Beer

[karstenkibbe]

So I'm at a burger joint and having my first ever Heady Topper. I get asked if I want a glass, which I find odd because this isn't some slummy drink out of a can place. I get the can and it says "drink from the can". I read the fine print to find out why.

Sorry. very good beer, but that's some pretentious BS.

Ftr, I had a couple sips from can, but 90% of it from a pint glass. I must be a Philistine as I preferred the glass.

I’ve got a ton of respect for John Kimmich and I’ve been drinking his beers since I first discovered his little brewpub in Waterbury, VT in 2006. But I do agree with you here. Unless I’m crazy thirsty from physical exertion, I have no interest in sucking down a beer straight from the can. But I don’t believe Kimmich’s suggestion is borne from pretension. I think he just cares way too much about every can of beer that leaves his brewery. From a recent Hop Culture piece on Kimmich:

“A beer gets forever and instantaneously altered the moment it gets poured into a glass of oxygen, you know,” he explains further. “When you’re responsible for making a beer and packaging a beer and absolutely at all costs minimizing oxygen uptake into that beer throughout the process, and then all of a sudden when the beer finally has its big moment in the sun you’re just going to throw it under the wheel of your car and run over it by pouring it into a glass of oxygen.”

He needs to let go of his babies once they leave the canning line. Some of us like to look at and smell our beer.

 

[auror]

So I'm at a burger joint and having my first ever Heady Topper. I get asked if I want a glass, which I find odd because this isn't some slummy drink out of a can place. I get the can and it says "drink from the can". I read the fine print to find out why.

Sorry. very good beer, but that's some pretentious BS.

Ftr, I had a couple sips from can, but 90% of it from a pint glass. I must be a Philistine as I preferred the glass.

I’ve got a ton of respect for John Kimmich and I’ve been drinking his beers since I first discovered his little brewpub in Waterbury, VT in 2006. But I do agree with you here. Unless I’m crazy thirsty from physical exertion, I have no interest in sucking down a beer straight from the can. But I don’t Kimmich’s suggestion is borne from pretension. I think he just cares way too much about every can of beer that leaves his brewery. From a recent Hop Culture piece on Kimmich:

“A beer gets forever and instantaneously altered the moment it gets poured into a glass of oxygen, you know,” he explains further. “When you’re responsible for making a beer and packaging a beer and absolutely at all costs minimizing oxygen uptake into that beer throughout the process, and then all of a sudden when the beer finally has its big moment in the sun you’re just going to throw it under the wheel of your car and run over it by pouring it into a glass of oxygen.”

He needs to let go of his babies once they leave the canning line. Some of us like to look at and smell our beer.

Yeah the logic on the can is bunk. Kimmich made a whole Youtube video about it because people kept asking about it. And he laid out some reasoning, including that Oxygen bomb hypothesis. And that logic is also bunk. I recommend it (and most beers) out of a glass.

 

[Dove]

I’ve got a ton of respect for John Kimmich and I’ve been drinking his beers since I first discovered his little brewpub in Waterbury, VT in 2006. But I do agree with you here. Unless I’m crazy thirsty from physical exertion, I have no interest in sucking down a beer straight from the can. But I don’t believe Kimmich’s suggestion is borne from pretension. I think he just cares way too much about every can of beer that leaves his brewery. From a recent Hop Culture piece on Kimmich:

“A beer gets forever and instantaneously altered the moment it gets poured into a glass of oxygen, you know,” he explains further. “When you’re responsible for making a beer and packaging a beer and absolutely at all costs minimizing oxygen uptake into that beer throughout the process, and then all of a sudden when the beer finally has its big moment in the sun you’re just going to throw it under the wheel of your car and run over it by pouring it into a glass of oxygen.”

He needs to let go of his babies once they leave the canning line. Some of us like to look at and smell our beer.

He doesn't want you seeing the sedimenty globules in the bottom of your glasses

 

[Chin Diesel]

So I'm at a burger joint and having my first ever Heady Topper. I get asked if I want a glass, which I find odd because this isn't some slummy drink out of a can place. I get the can and it says "drink from the can". I read the fine print to find out why.

Sorry. very good beer, but that's some pretentious BS.

Ftr, I had a couple sips from can, but 90% of it from a pint glass. I must be a Philistine as I preferred the glass.

I've said it before and will say it again right now. I don't necessarily get Heady Topper as a beer I think is great but it's neat to drink the OG and realize this was the genesis for thousands of others.

Gimme a Focal Banger any day of the week over a Heady Topper.

