Microbrew recommendations

[PSUFAN]

Many of you have had the following brews from quickly growing operations:

Bell's
Dogfish Head
Victory
Stoudt's
Troeg's

What I'm looking for here is recommendations from places that are just getting started. Here's one I just tried out this past weekend:

http://www.mountainstatebrewing.com/index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pretty darn good.

[Dinsdale]

OK, OK... I'll do my best not to laugh.

My most recent "new experience" that I can think of was at http://www.maxsfannocreek.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Easy walking distance for me, which is ALWAYS a bonus.

But frankly, they must have followed the Rogue business model -- make 25 different beers, to ensure they all suck.

Had a sampler tray, plus a couple of others. One, I think it was the Imperial Stout, was extremely good. Very impressive stout.


The rest were thoroughly underwhelming. Combine that with pretty much no atmospere whatsoever, no entertainment to speak of (no games, attraction, and one small TV behind the bar which may or may not have a ball game), overpriced bar food, and...


The new brewpub in short walking distance was a little disappointing. Although they can hang their hat on that one brew... and keep the rest.


Funny thing is, my particular spot in the burbs is pretty much devoid of local brewpubs. It's certainly not a long jaunt to some truly fabled places, like McMenamin's (who you people should write thank-you letters to, since without them it's likely you would never have heard of a brewpub in the US), and Lucky Lab... but no really close ones. Next time I move, this will probably factor in, since brewpubs within walking distance are important to me.


They did just open a new biker-bar damn-near next door to me, though. Massive HD TVs everywhere you look, custom choppers on display right in the bar, washed up stripper skanks keeping bar in assless chaps and see-through panties... not a bad gig, 2 minutes walk from home. But they don't brew beer there.

[Screw_Michigan]

Many of you have had the following brews from quickly growing operations:

Bell's

RACK

[Dinsdale]

But it really is cute the way you guys are just discovering such things.

I'll enjoy reading such reviews... it's like seeing things through the eyes of a child. Or like hopping in a time machine and visiting this area circa 1985.

[indyfrisco]

Miller Chill

It's the shit. I just sit and look over the snow and it feels like I'm on the beach.

[BSmack]

B.T.'s Whoopass Ale.

Ask the Artist where to get it. ;)

[PSUFAN]

Shit - that's right about where I rethink my entry.

[Goober McTuber]

Shit - that's right about where I rethink my entry.

I imagine that’s the height of fashion in the U & L. Somebody needs to wytch Dinsdale into those lederhosen.

[Mikey]

I'm pretty sure U&Ltard would prefer that Franz still be wearing the lederhosen when he gets into them.

[Dinsdale]

I imagine that’s the height of fashion in the U & L.

Tears, Jerry.


If that were the case, you Flyovers would be wearing them... in about 5 years.

[Goober McTuber]

I imagine that’s the height of fashion in the U & L.

Tears, Jerry.


If that were the case, you Flyovers would be wearing them... in about 5 years.

You know Dins, we have a German restaurant and drinking hall that’s been here for 25 years. Real German beer, real German food. The bartenders there have been wearing those outfits for 25 years. Now the lederhosen pop up in a NEW brewpub in the U & L, and who is following who?

[Dinsdale]

Uhm, tard....


That pic was from their Oktoberfest weekend.


And 25 whole years?

Wow.

I'll just excuse your ignorance, since the largest Oktoberfest in the West is right down the highway from me...


in a real German community. They close down an entire fucking town to vehicle traffic and party in the streets for days on end. Been doing it longer than 25 years, too.


So, ignoramus, what were you saying?

[Goober McTuber]

Um, tard, my original point was that you'd look just peachy in that little Alpine outfit.

In the United States, there are Oktoberfest celebrations right across the country, with the largest in Cincinnati, OH. There are major celebrations at The Delaware Saengerbund in Newark, Delaware; Tempe Town Lake in Tempe, Arizona; Big Bear City, California; Campbell, California; Alpine Village in Torrance, California; Denver, Colorado; Helen, Georgia; Frankenmuth, Michigan (The first Oktoberfest outside of Munich to be sanctioned by the Parliament and the City of Munich.); Hermann, Missouri; Irondequoit, New York; Hickory, North Carolina; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Mt. Angel, Oregon; East Allegheny, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Newport, Rhode Island; Addison, Texas; Boerne, Texas; Fredericksburg, Texas; Galveston, Texas; Seymour, Indiana Muenster, Texas (their version is called "Germanfest" and is held in April); New Braunfels, Texas (called Wurstfest) and Shiner, Texas as well as at least 11 Texas towns beyond those mentioned[4]. Also the Fremont neighborhood in Seattle, WA; Appleton, Wisconsin; La Crosse, Wisconsin; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, among many. Minster, Ohio Berea, Ohio and Wilmington, Ohio also have Oktoberfests.

