Leffe Blonde Belgian Ale

[SLY]

Which Guinness? Foreign Extra is AWESOME. Draught is garbage. But they're not the same class of Stout.

Stouts are broken into 6 categories, Oatmeal, Dry, Sweet, Foreign Extra, American and Russian Imperial. They are different for various reasons. For a detailed breakdown of the different styles, go here: BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines - Index

Murphy's is a better dry stout than Guinness Draught (in my opinion). Young's Double Chocolate is pretty much the best stout ever made (again, in my opinion). But also try Sam Smith's Oatmeal and Imperial Stouts, Old Rasputin, Black Obsidian, and Left Hand Milk Stout.

Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout is pretty bangin'.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

Started drinking the Smuttynose's last night and while I enjoyed them, they didn't appeal to me as much as the New Belgium beers or the Terrapin or the Magic Hat.

 

[thecrow124]

I tried the Founder's Double Trouble. I have to admit that I don't get the reviews I read on it. It was pretty good overall, but far from great. I was cloudy, which was a first for the IPA's I have had previously. I was expecting more hops also, there was quite a bit there, but had I not saw on the label 100 IBU's I would have guessed closer to 50. I am not trying to paint a bad picture of it, it was a good beer, but I was expecting more.

 

[wartyOne]

I tried the Founder's Double Trouble. I have to admit that I don't get the reviews I read on it. It was pretty good overall, but far from great. I was cloudy, which was a first for the IPA's I have had previously. I was expecting more hops also, there was quite a bit there, but had I not saw on the label 100 IBU's I would have guessed closer to 50. I am not trying to paint a bad picture of it, it was a good beer, but I was expecting more.

IPA's can be hazy for a number of reasons. Brewers don't filter these, because if you do, you end up stripping all the flavor and aroma you worked so hard to put in there in the first place. Most IPA's that I've tasted are dry-hopped which contributes haze.

How cloudy is "cloudy?" Because there could be another issue there.

 

[Taz_Hokie]

Edisto, if you're enjoying the IPA's I'd definitely recommend the Bell's Two Hearted Ale (has a picture of 2 fish on the label, right up your alley). It is my go to and I usually have at least 6 in my fridge at all times.

Others I'd suggest:

Dogfish 60 or 90 minute
Weyerbacher Double Simcoe
Victory Hopdevil
Sierra Nevada Celebration (this is a seasonal that should be coming out soon)
Ballast Point Sculpin

Also, if you want to try a good pumpkin ale (tis the season after all), I'm a fan of Shipyards Pumpkinhead and Weyerbachers Imperial Pumpkin Ale.

 

[wartyOne]

Edisto, if you're enjoying the IPA's I'd definitely recommend the Bell's Two Hearted Ale (has a picture of 2 fish on the label, right up your alley). It is my go to and I usually have at least 6 in my fridge at all times.

Others I'd suggest:

Dogfish 60 or 90 minute
Weyerbacher Double Simcoe
Victory Hopdevil
Sierra Nevada Celebration (this is a seasonal that should be coming out soon)
Ballast Point Sculpin

Also, if you want to try a good pumpkin ale (tis the season after all), I'm a fan of Shipyards Pumpkinhead and Weyerbachers Imperial Pumpkin Ale.

Sierra Torpedo. Find it. Drink it. It is big, though.

 

[Taz_Hokie]

Also want to throw Hop Crisis from 21st Amendment out there. I had it at the VT/Cinncy game, it was fucking tasty. And it comes in a can.

 

[Taz_Hokie]

Sierra Torpedo. Find it. Drink it. It is big, though.

How does it compare to Bigfoot? I thought I was a hophead until I had that and it was just too much for me.

 

[thecrow124]

IPA's can be hazy for a number of reasons. Brewers don't filter these, because if you do, you end up stripping all the flavor and aroma you worked so hard to put in there in the first place. Most IPA's that I've tasted are dry-hopped which contributes haze.

How cloudy is "cloudy?" Because there could be another issue there.

I went back and read more reviews and others said it was hazy. It is likely that this is how it was brewed. I just hand't seen a hazy IPA before.

 

[757Hokie83]

just tried a new one the other night, Dogfish Head's Burton Baton Imperial IPA....god damn that one is good, and packs a bit of a punch at 10% abv

Fermented in stainless steel tanks, then transferred to oak vessels to age about a month before bottling

 

[Sleepy T]

just tried a new one the other night, Dogfish Head's Burton Baton Imperial IPA....god damn that one is good, and packs a bit of a punch at 10% abv

Fermented in stainless steel tanks, then transferred to oak vessels to age about a month before bottling

MMM. Must try.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

Edisto, if you're enjoying the IPA's I'd definitely recommend the Bell's Two Hearted Ale (has a picture of 2 fish on the label, right up your alley). It is my go to and I usually have at least 6 in my fridge at all times.

