# Micro Brews???



## The Gabba Goul (Feb 11, 2005)

Perhaps I'm just showing my @$$ again...but I'm really not a fan of Micro Brews...I dont understand why so many "sophisticated" beer drinkers (if such a thing exists [and yes, I am a beer drinker]). Absolutely recoil in disgust at the mere mention of Bud, or Coors or whatever...granted they arent great and if I'm given the choice between that and something else I'd take something else...but they are still drinkable...A good friend of mine is looking at buying a cabin in a town called Arnold (all I know is it's in CA, other than that, if you asked me to point to Arnold on a map, I'd point to Sacramento)...any-who...she was raving about this great micro-brewery they have up ther called Showshoe, she brought me back a 6 pack of their hef...they should have called the stuff gymshoe because that's what it smelled like...and I can honestly say that I'd take a Coors Light over Snowshoe hef anyday...but this got me thinking...this same friend always has her fridge stocked with either Pyramid or Fat tire...once again...gimme a silver bullet over either of those pseudo bugee (sp?) beers any day...I'll take it one step further, gimme a silver bullet over 98% of all the micro brews out there...

something about the extreme bitterness, or extreme sweetness, or downright skunky-ness of most micro-brews that just turns my stomach...give me a Chimay or a Sam Adams any day...

that being said...I have in the past had micro-brews that I thought were pretty good...sooooo...the question is...what are some micro-brews that dont taste like water used to boil dirty socks and cardboard boxes in...and are actually worthy of sharing a shelf in my fridge with Mr Adams???


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Gabba:

Much of this is a matter of taste, part a matter of upps-manship or pretension, and part a matter of distribution.

To taste: we tend to like what we were raised with/first exposed to. So it is therefore normal that most people will prefer a commercial beer, as that is most likely what they came to beer drinking with. So even when one goes to craft/artisnal/micro brews, one is likely to start off to things close to commercial tasting beers. It takes time to develop a taste for other types of beers.

To pretension: it is just like any other food item seen as a status symbol, people will go on about the hardest to find, latest/trendiest, least appealing to the mainstream, beer. It is human nature. This board's members probably specialize in it, as we all think, to one extent or another, that our manner of dress sets us apart. I see people on my piper's board going on about the heaviest stout style of beers all the time, as these folks in the US seem to think that is part of being "Scottish" or in the piping community. Me, if I am having a steak, a pint of room temperature Guiness (which is Irish of course) might be nice, but if I just stepped out of the heat and want to cool down, I'll take a nice chilled Henekein or Rolling Rock please.

To distribution: if it is truly "micro brew", what I can get in Tucson, Arizona is probably not what you can get in NYC.


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## CCabot (Oct 4, 2006)

Gabba, it is likely that you have gotten use to the pilsner style as a beer norm, and thus do not enjoy hefeweizens/bocks/IPAs/etc. i.e. those styles of beers that tend to deviate strongly towards one end of the flavor spectrum or another. There is nothing particularly wrong with liking well-rounded beers, but I think your negative reaction has more to do with the styles of beer rather than the quality of the breweries themselves.


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## 44XT (Aug 2, 2005)

As a beer drinker and beer maker, I try and describe beer styles to non-brewers as analagous to breads and bread styles. There are numerous reasons not to drink beers like Coors light, which could fill this entire page. The simple reason is that while you might like white bread occassionaly a steady diet of it when there are breads like pumpernickel and rye around is just limiting yourself!


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## jcusey (Apr 19, 2003)

The Gabba Goul said:


> something about the extreme bitterness, or extreme sweetness, or downright skunky-ness of most micro-brews that just turns my stomach...give me a Chimay or a Sam Adams any day...


Guess what? Chimay and Samuel Adams are both microbrews.

There are a number of things that bother me about megabrews like Bud and Miller, but those things can probably be distilled down to two: they're neither good nor cheap. They don't taste like anything, and they're pretty expensive considering that they're bad. If I want bad, I can buy PBR or Schlitz or Perl or any number of other brands, save a lot of money, and get better beer. If I want something good, there are any number of much better options. Sure, there are a lot of microbrews that are revolting, but there is so much variety out there that there are plenty that I like.


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## Copper (Mar 25, 2007)

Microbrews are not consistent in quality but that, to me, is part of the appeal. You always know what you are going to get in a Coors or Bud bottle. It will be the same tomorrow as yesterday, and it will be the same if you order one in Calgary, Los Angeles, Belfast or Moscow. 

Opening a microbrew is a chance to compare, contrast and think about the flavours in the drink. It may fall down, it may be simply be mediocre but it also has a shot at brilliance; a better shot at brilliance than, say, a Coors. 

It is for that reason that I enjoy Single Malt Whisky over blended Scotch, and Colheita Port over many vintages.

Life's rich tapestry and all that.


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## The Gabba Goul (Feb 11, 2005)

jcusey said:


> Guess what? Chimay and Samuel Adams are both microbrews.


I was wondering about this...can we really call Chaimay a micro-brew...I mean it's practically world wide...

And Sam Adams, well, they are having some of their lines made at other bottling plants, so I wouldnt really classify them as micro-brews either...

I mean, yeah I can understand what you're saying as far as Chimay's brewing methods and the fact that Sam adams was at one time a kind of grass-roots micro brew, but they are both pretty big time today...


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## Spence (Feb 28, 2006)

I wouldn't consider Chimay a micro, and Sam Adams more certainly isn't...heck it's contract brewed in a few places.

There are plenty of good non-micro brews, great social beers and much lighter when needed. 

I think this trend of Imperial 8, 9%+ beers that's sweeping the industry are just going to make some of us fat.

