Beer

[TechnicalBarbarity]

I haven't tried any other White IPAs, but that Saranac wasn't bad at all. It's basically an IPA, not a witbier. And outside from it's cloudy appearance, i'd say it's much closer to the hoppier/paler "wheat" beers like Litte Sumpin' Sumpin' and Fortunate Islands, which are some of the best brews around IMO.

Havent tried too many black IPA's either, but the Wookey Jack from Firestone Walker would probably have to be my favorite.

Tried the Shake Chocolate Porter from Boulder Beer Co. and have to say that this is one of the best chocolatey beers i've ever had.

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

I bought 8 bottles of various beers to try out brewed in Munich. Those few I've tried brewed under the purity law are some of my favorites.

I love a good Bavarian brew. Which ones did you go with?

 

[dwellerINTHEdark]

The two best black IPAs I've had are He'Brew Death of a Contract Brewer and Lagunitas Nighttime. I've only had one white IPA by Two Roads which was pretty good. Red IPAs and rye IPAs can also be quite awesome.

 

[Baroque]

Havent tried too many black IPA's either, but the Wookey Jack from Firestone Walker would probably have to be my favorite.

I've tried that Firestone, pretty good. I stopped by the brewery a couple months ago on the way down the 101 in central cali. It's worth a visit if you ever drive up that way. They have a couple different things to try that aren't sold in most stores.

I love a good Bavarian brew. Which ones did you go with?

I went with a couple brands that are allowed at Oktoberfest, seeing as today is the first day of it in Germany. Paulaner, Spaten, Augustiner. I also picked up a couple Weisenstaphaner that I hadn't tried yet (really like their weissbier).

It's gonna be hard to top Hacker-Pschorr Weiss for me but I'm being open minded. Some of them are darker too. I guess I'll post pics of the ones that I like best.

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

It irks me when people think the P is silent in Hacker-Pschorr.

 

[CladInDarkness]

I've yet to have a good white IPA. (I rarely like black IPAs for that matter either.) I tend to want witbiers and IPAs in completely different drinking situations. The flavor elements don't complement each other, at least not in a way I've experienced yet. Black IPA can work when the hop profile is compatible with dark malts and the malts don't clash with hop notes. Chocolate, coffee, grapefruit, and pine are bad flavor notes to put in the same sip, but bad black IPAs do this. Good ones don't. I've yet to have a white IPA that took the best of the two styles and enhanced the beer overall.

Do any of you guys like smoked beers? About twice a year I get a craving for them, and then they really taste incredible. Drinking an O'Fallon Smoke porter right now, and it's awesome. Aecht Schlenkerla is the king, obviously, but I'd like to know if you guys know some good alternatives available here.

Not quite a "white ipa" but try Chouffe Houblon if you haven't, double ipa/tripel hybrid. And it's Belgian so it doesn't suck.

And I can't do rauchbiers.

 

[CladInDarkness]

Fucking outstanding beer:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/321/27804/

 

[dwellerINTHEdark]

^looks good. I had a double IPA/tripel hybrid recently. It was Green Flash Le Freak and it was excellence in a glass.

 

[AlienZombie]

The two best black IPAs I've had are He'Brew Death of a Contract Brewer and Lagunitas Nighttime. I've only had one white IPA by Two Roads which was pretty good. Red IPAs and rye IPAs can also be quite awesome.

Second on the Lagunitas nighttime. Got it without realizing the style and I was like "oh great another black IPA". Then I had a sip and was like "wow"; a ton of mid/late addition hops and low amount of early addition hops if I had to guess what makes it different.

 

[AlienZombie]

Rauchbiers are pretty much the only kind of beer I can't stomach. I had an Aecht rauchbier, and it was like drinking a liquid ashtray

LOVE me a good rauchbier! One of the most under-representative styles, imo. Someday I'm gonna brew one with homesmoked malt to get the strongest smoke flavor I can

 

[Baroque]

This one tonight. One sip and I knew I made a good choice. Has that distinct blend of spice notes that only German wheat beers do 100% right. It's not quite Hacker-Pschorr, but it's good.

 

[dwellerINTHEdark]

First disappointment with Southern Tier tonight. I had the Unearthly IPA and the taste followed the scent, which was not a good thing. It was like too sweet for an IPA with a weird ass aftertaste. Oh well.

 

[dwellerINTHEdark]

Second on the Lagunitas nighttime. Got it without realizing the style and I was like "oh great another black IPA". Then I had a sip and was like "wow"; a ton of mid/late addition hops and low amount of early addition hops if I had to guess what makes it different.

I thought it was gonna be a black ale or stout based on its description and I was stoked when I smelled the hops. Have you tried the Daytime?

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

I went with a couple brands that are allowed at Oktoberfest, seeing as today is the first day of it in Germany. Paulaner, Spaten, Augustiner. I also picked up a couple Weisenstaphaner that I hadn't tried yet (really like their weissbier).

I still need to try the Paulaner and Augustiners marzens/festbiers. Tha Paulaner sounds like it would be right up my alley. Which Weihenstephaners did you get? Their Vitus is fucking godly.

This one tonight. One sip and I knew I made a good choice. Has that distinct blend of spice notes that only German wheat beers do 100% right. It's not quite Hacker-Pschorr, but it's good.

One of my favorite Hefes.

 

[Baroque]

I still need to try the Paulaner and Augustiners marzens/festbiers. Tha Paulaner sounds like it would be right up my alley. Which Weihenstephaners did you get? Their Vitus is fucking godly.




One of my favorite Hefes.

Vitus is one of them! I'll have to try that next. Maybe during the 9ers game today. Also Korbinian.

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

Nice! Best wheat beer around IMO. The Korbinian is pretty good too. Just make sure you pick up the "fresher" ones ... older doppelbocks start tasting kind of weird.

 

[unknown]

Vitus is fantastic. My buddy got a keg of it for his engagement party, and it was awesome.

 

[Baroque]

Vitus was quite good; the 9er game, not so much.

 

[dwellerINTHEdark]

Had a Pumking tonight. The smell is phenomenal but the taste does disappoint. However, Warlock has the same scent and actually backs it up by tasting the same. Pumking is no longer a must buy for me this season.

 

[Baroque]

Tried a Pranqster tonight which is rated 100 by beer advocate. I didn't like it, only drank half the bottle. I guess Golden Ales are not my thing.