Booze The recommend-a-beer thread

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Had a Firestone Walker Black Xantus on tap last weekend in Santa Barbara. Black Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels. Very limited run. They did one keg for Union Alehouse. It was $18 for a half pint. Bourbon and coffee with a hint of cherry.
 
LOL nice one AZ!

I’d done a little research about Partridge in a Pear Tree, and was truly amazed by the beer scholarship out there.

“The bourbon is ever so forthcoming as the fruit and syrupy counterparts ambush the palate only as the bourbon begins to etiolate,” someone named azagthoth rhapsodized on beeradvocate.com. “The butterscotch and toffee sanction the back end of the sip while leaving you absolutely enthralled.”

If you can interpret what azagthoth said, please let me know.
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In the Register today. Are hand-crafted beers worth the price? - Fast Food Maven : The Orange County Register
 
Oh ****! I'll have to e-mail this guy, as that was indeed my review BUT he took it from my Barrel Aged Partridge In A Pear Tree review (hence me mentioning bourbon) and not the regular version of Partridge In A Pear Tree. No wonder the guy was thrown off, haha!

Jeeze, I only wrote that review on the beer a few days back. That was quick!
 
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had a 6 pack of this... not bad for a xmas style brew
ANCHOR.jpg
 
nick_nautious said:
had a 6 pack of this... not bad for a xmas style brew
ANCHOR.jpg
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Ha, another all-time holiday favorite. I haven't seen it in stores up here yet. I'll have to take a run to Sandy's in SLO later today to see if they got any. I always love the Anchor Holiday brew as a counter to the massive quantities of SN Celebration I drink. The malty spiciness of the Anchor is ALWAYS very satisfying on a cold night sitting by the fire. Always. When I get back I'll post any of the other holiday brews that I find.
 
Had a few new ones (to me) last night at a bar. Unibroue Chambly Blonde (I think the name was). White ale, very nice. Good flavor and spice without beating me over the head with intense spice the way many others of this style do. Unibroue Chambly Noir, quite nice, dark, and flavorful. I liked! And to top it off, Belhaven Scottish style Ale. Bliss in a glass! MMmmmmmm!
 
I'm heading to Pittsburgh next week and plan to check out a few brews that I don't find out here. I noticed several of the restaurants serve beers from Great Lakes. In particular I've noticed the Elliot Ness and the Burning River. Anyone here try them? Suggestions on other beers from Eastern based breweries?
 
You'll have to let us knowhow they are Doug.

Went to Stone World Bistro on Saturday. Had the Sawyers's Tripel from the 22 oz bottle. Not the best tripel. Was missing the sweet aftertaste I usually get from a tripel. An okay brew.

Had the Levitation served from the cask an it was amazing! Probably the best thing I've had there yet.

Filled up my growlers with Cali-Belgique and Ruination.
 
DougW8 said:
I'm heading to Pittsburgh next week and plan to check out a few brews that I don't find out here. I noticed several of the restaurants serve beers from Great Lakes. In particular I've noticed the Elliot Ness and the Burning River. Anyone here try them? Suggestions on other beers from Eastern based breweries?
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Immediately comes to mind:

Smuttynose
Southampton
Brooklyn
Arcadia
New Holland
Weyerbacher

Great Lakes cranks out some fantastic ales, but I haven't had the two that you mentioned.
 
mitchrock said:
You'll have to let us knowhow they are Doug.

Went to Stone World Bistro on Saturday. Had the Sawyers's Tripel from the 22 oz bottle. Not the best tripel. Was missing the sweet aftertaste I usually get from a tripel. An okay brew.

Had the Levitation served from the cask an it was amazing! Probably the best thing I've had there yet.

Filled up my growlers with Cali-Belgique and Ruination.
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The re-brew of Sawyer's Tripel isn't nearly as good as the original was. Levitation on cask would be interesting!
 
Azagthoth said:
Immediately comes to mind:

Smuttynose
Southampton
Brooklyn
Arcadia
New Holland
Weyerbacher

Great Lakes cranks out some fantastic ales, but I haven't had the two that you mentioned.
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I'm already on the lookout for Brooklyn since I have had some of their beers in the past. Thanks for the suggestions.
 
