, 2001

If you ever get to Lawrence Kansas, don't miss The Free State Brewing Co.. Great beer and good food. Dang I miss that place (recently moved away).
posted by ducktape at 1:34 PM on September 20, 2001

But this is really the best...
posted by preguicoso at 1:38 PM on September 20, 2001

preguisco

I think you mean Singha Beer which is Thai (I think) and has the distinciton of having a Pogues song wirtten about it.

"Singha Beer
Don't ask no questions
Singha Beer
Don't tell no Lies"
posted by Kafkaesque at 1:51 PM on September 20, 2001

i just noticed the nutricious in liters of delicious, nutritious beer ... for that i gotta give the nod to hempen ale. real seeds make for a real meal
posted by danOstuporStar at 2:01 PM on September 20, 2001

My favorite is Pyramid Hefeweizen and the beers made by Red Hook espacially the Blonde, ESB, and Hefe-weizen.

I lived in Belgium for seven months and I can attest to the Belgian's excellence in brewing. Duvel, Hoegaarden, and Grimbergen were favorites. BTW, Duvel is Dutch for "Devil" which I think is an excellent name for a beer.
posted by mmascolino at 2:06 PM on September 20, 2001

Sadly Pyramid is now owned by Coors, and Red Hook by Bud. Ah well. At least Red Hook doesn't seem to have changed much. I was never a huge Pyramid fan though.

I have an aversion to Coors. My dad is Welsh, and emigrated to the stated in 68. When I was a kid, his favorite beer was Coors. I never understood that.

Anyone else had a beer called "Stingo"? [not Stinko]
posted by Kafkaesque at 2:10 PM on September 20, 2001

"states", not "stated".

As you were.
posted by Kafkaesque at 2:11 PM on September 20, 2001

I've had a Singha (at a Thai place downtown), and it's a bruiser, but not too bad once you get past the suspicously formaldehyd-ey preservative taste.
posted by UncleFes at 2:12 PM on September 20, 2001

OK OK I guess it's more this Cranberry Lambic kind of crap that makes me shudder. It is to beer what Boone's is to wine.

That's untrue. Lambic beers are incredibly difficult to replicate, because they take so much effort and time. Maybe there's a fake lambic I don't know about, but real lambics are very expensive delicacies, and thus the comparison to Boone's is not apt.
posted by norm at 2:33 PM on September 20, 2001

Yeh you're right it's a bad comparison. I just meant I don't consider lambics beer or Boone's wine. I have had some OK Lambics, but I wouldn't want one if I wanted a beer. They had some good Lambics at Fuel in San Jose, for any of you Bay Area MeFites.
posted by Kafkaesque at 2:37 PM on September 20, 2001

On line beer resources:

WWW beer library
Eric's beer page
Boersma's.

You should be able to figure out how to homebrew from following links around there. Also, try the library or your local homebrew shop. Initial starting equipment runs about $100, and it gets cooler if you collect antique bottles, like I do.
posted by norm at 2:40 PM on September 20, 2001

I'm with you, Kafkaesque, that froo-froo stuff isn't what I call beer. But different strokes, right?

As for Boone's, we used to get a couple bottles and a six-pack of 7-up, make Purple Jesus's and go out chasing girls when I was high school. Big laffs :)
posted by UncleFes at 2:43 PM on September 20, 2001

Anyone tried Samuel Smith's? Wonderful beer with a good buzz. Try the bombers, they're the bomb!

Otherwise, at the bar, good old American Budweiser, because that's what good American's drink. You are a good American, aren't you?
posted by Uncle Joe's Brother at 2:46 PM on September 20, 2001

"good" American? Pshaw.

UncleFes, Uncle Joe's Bro, and Uncle Sam = 3 GREAT Americans!
posted by UncleFes at 2:51 PM on September 20, 2001

I just love beer threads. . . makes me want to go to the bar and fall in love again. . .
posted by Uncle Joe's Brother at 2:55 PM on September 20, 2001

Ahh! A subject near and dear to my heart! My favorite beer? Depends on my mood. I love Chimay Grand Reserve but due to price and availablity I end up drinking good old Yuengling Lager which is brewed nearby in the oldest continuously operated brewey in the United States. Of course, when I go to my favorite German restaurant (see Penn's Tavern) it's always Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier with a slice of lemon in it. Crikey! I need a brew now and I've got six more hours of work!
posted by RevGreg at 3:03 PM on September 20, 2001

Otherwise, at the bar, good old American Budweiser, because that's what good American's drink. You are a good American, aren't you?

