Beer Me!
December 6, 2010 9:15 AM Subscribe
Help me become a beer connoisseur, and help me find good places to shop for them on the East Coast (US) please.
I've always liked beer, but for whatever reason I have failed to become a student of beer. The only beer type I can define as one I like is stout. Other than that, I don't know a lambic from an IPA.
I'd like to learn though. Can anyone recommend an online dummy's
guide to beer appreciation? I'd particularly like a page of definitions of different beer types written in layman's terms with a newbie in mind, or at least accessible to newbies.
Related, what are the stores and carryouts in NYC/Philly/Baltimore/DC (close to the cities proper, since I visit these cities using public transport. I live in Wilmington, DE) that have the largest beer selections? My Google-Fu doesn't distinguish between the stores and the bars.
I've always liked beer, but for whatever reason I have failed to become a student of beer. The only beer type I can define as one I like is stout. Other than that, I don't know a lambic from an IPA.
I'd like to learn though. Can anyone recommend an online dummy's
guide to beer appreciation? I'd particularly like a page of definitions of different beer types written in layman's terms with a newbie in mind, or at least accessible to newbies.
Related, what are the stores and carryouts in NYC/Philly/Baltimore/DC (close to the cities proper, since I visit these cities using public transport. I live in Wilmington, DE) that have the largest beer selections? My Google-Fu doesn't distinguish between the stores and the bars.
The Foodery in Philly is also a great place (2 locations: 10th and Pine, 2nd St. in NoLibs). Never been to Hawthorne's, but Foodery has long been the standard here. American Beer Distribution Co. in Carroll Gardens on Court St. in Brooklyn is also worth a visit.
posted by The Michael The at 9:26 AM on December 6, 2010
posted by The Michael The at 9:26 AM on December 6, 2010
The Whole Foods on Houston is indeed the best beer store in Manhattan. If you want to head out to Brooklyn, I've gotten a ton of terrific guidance from the people at Brouwerij Lanes (my personal favorite) in Greenpoint and Bierkraft in Park Slope.
posted by pineappleheart at 9:26 AM on December 6, 2010
posted by pineappleheart at 9:26 AM on December 6, 2010
There is a fantastic liquor store in Wilmington--Total Wine and More--that has a great selection of beer. (We stop there on our way between Boston and DC to pick up special funky new beers for my brother-in-law, a great beer connoisseur.)
You are already in Beer Central, my friend. Make friends with the folks at Total Wine and you're golden.
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:26 AM on December 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
You are already in Beer Central, my friend. Make friends with the folks at Total Wine and you're golden.
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:26 AM on December 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Ahem. Brouwerij Lane, singular. Way for me to typo on the one word I didn't have to look up for spelling.
posted by pineappleheart at 9:27 AM on December 6, 2010
posted by pineappleheart at 9:27 AM on December 6, 2010
Best answer: The Brickskeller in DC is a bar that purports the largest beer selection in the world, but every time I go there 4 out of 10 things I request from the menu are not available. And while it's nice to try a Zimbabwe ale, domestic selections are overpriced.
If you are specifically looking for stores, most of the liquor stores in the city that don't have bars on their windows (and some that do) have pretty good selections of beer. To broaden your horizons I suggest getting a "sampler" pack from Flying Dog brewery or similar.
I've been into Shiner recently, and they have a Family Reunion pack that's pretty good.
I would also suggest that you grab a Belgian tripel, since they are damn delicious.
I have drank so many beers. And liquors. Not so good with wine.
Feel free to message me and I'll play "tell me what you like, I'll tell you what to try."
posted by JeremiahBritt at 9:28 AM on December 6, 2010
If you are specifically looking for stores, most of the liquor stores in the city that don't have bars on their windows (and some that do) have pretty good selections of beer. To broaden your horizons I suggest getting a "sampler" pack from Flying Dog brewery or similar.
I've been into Shiner recently, and they have a Family Reunion pack that's pretty good.
I would also suggest that you grab a Belgian tripel, since they are damn delicious.
I have drank so many beers. And liquors. Not so good with wine.
Feel free to message me and I'll play "tell me what you like, I'll tell you what to try."
posted by JeremiahBritt at 9:28 AM on December 6, 2010
I can't help you with the specific region, because I'm in New England, but I wanted to tell you some things I have done to become a beer connoisseur.
