Long Trail Harvest Ale

[Marc]

Oh, and how could I forget...

:beer:

 

[skibum1321]

I've brewed beer for more than 3 years. Double Bag is the finest beer in America. If you've never tried/brewed home made beer, you won't appreciate how fine Long Trail Ales are.

That's a pretty bold statement to say that it's the finest beer in America. There are plenty of other beers that are as good or better. It really depends on the criteria used to judge it.
Saying that you can't appreciate Long Trail unless you've brewed your own beer is just ridiculous. It's like saying you can't appreciate Sugarbush unless you've worked at a ski mountain. I can fully appreciate a good beer even though I've never brewed it myself.

 

[MichaelJ]

Just to keep the debate going, and cause a little salivation, look at what Sam Adams, who I've long since given up on, has worked up. :beer:

 

[Greg]

I've brewed beer for more than 3 years. Double Bag is the finest beer in America. If you've never tried/brewed home made beer, you won't appreciate how fine Long Trail Ales are.

Beats the competition, hands down. Let's have a beer tasting weekend to vote for the top brew!

I was thinking about you, Magic when the Double Bag comments came up. I think it was you that gave me my first one... :beer:

 

[ctenidae]

"Best BEer" is such a subjective idea (Obviously). What time of day? After what activity? With what food? How many are we having? These are all very important questions.

Still and all, if I had to settle for only one beer for the rest of my life, make mine a Guinness!

 

[Greg]

Still and all, if I had to settle for only one beer for the rest of my life, make mine a Guinness!

I never understood the affection for Guiness. My bro-in-law is a huge Guiness fan and would drink that over most anything else. I enjoy one every know and again, but I wouldn't forgo other great beers for one. Another beer I've really been into lately is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

 

[Marc]

Just to keep the debate going, and cause a little salivation, look at what Sam Adams, who I've long since given up on, has worked up. :beer:

That's pretty cool, I wonder what the availability will be like.

I have heard Sam referred to as the "Macro-micro" brew. I have a love hate relationship with them. As they've gotten bigger, their batches have become more inconsistant. They have ditched some of their best brews, or made them available only in obscure sampler packs, Scotch Ale comes to mind. And Lightship. But I'm grateful for it when I go out to restaraunts, often it is the best thing on tap.

I still drink a lot of Cream Stout, but I usually buy other microbrews when given the opportunity. Or try something new.

Jim Koch, I've read, is more of a business man than a brew master... kind of like Bill Gates and software engineering... just not quite as evil.

I'd be surprised to learn that this new one was actually his concoction. Sounds like more for publicity than anything, but I won't knock him for that.

He is trying to advance a good quality product that isn't bud/miller/coors piss in a can.

 

[kickstand]

As they've gotten bigger, their batches have become more inconsistant. They have ditched some of their best brews, or made them available only in obscure sampler packs, Scotch Ale comes to mind. And Lightship.

they ditched the Lightship and came up with Sam Adams Light as a replacement. IMHO, a much better beer.

 

[Marc]

Eh, I still have complaints about inconsitencies with Sam Light.


It's not a bad session brew or if you need something generic with food but not something I'd go after and get.

That reminds me, it has been a while since I've been to Brew City... I need to do that.

 

[ctenidae]

I wouldn't choose a Guinness over anythign else, but if I had to pick just one, that'd be it- Guinness seems to fit the bill in a wider range of scenarios than most others. I do enjoy the Sierera Nevada brews in general, I have been known to hose more than a few Belhaven Scottish Ales, most anything by Dixxie Brewing, if fresh, is delightful (Dixie Lager for hot, sunny days, Blackened Voodoo for eating with, Crimson Voodoo for everything in between). Most quality pilsners (Stella or Urquel work well) and most Polish beers (Ziwiac or EB, or Hevelius or Copernicus (yum)) are good for their times, too. Then again, sometimes a tasty Trappist fits the bill. Others, a nice brown ale (Sam Smith's rather than Newcastle, thank you) does it. Occasionally you needa taste of teh Orient, maybe Asahi or Kiren or Tsing Tao. I get a little whacky sometimes, and need a steak-in-a-bottle, and go for Xingu from Brazil.

So, all in all, it depends on what I'm in the mood for. But if forced to choose just one, and one only for the remainder of my days, Guinness it is.

 

[Marc]

Mmmm.... Trappist... had the yellow cap... was very strong, but very, very good.


If you want a good New England brown ale, I'd recommend Wachusett Brewery Nut Brown Ale. Easier to find, I've found, than Samuel Smith. I agree with your sentiment about Newcastle as well though.

 

[ctenidae]

I've had the Wachusett and, while a quality brew, I find it's slightly overcarbonated and overhopped for the style. I do like the Wachusett offerings as beers, but as examples of the styles, not so much.

Newcastle- They don't call it the "Brown Dog" for nothing.

 

[Marc]

Yeah, carbonation can vary a fair amount keg to keg and even bottle to bottle.


I'd agree with your assessment of more hops than other brown ales, but that's probably a reason why I like it.

A bit more bite.

 

[ctenidae]

That's why they make so many kinds of beer, huh?

So much beer, so little liver...

 

[Marc]

That's why they make so many kinds of beer, huh?

So much beer, so little liver...

Heh, my thoughts exactly.

Looking forward to all the winter brews coming out. Nothing like a hearty 6-7% brew and a heavy dinner after a day on the slopes.

:beer:

 

[skibum1321]

Yeah, I can't wait until the winter brews are out...
Magic Hat Heart of Darkness and Ravell, and Shed Mtn Ale are some of my favorites. The Mtn Ale is year round but it feels more like a winter brew. Dark beers are my favorite and that's what winter beers are all about.

 

[Brettski]

I love all of Long Trails stuff....BUT

Anchor Steams Liberty Ale, Porter, Old Foghorn, Christmas Ale, and the original Steam beer are my fav's. If it's ever on tap, it's a must have

PS The Tram Ale is just the Hit the trail Ale repackaged...smuggs has one as well...I forget the name...what about Kmart....

 

[bill9009]

gimme a little captain and coke!!

 

[ctenidae]

Feh, why would you want to ruin a perfectly good soda with that sickly sweet syrup? To each his/her own and all that, but I've just never been able to stomach any rum and coke. Now, you give me some Gosling's and a good ginger beer, and I'll be your friend. The next morning, though, is a different matter entirely.

Remember, boys and girls, most mixed drinks were invented during Prohibition when bootleg liquor was so godawful you had to mix it. Except for gin and tonics, but that was to keep malaria away.

 

[MtnMagic]

I've a friend that home brews ale. Soon I'll be trying several kinds. Even an oatmeal one that I can't imagine what it tastes like. I hope its a lot better than drinking a bowl of oatmeal.

The local Franconia Brewery in Littleton has 3 beers, none of which I like enough to buy. Somehow their batches are never consistant. White Mtns Distributers stopped carring them because of it

Double bag is a local favorite to those who enjoy the home brewed taste of ale. It is so smooth for an ale with a alcohol content of 7.2%. What is nice about home brew is more sugar can be added to give the batch more "kick". Of course, I only drink it for the taste.