Märican Biere Bought and Drunk...

Well, not that one for sure...

But - my hometown of Albuquerque, NM has La Cumbre Brewing Co and they make some great German style beir!

Dunkel:


Hefeweizen:


Kölsch in a traditional glass at the brewery:


Kölsch on my back patio in ABQ

 

For illustrative purposes only:

 

How's La Cumbre's Koelsch hold up compared to the originals? Read a coupleof reviews that mentioned a citrusy character. Also, have you had La Cumbre's Munich Helles? One reviewer sure made it sound legit.

 

I've enjoyed LC's Dortmunder, Pils, Helles... pretty much everything they've brewed up until Apr of last year when I moved to Germany. At the time I didn't know anything about how they compared to actual German styles (not much German beer makes it to New Mexico). I will say Jeff does his German styles right. Give em a try and see for yourself - plus you get to visit ABQ.

I see on their FB page they just released their Imperial Pilsner today - that should be very interesting to try..

 

Like it or not, this kind of marketing sells beer. I think also about Moose Drool, which is a very good brown ale, but achieved stardom due to the name.

 

..the kind of marketing that sells beer in the US - the same county that brought the world 'professional' bass fishing and the $100,000+ fine arts degree.

 

Easy Chester, I have a Fine Arts Degree.

Didn't cost nearly that much!

 

You're all good then.

 

So, does mean we can expect to see a Unicorn Tears Cream Ale soon!?!

Cheers!

 

If only you knew.

BTW -- I think it's the $100,000 Liberal Arts Degree you're really thinking of.

 

that the one !

 

Not 'Merican... not German...

Better.

What beer are you drinking now? #700

 

As always, stellar presentation.

How'd the four year Westvleteren 12 taste? I've only sampled it once, and it was about 3 years old I think. I've read on the forums 3 years is a sweet spot, so I'm curious how 4 was. And how did it compare to the Rochefort?

(sorry, lots of questions) And how did it compare to the Rochefort/how old was it? I love Rochefort, but out of the big three (St. Bernardus/Westvleteren/Rochefort) I dislike the most out of three when it's too young. My review is of a Rochefort at 1 year old, and it's still too "hot" with overpowering rum-like qualities that detract from it's smoothness and drinkability that I loved in the Westvleteren. I feel Rochefort needs a few years and then it surpasses the other two as it rounds out.

According to my notes/scores though I enjoy St. Bernardus the most, and this can be fresh or aged.

 

I love both. They are quite different though. This Westvleteren was 'sweeter' and the Rochefort is richer. The Rochefort has a thicker mouth-feel than the Westvleteren. The cap was dated Nov 2013, so it is almost a year beyond the suggested 'drink on' date. To tell you the truth, I'd be hard pressed to taste much difference between it and one a year younger. Maybe it was a tab sweeter/stickier than usual.. but I wouldn't swear to it.

I have easy access to both and can drink them whenever I like, but I generally find myself picking the Rochefort 10 over the Westvleteren XII 3 out of 5 times.

St. Bernardus - it's been years since I've had one of those... but, we are taking a trip to Ghent for Thanksgiving and I will defiantly pick some up. I recall I quite enjoyed it on the couple occasions I had it.

 

Heading back to DC in a week - thank goodness the tiny Getränkemarkt around the corner sells six packs of Left Hand' Nito Milk Stout.

 

Hmmm. My initial reaction to this (somewhat-local) one was that it was a mess; may revisit based on your assessment. Perhaps Foothills -- a very good brewer generally -- finally got a handle on it.

 

Will do. First one I had was ultra-fresh, so I don't think it was that. That said, I will likely have to venture beyond my neighborhood Publix grocery store, where Torch sits on shelves for months at a time, to find a good bottle.