Beer!

Dark Horseman wrote:

Will be going to Famous Dave's BBQ for dinner and enjoying a Portland brew called Black Bear Stout that is one of my favorites.

Is that this one?

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2980/16046/

tohostudios wrote:

You know, I think I've yet to meet a stout I didn't like.  Sure some are better than others but I've never had one that turned into a drainpour.  Obviously my favorite style.

I'd be interested to see how you'd react to a Buffalo Bayou stout. The ones I've had have been utter pig swill. Even though most stouts I've had have left me wanting, I've found myself able to drink a whole bottle. Those barely lasted one sip.

That's the one Toho, love it.

Made a run across the Missouri river today to hit my new favorite beer store.  Picked up some interesting stuff:

A pumpkin ale aged in tequila barrels
A stout brewed with licorice
A stout brewed with coffee beans, vanilla beans and lemon peel

...and this year's vintage of Southern Tier's Crème Brulee stout, the absolute sweetest beer I've ever tasted; the very definition of "dessert beer".  I have discovered over time that if you let this one warm up to room temperature it's not quite as cloyingly sweet but it's still really sweet.

There has been a blow to my ability to enjoy beer, heck any carbonated drink. Everytime I've had a soda recently they've seemed almost flat, with only a small hint of "fizziness". I thought maybe since my sodas have been sitting in my car for weeks and I've been mostly drinking tea, water, and Gatorade, that it was that. Then I bought some new sodas and still had the same problem. Then last night, I had a Maudite and had the same problem I had with the sodas. Tasted like the ingredients had settled. I put 2 and 2 together and realized it wasn't the beer.

I think I know the culprit. I've suffered from chronic migraines for some time now. They seem to have gotten worse recently so I finally saw a doctor. He put me on a daily medication that is supposed to help eventually (originally used for seizures but in this case it's a smaller dose). I think this has caused me to react this way to carbonated drinks. Can't think of any other explanation.

Sounds weird, might want to ask the Doc about that.

Dark Horseman wrote:

Sounds weird, might want to ask the Doc about that.

I did some research and apparently, this is a side effect of several migraine medications that some people experience. I guess if the trade off is no more chronic migraines, I guess it will be worth it. But I'm going to miss fizzy beverages .

Ah. Well, beer isn't that fizzy so you'll be ok.

And there's a niche market of beer out there that likes their beer infused with nitrogen because it takes the bubbles out.  I made the mistake of buying Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro not knowing that's what had been done to it.  It had the same sweet taste as regular Left Hand Milk Stout but it was flat.  And they did that to it on purpose.

Dark Horseman wrote:

Ah. Well, beer isn't that fizzy so you'll be ok.

Fizzy enough to have the same effect soda does with my new taste buds. Now of course, I'm not on this medicine long term so hopefully it's not permanent.

tohostudios wrote:

And there's a niche market of beer out there that likes their beer infused with nitrogen because it takes the bubbles out. I made the mistake of buying Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro not knowing that's what had been done to it. It had the same sweet taste as regular Left Hand Milk Stout but it was flat. And they did that to it on purpose.

That should give you an idea of what this change to my palate does to beer.

I took a gamble yesterday and bought a 4 pack of Founder's Black Rye black IPA.

I needed something to break up all the stouts I'm currently overwhelmed with and since Founder's is my favorite brewery I decided to give this one a shot. I know black IPAs tend to offset the hopiness of IPAs with some malts so I decided to give this one a try. I plan to try it tonight after I have some of Southern Tier's "Choklat" (a stout brewed with semi sweet chocolate that is really heavy).

Apparently Shiner now makes a chocolate stout:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/143/144286/

Personally, the only stout I ever enjoyed was Samuel Smith and since I can't taste carbonation anymore I won't be trying this but thought I'd put it out there.

Shiner is really iffy with me.

And this Founder's tastes like just another IPA to me. I don't care that it's a "black" IPA, it still tastes like licking the inside of a grapefruit peel to me.

I can't believe I'm developing a taste for black IPAs. Maybe it's just as a palate-cleanser to break up all the stouts and Belgians but I'm really becoming fond of Founders Black Rye and Dark Penance. And today a bought a bottle of Firestone Walker's Wookey Jack Black Rye IPA.

tohostudios wrote:

Firestone Walker's Wookey Jack Black Rye IPA.  

Bitchin' name.

That's how it starts. Soon, you'll be craving more IBU's.

Bock In Black

A limited edition Bock beer brewed with molasses. Pours black as night, hence the name.

BTW, I love this Budweiser ad.  Think they're not feeling threatened by the microbrew wave sweeping the country?  

F U big brews!  The only people who drink your swill are those who don't know any better, can't afford better or simply want to get drunk.

They do have a point though; it must take a lot of effort to make a beer taste that bad so I guess it really is brewed "the hard way".

The wife and I took a tour of the Red Hook brewery in Portsmouth, NH and was pleasantly surprised with the product. It's only the second time I had ever done a brewery tour in my adult life. The first was Sam Adams in the Jamaica plains section of MA and it was awesome. Plus, it's my fave beer of all time. Finishing a cold Coldsnap as I type.

tohostudios wrote:

BTW, I love this Budweiser ad.  Think they're not feeling threatened by the microbrew wave sweeping the country?  

F U big brews!  The only people who drink your swill are those who don't know any better, can't afford better or simply want to get drunk.

They do have a point though; it must take a lot of effort to make a beer taste that bad so I guess it really is brewed "the hard way".

HAHAHAHA!!! I just found this rebuttal ad by Abita:

Isn't Bud owned by a Belgium company now?

Yep. InBev.

I was celebrating an occasion the other night......had a 16oz ribeye and a 22oz Southern Tier Choklat......and then I had a nap.....must be getting old.

Southern Tier Choklat is still THE chocolate stout IMO. It uses semi-sweet chocolate nibs so it's not quite is sickeningly sweet as some other chocolate stouts. I don't think it's even as sweet as a milk stout. It still tastes like a stout.

It was delicious. .....