Beer!

Tonight it's Nogne India Pale Ale, from Norway!



First time I'm trying it, actually, but I've been hearing it's good. It's real bitter, but also at the same time smooth and fruity and rich. It's a bit heavy and there's so much taste in it, it feels more like soup rather than easily drinkable beer. It's quite strong (7.5%vol), but you couldn't tell from the taste because the alcohol is so well hidden under all these strong flavors and aromas. The label says it goes with strong, spicy food and it's easy to believe that. A little pricey, but it does come in a big bottle.

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/nogne-o-india-pale-ale/28509/

Just got back from Friar Tuck's (the new liquor store that opened up several months back). Today's beer haul:

2 more 4 packs of New Holland's Dragon's Milk

a 4 pack of Mountain Standard Double Black IPA

a six pack of Schlafly's Christmas Ale

a six pack of Bell's Christmas Ale (for comparison's sake)

and a 12 pack of Sam Adams Winter Variety Pack (2 each of 6 styles, most of which I've never tasted).

Total damage: just under $80.

Oh man!!!

New favorite beer: Sam Adams Chocolate Bock. It was part of the Winter Seasonal sampler I bought today. Tastes like a liquid Hershey bar.

I had some classic Sam Adams Boston Lager last night.

tohostudios wrote:

Oh man!!!

New favorite beer: Sam Adams Chocolate Bock. It was part of the Winter Seasonal sampler I bought today. Tastes like a liquid Hershey bar.

I had that last night! My brother-in-law and I bought that sampler. It was very good, but not when you're eating a burrito.

Joe wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

Oh man!!!

New favorite beer: Sam Adams Chocolate Bock. It was part of the Winter Seasonal sampler I bought today. Tastes like a liquid Hershey bar.

I had that last night! My brother-in-law and I bought that sampler. It was very good, but not when you're eating a burrito.

Yeah, it's definitely not a "session beer"; it's a "dessert beer".

tohostudios wrote:

Joe wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

Oh man!!!

New favorite beer: Sam Adams Chocolate Bock. It was part of the Winter Seasonal sampler I bought today. Tastes like a liquid Hershey bar.

I had that last night! My brother-in-law and I bought that sampler. It was very good, but not when you're eating a burrito.

Yeah, it's definitely not a "session beer"; it's a "dessert beer".

The only one that I didn't try was the coffee one. How was it? It just didn't sound very appealing to me.

I haven't tried that one yet. I was sampling other parts of my beer haul yesterday. But since I like coffee beers I have no doubt I'll enjoy it. The only beer I had last night that I didn't like was the double black IPA. It doesn't taste like an IPA at all which is a good thing but it sort of has a fruity taste that I didn't find appealing.

Yeah, I like coffee, and I like beer, but mixing them? So like after a night of drinking, do you drink one of these to sober up? Kind of defeating the purpose isn't it?

It's funny, but I was never a huge fan of IPA's before. But since my move, one of my new coworkers brews his own beer and they are mostly of the IPA variety. I have been hooked ever since.

Brewing my own beer is something I'd like to try but I hear that the process really stinks up the place. I'd like to try something with peanut butter.

Now one of the area supermarkets is carrying the Samuel Adams Winter Classics 12 packs. Picked up 3 more today.

I highly recommend this variety pack to any of you beer afficionados. Even though it contains 2 bottles of their rather mundane and readily available Boston Lager, it also contains 2 bottles of Black and Brew (a coffee stout), 2 bottles of Holiday Porter, 2 bottles of Winter Lager, 2 of Fezzewig's Ale and 2 of (drooooooolllll) Chocolate Bock. And it's going for $13.99 around here.

Great price for some great beer!

Enjoying some Odense Classic - Great danish beer, with a very nice sweetness.

Over the weekend I found out that I have Celiac's disease which means I can't have any beers that are not gluten free. Do any of you guy's know of good gluten free beer that isnt too expensive?

Stender wrote:

Over the weekend I found out that I have Celiac's disease which means I can't have any beers that are not gluten free. Do any of you guy's know of good gluten free beer that isnt too expensive?

Sorry to hear that. I tried one gluten-free beer several years ago just out of curiosity. It was made with sorghum and had a funky taste.

I just googled gluten-free beer and there's quite a few out there but I don't know about price or availability. I'll keep my beer-snob eyes open as I scout out new beers.

I am getting some Sam Adams tongiht!!

I need to get a new keg for the holidays so I'll be heading on down to the distributor this evening.

exact33 wrote:

I am getting some Sam Adams tongiht!!

Look for that Winter Classics variety pack. I've now got 4 of 'em in the garage.

My holiday season thus far has been disturbingly beerless. I need to remedy that soon.

Lari wrote:

Tonight it's Nogne India Pale Ale, from Norway!



First time I'm trying it, actually, but I've been hearing it's good. It's real bitter, but also at the same time smooth and fruity and rich. It's a bit heavy and there's so much taste in it, it feels more like soup rather than easily drinkable beer. It's quite strong (7.5%vol), but you couldn't tell from the taste because the alcohol is so well hidden under all these strong flavors and aromas. The label says it goes with strong, spicy food and it's easy to believe that. A little pricey, but it does come in a big bottle.

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/nogne-o-india-pale-ale/28509/

I haven't teste this yet, but have heard GREAT things about it. But you know what? This was nominated for a Beer of the year award here in Norway, together with 84 other entries. This bear made it to the finals, along with 3 other candidates. It didn't win, that honor went to a local beer from my town!! Borg Bokkøl, and it looks like this:

kmorg wrote:

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/nogne-o-india-pale-ale/28509/

I haven't teste this yet, but have heard GREAT things about it. But you know what? This was nominated for a Beer of the year award here in Norway, together with 84 other entries. This bear made it to the finals, along with 3 other candidates. It didn't win, that honor went to a local beer from my town!! Borg Bokkøl, and it looks like this:

[/quote]

that beer looks metal!!!

That looks like a nice, dark beer.

tohostudios wrote:

That looks like a nice, dark beer.

i dont know about dark beer anymore - I dont seem to enjoy them as much anymore..

exact33 wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

That looks like a nice, dark beer.

i dont know about dark beer anymore - I dont seem to enjoy them as much anymore..

If you like chocolate, I guarantee you'll love the Chocolate Bock that's in the Sam Adams Winter Classics pack. There's also an ale called Fezzewig's Ale that's really light but still flavorful. Sam's Winter Lager is fairly light too and that's in there. The only really dark, heavy beer in the pack is called Black and Brew; a dark, coffee stout with chocolate overtones.

Tonight I have chillin' in the fridge:

1 Bell's Christmas Ale

1 Samuel Adams Black and Brew (coffee stout)

1 Howl (Magic Hat's Black Lager)

The cool thing about having a "beer cellar" is that I can always chill whatever beer style I'm in the mood for. Never had this luxury before.

Having some holiday ale from the local brewery. Good Stuff!