Monk’s Café Flemish Sour Ale.
Anyone else?
Yeah, I’d agree. I like their take on the style. I’ve also been a fan of their honey porter, but I don’t know if that’s still around. It’s not as “portery” as other porters, but I still enjoy it. The main one to avoid is the cranberry lambic, if that’s still being bottled.
I’m with you! I love Sour Ales. Though my fav is probably Duchesse De Bourgogne:
I came in to say this! It is great! Beck’s has one too, but I didn’t get a chance to try it.
I thought I loathed sours because the first one I ever tried was the Duchesse; tastes like piss from a yak that was fed a diet of straight vinegar. Absolutely vile stuff. However, I was on vacation in San Francisco, had a Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge ($16 for a pint. That’s what I’d consider expensive) and had to change my mind a bit. I’m still wary, but if one is recommended to me I’ll give it a go.
"I don’t understand any sort of dishwater comparison, to be honest. "
tastes of soap.
“I don’t understand any sort of dishwater comparison” it tastes of soap to me.
shrug Different strokes. " Pretty much why I said “in my opinion” instead of just declaring the beer to be great as so many have.
“remains my favorite lager” Who gives a shit? Just a different way of saying “shrug”.
Tell that Canadians, who will go great lengths trying to convince you that Moosehead and Labatt’s are
Yeah, most are hard to find outside those areas. Budvar (aka the original Budweiser) is semi-easy. It might be sold as “Czechvar.” I’ve maybe seen Zywiec somewhere.
I will go out on a limb here and say that the winter Sam Adams Chocolate Bock is great. It is chocolately, but not cloying. And I suggest trying any flavored beer before damning it. The original Chocolate stouts and porters are so named because they are “redolent of chocolate,” but actually contain no chocolate. Same with oyster stout, thank God. Newer ones actually put some chocolate/etc. in. The Sam Adams winter coffee beer (forget name) is not that great. On the other had, I just had a cappuccino stout, I think by Lagunitas. It was good, not coffee-y at all.
Another reason why Texas is fucked up: several Sam Adams brews have an asterisk that says “Ale in TX.” FYI: a bock is a type of lager. Ales are made using completely different methods. But in Texas, everything over a certain alcohol content is a ale, even if made using lager yeasts!
Love it! Was at a tasting at House of 1000 Beers that concentrated on sours. We had lambics, guezes, etc. What a night!
:smack: Yeah, it’s Czechvar, too, in these parts.
Yeah, there is a type of malt called “chocolate malt” for its color and somewhat its flavor. Sam Adams Chocolate bock does use actual cocoa nibs. I’m not particularly a fan of it myself, but it’s worth trying at least once.
Oyster stout does have actual oysters in it, usually.
And, of course, there is Rocky Mountain Oyster stout, too, made with bull testicles.
Well, many do not, like Marston’s. For some, it was a drink that they felt was appropriate when paired with oysters. I guess the poison store was out of stock.
Maybe, but, in my experience, most do have oysters or some oyster component to them. Marston’s is the major exception. You make it sound like brewing “oyster stout” with oysters is some sort of weird thing when, in fact, it’s what “oyster stout” commonly is. Google “oyster stout” or read here for more info.
One way to try some of the other beers mentioned would be to pick up an international variety pack. Around here they sell some at World Market and stores like that.
Sadly (at least for certain values of sad), Beck’s isn’t even German anymore, at least in the US. AB InBev makes it here now and has apparently fucked the recipe up.
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-10-25/the-plot-to-destroy-americas-beer
You’re not the only person who thinks that, BTW. It really is divine stuff in Prague or the surrounding area, but gets steadily worse the farther away you get. On our honeymoon, I had PU in Prague, Vienna, Budapest and London, and then once I got back, and it was more sharp and bitter the farther away I got.
And a fairly atrocious Oktoberfest as well. Way, way too much roasted malt flavor, and not enough malt.
The Oktoberfest is worth a try. I like it a lot. It’s not an Ayinger or Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest, but it’s still pretty lovely, in my opinion. One of my favorite beers of their line-up.
I’d also like to add that a few seasons ago there was a Bonfire Rauchbier in the seasonal pack - haven’t seen it recently but I loved it. It had a smoky, almost chipotle - like after taste.