Beers

[EvilJekyll]

We're going to try homebrewing some beer in the upcoming week or so. Most likely I'll post some pictures during the process or something.

Has anyone else tried homebrewing? Know anyone that does? Any tips? Suggest some beer to try making?

Also feel free to talk about beers/alcohol you have tried or like or want to try even.

[Zombie Protestor]

Any tips?

Don't let the Po-po catch you. According to this page, even with a license to homebrew, you can only make wine and malt liquors in New Jersey. It looks like people are trying to get beer added to the list.

[EvilJekyll]

Thanks for that, I had only read that countrywide it was legal as long as you were 21 and kept it to 200 gallons per year. Apparently to legally brew in NJ, I'm supposed to pay them $20 per year.

[Binkatron5000]

We are noob brewers too, brewed 2 batches and are setting up for a third. Are you brewing with a kit or from scratch?

[EvilJekyll]

We are noob brewers too, brewed 2 batches and are setting up for a third. Are you brewing with a kit or from scratch?

Actually gonna try both, one using a kit, and one using hops and DME. Both will be Belgian Tripels, one is the Brewer's Best kit(PDF thing on their site) and one is supplies from our local homebrew store for the recipe for Affligem Abbey Tripel. I did order supplies for an Oktoberfest though.

How're yours doing? And what were they?

[ntw3001]

What beers are good, but also in Canada? Especially Toronto. I mean, I'll find out anyway, but let's make conversation.

[jvcc]

I've never had beer. I feel incredibly left out.

[EvilJekyll]

What beers are good, but also in Canada? Especially Toronto. I mean, I'll find out anyway, but let's make conversation.

I can't really say unfortunately. Don't have too much experience with Canadian outside of Molson or Labatt's. (The equivalent to the US Bud/Miller/Coors)

Edit: Apparently Molson and Coors are the same company now. (and they make Blue Moon? Which I actually like.)

Fortunately, I hear Canada is a land of wunderbar microbreweries.

I've never had beer. I feel incredibly left out.

They're pretty good if you find one you like. There are an incredible number of varieties and flavours (blueberry is actually pretty decent. I found many of the pumpkin ones to be rather tasty.) The worst beer I've had was actually at my graduation party this year at a reception venue, which tasted like watered down seltzer (I didn't order the food.)

[ntw3001]

I like Blue Moon. It's not that easy to find in the UK, but I think it might be getting more common. We'll see.

jvcc, are you 21? I forget. 20 or 21.

[jvcc]

Twenty. Four more months and I can legally drink. Woohoo!

All I've ever heard of beer is how terrible it tastes, but I've also heard that there's one that tastes like bread, so I am intrigued. I like bread very much. More than most things.

[ntw3001]

The people who say beer tastes terrible are lying, or don't drink much beer because of the terrible taste. They're wrong about the terrible taste though. Maybe they just want to drink all the beer themselves, secretly slurping it at night with a torch under the sheets. Drink it from a bowl with a spoon and tell us what that's like; I'd be interested to hear.

Oh wait, you're American. The rest of the world aren't being dicks when they talk poopcakes about American beer. It's a reputation firmly entrenched in truth. As far as I can tell, a good rule of thumb is not to drink anything you've seen for sale in more than one state.

[James]

I wasn't a big fan of the taste of the beer that I've tasted. I wouldn't say it was terrible, though, and that was a long time ago.

[Zombie Protestor]

The beer I've tried tasted disgusting.

[Skimba]

Beer is wonderful, y'all shut up! Except those that like it.
My friend home-brewed and it turned out pretty good. One he made was apricot, which I didn't think I was going to like, but turned out nice.
I have no other advice than that.

[Binkatron5000]

Our beers both turned out nice! The first was a honey wheat; we used a wheat kit and put some honey in it, let it sit for longer because honey takes time to do its thing. The second one, we used a red ale and added some roasted, sterilized, hickory wood chips. Turned into a nice dark red ale with hickory undertones.

For our next one, we have belgian wheat yeast to use with some sort of kit (not yet decided) and then we will split up the batch and add strawberries in various stages, see what turns out best. We kinda want to get close to the flavor of Fruli, so the part of the batch which has the strawberry added at the end will probably be the closest. We will see. Fun to experiment!