- Attend beer dinners. This is usually five courses that pair a different beer with each course. Many times, you get a representative from the specific brewery who will talk with you about the aspects of each beer. You don't need to know a lot about beer, but you will get to hear a lot of opinions of the beer snobs.
- Visit brewpubs if you have any nearby and take a tour if you can, because they will explain the difference between a lager and an ale, and you will get to taste them (Sam Adams in Boston does this). If you are just going to a small establishment, often times you can talk with the person who brews the beer. At the very least, you will get a beer fan and you can ask something like "tell me about your IPA". Notice the words they use (like "this is a really hoppy beer with an intense grapefruit flavor").
- Independent beer bars are also great for tasting, for the beer fan bartender aspect. It is best to go during the week, because they have time to talk to you and pour you samples.
- Find a local beer directory to aid you in the above items. I use beeradvocate.com to get event listings. Take a look at the message boards too, and check out the directory for beer bars and breweries near you. We also have Yankee Brew News that you can pick up at the beer bars, it looks like there is a Mid-Atlantic version too. They do tastings and evaluate here, so you can set up your own tasting with the beers they use and learn a lot this way. The Brew News will also review new beer bars in your area and will have ads for the package stores that specialize in beer.
- Finally, something you can do if you REALLY want to get into it is to brew your own beer. This is not as daunting as it sounds, because there are places you can visit and brew on location. The Mid-Atlantic Brew News I linked to should have these listed.
posted by smalls at 9:43 AM on December 6, 2010
- Attend beer dinners. This is usually five courses that pair a different beer with each course. Many times, you get a representative from the specific brewery who will talk with you about the aspects of each beer. You don't need to know a lot about beer, but you will get to hear a lot of opinions of the beer snobs.
- Visit brewpubs if you have any nearby and take a tour if you can, because they will explain the difference between a lager and an ale, and you will get to taste them (Sam Adams in Boston does this). If you are just going to a small establishment, often times you can talk with the person who brews the beer. At the very least, you will get a beer fan and you can ask something like "tell me about your IPA". Notice the words they use (like "this is a really hoppy beer with an intense grapefruit flavor").
- Independent beer bars are also great for tasting, for the beer fan bartender aspect. It is best to go during the week, because they have time to talk to you and pour you samples.
- Find a local beer directory to aid you in the above items. I use beeradvocate.com to get event listings. Take a look at the message boards too, and check out the directory for beer bars and breweries near you. We also have Yankee Brew News that you can pick up at the beer bars, it looks like there is a Mid-Atlantic version too. They do tastings and evaluate here, so you can set up your own tasting with the beers they use and learn a lot this way. The Brew News will also review new beer bars in your area and will have ads for the package stores that specialize in beer.
- Finally, something you can do if you REALLY want to get into it is to brew your own beer. This is not as daunting as it sounds, because there are places you can visit and brew on location. The Mid-Atlantic Brew News I linked to should have these listed.
posted by smalls at 9:43 AM on December 6, 2010
You could always just visit your local micro brewery. I like local brews better then most country wide stuff except for sam adams and smithwicks . There are microbreweries all over the US.
I like my local ones brick house brewery in patcogue ny and blue point both here on long island.
You have the dogfish brewery by you .
posted by majortom1981 at 9:43 AM on December 6, 2010
I like my local ones brick house brewery in patcogue ny and blue point both here on long island.
You have the dogfish brewery by you .
posted by majortom1981 at 9:43 AM on December 6, 2010
I'm in Chicago so I can't help w/r/t your particular region, but a great many brewpubs will offer a flight of beer, meaning you get anywhere from four to seven different beers of your choosing in smallish glasses. Tasting different ones next to each other will allow you to notice the differences better, and typically your flight comes with tasting notes (like wine!) so that you can understand what sorts of things you're looking for when tasting.
posted by shakespeherian at 9:54 AM on December 6, 2010
posted by shakespeherian at 9:54 AM on December 6, 2010
For the absolute beginning of understanding of beer styles the wiki is actually an ok place to start.
In extremely rough terms you have largers (think most popular brands, Bud, Miller etc) which is fermented at cooler temperatures and used bottom feeding yeast:
Then there are Ales (Stouts, IPAs, Brown, Porter, Bitter, Wheat beer....and so on) these use top feeding yeast and is fermented at warmer, think room-temperature, temperatures.
