Newcastle Connoisseurs

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by kylelenk, Sep 25, 2013.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
Page 1 of 2
  1. kylelenk

    kylelenk Initiate (0) Apr 17, 2012 Michigan

    So I'll surely receive a bit of criticism for this but I do greatly enjoy Newcastle from time to time. Along with Guinness, Newcastle was a staple in the "bridge to craft" as I moved from macro to micro.

    Has anyone else noticed how wildly different it tastes in the various packagings? I feel like the 12oz Black Cans have an incredibly dull, watered down taste to them while the 16oz cans have a very sweet, chewy, malty pallet. The microkegs of course suck and kick out about 75% of head anyways with the remaining 25% being a metallic, C02 mess. I enjoy the 12oz/22oz bottles but feel that all must have some common skunking to them.

    Anyways, I've come to liking the pint cans but didn't know if anyone else had experienced such deviations in profile.
     
    #1 kylelenk, Sep 25, 2013
  2. BedetheVenerable

    BedetheVenerable Initiate (0) Sep 5, 2008 Missouri

    I've had MASSIVE irregularity with Newcastle in the bottle, but I blame that on the clear glass and no date codes.
    For what it's worth though, it wasn't THAT much better fresh near the source in Gateshead.
     
    #2 BedetheVenerable, Sep 25, 2013
    Mongrel and StuartCarter like this.
  3. DarkDragon999

    DarkDragon999 Maven (1,331) Feb 13, 2013 Rhode Island

    Only had the 12oz cans and bottles and the cans tasted better to me.
     
    #3 DarkDragon999, Sep 25, 2013
  4. e34john

    e34john Devotee (399) Jul 22, 2013 California

    Yea, the Guinness and Murphy's are way better in cans. I don't even buy the bottles during St. Patricks, I just drink something else if I can't find it in cans or on draft.
     
    #4 e34john, Sep 25, 2013
  5. Neary

    Neary Initiate (0) Jan 31, 2013 Ohio

    Newcastle does have date codes. At least on the 12 packs, they do.
     
    #5 Neary, Sep 25, 2013
  6. jageraholic

    jageraholic Pooh-Bah (1,632) Sep 16, 2009 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I always found the 22oz to taste the best. Excellent glass to beer ratio or something.
     
    #6 jageraholic, Sep 25, 2013
  7. 5thOhio

    5thOhio Pooh-Bah (1,571) May 13, 2007 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    Isn't the thread title an example of an oxymoron?
     
    #7 5thOhio, Sep 25, 2013
    JMS1512, Hoppsbabo, beerme411 and 4 others like this.
  8. JamesShoemaker

    JamesShoemaker Initiate (0) Sep 21, 2012 Michigan

    Sounds like he was pretty connoisseurial about his Newcastle to me...
     
    #8 JamesShoemaker, Sep 25, 2013
    DMEsquire likes this.
  9. ThirstyFace

    ThirstyFace Initiate (0) Jan 11, 2013 New York

    No. Not really

    Okay, maybe yeah
     
    #9 ThirstyFace, Sep 25, 2013
    5thOhio likes this.
  10. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,145) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Well, looking on the bright side, at least he spelled "Newcastle" correctly, so the thread won't be full of UK'ers correcting BA's for using the ever-popular but erroneous "New Castle".:grinning:
     
    #10 jesskidden, Sep 25, 2013
    Zimbo, 5thOhio and Tut like this.
  11. TheNightwatchman

    TheNightwatchman Initiate (0) Mar 28, 2009 Pennsylvania



    Weird. My friend was given one by his dad, and we enjoyed it without any problems. Worked just fine for us.



    Other than that, I've only had it from the bottle or on tap. I enjoy on tap more of course, but I've never had a problem with the bottles.
     
    #11 TheNightwatchman, Sep 25, 2013
  12. nychas

    nychas Crusader (485) Mar 4, 2006 New York

    I remember being perplexed when, upon visiting Newcastle upon Tyne in 2000, and finding that Newcastle was not readily available on tap anywhere in that city. Enjoyed many of the large bottles at many a pub.
     
    #12 nychas, Sep 25, 2013
  13. MooseBoose

    MooseBoose Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2007 Wisconsin

    I've found Wide variety in the bottles, but none between can sizes and I liked it alot out of the mini keg. Newcastle is definitely one of my guilty pleasures.
     
    #13 MooseBoose, Sep 25, 2013
    CooperEllis likes this.
  14. RichardMNixon

    RichardMNixon Maven (1,431) Jun 24, 2012 Pennsylvania

    Is Newcastle generally not kegged? There's a sandwich shop in town that has it on tap, but it is their only beer - perhaps they just have the minikeg? Would it be feasible to attach a taphandle to the minikeg?
    It definitely just tasted like metal last time I had it.
     
    #14 RichardMNixon, Sep 25, 2013
  15. Hdredfern

    Hdredfern Initiate (0) Feb 16, 2012 Texas

    Give me a year old Newcastle any day over a fresh Speckled Hen
     
    #15 Hdredfern, Sep 25, 2013
    utopiajane likes this.
  16. Tut

    Tut Pundit (872) Sep 23, 2004 New York

    Drinking Newcastle bottles in a British pub instead of cask ale is an incredible waste of opportunity.
     
    #16 Tut, Sep 25, 2013
    jRocco2021, StuartCarter, Hoppsbabo and 1 other person like this.
  17. Flibber

    Flibber Initiate (0) Jul 27, 2013 England

    No, but we will correct you for calling it "Newcastle". It's "Newcastle Brown". :grinning:

    Also, this is definitely normally a bottled beer in the UK.

    Oh, and I believe it's now brewed in Tadcaster, not Gateshead.
     
    #17 Flibber, Sep 25, 2013
    jmw likes this.
  18. kylelenk

    kylelenk Initiate (0) Apr 17, 2012 Michigan

    I have no problem admitting that I need to have a Newcastle every now and then especially with the fact that I live in Grand Rapids and get to enjoy a five minute walk to Founders anytime I want. It's just so hard getting to drink cases of KBS, Backwoods, FBS, FIS, and all the additional and delicious one-offs that the taproom puts out. Of course, when I get bored of Founders there is always Vivant (another five minute walk), Perrin, GRBC, etc. But when those really bore me, I guess I'll fork the gas money over and drive to Short's, Bell's, Arcadia, Kuhnhenn, and Dark Horse. But for those days where I feel like I've drank my way through the region, I'm not ashamed to sit down and drink a Newcastle.

    Sure, the OP was a bit playful. In all seriousness, I was looking for honest responses from other NC drinkers on the seemingly huge flavor variations in the different SKUs.
     
    #18 kylelenk, Sep 26, 2013
    JamesShoemaker and Duff27 like this.
  19. 5thOhio

    5thOhio Pooh-Bah (1,571) May 13, 2007 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    Don't rub it in, wise guy. :wink:
     
    #19 5thOhio, Sep 26, 2013
  20. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,811) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    No one should give you criticism for enjoying a damn beer. That's what we're all doing, right?

    Also, though I don't like their flagship beer (at all), I love their commercials. Makes me want to try their beer again just to reward their creative advertising.
     
    #20 Roguer, Sep 26, 2013
    Domingo likes this.
Page 1 of 2
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.