I used to love Sam Adams Winter Ale as well, I stopped enjoying it as much about 4 years ago, I thought maybe my tastes were just changing (around 18-19 years old), though.
Nope, they changed the brew slightly. Bit less alcohol content (this for sure), and a bit less bite in the flavor, IMO.
And, yes, that's where it comes from. Hops are a natural preservative, and that's why they are such hoppy beers. The beer was specifically brewed to survive the trip from England to India without spoiling.
... would have guessed that it had something to do with East India Company cargo...
... Forgot a point I should have mentioned earlier when I was discussing how Europe thinks differently towards beer and drinking than North America -- US/Canada at least -- In a hotel in Rome last year we had in a landing beverage machine, along with soft drinks, there were cans of local beer... I forget the brand, may have been Peroni or Moretti. I thought to myself, "This must be what Heaven is like"... Hell, I'll be honest, I made a big deal letting all the tourists around know about it and about my pleasure -- Ugly American; I confess
... Forgot a point I should have mentioned earlier when I was discussing how Europe thinks differently towards beer and drinking than North America -- US/Canada at least -- In a hotel in Rome last year we had in a landing beverage machine, along with soft drinks, there were cans of local beer... I forget the brand, may have been Peroni or Moretti. I thought to myself, "This must be what Heaven is like"... Hell, I'll be honest, I made a big deal letting all the tourists around know about it and about my pleasure -- Ugly American; I confess
Did they promptly run to grab an American flag to set it on fire while spitting on you?
... Forgot a point I should have mentioned earlier when I was discussing how Europe thinks differently towards beer and drinking than North America -- US/Canada at least -- In a hotel in Rome last year we had in a landing beverage machine, along with soft drinks, there were cans of local beer... I forget the brand, may have been Peroni or Moretti. I thought to myself, "This must be what Heaven is like"... Hell, I'll be honest, I made a big deal letting all the tourists around know about it and about my pleasure -- Ugly American; I confess
That's nothing, you should see the alcohol consumption of undergraduate students. The Student Unions in the UK are bars.
Did they promptly run to grab an American flag to set it on fire while spitting on you?
Haha... Actually the Ugly American talk I'm sure is kept to themselves when they discuss the 'funny' and at times obnoxious things we do... While in our presence they smile and humor us as they speak excellent English and kiss our collective *****, and go off with the fistful of US dollars that we leave behind.
Anyone who has ever taken at least one Tour Package should see *My Life in Ruins*... We watched it just last night; it was an excellent light hearted film that has a nice grasp on the tour industry. Harder to find, but well worth the effort... although very dated... is *If it's Tuesday, this Must Be Belgium*. We Americans, as well as many other countries' tourists, are a crazy breed as we set out in other people's lands and let it all loose on vacation... We feel that the World has to adjust to us... meanwhile they wink wink, nudge nudge and pocket our cash.
I guess it is the general public that may want to burn and spit... But, to be honest, and all kidding aside... I find that people are nice to us as long as we make an effort to respect them and don't treat them like dirt... even the French.
In any event, and to answer your question... while I was an indeed an Ugly American, I avoided creating civil unrest.
That's nothing, you should see the alcohol consumption of undergraduate students. The Student Unions in the UK are bars.
Student drinking is a way of life and is a given... What I was amazed at was the matter of factness of throwing in cans of beer along with Orange Juice and Soft Drinks... Needless to say, there were no ID scanners on the machines.
Student drinking is a way of life and is a given... What I was amazed at was the matter of factness of throwing in cans of beer along with Orange Juice and Soft Drinks... Needless to say, there were no ID scanners on the machines.
They drink on an order of magnitude more than US students... which is comical given the apocalyptic talk that circles around US campuses concerning "binge drinking" and underage drinking. I was there as a graduate student, so it was moot point with me... but I also was playing hockey and had some hilarious encounters with the undergrads I was playing with... never once saw 'em sober.
They drink on an order of magnitude more than US students... which is comical given the apocalyptic talk that circles around US campuses concerning "binge drinking" and underage drinking. I was there as a graduate student, so it was moot point with me... but I also was playing hockey and had some hilarious encounters with the undergrads I was playing with... never once saw 'em sober.
That is saying something... I wasn't aware that they were that bad... One wonders how they ever get it straightened out enough to accomplish what they do later on in life. Thank goodness we all seem to eventually mature enough to contribute as much as we do.