Amongst other less common beers is also Steam ale, otherwise known as California common beer, but due to messy trademark issues with Anchor beer company is not widely commercially available in the US. This is, basically, beer made with larger yeast but brewed at ale temperatures.
Ale is easier to make than larger, it tends to be more forgiving and the generally complex flavors already present can mask minor mistakes...
Taste-wise the malt, yeast, hops and additives contribute to taste. Bitterness comes mainly trough the type, amount and length of exposure to hops.
IPAs tend to have high hops/bitterness (IBUs International bittering units), Stouts run from medium to medium high, Brown Ales tend to be pretty low.
.
.
.
there is a heck of a lot to know, start with the wiki, if you have the capacity brew your own, you'll learn a lot that way
posted by edgeways at 9:56 AM on December 6, 2010
In extremely rough terms you have largers (think most popular brands, Bud, Miller etc) which is fermented at cooler temperatures and used bottom feeding yeast:
Then there are Ales (Stouts, IPAs, Brown, Porter, Bitter, Wheat beer....and so on) these use top feeding yeast and is fermented at warmer, think room-temperature, temperatures.
Amongst other less common beers is also Steam ale, otherwise known as California common beer, but due to messy trademark issues with Anchor beer company is not widely commercially available in the US. This is, basically, beer made with larger yeast but brewed at ale temperatures.
Ale is easier to make than larger, it tends to be more forgiving and the generally complex flavors already present can mask minor mistakes...
Taste-wise the malt, yeast, hops and additives contribute to taste. Bitterness comes mainly trough the type, amount and length of exposure to hops.
IPAs tend to have high hops/bitterness (IBUs International bittering units), Stouts run from medium to medium high, Brown Ales tend to be pretty low.
.
.
.
there is a heck of a lot to know, start with the wiki, if you have the capacity brew your own, you'll learn a lot that way
posted by edgeways at 9:56 AM on December 6, 2010
Best answer: Something to do once you figure out your preferences is to keep trying beers of a single type. When I was starting out, I'd try every single Brown Ale I could find. Once I had a good handle on those, I went on to IPA. At this point, I can tell what is what and I think it's most likely due to those times when I focused on only one type at a time. Skip the types you don't care for, so if you find you're not a pilsner person, then that's pretty much all you need to know!
posted by smalls at 10:01 AM on December 6, 2010
posted by smalls at 10:01 AM on December 6, 2010
I'd recommend starting with beers from a tap rather than a bottle. That's how I knew beer could taste good. I started with Fat Tire Amber. I'd also say you can't go wrong with most of what Sam Adams makes as well. Dogfish Head must be near by, they make some very interesting stuff, very strong though.
posted by Blake at 10:07 AM on December 6, 2010
posted by Blake at 10:07 AM on December 6, 2010
I'm an amateur beer connoisseur at best, but for the DC area, I'd heard good things about Gilly's in Rockville, and I've visited several times since then and both found more obscure beers and been given some good suggestions.
In terms of restaurants/bars, I love ChurchKey, but the previously-mentioned Brickskellar tends to be a little hit-or-miss. For Belgian-style, Mannequin Pis in Olney not only has fantastic food, but they occasionally do "beer tours" where they match each course with a different beer.
posted by zombieflanders at 10:20 AM on December 6, 2010
In terms of restaurants/bars, I love ChurchKey, but the previously-mentioned Brickskellar tends to be a little hit-or-miss. For Belgian-style, Mannequin Pis in Olney not only has fantastic food, but they occasionally do "beer tours" where they match each course with a different beer.
posted by zombieflanders at 10:20 AM on December 6, 2010
If you go to this Total Wine place don't be afraid to start requesting stuff that you want to try after you make a few purchases and start developing you palette.
Reading the descriptions at beeradcovate like people said is a great way to start. I think it's better if you have a style of that beer to drink while thinking about it and the different tastes though.
I like introducing people to Sierra Nevada for a few styles since it's very well made, relatively cheap and available in many places.
So try the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Brown Ale, Stout, and Porter. They also have a lot of different seasonal\specials that are great.
You should be able to find Flying Dog around you and at the very least in Baltimore. It used to be brewed in CO but it's right in Frederick, MD now. I really like their Belgian style IPA and their seasonals.
