11.05.2007

Pils and Stout (edit: and IPA)

Two notes:

I got another real Pilsner. It is Victory Prima Pils. I had heard at my local beer store that Victory wasn't distributed in Connecticut any more, but they had it up at Manchester Wine and Liquor (the greatest beer store in Connecticut) anyway. It has a grainy nose, and a typical medium body, but the hops are subtle compared to the Lagunitas. It is very good nonetheless, and probably a bit more accessible than the Lagunitas which may verge on obsessively hopped.

I brought my stout, Oatquake, to poker on Saturday, and it was well received. I always find it interesting that Stouts are well received, because it isn't exacly the easiest style to drink. But I guess I can thank the likes of Guinness for mainstreaming stouts. Mine is more like Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (or whatever it's called - the stuff that is just in a 22-oz. bomber sans nitrogen). The more I have it, I don't feel is is overattenuated as I had pontificated before. I think it may have been still a bit young before. It is really getting enjoyable now. Sadly, just in time for it to be almost half gone :(

OK, I know I said two, but... third thought. Up next for me to brew is the "kitchen sink" IPA made from all the leftover stuff. I am still looking for a good name. Something that means like "all that is" or something. Kind of like Namaste (which I don't know what that means (OK Wikipedia says it means "I bow to you", and is a general greeting and departure, so I guess it is sort of like "Aloha")). Just a cool word that means something to the effect of "this beer includes everything". Maybe Cornucopia IPA in honor of Thanksgiving, since it will be brewed around that time of the month. It will be brewed this week if I am lucky, but even if I made it last week, it probably wouldn't really be ready for turkey day anyway.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

What do you think of organic beers? Do you know much about the types of chemicals and preservatives that are in many conventional US beers?
I have been drinking Wolaver's lately, which isn't bad. Do you have a favorite organic stout?

Keith Brainard said...

Organic beers are a growing market segment. The concept is still developing; last I checked, the hops didn't need to be organic, just the malts. Besides, beer is mostly water - is there such a thing as organic water? But overall organic beer is a very good thing.

I think most good micros probably don't use a lot of preservatives or chemicals, if any. Fortunately, alcohol and hops do a pretty good job by themselves of preserving beer.

It has been a while since I had a Wolaver's, but they're good. Orlio makes a great organic IPA I had the other day. And I have recently had Cru D'Or, which is an organic Belgian Dubbel style beer, and it was great too.

Beer Activist has a great blog and he's really into organic beer, among other environmentally-friendly beery things.

By the way, thanks for linking to me on your own blog!

Anonymous said...

keith - thanks for the great info and keep up the good work on your blog