OT: ~The Beer and Nightlife Thread V4~ Bring On the Doppelbock

[JimsDoors]

Sierra Nevada about to release a new one in 22oz bottles only.

"Wild HOP IPA", showcasing the wild Neomexicanus hop for the first time on a national stage.

http://thefullpint.com/beer-news/sierra-nevada-wild-hop-ipa-shares-neomexicanus-hop-national-stage/

 

[HuskerTornado]

Just bought a french press to do some beer infusing. This should be interesting. Anyone have experience with this? Since Thanksgiving is coming, I think a piece of pumpkin pie infused into a Left Hand Milk Stout could be phenomenal.

And I got a call that 2 bottles of Appleton 12 year old rum are in at the liquor store. It's been a year or so since I've been able to have them get some. It has a lot of whiskey characteristics, which makes it great for those who are primarily whiskey drinkers.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Got a bottle of Appleton 12 year rum, Bulleit Bourbon, and a giftpack of Glenmorangie 10 year scotch today. Also picked up a 4pk of Gouden Carolus Noël.

The store brought in a bottle of 21 year old Appleton as well, but I didn't feel like spending $120 on a bottle today, even though I'm sure it's outstanding.

 

[SaintLouHaintBlue]

giftpack of Glenmorangie 10 year scotch today.

This is great whiskey. It's not "the best", but it's such a great value for the price, it's pretty much the first whiskey I mention to anyone who is looking for some sort of portal into the world of great whiskey.

Just bought a french press to do some beer infusing. This should be interesting. Anyone have experience with this? Since Thanksgiving is coming, I think a piece of pumpkin pie infused into a Left Hand Milk Stout could be phenomenal.

Wait, what? Is french pressing your beer actually a thing?

I use a french press a lot, mainly for coffee, sometimes tea - but I've also used it to emulsify salad dressings and stuff - but that seems like a funky thing to do.
In the time it would take to infuse an oil, or a liquor, your beer would go flat.

It's not going to filter out ALL of the sediment from the pie, or whatever, so you are going to have a backwash of sorts. There's always some leftover sludge whenever I make coffee (but I like to drink the sludge. It's like Turkish coffee.)

I don't think you are going to get the effect you are looking for. You are essentially "dry hopping" your beer, but not giving it enough time for the flavor to infuse in a realistic way. I would imagine the best way to transfer flavors like that would be during fermentation, or right after fermentation, prior to filtration and carbonation.

 

[HuskerTornado]

This is great whiskey. It's not "the best", but it's such a great value for the price, it's pretty much the first whiskey I mention to anyone who is looking for some sort of portal into the world of great whiskey.


Wait, what? Is french pressing your beer actually a thing?

I use a french press a lot, mainly for coffee, sometimes tea - but I've also used it to emulsify salad dressings and stuff - but that seems like a funky thing to do.
In the time it would take to infuse an oil, or a liquor, your beer would go flat.

It's not going to filter out ALL of the sediment from the pie, or whatever, so you are going to have a backwash of sorts. There's always some leftover sludge whenever I make coffee (but I like to drink the sludge. It's like Turkish coffee.)

I don't think you are going to get the effect you are looking for. You are essentially "dry hopping" your beer, but not giving it enough time for the flavor to infuse in a realistic way. I would imagine the best way to transfer flavors like that would be during fermentation, or right after fermentation, prior to filtration and carbonation.

Yeah, the Glenmorangie 10 is a really good more "everyday" scotch.

As far as the french press, it's becoming more popular. Quite a few bars are starting to have options on the menu for beer infusions through french presses as well.
http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/...-infuse-beer-with-hops-spices-cocoa-nibs.html

It works well, tried it out tonight, filtered all of the pieces of pumpkin bar that I used to test it out. Infused a Big Sky Brown Ale. Steeped 2/3 of the bottle for 5 minutes (kept 1/3 clean to make sure there was fresh carbonation after combining), it came out really well, the pumpkin paired nicely, and because I didn't steep for too long, was not overpowering at all.

It's not something you'd do every day, by any means, just something to do to change things up every now and then.

 

[The Tang]

I kinda feel like I'm the only person who doesn't like scotch. American whiskey, bourbon, Irish and Canadian all good. Scotch, just doesn't do it for me...

 

[Mister Hockey]

I kinda feel like I'm the only person who doesn't like scotch. American whiskey, bourbon, Irish and Canadian all good. Scotch, just doesn't do it for me...

Your not alone. I've tried a ton of scotch and hated every single one.

 

[HuskerTornado]

What in particular do you not like? Are you drinking it neat, with water, on the rocks?

Oh, also picked up a 4pk of Delirium Noël and a bottle of Affligem Noël today. I haven't tried the Affligem before, so only grabbed one 750ml. Trying to get them as soon as I see them as I missed out totally last year on Belgian Christmas beers and had to drink my 2012 aged ones. Haven't seen St Bernardus Christmas Ale around yet.

 

[The Tang]

What in particular do you not like? Are you drinking it neat, with water, on the rocks?

I like my drinks on the rocks and tried scotch that way. Had a few different ones who names I don't recall. Nothing high end but i just dont care for the taste

 

[flaneur]

I used to really like Balvenie. I recently got in to heavy-peats and they've sort of fallen out of my favor. The Portwood 21 is a really good scotch. Little pricey for what it is, but it's a good one to get a dram of when you're out at a bar.

it's the reverse for me. i was into peaty scotches for a while but am venturing into the smoother scotches these days. but then the good thing with liquors is you can put it aside and not worry about it going bad (unless you are a Bluth)

thanks for the recommendation, i will give portwood a try... although that k&s rum looks pretty delightful too...

