Best non-pumpkin veggie beer?

Also, the most interesting beer I ever brewed was a beet and raisin Belgian pale ale. It started off bright red and pretty beety, then a month or so later it was still red but the beet flavor only came through as a slight earthy flavor, later the red faded and you got a lot of raisin, then for a while it was kind of gross and muddy, then it cleared up and tasted slightly beety and raisiny. I didn't open another one for almost a year and I was completely shocked when I tasted it; it almost tasted like a barley wine. I thought I was crazy so I took it to a meeting and without me saying anything about it, another dozen or so people said it tasted like a barley wine.

 

Most Americans don't differentiate between herb and non-herb (seeds and ground roots) spices, while Dutch has different words for them. So I would file mint under "spices". Same for fennel, anise, dill and coriander (cilantro) herbs (note that, unlike mint, these all also have seeds under "spices"). Dandelion is a bit different, as it falls under "leafy vegetables". Cabbage is leafy too, but it's a full-on veg

 

I actually loved Autumn Maple and I also enjoyed CCB's Cucumber saison. I also recently tried Funky Buddha's Cucumber Basil Wheat, and thought that was pretty good as well.

 

Hops are my favorite vegetable* ...

​

​

 

Note how confusing this is. First, this definition uses the botanical "fruit". Second, the whole category essentially includes the culinary "fruit" as well, so apples, strawberries, cherries, nuts, coffee, cacao are also "vegetables" by this definition. Why not just refer to them as "plant-based flavor adjuncts" and be done with this?

Lets try the OED:

Note the highlight. I guess, if we use apples with pork or blueberry or cherry sauce on lamb, they are vegetables, but squash or avocado used as dessert are fruit. No indication what that does for using them in beer

 

Autumn Maple is delicious.

 

I've got a Mikkeller it's alive w/ rhubarb...yet to open it, but I don't expect it to be anything amazing

 

Did not care for CCB Cucumber Saison but that's probably because I don't like cucumbers or pickles.

The brewery near me (Funky Buddha) has brewed a Sweet Potato Casserole Beer before. I hope they do it again this Fall/Winter or whenever they do it. Searching on this site (http://beeradvocate.com/search?q=sweet+potato&qt=beer), it seems there are several Sweet Potato beers out there. Anybody else had 'em?

 

Flat 12's Cucumber Kolsch is really good.....

 

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/18120/94902
I've had the trinity and ccb cucumber saisons, and trinity is way better. CCB had a sour bite that made me think of drinking pickle juice.

 

Shiner has a prickly pear beer that is brewed using the fruit that grows off a cactus. No this is considered a fruit but still weird

 

Would your expectations be different if it came from New Glarus, Perennial or Portsmouth?

I like cucumbers and especially pickles, but it does not mean I would put fermented pickle juice in beer. I did not care for CCB version either, but obviously for a different reason (and I only had a sample, but would never buy a full bottle/pour). When there is a flavor adjunct, the question we should be asking is not "is this drinkable" but "does the adjunct make it a better beer than it would have been without it". In CCB's case, the answer is No--it's not great beer to begin with, but additional cucumber flavor offers no improvement over the base.

Let me offer a simple rule for consideration--if the extra flavor makes the beer better, it's a legitimate contender; if it does not, it's a gimmick. Most non-traditional adjuncts are gimmicks. That is not limited to vegetables (although cucumbers, beets and carrots certainly qualify). It also applies to some barrel aging, e.g., some versions of otherwise decent beers aged in Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot barrels that make them taste like cheap, thin wine.

 

I really enjoy a lot of Jester King brews that are aged in wine barrels, but then again they are sours for the most part. I think it adds an extra dimension to the brew. But then again this is how everybody's tastes are different. Also the wine barrels they use are from a fantastic winery outside of Austin that I love visiting, for anybody that cares.

 

Cigar City Cucumber Saison

 

That reminds me, Hill Farmstead Vera Mae with dandelion is amazing, had my first one last night and have one more that I'm gonna let sit for as long as I can stand not drinking it.

 

Funky Buddha Cucumber Jones blew away my expectations!

 

There was a bunch around Grand Rapids for about 4 weeks.

 

I'm a big fan of Bent River Jalapeno Ale.