newcastle brown ale, on tap preferably. rickards dark is a decent substitute if it's not available
i loathe all brewsters beer...
I always thought Brewsters stuff was alright. But at Beerfest I tried their stout for the first time and I thought it was absolutely fantastic. Liked it more than Guiness. But like most people here have said Guiness is far better overseas, not that I know I'm just echoing their sentiment.
Also I have to ask the question because it's been bugging me for a while and I want to see if others agree with me.
But I find that all beers taste far superior on tap than in a can or bottle. A few examples are:
Stella takes like **** in a bottle but is good on tap
Rickards Dark, White & Keiths Red is good in a bottle and even better on tap
Grasshopper & Heiniken taste like crap in a bottle but again taste good on tap
If anyone else agrees with me can you explain why beer tastes better on tap.
Also I think a good beer glass helps beer too. I bough a 4-pack of guiness draught last night and drank the first one out of the can and thought it tasted rather watered down. Then I put the second one in a Duvel beer glass and I thought it tasted more like what you would get on tap at a pub. Is this just me thinking it taste better or do these things actually make a difference?
Do you pour the bottle of beer into a glass or drink straight from the bottle?
I think beer tastes better on tap due to the beer's aroma in the glass prior to tasting (similar to wine). You get to smell the beer before tasting which adds another element to the drinking experience.
I found a website and this is what they had to say on the keg vs bottle debate:
The primary reason why kegged beer tastes better is oxygen. Oxygen is the enemy of any beer - it slowly combines with carbohydrate, hop and alcohol molecules, and this process of oxidation causes a crisp, sweet, fresh beer to taste stale. Whereas bottles contain quite a bit of airspace with oxygen, kegs are filled to the very top. A 12 ounce bottled beer usually contains substantially more oxygen than an equal sample of its kegged version.
Unlike glass, kegs also protect beer from the harmful effects of light that can react with hops to produce the unpleasant "skunky" notes often encountered in beers packaged in clear or green bottles. Sachin Patel, owner of Five Points Bottle Shop, explains, "Most beer connoisseurs understand keg beer has not seen the light of day and is normally kept colder through the whole distribution process. These two factors help maintain a fresher flavor."
In terms of longevity, most standard bottled beers should be consumed within three to six months after leaving the brewery. Bottled beers sometimes sit on retail shelves or in coolers for months, but pubs and restaurants order kegs based on current demand, and these kegs are usually drained in short order. As a rule of thumb, the higher the alcohol of the beer, the longer it can stand up to age in the bottle or keg.
keg beer isn't pasturized and is usually less carbonated. Makes for an easier to drink and tastier beer. I learned that on Drinking made Easy. Love that show!
Do you pour the bottle of beer into a glass or drink straight from the bottle?
I think beer tastes better on tap due to the beer's aroma in the glass prior to tasting (similar to wine). You get to smell the beer before tasting which adds another element to the drinking experience.
Ahhh that would make sense. If I'm drinking Kokanee or pissy canadian I will just leave it in the bottle. If I'm drinking Innis I usually will pour it into a glass. but that makes complete sense on the senses being part of the total experience like drinking wine.
I found a website and this is what they had to say on the keg vs bottle debate:
The primary reason why kegged beer tastes better is oxygen. Oxygen is the enemy of any beer - it slowly combines with carbohydrate, hop and alcohol molecules, and this process of oxidation causes a crisp, sweet, fresh beer to taste stale. Whereas bottles contain quite a bit of airspace with oxygen, kegs are filled to the very top. A 12 ounce bottled beer usually contains substantially more oxygen than an equal sample of its kegged version.
Unlike glass, kegs also protect beer from the harmful effects of light that can react with hops to produce the unpleasant "skunky" notes often encountered in beers packaged in clear or green bottles. Sachin Patel, owner of Five Points Bottle Shop, explains, "Most beer connoisseurs understand keg beer has not seen the light of day and is normally kept colder through the whole distribution process. These two factors help maintain a fresher flavor."
