What're you drinking right now?

maple99 · Post by **maple99** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 2:00 pm

just got back from Orlando, and I must say that Cigar City Jai Alai is one damn fine IPA

sprague11 · Post by **sprague11** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:22 pm

New Holland Envious - average offering from a very hit or miss brewer.

andrewrg · Post by **andrewrg** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:45 am

Red Racer
GR Russian Gun

...3 hours later at the Rhino:

Beau's Mr Hyde
Black Oak 10 Bitter Years: tasted weird, different than I remember. Soapy. Going to blame Rhino tap lines.
Nickel Brook Bolshevik Bastard

matt7215 · Post by **matt7215** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 9:29 am

last night on tap at borealis kitchener:

Spearhead HSPA
Muskoka DCCS

cratez · Post by **cratez** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 10:09 am

Last night at SteelbackGuy's going away party at Gambrinus Bistro & Cafe:

Grand River Hannenberg Pils (draught)
Taps Midnight Wheat (draught)
2010 Grand River Russian Gun Imperial Stout (draught)
Russian River Redemption
Surly Smoke Lager
Russian River Temptation

Big thanks to Adil for the delicious samples. Len, you'll be badly missed by the London crew, but I look forward to joining you on future beer escapades in Hamilton. Best of luck, fella!

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:08 pm

Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA, still a good one.

Last night had a 2005 Ormes de Pez St-Estéphe Cru Bourgeois Exceptionelle - it's very good but what I liked better was the Christian Moueix St-Emillion you can get right now for just 20 bucks. (The Pez was 52 and not better.)

G.M. Gillman · Post by **G.M. Gillman** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 5:41 pm

Mark, in regard to your comments on well-hopped bottled beers, do you consider that bottle-conditioning makes a difference?

Gary

markaberrant · Post by **markaberrant** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 6:06 pm

G.M. Gillman wrote:Mark, in regard to your comments on well-hopped bottled beers, do you consider that bottle-conditioning makes a difference?

Gary

Nope can't say it does. I personally think bottle conditioning is somewhat overated in terms of storage/aging/preserving/developing additional flavours. It has a lot more to do with filtering. The types of filtering used by breweries varies greatly; centrifuge does a great job of filtering without stripping flavours, but is quite expensive, so most small breweries cannot afford the equipment. Most other filtering methods leave a rather insipid, or at least modified, flavour profile, espeically evident in strong/hoppy beers. Natural clearing produces an outstanding product, just relying on cold temps and time, but this is a costly method for a production brewery. Pastuerization is another process that can be neutral or bad (it certainly doesn't add anything positive), but again depends on the method employed.

I am not saying bottle conditioning is bad, just that it is not inherently better. Centrifuge or natural clearing with force carbonation produces beers that are just as good a quality with just as much potential to develop complexity and age gracefully.

The whole idea that bottle conditioning yeast slowly works over time is great marketing, but total bunk in reality.

Phatman · Post by **Phatman** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 7:20 pm

Les Trois Mousquetaires - Porter Baltique Grande Cuvee 2011

Lives up to the hype but to darn fizzy imo.

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 7:28 pm

Firestone Walker 15. A really interesting beer!

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 9:04 pm

Lagunitas Little Sumpin Wild...

...bottle that's several months old, and still pretty good...

Soods · Post by **Soods** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 9:58 pm

Hoppin' Frog Barrel Aged Boris.

Pretty good, but nowhere near as good as last year's KBS or Parabola. Therefore, I'm slightly disappointed in this beer.

andrewrg · Post by **andrewrg** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 10:15 pm

Left Hand Milk Stout.

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 12:19 am

The 'inaugural' Alberta Ratebeer get together, and this is what the 8 of us that could make it, drank....

Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Brut
Cantillon FouFoune
Mikkeller Big Worst Barley Wine Bourbon Edition Barley Wine
3Floyds Baller Stout (XV) Imperial Stout
Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout
Russian River Consecration
Russian River Supplication
Russian River Redemption
Great Lakes BA Blackout Stout
Black Oak Ten Bitter Years
Anchorage Love Buzz Saison
Surly Darkness Imperial Stout
Bells Expedition Stout
New Belgium La Folie
Russian River Belgian Ale
Hair of the dog 2010 matt
Stone 070707 Vertical Epic
Eggenberg Samichlaus 200
Driftwood Belle Royale
Driftwood 2010 Old Cellar Dweller
Westvletern 12
Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere Saison
Ballast Point Big Eye
Stone 2011 Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout
Dogfish Head/Sierra Nevada Life & Limb 2
Cantillon Iris Lambic
Firestone Walker Parabola
De Molen Pek & Veren
Upright 4 & 6
Birrifico Del Ducato Krampus '09
Domaine de la Minotiere Cidre Fermier Bio Brut
Deschutes black buttte xxiii imp porter
alesmith speedway stout imp stou
Pretty Things Baby Tree Quad
Pretty Things Jack d'Or Saison
Alesmith Yulesmith American Strong Ale
J W Lees Harvest Ale 2004; Sherry Cask

A good afternoon/evening/night was had by all

phat matt · Post by **phat matt** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 3:07 am

had a sampling tonight....
boris
ba boris
strom king
dark intrigue
3 fontaine oude geuze
3 fontaine armand 4 geueze zomner
russian river supplication
cigar city winter warmer
cigar cirty vu deja
3 floyd dreadnaught
3 floyd black sun stout
stone 101010
church key maple wheat
church key barely legal barly wine
nickle brook mix pack
great divide 17 ann wood aged
lots of sours and many others...very nice to try so many in one sitting..truly a very diverse style