Return of the FORD Beercyclopedia thread

[Nickdfresh]

Discovery Channel piece on why beer is great and how it advanced civilization:

[FORD]

Damn, I can't believe it's been almost a year since I posted in my own damn thread.... I need to find some new beers to review

[envy_me]

14 pages? It's safe to say that you guys like beer

[VHscraps]

Without beer, life would be ... a living death.

[Romeo Delight]

Hey Ford...if I am going into A Fred Meyer for a quick booze run, what beer would they have that is good? I am looking for a pale ale type of thing with a variety pack in a perfect world.

[FORD]

Hey Ford...if I am going into A Fred Meyer for a quick booze run, what beer would they have that is good? I am looking for a pale ale type of thing with a variety pack in a perfect world.

Not sure about the variety packs, but it just so happens that Fred Meyer has Deschutes, Pyramid, and Red Hook products for $6.99/6 pack this week, which is probably as good of a price as you're going to get anymore.

So look for....

or

or

can't really go wrong with any of them. Or any other products from those breweries, really.

[envy_me]

[Romeo Delight]

Not sure about the variety packs, but it just so happens that Fred Meyer has Deschutes, Pyramid, and Red Hook products for $6.99/6 pack this week, which is probably as good of a price as you're going to get anymore.

So look for....

or


or

can't really go wrong with any of them. Or any other products from those breweries, really.

Thanks. I was looking at the Red Hook one yesterday...

[Nickdfresh]

As a light "lawn-mowing" beer, I enjoyed the Leinenkugel Summer Shandy, which was light and tasty with lemonade aftertaste:

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/710/36010/

She is gone now, alas...

I'd give her 3.5/5.0:

[Sensible Shoes]

Lots of Shandy's around these days - Saranac makes one....

[LoungeMachine]

Thanks. I was looking at the Red Hook one yesterday...

Copper is the best of The Hooks....

[FORD]

Well... since they stopped making Double Black Stout anyway....

[VHscraps]

I have been inspired by glancing through the FORD beercyclopedia this last week to branch out of the increasingly dull world of European lagers.

Yes, for many a year now I have been a lazy and habitual lager drinker - with occasional bouts of Guinness (original) fever. Two things are making me rethink my drink of choice - 1. I am pretty fed up of bars that don't know how to serve a decent pint, both in terms of temperature and because they often allow the pint they pour to become too lively with gas, or whatever. The bottled versions are usually fine, if available. 2. The sodding British government, which has placed a levy on beers / lagers over 5% abv - to save our young people from alcoholism, running the streets smashing up cars, or something they do, apparently, when they drink something as 'strong' as a 5% lager, such as the infamous Stella Artois used to be (alas, it is now 4.5%, I think, having once been 5.2% ABV). This has meant all the big brewers are dropping beers to ABV to 4.5-4.8%.

I have to say I find it impossible to get a buzz from a drink so weak. I don't drink to get blotto, but I do like a nice warm glow after a few. So, I ended up today loading up with a variety of strange brews (for me) to sample, and so far I am very much enjoying it.

Right now I am drinking this, Brooklyn Lager,



I discovered as soon as I tasted it, is not really a lager, but more of an ale. A very distinctive and flowery kind of hoppy taste, if my taste buds are not already ruined ... I absolutely love it. I wonder if that would wear off after more than a couple, however (that has often been my problem with beers / ales, as opposed to lagers)

By contrast, and this is the first time I had tried it, I had immediately before this a very dry and bitter Vedett Extra Blond:



I can't say that I enjoyed it greatly, but it was okay. Drunk from the bottle, so I did not get the skunky aroma that some of the reviewers at the above link mentioned.

It's dry bitterness was probably even more apparent because I originally began with a drink that is not a beer, so I am not sure it belongs here, but I would nonetheless like to salure it's magnificent refereshing qualities, especially following the couple of hours I had just spent cleaning the house - Stone's Ginger Joe:



I have never been a drinker of alcopops - I don't know if this would be classed as one, but I am a ginger beer fan. So, I am glad I gave this a try. A refreshing alcoholic drink, especially after doing physical work - not too strong at 4% ABV. It was very difficult to even tell it was an alcoholic drink from the taste alone, but you can feel it is.

Okay, three down, many more to go ...

[Satan]

Halloween 2012 entry - Guest reviewer: Satan T. Devil

As you might have guessed, Halloween is a big holiday down here in Hell, so I took a trip upstairs to find some decent beer earlier this evilning. Being a fan of the Beercyclapedia, and intrigued by FORD's previous entries on winter beers, I thought I would track some down. Even though winter itself doesn't really exist where I come from. But just I was reaching for the Snow Cap ale, I saw something next to it that caught my Most Unholy attention......


Outburst is a refreshingly bitter Imperial IPA. With 80 IBUs and 8.5% ABV, our dry-hopped Imperial IPA delivers a bold taste with a massive hop flavor.

And they ain't kidding! Seems like the northwest IPAs- while very drinkable - never quite measured up to such Northern California offerings such as Anderson Valley's Hop Ottin or my personal favorite, Hop Devil (see previous review earlier in this thread). But Pyramid has finally produced one HELL of a contender, and in this Devil's opinion, has produced the most unholiest IPA in the West.

Satan's rating

[VHscraps]

Let me introduce Bacchus - a nice little Belgian Raspberry beer, named after the god of - well - booze.



I love the taste of this stuff, but would probably recommend no more than one or two in succession due to the sweet flavour.

As you can see it comes in its own fine wrapping, which I intend to recycle on Christmas gifts.