In terms of longevity, most standard bottled beers should be consumed within three to six months after leaving the brewery. Bottled beers sometimes sit on retail shelves or in coolers for months, but pubs and restaurants order kegs based on current demand, and these kegs are usually drained in short order. As a rule of thumb, the higher the alcohol of the beer, the longer it can stand up to age in the bottle or keg.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 0ilerman
keg beer isn't pasturized and is usually less carbonated. Makes for an easier to drink and tastier beer. I learned that on Drinking made Easy. Love that show!
Awesome, thanks for this guys. I figured there had to be a reason, but I surely didn't know what that reason was.
Yeah, the green and clear bottles are horrible for beer.
I always thought Heineken was a horrible beer until I tasted it on tap. Not my favorite, but definitely better than the skunk ale you almost always get from the green bottles.
I always pour my beer in a glass. Releases a lot of the CO2 (which reduced the feeling of bloating), and like another poster said, allows your nose in on the action, enhancing the flavor of the beer.
I was a bar manager at Original Joe's for a couple of years, and had the pleasure of bringing in whatever imports I wanted. Sampled a lot, and brought in a lot of great beers. Unfortunately our supplier was on Stony Plain rd, so that doesn't really give you a solution to the long drive to pick up good beer.
What you can do though, is check out http://www.liquorconnect.com which used the be the alberta liquor guide. You can look for particular items and bring up lists of stores that have previously ordered that item. I've found a few things on there and just called around to see where it was available and in stock.
As far as awesome beers go, I agree with Innis and Gunn! Such a solid and unique beer.
If you're into darks the St Ambroise Oatmeal Stout is unreal. Very dark and a bit heavy, but the flavors are great.
If you haven't tried anything from Unibroue out of Quebec, you should do yourself a favor. Pretty much all of their beers are refermented in the bottle, and have a higher alcohol content, but if you drink them in the right glass they are another one of those unique, crazy flavorful beers.
I have many more suggestions if you want them! Original Joe's used to use my old order guide, but they have changed things quite a bit since I left, but they still have a pretty solid selection. Also the Sugar Bowl has a great selection of imports, and some amazing beers on tap as well and is located just off 109th street just south of the high level bridge.
Happy drinking!
just because you worked there doesn't mean you were the manager. It must have been a large step backwards working for me. tisk tisk fibber. lol
Alright, now that most people have listed their favourite beers. Where is the best place to find them(in Edmonton) and about how much can a guy expect to pay for it?
I'm really most interested in Dark stout beers as of late.
Alright, now that most people have listed their favourite beers. Where is the best place to find them(in Edmonton) and about how much can a guy expect to pay for it?
I'm really most interested in Dark stout beers as of late.
go to Sherbrooke or Devine Wines and get the Mikkellers. They have a bunch of new to Alberta products. Heard the Imperial Black Stout was amazing. I am actually trying the whole line thats availiable right now on sunday, pretty stoked
Yah man I would lie to you. I've been getting into dark beers lately and that definitely went up higher on my list after I finished a pint.
Yeah I tend to drink a lot of dark beers as well. I fell in love with that beer whe I first tried it and now I am glad I don't have to travel all the way back to Bavaria just to have one.
go to Sherbrooke or Devine Wines and get the Mikkellers. They have a bunch of new to Alberta products. Heard the Imperial Black Stout was amazing. I am actually trying the whole line thats availiable right now on sunday, pretty stoked
Who makes those? And are you allowed/able to ship beer?
Those are all the breweries. Technically you are not allowed to ship beer. But it happens all the time. Shipping domestically you are not required to label the contents. So as long as you pack it soundly so they don't break you should be good to go.
It's a double standard, you are able to ship wine but not beer. Scratch your head on that one. I usually use styrofoam wine shippers and never had a bottle break.
I've been pounding back lots of Lagunitas IPA. Been drinking extremely hoppy ipa's as of late
My girlfriend hates when I go to Sherbrook because I take so damn long. Now I just go by myself and spend the night there. They should have a cashier in the beer cooler and I would just pay by the bottle and consume in there.
