Controversial Beer Opinions (Round Two)

I feel so ridiculously excited after my first visit to the beer shop post-lockdown that I´ve just had to crack open a fricking can of Krombacher Pils to calm down.



*Need some rest tonight though.

 

That is the only thing I use Untappd for at this point

 

Focal Banger is better than Heady Topper.

Though I have tried everything is the 25 highest rated beers on here, Fou’ Foune is the only one on that I would take over Westy 12 which has fallen to the 25th spot on the list.

 

Neither does the USA have a monopoly on drinkers who want to try and enjoy different kinds of beer. There must be a lot of drinkers in the UK, Germany ECT who view their traditional ales and lagers as the same old song and dance and want at least to try something else.

 

I dont know, @marquis seems pretty hyped on real ale.

 

True but there are people in the USA that are hyped on PBR.

 

Flying dog release a variety 12 of 3 each different chili beers. Peach reaper ipa, cherry pepper beer, shishito pepper white. I forget the fourth. The peach reaper was pretty good. I doubt it’s around anymore

 

Here’s one.

I think there are better Hefeweizen than Weihenstephaner and I have a physical certification in German Brewing Culture so I understand the importance of their yeast strain and history.

 

I really do enjoy Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen, it is the Hefeweizen I default to, and I would like to know which Hefeweizens you think are better so I can try them.

 

OK, that does it. @DiUr and I are always crashing in the same car. I am going to have to revisit their Extra. I wonder if they used that name because of Westmalle.

@Brugesman

Jealous of that pic.

 

Plenty of people agree with this. Personally I think that Heady is the best when fresh, but Focal seems to hold up better. Both have been coming to bars in NYC for years, and I preferred Focal when only having them in that setting, but the first can of Heady I had right from VT was almost totally different than what I had at bars here. The flavor and aroma were much more intense and less bready/malty, and the appearance of cans I had here were what I'd describe as literally "hazy," as in not totally transparent but somewhat translucent, whereas the VT stuff I had have been basically 100% opaque.

 

I like franziskaner more than weihenstephaner. And I really enjoy Neshaminy Creek Highwater Hefeweizen. It is now called Wayward Wheat btw. I also really enjoyed Magic Hat Zirkus Boy believe it or not.

 

FWIW, I think Schneider Tap 4 Edel Weiss gives it a serious run for its money (standard disclaimers regarding condition apply).

 

Well, the original Detroit brewery closed in the mid-80s, but, as you note, they did convert the Schaefer Lehigh Valley and some of the Schlitz breweries to fire-brewing, too. (I've been collecting that info in random places, but have yet to put it together).

Sadly, what probably slowed them down, besides the expense as they were just barely surviving, was that their flagship Stroh brand was losing market share by 1990 when their biggest sellers were Old Milwaukee, Old Milwaukee Light, Schlitz Malt Liquor and Schaefer.

As for the flavor of fire-brewed Stroh, no less an expert as Joe Owades said:

Can't say I ever noticed but probably never drank a lot of Stroh Beer once they moved east after buying Schaefer. (Now all-malt Stroh Bock was a much searched for product, OTOH).

The Stroh exec's must have agreed, which is why they purchased the Augsburger brand from Huber, at the time owned by some (asshole) former Pabst execs, leaving a big gap in the brewery's portfolio when Fred Huber regained ownership. He tried to recreate in under his new partner's name - Berghoff's (of the famous Chicago restaurant family).

 

Thank you guys!! I will make sure to those out.

 

The beers that Budweiser has been releasing over the last few years have been quite good.

 

Lactose in an IPA isn't that bad. Unless it's totally overdone, an NEIPA with lactose just tastes like an NEIPA, maybe a bit sweeter/fuller.

Vanilla in IPA is a wayy more egregious offender.

 

I like founder's centennial IPA but bell's two hearted is better.

 

I like all the beer styles, but I still don't enjoy mainstream BMC beers. Can't stand the subtle flavors in beers like Bud Light, Michelob, Hamms, Coors, Heineken, etc. Hand me a craft AAL made with real corn or rice, or a nice pils and helles lager, but I can't stand drinking a Bud. Miller Lite or High Life is about as close as I can go, and it is hardly bearable. I respect brewers and people who still drink them though, I'd just rather have a craft brewed lager in replace.

Also haven't really been enjoying hoppy beers as much for the past year or two. My interest has been growing in the oak aged wild/sour/saisons and spontaneous/lambic/gueuze style beers. The oakier, the funkier, the better.

And Sculpin is highly overrated.