Originally posted by Silensus:
I don’t need to visit the website. I am fortunate enough to live about 5 minutes away from the New Belgium Brewery (woo hoo!).
So should anyone not want to take New Belgium’s word for it, I would be happy to spend an afternoon in their hospitality room and report back. Purely as a public service of course 
Holy shit - you live in Fort Fun? I’m deeply jealous.
I’m always pestering the local liquor stores here in Lexington to try to get the New Belgium stuff here, but apparently it’s not shipped this far east.
Damn I miss Colorado.
Amen. But, you forgot Maudite, which is my favorite one of the Unibroue’s I’ve tried.
As peviously noted by beergeek279 Florida is a beer wasteland. In my local liquor stores I’ve only been able to find a few of the brews suggested by this fine discerning group of beer connoisseurs. Here’s a list of the few of the ones mentioned been able to locate here:
Hefeweizen Wheat Beer
Red Stripe
Bass
Guiness
Pilsner Urquell
Modelo Negro
Heineken
Here’s a few others I’ve found. Are these any good?
Grolsch
Becks
Lowenbrau
Samuel Adams Summer Ale
Yuengling bought the old Stroh’s brewery in Tampa, so they’re widely available around here.
My beer buddy says that Fosters is Australias version of Budweiser. Any comments?
My beer buddy says that Fosters is Australias version of Budweiser. Any comments?
That’s a pretty good summation if comparing quality, but Foster’s is hardly sighted/drunk at all over here (in Western Australia at least).
While everyone obviously has different tastes, I find it hard to understand the need to add “garnishing” to certain beers, especially the boutique ones as it’s the individual quirks of these beers that make them so appealing. I can understand it for your more generic lagers, but I strongly recommend leaving the boutique ones ungarnished for at least the first few taste testings.
Sorry, I should’ve specified what I meant by garnishing.
Garnishing = Slices of lemon, lime etc…
benlormat, I’d honestly give the hefeweizen a try. Wheat beers have a very nice character to them that’s completely different than barley beers, and despite my Big Beer Bias, I’ve always enjoyed them a lot. Honestly, my 2nd favorite in the list is Pilsner Urquell, a true pilsner with a nice bitterness in the flavor. 3rd is Negro Modelo, a nice dark lager with a good roasted flavor in it.
The others…well, I’ve just never personally been a fan of (especially Heineken), but I’d say the Guinness and Bass are worth a try. I’m not a fan of any of the 2nd group, either, but I do like Yuengling quite a bit (a very nice standby in Pennsylvania, where it has a 15% market share).
Fosters really isn’t an Australian version of anything, considering that the Fosters that we get in the US (and the Guinness and Bass, amongst others) are brewed for the US market in Canada.
Ohh, I found a place in the “wasteland” that seems promising for finding some out of the way beers…Grand Cru Wine Cellars in Tampa - http://www.grandcruwinecellar.com/
You couldn’t possibly hook me up with some La Folie, could you?
I found on-line a “Beverage Castle” in Tampa that proclaims that they have over 200 types of beer, domestic and imported in stock. Can be purchased by the bottle or the 6 pack. They have many of the beers listed above . I will be paying them a visit this week end!
BENLORMAT, just to clarify, and probably you already know this, but “Hefeweisen Wheat Beer” is not a brand name like all the others on that list. “Hefeweisen” is a type of beer – specifcially, a type of unfiltered wheat beer. Many brewerys/brands make hefeweisen, and more all the time. As I said, my favorite is Widmer (out of Portland, OR), because it’s got a nice lemony bite. I wish I could recommend a good brand of hefe for you, but I don’t have the slightest idea what’s available in Florida. Look for a brewer you think is generally good at other beers, or ask the shop owner to make a recommendation.
Start with theHeineken. Then switch to Pilsner Urquell. Thwn stop. You aren’t going to find a better pilsner anywhere.
When it cools off a bit, try the Guinness (proof that God loves us, and wants us to be happy!). Be sure to get Draught Guinness, either in the can or bottled.
Not much. Even worse here in a University town, with such a large student population. Luckily, one of the liquor stores near campus has a surprising selection of craft beer, and there’s a wine and cheese place near my house that has a decent shelf.
But yeah, by all accounts Florida is a dry, hopless wasteland.
As for Hefe-weizens, I can usually find Tucher on tap, which is pretty decent.
I always end up back with Newcastle Brown, my favorite for 30 years and counting. When I’m feeling a little more flush, and want a bit more body, I like Theakston’s Old Peculier.
