The Finer Things In Life

[bmags]

Flaxx and G&T,

 

Any of you tried Xingu? It's a black ale from Rio De Jineiro I quite like. Comparable to Rogue's Dead Guy, if that's your bag.

[bmags]

I've had Bell's cherry stout but I just walked away with what I usually do: I don't like cherry.

[G&T]

Flaxx and G&T,

 

Any of you tried Xingu? It's a black ale from Rio De Jineiro I quite like. Comparable to Rogue's Dead Guy, if that's your bag.

 

I have not had Xingu, but that's a schwartbier which I do enjoy. Nothing goes with hot dogs like schwartbier. I know, I'm sophisticated.

[G&T]

I've had Bell's cherry stout but I just walked away with what I usually do: I don't like cherry.

 

Same problem for me. If you've ever had Ommegang Three Philosophers it's the same issue. Everyone seems to love 3 Philosophers but I can't stand it. Interestingly, I like real cherries. But in drinks, it all tastes like Tylenol.

Edited August 20, 2009 by G&T

[FlaSoxxJim]

Oh, I know!!! There's this beer...it's HIGH alcohol...it's called The Beast! Stop me if you've heard this one before...

 

 

I've only done it once before. I can't remember if there was anything special done. . .

 

 

I was waiting for the right moment to give KGleason a special shout out for a wonderful gift a couple of years back. One I owe hime something special for. . . and then I heard these nasty rumors about him cutting back on his beer drinking. Say it ain't so, Kid!

 

What may astound you is I have managed to hold on to The Beast to put a bit of age on it — yep, it's still waiting but getting impatient. I think it gets chilled tonight and consuned tomorrow!

 

Back then. Florida got NO Avery products. Now we thankfully get lots, but I've never once seen The Beast so it is still a one-of-a-kind beer for me. One of my favorite beer cafes here has White Rascal on tap which I think is a pretty solid witbier interpretation.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Flaxx and G&T,

 

Any of you tried Xingu? It's a black ale from Rio De Jineiro I quite like. Comparable to Rogue's Dead Guy, if that's your bag.

 

I have not had Xingu, but that's a schwartbier which I do enjoy. Nothing goes with hot dogs like schwartbier. I know, I'm sophisticated.

 

Good beer with a fun history to it. Cultural anthropologist Alan Eames, aka, "the Indiana Jones of Beer" is the one most responsible for the beer. He cotends it was based on his South American anthropoligical research from Amazon areas where alcoholic cereal beverages were traditionally made using human saliva as a source of amylase enzymes. Sounds yummy, no?

 

But G&T is right — the beer Eames and Brazil's Kaiser Brewery came up with is very modern and quite squarely in the Franconian black beer style ("I see your schwartz is as big as mine". . . ).

 

I'll take a Köstritzer over a Xingu — both for regional "ur" authenticity and also because I've run into several abused bottles of Xingu that were past their prime. All in all though, a quality New World interpretation of a classic Old World style.

[FlaSoxxJim]

I've had Bell's cherry stout but I just walked away with what I usually do: I don't like cherry.

 

Same problem for me. If you've ever had Ommegang Three Philosophers it's the same issue. Everyone seems to love 3 Philosophers but I can't stand it. Interestingly, I like real cherries. But in drinks, it all tastes like Tylenol.

 

I used to brew a mean choke cherry stout based on the recipe from Charlie Papazian's origial CJHB book that I bet you both would have liked. I do know what you're talking about though. The Bell's cherry stout is not an every day beer for sure. It sure as hell beats the taste of the gawdawful cherry wheat Sam Adams came out with several years ago.

 

Any love for kreik lambics? For fruit lambics I'll usually grab a framboise first in deference to the wife, but I quite like the kreiks as well.

[Kid Gleason]

Beer drinking has been calmed down, but I still drink only the finer things. The whole reason is more for the loss of weight thing.

 

I suggest letting that Beast age as long as you can. It was a VERY potent brew in the alcohol burn department. I have a feeling the longer that badboy sits, the better for all. I still have one of mine in the crawlspace and am waiting for the prime time to crack it. Maybe the way you can "repay" me is that we both agree to crack them on the same night and write about them here.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Beer drinking has been calmed down, but I still drink only the finer things. The whole reason is more for the loss of weight thing.

 

I suggest letting that Beast age as long as you can. It was a VERY potent brew in the alcohol burn department. I have a feeling the longer that badboy sits, the better for all. I still have one of mine in the crawlspace and am waiting for the prime time to crack it. Maybe the way you can "repay" me is that we both agree to crack them on the same night and write about them here.

 

Oohh, I really like that. I haven't gotten off my duff to chill mine and won't yet, until there's an evening that works.

 

I'm right there with you on the cutting back to lose weight thing, sadly. I'm back to trying to eat well and lose some pounds, and the recreational drinks are the biggest impediment. Hard to cut out.

 

[knightni]

Good beer with a fun history to it. Cultural anthropologist Alan Eames, aka, "the Indiana Jones of Beer" is the one most responsible for the beer. He contends it was based on his South American anthropoligical research from Amazon areas where alcoholic cereal beverages were traditionally made using human saliva as a source of amylase enzymes. Sounds yummy, no?

Like chicha?

 

 

[FlaSoxxJim]

Like chicha?

