Big Sky is the 'big' Montana brewery...their seasonals leave something to desire, but their standards are all pretty solid, especially Moose Drool. There are a couple other beers I'd rank above the Big Sky brews individually, but as a brewery they're probably tops. I'm also a huge fan of Bayern, but they're the opposite in the sense that they have amazing seasonals but their standards are the definition of average.
If I had to rank specific Montanan beers...
1. Bayern Doppelbock (mid-October-February seasonal)
2. Harvest Moon Pig's Ass Porter
3. Big Sky Moose Drool
4. Bayern Maibock (April-May seasonal)
5. Big Sky Bobo's Robust Porter (Limited Edition that is starting to become a brief January seasonal)
I love doppelbocks, had a Tommyknocker Butt-head Bock last week that was excellent. Brewed in Colorado. So rich and malty, wish I would have picked up more than 1 bottle. Nice and strong at 8.2% abv.
Having one of the Slow Elk oatmeal stouts. Not as thick/creamy as I expected. Still, pretty decent, good malt flavor, very sessionable stout.
That would probably be somewhere in the top ten if I continued the list. It's not a high-end oatmeal stout, but it is much easier to drink than most...like you said, it's a nice session stout.
My fridge is fat and happy right now. Housewarming party netted be a bunch of Gulden Draak and Three Philosophers.
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“The most terrifying fact about the universe is not that it is hostile, but that it is indifferent. If we can come to terms with this indifference and accept the challenges of life within the boundaries of death, our existence as a species can have genuine meaning and fulfillment. However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.” - Stanley Kubrick
That would probably be somewhere in the top ten if I continued the list. It's not a high-end oatmeal stout, but it is much easier to drink than most...like you said, it's a nice session stout.
My fridge is fat and happy right now. Housewarming party netted be a bunch of Gulden Draak and Three Philosophers.
Very nice.
Having a Trout Slayer now.
Really good, crisp, light wheat ale. Good balance of hops and malt. Could drink this all day, would be an excellent summer-time beer.
Just picked up some cases of Oranjeboom and Warsteiner. I love Oranjeboom, really nice dutch beer.
Anyone ever heard of or tried Skull Splitter? Supposedly a really nice Scottish Ale, would be great for the winter. I didn't have enough money to get all three but I plan on trying it next time.
That would probably be somewhere in the top ten if I continued the list. It's not a high-end oatmeal stout, but it is much easier to drink than most...like you said, it's a nice session stout.
My fridge is fat and happy right now. Housewarming party netted be a bunch of Gulden Draak and Three Philosophers.
I love Gulden Draak. Such a tasty sweet Belgian beer. Very strong as well. Belgians make the best beers. But my favorite right now is a Scottish beer. Innis & Gunn original. Vanilla and Toffee flavours. Crisp and clean.
Went to Bridgeport with a coupon for a taster tray + pizza for $12. Not a bad deal. There newest beer is Dark Rain "black pale ale". It was pretty decent, but nowhere as good as the Porter on nitro. mmm...
Holy crap, you guys are right. Nugget Nectar completely snuck up on me this year.
I had some kind of beer from Troegs this past fall that was like an extremely malty version of NN. It was pretty delicious.
They have definitely brewed NN, so I assume we should see it soon.
I'm forgetting the name, but the newish Oskar Blues beer that's an imerial red is quite good, and maybe more tasty than NN, but I like the bitterness of NN as a complement to other stuff.
I really liked NN when I first tried it last year, but it never really grew on me. I don't know way. I'll probably give it another shot though.
Anyhow, this spring I think I'm really going to dive into the Belgian stuff. There really aren't a whole lot of ales or lagers I look forward around that time so I think that'll be a good time to start trying more Belgian brews. I try and enjoy as many porters and stouts as I can this time of year.
They have definitely brewed NN, so I assume we should see it soon.
