Topic: Drink Better Beer - Belgian, German, Craft, Ales, Lagers all your hoppy goodness in one place

[JackBauer]

The missus was kind enough  one of these things the other day. They are great.

http://www.perfectdraft.de/perfectdraft/flash_content.asp

Franziskaner Weißbier on draft, in my own home. Get in.

[Corkboy]

Will do, just though someone might have a recommendation off hand

Lidl in Ireland do a perfectly satisfactory beer called Grafen Walder, silvery type can. Don't know if it's available in the UK.

[Jonathan Hall ☆☆☆☆☆☆]

Absolutely correct. Its the Reinheitsgebot and I believe its actually older than the nation of Germany itself (Germany used to be made up of individual and independent regions previously, I think?).

In addition to the ingredients you mention, also keep an eye out for Hopfenextract (or Hops Extract!), which is a very sublte sign that the brewer is deviating from the original script. It should be hops, not extract of hops!

Pauliner are a renowned Bayerisch brauhaus, along with Erdinger, but as with nearly all German brewers, their target market is first the local region, 2nd the rest of the nation and then 3rd the rest of the world. As such, their beer does not travel well, if at all. Its nice to taste these different beers in the UK, but its a shame they are a pale shadow of what is bottled and sold locally Had an Edinger in the Ship & Mitre on Dale St a while back and while the taste was there, it was really gassy due to it coming from draft rather than the bottle. I guess that goes someway to explaining why things like Oktoberfest are so popular, because you need to be local to the brewery of the beer you are drinking to appreciate how good German ale can be.

Becks sells well in the garages alongside the local brews, but its almost non existent in bars/restaurants. Germany produces (I think) about 70% of the volume of beer consumed in Europe, but most of it is sold in the brewerys surrounding areas (see last answer), so big name brands rarely do well. Those are the ones that are normally exported to others countries, like our hell hole!

As for drinking good beer - forget German..... go to Belgium

The Dispensary top end of Renshaw street do Erdinger in bottles i think. And if my memory is working they have the dark in there as well.

[Tetti]

My current favourite



followed by



and

[Jonathan Hall ☆☆☆☆☆☆]

Mmm Kwak.

[Cusamano]

Fuck this thread is as bad as the curry thread for making me want all the stuff posted in it.

[so kop end lad]

i might go up the offy now!

[Jonathan Hall ☆☆☆☆☆☆]

Fuck this thread is as bad as the curry thread for making me want all the stuff posted in it.

Curry and beer. Sorted.

[Rushian]

take Hoegaarden to a higher level with its Grand Cru:



and a better standard witbier than Hoegaarden:



which goes perfectly with a bucket of moules and frites on a terrace overlooking the River Meuse.

[Corkboy]

I don't really like wheat beer. It's too.....wheaty.

[MBL?]

The missus was kind enough  one of these things the other day. They are great.

http://www.perfectdraft.de/perfectdraft/flash_content.asp

Franziskaner Weißbier on draft, in my own home. Get in.

Oh Oh Oh..... I know what im gettin from Santa.

[Branno]

Cant stand beer in a can! Infact I hate any drink in a can. My current Aussie fave is James Boag's

[Cusamano]

I never understood this obsession people have with not drinking from a can.

Whats the difference?

[Cusamano]

Curry and beer. Sorted.

 

[Pheeny]

take Hoegaarden to a higher level with its Grand Cru:



and a better standard witbier than Hoegaarden:



which goes perfectly with a bucket of moules and frites on a terrace overlooking the River Meuse.

its not the Meuse its the Maas ...

[Branno]

I never understood this obsession people have with not drinking from a can.

Whats the difference?

You can taste the aluminium !

[Corkboy]

Had some of this recently. It's a bit wheaty for my liking but nice, and actually contains green tea as well as all the other stuff.

[Tarpaulin]

Rigby's in town is the place to go.....do a fuckin massive list of beers of the world in there - brilliant.

welll worth a dabble....

http://www.beersofeurope.co.uk/acatalog/Beers_of_Europe__Dab_33.html

[Corkboy]

Bumping this for the sole reason of banging out some respect to Irish stout. Murphy's, Guinness or Beamish, it's all quality stuff.

Take ten pints and experience creamy incoherence, warming retardation, and a meaningful hangover, followed by a filthy but satisfying dump. And you're off again...

[Tetti]

Beautiful, but deadly

[Ben J]

Don't think it's been mentioned but there are some incredible brewers in the USA making some great beer, Goose Island and Sierra Nevada etc.  If you ever spot Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in tesco or the like, pick one up.

I'm incredibly lucky in that I live 15 mins walk from possibly the best pub ever, The Devonshire Cat (http://www.devonshirecat.co.uk/content.php).  It has 12 cask ales on at almost all times, proper cider made by an italian farmer in Devon (6-8% usually, takes your head clean off) Erdinger on draught and a 10 page beer menu of bottled beer from everywere.  Look at the "Beer Box" pictures to get an idea of how many bottles they have.

[Corkboy]

Went over on my ankle attempting some feat of Zidane-like creativity last night at football, so I am using the painkilling effects of a few of these tonight. Nice, strong flavour lager, which you don't expect from the Italians. They were a gift so I'm guessing Tesco but apparently Asda have them too. Ingredients on the side of the bottle, check. Recommended, particularly for you're-not-actually-Zidane related incidents.

[BazC]

Like good beer- my favourites currently are Heineken or Grolsch. Recently had some S. american beer (can't remember the name), Corona, Hoegaarden (liked that) and white Kroenenberg (which was a bit too fruity and tasted like cider... I don't like cider) as well as the usual crate of Carling.