SOME WORTHY ONTARIO BREWERIES:

- Flying Monkeys: YES. They make some really cool beers!!!!
- Steamwhistle if you like pilsners (I don't but they are a great group of folks); at least go on their brewery tour in Toronto, you get lots of free beer and stuff and it's way cool! They feature lots of art from local artists, and this art is WAY COOL. Spamuser cool. You'll see.
- Mill Street: they have a wonderful chocolate stout, among others. Love love love.
- Trafalgar: I've never tried their beers but they have some cool sounding ones, and I've heard good things.

[fanelian]

I like Beer, but I'm not an expert, and I'm much of a sissy to drink the stronger stuff. We don't have much variety down here, either. I like Sapporo and a Mexican brand called "Indio", I love that stuff. It's dark but not so bitter.

I like beer that I find refreshing, more than anything else.

I'm curious about all the beer varieties that have been mentioned. I never would have considered it possible to add fruit to beer. I want to try!

Oh, now I want a beer, and it's just 9:31.

[IanC]

I can't drink beer, or anything alcoholic. Why am i posting this this? Hmp.

*walks off*

[giantsfan97]

I hated beer for a long time until I found a few that I like.

When I want cheap beer to get drunk, I choose you Labatt Blue!

When I want a nice tasty beer (in Vermont only) I choose you Switchback!

[badplantmommy]

It took me years to acquire a taste for beer, and then I quit drinking it because I don't enjoy having to pee every ten minutes. Stepdad will only drink Coors Light; Hubby will drink that, or if someone brings over some Coronas. I prefer wine myself.

[loofah]

Oh wait, you're American. The rest of the world aren't being dicks when they talk poopcakes about American beer. It's a reputation firmly entrenched in truth. As far as I can tell, a good rule of thumb is not to drink anything you've seen for sale in more than one state.

That's not necessarily true. You can find some pretty decent beers that are mass distributed, but most of them are imports.
Lists of commonly available beers that (I find are) not objectionable (in no particular order):
Chimay- I like the Blue the best (Grande Reserve)
Fat Tire
Hacker Pschorr (Weisse and Dunkel Weisse are tasty, but I haven't had their other varieties)
Bass
Fuller's ESB (slightly on the hoppy side)
Harp & Guinness (although you probably wouldn't want to have Guinness as one of your first beers)
Killian's
Arrogant Bastard (although it's a bit hoppy)
Edelweiss (if you can find it)
My husband suggests Old foghorn(if you can find it)
He also suggests Ruination IPA (although it's a bit hoppy for my tastes)
If you're going to try beer for the first time, though, you might want to start off with a hefeweizen such as
Bischofshof Kristall Weizen or
Bischofshof Hefe Weissbier Dunkel
Anchor Steam
Some people like barleywines, if you think you'd like sweeter beer (or lambics, if you think you'd like a fruity beer)

Man. Now I really want a beer. 3 more months!

[chrismachine]

The only truly excellent American beer I've ever had (and truthfully it's in my top 3 of all beers) is Harpoon's IPA.

[Zombie Protestor]

Here is an article of what this person considers to be the top 20 beers: http://listverse.com/2008/02/16/top-20-beers/

For those of you not wanting to go check, they are:
20 Budweiser
19 Iron City
18 Amstel Light
17 Red Stripe
16 Smithwick's
15 Foster's
14 Victory
13 Corona
12 Ommegong
11 Chimay
10 Stella Artois
9 Paulaner
8 Newcastle
7 Samuel Adams
6 Rogue
5 Sam Smith's
4 Yuengling
3 Guinness
2 Sierra Nevada
1 Westvleteren

[chrismachine]

I stopped thinking that list might be credible after #20. Rice in your beer, really?

[EvilJekyll]

I stopped thinking that list might be credible after #20.

Same. I mean really?

I've had:
20 Budweiser
16 Smithwick's
13 Corona
12 Ommegong (actually pretty good. Not fantastic or anything. It's around 9% ABV for warning)
10 Stella Artois
9 Paulaner
8 Newcastle
7 Samuel Adams
4 Yuengling
3 Guinness (I'm curious if this is export or stock, probably export.)

Rice in your beer, really?

It has it's place at times, but I think it's just how Bud chooses to use it that's the problem.

[ntw3001]

Hmm. Budweiser, Red Stripe, Amstel Light (Amstel is decent, I'm just making completely justified assumptions based on the word 'light')... Foster's? But okay, Smithwick's and Newcastle Brown. Fine, good.

For the forty of fifty people here who both drink beer and spend leisure time in London, go here. I don't know why I bothered to link that; maybe it's because I love it so much.