Busty took me back to Discount Liquors, the best beer store in Milwaukee yesterday. I felt like weeping in the Singles aisle... just so much great shit and no time to try it all. I mean they had 4 different kinds of rauchbier. The bench was deep. My luggage is fucking crammed as it is, but I still picked up another bottle of that Sprecher Scotch Style Ale I love so much (still have the bottle saved from last Thanksgiving.) I figure I'll find a way to fit it somehow and then check the bag I guess. I just couldn't see it sitting there and the shelf and NOT buy it.

Even if the brew sucks, the name/label is outstanding.

As a follow-up, I had a 750 ml bottle of the Bière De L’Amitié on Friday night, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Medium head that dissipated fairly quickly, leaving very little lace on the glass. Predominant smell of yeast, citrus, and a few spices. Even though the head went away quickly, the first taste sensation was the carbonation, then a yeasty, malty sourness pretty typical of Belgian strong ales (which I love), finishing with the citrus/spices coming through and a definite nod to the dry-hopping using American Amarillo hops- fortunately, for me at least, the hop finish wasn't the type that strangles the back of my throat with an overpowering astringency. The 9.5% ABV is really sneaky. A solid B+. Steve was able to wrangle only a case of it, of which he intends to put 3 away for aging, leaving the rest available for my consumption whenever I get the urge.

The Wasatch Polygamy Porter is a "session" Porter at 4% ABV due to the strict brewery laws in Utah. The Squatters beers from the Utah Brewers Cooperative are generally better than the Wasatch beers.
I wouldn't normally seek out there beers, but a local cigar bar owner is related to one of the brewers and brings in their products fairly regularly and they don't charge that much for the beers.

Found this over the weekend. While not a summer beer, I could still not resist:

Excellent.
Thick and malty, with hints of chocolate and... sassafrass. (Was that actually the rye that I was tasting? I've never had a rye beer before.) Almost sweet, but not in an overt or sickening way. Just a really, really good stout that I'll probably enjoy even more in the wintertime, if I can get it around Chicago then.

My buddy from high school's older brother designed that label, oddly enough. There was just a discussion about it on fb. Wierd timing.

about to go drink a few of these:



http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/394/2106

Stu,
The beer advocate reviews make it sound both incredibly delicious and refreshing.

Had that when I was in Utah last year. Probably the best named beer ever, given the context. Also had the Evolution Amber Ale.

A German Pilsener from Holland
Christoffel Blond is a bottom fermented golden-coloured beer with a full body, a very balanced taste and a beautiful bitterness due to a generous addition of fresh hop during the brewing-process. The aroma is fruity and has a fresh taste with a pleasant, hoppy finish.

Rate Beer score: 94
Beer Advocate: B+

Shit that sounds good. I wish I'd had a magical portal to ship all the beer I could buy at that Milwaukee store back to Boston. A giant, swirling, vortex of magic that I could chuck beer cases at, and SHOOMPF they'd just gently land on my couch back east. Instead, I paid $15 to check a bag I otherwise didn't need to check, so I could bring 1 $15 bottle back.

i probably shouldn't have had that 22oz of Victory Helios last night, after 3 Ithaca Partly Sunnys, but i didn't have to work today so...

and it was only $3.30

Oh, it is.

Went into a convenience store in town today whose regular customers purchase 40's and Bud Light is high end. Over on the side of the store is a whole assortment of beers just stacked on the floor. I asked what this was. Got three six-packs of Abita Turbodog, a sixpack of Sam Adams, and a sixpack of Newcastle for $3.00 each. There was more left, and I will be back. You better believe I won't be telling any of my podnuhs, either.

eh, i would've just bought all the abita and left the others alone.

Brauereigasthof Rothenbach Sonnenhof Dark Marzen
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/21 ... hirstyBird

I went to a Gravity Keg tapping party for it tonight. It is a beer from the Franconian region of Germany, that is hard to find here in the USA. The local brew pub I frequent procured the gravity keg from Shelton Brothers.
The beer advocate reviews are pretty much spot on. The caramel taste from the malt really stood out in contrast to the light bready flavor that dominates the initial taste and after taste.

At the bar tonight had a Russian River Pliney the Elder and Bear Republic Racer 5. Now at home having a:




10% and smooth

Helios is a pretty good beer for the price. I think the whole foods near me has them for 2.99, and that is well worth it. I think they clock in at around 8%, so you get a lot of bang for the buck. How was the Ithaca Partly Sunnys ? I love their IPA, but I think Caskazilla is just ok at best.

it's a good summer beer, slightly sweet aftertaste. it's not as good as something like goose island matilda but definitely one of the better mid-priced beers.

Discount is awesome.

Had a McSorley's black lager last weekend at a local irish pub where they serve it similar to how they do at the original McSorley's in NYC, albeit in two 8 oz mugs instead of two 6 oz. mugs (apparently how they've been serving it since it opened in 1854). Solid beer, nothing spectacular.

God I'm behind. Sorry about the length THAT'SWHATSHESAID - I'll be brief.

