Almost done with my Christmas overpurchases

[Mosca]

I went hog wild buying beers for Christmas. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but I did load up on some stuff that I normally wouldn't drink, like the Belgians... I don't generally care for Belgian beers because I don't like brettanomyces. But I did get used to it somewhat, and I was able to learn to appreciate some of them, specifically the St Bernardus Abt.12, Wit, and Christmas Ale. And I was pleased by Steen Brugge Dubbel Bruin.

I didn't care for Weyerbacher's Merry Monk, but I respect what they were trying to do with it. Just too strong, I guess, and the flavors didn't work well for me. I enjoyed Great Lakes Brewery's Christmas Ale much more.

The fruit lambics, those are like soda pop, all sweet and fizzy, like weak champagne. And the king of fruit lambics is Brouerij Lindemanns. I still have a peche and a kreik to plow through, but that will be a pleasure. The Kreik from ShawneeCraft Brewing was pretty decent, if a bit sour; it was nicely complex, and got interesting as its temperature changed.

All in all, though, I'm glad to get back to "just beer". On the way home from work Saturday I grabbed a sixer of Bell's Two Hearted Ale, and a sixer of Great Lakes' Dortmunder Gold.

Ahhhhh. Beer. Just the thing for barbeque.

[_John_]

They just opened a place with 82 beers on draft, most of which are local or micro, even when doing flights its gonna take a while. This IPA and APA fad can die down a bit any minute... Not that there shouldn't be some, but around here 7 of 10 are pine in a bottle.

[Jon Solberg]

That Abt. 12 in some taste stuff to me. Did you dig that smoker out yet?

[Mosca]

I really enjoyed the Abt. 12, yes!

That smoker (actually Big Green Egg) is behind 10' of drifted snow. Sigh. It's okay, in the winter I make a lot of chili, and sausage and peppers, and chicken soup and stuff like that, dirty water hot dogs, stuff still good even without the smoke. I am just itching to make Ernest's crab cakes for Mrs Mosca, I don't eat them but she would love them.

[OGMrWhite]

St. Bernardus is a great brewery. Abt 12 and Prior 8 are both stellar!

I have come close a few times to putting it on tap at the winery... I'm just trying to keep the taps under 7ish% ABV

[David Parrish]

Mosca I'd file this in the, "not a bad problem to have" folder.

[Huskee]

Mosca I have a huge amount of respect for Bell's Two Hearted Ale. It is arguably one of the world's finest beers, in its category. In a word- legendary. Definitely not your typical IPA since it will please both IPA lovers and IPA haters. Having it on draft is a treat not worthy of the non-connoisseur beer drinker. In fact I think you should have to pass a quiz to be served it on draft.

After having said my opinion above, I googled it to find some facts & stats. RateBeer.com has listed it as the top IPA in the world last year, out of "up to 15 beers in 21 categories." And here I am drinking a High Life...

[Mosca]

Two Hearted is wonderful, isn't it? What I like best is how balanced it is. Like John writes above, often an IPA is like pine in a bottle. When I actually want pine in a bottle, I go with Ithaca Flower Power, which is what I imagine a field of wild flowers would taste like; it is a superb blend of different hops.


And if you haven't tried Dortmunder Gold, it is the lager complement to Two Hearted Ale. If you love the new trends in beer, you will love Dortmunder Gold... But if you love Miller and Bud, you will still love Dortmunder Gold.

[TheBigLebowski]

"And here I am drinking a High Life..."

Well, it is the Champagne of Beers after all.......just sayin'

[Dewesq55]

This IPA and APA fad can die down a bit any minute...

That can't happen soon enough for me. Pine in a bottle, indeed.

[Jon Solberg]

If I could drink pine in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to drink every day
'Til eternity passes away
Just to drink it with you.....

Sorry it just popped in my head.

[Dewesq55]

Lmao! I love me some Jim Croce.

[Huskee]

Lol. I read this and I think gin, not IPA.

[Ray]

Mosca On the subject of Belgian's,have you guys ever tried New Belgium's Trippel or Leffe Blonde? Both are rather tasty!

[Guy]

Mosca and Huskee, love the Two Hearted it is the best beer I have tried since the Crafts came along. And I have tried both of the Pliny's (Elder and Younger).