Wapsi Square Forum

Hopefully no-one will mind a thread devoted to beer and beer-related subjects. As the resident Canadian, I happily volunteer to begin!

So, I personally prefer dark & red beers, stouts, and so forth. Local favourite being Fort Garry Dark, domestic favourite is Alexander Keith's Red, and a new imported fave: Eight-Ball Stout, from the Lost Coast Brewery in California. SO GOOD, and even better: It comes in one-pint-and-six-ounce bottles!!

Yay beer!! It's one of my recent favorite things. Unfortunately I can't drink it as much as I used to (restricted carb diet = low carb beers only...most of the time).

New favorite beer (it does change fairly regularly) is Magic Hat #9. It's super tasty! If someone had introduced me to beer with that particular brew, I might have become a beer fan sooner in life. Instead, I only ever had people trying to get me to taste light beers. As such, I didn't like beer until one friend decided to have me try out the other end of the spectrum.

The first beer I actually liked was Guinness. Now I can drink most anything...but like MerchManDan, I tend to prefer darker beers. I have found I often prefer English or Irish beers, too. Samuel Smith is my favorite English brand. I love the Nut Brown and the Oatmeal Stout. From Ireland, I have a favorite "brand" as well. Guinness, Harp, Smithwick's...and for Guinness flavor that's easier to consume at a regular drinking pace, Guinness Black...I love them all. I also enjoy Young's Double Chocolate Stout and Boddington's Pub Ale (honey flavored beer is awesome!).

As for local beers...well, I'm a Texas girl, and I do love some of the stuff we brew. From the Shiner family of beers, I like Shiner Bock, Shiner Black, Shiner Kosmos (which is usually only available in the "Shiner Family" mixed pack), and Shiner Cheer (only available during the winter). From a brewery closer to my home, I like Rahr's Ugly Pug. My husband is a fan of St. Arnold's Fancy Lawnmower (from Houston). It's good, but not my favorite.

Oh! And I recently tasted this beer from Hawaii that was very interesting. Maui Brewing Co's Mana Wheat beer is infused with pineapple. It smells like pineapple, but it tastes like a light, wheat beer! It's good, but kind of weird too.

Yeah...I can go on and on about beer if I let myself...

Julie wrote:Rahr's Ugly Pug
St. Arnold's Fancy Lawnmower

Heh, those could be band names.

Julie wrote:New favorite beer (it does change fairly regularly) is Magic Hat #9. It's super tasty! If someone had introduced me to beer with that particular brew, I might have become a beer fan sooner in life. Instead, I only ever had people trying to get me to taste light beers. As such, I didn't like beer until one friend decided to have me try out the other end of the spectrum.

That is my all time FAVORITE beer. Growing up in Connecticut/Boston I had ample access to this and even made a couple pilgrimages to the brewery in Vermont. Magic Hat is a lot of fun and I urge anyone with the opportunity to try some (many varieties to choose from)



-DrS-

Julie wrote: (honey flavored beer is awesome!).

um, yeah... it's called "MEAD"... it's MADE from Honey!...

scantrontb wrote:

Julie wrote: (honey flavored beer is awesome!).

um, yeah... it's called "MEAD"... it's MADE from Honey!...

I have always wanted to try mead, but I just haven't found a place that sells it..... I have found several recipes to make mead, but I'm a little hesitant to make my own, I rather have my first taste from a mead made by someone who knows their business.

scantrontb wrote:

Julie wrote: (honey flavored beer is awesome!).

um, yeah... it's called "MEAD"... it's MADE from Honey!...

That's not honey flavored beer, silly! It's its own classification of alcoholic beverage (though I might actually lump it with wines). Mead can be quite tasty...but it is usually pretty lethal, too. ABVs for mead usually range from 8 or 9% (which would be fairly high in beer) to the mid or high teens...which is ridiculous, and another reason why it should be classified more as a wine (since they usually have ABVs running from 10-20% depending on the type of wine).

MrFireDragon wrote:I have always wanted to try mead, but I just haven't found a place that sells it..... I have found several recipes to make mead, but I'm a little hesitant to make my own, I rather have my first taste from a mead made by someone who knows their business.

I first tried it at a Ren Fest near where I live. I also had some at a friend's New Year's party once...haven't really tried shopping for it since I know I'd have to finish it off alone (my husband would not enjoy it). I'd check with a knowledgable clerk in the wine section of a well-stocked specialty store for good pointers on what is "good mead" that you could purchase.

Hey, first post!
I don't remember how I found Wapsi Square, been reading it for years. I just became aware of the forum.

I've been making beer for about 16 years, my favorites are, an American Pale Ale that I make with a German ale yeast, it has a nice clean finish with a biscuity undertone.
I also make a German Kolsh ale, it's a lightly hopped pale ale, it has less alcohol, so it makes a good summer session beer. It also makes a good base for fruit beers as the low hop rate doesn't overwhelm the fruit tastes.
My biggest beer is a high gravity Russian Imperial Stout, it runs around %10 ABV and is a meal in a glass. I can make a Guinness style 1/2 & 1/2 beer parfait with it, except the dark beer is on the bottom instead of on the top, as with Guinness.