If that's what it takes? No. I drink Yuengling Lager which is American AND it's older (their Porter kicks ass too.) With the brewery having been in constant operation since 1829 it is the oldest continuously operated brewery in the US. Budweiser attempted to purchase them a few years back but the family refused to sell. I don't blame them for trying, if you walk into bars around here Yuengling sells about 10 to 1 to Bud products!

Oh yeah, it also doesn't taste like moose piss (my apologies to all meese(sic) everywhere for that unfortunate example!)
posted by RevGreg at 3:13 PM on September 20, 2001

I second the vote for Czech beers. Pilsner Urquell is easy to find, but the best I've had was Kumburak. Found a case at Whole Foods one evening while stocking up for an impending hurricane, and haven't seen any since.

I also enjoy Asahi Super Dry, and in a pinch there's always Heineken.

My girlfriend likes Yuengling, and wishes there was a distributor down here (we're too far south, though sometimes her family ships some from Jersey).
posted by Dean King at 3:30 PM on September 20, 2001

O.K, all very good in theory, however, I have consumed 6 pints of Guinness tonight and a half bottle of Chablis. What have you drunk tonite?
posted by johnny novak at 4:00 PM on September 20, 2001

{/boast}

{throw up}

{/throw up}

{bed...}
posted by johnny novak at 4:04 PM on September 20, 2001

Little Creatures Pale Ale.

For advice on getting started in brewing check out John Palmer's excellent 'How To Brew' (now available in DeadTree format). In Australia, pick up a copy of Laurie Strachan's 'Complete Guide to Homebrewing in Australia 2nd Ed', or visit OzCraftbrewers and sign up for the list!
posted by obiwanwasabi at 4:09 PM on September 20, 2001

My girlfriend likes Yuengling, and wishes there was a distributor down here (we're too far south, though sometimes her family ships some from Jersey).

Once they complete their new brewery they should have the capacity to expand their distribution. Right no they are contracting out just to fill demand! I must admit that no small part of that demand will be created tonight after 11pm (heck, for $1.25 a pop I can't go wrong!)
posted by RevGreg at 4:33 PM on September 20, 2001

Gotta recommend the local beer for the best commercial American beer - Boulevard Pale Ale. As for best commercial non-American, I'm gonna have to go with something Belgian - you take your pick. But, the best beer in the world, without the qualifier "commercial" is the homebrew I bottled a few nights ago. It tasted great flat and warm, and should change the world when it's finally ready.
posted by kcmoryan at 5:04 PM on September 20, 2001

Add me to the list of Samuel Smith fans, especially the Winter Welcome. Lately, I've been trying different Belgian beers and ales. Trappist ales aren't cheap, but you owe it to yourself.
posted by gimli at 5:27 PM on September 20, 2001

But, the best beer in the world, without the qualifier "commercial" is the homebrew I bottled a few nights ago. It tasted great flat and warm, and should change the world when it's finally ready.

RevBrian and I made a barleywine style beer which has been aging VERY gracefully now for almost four years! Fantastic stuff! We call it "Whoopass Strong Ale" and at 12% ABV it does!
posted by RevGreg at 5:29 PM on September 20, 2001

Normally, when we're just drinking, it's Kokanee (the pride of western Canada). If we're feeling affluent, it's Heineken. If we're binge drinking or poor at the time, it's Molson Canadian. Kokanee is perhaps the best regular beer I've ever had, amazingly flavourful.

Why oh why couldn't I be Canadian? Just for the beer. If that's as bad as it gets, well, suffice to say *you* probably never found a dusty case of Piels' in bar bottles that you saw in the back of a good beer store and felt bad for: poor thing, sitting here for years, overlooked by people with superior palates. "C'mere little fella," you never said, "I'll take you home." Yeah, that was the worst beer I ever had.

As for Billy Beer, it might make a comeback. My friend's parents still have 3/4 of a case left in their cellar. Some day he's going to inherit that. Doesn't exactly inspire any Melendez thoughts though.
posted by yerfatma at 6:00 PM on September 20, 2001

A new black ale has been released in Melbourne, imaginately named Carlton Black, which is quite nice, though not readily available yet. On tap, Carlton Draught is good for a couple of cheap drinks, but I can't go past a Becks or a Guiness if it's available.

Bottled, it's pretty much stella all the way.
posted by cheaily at 2:07 AM on September 21, 2001

Isn't it great how a brand of beer can be attached to a specific part of your life, and every time you drink it you get a little flashback?

Mine is Speights Gold Medal Ale. University days, 750ml bottles of the stuff, removing the tops off with a fish slice. Sitting outside on the couch and smelling charred meat on the bbq. Skipping classes on a Friday to sit in the sun, listen to music and drink Speights.

