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Craft beer is a wonderland of sudsy goodness that can take you places (flavor-wise) you never knew beer could go. A great brewer’s ability to turn water, grains, hops, and yeast into white ales or IPAs or stouts or Czech Pils is a science so cool that it’s akin to magic.
During this alchemical process, adjunct flavorings are added — delivering new layers of complexity. Belgian witbier, for instance, uses coriander, while winter beers will have star anise and/or cinnamon thrown in (amongst other spices). Often this is a simple ingredient that accentuates the notes already being struck. It serves as a highlight, not intended to overpower the flavors that are already there.
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The Beard Beer is actually pretty good. We used it in place of champagne during New Years last year.
I agree really. Rogue does tend to make a good beer when they’re not over doing the add ons. But it’s hard not to think they did that one just for the clicks…
I have the Sriracha one in my basement currently. This just reminded me to try it this weekend.
Enjoy! I’ve had it paired with some fried chicken and it was pretty good.
I’m lucky enough to live in the SF Bay area and acquaintances with several craft beer folk (brewers, bar owners). These all look horrible.
Seconded on Rogue being decent only when they aren’t trying so hard to be weird.
Would be interesting to see a regular craft beer tasting column :-)
That can be done! @Steve Bramucci!
@Torgo that can be done!
And trying crazy cocktail concoctions?
@Neptune or Mars … or Neptune
Green Russians?
Sambal Olek may have permanently scarred me on the way out
It’s the real deal!
I don’t get the Sriracha craze. Agreed about it being a mediocre condiment.
@Torgo Totally agree. I’d honestly take Crystal’s or Tapatio over it any day.
If you’re going to shit on our beer before even drinking it, do you think you could at least spell our name right? It’s right there in the picture.
Which of these abominations is yours?
You know what ruins beer?!?! HOPS TONS OF HOPS! Ya, I said it – take yer damn bitter beer and polish the floor with it.
There are beers that take the IBUs waaaaay too far. There’s a fine line between beautiful hoppiness and soapy mess.
That churchkey beer looks gimmicky, but I’ll bite.
And the beard beer can’t be worse than the beer made out of yeast from that lady’s hoohah.
For me, the fruity beers get the boot, but Ballast Point puts out a great Grapefruit IPA (I don’t hate all hops).
I actually don’t mind a little citrus here and there. Grapefruit is a big plus in moderation. I also have gotten into some more “tropical” flavorings like pomelo and prickly pear. In moderation.
Prickly pear would be interesting too. I’d definitely like to sample that.
Ballast Point’s IPAs that add grapefruit, pineapple, and watermelon are actually really damn good. And I’ve always been a sucker for regular ol’ blueberry beer. The trick is to make the yeasty/malty qualities at least equal to the fruit qualities, so you get both – like eating a fruit pastry. Where so many go wrong is when they try to make the fruit mask the natural beer flavor, making it more like a wine cooler.
@Hislocal totally agree. If the fruit flavors are already being coaxed from the malt and hops, then go for it!
@Hislocal I must be drinking the wrong blueberry beer. I have definitely enjoyed an apricot hef on occasion, and frankly really enjoy, after a long day of golf or fishing, a shandy, so I’m basically just a big hypocrite on the fruity beer thing if I’m willing to quaff a lemonade/beer combo
What did you actually think of the Wyncoop beer? Because its actually pretty hard to find those beers in stock and there doesn’t seem to be any indication that you actually tried it. Also A LOT of thesense beers were made before 2016…so you just needed a reason to write a list of beers that sounded funny to you?
BTW Oyster stouts are a thing and they’re decent beers. They bring a brininess that lends itself to beer.
I tried Ballast Point’s peppermint porter at a tasting, and while it certainly wasn’t good going down (maybe a 3 out of 10), the peppermint burps for the rest of the night almost made me vomit.
Spicy drinks of any kind are a nightmare – it just seems like a fundamental part of drinks is that they are at least somewhat refreshing.
And, maybe my inner hipster is coming out, but I think the Churchkey thing is kind of cool (although I’ve never actually had it – maybe it gets annoying after the first can).
@Hislocal Yeah, bad beer burps are a nightmare. Beer is meant to be drunk!
I’m still on the fence on Churchkey, the beer inside is perfectly great. But each six pack coming with a churchkey that’s stamped Made In China just seems gratuitous.
Peppermint Porter just sounds gross. Their coffee/vanilla porter is great, tho.
I’ve had spicy cocktails that are unique without gimicky, but I’d do without a spicy beer. Jalapeno cream ale is something I’ve had before and I finished it, but didn’t order it again.
@Tronner Totally. Coffee and vanilla are flavors that you get out of the malt anyway, so attaching to those flavors and amping them makes a lot of sense.
Spicy cocktails are a whole different game. I love me some spicy Bloody Marys and blended jalapeno and mango Margaritas.
I do love a jalapeno margarita – it’s really a drink set up for a spicy pepper. I’m not a fan of blended drinks, but that’s usually because of cheap, premade mixes, so if it’s done right I’d definitely try it.
I also love spicy ginger ale which can be paired with a whiskey. Maybe the reason spicy beer doesn’t do it for me is there is no fruit to pair it off of. A bloody mary has that tomato tang and a spicy margarita has the sweetness of the lime and grand marnier/contrieuueaueu – a spicy beer is just beer with heat. I’m also overthinking it.
Yeah, something about spice in the beer just doesn’t wash down well. I still think it’s because beer should be a palate neutralizer for the most part. You want that crisp lager or ale to cool the heat of some tacos or curries or what have you.