The Bar Towel

706Union wrote:

The_Jester wrote:I usually keep some Mill Street Stock Ale or even Robert Simpson Confederation Ale in the fridge for just such occasions. I find that they're good "gateway" beers.

Sorry if this is hijacking but ...
I've had (surprisingly) poor experiences with both of these beers.
A very similar taste issue - a potent "stinky cheese" kind of flavour and aroma is the best way I can describe it.
I have found the identical issue with Black Oak Pale Ale, Trailhead Lager, and Red Cap Ale.
Also King Pilsner and Creemore Lager to a lesser degree.
Anyone know of a common ingredient that is putting me off?
Did I get bad beer? Many of these were one-time purchases.
TIA.

King Pilsener and Black Oak Pale Ale should be fine as far as my experiences go, but the others, I think the weird flavour you're talking about is skunk or corn, at least that's what I perceive it as. Especially with the Confederation Ale I get really gross corny flavours that prevent me from drinking the rest of it, and I can't figure out for the life of me why people always seem to like that one so much (must be better on tap). Creemore has a pretty big corn presence for me too. Red cap I wouldn't even call a craft beer, and trailhead is hit or miss (better on tap).

I'm not sure where you're coming from in terms of how much you're into beer, but if those beers are the only ones you've had from the craft brew world, I'd say don't worry, and seek out more different things. Maybe try some stouts! If you are more experienced, well than cool, and sorry for talking to you as if you aren't already a beer-geek .

esprit wrote:706Union, the common ingredient is beer...

I have to say there is no converting someone who basically does not adjust to the flavors of real beer. The common factor in objecting to so many beers is in the person's own taste boundaries. Lots of people fear much taste in beer.

I can still find real merit in for example Creemore ("corn flavors", give me a break already. Just because Molsons owns it people are now 'tasting' weird adjuncts?)

Also I have found Lagers in general can taste 'weird' if I have stopped drinking them for a year - they will just not taste like ales for the most part. Eg. the Headstrong Munich Lager was really great yesterday, not something I usually have, but after a few 'strange' sips I got more into the 'lager appreciation mode.' I could slip into a real good session of that & the Hofbräu we are also expecting in the fall.

Belgian, I'm a lager-lover, and Creemore really does taste corny to me. Really corny.

JesseM wrote:Belgian, I'm a lager-lover, and Creemore really does taste corny to me. Really corny.

Fine, but I'm saying, I don't get that at all. I taste an interesting malt profile, the minerality of the Creemore water and the hops. If it were free I'd have it running from my kitchen faucet.

Illuminatus wrote:

Colin @ Smokeless wrote:1) Wellington Trailhead Lager

Wellington Trailhead is quite good given the low price.

quite possibly the worst Ontario "craft" brew I've yet tried. Especially considering the quality of the rest of their line-up. Leave the bargain beer, to the bargain brewers.

I lot of macro drinkers have a greater commitment to their brand due to ego and family brain washing. My step Dad was a lifelong 50 drinker (until recently). So was his Dad, a Quebecois veteran of WWII, and he never wavered in his devout opinion the 50 was THE best beer in the world. Before he passed away he used to tell me about his war time experiences of trying beer in England (too warm and bitter) and Belgium (too strong) and that when the war ended he couldn't wait to get back to his beloved 50. My step Dad carried that belief himself for much of his life. I recall getting him to try other beers and being met with the same response...it just isn't 50 is it? Only in the past few years has he shifted from that and now, proudly, I can say he's really embraced many, many different types of beer and can really appreciate them.

In short I think many main stream beer drinkers are afraid to try new things because it might mean they (and their Fathers) were wrong about their devotion to a single brand. Folks like that require more work to convert than I really have the time for (my Step Dad excluded). I'm happy to expose people to good beer if they seem open to it but sometimes a macro drinker is best left to his beliefs.

Belgian wrote:

JesseM wrote:Belgian, I'm a lager-lover, and Creemore really does taste corny to me. Really corny.

Fine, but I'm saying, I don't get that at all. I taste an interesting malt profile, the minerality of the Creemore water and the hops. If it were free I'd have it running from my kitchen faucet.

