The New Prog Beer Snob Thread

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

My friend, who knows more about beer, and the whole process than I do, says it's something that happens in the canning or carbonation process. I don't recall which.

I've had unshaken beers that emptied themselves upright, upon the tab being pulled. If one does, usually the whole pack will have that flaw.

thanks Mark
I've never home-brewed but I remember witnessing a friend do it many years ago and I believe there was some substance that was put into each bottle with the boil in order to create carbonation. Perhaps this is the screw up that can happen?

anyway, I've finally figured out a way to make it work. If I pop the top on the bottle like any normal brew, then the foam comes pouring out. So I carefully let just a little pressure out at a time, taking about 10 seconds to remove the cap this way. Then I take the 12oz bottle and very slowly and carefully decant it in a pint glass so as to create as little head as possible. Now comes the trick. I put the glass on a sliding surface and swirl the glass around in little circles until the head comes all the way to the top, then let that head dissipate for a minute. I repeat this last step about 7 or 8 times and then the brew settles down to taste normal with a reasonable amount of carbonation.

[Firth]

Bottle and canned beer is definitely spike led with CO2 to increase carbonation which IMO acidifies and does not make it taste as good as draft. Draft can be pressurized with NO2 or nitrogen as in stouts like Guinness. I love the Left Hamd Milk stouts you pour upside down to get equivalent of a nitro draft. You need room for the foam but it’s dense and not that out of control.

[NogbadTheBad]

A friend from NYC sent me a can of the Other Half HDHC Fort Point which is based on the Trillium recipe so I had to do a side by side taste test with Trillium's DDH Fort Point, both outstanding, the OH slightly smoother and grassier, can't really pick a winner

[SteveSly]

I really wish I could get Trillium in Michigan.

[spellbound]

Finally got to try Bell's Two Hearted Ale. As they had no fresh ones in my town, I went to another town and found one with a packaging date early this month. It is one tasty ale.

No. I didn't travel down the road a piece only to get a six pack. Might have been worth the trip, though.

[Jerjo]

Gonna pound down a couple fresh cans of Two-Hearted right now. If God brewed anything better, she kept it for herself.

[spellbound]

Raided California for some beers. Sudwerk's 'The People's Pilsner' from Davis, California. The name of the beer alone makes the consumer an enemy of your favorite tangerine-tinted fascist. Good summer lager. And Alpine's 'Duet' IPA, presumably named Duet for the two varieties of hops used (simcoe and amarillo). Alpine in San Diego County, not Alpine County. Waiting for that one to refrigerate.

[NogbadTheBad]

Alpine Duet is a nice beer, had a few of those on the east coast.

[spellbound]

Alpine Duet is a nice beer, had a few of those on the east coast.

Thanks. I'm always curious to know the distribution area of beers I try, as well as those I hear about but can't find out here. Having an Alpine Duet right now. Very hop-tasty.

[NogbadTheBad]

I'm on a Tree House Julius, hoppy New England IPA, superb

[moecurlythanu]

^ I definitely want to try Tree House and Trillium some day. See how they match up with Masthead.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

my daily drinkers lately are from the (relatively) local Four Peaks
drinking tons of Kilt Lifters and Hop Knots over the past few months

[spellbound]

I definitely want to try Tree House and Trillium some day. See how they match up with Masthead.

I have seen none of those three out here.

my daily drinkers lately are from the (relatively) local Four Peaks
drinking tons of Kilt Lifters and Hop Knots over the past few months

Four Peaks is from Arizona. I have tried several of their brews. Good stuff.

[Lopez]

Recently, I've discovered Nite Heavy (as opposed to Nite Lite) American Lager from Night Shift Brewery down the road in Everett, Mass.

nite-heavy.jpgnite-heavy.jpg

Haven't had a lager in quite a while, as I've been drinking IPAs. This one is quite nice. Taste reminds me of the local lagers of my yout like Narragansett and Carling.

[proggy_jazzer]

Since I cut way back on my alcohol consumption in April, I've been sticking mostly to beers I know and trust. Two Hearted is always in my fridge, and I've been alternating my other consumption between:
Ayinger Weizenbock - all the vibe of a great wheat beer, but higher octane. Lovely and flavorful;
Evil Twin Molotov Cocktail: speaking of high octane, 12% but a really well balanced IIPA/Barley Wine with a hint of mango;
Westmalle Tripel: a favorite for years, and one of the best Belgian triples out there, IMO.

I'm sure I'll broaden/change as we get into the fall months.

[moecurlythanu]

Sipping a Findlay Brewing Experimental 692 IPA. Brewed using an experimental hop, it's unusual, but excellent.

Untapped just recommended a Tree House Haze DIPA and a Tree House Doppelganger DIPA to me. How helpful of them.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

Four Peaks is from Arizona. I have tried several of their brews. Good stuff.

They are above average and dirt cheap here... less than $1 a can

[NogbadTheBad]

Sipping a Findlay Brewing Experimental 692 IPA. Brewed using an experimental hop, it's unusual, but excellent.

Untapped just recommended a Tree House Haze DIPA and a Tree House Doppelganger DIPA to me. How helpful of them.

Both excellent haha

[moecurlythanu]

I have seen none of those three out here.

Masthead is a Cleveland Brewery that has become a bit of a sensation around here. They do limited can releases that have people like me lining up around the block to buy them, and people come from great distances for them, so there must be a bit of a reputation being formed. (Having said that, the last time I looked at their ratings on Beer Advocate, I was both underwhelmed and befuddled. Such is life.) Anyway, they do the best New England style IPAs in the area, and Hollow Earth, Flat Earth and Extra! Extra! are the best I've had in the style. That would mean better than Maine Brewing's offerings. Fresh Hollow Earth is my top beer period at this point.

As for availability, I'm not certain that they distribute outside Ohio yet. And their regular IPA that you can find in any area Walmart, while very good, doesn't give a hint of what you get from Hollow Earth, Flat Earth, or Extra! Extra! I would expect that wider distribution would mainly be their IPA, and a few other offerings, which are excellent, but not spectacular, like the 3 I mentioned.

[NogbadTheBad]

Maine brewing are good so high praise

[moecurlythanu]

Maine brewing are good so high praise

I'd love to trade with you, but the beer would have to be fresh to give the true picture, and the cans I have were bought in February and March. Still good, but not as great as when fresh.

Maybe next year?

[NogbadTheBad]

Absolutely

[moecurlythanu]

I'll keep that in mind and ping you when the time comes.

[Lopez]

Maine brewing are good so high praise

Seconded. And they have a nice tasting room. The operation is powered by a giant solar array (on the left in the picture below) that follows the Sun during the day.

fullsizeoutput_17ee.jpg

[moecurlythanu]

Yes, agree that Maine Brewing is excellent. There's one place I can get it, but I haven't been there since the pandemic hit. I need to remedy that.