UnholyGoalie said:
My first stout was Guinness, which I've found is about as easy going as it comes. Youngs Double Chocolate Stout is yummy and basically just like Guinness with a dark chocolate aftertaste. Moylans Dragoons Dry Irish Stout may just be my favorite, right up there with Stone Russian Imperial Stout, but Dragoons is smoother and not as intense. Lagunitas Cappucino Stout was very nice.

Had a sixer of Shipyard Pumpkin Ale last weekend. First pumpkin beer of the season, woooohooooo!!! Tasted just like a faint pumpkin pie with the characteristic cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. I liked it but I had another pumpkin beer last year that I remember being better with a stronger beer presence and a pumpkin base without tasting like pumpkin pie.

Edit: OOOH! If you can get your hands on Victory Storm King, try it!
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I had the Shipyard Pumpkin the other day. great stuff. also tried the Storm King. another great stuff.
 
I'm starting to sink my teeth into all the holiday offerings of late with a heavy emphasis on Celebration Ale and Anchor's Holiday Ale. But I've got a few large bottles stashed that I started to hit last night. I figured I'd start with the first one I grabbed and that was the Affligem Noel Christmas Ale (750 ml bottle). Knowing from previous years that once I popped the cork that I'd have a major overflow of foam, I opened this one over the sink. I wasn't let down on the overflow front. I lost a couple of ounces easily. But you aren't reading this b/c you want to know about what happened when I opened it. On to what the beer was all about.

Let's just start by saying that I LOVE Affligem Blond. Easy to drink, flavorful, and great on a hot summer afternoon. But we're in the middle of cold nights and warm fires so my expectations are for a brew that fits in to that sort of atmosphere - heavier, headier, and heartier. With high expectations I sat down by the fire with an imperial pint glass of the Noel Christmas Ale. The smell quickly reminded me of some homebrews I've had over the years - not a bad start. The color was right (of course it was, there is artificial caramel coloring added - says so right there on the label......). The mouth-feel - check. But the flavor. I'm struggling to find the words. I think the best way to put it is with a question - what flavor? What a MAJOR LETDOWN. Boring, no character, no malty goodness, no sweetnes, no spiciness, pretty flat (which was surprising given all the foam spit out at opening) - pretty much a whole lot of nothingness. It was fizzy. It tasted like a Belgian Ale, albeit a very weak and BORING Belgian Ale.

I don't know if I got a bad bottle or what. Based upon this one bottle I would highly recommend NOT buying this particular Christmas Ale. It's not anywhere near what a Christmas Ale should be like. Not even close.

BTW - I tossed half the bottle b/c it really was so boring that I only drank about half of it over an hour. What a waste of money. Let's hope that the St. Bernardus Christmas Ale is better!
 
Next in the holiday lineup....tonight I poured a Bateman's Rosey Nosey Holiday Ale. I wasn't expecting much as the ingredient lineup was fairly pedestrian - Maris Otter pale and crystal malt, wheat malt, and E. Kent Goldings hops. It comes in at 5% ABV so it's hardly a winter warmer. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised. Nice orange/brown/red color with the thinnest off white head. Not much on the nose except for a malty sweetness. The mouth-feel is that of a session ale and come to think of it, the flavor works out in that direction as well. Carbonation is nice - it's not a "gassy" ale. Lightly carbonated in fact. Not much in the way of hops in this one - but than again, I'm coming down off of a slight cold so my nose might be off some. Not too bad a beer at all - in fact it's a really enjoyable ale. Malty, nutty, no alcohol burn. I'd drink this again, many times. But overall, not really a holiday ale by my book. Too much like an everyday, I'd drink this after work type ale. But would I recommend this ale? Yes, very much so.
 
Anyone in here live in the Seattle area? I think I've seen a couple of you on here. Anyway, if someone would be willing to send me a 6er of Pike's Place Brewery Pale Ale I would obviously pay for it, shipping and comission...but most importantly I would be eternally grateful and buy them a beer next time I'm up there. Thank you in advance.
 
Arrogant Ba$tard said:
Heading down to the San Diego area this weekend to finish off the last micro brewpubs that I haven't been to. Alpine Brewing, Ballast Point and maybe Oceanside Aleworks. Will make the mandatory Stone visit of course.
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Our longtime family-friend Mark is the brewmaster/owner of Oceanside Ale Works.

I wish I lived further south because their beer is quite good and their Fri/Sat tastings are quite fun. They have a Summerfest and a Winterfest where they have bands/food, etc....

Oceanside Ale Works
 
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