Dave

My only real interest in alcohol is that I've considered growing hops. I like the way they look.

dDave wrote:Hey, first post!
I don't remember how I found Wapsi Square, been reading it for years. I just became aware of the forum.

I've been making beer for about 16 years, my favorites are, an American Pale Ale that I make with a German ale yeast, it has a nice clean finish with a biscuity undertone.
I also make a German Kolsh ale, it's a lightly hopped pale ale, it has less alcohol, so it makes a good summer session beer. It also makes a good base for fruit beers as the low hop rate doesn't overwhelm the fruit tastes.
My biggest beer is a high gravity Russian Imperial Stout, it runs around %10 ABV and is a meal in a glass. I can make a Guinness style 1/2 & 1/2 beer parfait with it, except the dark beer is on the bottom instead of on the top, as with Guinness.

Dave

So, when are we having the Wapsi Square Beer Tasting Fans Meet-up?

As soon as possible, I hope!

MrFireDragon wrote:I have always wanted to try mead, but I just haven't found a place that sells it..... I have found several recipes to make mead, but I'm a little hesitant to make my own, I rather have my first taste from a mead made by someone who knows their business.

I drank mead for the first time last year, at a friend's place; he got it from another friend who makes it. Wasn't bad, from what I remember.

MerchManDan wrote:Hopefully no-one will mind a thread devoted to beer and beer-related subjects. As the resident Canadian, I happily volunteer to begin!

Are you saying that all Canadians are supposed to/known to like beer?

I guess I just never got the memo...
I'm Canadian, and I don't even drink alcohol...*

But don't let that hamper your spirit... I wasn't trying to bring this thread down, I merely saw the link from a post in the introductory thread, and was curious as to/amused by the portion of text I quoted...

*And the fact that I am actually french Canadian should have no bearing on that... in fact, if I'm not mistaken, it would normally imply a heavier liking to beer than being "merely" Canadian...

Hah, no worries! I was mostly playing to the stereotype that most outsiders have about Canadians: We're all "beer-swilling hockey nuts."

Strange. Every time I go to Ottawa to visit relatives, one of the first things they do is offer me a beer. We also used to go to hockey games

New potential favorite beer! I had Breckenridge Vanilla Porter to celebrate my 30th birthday this weekend, and I absolutely loved it!!

My first beer was Schmidt's Beer when I was about four. The first beer I drank away at college was Stroh's. I settled in to liking MIchelob. Then was introduced to Yuengling Lager by a very good friend of mine. I like their Black and Tan, too, but prefer the lager. In PA when you ask for a Lager you get a Yuengling. I've been all over the US and have had a lot of local beers. I still prefer Lager. I'm glad there are so many different kinds of beer because everyone's palate is different and sometimes it even changes.
In blended whisky I like Pendleton. In straight Bourbon whisky I like Rebel Yell or Jack Daniels. When I'm feeling like sipping on something I like Wild Turkey Honey Liquor it's also good for colds.

A bit late to the discussion...

but the current favorite is and has been for a few years, especially on draft: Magic Hat #9

Blue Moon held me for awhile and local Central Texas favorites Firemans 4 (from Real Ale in Blanco) and Big bark (from my good friends at Live Oak in Austin) are also excellent summer choices.

txmystic wrote:A bit late to the discussion...

but the current favorite is and has been for a few years, especially on draft: Magic Hat #9

Blue Moon held me for awhile and local Central Texas favorites Firemans 4 (from Real Ale in Blanco) and Big bark (from my good friends at Live Oak in Austin) are also excellent summer choices.

Ya know...I've never really liked Fireman's #4 for some reason. Blue Moon I can generally enjoy. The best experience I ever had with Blue Moon was at a Sherlock's in Austin. It tasted different than any other time I've had it, and it was yummy. There were hints of vanilla or something complementing the orange...it was awesome.

Julie wrote:

txmystic wrote:A bit late to the discussion...

but the current favorite is and has been for a few years, especially on draft: Magic Hat #9

Blue Moon held me for awhile and local Central Texas favorites Firemans 4 (from Real Ale in Blanco) and Big bark (from my good friends at Live Oak in Austin) are also excellent summer choices.

Ya know...I've never really liked Fireman's #4 for some reason. Blue Moon I can generally enjoy. The best experience I ever had with Blue Moon was at a Sherlock's in Austin. It tasted different than any other time I've had it, and it was yummy. There were hints of vanilla or something complementing the orange...it was awesome.

Back to the 'tastes like a dreamcicle'?

Jabberwonky wrote:Back to the 'tastes like a dreamcicle'?

Yes. I like dreamcicles.