Beer Thread V2?3?4?

[JohnnyB]

Anyone had this Kentucky Bourbon Ale. The ale is kept in bourbon barrels for several weeks to take on a bourbon flavour and it comes through really strongly. http://www.kentuckyale.com/beer/Page...BarrelAle.aspx Nearlyevery person I know who has tried it really liked, though I personally found it really unpleasant. I met the beer maker here in Shanghai a couple of weeks ago while he was out here participating in distribution arrangements. Didn't tell him what I thought, but was pretty happy to stick to wine when we got to drinking.

[Bill Bumface]

If you are looking to find some beers you don't normally see served in pubs in Calgary I recommend checking out LDV Pizza Bar in Bridgeland.

These lists have changed/grown since they were posted to the website, quite a few more bottles in the selection now, but this gives you an idea. I'm currently on a La Chouffe kick.

http://ldvpizzabar.com/wp-content/up...DV_draught.pdf
http://ldvpizzabar.com/wp-content/up...ottledbeer.pdf

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

I'm currently an a La Chouffe kick.

Nice choice. I love La Chouffe. It's quite strong though. Gotta be careful!

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Cain

I don't know man, beer has so many different types already I just kind of put the fruity tasting beers into their own category.

I love lambics as well and they are verrry different when compared to any other type of beer. Embrace the variety!

On that note, if you haven't tried a good lambic, go out and do so! They are quite unlike any other beer...they don't even taste like beer really.

Try out any of the Cantillon brand, or try out Duchesse De Bourgogne which isn't a lambic but tastes very similar in my opinion...and is amazing.

Pic is big, sorry.

Spoiler!

So I had this a couple of days ago as per your suggestion.

Wow, what a flavour explosion. I couldn't drink more than a couple of these in a day, too much perfume, but it was a nice novelty to kick back after a million IPAs. Tastebuds stood up and sang.

So fruity!

[Cain]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

So I had this a couple of days ago as per your suggestion.

Wow, what a flavour explosion. I couldn't drink more than a couple of these in a day, too much perfume, but it was a nice novelty to kick back after a million IPAs. Tastebuds stood up and sang.

So fruity!

Really glad you liked it! It definitely isn't a beer you'd have all the time, but it is fantastic for changing it up now and then...and surprising people with. I love the IPAs as well but they do wear on you after a while.

Have you tried Red Racer IPA? I've talked about it before, but it is great. That along with Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA are two of my favorite.

[Komskies]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

If you are looking to find some beers you don't normally see served in pubs in Calgary I recommend checking out LDV Pizza Bar in Bridgeland.

These lists have changed/grown since they were posted to the website, quite a few more bottles in the selection now, but this gives you an idea. I'm currently on a La Chouffe kick.

http://ldvpizzabar.com/wp-content/up...DV_draught.pdf
http://ldvpizzabar.com/wp-content/up...ottledbeer.pdf

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

Nice choice. I love La Chouffe. It's quite strong though. Gotta be careful!

Try the Mc Chouffe or Houblon Chouffe if you can. They are both really, really delicious beers. The Mc Chouffe is a nice fruity dark beer (8% ABV), and the Houblon is an IPA style (9% ABV). Both are unfiltered.

My brother and I were at a Belgian Beer night a year or two ago at Willowpark liquor, and the guest of honour was the founder of the LaChouffe brewery Chris Bauweraerts. Super knowledgeable guy, funny stories, and I like how with the Belgian accent he called it "bee" instead of beer.

[BlackEleven]

I was in Belgium last June. I think I tried just about every variety of Chouffe there was. Didn't find a bad one in the lot.

[undercoverbrother]

some times beer is over thought.

i am still a fan of Lucky, Old Mill Wall Pee or PBR after hockey, nothing better.

[Cain]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

some times beer is over thought.

i am still a fan of Lucky, Old Mill Wall Pee or PBR after hockey, nothing better.

Agreed, I have Kokanee after every hockey game and I'm a huge beer snob. Nothing wrong with a simple beer sometimes.

As for the McChouffe, that is a fantastic beer. I didn't like their IPA as much, but the McChouffe is a solid belgian (my absolute favorite beer type).

Try out the blue Chimay, La Trappe (the quadrupel if you can find it, I think it goes by a different name though Koenigshoeven or something) and St. Bernardus Abt 12. Gouden Carolus is another amazing one. You can find a bunch of these on tap at Craft as well, nice way to try them, though they are 9 bucks each. Amazing beers though.

[Tinordi]

Split a big bottle of Nectar of the Gods last night. Delicious

[toonmaster]

I was craving an IPA last night, so I went looking for Red Racer. Alas the local beer store was out of stock so I was recommended this delicous alternative....