Others I'd suggest:

Dogfish 60 or 90 minute
Weyerbacher Double Simcoe
Victory Hopdevil
Sierra Nevada Celebration (this is a seasonal that should be coming out soon)
Ballast Point Sculpin

Also, if you want to try a good pumpkin ale (tis the season after all), I'm a fan of Shipyards Pumpkinhead and Weyerbachers Imperial Pumpkin Ale.

I put these on my list. Thanks ya'll. I have a pretty good size list now. I have to get to drinkin'!!


Still workin' on the last batch.

 

[Taz_Hokie]

If any of you VA guys are up in the northern Virginia area, you should go to one of Dogfish's alehouses (I think there are 4 in the area). The food is great, but my favorite thing about the place is that they offer a 75 minute IPA, though apparently they are releasing it in limited batches through retailers (this is news to me as I just read it on that link).

 

[Sleepy T]

If any of you VA guys are up in the northern Virginia area, you should go to one of Dogfish's alehouses (I think there are 4 in the area). The food is great, but my favorite thing about the place is that they offer a 75 minute IPA, though apparently they are releasing it in limited batches through retailers (this is news to me as I just read it on that link).

Do they have any of these alehouses in Richmond?? Will be spending a week or two up there next month.

 

[757Hokie83]

im a pretty short drive from rehobeth de, i'm planning on heading to the brew pub there at some point, and see if they have any brewery tours in milton

 

[thecrow124]

Well I have tried a few beer sincertain the last time I posted in the thread. One being the Founders Breakfast stout. I was not overly impressed and I am now positive that there is not a stout I will ever like. To me they all taste like cold coffee. However I bought a sampler of Sierra Nevada Beer Camp beers, the stout was tolerable, but not good, everything else was outstanding, Imperial IPA, Imperial Red Ale and Imperial Pilsner were top notch. I also tried Leinenkugel's Big Eddy Imperial IPA, I would say it was better than Double Trouble from Founders. Not perfect, but a superb beer. I also had the Big Eddy Baltic Porter, I would say it is the second best porter I have had.


All this comes with the disclaimer that I don't drink a lot of craft beers so I don't have my check to go on.

On a side note, is there anyone that can't get Leinenkugel's? I have 2 cases of the Baltic Porter and probably won't drink it all. Let me know if you want to try it.

 

[Taz_Hokie]

Do they have any of these alehouses in Richmond?? Will be spending a week or two up there next month.

Unfortunately not. They have a restaurant at the brewery in Rehobeth and then alehouses in Gaithersburg MD and Fairfax and Falls Church VA.

Dogfish Head AleHouse

 

[Sleepy T]

Unfortunately not. They have a restaurant at the brewery in Rehobeth and then alehouses in Gaithersburg MD and Fairfax and Falls Church VA.

Dogfish Head AleHouse

son-of-a-MFB

Guess I will have to find something else in the 804.

 

[757Hokie83]

son-of-a-MFB

Guess I will have to find something else in the 804.

Capital Ale House
Commercial Taphouse & Grill
Penny Lane Pub

 

[Eddie_Shack]

Well I have tried a few beer sincertain the last time I posted in the thread. One being the Founders Breakfast stout. I was not overly impressed and I am now positive that there is not a stout I will ever like. To me they all taste like cold coffee. However I bought a sampler of Sierra Nevada Beer Camp beers, the stout was tolerable, but not good, everything else was outstanding, Imperial IPA, Imperial Red Ale and Imperial Pilsner were top notch. I also tried Leinenkugel's Big Eddy Imperial IPA, I would say it was better than Double Trouble from Founders. Not perfect, but a superb beer. I also had the Big Eddy Baltic Porter, I would say it is the second best porter I have had.


All this comes with the disclaimer that I don't drink a lot of craft beers so I don't have my check to go on.

On a side note, is there anyone that can't get Leinenkugel's? I have 2 cases of the Baltic Porter and probably won't drink it all. Let me know if you want to try it.

Having one right now, and loving every minute of it.. listen, stouts aren't for everyone. If you don't like stout, then you don't like stout. However your comment "cold coffee" got me thinking... I hated stouts until I started drinking them warm. I know it sounds weird, but I keep my stouts in the basement during the winter, so they stay in the low to mid sixties. It makes a world of difference.