Long time gone. Now I'm back

Let me say, it's nice to be back. I was a reviewer more than a decade ago. FYI, I'm a lot older than my profile says. I was raised a beer drinker. No, not an alky. Just raised in the European tradition of family alcohol use. Pizza without beer was unheard of. Likewise Sunday dinner without a couple of bottles of wine. I was 27 and in my last year in the army before I had my first hangover. And beer is generally my drink of choice. Oh, and that army thing? Got to spend a few years in Germany (back when there were 2 Germany's) being schooled in traditional beer styles. So my tastes tend toward traditional European styles and recipes. I was in Germany when Anheuser Busch tried to sell American Bud there. What a mess! I'm really not into all this new age, try anything brews. (Really? cotton candy beer? Sour pickle beer? No! thank You!). When I drink a German style, I expect it to taste like that style in Germany. The same with English/Irish styles. American styles? You mean watery pilsners and (UGH!!) Light beer? I was an early supporter of Sam Adams & Boston Brewing. Then they changed management and decided sales was more important than flavor.
My position is that light beer is a crime against nature and a corporate conspiracy. And beer in a bottle is so much better than beer in a can. But on-tap (von fass) is best. And I prefer full flavored and seasonal brews. A good hefewiese with a slice of lemon in the summer. A good bock or double bock in the winter. Guinness and porters are good year round. And Ooh! A good Berliner Weise (mit schuss) is wonderful! And yes, I drink my brews at European temperatures.

 

Thanks ChicagoJ

Yeah, I have tried a lot of the local breweries around the eastern half of Texas. I knew about Live Oak when I lived in Austin back in the late 90's. Back then they were just two guys working out of a garage. But their German styles were spot on. I just recently had a chance to try their HefeWeizen, unfortunately in a can. Very close to the German if allowed to serve cool (Euro style) rather than cold (American style). The cold kills the taste. I really want to make a trip to Austin to try their beer garden and try their brews on tap.
There's another great place in Austin, The Draught Horse Pub, over on Medical. They brew some their own plus several others from all over. A truely great place to sip and socialize. And their house brews are usually very good.

 

Thanks PapaGoose.
But what's past is past. Most of my old reviews were for brews now long gone.
Does anyone remember Tree Frog Beer?
I'm not really chasing German experiences (well I am but . . .). It's just my taste in brews is very firmly in the traditional school. A recipe that brewed the same now as it was a century or more ago is time tested. I have no interest in the new beer of the week. And since my personal tastes does not usually include pilsners or IPA's, that kinda puts me on the outside of most of the American microbrewing direction.
But I keep trying and occasionally find a gem.
And I will check out thread.