I wouldn't add this to my regular rotation, but I'll definately remember the name when looking to curb future IPA cravings

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Split a big bottle of Nectar of the Gods last night. Delicious

I don't want to speak for everyone else, but could you please put less effort into your posts in this thread?

The almost complete overload of information in your posts is distracting.

Thanks

[Puppet Guy]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

some times beer is over thought.

i am still a fan of Lucky, Old Mill Wall Pee or PBR after hockey, nothing better.

There's a book I read a while back (Midnight Hockey by Bill Gaston) where the rules of dressing room beers are laid down: post-hockey beer has to be 4-C - Cheap, Cold, Canned, Canadian-made. I think that's a good criteria.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

There's a book I read a while back (Midnight Hockey by Bill Gaston) where the rules of dressing room beers are laid down: post-hockey beer has to be 4-C - Cheap, Cold, Canned, Canadian-made. I think that's a good criteria.

agreed, we had some russian dudes that played as well. one brought Heinnie in the bottle, and another bought Stella in bottle.....they were back on the beer rotation the every week till they figured it out.

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

So I had this a couple of days ago as per your suggestion.

Wow, what a flavour explosion. I couldn't drink more than a couple of these in a day, too much perfume, but it was a nice novelty to kick back after a million IPAs. Tastebuds stood up and sang.

So fruity!

This reminded me that I have some Duchess in the fridge right now. Started the day with a bottle at 7:30 this morning too before heading out to my wife's company's family fun day.

The last time I was out I discovered how good this beer is too.

Delicious, sour kind of beer.

I liked it so much it took me away from my standard choice for most of the night.


I am usually on the 8 or 10. My friend's bar has so many fantastic beers it can be hard to choose, but whenever I go to the fridge this one consistently stands out to me.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

I was in Belgium last June. I think I tried just about every variety of Chouffe there was. Didn't find a bad one in the lot.

Sigh... I just came back from Belgium and am having problems drinking the swill that passes for beer here again. La Chouffe, Leffe, Delirium, Orval, and Trappiste brews... going for a Keiths just isn't the same. One thing's for sure, aftering getting used to 8% and 15% brews, our 5% seems like water.

It's getting expensive buying Belgium imports here though, is there such a thing as "cheaper" places to get them? I'm trying GIB and WR to at least try and fill the void.

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

Sigh... I just came back from Belgium and am having problems drinking the swill that passes for beer here again. La Chouffe, Leffe, Delirium, Orval, and Trappiste brews... going for a Keiths just isn't the same. One thing's for sure, aftering getting used to 8% and 15% brews, our 5% seems like water.

It's getting expensive buying Belgium imports here though, is there such a thing as "cheaper" places to get them? I'm trying GIB and WR to at least try and fill the void.

I'm not sure if you can get it in Calgary (I live in Montreal), but there's a Quebec brewery here that brews a beer called Blonde d'Achouffe. It's a total rip-off of La Chouffe, has almost the same logo and everything, but it's a fraction of the price. It actually tastes remarkably similar to the original. And I have a headache now because I had a few too many of them last night.

Bottle looks like this:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1535/14801

[JohnnyB]

What's with the craziness over La Chouffe? Their beers are good, but they never strike me as special. They just don't seem that distinctive. There are many other beers from Belgium, the states and other places that stand out to me more than them.
Good, but just not special.

[flylock shox]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

What's with the craziness over La Chouffe? Their beers are good, but they never strike me as special. They just don't seem that distinctive. There are many other beers from Belgium, the states and other places that stand out to me more than them.
Good, but just not special.

Agreed, but La Chouffe is a solid, accessible Belgian beer, whereas many of the others definitely require a more adventurous palate.

Duchess is still probably my favourite among those - it's just a beautiful, refreshing thing. I'd love to try it in draught to see how it goes by the pulled pint.

Grand Cru is similar (but I think Duchess is better), and I hadn't realized that it was a Rodenbach until I saw the picture above. Rodenbach (not Grand Cru) is another delicious and accessible Belgian beer (which sells for about 1 Euro a can in Belgian grocery stores - the lucky #######s).

I've recently been getting back into this one:



It's perfect for an afternoon golfing in Stanley Park - delicious even when lukewarm, doesn't require you to drink too much due to high alcohol content, not too pricey.

I've also been getting into Yankee microbrews a lot lately, since a relatively new beer bar opened up nearby with a constantly rotating menu. Among the most drinkable of the bunch is this one:



Insofar as local beers are concerned, Red Racer doesn't make a bad beer (and curiously, they all do really well out of the can - which I find some beers don't).

[flylock shox]

Also, haven't had this one in years since Big Rock doesn't bottle it, but I loved it whenever I could find it - usually in that hipster bar across from the Ship & Anchor:



Anyone had one lately? I don't know if Big Rock even makes it anymore.