Since you're in DE you should be able to find Dogfish Head all around you. They are a great brewery that makes some of the best IPAs you can find. Their 60min to 90min are well respected and give you a great baseline to compare other IPAs to.
I think drinking all of the above will really put your palette into a good place for trying other things.
In Philly, Eulogy Belgian 136 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 is one of my favorite places to drink. Don't leave without having the wonderful Belgian tripples Gulden Draak and Piraat.
In DC, ChurchKey 1337 14th Street Northwest has a really great selection. RFD 810 7th Street Northwest has a constantly changing rotation of bottled and tap beers.
I think between the 3 bars above there is something ridiculous like 400 different beers on tap. The bartenders were extremely knowledgeable at Eulogy Belgian and are pretty used to people making sessions out of 9% beers. =]
Don't put all the work into this and then start drinking scotch or whisky. It ruined one of my beer tasting friends and now he just compares everything he drinks to how it doesn't taste like 4000 year old burnt wood.
posted by zephyr_words at 11:03 AM on December 6, 2010
Reading the descriptions at beeradcovate like people said is a great way to start. I think it's better if you have a style of that beer to drink while thinking about it and the different tastes though.
I like introducing people to Sierra Nevada for a few styles since it's very well made, relatively cheap and available in many places.
So try the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Brown Ale, Stout, and Porter. They also have a lot of different seasonal\specials that are great.
You should be able to find Flying Dog around you and at the very least in Baltimore. It used to be brewed in CO but it's right in Frederick, MD now. I really like their Belgian style IPA and their seasonals.
Since you're in DE you should be able to find Dogfish Head all around you. They are a great brewery that makes some of the best IPAs you can find. Their 60min to 90min are well respected and give you a great baseline to compare other IPAs to.
I think drinking all of the above will really put your palette into a good place for trying other things.
In Philly, Eulogy Belgian 136 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 is one of my favorite places to drink. Don't leave without having the wonderful Belgian tripples Gulden Draak and Piraat.
In DC, ChurchKey 1337 14th Street Northwest has a really great selection. RFD 810 7th Street Northwest has a constantly changing rotation of bottled and tap beers.
I think between the 3 bars above there is something ridiculous like 400 different beers on tap. The bartenders were extremely knowledgeable at Eulogy Belgian and are pretty used to people making sessions out of 9% beers. =]
Don't put all the work into this and then start drinking scotch or whisky. It ruined one of my beer tasting friends and now he just compares everything he drinks to how it doesn't taste like 4000 year old burnt wood.
posted by zephyr_words at 11:03 AM on December 6, 2010
I'll nth the recommendation for Beeradvocate.com.
I'll also suggest trying to attend as many beer-related events as you can. You can really discern the nuance in flavor between IPA's from 5 different brewers when you're tasting 5 different 1 ounce pours immediately after the other. I learned more about beer this way than any book or website.
Also, try to go to a brewpub in your area and see if you can order a flight or a sampler. Again, this is typically little 2-3 ounce pours of all of their beers. Someone can tell you "a brown ale is less hoppy than an IPA," and that's good, but you'll REALLY get it if you can drink a brown ale and IPA at the same time. Besides, to most new beer drinkers, reading adjectives like "hoppy, malty, or yeasty" might not mean a whole heck of a lot.
You're lucky to live in Delaware. Dogfish Head is considered by many beer geeks to be one of the best microbreweries in the country. Definitely make it a priority to drink as many of their beers as you can (especially since they serve stuff in their pubs that don't make it out to mass market).
And, if I can leave you with this last idea, try home brewing! Its easy, cheap, and there is a bounty of info on it on the web. You'll learn a lot about beer by brewing a batch or two yourself.
Lastly, for a recommendation, buy yourself a bottle of true trappist ale from Belgium. Something from Chimay (in a 750ML bottle) should be easily found in nearly any part of the country. For me, it was my first belgian trappist ale that made me say "sweet jesus, this stuff is beer? I love beer!"
posted by teriyaki_tornado at 12:19 PM on December 6, 2010
I'll also suggest trying to attend as many beer-related events as you can. You can really discern the nuance in flavor between IPA's from 5 different brewers when you're tasting 5 different 1 ounce pours immediately after the other. I learned more about beer this way than any book or website.
