A New Beer Thread

In Germany, Beck's is the closest equivalent to MMS*. Stella was sold in France and Belgium but not continent-wide while I was there 20 years ago. Regional brewers held major sway back then and probably still do so.

A place in Germany that sold Guinness draught was a place to put in the personal Rolodex. Few and far between.


* Mass Market Swill

 

I refuse to drink anything created by AB, on principle, and there are a handful of mass-marketed beers I just don't like (Corona, for example), but I have no problem drinking a Becks or a Stella. I treated myself to a six-pack of Flying Dog's Raging Bitch last night for the football game. They hit the spot.

 

Hit the Big Ass Beer Fest in Philly on Saturday. Wow, so many great options, and nothing under 7% ABV. Lotta drunk people by the end, but everyone was respectful for sure. My favorites of things I hadn't previously tried:

Central Waters Illumination
Alesmith Grand Cru
Great Divide Barleywine
Innus and Gun Rum Cask
Bavarian Barbarian First Snow
Iron Fist Velvet Glove Espresso
Dark Horse Thirsty Trout
Boulder Mojo IPA

 

Update:

 

I have to admit...I am sick of stouts right about now. I am looking forward to some nice spring ales the next few weeks.

 

I pretty much never get sick of stouts. Especially this time of year. Man, I'd love to get my hands on one of those Bourbon County Coffee Stouts.

 

Still have one or two of the BCBCS laying around in the cellar from the 2010 release. May have to bust it out to compare with the new batch once it's out. I love Bourbon County, but cannot drink regular BCBS fresh (too damn boozy/hot) but with two years + on it, I can't get enough. But the Coffee variation fresh was stunning (and I'm not a coffee drinker at all).

 

Sick of stouts myself, but if there's a good time for them, it's winter. Sometimes a man needs a beer that's going to warm his belly.

 

I just stopped by the Binny's across the street from the Goose Island brew pup. (Which is different from their main production facility, but they're a big retailer of Goose Island, and have an incredible selection.)

I was hoping they might have gotten some in early, since the Trib says it shipped Monday. But, the beer guy said they wouldn't be getting it until Friday morning.

My girlfriend just got home. She also dropped by Binny's and came home with a couple six packs of Three Floyds' Alpha King and Gumballhead.

 

DING!

 

I'm good with this, but most joints that carry Stella likely have other good options as well.

 

Only issue with FFF is you must be certain it's fresh, as the brewery doesn't date its products. That said, both Alpha King and Gumballhead are outstanding brews (though I would only purchase them directly from the pub due to the previously stated reason).

We're likely to get zero of any Goose goodies here in the Motown area. Ridiculously poor distributor here, due to draconian three-tier distributor for life rules. And the current GI distributor here is actually the Coors/Miller distributor. How hard are they going to push for an InBev (Bud) product?