It's Friday today. Hmm. I'm in London. Maybe a Murphy's since I'm here.
posted by oddity at 2:25 AM on September 21, 2001

PABST BLUE RIBBON
posted by elvissinatra at 6:55 AM on September 21, 2001

4 years, RevGreg? I still have a few bottles of Russian Imperial Stout that I bottled 9 years ago. Very much a sipping beer.
posted by MrMoonPie at 7:56 AM on September 21, 2001

Don't think I've seen this place mentioned yet. If you ever get near to Ft. Bragg, California, I recommend North Coast Brewery. Their "Old No. 38" stout rivals Guinness in my book. And their "Winterfest" Christmas ale, especially fresh from the tap there, is the most incredibly beautiful thing I've ever tasted.
posted by dnash at 9:10 AM on September 21, 2001

If you're ever in New South Wales get an icy schooner
of RESCHS down ya throat.Aaaah the good doctor,mothers milk.
posted by johnny7 at 9:26 AM on September 21, 2001

Made beer, like Mr. Moonpie I still have some barley wine hanging around in the basement... 7 years old? Not sure it ages that well, really. ;-)

After getting a hop trapped in the vent tube from a carboy and blowing the thing up (trashing a bathroom in the process, not mine thankfully), I decided to buy my beer rather than make it.

I really like Sierra Nevada, everything they make is good. But, there's a new Sherrif in town. La Conner makes fantastic beer here in the great northwest. Big fan of the Pilsner after a hot day, and the Extra Special Bitter on the other days...
posted by daver at 9:35 AM on September 21, 2001

Dear sweet uninebriated Jesus, how did I miss this thread?

*beats chest in grief*
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:34 AM on September 22, 2001

guinness draught - all others pale in comparison. *ahem*

actually i also like rickard's red (british columbia, canada) and heineken dark (netherlands).
posted by bwg at 8:30 PM on September 22, 2001

mmm.. beer.

Well, i've bee drinking Grolsh all night [love the bottles] but some of my favourites are Ccreemore Springs Premium Ale, Sleeman Cream Ale, Upper Canada Lager and am also a BIG fan of Fin du Monde [End of the World] and Maudite

Beer is food.
posted by the_ill_gino at 1:38 AM on September 23, 2001

posted by davehat at 8:06 AM on September 23, 2001

My favorite beer is Riverwest Stein, brewed by the Lakefront Brewery. And the best part is, the brewery is located less than a mile north of my apartment. If you're ever in Milwaukee, take the tour. It was voted "Best Brewery Tour" by Milwaukee Magazine. $2 gets you 4 eight-ounce tappers, and an extra $3 gets you a souvenier mug.

Other favorites include Goose Island Hex Nut Ale, Sprecher Special Amber, Louie's Demise (a microbrew brewed by The Milwaukee Ale House, a local bar), and Guinness.
posted by dansays at 5:49 PM on September 23, 2001

i know it's late, and this thread is pretty dead..but i don't think there's a better beer than a nice, cold saranac adirondack amber.
posted by chacal at 1:19 PM on September 24, 2001

One more vote for worst: Olympia (from Olympia, WA, USA). "It's the water," according to their slogan. Apparently, that's all it is.
posted by dsandl at 5:08 PM on September 24, 2001

I'm supprised nobody's said Boddingtons Pub Ale. From the tap. 44oz mugs at a time...

That's beer heaven.
posted by dincognito at 10:09 PM on September 24, 2001

In Holland, we have lot's and lot's of different beers. On an average day I would go for an ordinary lager like a Dutch Grolsch (Heineken is crap!). A Belgian Palm is also very nice....

But I especially like Belgian ones.
What other country can offer more than 450 varieties of beer. (beerparadise.be)
- La Chouffe is a favorite!
- As is the Brugse Tripel.
- Chimay
- Leffe

And they all taste wonderful. Maybe you should all plan a trip to Belgium?
posted by roel at 7:04 AM on September 27, 2001

I gotta go back to my hometown brew. Everywhere I go I need to track down a supply.

posted by KnitWit at 12:00 PM on October 4, 2001

wow - this many comments and no mention of AUGUSTINER?

i lived in germany for four years and this is the best beer i have ever encountered, anywhere. so good in fact i almost got a tattoo of the blue woodblock-print logo on my arm (thankfully i woke up the next day without one). but i don't think i'll truly live life to the fullest until you can get augustiner in the states.

posted by subpixel at 8:48 AM on October 6, 2001