[WorldChampions]

Like good beer - usual crate of Carling.

[Cusamano]

Beautiful, but deadly

[BazC]

It's cheap 

for example, 4 bottles of 330ml hoegaarden cost about a fiver. For that I'd get 8 cans of Carling! It was purely for a session. When we've had beer with some food we've gone up market a bit  Incidentally, I didn't like Kroenenberg blanc when drinking it on its own, but we'd made some old el paso tortillas, and it went down very nicely with the Blanc 

[WorldChampions]

Anyone tried the cookie or plum beer at weatherspoons, plum is actually decent

[Corkboy]

Like good beer- my favourites currently are Heineken or Grolsch. Recently had some S. american beer (can't remember the name), Corona, Hoegaarden (liked that) and white Kroenenberg (which was a bit too fruity and tasted like cider... I don't like cider) as well as the usual crate of Carling.

Please, please read the opening post of this thread.

[WorldChampions]

It's cheap 

for example, 4 bottles of 330ml hoegaarden cost about a fiver. For that I'd get 8 cans of Carling! It was purely for a session. When we've had beer with some food we've gone up market a bit  Incidentally, I didn't like Kroenenberg blanc when drinking it on its own, but we'd made some old el paso tortillas, and it went down very nicely with the Blanc 

Only having you on, its shit but always on a good offer so I have it plenty of times myself

[BazC]

Please, please read the opening post of this thread.

Heineken or grolsch (one of the 2- I think it's Heineken) have the ingredients listed... I know you said they don't in the first post, but I'm pretty sure the ones I was drinking did- no shite in them either. Either way, like the taste of them (get bottles).

Think my favourite out the lot has been Hoegaarden, but am I fuck going to drink that regularly on a student budget  out of the regulars- like I said, Heineken or Grolsch my favourites...

Only having you on, its shit but always on a good offer so I have it plenty of times myself

Don't like it much either- but prefer it to Carlsberg and Stella...

[Corkboy]

Heineken or grolsch (one of the 2- I think it's Heineken) have the ingredients listed... I know you said they don't in the first post, but I'm pretty sure the ones I was drinking did- no shite in them either. Either way, like the taste of them (get bottles).

Think my favourite out the lot has been Hoegaarden, but am I fuck going to drink that regularly on a student budget  out of the regulars- like I said, Heineken or Grolsch my favourites...

Don't like it much either- but prefer it to Carlsberg and Stella...

It sure as hell wasn't Heineken. I have never in my life seen ingredients on a can of that piss.

I have seen a particularly devious label or two, though. Lately, I've seen beers which have the words "Contains hops, malt.." etc on the side. Doesn't say what else they contain, does it?

[BazC]

It sure as hell wasn't Heineken. I have never in my life seen ingredients on a can of that piss.

I have seen a particularly devious label or two, though. Lately, I've seen beers which have the words "Contains hops, malt.." etc on the side. Doesn't say what else they contain, does it?

Dunno if it'd make a difference, but it was bottled. Dunno if it said 'Contains' but I think it just said "Ingredients: etc etc etc"

Anyway- when comparing it to Carling or Carlsberg- I prefer it.

Quite like Corona as well actually...

Might try your suggestion though- going to Aldi/Lidl and sorting out something that sounds like it'd be good. My favourite part of going shopping is hitting the alcohol section anyway 

[Learpholl]

Bavaria


Yes, I'm either a poor student or scum bag

[WorldChampions]

Baz get yourself to somerfield big bottles of necks grolsch or stellar, 4 for a 5er

[7Dalglish]

Beer made in the pub and served when ready, there's loads of microbrew pubs here (Portland, OR) to choose from, most of them do great food too.

www.mcmenamins.com
www.rogue.com
www.deschutesbrewery.com
www.fullsailbrewing.com
www.iceaxegrill.com/mthoodbrewco.php
http://www.rockbottomrestaurantsinc.com/RockBottomWeb/RBR/index.aspx?PageName=/RockBottomWeb/RBR/Beer.ascx&SectionName=Root.Beer

There's loads more, the sad thing is when you talk to these brewmasters they hold the UK in high regard as one of the meccas of beer. I'd hate to take them round the local pubs serving up dish water such as Carling, Guinness and a whole range of shite American imports. The general public is braindead in a lot of ways, none more so than their choice of beer

[BazC]

Baz get yourself to somerfield big bottles of necks grolsch or stellar, 4 for a 5er

 

[Gus 1855]

Must get back into proper beer. Spent far too much time on the wine, for obvious reasons. No getting away from a hangover on that stuff!


When I was at Uni...too long ago now, I used to be able to have 6-10 bottles and feel ok the next day. Do 3-4 bottles of cheap crap now, and I feel like by head is being pressed ready for fermentation.

[pathetic]

I never understood this obsession people have with not drinking from a can.

Whats the difference?

You can taste the aluminium !

[neilem]

Not sure where I can get any of this stuff. Most offies sell the big brand shite, and the Lidl beside me doesn't have much variety in their beer section.

[BazC]

Must get back into proper beer. Spent far too much time on the wine, for obvious reasons. No getting away from a hangover on that stuff!


When I was at Uni...too long ago now, I used to be able to have 6-10 bottles and feel ok the next day. Do 3-4 bottles of cheap crap now, and I feel like by head is being pressed ready for fermentation.

Hate wine. Don't drink beer much when we have a sesh though- it's always spirits; think we've had beer in a session twice (out of many this year  ). Don't get hangovers off anything, which I find weird. I used to get them all the time if I'd drink, but since before uni, haven't been getting a hangover after drinking even loads. I do try to drink some water when I get back in though. Think it helps a lot.