Pittsburgh - New Beers & Local Breweries

Kaiser Pils is tremendous. I love that beer.

 

I'm not suggesting that because our beers are clear they are better than the murky stuff. I'm suggesting that the murky stuff could be better if it wasn't murky.

I'll stand by the beers, we do make them after all and they could always be better. There are often lots of factors that go into why a beer is the way it is though.

 

Oh, and it looks like I'm in the minority in that I don't give a flying fuck what the beer looks like...

 

Agreed. I also don't know where the line is drawn between hop hazy/cloudy/murky looking? Seems like splitting hairs at that point, all seem like synonyms to me

 

I would say a better analogy would be classical Frenh chef who tournes potatoes and uses a raft to clear their consommé vs a chef that isn't bound by some old antiquated notion of what their product should look like.

 

The hot dogs at Wiener World downtown look pretty damn ugly, but they sure are delicious.

 

I'm a fan of the murky cloudy IPA's because they usually use a form of english ale yeast. Either the Boddington's strain(London Ale 3) my favorite or Conan. To my palate and my eyes I enjoy those more. I think the esters work better with hoppy beers than just using some other clean ale yeast. Also those beers usually contain adjuncts like wheat, spelt, oats or rye which I'm a huge fan of. I do like clear beers as well, Lagunitas sucks may be my favorite IPA and that's pretty clear. I think the cloudier new wave east coast IPA's should maybe just be considered a sub style or something I think some purist make too big of a deal about the beers being murky. They all come out yellow in the end anyways. I'm happy to see the brew gentlemen bringing this style to Pittsburgh and can't wait to try more from them. They should tide me over until I can convince Tired Hands to open up a western PA outpost.

 

Hello, long time lurker but your discussion on the cloudyness of beers made me chime in. I was at Grist house yesterday and had their Wheat Juice IPA and thought it was excellent. Very Cloudy because of the wheat but IMP very tasty.

 

Had beers with @PSU_Mike this afternoon at Hitchhiker; planning to buy a Maine Lunch from him. Bought him a beer he was nice enough (not only to drive out of his way, but) to throw it my way gratis--many of you may know him personally, so his kindness may not be a surprise. But, for those of you that don't: he's not an axe murder (that I can tell)!

While I've been a BA for some time and started posting more as of late, this was the first instance where I've knowingly met another BA outside of the forum, and it's was nice to put a face/conversation with a screen name. I bumped into a friend there, and were fortunate enough to get a behind the scene look at HH's operations--looks like that group is pretty excited for things coming down the pike (Vermont IPA, Kolsch, etc.).

Thanks, Mike and cheers to the rest of you blokes.

 

Don't you guys just have to send the 4 packs to the people you traded your Blackbeards to, since nobody actually drank the bottles they bought?

 

Appearance of beer to me is just a plus. I really like a good nose and great taste. If it has both of those I am happy.

 

On the topic of turbidity, I'd rather see through my IPAs, but I usually only frown at cloudiness when it's unintentional. Not really surprised when the Troegs Triple Mango in my glass isn't clear (still yummy), but--and while it was their first batch on the new system, the last time I was at Tired Hands all of their stuff was way uncharacteristically cloudy, distractingly so. Haven't had enough Brew Gentelmen or Grist House to comment on those guys, but I won't let a little haze get in the way when the opportunity arises.

 

I feel the new angst against cloudy/turbid ale is coming from bigger craft brewers. Those who have major investments in brewing equipment to fliter/strain, cold crash whatever and always turn out clear bright beer. Then they have people like us saying that that cloudy beer is great and it has got to rub them the wrong way. So they attack it and claim it is less than when it is in fact more tasty. You would have to smoke a pack a day to not notice the great disparity in taste that some of these cloudy beers produce. As mentioned on the last page huge notes of ripe mango, papaya. Levels of hop flavor that speak for themselves.

 

Went to Construction Junction today so decided to stop in at East End. Tried the Moonstomp which was nice, tart and pretty clean with the acid. I did not pick up much that could be from dry hopping, but I enjoyed it anyway. Got a growler of Joe Melt, first time having it and since Snow Melt is one of my favorites from EE it made sense that I like this one.

Also bought a lonely looking bottle of BA Gratitude on the shelf, but who knows what else those guys are stashing away.

 

WOOOOOOOOOO CLOUDY BEERS IN THE AMERICAN IPA CATEGORY THAT IS FOREVER AMORPHOUS

 

I'm gonna have to put you on ignore soon if you keep churning out mind numbing bullshit like this...

 

I really need to proof read.

 

Picked up a Terrapin Liquid Lunch today from Shadyside GE. It is very jelly forward and really fake tasting. The liquid bliss body is there but is overshadowed by the fake jelly.

 

Also as a heads up, Urban Tap in the Southside has 120 'Min, CBS and French Toasted WnB all listed as coming soon on draft.