Also, try to go to a brewpub in your area and see if you can order a flight or a sampler. Again, this is typically little 2-3 ounce pours of all of their beers. Someone can tell you "a brown ale is less hoppy than an IPA," and that's good, but you'll REALLY get it if you can drink a brown ale and IPA at the same time. Besides, to most new beer drinkers, reading adjectives like "hoppy, malty, or yeasty" might not mean a whole heck of a lot.
You're lucky to live in Delaware. Dogfish Head is considered by many beer geeks to be one of the best microbreweries in the country. Definitely make it a priority to drink as many of their beers as you can (especially since they serve stuff in their pubs that don't make it out to mass market).
And, if I can leave you with this last idea, try home brewing! Its easy, cheap, and there is a bounty of info on it on the web. You'll learn a lot about beer by brewing a batch or two yourself.
Lastly, for a recommendation, buy yourself a bottle of true trappist ale from Belgium. Something from Chimay (in a 750ML bottle) should be easily found in nearly any part of the country. For me, it was my first belgian trappist ale that made me say "sweet jesus, this stuff is beer? I love beer!"
posted by teriyaki_tornado at 12:19 PM on December 6, 2010
I'm the beer guy at a Total Wine and More (albeit in Arizona--same company, though). You should consider signing up for the next beer class at your nearest store. They're great fun, educational (especially if you like history), and you'll get to try a dozen or more beers of various styles and regions. They're pretty reasonably priced, too ($15-20 for a two-hour tasting class, including heavy snacks/light dinner).
Or, ask for suggestions from the associates. TW&M has a pretty intensive training program associates can take, and from my experience, there's always a person on hand to listen to what you like and don't like and who can give recommendations based on your preferences.
posted by The Potate at 12:30 PM on December 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Or, ask for suggestions from the associates. TW&M has a pretty intensive training program associates can take, and from my experience, there's always a person on hand to listen to what you like and don't like and who can give recommendations based on your preferences.
posted by The Potate at 12:30 PM on December 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Whew, there's a lot to learn, but I don't believe it'll sink in too well until you go out and treat your senses to all the different styles. It's an expensive hobby, but my god its worth it!
First, here's two places near you that you might want to check out:
- Kreston Wines in Wilmington appears to have a decent starter collection of craft beers from some well respected micro-breweries (Stone, DFH, Troegs, etc)
- Tollgate Liqours also looks like a decent local place to start.
Be sure to grab a few beer glasses if you find any to accommodate the styles of beer that your'e drinking (eg. a nice snifter for your darks would be a good idea...the glass you choose helps with the overall experience, as with beer you're focusing not just on taste, but also pour appearance and aroma). It's not absolutely necessary, just avoid drinking out of plastic cups if you can help it.
Beeradvocate, as suggested above is a fantastic resource...definitely look at their top 100 lists and see what you can find at the shops you visit. RateBeer is also a very nice resource, especially when it comes to finding places nearby. I personally prefer the ratings and grassroots vibe at Beeradvocate, but they're both excellent sites....and invaluable when looking at trying out a new brew.
Ale vs Lager - Don't get too worked up on this question. Ale's are simply top fermented and Lagers are bottom fermented. Ales = above, Lagers = low. Ales are also fermented at higher temperatures than Lagers, making Lagers a moderately more difficult and time consuming beer to brew (typically, but not always, also depends on the style). Ales are probably what you'll want to start out with...as they are in abundance over lagers.
From my experience on the eastern shore, you shouldn't have much trouble finding some excellent imported trappists (rocheforte, westmalle, achel, chimay). Trappist ales are beers that are exclusively brewed and bottled by monks at approved monasteries. You may find that the Westvleteren 12 is rated as the #1 beer in the world...yet the only way to get one of these is through a friend that lives in Belgium, or by visiting yourself. (I'd rather not mention the online ordering way of doing this as it is frowned upon by the monastery..which is the only trappist brewry that does not distribute). It's a really good beer, perhaps hyped a bit due to its rarity, and there are plenty of comparable and cheaper alternatives....
Abbey Ales are pretty much the same as Trappist Ales, and is the designation for Belgians that are not brewed at a monestary. So if you were really interested in a quad in the same style as the "Westy 12" you could always shoot for a St. Bernardus Abt 12 (which used to be an abbey counterpart of the Westverletern monestary and is based off of the original recipe ). This quad is well distributed and you'll likely find at any store where abbey ales are sold.