Note three events in Wisconsin, one in Oregon. BTW, LaCrosse, WI registered "Oktoberfest, USA" as a US trademark, and also started in 1961, about 5 years before Mt. Angle.

[indyfrisco]

Somebody needs to wytch Dinsdale into those lederhosen.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Frankenmuth, Michigan (The first Oktoberfest outside of Munich to be sanctioned by the Parliament and the City of Munich.)

Bode.

[Goober McTuber]

Thanks, Indy.

[Dinsdale]

Note three events in Wisconsin, one in Oregon.

Note, a quicky-check also reveals attendence at Mt Angel is greater than those 3 Wisconsin events combined.

Wisconsinites -- Suck at math, suck at brewing, suck at cheesemaking, suck at speaking English, suck at producing decent looking women...


Party on, Wisconsin!

[Goober McTuber]

Suck at math – I stated that there were three events in Wisconsin to one in Oregon, no mention of total attendance. Way to move the goalposts.

Suck at brewing – Absolutely subjective opinion, there’s some excellent microbrews to be sampled here. We’ve even got some absurdly over-hopped shit which you’d undoubtedly love.

Suck at cheesemaking – Not even worth addressing.

Suck at speaking English – Take a look at this website and tell me in which educational area Oregon leads Wisconsin. This one’s even better. Does McMenamin's serve a STFU Ale?

Suck at producing decent looking women – Well, I know they produced at least one.

[PSUFAN]

I tried to google up some Badger cheerleaders, they always seen to fill their unis well.

All I came up with worth posting is this:

http://img35.exs.cx/img35/2905/cheerleaders36in.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PSUFAN]

shit, stick to cheesemaking:

http://archives.library.wisc.edu/exhibi ... eaders.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[OCmike]

Sudwerk Brewery, located in my hometown of Davis, CA, brews some kickass German beers. Here's a bit about their brews from the website:

Our pure natural beer is brewed in accordance with the German purity law known as the "Reinheitsgebot". The "Reinheitsgebot" established in 1516 and still in effect today, requires that only barley malt, hops, water, and cultured yeast and nothing else be used in the brewing process. The ingredients used in our beer are purified water, barley malt from Washington, hops from Hallertau and Tettnang, Germany and cultured yeast from Weihenstephen, Germany. A slow, cold fermentation and a long maturing process are the keys to what make a great beer. It should have a palatable flavor, with a smooth distinctive body, balanced with an elegant bitterness, and a rich creamy head.


Sudwerk Märzen is a full bodied, amber colored lager. Märzen is traditionally brewed in March and enjoyed during Oktoberfest. Due to its popularity we brew this lager all year. It is brewed with five roasted specialty malts and the highest quality Bavarian hops. It is slightly sweeter than our other beers. Original gravity is 13.5 Plato.

Märzen Awards
Gold: California State Fair '98
Silver: California State Fair '95,'96,'97
Bronze: World Beer Championships '98
World Beer Championships '97
Great American Beer Festival '90
Sudwerk Pilsner - Light in color but rich in character, Sudwerk Pilsner is brewed with pale two-row malt, and Hallertau and Tettnang hops of the highest caliber. Pale straw in color, malty, with an elegant bitterness and a fragrant hop aroma. Original gravity is 12.5 Plato

Pilsner Awards
Gold: California State Fair '98 (Best of Show)
California State Fair '97
Great American Beer Festival '95
Silver: California State Fair '96
Great American Beer Festival '90,'93
Bronze:World Beer Championships96,'97
California State Fair '95
Sudwerk Hefe-Weizen is a Bavarian style unfiltered wheat beer with a light fruity taste and a slightly spicy finish. It is brewed with 50% Pale two-row malt and 50% wheat. The unique top fermenting yeast is intentionally left to compliment the dry wheat character. This yeast attenuates completely to produce a dry thirst quenching beer. It is a great summertime drink that is traditionally served with a slice of lemon. Original gravity is 12.5 Plato.

Hefe-Weizen Awards
Gold: California State Fair '98 (Honorable Mention Best of Show)
California State Fair '96
Silver: Internation Beer Summit '96
World Beer Championships '94,'96
California State Fair '95
Bronze: California State Fair '97
World Beer Championships '97
Sudwerk Lager, a golden lager beer, reminiscent of Bavaria's most popular style, Munchener Helles. Crafted with three specialty malts and the highest quality Bavarian hops, producing a beer rich and complex in character. Malty, artfully balanced with a subtle bitterness. Original gravity is 11.8 Plato

Lager Awards
Gold: 1994 Great American Beer Festival
Silver: 1996 Great American Beer Festival
---------------------------------------------------------------

Seems even the U&L'ers have a longing for Sudwerk beers...