-spence


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## pt4u67 (Apr 27, 2006)

Come on over here and let me take you to the flossmoor station.

https://www.flossmoorstation.com/

Their barrell aged beers are the best but only available during the colder months (bartender explained to me that's the way the monks used to do it).


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## jbryanb (Oct 2, 2006)

Since you are asking for suggestions as to what micro brews are good, I think we could be of more help if you gave us a few more examples of other beers you enjoy. 

Are all of your favorite brews semi0dark like Sam Adams and Chimay, or do you alos like beer such as Stella or St. Paulie Girl, or IPA's, or Bocks?


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## The Gabba Goul (Feb 11, 2005)

jbryanb said:


> Are all of your favorite brews semi0dark like Sam Adams and Chimay, or do you alos like beer such as Stella or St. Paulie Girl, or IPA's, or Bocks?


I'm not sure what category I fall into, I mean definately my two favs are Chimay and Sam Adams, but I also drink St. Paulie Girl, Guiness, Red Stripe, Moretti, and Peroni with some regularity...


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## jbryanb (Oct 2, 2006)

My two favorite microbrews right now are Sweetwater 420, made in Atlanta, and Terrapin Rye Pale Ale, from Athens, Georgia. Not sure if you can get those in California, but if so you might want to try one of them.


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## CCabot (Oct 4, 2006)

jbryanb said:


> Are all of your favorite brews semi0dark like Sam Adams and Chimay, or do you alos like beer such as Stella or St. Paulie Girl, or IPA's, or Bocks?


Given Gabba's distaste for sweetness (bocks) and bitterness (IPAs) I would hesitate to recommend either types of beer to him.

On a sidenote, you really have got to stop putting three question marks at the end of every post you make Gabba.


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## KenR (Jun 22, 2005)

Went to a microbrew tasting event at Hunter Mountain (Catskills) on Saturday. Was at the resort to celebrate a brother-in-law's 50th and stumbled on to the event, so to speak. Spent a couple of hours there but I had a fun time. It is amazing how a fresh brew tastes. Very clean. Only tested a few of the offerings, unfortunately.

Most of the attendees were guys (and gals) in their mid 20's. A few too many of them came back to the main lodge a bit too drunk and definitely too stupid.


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## lostinaustin (Jul 27, 2005)

Here are my thoughts on why you might not like the microbrews you've tasted.

There is a distinct style of american craft beers. The tendency is toward BIG flavors. That is, big warming alcohol (7percent and up), major hops (and hence bitterness), and frequently sweeter (helps get the alcohol up).

It's not the rule....there are plenty of subtle American craft beers. Many of them taste just like Chimay or just like Sam Adams ale (and classic british ales). BUT.....the ones that win the attention of American beer-snobs (including myself, sometimes) are the HUGE, HOPPY, HIGH ALCOHOL beers.

Arrogant Bastard, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, DogfishHead beers, Three Floyds beers, Stone, Rogue, Victory, etc.... These guys favor the taste that I'm describing. And many people love it.

Depending on where you live, there are also tons of excellent, subtle and drinkable beers made by craft brewers.


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## Kent Wang (Aug 2, 2005)

Belgian-style ales are the best. I am not a fan of any of the American styles, and the only good Belgian-styles made outside of Belgium are from Unibroue (Quebec), Brother Thelonius (North Coast, California) and Ommegang (New York).

New Belgium, despite its name, does not produce any good Belgian-styles. I suppose Fat Tire is a good American Amber.


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## lostinaustin (Jul 27, 2005)

Here are some to consider. These are more approachable and not so alchoholic (starting with the popular small brewers)

Anchor Steam (also low calories)
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Fat Tire
Abbey Belgian (by New Belgium)
Prima Pils (a pilsener with flavor by Victory)
Sierra Nevada Summerfest
Scrimshaw Pilsener (by North Coast)


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## lostinaustin (Jul 27, 2005)

Kent Wang said:


> Belgian-style ales are the best. I am not a fan of any of the American styles, and the only good Belgian-styles made outside of Belgium are from Unibroue (Quebec), Brother Thelonius (North Coast, California) and Ommegang (New York).
> 
> New Belgium, despite its name, does not produce any good Belgian-styles. I suppose Fat Tire is a good American Amber.


I agree that New Belgium doesn't live up to its name. I think the Abbey Belgian Style Ale by New Belgium is a passable Belgian Dubbel style. Many reviewers agree. It's not entlerely different from the Brother Thelonius, except for the price and the 2pct alcohol differenct.

Their Saison was a disappointment, as weere others. Their 1554 is not terrible as a belgian black, along the lines of Ommegang's Rare Vos.

They are not world class, but remember, it's hard to get decently priced belgian styled beers in most cities, let alone in keg or 12oz bottle form. The Abbey does just fine.

I'm a big fan of the beers you mentioned, but Allagash and Russian River are also decent brewers of belgian styles.


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## JLibourel (Jun 13, 2004)

So many great microbreweries...and I can consume only two or three beers a night!

Tastes differ. My wife loves hefeweissens. I don't. She loathes the dark ales, porters and stouts I like.

There is so very much more good beer available in American than when I was a young thing, when about all that was readily available were insipid mass-produced pilsners (not that there is anything wrong with a really good pilsner on occasion). The beer situation is one of the few things about life today that I like a lot better than 50 years ago. (Well, fora like this would also count.)

For those of you travelling about Southern California (or who live there) and like gourment beers, may I recommend the Stone Brewery in Escondido, California? They have an excellent pub-restaurant attached to their brewery with great food and not only their own beers, which are outstanding, but the products of innummerable other microbreweries as well.


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