I'm forgetting the name, but the newish Oskar Blues beer that's an imerial red is quite good, and maybe more tasty than NN, but I like the bitterness of NN as a complement to other stuff.
a) about nugget nectar: i remember talking to one of the trogner brothers at the pittsburgh beer fest at penn brewery in like spring 2005, the year they first brewed it. it was supposed to be a one-off, but it was obviously bloody amazing, and while he was still saying it was not in their plans to make it again, he did mention that there was a lot of people asking them to bring it back. thank goodness they listened!
and 2) the "newish" oskar blues imperial red i think you mention is g'knight. this is just gordon re-branded. they came out with a different double ipa, and i imagine they didn't want to confuse people, so they renamed their best beer and subsequently confused people. it's still delicious as ever. possibly the single best beer i've ever had out of a can.
They have definitely brewed NN, so I assume we should see it soon.
I'm forgetting the name, but the newish Oskar Blues beer that's an imerial red is quite good, and maybe more tasty than NN, but I like the bitterness of NN as a complement to other stuff.
According to their twitter account, they brewed 3 batches on January 27th and they intend to have it distributed throughout the region between mid-late February.
and 2) the "newish" oskar blues imperial red i think you mention is g'knight. this is just gordon re-branded. they came out with a different double ipa, and i imagine they didn't want to confuse people, so they renamed their best beer and subsequently confused people. it's still delicious as ever. possibly the single best beer i've ever had out of a can.
Yes, this is correct. I thought Gordon was a regular DIPA, but I suppose not. Gordon and G'Knight are both delicious, whether they are the same beer or not. I'll chalk it up to a generally-confused mind/not paying as much attention to the beer scene as of late.
A Pittsburgh nightlife thread? May I ask where is a nice non-smoking middle class 30something bar that woman flock too? I've seen a rainbow eat a dragons eye balls with an icecram scooper, but not one of those.
A Pittsburgh nightlife thread? May I ask where is a nice non-smoking middle class 30something bar that woman flock too? I've seen a rainbow eat a dragons eye balls with an icecram scooper, but not one of those.
You'll definitely want to check out Gene's Place in Oakland
You'll definitely want to check out Gene's Place in Oakland
I go there when I want lung cancer and malt liquer, not sexy 30 year old women.
I like college girls, but I feel like a stupid creep hitting on them on top of the routine rejection. I'm looking for women who will reject me for who I am, and not just because I have one foot in the grave at 39.
A Pittsburgh nightlife thread? May I ask where is a nice non-smoking middle class 30something bar that woman flock too? I've seen a rainbow eat a dragons eye balls with an icecram scooper, but not one of those.
my experience has been lately that the walnut grill on bellefonte in shadyside has a pretty insane girl-to-guy ratio. i'm 30-something, and found them all attractive and therefore of a reasonable age, and though i'm already taken and therefore not looking, i suspected anyone who was would have been terribly happy to be there. on wednesday, which is half-priced wine night, there were probably like four girls to every guy, and most of the guys were there with girls. also, they make a pretty solid cocktail, if you're not afraid to tell them what you want. beer selection is similarly solid.
my experience has been lately that the walnut grill on bellefonte in shadyside has a pretty insane girl-to-guy ratio. i'm 30-something, and found them all attractive and therefore of a reasonable age, and though i'm already taken and therefore not looking, i suspected anyone who was would have been terribly happy to be there. on wednesday, which is half-priced wine night, there were probably like four girls to every guy, and most of the guys were there with girls. also, they make a pretty solid cocktail, if you're not afraid to tell them what you want. beer selection is similarly solid.
Hey thanks man, I didn't seriously expect to find any real information here but that sounds like a solid lead to me.
on different note, tonight is $3 micro bottle night at Fieldhouse on copeland in shadyside (above pittsburgh deli co.). very solid selection (though he aims to keep prices down, so don't come expecting things you would normally pay $8 a bottle for) and the best wings in shadyside by far (and i'm from buffalo).
the 70" tv isn't bad to watch a hockey game on, either. i'll be there tonight drinking whiskey and ballast point big eye.
State College's Wegmans finally has some Great Lakes brews and also Smutty Nose - Shoals Pale Ale (one of my favorites). It's a great time to be a budding alcoholic.
No sign of Nugget Nectar up here yet. I check for you guys.
Stocking up my mini fridge as the Duvel case was getting lonely - picked up the Troegs sampler case yesterday with JavaHead Stout, Hopback and Troeganator - all good staples to have stocked. Also the Pale in there but I've never been a huge fan. Really I kept popping in for the Nugget Nectar and broke down and bought something else!