I sure wish we could buy the Sudwerk beers in Oregon.

http://www.hotv.org/br01.html

They're best known for their Märzen, Pilsner and Hefeweizen, which all completely kick ass and have won too many world, us and festival medals to mention, but their beer that packs the biggest punch (weighing in at a hefty 7.3% alcohol) is the Maibock. I generally prefer the Märzen, but if you're at Sudwerk on a Wednesday when the live entertainment is a chick that sings like Edie Brickell and a 50 y/o guy on an amplified acoustic guitar singing "I Don't Know" by Ozzy, the Maibock comes in particularly handy.

It can be tough to find nationally, but is carried by Bevmo (aka Beverages and More) and I've seen it in beer specialty stores before.

[Dinsdale]

Seems even the U&L'ers have a longing for Sudwerk beers...

I sure wish we could buy the Sudwerk beers in Oregon.

http://www.hotv.org/br01.html

If you ever refer to cali transpants as "U&Lers" again, I will hunt you down.


Nice article-btw. The references to Burlingame Grocery are funny -- the owner torched the place years ago. I drive by there quite frequently. Gotta go down the hill to John's Market anymore if you want the 4-digit selection of beers.

[Mikey]

Stone Brewing Co. recently finished putting up a new brewery, restaurant and beer garden up the road from here. They've been known to produce some pretty good brews.


http://www.stonebrew.com/index2.php?cmb ... image.y=55" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[OCmike]

If you ever refer to cali transpants as "U&Lers" again, I will hunt you down.

Sorry, but they're yours now. We no longer claim those traitors...my Grandma and Aunt included.

[Goober McTuber]

Just finishing up what is probably my last 12-pack of this, BTW:



Doesn’t look like any more to be had in these parts.

[Dinsdale]

Not sure if this goes here or the Spin Zone, but another example of how the U&L rolls...

PORTLAND - Like all politicians, Oregon Senate hopeful Steve Novick wants to be seen as the kind of guy you'd like to have a beer with.

And Novick hopes it's a Left Hook Lager -- a beer concocted for the campaign by a Eugene-based brewery and named in honor of the metal prosthesis the candidate sports in lieu of his left hand.

According to an e-mail sent to supporters, Left Hook Lager will be served at events in Eugene and Portland around St. Patrick's Day.

Novick fans and beer enthusiasts can also reserve a bottle or a case, to be picked up and paid for at campaign headquarters on the permitted dates.

Political opponents noted that Novick's campaign has failed to obtain the requisite permits from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to sell the alcohol. But an OLCC spokeswoman says there's still time for the campaign's application to be approved before the event.

[smackaholic]

They're best known for their Märzen, Pilsner and Hefeweizen, which all completely kick ass

Hmmm. The next domestic weizen I've had worth drinking will be the first. The Germans have it down, though.

Schneider Weisse, Tucher Dunkles or Helles and even Paulaner's hefe is pretty good.

dammit, mv, haven't you been paying attention. You officially sukk cahk if you like hefes. I think it applies to those made in the fatherland as well. Maybe this means you like german weinershnitzel only.

[smackaholic]

Another different kind of brew worth trying is Xingu from Brazil.



It's a (very) dark lager with a faint malty sweetness. Pairs very well with very spicy food like chili or hot wings etc.

I'll take a pass on a brew from a country that is basically a giant swamp. Leave the beer making to cold places with mountains and stuff. Something about potable water being a neccessary incredient, I think.

This is why the U&L rules at brewing. Potable water was invented there by some dude in 1879. Dins sells dope to knows his great great grandson.

[Mikey]

You're a closed minded idiot. I get that.

Of course you'd like beer made from stagnant swamp water. Aren't you the one who thinks that a bunch of ignorant Messican indians living a subsistence existence in the Tijuana desert could somehow come up with gourmet El Torito-type vittles?

[Mikey]

Only on even two digit numbered Mondays and some others.

[OCmike]

They're best known for their Märzen, Pilsner and Hefeweizen, which all completely kick ass

Hmmm. The next domestic weizen I've had worth drinking will be the first. The Germans have it down, though.

Schneider Weisse, Tucher Dunkles or Helles and even Paulaner's hefe is pretty good.

The folks at that brewery seem to share your opinion. They imported their hops, their brewing doo-hickeys and their brewmaster from der Vaterland.