 

[storrsroars]

I've said it before and will say it again right now. I don't necessarily get Heady Topper as a beer I think is great but it's neat to drink the OG and realize this was the genesis for thousands of others.

Gimme a Focal Banger any day of the week over a Heady Topper.

I ordered it because it's the first time I've seen it in Pgh, even though it was $10. Was very surprised to see it on a menu as it's not even at our most comprehensive bottle shops. I liked it quite a bit. Much more going on than what I've tasted among top local imperial IPAs. Also taking a break from NEIPAs.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Didn’t have heady topper but had Tilted Barn on draft at the Patriots game. Fantastic beer.

 

[8893]

Yeah the logic on the can is bunk. Kimmich made a whole Youtube video about it because people kept asking about it. And he laid out some reasoning, including that Oxygen bomb hypothesis. And that logic is also bunk. I recommend it (and most beers) out of a glass.

I agree most if not all are better from a glass, and I never watched his videos, but my theory was that drinking from the can means that it hits a different part of your palate first than it does when drinking from a glass, and perhaps with that particular hop profile it hits better that way.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Didn’t have heady topper but had Tilted Barn on draft at the Patriots game. Fantastic beer.

View attachment 78460

Hitting TB and one of my other favorite farm breweries, Fox Farm, on my way to Newport tomorrow. Amazing that TB is on draft at Gillette. Couldn’t have imagined that even a few years ago.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Hitting TB and one of my other favorite farm breweries, Fox Farm, on my way to Newport tomorrow. Amazing that TB is on draft at Gillette. Couldn’t have imagined that even a few years ago.

Sadly I have no idea what it was. But damn it was great.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Just a fantastic kolsch from Marlowe. Zac Ross continues to be a master of the low ABV segment. I feel bad for everyone in the New Haven/shoreline areas who will not be able to easily access his beers once he moves.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Friends brought me some CT beer last weekend

 

[UConnSean]

View attachment 79017
Just a fantastic kolsch from Marlowe. Zac Ross continues to be a master of the low ABV segment. I feel bad for everyone in the New Haven/shoreline areas who will not be able to easily access his beers once he moves.

where is he/Marlowe going? just curious

 

[karstenkibbe]

where is he/Marlowe going? just curious

Downtown Nyack, NY

 

[HuskyHawk]

Visited Aquatic Brewing in Falmouth, MA yesterday. This barrel aged amber lager was really good. Not too boozy and not sweet.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Second year in a row I've been in Netherlands during Sep/Oct.

Visited La Trappe monastery and brewery today. Similar to what many microbrews do with the outdoor seating and some grub to go along with the beers. Had the cheese and bread sampler with both being made on site.

Picked up an 8-pack sampler from gift shop for $14.

This was the Puur.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Dollar is super strong against Euro right now so these are basically same price in US dollars.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Did about 6-7 hours of driving around Belgium and Netherlands today.

Redemption was achieved getting this from Zundert.

Was over in same area last year and Google maps did me dirty with directions and put me on a one way dirt road that ended with me in a car, some dairy cows, barbed wire fencing, a water aqueduct ditch and no beer.

Gonna make these taste even sweeter knowing it took me 54 weeks to get them.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Did about 6-7 hours of driving around Belgium and Netherlands today.

Redemption was achieved getting this from Zundert.

Was over in same area last year and Google maps did me dirty with directions and put me on a one way dirt road that ended with me in a car, some dairy cows, barbed wire fencing, a water aqueduct ditch and no beer.

Gonna make these taste even sweeter knowing it took me 54 weeks to get them.

View attachment 79459

Please tell me you also bought some lambics. Anything from Cantillon.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Please tell me you also bought some lambics. Anything from Cantillon.

Not today. Plenty of lambics around as wanted. Went to a microbrew in Eindhoven last night. 100 Watt brewery. A play on Phillips electronics which has a big presence in that city. All their beers were spot on.

But, I am mostly concentrating on the Belgian ales- Blondes, Dubbels, Tripels, Quads, Grand Crus....

 

[storrsroars]

Please tell me you also bought some lambics. Anything from Cantillon.

Not everyone enjoys lambics. I don't. Had a lot of great beers in Belgium when there in 2019. That includes one kriek, one geuzue, one framboise, didn't care for any of 'em.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Not everyone enjoys lambics. I don't. Had a lot of great beers in Belgium when there in 2019. That includes one kriek, one geuzue, one framboise, didn't care for any of 'em.

