Favorite Beer

[mattydeee93]

Eighteen and on WG :o  Most of the forum members children are older than 18.

Glad to see it.  I was a little concerned about our eventual extinction. 8)

haha, well i was born and bread into a bike loving family,

19 now, and by the time im 20 i will have my V50 III fully restored and ready to ride. it was suggested when i registered that i was possably the youngest member on the forum haha

[Kev m]

Most overlooked Beer and only available in certain regions of the US. No it is not an Asian Beer Originally from the oldest brewery in the US, Pottstown PA. They are expanding and thankfully for me took over the old Schlitz brewery in Tampa and business is good they are expanding that site. My everyday beer is the Black and Tan

Good quality American beer at piss water prices. Even the Light is pretty darn good.

LONG TIME drinker of the stuff (since I arrived in PA in the late 80s for college).

The Lord Chesterfield ale has been my favorite, but of late they've been playing with introducing some seasonal beers includnig a Bock and a Marzen (Oktoberfest).

Not bad for the money.

[Chuck in Indiana]

BTW, how do you pronounce Smithwicks?

A guy that should know says Smid icks, all one word. <shrug>

[Testarossa]

if they're selling Marzen in October they've got it wrong. Marzen means March. it's brewed for spring planting season using last summer's wheat and hops.

[CND]

Been enjoying everything from Anchor Brewing - San Francisco.

http://www.anchorbrewing.com/

The Anchor Porter is my recent favorite.

 ;-T

[Kev m]

if they're selling Marzen in October they've got it wrong. Marzen means March. it's brewed for spring planting season using last summer's wheat and hops.

Marzen is a STYLE of beer which is associated with Oktoberfest.

Yes it was brewed in March (Traditionally) but stored and SERVED for Octoberfest (and at other times of the year).

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/29

Before refrigeration, it was nearly impossible to brew beer in the summer due to the hot weather and bacterial infections. Brewing ended with the coming of spring, and began again in the fall. Most were brewed in March (Märzen). These brews were kept in cold storage over the spring and summer months, or brewed at a higher gravity, so they’d keep. Märzenbier is full-bodied, rich, toasty, typically dark copper in color with a medium to high alcohol content.

Interesting side-note - Yuengling is a small family owned brewery - the first and primary brewery for the brand in Pottsville PA was carved into the side of a mountain to use the naturally cool environment for lagering.

[Testarossa]

Before refrigeration, it was nearly impossible to brew beer in the summer due to the hot weather and bacterial infections. Brewing ended with the coming of spring, and began again in the fall. Most were brewed in March (Märzen). These brews were kept in cold storage over the spring and summer months, or brewed at a higher gravity, so they’d keep. Märzenbier is full-bodied, rich, toasty, typically dark copper in color with a medium to high alcohol content.

Not quite right. From the Middle Ages, Marzen was brewed in late winter, ending in March, then stored in cool cellars for drinking during planting and cultivating; the last kegs were drunk at harvest time, then recycled for the coming winter's brew. The very first "official" Oktoberfest was in 1810, so Marzen was a spring-and-summer drink for at least 500 years before Bavarians thought to lay in large commercial quantities for fall.  Today's commercial recipe was launched by Spaten in 1841.

See: http://www.germanbeerinstitute.com/Oktoberfestbier.html

[Kev m]

Not quite right. From the Middle Ages, Marzen was brewed in late winter, ending in March, then stored in cool cellars for drinking during planting and cultivating; the last kegs were drunk at harvest time, then recycled for the coming winter's brew. The very first "official" Oktoberfest was in 1810, so Marzen was a spring-and-summer drink for at least 500 years before Bavarians thought to lay in large commercial quantities for fall.  Today's commercial recipe was launched by Spaten in 1841.

See: http://www.germanbeerinstitute.com/Oktoberfestbier.html

Not disputing that in any way, but that doesn't change the fact that Marzen is considered to be the style of beer that characterizes Oktoberfest and is the style most brewers use when referring to fest beers. As such they've done nothing wrong as you assert in your original post (and ironically prove with the link in your second post) as it is now normally marketed generally in fall (Sept/ Oct) and associated with Oktoberfest. Though I'll happily drink it all year round as it is one of my favorite styles (along with Pilsners, Dunkel Lagers, Maibocks, Porters, and Stouts)

[jmdaia]

"# 1 Guinness extra stout"

what we get here seems the same..same taste and label

[Green1000S]

I have recently enjoyed (like right now...) Blue Point Brewing Company's "Hoptical Illusion"
Great IPA.

Not maybe the best beer in world, but tasty, Oh YES!!!

[the Bailey]

A guy that should know says Smid icks, all one word. <shrug>

yes.  but two syllables

[the Bailey]

Most overlooked Beer and only available in certain regions of the US. No it is not an Asian Beer Originally from the oldest brewery in the US, Pottstown PA. They are expanding and thankfully for me took over the old Schlitz brewery in Tampa and business is good they are expanding that site. My everyday beer is the Black and Tan

Good quality American beer at piss water prices. Even the Light is pretty darn good.

i agree, they should be commended on being the oldest brewery. but no self respecting brewer offers a "black and tan" and they seem to have a lot of "light" offerings.   ;)

[Guzzistajohn]

I think my fovorite beer is one behind a shot of Jamisons Irish Whisky.