I love the people of the UK, but I have to admit that they have a completely different way of looking at things than the rest of Europe -- not saying better or worse -- In Italy and France... and I'm sure other parts of Europe... families grow up with a different way of looking at drinking alcohol, especially wine and beer. To them it is a normal and natural part of their diet, as much as meat, poultry, fish and dairy is... Drinking is done during meals as part and parcel of the meal. It is as normal as any other part of a meal. Wine, whether looked at that way or not, is good for digestion and some studies have shown it to be beneficial for one's health. Of course excess in most everything is not good... Socially drinking in Europe is often normal and is part of the emotional way of life. In the US people buy rounds of shots to hasten the process whereas drinking in Europe is more on a leisurely and paced manner. There is little concern with minimum drinking, age and families often raise their children in a manner where they are introduced to drinking earlier and in a more responsible manner. Even in ethics families America a holiday nip here and there is acceptable when monitored... at least it was when I was growing up.
All of this is not to say that there are no alcoholics in Europe... nor that there is no problem with drinking. There are always people to have trouble controlling their habits and become addictive and abusive. In general though, I like the way the Europeans look at drinking... and, IMO, as a result the quality of their beer, wine and liquor benefits from it.
'Tis true, but Molson isn't half-bad if you're just looking for a simple lager. Certainly an order of magnitude improvement over generic US beer.
I agree... and I believe that lager tends to have more so-so quality products as opposed to the more complex styles of beer and ales. That said, there certainly is a difference between the better lagers and those that are merely out there to rake in the bucks and get people buzzed.
All of this is not to say that there are no alcoholics in Europe... nor that there is no problem with drinking. There are always people to have trouble controlling their habits and become addictive and abusive. In general though, I like the way the Europeans look at drinking... and, IMO, as a result the quality of their beer, wine and liquor benefits from it.
Deaths related to alcohol is way down in Europe than it is in America, my hypothesis is because it is so natural to them; whereas in the US it is the proverbial forbidden fruit that youngsters seem to gravitate towards.
When I have children I plan to follow a European ideology related to alcohol (if I am not already living in Europe, anyway) for that very reason. Teach them to respect it.
That is saying something... I wasn't aware that they were that bad... One wonders how they ever get it straightened out enough to accomplish what they do later on in life. Thank goodness we all seem to eventually mature enough to contribute as much as we do.
I love the people of the UK, but I have to admit that they have a completely different way of looking at things than the rest of Europe -- not saying better or worse -- In Italy and France... and I'm sure other parts of Europe... families grow up with a different way of looking at drinking alcohol, especially wine and beer. To them it is a normal and natural part of their diet, as much as meat, poultry, fish and dairy is... Drinking is done during meals as part and parcel of the meal. It is as normal as any other part of a meal. Wine, whether looked at that way or not, is good for digestion and some studies have shown it to be beneficial for one's health. Of course excess in most everything is not good... Socially drinking in Europe is often normal and is part of the emotional way of life. In the US people buy rounds of shots to hasten the process whereas drinking in Europe is more on a leisurely and paced manner. There is little concern with minimum drinking, age and families often raise their children in a manner where they are introduced to drinking earlier and in a more responsible manner. Even in ethics families America a holiday nip here and there is acceptable when monitored... at least it was when I was growing up.
All of this is not to say that there are no alcoholics in Europe... nor that there is no problem with drinking. There are always people to have trouble controlling their habits and become addictive and abusive. In general though, I like the way the Europeans look at drinking... and, IMO, as a result the quality of their beer, wine and liquor benefits from it.
I'm sorry to have strayed so off topic here.
UK is known for their binge drinking, which is why their soccer fans have such a bad rap (deservedly). Germans don't necessarily hold back on the whole getting intoxicated thing either.
The southern/Med countries are more into the wine, and that brings with it a different socialization around drinking, IMO. You can't exactly pound high quality wine the way you can a pilsner... at least, not if you want to live long.
You're really gonna have to make a trip up here. Canadian and Blue are way down near the bottom of my list of major Canadian beers.
Okay, compared to some of that stuff, I'll give you that Canadian isn't bad.
Considering Molson is considered an "Import" here and that it's still relatively dirt cheap, when you category it in with the "dirt cheap" beer it stands up above the others.
Blue is complete ****, IMO. And I've had both the keg and bottle form...
Yep. Blue is what we drank when we were 15. It was the easiest thing to ask for at the beer store for the few of us who could buy beer at that age. By the time we were 16/17, we'd progressed from that ****.
Considering Molson is considered an "Import" here and that it's still relatively dirt cheap, when you category it in with the "dirt cheap" beer it stands up above the others.
That is saying something... I wasn't aware that they were that bad... One wonders how they ever get it straightened out enough to accomplish what they do later on in life. Thank goodness we all seem to eventually mature enough to contribute as much as we do.