Lowenbrau is a great lager, now that you can get the real thing instead of the pisswater Miller passed off under that name. I unfortunately have not yet seen Lowenbrau Dark, which is better than the light. I’m also partial to Spaten Oktoberfest. Pilsner Urquell is also superb, but tastes just a tad too sour for me.
For US beers, I like Fat Tire a lot, and any of the Samuel Adams beers. Anchor Steam tastes weird to me, but Anchor Porter is a good brew. For a domestic Belgian-style beer, try Celis.
Grolsch and Beck’s are uninteresting beers. Not bad, but with so many good American beers, why waste your money?
Gator Beverage! Man, I miss that place. That’s where I first got introduced to Blue Moon and a lot of other foreign, microbrewed, and less-popular beers. They also push the Belgian ales in the large bottles pretty hard, and it’s the only place I’ve found Delirium Nocturnum in Gainesville. That’s what you were referring to, right?
You know what would go good with that, silenus? An 18"DHIBJD :eek: :eek: !
Right on, Lou.
Ahh, now THIS is helpfull. I stay out of the "What beer?"threads because everyone tosses out their favorite beer from their corner of the world, and it never seemed helpful. If you only have a few available, well then heck, it’s much easier to rank them. Here is how I would group them (note that this is grouping is made with beer snob hat off):
Becks
Lowenbrau
Heineken
Grolsch
Pilsner Urquell
All these are quite similar to the untrained taster, and in my opinion, nothing special. (Note that putting Urquell in here will put me on the Beer Mafia hit list) They are the same style as American beers, just better - more taste, body, etc. But if you don’t like Bud, then my experience tells me that you won’t like these much either, at least not at first.
Hefeweizen Wheat Beer
You’ll either like it or hate it. I hate wheat beers.
Red Stripe
Quite similar to American beers, just a little “more” but blander than the European group.
Bass
If you liked the Black and Tan, you should like Bass.
Guiness
As mentioned, buy only the kind with the widgets (the can or the plastic looking bottle) Some who like B&T do not like straight Guiness. But as long as you have the Bass, you can make your own B&T, which is much more fun than buying a pseudo B&T already in a bottle.
Modelo Negro
Different than the rest listed, dark but not bitter. I like this in Mexican Restaurants, but usually get Bohemia to go better with the food (Bohemia also a lager that is similar to American beer, but just “more” But more in a way I like better than Heineken).
Samuel Adams Summer Ale-No opinion.
And a picky correction from upthread- A real snob Black and Tan is made with Harp, not Bass. But Bass is perfectly tasty for it.
I pity those of you with limited beer selection. I don’t know what I’d do without a local supply of lambics to keep my wife happy!
Being from Wisconsin I feel more qualified than most to respond to this thread.
Of the “generic” brands mentioned , try Bass ale, Newcastle, Pils Urqell, Grolsh, and Hieneken.
Some of the mid size brewers like Sierra Nevada and Flying Dog make good brews also, though I find them too hoppy, for my taste anyway.
The best beers IMHO are made by truely small breweries or brew pubs.
If you can find New Glarus, or Capital brewery beer these two companies make a wide range of flavors and styles, they constantly change up 2-3 types so you can always get something new and fresh. Capitals “Blonde dopplebock” is great with meals or for a 1-2 beer day. their “1900” is more of a 6 pack type of beer for a night of fun. New Glarus brews “spotted cow” is good daily fair, and I’m really a fan of their “Native ale”.
For all the Nutbrown fans… if you can find it South Shore breweries "nutbrown ale " it CAN be fantastic, though I’ve found the bottled stuff isnt nearly as good as right from the tanks at their pub.
Finally BENLORMAT keep in mind buying any beer that if its been sitting in a 95 degree wharehouse for 3 months,with a big freaking light shining on it , that beer is probally ruined. the fresher the better and light and temp in storage play a big part in how a beer tastes as well as age.
Beer in dark bottled keeps longer, green bottled tend to give a “skunky” flavor and clear will just lose flavor. Take Heineken for example, WAY to often I’ve gotten bottles that tasteed like PePe Le Pew bathed in it, try a keg can of it and its not bad, find a bar or store that moves alot of it and its damn good. though it was best at thier brewery in Amsterdam.
Finally you could do like I have If you find you truely LOVE Beer, and join a brewing club and make your own custom made to your taste HomeBrew.