2011 Beers

[greenminer]

I tried several new beers in 2011, thanks in large part to a summer trip to Jersey. 3 breweries really stuck with me:

Brooklyn Beers

Flying Dog

Coney Island

I absolutely loved most of what I had: "most" because I did try some IPAs and still didn't care for them. So that's not to say they were terrible pale ales; it's just a taste I haven't acquired.

The following are worth noting for posterity:

Brooklyn Beers: Brown Ale/Summer Ale

Coney Island: Lager/Albino Python

Flying Dog: Hefeweizen

Actually, I did like Flying Dog's Classic Pale Ale a bit.

Feel free to add your own 2011 beer experience.

[MDH]

On NYE I drank many Miller Lites. I proceded to get really drunk and realized I had really been drinking Bud Light for a while. I ordered a Blue Moon at Paschall Bar because they don't serve my kind there and it was the cheapest option. It came with fruit in the top, I took that out.

I know a good beer.

[Mean Green Matt]

I usually drink Natty Light, but did post in the mixed drink thread that I like Shiner Blonde.

[UNT Five&Dime]

Beer, how I love thee...

2011 brought me the great hobby of homebrewing. My lovely wife bought me a Mr. Beer for Christmas 2010 and after a couple batches of it, I decided to move on to more traditional homebrewing. I went straight to BIAB (brew in a bag) because I thought it provided me with the best/easiest setup for me. I brewed inside, and didn't have the need for 5 gallons (only drinker in family), so I brewed 2.5 gallon batches. Plus the Mr. Beer fermenter makes a great bottling "bucket". I've only brewed 7 batches or so (the addition of a second child and rentry in the workforce has cut free time down), and really just had my first sucess 2 batches ago - a SN Pale Ale clone. I got a turkey fryer this past Christmas so I can move outside and up my batches to 4 gallons. I hope to start kegging sometime soon, since I hate bottling - ruined my evening on Wednesday.

As for commercial beers, I branched out from my typical beer selection trying many craft beers to help form a palate and discover what I might like to start brewing. Beer drinking has turned into a relaxing exerience for me.

Here are some new beers I had in 2011:

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale: My new favorite. Perfectly bitter and nice balanced hop flavor.

New Belgium 1554 Black Ale (I think): Found this on tap in Port Aransas over the summer. I used to hate dark beers, but this one was smooth and not as malty as I was expecting. Went well with the pizza we had. Bought a bottle of it a couple of weeks ago, have yet to open it and try again.

Dog Fish Head 60 Minute: Not impressed. It's reputation as being one of the premier IPAs is unfounded if you ask me. The flavor was very underwhelming and it finished much drier than I would like.

Yuengling Lager: **Not a new one, but should always be mentioned on a beer list** As a born Pennsylvanian, I am required to love this beer. Any time a family member goes to a distributing state, they bring back some cases. I was lucky enough to enjoy this most months in 2011.

Brooklyn Pale Ale: I don't remember much from this 6 pack - just a normal APA. If I remember correctly it was much more bitter than SNPA.

Your trip to Jersey/NYC area breweries sounds like a lot of fun. I am heading to NYC for a weekend in Feb., but don't think I'll be able to talk the wife into hitting up Brooklyn Beers. In the fall I am planning on taking a trip out to Sierra Nevada Brewing. I haven't tasted a beer from them I don't like (even the stout and porter, my usual kryptonite) and am really excited to tour their brewery.

Cheers and Go Mean Green!

[Coffee and TV]

I like a lot of different beers, but I sort of got tired of switching it up and player taste tester for so long. It almost felt like people I knew were just trying to be so hipster with whatever beer they were drinking. "Hey try this, its a 1-month only brew from this microbrewery in Vienna that grows their hops in space!". It might be lame, but I just generally tend to stick with something simple these days: Dos XX, Budweiser, maybe a Sam Adams. I don't search far and wide for the most wonderful highest rated restaurants, I tend to just hit up Macaroni Grill or some shit. So I don't really feel the need to with my beer either. Best beer I've had though probably has to be Anchor Steam, but its outrageously expensive.

[LongJim]

Not really new, but I bought the Sam Adams holiday seasonal 12 pack, and liked the Winter Lager so much I bought another 12 of that by itself.

The Old Fezziwig ale was probably the best beer in the pack--too bad it's not available widely--and the Porter was very good. Was not blown away by the Stout, but it was ok as a change of pace. The beer in that holiday 12 that I enjoyed the least was the Chocolate Bock, but I've never been a huge fan of bocks.

Also got a chance to try a couple of beers available at Aldi: Wernesgrüner Pilsner, and the Heineken clone: Holland Lager 1839. Did not enjoy the Holland too much, but it wasn't terrible. Like the Pilsner better, but it's not exceptional. Worth the $5.99 though. Have not tried the "Corona" substitute.

[mattmartin817]

My personal favorites if I'm just having one or two

1) boddingtons pub ale, it's basically a blonde version of guiness.

2) just about anything put out by Rahr brewery in fort worth.

3) moose drool brown ale, it's a beer out out by bug sky brewery, pretty much everything they do is greatness.

4) Austin independence IPA. Don't like IPA's all that much but this one is a win.

5) Scneider-weise hefeweIzen, or live oak heffeveisen.

mass consumption beers

1) lone star, sometimes it's good to unleash the redneck inside.

2) ziegenbock, makes me pine for the days on lous patio.

3) miller lite.

Hooray beer!

[kalebschumann]

I find myself as an IPA man. So many good IPA's out there:

-Dogfish Head 60 Minute

-Dogfish Head 90 Minute (WOW!)

-512 IPA

-Stone IPA

Seasonal Beers are my other love:

Winter:

-Sam Adams Winter Lager

-Winter Warmer (Rahr & Sons)

Fall:

-Sam Adams Oktoberfest (FAVORITE BEER EVER!)

-Punkin Ale (Dogfish Head)

Summer:

-Shocktop Raspberry Wheat

-Shiner Redbird

Those are probably my Top 10

[adman]

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale: My new favorite. Perfectly bitter and nice balanced hop flavor.

Yuengling Lager: **Not a new one, but should always be mentioned on a beer list** As a born

Pennsylvanian

AMERICAN, I am required to love this beer. Any time a family member goes to a distributing state, they bring back some cases. I was lucky enough to enjoy this most months in 2011.

Cheers and Go Mean Green!