Same. I’ve had several Cantillon. I appreciate how well made and delicate they are, but it’s not my thing. Would rather just drink wine. I do like quads though. Chimay Bleau was the first beer I ordered in Bruges.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Same. I’ve had several Cantillon. I appreciate how well made and delicate they are, but it’s not my thing. Would rather just drink wine. I do like quads though. Chimay Bleau was the first beer I ordered in Bruges.

I’m just the opposite. I’d rather drink a well made lager than a Belgian quad. Give me all the Cantillon, 3 Fonteinen, Gueuze Tilquin though. Different strokes for different folks!

 

[Chin Diesel]

Not everyone enjoys lambics. I don't. Had a lot of great beers in Belgium when there in 2019. That includes one kriek, one geuzue, one framboise, didn't care for any of 'em.

Same. I’ve had several Cantillon. I appreciate how well made and delicate they are, but it’s not my thing. Would rather just drink wine. I do like quads though. Chimay Bleau was the first beer I ordered in Bruges.

I’m just the opposite. I’d rather drink a well made lager than a Belgian quad. Give me all the Cantillon, 3 Fonteinen, Gueuze Tilquin though. Different strokes for different folks!

Well, anything I'll try once, I'll try three times.

Lambics have been harder to find than I expected. Finally found a Lindeman's Kriek. I realize there is more to the style than just this beer but not a fan.

I will say this, not all quads are my cup of tea. Plenty of these brewers I've enjoyed a blonde, dubbel, or tripel more than the quads.

I will say this. Every Grand Cru I've had has been phenomenal.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Well, anything I'll try once, I'll try three times.

Lambics have been harder to find than I expected. Finally found a Lindeman's Kriek. I realize there is more to the style than just this beer but not a fan.

I will say this, not all quads are my cup of tea. Plenty of these brewers I've enjoyed a blonde, dubbel, or tripel more than the quads.

I will say this. Every Grand Cru I've had has been phenomenal.

Agree with you on grand cru. Some fantastic examples from Belgian breweries. I’ll bite my tongue on Lindeman’s. I’ll just say this… there’s a reason why you can easily find their framboise and kriek at Trader Joe’s throughout the U.S.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Agree with you on grand cru. Some fantastic examples from Belgian breweries. I’ll bite my tongue on Lindeman’s. I’ll just say this… there’s a reason why you can easily find their framboise and kriek at Trader Joe’s throughout the U.S.

I'm not a fan of the style, but those are definitely not top tier examples.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Agree with you on grand cru. Some fantastic examples from Belgian breweries. I’ll bite my tongue on Lindeman’s. I’ll just say this… there’s a reason why you can easily find their framboise and kriek at Trader Joe’s throughout the U.S.

I'm not a fan of the style, but those are definitely not top tier examples.

I realize they are not the best, but as of now, it's all I can find.

 

[karstenkibbe]

I realize they are not the best, but as of now, it's all I can find.

Not at all surprised. There are so many American lovers of spontaneous/mixed fermentation beers traveling to Belgium these days with multiple empty suitcases. They fly to Brussels, spend a few days tasting everything they can, buy up available bottles, and fly back with 2 or 3 full suitcases.

Two years ago, Shelton Brothers Importers - the primary distributor of the small quantities of Cantillon, Drie Fonteinen, Fantôme and De La Senne that made it to the U.S. - ceased operations. So hard to find here now. Secondary market is too pricey for me to justify (and explain away to my wife!).

 

[HuskyHawk]

Not at all surprised. There are so many American lovers of spontaneous/mixed fermentation beers traveling to Belgium these days with multiple empty suitcases. They fly to Brussels, spend a few days tasting everything they can, buy up available bottles, and fly back with 2 or 3 full suitcases.

Two years ago, Shelton Brothers Importers - the primary distributor of the small quantities of Cantillon, Drie Fonteinen, Fantôme and De La Senne that made it to the U.S. - ceased operations. So hard to find here now. Secondary market is too pricey for me to justify (and explain away to my wife!).

I forgot that Shelton Brothers shut down. They always had a baller table at Beervana, including the names you listed. The fanboys would line up there first, but I usually got a taste or two.

 

[HuskyHawk]

No beer Mon-Thurs for me barring extenuating circumstances (concert, game etc.) but Friday is open season. Anybody else apply FIFO accounting to beers that are best fresh? Oldest first.

 

[pepband99]

No beer Mon-Thurs for me barring extenuating circumstances (concert, game etc.) but Friday is open season. Anybody else apply FIFO accounting to beers that are best fresh? Oldest first.

View attachment 79606

Absolutely, especially with the NE hop bombs. Treehouse, in particular, really loses some oomph at about the 2 week mark, in my experience.