What're you drinking right now?

spinrsx · Post by **spinrsx** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 7:52 pm

Surly - Wet

thanks to cfrancis for this one!

G.M. Gillman · Post by **G.M. Gillman** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 6:27 pm

Erdinger Dunkel: Didn't like it, it is not the light flavour, but something doesn't seem right, too old maybe, not sure.

Tempest (regular bottled version shared at Amsterdam Brewhouse): top quality, pinpoint accuracy on the flavours of a rich stout, hits all cylinders using high octane. Fine Bordeaux wine occurs to me even though this is rich and sweet not dry.

Double Tempest (corked bottle kept in fridge, sampling small amounts over time): this is like a beer milkshake, super rich, firm grateful bitterness to match. The aged taste (from the 9 months in wood - slight must or mushroom - hard to describe) is coming through more each day. I think I'd prefer the beer unaged, like regular Tempest, but this is very fine, probably the best strong beer ever released in Ontario.

Gary

P.S. True enough to impart the vanillin/whiskey notes to the XX Tempest you need a certain time in the ex-bourbon barrel but I wonder if 1 month would be enough.

J343MY · Post by **J343MY** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:44 pm

drinking my bourbon-oak aged imperial stout.

admviolin · Post by **admviolin** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:08 pm

Oast House Saison
The Tom Green Beer

lister · Post by **lister** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 3:52 pm

(GLB?) Coffee Pale Ale
Barley Days Yuletide Porter
Black Oak Nutcracker
Pappy Van Winkle 23yo bourbon

G.M. Gillman · Post by **G.M. Gillman** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 4:32 pm

Sigtuna Midvinter (8% ABV Imperial Russian Stout): faultlessly executed, rich and somewhat dry too (the finish), nicely bitter, coffee, Muscovado and molasses notes. Somewhat on the lighter side for Impy but perfectly done.

Rolling Rock: This was at lunch the other day, kind of why not. I was impressed with the perfect freshness and immaculate serving of the beer - clean lines - and glasses - mean a lot, Pickle Barrel gets it right. Very nice for a refreshing drink, and it reminded me a lot of the bottled one from the 80's, i.e., I don't think it has changed for what it is worth. The only thing I'd change - given the style it is - is to lower the adjunct level. There is a touch too much IMO even for this kind of drink. But good in its way still with a balanced, pleasant flavour.

Gary

lister · Post by **lister** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 4:56 pm

G.M. Gillman wrote:Rolling Rock: This was at lunch the other day, kind of why not. I was impressed with the perfect freshness and immaculate serving of the beer - clean lines - and glasses - mean a lot, Pickle Barrel gets it right.

The last time I was at Pickle Barrel I was stuck having a Sleeman's Cream Ale. It was absolutely horrible. Given that was some time ago it looks like they've spent some effort on making sure their lines are clean. That being said I'm hard pressed to think of any reason I'll ever be at a Pickle Barrel in the future.

Very nice for a refreshing drink, and it reminded me a lot of the bottled one from the 80's, i.e., I don't think it has changed for what it is worth. The only thing I'd change - given the style it is - is to lower the adjunct level. There is a touch too much IMO even for this kind of drink. But good in its way still with a balanced, pleasant flavour.

I've only ever had Rolling Rock once two years ago. It was draft at Earl's on a vendor business lunch so my only investment in it was my time and mouth. While waiting for a table we were asked if we wanted drinks. I gazed at the tap handles from afar, vaguely saw a green tap handle and asked if that was Steamwhistle. The answer was Rolling Rock and a passing by waitress said it was like Steamwhistle. Okay whatever and I was handed a green glass of beer that was impossibly cold. I drank three quarters of it in under ten minutes. It was so light and watery with no flavour whatsoever (the last quarter didn't improve.) I cursed the waitress under my breath like a good Canadian and while walking to our table I saw the tap handles up close and they had two Muskoka taps. Curses! Had a Muskoka with lunch.

I don't know what Rolling Rock was like way back when but if it's currently priced at a premium to the usual suspects then people are wasting their money.

G.M. Gillman · Post by **G.M. Gillman** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 5:26 pm

The good thing about a board like this is, each can express his opinion.

My money wasn't wasted.

Gary

kevinlater · Post by **kevinlater** » Sat Dec 07, 2013 4:37 pm

samuel smith's organic chocolate stout

spinrsx · Post by **spinrsx** » Sat Dec 07, 2013 8:07 pm

just opened a 2010 Troegs Flying Mouffan. Might have held onto this one a little too long, still good though.

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Sat Dec 07, 2013 8:09 pm

Bruery Sour in the Rye - Kumquat. One of the best sour beers I have had to date.

markaberrant · Post by **markaberrant** » Sat Dec 07, 2013 8:23 pm

Had my first ever pint of Rolling Rock a few months ago at new local pub with great scratch made food, but pitiful taplist. It was incredibly bland and tasteless, moreso than typical adjunct fare from Molson that i am more familiar with.

Oh yeah, this place had their "own" beer on tap, when i pressed the server for info, she sheepishly admitted it was just Labatt Blue.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Sat Dec 07, 2013 10:30 pm

Rolling rock is crazy light... I think the use corn and rice in it. I don't think it tastes bad like say blue, but there just isn't much taste. I drank a fair bit of it in San Diego, but that was over a decade ago. I don't think I could do that now, unless it was extremely hot and drank it more like water!

Rob Creighton · Post by **Rob Creighton** » Sun Dec 08, 2013 12:21 pm

markaberrant wrote:Had my first ever pint of Rolling Rock a few months ago at new local pub with great scratch made food, but pitiful taplist. It was incredibly bland and tasteless, moreso than typical adjunct fare from Molson that i am more familiar with.

Oh yeah, this place had their "own" beer on tap, when i pressed the server for info, she sheepishly admitted it was just Labatt Blue.

Rolling Rock was originally made outside of Pittsburgh in Latrobe, was sold to Labatt in the '80s/early '90s and eventually absorbed by ABInbev who moved production to their New Jersey plant and sold the Latrobe plant to a Regional. The beer has always been a bland, light lager

grub · Post by **grub** » Sun Dec 08, 2013 1:32 pm

Spent fri+sat in buffalo and had many tasty things on tap at coles and on cask at coles/goodbar for the annual cask fest. here's what i remember...

Firestone Walker Sucaba (tap)
Firestone Walker Double DBA (tap)
Community Beer Works Espresso Whale (cask)
Sly Fox Pughtown Porter (cask)
Stone Arrogant Bastard with centennial hops (cask)
Brooklyn Black Ops (cask)
Three Heads The Kind IPA (cask)
Community Beer Works Oh Snap! (cask)
Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin (cask)
Jack's Abby Kiwi Rising (tap)

brought home some CBW growlers and a few tasty bottles too. woot!