Quantcast

Is American beer any good?

I Are Baboon

The Full Dopey
Aug 6, 2001
32,383
9,289
MTB New England
I bought a 12 pack sampler of Great Divide a few weeks ago. Four beers:

The Denver Pale Ale is mediocre at best.
The Wild Raspberry Ale was pretty good for a fruity beer (usually I'm not a big fan, but the 5.3% abv is nice).
I really liked the Samurai Ale. Looks like a clear beer, but really quite tasty.
Titan IPA is awesome.
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,379
12,533
In a van.... down by the river
I bought a 12 pack sampler of Great Divide a few weeks ago. Four beers:

The Denver Pale Ale is mediocre at best.
The Wild Raspberry Ale was pretty good for a fruity beer (usually I'm not a big fan, but the 5.3% abv is nice).
I really liked the Samurai Ale. Looks like a clear beer, but really quite tasty.
Titan IPA is awesome.
I could have told you. Just get 12-ers of Titan. DPA is indeed pretty bland. I've never tried any of those other GD beers. :D
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
Ah I've seen that brand in the store but since I've never tried it and its expensive if I recall correctly.

I like six packs around $7 at the most a majority of the time:D
Just bought the 12 sampler for $17 - ouch :brows:

Pale Ale is better than Sierra Nevada's.

I like the Hop Back better but man, I shouldn't start drinking them before I've had lunch after a ride - man they are good (just finished the the Hop Back):busted:
 

valve bouncer

Master Dildoist
Feb 11, 2002
7,843
114
Japan
Don't know what it's like in the US but a lot of the micro-brews I've drunk in Australia always seemed to be "over-crafted", for want of a better word. One pilsener I had,for example, instead of having a hint of citrus had a whole f*cking suggestion box full. The stout was too sweet, most of the brews had a cloying sense of try-too-hardism about them. I'm mean it's better than the generic swill but I was expecting more.
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,379
12,533
In a van.... down by the river
Don't know what it's like in the US but a lot of the micro-brews I've drunk in Australia always seemed to be "over-crafted", for want of a better word. One pilsener I had,for example, instead of having a hint of citrus had a whole f*cking suggestion box full. The stout was too sweet, most of the brews had a cloying sense of try-too-hardism about them. I'm mean it's better than the generic swill but I was expecting more.
This does happen quite often. I've been to the Great American Beer Festival several times and a large percentage of micro offerings are, frankly, undrinkable swill IMNSHO.
 

valve bouncer

Master Dildoist
Feb 11, 2002
7,843
114
Japan
This does happen quite often. I've been to the Great American Beer Festival several times and a large percentage of micro offerings are, frankly, undrinkable swill IMNSHO.
It's such a "scene" too. I went here when I was back home at Christmas, beautiful setting as you can see.

www.bootlegbrewery.com.au
But christ almighty, there was about a million people there, the beer line went out the bloody door and when you finally got to the front of the line the prices were practically vertical. No thanks.:disgust1:
 

skinny mike

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2005
6,415
0
going to school in vermont rules. so many good breweries up there that supply the local stores.

trout river - the chocolate oatmeal stout is quite good
otter creek/wolaver's - the stovepipe porter and copper ale are great and the wolaver's brown ale is one of the best beers i've ever tasted
magic hat - jinx is very good, the rest, while good, are a little fruity for my tastes
long trail - long trail ale and the hibernator are awesome

i also love me some sierra nevada.

edit: forgot about rock art and switchback in vt as well.
 
Last edited:

Nobody

Danforth Kitchen Whore
Sep 5, 2001
1,481
3
Toronto
hmm, I'm thinking the best American beers are most definitely not from CA or NY.

Kudos to CA for taking on France in wine and bolstering the marketplace with White Zinfandel.
Hair Split #4,348: "from CA to NY"

For some people living outside the USA [obviously, no one who counts, but that's another story! XD ] this is a phrase often used to describe the entirety of the Lower 48 [excluding Hawaii and Alaska just because it's easier].

It is not implicit that these two richest and most populous states are, in fact, the only or most important states...

Remember, since The Star is a Toronto newspaper, its editors try to select stories that might help identify things for us foreigners...

Now, to Beer:

Small breweries have always held the edge in most countries of the world. The difference here, though, is that the Huge Beercorps that push their stuff all over the world have obscured the little guys in everyone's memories...

Truly, Bud Light? Miller Light? [the list goes on...] Are they fair examples?

Nope.

I'd rather drink scummy pond water and hit myself in the head with a turnip - same effect and yet less harmful to the environment.
 

