BEER (and apparently, WINE)

[SDragon]

its been about 2/3 pf the bottle. and this is more for future self-reference then tell tell the rest of you....

by the way, (again, future self-reference) i plan on finishing the bottle myself. yum.

[Túrin]

I love New Year's Eve. We had a great party at one my friends' place. Beer, champagne and vodka made my evening (together with the people that were present, of course).

Happy New Year everyone!

Túrin

[SDragon]

well i didn't finish the bottle (came close, though! probably would've if i didn't decide that drinking past midnight wouldve been cheating)...

i just had a taste of my blueberry wine (first time using a recipe; my own recipe, at that), and i didn't really care for it. don't think i had enough berries in the mix. that said, it definately seems like it has potential to be a great recipe!

[SDragon]

*BUMP*


Anybody ever try Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter? I did yesterday, and wow, all I have to say about it is....

[spoiler=To those who have never drank before]Wow is this stuff great! Best booze ever! As soon as you're legally able to drink, pick up a six-pack of this and down it all as fast as you can. You'll never find any alcohol that tastes better then this![/spoiler]
[spoiler=to those who have drank before]Good god is this awful! I had to strain to finish one bottle, and now I'm worried about what to do with the other five. Steer as far clear of this as humanly possible! Stick to rum instead.

or join The Manly Men For White Russians Brigade. All the cool guys are doing it, and it certainly beats this porter![/spoiler]

[LordVreeg]

Porter's take some getting used to.  Otter Creek is a good example.

Right now, Summer ales, blondes, and hefewiezen are good are the best seasonal picks, Sam Adam's makes a really nice summer that is readily available, Gritty Mcduff's from Portland Maine is also really a winner.

For summer Vino, surprise the other gamers with a Moscato di Asti ( an italian, inexpensive sparkler), reislings are probably the best value in the world, and a spanish rioja is great summer red drinking.

[LordVreeg]

Of course, to spoil yourself beyond belief, 1990 Chateau d'Yquem and Cos Desterournel 1994 will do fine.
I consider myself spoiled....

[KeshFerrar]

I'm a fan of anything with vodka in it, and dark beers -- porter and stouts.

Guinness doesn't have enough taste for me, but luckily there's a big liquor store near by that has a full assortment of dark beers. Terrapin and Highland have good dark beers. If anyone's interested in the dark side, I have a spreadsheet where I've rated the dark beers I've drunk. I can give you my favs.

Vodka wise, I've been enjoying Tito's recently. It is a very tasty "micro-liquor." I've tried many a variety and I think its one of the best.  

[LordVreeg]

Bumping this only because my wife and little brother (he's a builder) actually built a little room (5' x 6') in my basement, insulated it, and put in a tempurature control system.  
My wine fridges were all full, and I had actually been forced to store some of the good stuff in uncontrolled areas.
Now I have storage space for up to probably 500 bottles, and since I only have about 150, I have room to grow.  
Understand I had worked in wine for years, and this was the most thoughtful gift I could have ever gotten.

Give me women, wine and snuff
Until I cry out 'hold, enough!'
You may do so san objection
Till the day of resurrection;
For bless my beard then aye shall be
My beloved Trinity.
John Keats
Women, Wine and Snuff

[psychoticbarber]

I particularly partial to Harp (a beer) and Strongbow (a cider).

Sadly, I am working 10pm-4:30 New Years Eve. I get to ring in the New Year making cheap, bad mexican food.

[SDragon]

If anybody ever offers you a large glass of an odd-looking mixed drink called "Litta Bitta", don't accept it!!!

It'll have you on your ass faster then the taste would suggest. Especially if it has cola added to it....

[LordVreeg]

sage advice...

[Slapzilla]

Hmm, where to start..?

Summer beers:

Stella's.  Pricey but oh, so good.  Crisp, clean and light without being tame.

Pyramid Curveball.  A Kolsch style perfect for the long afternoons with the baseball game on the radio.

Elysian Brewing's Jasmine IPA.  Trust me.  Had this at a beer tasting festival last summer.  It takes three or four swallows before you really notice the jasmine and it is quite refreshing.  (Is this more or less wuss-y than a White Russian..?  Don't even care!)

Winter beers:

Alaskan's Smoked Porter.  Sweetish and smoky flavored.  Great by the fire with a cigar.

Elysian Brewing (again) Bifrost Ale.  A potent potable to be sure.  About the same alcohol content in a 22oz bottle as your average 6-pack of Bud Light.  Seriously.

Barleywine in general.  A beer style that is as potent as wine, hence the name.

I'll have to compile a list of favorites and try to winnow it down to 30.  I feel truly blessed that I live in Seattle.  There are almost as many brew pubs in this fair city as espresso stands and each has something to recommend it.  Hale's Nitro Cream Ale, McMenamins Stout, Pyramid's Longhammer (Pyramid is across form Safeco Field- 48 days until Spring Training!!!) all wonderful choices.

Stella's is broadly avaliable and I believe Alaskan Smoked Porter is too.

[LordVreeg]

Alaskan Smoked Porter....MMMmmmmmmmmm

[Eorla]

I too love Magic Hat #9.  I am also a fan of Sam Adam's Winter ale, Old Heathen Ale, and Legend Brown.

[SDragon]

There was one beer I had once... I forget it's name (Something like Hefenweiser, I think?), but it was incredibly delicious, tasted almost like cream soda, and, ironically, was apparently made by Pabst. If I could only have one kind of beer for the rest of my life, that would be it. Granted, I'd still have my rum and white Russians, but those aren't beers :)