 

Exactly right. The traditional beverage would be primarily maize as the fermentable, digested with saliva to yield fermentable sugars and then often spiked with manioc or other psychotropic agents.

[knightni]

Exactly right. The traditional beverage would be primarily maize as the fermentable, digested with saliva to yield fermentable sugars and then often spiked with manioc or other psychotropic agents.

You ever watch Thirsty Traveler? He got dysentery from some.

[FlaSoxxJim]

You ever watch Thirsty Traveler? He got dysentery from some.

 

No I haven't seen it. I watched some of a couple of Three Sheets episodes online and that looks like a good one too. I seriously think those guys have the greatest gigs in the universe.

 

I would drink some good ol' virgin-saliva-fermented corn beer in a heartbeat just for the experience.

 

[knightni]

She was no virgin, unless she was a nun. The woman was 60, easy.

 

 

[FlaSoxxJim]

She was no virgin, unless she was a nun. The woman was 60, easy.

 

I think the virgin thing is optional these days, but historically when the drink was made for religious ceremonies virgins often provided the spittle.

[knightni]

I think the virgin thing is optional these days, but historically when the drink was made for religious ceremonies virgins often provided the spittle.

Was it this guy?

 

NSFW

[FlaSoxxJim]

My Eyes! Mt Eyes!!!

[bmags]

I used to brew a mean choke cherry stout based on the recipe from Charlie Papazian's origial CJHB book that I bet you both would have liked. I do know what you're talking about though. The Bell's cherry stout is not an every day beer for sure. It sure as hell beats the taste of the gawdawful cherry wheat Sam Adams came out with several years ago.

 

Any love for kreik lambics? For fruit lambics I'll usually grab a framboise first in deference to the wife, but I quite like the kreiks as well.

 

 

Around lady friends I'll drink the framboise but even with the high AC it just seems kind of empty. It's too light, like drinking sparkling crystal light to me. I did have a good lambic a couple weeks ago but it was poured for me and never found out what it was.

[hogan873]

I have to agree that fall is probably the best season for beer. I love the Octoberfests and darker beers. Sam Adams already has a Harvest Mix out with Octoberfest, Brown Ale, Cherry Wheat, and Dunkelweizen.

[FlaSoxxJim]

I have to agree that fall is probably the best season for beer. I love the Octoberfests and darker beers. Sam Adams already has a Harvest Mix out with Octoberfest, Brown Ale, Cherry Wheat, and Dunkelweizen.

 

Sam's Oktober and Winter lagers are always solid. Sad to see they are still trotting out the putrid cherry wheat though. Has it improved any? Out of all the special releases and seasonals they do/did, that one and their cranberry lambic were the most unpalatable I think.

 

Also regarding Sam, are there any fans of the Old Fezziwig Christmas ale? It's been years since I've had it since they only seem to include it in the holiday 12-packs and it usually includes cr@p like the cranberry lambic. I used to be able to find an occasional bomber, but haven't in a long time. I have a feeling it would be good not great if I had it now, now that there are so many excellent winter beers available.

[Kid Gleason]

No I haven't seen it. I watched some of a couple of Three Sheets episodes online and that looks like a good one too. I seriously think those guys have the greatest gigs in the universe.

 

I would drink some good ol' virgin-saliva-fermented corn beer in a heartbeat just for the experience.

 

Three Sheets is a million times better than Thirsty Traveler, mainly due to Zane Lamprey being friggin' hysterical and the guy on Thirsty Traveler being kind of a snob. Dang near identical shows, but one is a conniseur while the other is a stand-up comedian who likes to party.

[hogan873]

Sam's Oktober and Winter lagers are always solid. Sad to see they are still trotting out the putrid cherry wheat though. Has it improved any? Out of all the special releases and seasonals they do/did, that one and their cranberry lambic were the most unpalatable I think.

 

Also regarding Sam, are there any fans of the Old Fezziwig Christmas ale? It's been years since I've had it since they only seem to include it in the holiday 12-packs and it usually includes cr@p like the cranberry lambic. I used to be able to find an occasional bomber, but haven't in a long time. I have a feeling it would be good not great if I had it now, now that there are so many excellent winter beers available.

 

I don't mind the Cherry Wheat. It's not one of my favorites, but it's okay for one at a time. I do agree that the Cranberry Lambic is not good. As far as the Old Fezziwig, I'm a huge fan. Love the spices. I know it was in the winter pack last year, but I don't think I've ever seen it by itself. I wish Sam Adams would package a 12-pack of the Winter Lager, Holiday Porter, Cream Stout, and Old Fezziwig. Leave out the lambic and Boston Lager (you can get that by itself easily).

[FlaSoxxJim]

Three Sheets is a million times better than Thirsty Traveler, mainly due to Zane Lamprey being friggin' hysterical and the guy on Thirsty Traveler being kind of a snob. Dang near identical shows, but one is a conniseur while the other is a stand-up comedian who likes to party.

 

I saw part of the Three Sheets episode — no, actually a video interview about the show — where he was learning how to use a sabre to open a bottle of Champagne like the Napoleonic army used to do. Yeah, I like that he gets into all aspects of the drinks in question, including the drunkenness part of it.

 

Professional drinker — man what a gig.

[knightni]

Kevin Brauch isn't a snob. He's pretty funny. He's doing Iron Chef America now.

[bmags]

I wouldn't mind a run down of what glasses to drink what beers in.