To contrast the malty characteristics of belgians, next in line should probably be IPAs (India Pale Ales). These brews add a considerably higher amount of hops (crushed flowers) to add bitterness and leave the mouth dry wanting more. The DFH 60 minute is a fantastic starting point, as mentioned above. You may also want to see what IPAs you can get from Stone Brewery (which you should have no trouble finding in DE). Stone's Ruination and DFH's 90 or 120 min IPA are excellent examples of American Double/Imperial IPAs. The IBUs (international bitter units) are pretty high and you may feel like you've bitten into a spiked grapefruit if you're new to the style. It's not for everyone but is definitely a type of ale you could get used to after awhile (very popular style in CA).
You'll see that Pliny the Elder is also a top rated beer, which is an IPA. The taste of this beer will be very similar to a DFH 90min or Stone IPA. You may have luck finding one in PA, as it is the only state on the east coast that has a Russian River distributer...otherwise a friend in CA could probably ship one to you with the label "Yeast sample for analysis" ;)
From there, after you've sampled two of the more popular styles (Belgian and IPA). I'd look around for well rated examples of other styles, such as brown ales, sours, etc. For example, after trying a Lambic (as close as champagne as you can get in a beer), maybe try a Flemmish Ale? Vichtenaar is one of those types of sour flemmish ales that can completely catch you off guard from what you've experienced so far...but can help you truly appreciate the wide variety of style and history behind what is commonly known as "beer"
(cheers!)
Here's some great places that I go to that are within a few hours of Wilmington DE:
- Capone's Resturant in PA has a decent selection on tap as well as an impressive (although small and tightly packed) bottle shop.
- Outlet Liquors Rehoboth, DE
- Atlantic Liqours Rehoboth, DE
- Cape Spirits Rehoboth, DE
- The Perfect Pour Elkridge, MD...in my opinion, a holy mecca for our area. You should definitely find an excuse to make the trip! Very knowledgeable staff, and a lot of very rare finds.
posted by samsara at 1:26 PM on December 6, 2010
First, here's two places near you that you might want to check out:
- Kreston Wines in Wilmington appears to have a decent starter collection of craft beers from some well respected micro-breweries (Stone, DFH, Troegs, etc)
- Tollgate Liqours also looks like a decent local place to start.
Be sure to grab a few beer glasses if you find any to accommodate the styles of beer that your'e drinking (eg. a nice snifter for your darks would be a good idea...the glass you choose helps with the overall experience, as with beer you're focusing not just on taste, but also pour appearance and aroma). It's not absolutely necessary, just avoid drinking out of plastic cups if you can help it.
Beeradvocate, as suggested above is a fantastic resource...definitely look at their top 100 lists and see what you can find at the shops you visit. RateBeer is also a very nice resource, especially when it comes to finding places nearby. I personally prefer the ratings and grassroots vibe at Beeradvocate, but they're both excellent sites....and invaluable when looking at trying out a new brew.
Ale vs Lager - Don't get too worked up on this question. Ale's are simply top fermented and Lagers are bottom fermented. Ales = above, Lagers = low. Ales are also fermented at higher temperatures than Lagers, making Lagers a moderately more difficult and time consuming beer to brew (typically, but not always, also depends on the style). Ales are probably what you'll want to start out with...as they are in abundance over lagers.
From my experience on the eastern shore, you shouldn't have much trouble finding some excellent imported trappists (rocheforte, westmalle, achel, chimay). Trappist ales are beers that are exclusively brewed and bottled by monks at approved monasteries. You may find that the Westvleteren 12 is rated as the #1 beer in the world...yet the only way to get one of these is through a friend that lives in Belgium, or by visiting yourself. (I'd rather not mention the online ordering way of doing this as it is frowned upon by the monastery..which is the only trappist brewry that does not distribute). It's a really good beer, perhaps hyped a bit due to its rarity, and there are plenty of comparable and cheaper alternatives....
Abbey Ales are pretty much the same as Trappist Ales, and is the designation for Belgians that are not brewed at a monestary. So if you were really interested in a quad in the same style as the "Westy 12" you could always shoot for a St. Bernardus Abt 12 (which used to be an abbey counterpart of the Westverletern monestary and is based off of the original recipe ). This quad is well distributed and you'll likely find at any store where abbey ales are sold.