 

[WVP]

Finally was able to get some Elmer T Lee bourbon in Pittsburgh. Gonna be a good weekend...

 

[Mr. T]

The Portland location of Fat Head's opened. I have to say that the food was better than the beer. Not to say that it was bad, but I probably wouldn't head back solely for the beer.

In unrelated beer news, I attended a peach beer festival and a fresh hops festival that were outstanding.

 

[bathroomSTAAL]

Scored some Founders Breakfast Stout, never had it before. So are you really supposed to have it with breakfast or what?

 

[JTG]

I kinda feel like I'm the only person who doesn't like scotch. American whiskey, bourbon, Irish and Canadian all good. Scotch, just doesn't do it for me...

I cannot handle scotch either. I was a big fan of whiskey until my early 20's when I burned myself out on it. Whiskey has a tendency these days to give me goosebumps if the smell even crosses my nose.

I have been on a gin kick for the last few years, but the older I get, the more I move away from hard alcohol.

 

[HuskerTornado]

New drinking show, CHUG, premieres Monday night at 10:30et on Nat Geo channel.

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/chug/

Zane Lamprey hosts, he also hosted 2 other excellent drinking shows: Three Sheets, and Drinking Made Easy. This should be great. I understand that he travels through Europe on a train (which is where the title comes from) through some of this season, or at least, that's what it was originally going to be.

 

[DockEllisExperience]

New drinking show, CHUG, premieres Monday night at 10:30et on Nat Geo channel.

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/chug/

Zane Lamprey hosts, he also hosted 2 other excellent drinking shows: Three Sheets, and Drinking Made Easy. This should be great. I understand that he travels through Europe on a train (which is where the title comes from) through some of this season, or at least, that's what it was originally going to be.

How many times is this guys going to get drinking shows? Also, where can I sign up?

 

[DockEllisExperience]

Finally was able to get some Elmer T Lee bourbon in Pittsburgh. Gonna be a good weekend...

Meant to look for that this weekend... Forgot when I was out and about Sunday.

 

[HuskerTornado]

How many times is this guys going to get drinking shows? Also, where can I sign up?

Right? The guy traveled all over the world on Three Sheets, then all over US/CAN in Drinking Made Easy. All to drink and check out the local drinking customs/bars/breweries/distilleries/wineries/hangover cures/etc.

I can't really imagine a more fun job.

 

[Crafton]

did some real damage to a bottle of Bushmills over the last few days. Having my way with a bottle of John E. Fitzgerald Larceny Bourbon. it's pretty solid, better than W.L. Weller and holds it own with Makers, those being the other common/affordable wheated bourbon. of course it doesn't hold a candle to Pappy's - which you need to exalt every time you mention wheated bourbon. I visited Davis a few weeks ago, and they wanted $40 a glass for the 15 year and $70 for the 20 year. I once bought a bottle of the 15 for $45 or so a few years ago, but i was on a list back then. this current bourbon-boom is nuts.

 

[SaintLouHaintBlue]

did some real damage to a bottle of Bushmills over the last few days.

Did you do damage to the Bushmills, or did the Bushmills do damage to you?

 

[Crafton]

Did you do damage to the Bushmills, or did the Bushmills do damage to you?

i took more out of the bottle than the bottle took out of me.

 

[WVP]

did some real damage to a bottle of Bushmills over the last few days. Having my way with a bottle of John E. Fitzgerald Larceny Bourbon. it's pretty solid, better than W.L. Weller and holds it own with Makers, those being the other common/affordable wheated bourbon. of course it doesn't hold a candle to Pappy's - which you need to exalt every time you mention wheated bourbon. I visited Davis a few weeks ago, and they wanted $40 a glass for the 15 year and $70 for the 20 year. I once bought a bottle of the 15 for $45 or so a few years ago, but i was on a list back then. this current bourbon-boom is nuts.

Honestly, I'm finding that hype as annoying as I did with the craft beer scene.

My conclusion: good ol' Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or a Dogfish 90 Min (insert your fav) are as good as any of the limited release, ultra hype BS beers.

And even more so in the bourbon world - there is a vast amount of GREAT stuff for under 36 bucks or so. As in, so good that only the highly discerning would really be able to know any better.

 

[The Tang]

this current bourbon-boom is nuts.

Yeah, the last few years bourbon has really taken off, but liquor popularity tends to be cyclical. Give it another few years and he boom will likely be gone, although I do enjoy how it has gotten popular.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Another good beer show to check out.
http://www.ora.tv/beergeeks/schedule

 

[chuppa chupp]

My conclusion: good ol' Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or a Dogfish 90 Min (insert your fav) are as good as any of the limited release, ultra hype BS beers.

I highly disagree with this. I'm not sure if you're in Pittsburgh, but if you are, let me know. The next time I get Heady Topper sent to me, I'll hook you up with a can. It's not even close how much better it is than the beers you listed.

I'm really big into the barrel aging scene when it comes to beers, especially bourbon barrel aged stouts. Goose Island releases their Bourbon County line tomorrow, and it sucks because these are some of my favorite beers and living in Pittsburgh we won't see any of their more limited stuff.