Discuss your Favourite Beer(s).

[sonick]

Interesting article for anybody who wants to know more about the different hops. I am not quite at the beer-geek level yet where I can discern the hop from the flavour.

A Beer Beginner's Guide to Hops of the World | Serious Eats

[punkwax]

Love this thread!

Will report back on the Lost Souls chocolate pumpkin porter.. impulse buy while standing in line.


2:43 edit after getting large project off my plate: Lost Souls is good! Can definitely taste more chocolate than pumpkin but it still tastes like a good porter. Would drink again.

[BlackV62K2]

Picked up a case of Hermannator @ BC liqour store last night. Haven't tried it yet. 9.5% beer. GG

[punkwax]

Jeebus, just fixed a section of my fence that blew down in the wind storm and shared a couple Hermannators with a friend who was helping.. what a great tasting beer for 9.5% but man, gotta say I'm almost half cut after only 2 in an hour or so

Going to be an early one tonight.

[Hondaracer]

Oh yea, it does ya in lol

[TOS'd]

Picked up my case yesterday as well. First time, havent tried it yet but maybe tmr.

[Gucci Mane]

Originally Posted by MindBomber

Tree Brewing's Vertical Winter Ale is an good seasonal release. The dominant flavour is vanilla but there's some malt and spice in the back.

Originally Posted by MindBomber

In other news, I bought my first case of the season of Hermannator!

Thanks for both of these recommendations MindBomber. I really loved the vertical winter ale, such a good and easy drinking brew. That vanilla after taste is amazing. The hermannator is definitely an aquired taste. For those that aren't used to drinking high alcohol content beers, you may not like it. I personally think it tastes great considering it's very high alcohol content.


Oh and STFU Tos'd

[TOS'd]

lol mad

[bcrdukes]

STFU TOS'd!

[MindBomber]

Originally Posted by sonick

TGIF! Can't wait to pick up a pack of Hermannator after work.

Did anybody end up successfully (by successfully I mean not caving in and drinking it lol) cellaring it from last year? Interested to hear how it compares last year vs this year, and after aging.

Ha, I attempted to cellar it and caved. Barley Mowat cellars it and regularly compares it against earlier editions and itself as it advances in age, though it's possible you're aware of that already. From his blog:

Vancouver Island Hermannator 2012
Cellared October 2012
Sampled March 2014 — Next sample ~Spring 2014
Bottles left: 15 (33cl + 1 65cl)
Now: 8/10 — Potential: 9/10
Notes: Big beauty of a malt-heavy beer. That last bottle was smoothly amazing, but needs a bit more time for the deeper complexity to reassert itself.

Vancouver Island Hermannator 2013
Cellared October 2013
Sampled December 2013 — Next sample Summer 2014
Bottles left: 6
Now: 6/10 — Potential: 8/10
Notes: More malt-forward than the 2013. Time will tell how it ages compared to the 2012.

Originally Posted by Knight_KB

Thanks for both of these recommendations MindBomber. I really loved the vertical winter ale, such a good and easy drinking brew. That vanilla after taste is amazing. The hermannator is definitely an aquired taste. For those that aren't used to drinking high alcohol content beers, you may not like it. I personally think it tastes great considering it's very high alcohol content.

You're welcome! Another beer for you to try would be Driftwood's Blackstone Porter. It is another great annual release with an emphasis on roasted malt, chocolate, a bit of coffee, at bitterness and the end. It is wonderfully creamy, and a reasonable 6% ABV (or at least is was last year) so you won't be completely drunk by the end of the bomber.

[Gucci Mane]

I have zero issues with being completely drunk after a few beers lol. But I will check that out as well, thanks again MindBomber! My favourite thing with these beers is that I don't wake up in the morning congested as fuck like I do when I drink miller highlife

[Hondaracer]

Tried a GIB winter ale last night at their tasting room

Kinda fell off for me, I don't know if they don't serve it cold enough or what but it wasn't very enjoyable. For the last few years Jimmy macs in port kells have been serving the best winter ale I've found and it's always consistent. I dunno if it's the temp they serve it at or the CO2 mix etc

Definately though the vertical winter ale is far better

[MindBomber]

I'm a bit disappointed that Tree began canning their Vertical Winter Ale instead of bottling it but its definitely still excellent.

[sonick]

Yah I am a follower of Chuck and his blog Barley Mowat... His beer collab with GIB won in the Specialty category last night at the BC Beer Awards:

2014 Winners ? BC Beer Awards

[Gallardo]

Got my case of the Hermannator finally!

Initial thoughts: it began with light notes of coffee and brown sugar.

The flavour is heavy and really packs a punch, a whiff of bitterness. Don't know how to describe it, but I find the beer a bit thick to the palate.

As shown, I drank the beer in a snifter/balloon glass, it helps with getting the aromas to the nose. Note, I had the beer refrigerated and pulled it out, let it sit for 5 min before opening it. It really helps to taste the flavours as its not in a ice cold state.

Again, after polishing off a whole bottle, you get a strong scent of sticky brown sugar. The bitterness lingers a bit on the tongue.

[bcrdukes]

Do any of you guys get palette fatigue from your regular tastings?

[MindBomber]

Yes, especially when Tree Brewing's Hop Head DIPA (90 IBU, 8.3% ABV) was my staple beer..

I generally stick to ales and lagers now so that I can appreciate more intense releases better.

[Hondaracer]

That's kinda along the lines of what I was gonna say, and which is why I think when you buy most flights the hoppiest beers are at the end

A few fat tugs for me and you might as well be drinking bud when you switch back to a lighter beer

[broken_arrow]

Addicted to Newcastle now...

[Hondaracer]

picked up a couple cases of Hermanators this weekend, drank 1 case and put one away to cellar

I drank a couple of the hermanators at room temp because i brought them to a party and obviously werent cold from the liquor store. I'd say they are almost more enjoyable at room temp or slightly chilled than very cold. I find they are almost overpowering when super chilled like you're drinking whiskey but at room temp it's far more mild, and i found it quite enjoyable

also opened a Sartori tonight i had sitting in the fridge, man the fruit notes exploded out of the bottle, i was like wtf.. is that the beer? it smelled wayyy stronger than before, was also super enjoyable but definately not as crisp as when i bought them.

Still have 3 more to go

[Gucci Mane]

picked up this stuff saturday,



its damn good! its easy on the hops so its a nice crisp and smooth tasting lager. can't remember the last time i've had a beer this smooth. definitely would recommend to anyone that hasn't tried it yet.

[Lowered_Klass]

^ Agreed. I love it

[Expresso]

Bought some Spiegelau tulip glasses over the weekend from Crate and Barrel. They were clearing them out at $6 bucks each which is like half off. I bought the last two at the Oarkridge location.

The Bay is also having a sale on the entire Spiegelau line up at $18 for 2 (From $30). This is during their Bay Days which ends Nov 4 per their website.

Only difference is C&B are loose, and the Bay's come in boxes.

[GLOW]

doesn't superstore sell various shapes and sizes of drinking glasses $1/ea

[Hondaracer]

If you only need to buy a few though there is a huge quality diff in glass

Hold up the dollar store wine glasses then pick up a riedel