To contrast the malty characteristics of belgians, next in line should probably be IPAs (India Pale Ales). These brews add a considerably higher amount of hops (crushed flowers) to add bitterness and leave the mouth dry wanting more. The DFH 60 minute is a fantastic starting point, as mentioned above. You may also want to see what IPAs you can get from Stone Brewery (which you should have no trouble finding in DE). Stone's Ruination and DFH's 90 or 120 min IPA are excellent examples of American Double/Imperial IPAs. The IBUs (international bitter units) are pretty high and you may feel like you've bitten into a spiked grapefruit if you're new to the style. It's not for everyone but is definitely a type of ale you could get used to after awhile (very popular style in CA).
You'll see that Pliny the Elder is also a top rated beer, which is an IPA. The taste of this beer will be very similar to a DFH 90min or Stone IPA. You may have luck finding one in PA, as it is the only state on the east coast that has a Russian River distributer...otherwise a friend in CA could probably ship one to you with the label "Yeast sample for analysis" ;)
From there, after you've sampled two of the more popular styles (Belgian and IPA). I'd look around for well rated examples of other styles, such as brown ales, sours, etc. For example, after trying a Lambic (as close as champagne as you can get in a beer), maybe try a Flemmish Ale? Vichtenaar is one of those types of sour flemmish ales that can completely catch you off guard from what you've experienced so far...but can help you truly appreciate the wide variety of style and history behind what is commonly known as "beer"
(cheers!)
Here's some great places that I go to that are within a few hours of Wilmington DE:
- Capone's Resturant in PA has a decent selection on tap as well as an impressive (although small and tightly packed) bottle shop.
- Outlet Liquors Rehoboth, DE
- Atlantic Liqours Rehoboth, DE
- Cape Spirits Rehoboth, DE
- The Perfect Pour Elkridge, MD...in my opinion, a holy mecca for our area. You should definitely find an excuse to make the trip! Very knowledgeable staff, and a lot of very rare finds.
posted by samsara at 1:26 PM on December 6, 2010
Tip! Always drink from a glass. Never from the bottle. It really helps to SEE the beer. Even the foam has characteristics that you'll learn to spot.
Cheers!
posted by 2oh1 at 2:17 PM on December 6, 2010
Cheers!
posted by 2oh1 at 2:17 PM on December 6, 2010
N-th'ing the Perfect Pour in Columbia, MD -- but sadly it's not very public transit-friendly, as noted.
For DC proper, I'm fond of Chevy Chase Wine & Sprits, which has a pretty good selection of beers and is sorta Metro friendly, depending on your tolerance for walking.
Also N-th'ing RFD, the Brickskeller, and Churchkey. The local Dogfish Grills are also awesome, but, again, not terribly public transit-friendly.
Cheers!
posted by genehack at 4:16 PM on December 6, 2010
For DC proper, I'm fond of Chevy Chase Wine & Sprits, which has a pretty good selection of beers and is sorta Metro friendly, depending on your tolerance for walking.
Also N-th'ing RFD, the Brickskeller, and Churchkey. The local Dogfish Grills are also awesome, but, again, not terribly public transit-friendly.
Cheers!
posted by genehack at 4:16 PM on December 6, 2010
Response by poster: Something to do once you figure out your preferences is to keep trying beers of a single type. When I was starting out, I'd try every single Brown Ale I could find. Once I had a good handle on those, I went on to IPA.
I really like this idea, because I've had my share of flights, samples, and while it is fun, I never remember (of course, up until now I haven't really been trying) the distinguishing characteristics beyond I like this/I don't like that. Plus, until I really know a scotch ale from an IPA, how do I know that the characteristics I like don't like are a function of that TYPE of beer or that PARTICULAR beer?
Feel free to message me and I'll play "tell me what you like, I'll tell you what to try.
I'll throw this open to the group. The thing about mass-produced beer like Miller Lite (or for a dark example, boy did I drink a metric ton of Michelob Amber Bock a decade ago when my local watering hole sold it for $5 a pitcher every day), is it's somehow...easy to drink. Not a lot of bitterness (hoppiness, I guess), it's not intimidatingly complex, it's just sort of there and it's easy to drink.
