Micro Brews

[G&T]

So I'm watching the Sox which means I've been drinking.

 

Tonight my beer has been from Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown, NY, and called Hennepin. It's a saison beer (basically hefeweizen).

 

Anyway, what's out there? I want to try new beer. I know there's a thread like this somewhere but I'm wondering what good beer drinkers are having.

[SoxFanForever]

A good friend of mine is really into 3 Floyd's. We did the brewery tour and had food at the brewpub. Made in Northwest Indiana. I would suggest giving it a shot. They have a pretty good selection.

[3E8]

Funny you mention Three Floyds. I tried one of their stouts at my buddy's a couple weeks ago and it was fantastic.

[G&T]

A good friend of mine is really into 3 Floyd's. We did the brewery tour and had food at the brewpub. Made in Northwest Indiana. I would suggest giving it a shot. They have a pretty good selection.

 

This is actually a beer I was planning on trying. I've heard very good things.

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

Three Floyds is not far from where I used to live, and really is not far from me now. They have a great restaurant at the brewery in Munster, IN if you ever get the chance for check it out. A lot of odd but good food with all of their beers on tap.

[WhiteSoxfan1986]

Berghoff brewed in Monroe, Wisconsin.

[FlaSoxxJim]

So I'm watching the Sox which means I've been drinking.

 

Tonight my beer has been from Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown, NY, and called Hennepin. It's a saison beer (basically hefeweizen).

 

Anyway, what's out there? I want to try new beer. I know there's a thread like this somewhere but I'm wondering what good beer drinkers are having.

 

Ommegang makes outstanding Belgian-style beers. In my opinion, they are second only to Unibroue (though I wish they would do some low-strength brews) and Allagash as premiere North American Belgian-style brewers.

 

Hennepin, and saison in general, can't be equated with Bavarian hefeweizen, however, except in maybe very broad terms of palate and mouthfeel. [i'm hoping to come off as informative here, and not as a beer prick, so forgive me if I fail].

 

I've read articles where both Ommegang owner Don Feinberg and head brewer Randy Thiel talk in general terms about The Hennepin recipe, and neither of them have suggested that there is wheat anywhere in the grain bill (They do note the inclusion of ginger root and cane sugar, so the discussions, I think, would have noted the use of wheat if it occurred). Inclusion of wheat in general would be unusual for saison/beirre de garde, but of course it's not unheard of. Historically, both of these styles are farmhouse ales (one is Wallonian and one is French), so if the farm produced wheat certainly it could end up in the grain bill of the beers they produce. Being farmhouse ales however, in no case would the wheat have been malted. It would have been unmalted wheat just as what is used in the other famous farmhouse ale, Belgian wit (Ommegang makes an excellent one of these, by the way). by definition, the wheat used in the grain bills of the Bavarian weissbiers are malted.

 

One more thought on modern interpretations of saison. Most of them – even the Belgian ones - are now brewed to a higher strength than the original versions would have been. farmhouse alse were beers of amazing utility. They used the ingredients and equipment on-hand, but they were also brewed for consumption by farmhands during the course of the working day (water was often contaminated and unreliable for drinking). Since farmhands were alloted 5 liters of ale a day, it had to be brewed to a low strength so as not to incapacitate the laborers. These probably would hev been in the 3% range. Most modern interpretations are now in the 6-8% range, and even Saison Dupont (which most people consider to be the premiere example of the style - seek it out) comes in at 5%.

 

I love big beers, certainly. But I also love the historic utility beers and British session beers that focused on flavor rather than strength and were meant to be consumed all day/night without knocking the drinker on his arse.

 

OK, sorry for the excursion. The micro I'm currently still in love with is Dogfish Head out of Deleware. If you are a hop-head, you'll go nuts for these. Their year-round 90 Minute IPA is my favorite year-round big beer available today and the occasional (three releases a year) 120 Minute IPA (12% abv and a whopping 120 ibu hopping rate) is unbelievable. i've been less impressed with some of the artisinal seasonal stuff (Raison D'Extra, Immort Ale), but it's still worth a spin.

[G&T]

Beer snob...

 

Thanks for the info. I'm just getting into this stuff so I don't really know what I'm drinking.

[3E8]

I've found that beer snobs are the best kind of snobs because they don't just want to ridicule you for lack of knowledge but want to introduce you to as much as possible and help you learn.

[FlaSoxxJim]

I've found that beer snobs are the best kind of snobs because they don't just want to ridicule you for lack of knowledge but want to introduce you to as much as possible and help you learn.

 

All in the hope that when we go over to somebody's house they have been sufficiently educated and have some good beer on hand!

[CubKilla]

Most modern interpretations are now in the 6-8% range, and even Saison Dupont (which most people consider to be the premiere example of the style - seek it out) comes in at 5%.

