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Random Beers

roark

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BeanoNYC said:
...what do you guys know about getting some mead?
Where to buy? No idea. In my experience most commercial mead is of the cloying sweet variety.

Did make a couple batches. Relatively easy but it can be a rather expensive mistake (I know from experience ~18 lbs of honey ain't cheap :blink: )
 

ctenidae

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BeanoNYC said:
...what do you guys know about getting some mead?

It's fairly expensive, generally. Polish mead is pretty good- very heavy flavors, kind of like drinking brandy, with a similar amount of alcohol. English mead I find to be more like cheap cider, very thin, very sweet, and too bubbly. Your best bet is to go to a bar that advertises a brazillion beers and see if they have a sample flight available. Try a bunch out. I'm sure there are liquor stores around that sell it, but at the price it is, you don't want to be buying blind.
 

BeanoNYC

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ctenidae said:
It's fairly expensive, generally. Polish mead is pretty good- very heavy flavors, kind of like drinking brandy, with a similar amount of alcohol. English mead I find to be more like cheap cider, very thin, very sweet, and too bubbly. Your best bet is to go to a bar that advertises a brazillion beers and see if they have a sample flight available. Try a bunch out. I'm sure there are liquor stores around that sell it, but at the price it is, you don't want to be buying blind.

Thanks...I've always wanted to try it. I imagine tastes like Bærenjager. (sp?)
 

ctenidae

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BeanoNYC said:
Thanks...I've always wanted to try it. I imagine tastes like Bærenjager. (sp?)

THe basic flavor is similar, but mead shows a huge range of flavors, depending on the type.
 

ctenidae

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Trying to find a decent Russian beer, I got two new ones, both from Baltika, a #7 and a #9 Extra Lager. I'm drinking te #9 right now.

Not terrible, but not really good, either. 8% ABV, so it's got that going for it. Pale, Pale color, overly stout head, much like the other Russain beer I had. Decent carbonation, though. Taste is thin, with no afer taste, no real hop hit, and no real malt flavor. Sort of like a Bud, without any flavor. Maybe a Coor;s Light with no carbonation? Not sure.Two big clues to the reason for it not being much good are right on the label- in the list of ingredients is "maltose syrup", meaning they're using corn sugars, which is never a good thing, and a comment on using "advanced technology." Advanced technology on a 5,000 year old product? Why?

Overall, not doing anything to make me think the Russains can make beer, but I can't say this one sucks.
 

noski

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I consider seeing the Otter Creek variety pack in Binghamton a random beer. Been stocking up on it cause I know such a great thing will have to come to an end sooner then I realize.
I had an Otter Creek Scottish Style Ale. It was the only time I ever poured beer down the drain. I went back to LT Blackbeary Wheat....
 

Marc

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I had an Otter Creek Scottish Style Ale. It was the only time I ever poured beer down the drain. I went back to LT Blackbeary Wheat....

Really? I haven't had a Scotch Ale I didn't like. Of course, as of yet, that has only been Sam Adams Scotch Ale... but it was fantastic. Hard to get now, I think only in the Christmas sampler pack.
 

ctenidae

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I do enjoy the Scottish Ales. Belhaven's probably my favorite all around, but Sam Adams makes a good one, and McEwan's is good if it's not old (often is). Similar to the Scottish are the ESBs. Red Hook's is actualyl quite tasty.

What was wrong with Otter Creeks? Of course, if Blackberry Wheat is more your taste, I can see how a Scottish wouldn't do it for you.
 

noski

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What was wrong with Otter Creeks? Of course, if Blackberry Wheat is more your taste, I can see how a Scottish wouldn't do it for you.

If you ever come to the MRV, I can easily arrange 3 bottles to magically appear for you to take. That's how many I have left- but I will throw them away by snowfall if I haven't found a home for them. And you hit it on the head, BBW IS more my taste, but someone brought me the OC to try. blech.
 
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ctenidae

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Beerlog, stardate 82806...

Consumeda Samuel Smith's Organic Ale last night. Beautiful color, noce head. Light hops in teh nose. Flavor was dissapointingly mild, little malt or hops in evidence. Mouthfeel was good, not to carbonated and not too heavy. Considering the quality of other Sam Smith offerings, this beer was a huge letdown.

Worst part is that after consuming only one (albeit a 20 oz bottle), this morning I feel like I drank 8 or 10. And I drank the one around 8 o'clock. I will not be returning to the Sam Smith Organic galaxy any time soon. Something in it seriously didn't agree with me.
 

Marc

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Have we discussed Wachusett IPA yet? I gotta say, I'm a fan. I've got that and Sam Boston Ale in the fridge right now.

And one or two Sam Brown Ales, which is not good at all, IMO.

But this IPA is not over hopped, very clean, and has a nice dry finish. Good IPA qualities. Leaves a very nice lace as well.
 

ctenidae

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But this IPA is not over hopped, very clean, and has a nice dry finish. Good IPA qualities. Leaves a very nice lace as well.


See, I consider the Wachussett IPA to be a good pale ale, but not a good India Pale Ale precisely because of the lack of hops. IPA should be heavily hopped and higher in alcohol, bumping the 6% range. After all, that was the design intent- it was brewed for shipment to British troops in India, and the hops helped preserve it while the alcohol content required fewer shipments. Historical accuracy- it's not just for school any more.
 

roark

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See, I consider the Wachussett IPA to be a good pale ale, but not a good India Pale Ale precisely because of the lack of hops. IPA should be heavily hopped and higher in alcohol, bumping the 6% range. After all, that was the design intent- it was brewed for shipment to British troops in India, and the hops helped preserve it while the alcohol content required fewer shipments. Historical accuracy- it's not just for school any more.
I feel the same way about Bass, but maybe that's just because I'm a hophead.
 

kickstand

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Have we discussed Wachusett IPA yet? I gotta say, I'm a fan. I've got that and Sam Boston Ale in the fridge right now.

my uncle pretty much only drinks just this and Harpoon IPA. I don't see it in the liquor stores very often, so I only drink it when I'm over his house. It's good stuff.
 

Marc

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Alright, it's a good point. I don't have enough experience drinking IPA's and pale ale's to know more or less where the boundary lies. At least not just by taste. I'm not a huge hophead though, and I'm still more or less on my dark beer kick. I'll probably be picking up a six of SA Cream Stout this weekend unless I can find a different one I have tried yet.

I'd also like to give some friendly advice- when drinking different brews in one sitting, start with the more mild and work towards the more hopped, stronger brews. I drank an SA Boston Ale after the Wa IPA last night and tasted like water by comparison. The Boston Ale was wasted. I'm drinking the last one of those right now and it tastes as good as it ever did.
 

roark

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Fortunately, Bass is a pale ale.
I agree, and presume BA does as well. But the darn label says "Pale Ale" across the top and in small print (below "Bass", I.P.A.
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