Official Shmups.com Booze Thread

[captain ahar]

i'm in FL visiting me mah. as some of you may know MI is a control state, so it is incredibly difficult to influence much change in available product.

FL, however, has an open market. i was looking around the liquor store the other day and found Danny DeVito's Lemoncillo brand. snatched that shit up.

don't have much to compare it to but i like it quite well.

[Acid King]

I picked up a case of Stone Imperial Russian Stout from last year. Strong, black as pitch and thick like a motherfucker. Also, I found a site that sells Westvleteren. I'll have to order a few but at $18 a bottle it's currently out of my price range.

[Davey]

Bump!

If you like stout get yourself some Founders Breakfast Stout. I bought a bottle arbitrarily the other day (liked the label) and it turned out to be fantastic.

[Acid King]

I heard about that stuff but never actually found a bottle. One stout I can definitely recommend is the Southern Tier Creme Brulee stout. Fucking delicious. Perfect as an after dinner drink. Smells like vanilla cream, tastes like vanilla coffee creamy stouty fucking deliciousness.

Been drinking various Red Hook and Smuttynose offerings since my move to New Hampshire.

[neritai]

I tend to buy from local breweries (the local brewery here burned down a year or so ago, and they've just now reopened, hurray!) whenever possible, and mostly focus on ales. I can appreciate a fine brew, and keep the fridge stocked with finer beers, but if I'm out getting barbecue with some friends, I'm not opposed to a big glass of whatever macro is on sale. Bud Light with hot wings works for me.

My typical cheap beer at home is Blue Moon. At the moment my fridge is stocked with Dogfish Head 60 minute (illegal in AL - have to drive to Nashville to get it), Kostriker Schwarzbier, and a Starr Hill sampler (went to a wedding in Charlottesville and stocked up on samplers from local breweries).

It really annoys me that "high alcohol" beers and home brewing are illegal in Alabama, but at least the county I'm in isn't dry (several of the bordering counties, however, are.

[Davey]

At the moment my fridge is stocked with Dogfish Head 60 minute (illegal in AL - have to drive to Nashville to get it)

Seriously? 60 minute isn't even that strong. Those are some sucky laws. What kind of stuff do your local breweries put out?

Anyway, tonight's 4-pack acquisitions:
Founders Breakfast Stout: I didn't know this one was hard to come by so I bought a 4-pack while I had the chance.
Great Lakes Nosferatu: I didn't know this one was back in season. Awesome!
Duvel: I've never had this but I bought it based on the love in this thread and the high rating at BeerAdvocate.

I looked for that Southern Tier Creme Brulee but all they had from Southern Tier was an IPA and a porter. My beer stock is more than sufficient for now, though, so no big deal.

[kernow]

Some of my fave tipples include:

Hoegaarden (although I can only have a few before it tastes odd)
Staropramen lager from prague
Leffe (although I just end up retarded on this as its bloody strong)
Straight old cans of fosters (I know, but its the only stuff my store has cold if you don't want to mess around)
Carlsberg export
Jack Daniels
Glenmorangie 10 yr single malt
Baileys *flops wrist*, usually when I've run out of everything else
Polish bison grass vodka with the reed in, straight from the freezer, its like water - so good.
Nastro Azzuro - in the 660ml bottles, great stuff.

I guess thats about it, but these days I'll probably give anything a try since giving up the herb about 6 months ago.

[Acid King]

Drinking a Thomas Hardy's Ale from 2004. Fucking good. Tastes like a sweeter, more wine like Double Bastard. Absolutely no head. I'll have to pick up another bottle or two of this to hang on to for a while.

[damakable]

I've got myself poured a couple shots on the rocks of Dr. McGillicuddy's Fireball whiskey, and it's delicious. I think I'll polish it off and have a round of DaiOuJou just to see how long I last...

[Acid King]

Visited my parents in PA this past weekend and drank a bit.
Sunday I picked up my case of Weyerbacher Unfiltered Double Simcoe IPA. I split a few with some friends and it was damn good.