 

The micro I'm currently still in love with is Dogfish Head out of Deleware. If you are a hop-head, you'll go nuts for these. Their year-round 90 Minute IPA is my favorite year-round big beer available today and the occasional (three releases a year) 120 Minute IPA (12% abv and a whopping 120 ibu hopping rate) is unbelievable. i've been less impressed with some of the artisinal seasonal stuff (Raison D'Extra, Immort Ale), but it's still worth a spin.

 

My personnal favorite saison-style is Fantome

 

I agree whole-heartily with you on Dogfish Head. 60 and, especially 90 Minute IPA's are a thing to behold and consume. Two of my absolute faves. Some of their seasonal and special brews are noteworthy, but some of the stuff they brew should come with a skull and crossbones on the bottle because it cannot be brewed for any other reason but to get you drunk and drunk quick. The exception to this rule is Dogfish Head's World Wide Stout..... a big beer that doesn't taste big and is quite palatable for, what I believe, is 18%.

 

Three Floyd's is my personal favorite brewery for all around tasty and award winning styles. My fridge is currently stocked with 2, 1, and new born Darklord's, 2 and 1 year old Behemoth Barleywines, and 4 Fantabulous Resplendence "X" ales.

 

On an end note, if you try and like Dogfish Head's 60 and 90 Minute IPA's, try Three Floyd's Alpha King and Dreadnaught.

[FlaSoxxJim]

On an end note, if you try and like Dogfish Head's 60 and 90 Minute IPA's, try Three Floyd's Alpha King and Dreadnaught.

 

We don't see Three Floyd's come down this way, so it is a treat when I get back to the Midwest and can enjoy it. Alpha King, Dreadnaught IPA and the very tasty Robert the Bruce Scottish Ale are the only things I think I've had of theirs, so it looks like I have some catching up to do.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

90 Shilling, by O'Dell's in Fort Collins, CO

 

Nectar of the Gods.

 

[Kid Gleason]

I've found that beer snobs are the best kind of snobs because they don't just want to ridicule you for lack of knowledge but want to introduce you to as much as possible and help you learn.

 

Eh, it's the same with anything. I got REAL tired of the beer snob crowd REAL fast. There is a definite superiority complex for a lot of those guys also. I got sick of them snobbering me when I would decide I wanted something not so dang "hoppy" and "malty". God forbid I mention liking a Pilsner every now and then. They all also had heart attacks when I said I was done experimenting. I know what I like, I keep some of it on hand, but I am not going to go out and buy craploads of experimental stuff.

 

One mands Budweiser is another mans Westvleteren. It's all what works for your taste buds.

 

I've been enjoying Newcastle as of late. Not a micro, but a fine beer.

[southsider2k5]

Chimay

 

What can I say, the Monks can brew!

[FlaSoxxJim]

Well dang, now I'm completely bummed. The guru of beer, Beer Hunter Michael Jackson passed away.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/obituar...0,3619829.story

 

Jackson's PBS series "The Beer Hunter" was brilliant and it helped me evolve from a homebrewer happy to experiment and stumble along into a beer enthusiast who started considering brewing styles, brewing science, and the historic necessities for doing things a certain way in a certain part of the world.

 

Terribly sad.

 

Beer Hunter

Edited September 4, 2007 by FlaSoxxJim

[RockRaines]

My own brew actually.

 

Fisk 72

[sox4lifeinPA]

is this a thread about short jewish folk?

[Kid Gleason]

Well dang, now I'm completely bummed. The guro of beer, Beer Hunter Michael Jackson passed away.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/obituar...0,3619829.story

 

Jackson's PBS series "The Beer Hunter" was brilliant and it helped me evolve from a homebrewer happy to experiment and stumble along into a beer enthusiast who started considering brewing styles, brewing science, and the historic necessities for doing things a certain way in a certain part of the world.

 

Terribly sad.

 

Beer Hunter

 

HOLY SH*T!!! I wasn't going to have a brew, but in his honor I think I will have to hoist one tonight! RIP to the cool Michael Jackson.

[Dick Allen]

Berghoff brewed in Monroe, Wisconsin.

You used to be able to buy it as Huber beer, about $8 a case. Of course you had to pay a deposit on bottles. They threw a Berghoff label on it and jacked up the price.

[G&T]

Well I definitely have to thank you guys. The Dogfish Head 90 min. is awesome. One of the best beers I've ever had.

Ommegang 3 Philosophers is good too, but the alcohol taste is a bit strong for me. I'd probably try it again though.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Well I definitely have to thank you guys. The Dogfish Head 90 min. is awesome. One of the best beers I've ever had.

Ommegang 3 Philosophers is good too, but the alcohol taste is a bit strong for me. I'd probably try it again though.

 

 

Hooray Beer!!