since we took over a gameday thread discussing it... let us therefore give it a home:

 

 

 

talk about BEER here.

 

questions about BEER here.

 

let's do this...

I actually like the raspberry beer they have here - Wraspberry Ale from Wild Rose. 

Speaking of fruity beers, the other day a friend of mine put a couple drops of grapefruit bitters in a Ranier and I was surprised at how good it was.  Gonna be the taste of summer for me I think.

 

(Ranier is a cheap watery regional lager that we have out here, it's the beer that mustache guy in the Twilight movie drinks.  Think of Old Milwaukee or PBR, you're in the neighborhood.)

Where do you get grapefruit bitters? I like making the occasional cocktail and would like to try new bitters

If you are in the USA, and can find it, and you like Belgian beer, I recommend Trippel ale brewed with coriander. outstanding flavour. In the higher range of alcohol content.

Had a beer at the Grove the other day, I believe it was called Broken Squirrel. Very enjoyable.

Just to break up your serious talk for a second, I thought you guys might like this:

 

great cartoon, thanks. 

Anybody go to the Flatlanders Beer Festival this weekend? It was interesting. They were a little heavy on dark beer, which I'm not a fan of.

 

Amsterdam Natural Blonde Lager was the best beer I found there.

Wish I coulda been home for the Wpg Beer Fest. We go to the Calgary one every year and it's amazing. So awesome to test out all the different craft beers/micro brews that are out there. 

I actually like the raspberry beer they have here - Wraspberry Ale from Wild Rose. 

wild rose is good stuff, never cared for the fruity beers but their SOB and Wred Wheat are great, shame they stopped bottling those ones and they're only available from the tap room. 

Speaking of fruity beers, the other day a friend of mine put a couple drops of grapefruit bitters in a Ranier and I was surprised at how good it was.  Gonna be the taste of summer for me I think.

 

(Ranier is a cheap watery regional lager that we have out here, it's the beer that mustache guy in the Twilight movie drinks.  Think of Old Milwaukee or PBR, you're in the neighborhood.)

Many old US name brands are still around but gawd only knows if they taste they way they used to.

 

US is basically down to 2-3 mass market mega breweries that bought up all the small -mid size breweries in the 80s and use the old names in the hopes nostalgia of drinking dad's/grandad's beer distracts from the swill they actually make.

 

Like other manufacturing sectors what has happened to US beer in one generation (and some extent Canada)is astonishing.

 

US is basically down to 2-3 mass market mega breweries that bought up all the small -mid size breweries in the 80s and use the old names in the hopes nostalgia of drinking dad's/grandad's beer distracts from the swill they actually make.

 

Like other manufacturing sectors what has happened to US beer in one generation (and some extent Canada)is astonishing.

 

It's not even US beers, there's like 2 companies that own pretty much every major brand globally. It's really sad. It's a big reason why I tend to buy beers mainly from small independent craft breweries. They care more about the flavour of their beer than the taste. The big labels have started trying to trick people too by trying to give the appearance of being a craft beer but still putting their fizzy watery tasting beer in the bottle. 

Grow hops and barley and make your own. I don't, but friends do and it's fantastic.

 

 

US is basically down to 2-3 mass market mega breweries that bought up all the small -mid size breweries in the 80s and use the old names in the hopes nostalgia of drinking dad's/grandad's beer distracts from the swill they actually make.

 

Like other manufacturing sectors what has happened to US beer in one generation (and some extent Canada)is astonishing.

 

It's not even US beers, there's like 2 companies that own pretty much every major brand globally. It's really sad. It's a big reason why I tend to buy beers mainly from small independent craft breweries. They care more about the flavour of their beer than the taste. The big labels have started trying to trick people too by trying to give the appearance of being a craft beer but still putting their fizzy watery tasting beer in the bottle. 

 

Definitely. Craft beer has the big boys scared. Their reply it seems is to simply ramp up the hops (and do nothing else).

 

In the States, the conglomorates are trying to find the next Pabst Blue Ribbon - an old name that was revived then hipster doofuses glommed onto it about 10 years ago turning it from discount garbage to "cool" and popular and ,of course, up went the price.

 

Anybody go to the Flatlanders Beer Festival this weekend? It was interesting. They were a little heavy on dark beer, which I'm not a fan of.

 

Amsterdam Natural Blonde Lager was the best beer I found there.

 

Good if you like a nice pale beer.  Lots of choices to choose from in that category, which is why it's puzzling that there weren't more choices there.  

Farmery is also a nice light pale lager.  I tried it for the first time this winter, and have had it a few times since then.  Brewed just out of Neepawa.

 

Anybody go to the Flatlanders Beer Festival this weekend? It was interesting. They were a little heavy on dark beer, which I'm not a fan of.

 

Amsterdam Natural Blonde Lager was the best beer I found there.

 

Good if you like a nice pale beer.  Lots of choices to choose from in that category, which is why it's puzzling that there weren't more choices there.  

 

it's because stouts and super hoppy IPAs are all the rage amongst beer snobs. It's kind of sickening. I don't mind a good stout now and then but I don't care for overly hopped beers. Give me something amber or a red and I'm totally happy bit of hops but not too much. Hell I enjoy a nice blonde lager too time to time as long as it's got a good flavour to it, but hops are a crutch these days it seems. 

Has anyone tired tennants? I had some in Scotland recently and it was the ****

Not sure about hop city but yes to the others. Good stuff!

 

Hop City makes a beer that 2 of my Bros are very enthusiastic about called Barking Squirrel Lager

Barking Squirrel is great. Jut don't let it get too cold in a can.

How hard is it to find dark beer in Canada (porter, stout, etc.)? I was in California a few weeks ago and the darkest beer I could find was an amber ale.

Farmery is also a nice light pale lager.  I tried it for the first time this winter, and have had it a few times since then.  Brewed just out of Neepawa.

Yeah, I really like Farmery as well. It was at the Festival, but I've had it several times before so I didn't consider it a "discovery" for me.

Has anyone tired tennants? I had some in Scotland recently and it was the ****

Fairly run of the mill lager , no ?

Tried out St. James Pale Ale in Winnipeg a couple summers ago, and have had some other Half Pints since.

 

Just tried out Farmery today, and enjoyed that.

 

Next up is Okanagan Springs Pale Ale as mentioned earlier in the thread.

 

Also enjoy Heineken, Stella, Keiths among others.

Also just now remember trying Granville Island in Vancouver a couple years back. Had a couple cans sitting in the mini fridge so I figured why not. Good stuff.

Stella or Carling

 

Fort Garry or Waterloo Dark for ales

Also just now remember trying Granville Island in Vancouver a couple years back. Had a couple cans sitting in the mini fridge so I figured why not. Good stuff.

But what kind from Granville Island? I quite like their English Bay Pale Ale, I know people who enjoy their maple cream ale as well.