Monday I went to the Tap and Table in Emmaus (114 beers!) and had a Old Rasputin for old time sake (Haven't had it since I moved last september) and a pint of Bear Republic Racer X Cask IPA. Good food too. Had Mussels and Clams with andouille sausage, cooked in La Chouffe, tomatoes and roasted garlic. Ever since Which Brew died, there is a serious lack of truly awesome fries in the Lehigh Valley, but it looks like Tap and Table will be a damn good replacement. Nicely thick frites and tasty mayo sauce. My dad and my sister both got Kobe beef steak and frites, the steak was good and as preveiously mentioned, the frites are excellent.

Tuesday I went to Monk's Cafe in Philadelphia. If you love beer and are ever in Philadelphia, you have to go to Monk's. Tons and tons of belgians. Shit you can't find anywhere. Their menu has more pages for beer than it does food. Started out with a bomber of Bear Republic Hot Rod Rye, and followed it up with two pints of Russian River Blind Pig. Blind Pig is, straight up, one of, if not the best IPA i have ever tasted. Clean tasting, tons of citrus flavors and aroma from the hops. I could have drank those all night. The frites were not as good as the Tap and Table's, however, Monk's bourbon mayonaise was better than the tap and table's frite sauce. Also had a pulled pork sandwhich, which was solid.

All eastern PA drinkers must make the journey to each of these establishments.

[Davey]

I'm not sure how far Founders distributes, but Double Trouble is a great DIPA. I'd put it up there with Hopslam. Why I failed to buy this before is beyond me.

[Acid King]

I'd like to give Double Trouble a try, I'll have to check the PA distributors when I go back again in two weeks. I liked the Centennial IPA and the Breakfast Stout. I thought Hopslam was good but I didn't go apeshit over it like so many seem to have.

[Lordstar]

my current fave tipple is Koppaberg pear cider. Im not a huge cider fan but i can drink koppabergs all day.

[Lordstar]

Baileys *flops wrist*, usually when I've run out of everything else

yeah i would not worry too much im all about the Malibu and coke. Yup its a tarts drink thats for sure.

[captain ahar]

I'm not sure how far Founders distributes, but Double Trouble is a great DIPA. I'd put it up there with Hopslam. Why I failed to buy this before is beyond me.

i'm actually located in grand rapids. founders is a few miles away from me.

i liked that Kentucky Breakfast that they made a couple years ago. liked Black Rye as well, but its been a while since i've had it.

[Mark III]

My regular drink of choice is ouzo, vodka and orange juice. Everyone i've made it for seems to hate it though.

[Randorama]

Monday I went to the Tap and Table in Emmaus (114 beers!) and had a Old Rasputin for old time sake (Haven't had it since I moved last september) and a pint of Bear Republic Racer X Cask IPA. Good food too. Had Mussels and Clams with andouille sausage, cooked in La Chouffe, tomatoes and roasted garlic.

Can you extend my congratulations to the chef? Even if they just followed some instructions from belgian recipe book, cooking Mussels and Clams in La Chouffe denotes extraordinnary understanding of food & beer.

PC Engine X-like note: The place where they brew La Chouffe effectively looks like thr Smurfs' village. I think that there is more than one causal connection, maybe some belgian guy can enlighten us.

And now for something completely different: if you're in Sydney's airport going out, do the check-up quickly and go in the lounge bar in the departures section, they are one of the only five places (in NSW for sure) to have "Tall tale" on tap and they have cheap fish and chips, with barramundi instead of cod.

Also: one NZ brewery is highly recommended, Monteith (I recommend again Oz's James Squire, too). The closest to belgian-like beers one can get this side of the planet.

[CMoon]

Went to a nice place in Hollywood yesterday called Blue Palms. Man, I'm a lightweight these days; had a 'speakeasy double daddy' (double IPA) and Lagunitas Gnarlywhine. Left with an incredibly satisfying buzz. Great to find a place that so close to me that has a good 20+ beers on tap, of which about half are 'gourmet' beers. Yay!

Also got to taste Stone's 13th anniversary, which is a really unique beer. I can't wait to spend some time with it. Strong aroma (floral even!) and a strange, almost dry taste. Hmmm.

[professor ganson]

Somehow I'd never tried Jaegermeister until a couple days ago. I was surprised how much it tasted like Nyquil (sp?). More surprising is that I like it even though it tastes like Nyquil.

[Acid King]

Can you extend my congratulations to the chef? Even if they just followed some instructions from belgian recipe book, cooking Mussels and Clams in La Chouffe denotes extraordinnary understanding of food & beer.