JRogers

talks too much
Mar 19, 2002
3,785
1
Claremont, CA
going to school in vermont rules. so many good breweries up there that supply the local stores.

trout river - the chocolate oatmeal stout is quite good
otter creek/wolaver's - the stovepipe porter and copper ale are great and the wolaver's brown ale is one of the best beers i've ever tasted
magic hat - jinx is very good, the rest, while good, are a little fruity for my tastes
long trail - long trail ale and the hibernator are awesome

i also love me some sierra nevada.

edit: forgot about rock art and switchback in vt as well.
Word. I drank a ton of all those when I was there. Never got a chance to see the Magic Hat or Rock Art breweries, but the others are all pretty nice. For whatever reason, the Trout River Rainbow Red may be my favorite beer...also love the Wolaver's Oatmeal Stout and Brown Ale, Magic Hat Jinx and Long Trail Ale, Hibernator and Double Bag.
 

DaveW

Space Monkey
Jul 2, 2001
11,161
2,685
The bunker at parliament
It's such a "scene" too. I went here when I was back home at Christmas, beautiful setting as you can see.

www.bootlegbrewery.com.au
But christ almighty, there was about a million people there, the beer line went out the bloody door and when you finally got to the front of the line the prices were practically vertical. No thanks.:disgust1:
Sounds the opposite of the NZ Brewnz contest, the beers were about half the price of what you'd have to pay for the same beers in a wellington bar! and hells bells there were some stunner's there!
....Ok and a couple of stinkers but you get that at an event like that (was not too impressed by the Tutara Hefe beer, they'd gone too far down the hops path for my mouth).
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
Don't know what it's like in the US but a lot of the micro-brews I've drunk in Australia always seemed to be "over-crafted", for want of a better word. One pilsener I had,for example, instead of having a hint of citrus had a whole f*cking suggestion box full. The stout was too sweet, most of the brews had a cloying sense of try-too-hardism about them. I'm mean it's better than the generic swill but I was expecting more.

Have you ever had this lacto stout in Japan?

 

yamaguy01

Chimp
Jun 2, 2008
23
0
Fussa, Japan
Good beer can be found anywhere! Here are a few of my favorites in no particular order:

U.S.A.: Bud Light
Mexico: Dos Equis/Tecate
India: Majaraja
Turkey: Effes
Japan: Heartland beer/ Kirin/ Asahi Dry
Germany: too many to list! Almost all Pilsners.
Britian: not really beer but I love Strong Bow/Scrumpy Jack ciders
Thai: Klosters
China: Tiger beer
Belgium: Stella Autoris
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
Good beer can be found anywhere! Here are a few of my favorites in no particular order:

U.S.A.: Bud Light
Mexico: Dos Equis/Tecate
India: Majaraja
Turkey: Effes
Japan: Heartland beer/ Kirin/ Asahi Dry
Germany: too many to list! Almost all Pilsners.
Britian: not really beer but I love Strong Bow/Scrumpy Jack ciders
Thai: Klosters
China: Tiger beer
Belgium: Stella Autoris
OMFG

(And I'm a dude who'll drink budweiser without complaint...) But BUD LIGHT? STELLA ARTOIS? This is like saying, "There's great ethnic food in the US...have you tried The Olive Garden?"

But hey, VB loves Fosters, so what can you do, right?
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
(And I'm a dude who'll drink budweiser without complaint...)
Only the finest Michelob ULTRA for you and yamaguy01 :cheers:

I remember I was at Interbike one year and they had reps at some bar giving that away. Worst beer ever. I couldn't even drink half the bottle
 

Lowlight7

Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
355
0
Virginia, USA
Light beer isn't for people who like beer. Light beer is for people who like to piss alot.

My wife thinks Stella Artois is the best thing since Appletinis and dry Cosmopolitans. 'nuff said.

I can't believe you mentioned England and completely glossed over Boddington's or London Porter.

Just because a foreign beer tasted good when you drank it in it's home country does NOT mean it can stand up to other brews on it's own merit. I drank the hell out of some Hite while I was in Korea, but if you were to give me a 6-pack of that swill right now I would probably spit on the floor in disgust and maybe give you an open-hand slap for good measure.
 

valve bouncer

Master Dildoist
Feb 11, 2002
7,843
114
Japan
OMFG

(And I'm a dude who'll drink budweiser without complaint...) But BUD LIGHT? STELLA ARTOIS? This is like saying, "There's great ethnic food in the US...have you tried The Olive Garden?"

But hey, VB loves Fosters, so what can you do, right?
Not to mention that staple of wife-beaters across Japan, Asahi Super Dry.:plthumbsdown:
 

xy9ine

Turbo Monkey
Mar 22, 2004
2,940
353
vancouver eastside
i'm totally envious of the burly beer selection south of the border. seems we're just starting to discover the hop, and imperials are next to nonexistent. a few i smuggled across the border this week (and a unibroue for canadian content). yum: