Craftbeer anyone ?

Anybody out there for a talk on crafbeer/recommendations (not too much a friend of the name, let’s say ‘interesting beers’) ?

Within the last years I drank myself (at responsible levels ;-)) through lots of Pale Ale, IPA’s, Stouts, NEIPA’s, Trapist beers and whatever you call them. It was kind of a shame to me beeing a German that for a long time here not too much people cared about extending their horizons regarding beer and sticked mostly to the standard Pilsner, Export (Lager) or Weizen stuff, which can be nice but is mostly boring to me these days. I prefer to drink less and more interesting ones. I guess most Germans still look for the best bang for the buck (you can still buy beer here for 30 Cents/0,5 Liter bottle at the store), but the availability of craft beer became a lot better in the last years.

Recently I would like mostly those not filtered hazy NEIPA’s or fancy Stouts (e.g. Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout, or Saugatuck Blueberry Maple Stout).

Any recommendations by you folks ?

Any recommendations by you folks ?

I’m not a beer drinker. Haven’t been for over a decade.

Back before I understood that alcohol and my digestion really don’t get on ¹…

• Stay the hell away from Budweiser. Don’t know what it’s made of, but it tastes unlike anything else, and not in a good way.

• Guinness is probably a bit of an acquired taste. Think of how (generic) beer tastes. Now think of beer concentrate like you might have if you were to make a Soda Stream beer ², that’s sort of what Guinness tastes like.

• I quite liked Amstel. I see from the supermarket that they have a range of different types these days.

¹ The reaction is not unlike food poisoning. It got to the point where it was regular and unbelievably painful so mom suggested I try cutting certain things out of my diet. Being generally a lot smarter than me, her first suggestion was zero alcohol. All of the problems were gone within a month. I still get upset digestion from time to time, but usually that has a defined cause. Three years ago I cut out the kebab shop in town. Last year I cut out Domino’s Pizza (it’s cheaper to make my own, anyway). And so on. ⁴

² Hmm, Soda Stream beer. Am I the only person thinking that’s not actually a bad idea for hot summer days? ³

³ And if you want to get totally smashed, just drink the concentrate!

⁴ Interestingly, McDonald’s hasn’t ever made me ill. But, one could argue, that it needs to be food in order to do that. ;-)

I went beer brewing on a team building day last year. The theory of brewing through the ages was very interesting, and there was plenty of opportunity to try out the many different beers on offer, in the breaks between mixing and stirring our own attempt at a pale ale brew. Three weeks later we each got a 5L mini barrel and a couple of bottles of McLaren Ale, and despite our very amateur efforts, amazingly it turned out be very drinkable!

Three weeks later we each got a 5L mini barrel and a couple of bottles of McLaren Ale,

Ah, I think I have the answer to a question I never asked.

and despite our very amateur efforts, amazingly it turned out be very drinkable!

As long as the brew is not intentionally high ABV, the brew vessels are clean and the ferment temperature is optimal then most malt and ho combinations tend to work out quite decently. The brewer guiding you probably encouraged the use of a particular balance.

Stay the hell away from Budweiser. Don’t know what it’s made of, but it tastes unlike anything else, and not in a good way.

I’m assuming you mean that spectacularly bad “brewed-under-licnce-american-copy-of-Budvar” and I’d suggest that pouring it down the lavatory could get you fined for dumping industrial effluent.

Many big brewers use chemical stabilisers, that are part of the upset stomach and bad head problem.

Guinness is probably a bit of an acquired taste. Think of how (generic) beer tastes. Now think of beer concentrate like you might have if you were to make a Soda Stream beer 2, that’s sort of what Guinness tastes like.

Pasteurised beer pressurised and dispensed with a CO2 and Nitrogen mix – makes the feel on the tongue less “sharp”. The black malt content is giving the slight bitter edge you probably don’t like. You would probably like the softer flavour of a UK midland style stout or mild. In the lighter beer stakes I’d suggest you try a wheat beer.

I quite liked Amstel. I see from the supermarket that they have a range of different types these days.

If you’re vaguely interested in trying beers then finding a specialist shop and getting hold of small brewery Belgian products is worthwhile. There are also a few small French breweries that make beers that can be classified as Real Ale (no CO2 pressurisation and attendant acidification)

Soda Stream beer. Am I the only person thinking that’s not actually a bad idea for hot summer days?

A nice long bitter shandy is good. But don’t spoil a nice beer with lemonade!

A nice long bitter shandy is good. But don’t spoil a nice beer with lemonade!

Hmmm, Beer plus (water and lemon flavouring)

I’d be more inclined to talk to a brewer about producing a beer at about 3.0-3.3 ABV using one of the Cascade hop varietals.
The widest known such Cascade variant is “Citra” but that may be too strong a lemon flavour. Some other variants are more subtle and some will give you a grapefruit or similar.

A nice long bitter shandy is good. But don’t spoil a nice beer with lemonade!

Strictly a bitter shandy won’t contain any lemonade. I think you mean a lemonade shandy one third lemonade and two thirds bitter (as opposed, for example, to a ginger beer shandy, which is one third ginger beer and two thirds bitter). Note the proportions are such so that a half pint of shandy can legally be mixed by the landlord as the smallest measure of beer than can be served is a third of a pint.

A lager shandy is only used for washing your hair.

I had to google ‘shandy’…so I see it’s similar to a ‘Radler’ here…quite nice in the summer :-)

@Rick: Have you ever tried one of those really bitter non filtered IPA’s ? As those contain lots of bitter substances from the huge amount of hop they are kind of much more friendly to my stomach than any other beers.

I should point out, it’s not beer that I can’t drink.

It’s beer, wine, spirits, Mon Cherie chocolates… :-(

That last one…really hurts. I mean, chocolate, cherry, and a dash of brandy. It’s like manna from heaven.

Only, it too is on the no fly list. :-(