I think it is great!

JesseM wrote:Belgian, I'm a lager-lover, and Creemore really does taste corny to me. Really corny.

A small amount of DMS is common (and acceptable) in many lagers. Unfortunately, as the beer oxidizes with age, even more vegetal flavours come forward and they can begin to dominate.

When it's fresh, it's good. But it can really go downhill with time. I once returned a pint that smelled like a compost bin.

Derek wrote:

JesseM wrote:Belgian, I'm a lager-lover, and Creemore really does taste corny to me. Really corny.

A small amount of DMS is common (and acceptable) in many lagers. Unfortunately, as the beer oxidizes with age, even more vegetal flavours come forward and they can begin to dominate.

When it's fresh, it's good. But it can really go downhill with time. I once returned a pint that smelled like a compost bin.

creemore's actually always smelled like tinned catfood to me. i'm not kidding.

Thanks for the replies everyone.
I guess I need to figure how to identify a "skunked" beer.
Relatively, I'm a rookie beer geek - 2+ years.
I figured if anyone would be aware of a common sugar or hop variety among these, it could be here at bartowel.

esprit wrote:706Union, the common ingredient is beer...sounds like you don't really enjoy it as I've never heard of anyone rhyming off a list that long that they don't like. There is the odd beer I don't like but your list includes some that I like very much...I know it's a matter of personal taste.

I was waiting for that.

There are plenty of beers I don't care for, but these just had a common unsavory theme. Included are beers of high regard, thus my concern.

JesseM wrote:
... I think the weird flavour you're talking about is skunk or corn, at least that's what I perceive it as.

I do wonder if they were skunked. I'm unsure.

Belgian wrote: I have to say there is no converting someone who basically does not adjust to the flavors of real beer. The common factor in objecting to so many beers is in the person's own taste boundaries. Lots of people fear much taste in beer.

I understand this sentiment being that I am unknown here. I've been a frequent lurker for a couple of years FWIW.
I have friends that fit the profile you speak of, but I doubt they would ever spend time at bartowel.com.
My preference is toward more flavourful beers - enjoying a Brutal Bitter as I type.


Cheers!

706union, AFAIK the work 'skunked' means the presence of sulfur - a chemical that occurs in beer by exposure of the alpha-acids in the hops to UV light. (= 'light-struck' beer.)

Sulfur aromas - a nearby skunk, the pungent 'armpit smell', very often Heineken if light-struck etc. [It's all from sulfur, which onions & garlic have tons of if you ever notice the effects of eating too much of those!.] Sulfur's very healthy for you, only it's disgusting in beer. Not sure if skunking would ever indicate a brewing flaw,(except that bottling in green or clear glass may be asking for it....)

So hope that makes clear what 'skunk' may taste like to you VS other things.
Different people definitely do taste things differently.

Put some Brutal Bitter in the sun for a while to see "skunk juice" happen to that beautiful beer. Enjoy!

Queef wrote:

Illuminatus wrote:

Colin @ Smokeless wrote:1) Wellington Trailhead Lager

Wellington Trailhead is quite good given the low price.

quite possibly the worst Ontario "craft" brew I've yet tried. Especially considering the quality of the rest of their line-up. Leave the bargain beer, to the bargain brewers.

Yes, but I don't view it as a craft brew. I look at it as a cheap beer to serve people who can't tell the difference and whom I like enough not to inflict *really* cheap beer upon.

Yeah I totally agree, say what you will, but Trailhead is still light-years ahead of Lakepiss....I meant Lakeport.....or Laker, or James Ready, or PBR, or Old Mill, or, well you get the idea.

So, whoa! Yes, thanks for all the massive help. I have come across a bear that satisfied the Carlingite: Golden Horseshoe.

Thanks to The_Jester, detritus and flip for the suggestion, but I tried the Mill Street Stock Ale and failed to disguise the "ale" part and it threw him off.

What a great bunch you lot are--I really appreciated the advice. I think collectively we've converted another follower of the cult of MolBats.