I'm going to make a return trip to the restaurant next week, but the menu is definitely beer centric. In addition to the mussels and clams, which it looks like they switched from La Chouffe to Avery White Rascal, they make ice cream and zabayon with beer, and braise the pork for their Cuban sandwich in Troegenator doppelbock. The featured items incorporated beer as well. Probably close to half their beer list is Belgian/Belgian styles. Pretty awesome place, here's the beer list.

Somehow I'd never tried Jaegermeister until a couple days ago. I was surprised how much it tasted like Nyquil (sp?). More surprising is that I like it even though it tastes like Nyquil.

I agree. It's gross, but it's not gross enough to be offensive.

[CMoon]

Just to piss all you's off, I'm goin' on a road trip down to San Diego to the Stone Brewery all-day beer fest (starts tomorrow, beaches, bitches and beer today.) News when I return.

[professor ganson]

I didn't notice before that you've relocated to the West coast, CMoon. Did no one tell you beforehand that Northern CA kicks ass on southern cal?

[chempop]

Sounds like you guys have pretty good taste in beer. My question is though, are there any BRANDY drinkers in the house?

I just discovered this small local cafe that has a full liquor license and I was shocked at how decent there Cognac selection was. I went with a 2oz glass of Gabriel and Andrews Grand at $22... luckily the bartender gave it to me for half price after I proved myself a knowledgeable connoisseur lol

[CMoon]

I didn't notice before that you've relocated to the West coast, CMoon. Did no one tell you beforehand that Northern CA kicks ass on southern cal?

I was very close to moving out to Northern Cali, but things just went this way. It isn't like Southern California is shit or anything. *shrugs*

Stone Sour Beer Fest was awesome, though I think a lot of us recognized that after about 3 - 4 sour beers that was all the palette could really take. Fortunately a few of the sour beers weren't TOO sour. Also hit the restaurant (Stone has their own alcoholic pleasure pad!) and did the tour (EVEN MORE BEER!) Ended up leaving with a t-shirt and a growler of their 13th anniversary. Bad ass!

[TLB]

Why is McGillicuddy's Lemon Drop totally weak and girly :(
I drank a third of the bottle the other night watching Gran Torino and I was barely buzzed for five minutes.
Worst part is, it smells like hair spray, so whenever I brought it up to my face it was nauseating.

[Acid King]

Stone Sour Beer Fest was awesome, though I think a lot of us recognized that after about 3 - 4 sour beers that was all the palette could really take. Fortunately a few of the sour beers weren't TOO sour. Also hit the restaurant (Stone has their own alcoholic pleasure pad!) and did the tour (EVEN MORE BEER!) Ended up leaving with a t-shirt and a growler of their 13th anniversary. Bad ass!

That's cool. I'd like to try more sours but I rarely see them as singles and cases are usually fairly expensive. I didn't think to look for 13th when I was back in PA this past weekend. The HopHead Throwdown (20 IPAs) in Mass. on saturday but I'm working the night before and the timing sucks. I'd be dead on my feet and would have to drive home after destroying my tongue and liver with IPAs. Thankfully, there's a Dogfish event in Maine in a few weeks that I'll be able to attend.

Back in PA I picked up singles of Dogfish Sah'tea and Theobroma, a Southern Tier Oak Aged Unearthly, a Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti and a 4 pack of Thomas Hardy's. I'm going to have to pick more Thomas Hardy's up when I go back seeing as how it will no longer be brewed. My refridgerator is starting to get out of hand though. I had to bring a case of beer back with me and now it's just ridiculous.

[Acid King]

Good news for the Europeans.

http://blog.stonebrew.com/?p=1564

[pixeljunkie]

Good news for the Europeans.

http://blog.stonebrew.com/?p=1564

nice! The Ruination IPA is the best. Love their smoked porter as well. Good stuff.

[CMoon]

Picked up a case of Lagunitas Brown Shugga and Stone's Double Bastard. Enough to keep me occupied for a while. The local pub (McG's) has Stone's Russian Imperial Stout on tap, so good times.

A good friend got me started on the home brew thing over the holidays and I'll be starting my first batch tomorrow.

[pixeljunkie]

Got a 2009 Sam Adams Utopia for xmas I am anxious to try. Just downed a couple Maredsous 8's....so I am good