Stuff:

Milwaukee Ale House - The Sampler Platter

Busty and I take stock. They were better than I expected - better than anything from Lakefront, a "real" brewery, for what that's worth. B+

Hale's Ales - Double IPA

A big, loud, sweet, boozy Double. It was really good, but it's unwise to start an evening with one of these before dinner. But Unwise is my middle name... thus began a bicycle bar hopping evening in Milwaukee with Buster. A-

New Glarus - Spotted Cow

$2 drafts at the first pub, called The Gig. So cold, so good, soooo cheap. A+++++

More Cow

On tap at Bar #2, The Tracks. Good dive bar with killer fish fry. I began to get drunk at this point.

Upland - IPA

Piss-poor effort. Busty almost dumped it out. Watery, limp-wristed, flaccid. D+

Lakefront Brewery - Fixed Gear Ale

Best thing I've had from them, but that's not saying much. They're a great idea and a great location (brewery has indoor and outdoor drinks, right on the river) carried out kinda poorly. This one's aimed and cycling community so I had to show support. meh. B-

PBR...sigh

By the third bar I was clearly just trying to hang to enough sobriety to pedal a bike home. I had a great time, until I got up to piss at 2am with a pounding headache. D-

Sprecher - Scotch-Style Ale

This is the bottle I brought back home. I now have 2 above my fridge. FUCK these are good. A++


Elysian The Wise - Red Ale?

This one came in the mail with the beer club deal I got busty. I think it was good... B?

$10 All You can Drink Taps

at a bar Busty was playing a gig at... it's like they're trying to kill everyone. Plenty of Bell's and other goodies, too. Oh to be 100 lb's heavier.

Miller - Lite (Miller Tap Room)

One of our buddies up to Milwaukee for the weekend has consumed about 8-12 miller lites every night of his life for probably the last... 20 years. Dude just likes miller lite. So we toured the brewery for him. And at the end, they give a great big sampler of... miller fucking lite. C-

Leinenkugel's - Summer Shandy (Miller Tap Room)

My buddy Schwarz summarizes. Sweet Tart Lemonade with beer aftertaste. To be used as punishment only. D

New Belgium - Fat Tire

2am, after the bar closed. We played a gig with a band while I was in town, and sat down after load-out to shoot the shit with the staff.

Lakefront Brewery - Assorted (Lakefront's Tap Room)

The brewery tours continued. Again, these guys have such a great location and a great attitude, but the beers (I sampled all these I think) are just... meh. My glass was the Rendezvous there in the center, meant to be a belgian farmhouse style ale. It was sour, thin, and nowhere near where it should've been. Belgian sink water, perhaps. B-

Bell's - 2 Hearted

On the beach, Milwaukee. As always, really effing good. A

Milwaukee Ale House - Sheepshead Stout

This was actually really good. Not AMAZING but more than I was expecting in a brewpub. I dug it. B+


Sprecher Special Amber (Vienna-style Lager)

It's hard to make an amber into something exciting without cheating - to just make a REALLY FUCKING GOOD example of a well-trod beer type, but Sprecher nails it. I've always loved this beer, and here I'm having one with Busty and co at the Milwaukee airport. It's almost creamy, it does nothing wrong and everything right. It's not a new taste overall - it won't amaze you, but it does make you realize what everyone else is doing wrong. A-

Sierra Nevada - 30th Anniv. Helles Bock

'Nother good one from this series. It's big, smooth, fresh, interesting, and worth the money. Not much more to say. I dug it. B+

Busty came to visit

A month ago, for just a night, he and family popped in to Boston and flew out early the next day, but we made a dent as best we could. "Small beers need not apply." F-

Pretty Things Brewery - Field Mouse's Farewell

From western Mass. They always have good label art. This is a rustic golden ale, and had BIG body and a yeasty finish from what I remember. I don't really seek these guys out but I'll drink anything they make. Different, well made, solid. B

New Glarus - Moon Man

From the makers of my beloved Spotted Cow in WI, a new "No Coast Pale Ale" offering called Moon Man... I smuggled a bottle back last time I was there. This beer was WIERD. Not bad wierd, but still wierd. It hits you hard up front with hops, and then completely vanishes. It has almost no aftertaste whatsoever. It was good and such, but not one they should keep around. B

Avery - White Rascal

The artwork makes it look like they wanted to call it White Devil but chickened out. Pussies. So this is another decent belgian white with coriander and orange peel blahblahblah. Good, satisfying, etc. Nothing different. B

Smuttynose - Baltic Porter

I've been on a Porter kick, starting with this. It was GOOD. Malty sweetness with a nice hop finish, good alc %, and that characteristic Smutty dryness they always seem to have. Maybe it just caught me at the right time but I enjoyed the hell out of this. It's like when you really crave a hamburger, and you finally go get one, even if it wasn't the best fucking burger ever it's still gonna hit the spot. A-

Avery - Baltic Thunder

Clearly I was jonesing for porter bigtime - I bought not just two different porters in one week, but two Baltic-style porters, and didn't even really realize it. "OHG DAT LOOK GOOG." This one was about the same - really big, robust, smooth, and chewy. Victory does fine fine work, once again. A-

why'd the busty visit one get an F-?

They were great beers but he was here for way too short a visit.

Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale


Really fantastic. It is called a "Fresh Hop Ale" and has enough hops without overdoing it. Very very solid, and I would definitely pick up another bottle.

http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/harvest_southern.html