[Testarossa]

Not disputing that in any way, but that doesn't change the fact that Marzen is considered to be the style of beer that characterizes Oktoberfest and is the style most brewers use when referring to fest beers. As such they've done nothing wrong as you assert in your original post (and ironically prove with the link in your second post) as it is now normally marketed generally in fall (Sept/ Oct) and associated with Oktoberfest. Though I'll happily drink it all year round as it is one of my favorite styles (along with Pilsners, Dunkel Lagers, Maibocks, Porters, and Stouts)

You're right, Kev. My first post was wrongheaded.

[Kev m]

I do wish the style was more readily available the rest of the year.

We've got a local Germanic micro-brewery (Stoudts) http://www.stoudts.com/brewery.html that makes their "Fest" beer available all year.

About 2 decades ago they were a FANTASTIC micro-brewery, only producing and bottling fresh beer - in 1 liter bottles, shipped and stored cold. Not pastuerized or filtered - so there were yeast sediments on the bottoms of the bottles.

REALLY REALLY REALLY good stuff.

Sadly, I THINK they may have been forced to filter their beer and they've switched to 12 oz bottles and they are shipped/stored warm now. There is a definite difference in the taste, not as fresh.

Still a good beer, but not the fantastic stuff it once was.

I don't think another local or regional brewery I know of makes a Marzen styled beer available the rest of the year (much to my regret). I'd happily drink it all spring and summer!

[alanp]

I have a great "beer" story from my youth.  I am of English ancestry and grew up in a small town in Missouri.  One summer when I about 10 (which would be 1964), my great Uncle "Dink" Wilding came to visit us from London.  My dad drank Falstaff, and Dink couldn't stand the stuff and couldn't understand why Americans drank such watered down, tasteless beer.
One evening, my parents decided to treat Dink to something truly American - dinner at the AW drive-in.  We went in my Dads new black Buick Electra 225, and planned to eat in the car with the trays hooked on the windows in the true '60's drive-in way.  We placed our order, and Dink was quite excited when he saw the waitress carrying a tray full of mugs of black "Root Beer", with its nice thick head.  Dink took his mug and greedily drank it in - then proceeded to spray the entire contents of his mouth over my Dad's nice clean dashboard yelling "wha' the 'ell kind of swill is that"!?

Not sure what Dink thought of the US but he sure hated the "beer".  Fortunately, we have much better choices today.   

[Chuck in Indiana]

Not sure what Dink thought of the US but he sure hated the "beer".  Fortunately, we have much better choices today.   

We sure do. We were visiting friends in England, and they took us to a CAMRA (save the real ale bunch) beer tasting. I was pretty excited to go, and it was disappointing to me.. fairly like an "American lager" tasting. Bland and similar. We have a *much* better selection of styles.

[alanp]

I agree that today the US has one of the best beer selections of any country. But in 1965, although I didn't drink yet, I know it was pathetic.  The US suffered greatly from prohibition, and literally hundreds of breweries went out of business.   US beers were terrible post prohibition up until the 1980's when the first microbreweries, like Anchor in San Francisco started to make something decent. 

[Jim Rich]

The best beer;  the one I have in my glass right now.   ;D

[donn]

I agree that today the US has one of the best beer selections of any country. But in 1965, although I didn't drink yet, I know it was pathetic.  The US suffered greatly from prohibition, and literally hundreds of breweries went out of business.   US beers were terrible post prohibition up until the 1980's when the first microbreweries, like Anchor in San Francisco started to make something decent. 

Looks to me like the typical generational pattern of that era.  I think Anchor Steam actually goes back to at least the mid '60s, but availability outside SF must have been nil until late '70s;  don't know when Rainier Ale was introduced but it was regionally popular in the '70s.  Meanwhile imports like Löwenbräu and Heineken took off, and home brewing started up.  By the '80s, the whole generation was catching on, and it started getting interesting.

In the last 5 years or so, seems to me there's a younger generation getting into it who have grown up with microbrews and are pushing the industry again.  For sure beer's a lot better than it was 40 years ago, but also a lot better than it was 10 years ago.

[Kev m]

There was a microbrew/beer industry lull ten years ago?

News to me. ???

[alpine]

I just had this one ...it is good ..very good .. very heavy stout .    $12.98

Roberto.

[Nic in Western NYS]

Rolling Rock is fine by me.  My wife just shakes her head.  Long Trail Ale and Wachusett Summer Ale (here in North Central MA) are mighty good too.

Nic

[T in NC]

Brooklyn #2 or almost anything from Southern Tier Brewing

[mattydeee93]

haha - i'll take that as a compliment ;)

[eddie850]

A very nice pint over here in the UK is called Swordfish, it is a blend of a beer called Wadworth 6X and navy rum. It goes down very well.

[Two Checks]

Mackeson Triple Stout! I second that!
Hmm...I live in MO and grew up next to some folks by the name of Wilding but they never owned a Buick...

[Loser-At-Life]

Been brewing my own beer since 1979, my favorites are copies of Anchor Brewing Company 'Steam', a lager fermented at ale temperatures and Anchor Liberty Ale, an American style pale ale .

All malt, no rice or corn added, brewed in accordance of 'Reinheitsgebot', the German Purity of Brewing law, 1516 .

Use nothing but malted barley, hops, water and yeast .

Not 'diet' beer, average alcohol content is around 8-9%, about 500 calories per 12 oz, 355ml bottle .

[Blueboarhound]

When I'm feeling bright.....



Hacker-Pschorr Weisse


When I'm feeling dark.....



Founders Breakfast Stout

[dilligaf]

I am in Langford,  BC  haveing a Phillips Hop Circle IPA. Very good, best IPA I have had in weeks.   ;-T  :BEER:
Matt