So I know mass-produced beer is generally not highly regarded in the beer world, so there's probably....transitional beers out there that can have me saying, "Ah ha! So this is why Miller Lite is crap!" Somehow, I got past the hoppiness hurdle of Guinness and a couple of other stouts I have had and I've come to enjoy them, so I know my palette can be refined for many types of beer (and yet, Guiness Extra Stout remains just too bitter for my liking so far).
Even the foam has characteristics that you'll learn to spot.
Why is this important? In my luddism foam just gets in the way of the good stuff.
posted by mreleganza at 4:47 PM on December 6, 2010
I really like this idea, because I've had my share of flights, samples, and while it is fun, I never remember (of course, up until now I haven't really been trying) the distinguishing characteristics beyond I like this/I don't like that. Plus, until I really know a scotch ale from an IPA, how do I know that the characteristics I like don't like are a function of that TYPE of beer or that PARTICULAR beer?
Feel free to message me and I'll play "tell me what you like, I'll tell you what to try.
I'll throw this open to the group. The thing about mass-produced beer like Miller Lite (or for a dark example, boy did I drink a metric ton of Michelob Amber Bock a decade ago when my local watering hole sold it for $5 a pitcher every day), is it's somehow...easy to drink. Not a lot of bitterness (hoppiness, I guess), it's not intimidatingly complex, it's just sort of there and it's easy to drink.
So I know mass-produced beer is generally not highly regarded in the beer world, so there's probably....transitional beers out there that can have me saying, "Ah ha! So this is why Miller Lite is crap!" Somehow, I got past the hoppiness hurdle of Guinness and a couple of other stouts I have had and I've come to enjoy them, so I know my palette can be refined for many types of beer (and yet, Guiness Extra Stout remains just too bitter for my liking so far).
Even the foam has characteristics that you'll learn to spot.
Why is this important? In my luddism foam just gets in the way of the good stuff.
posted by mreleganza at 4:47 PM on December 6, 2010
A foam head gives you an idea on what you're about to imbibe. It has several purposes...to visually clue you in on the carbonation and alcohol content of the beer (stouts for example, will typically have a smaller head also have higher abv). Another characteristic of foam is its contribution to the release of aromas. As the tiny bubbles pop they release the aromas at the core of the beer...much better than if there was no head. You can also get some clues on the textures in the beer by the size of the bubbles and how it sticks to the sides of the glass as you gently swirl it (lacing).
Typically, for your lighter ales you'll want to have about two fingers of foam. Let it sit for a bit before drinking, smell the glass and take in the aromas etc. On stouts and heavier brews you can swirl the beer in a snifter to generate a stronger head and release more aroma (typically chocolately or coffee-ish for stouts...letting these malt behemoths warm down to room temperature as you casually take sips every few degrees is common amongst stout enthusiasts...the flavor profile changes as it warms). Swirling also helps reduce the overall carbonation "bite" if a beer feels a little too abrasive on the tongue at first.
As for the transition from the major beer labels...you might start to realize that the amount of ingredients and freshness of craft and many import beers far outweighs the ?-lite market. The Miller Lites, Coors, Budweisers, etc will probably start tasting like water with pureed bread strained in....your palette will be ruined forever for cheap beer, and you'll never want to go back....maybe even scoff at those who take the cheap route. Just be sure to always be open to trying a new style...and avoid becoming a snob. This is the curse and blessing for those out there that enjoy really good beer. It can hit the wallet a bit, but there's always a warm fuzzy feeling after the first few glasses to make you forget about it, and enjoy the experience :)
posted by samsara at 5:51 PM on December 6, 2010
Typically, for your lighter ales you'll want to have about two fingers of foam. Let it sit for a bit before drinking, smell the glass and take in the aromas etc. On stouts and heavier brews you can swirl the beer in a snifter to generate a stronger head and release more aroma (typically chocolately or coffee-ish for stouts...letting these malt behemoths warm down to room temperature as you casually take sips every few degrees is common amongst stout enthusiasts...the flavor profile changes as it warms). Swirling also helps reduce the overall carbonation "bite" if a beer feels a little too abrasive on the tongue at first.
As for the transition from the major beer labels...you might start to realize that the amount of ingredients and freshness of craft and many import beers far outweighs the ?-lite market. The Miller Lites, Coors, Budweisers, etc will probably start tasting like water with pureed bread strained in....your palette will be ruined forever for cheap beer, and you'll never want to go back....maybe even scoff at those who take the cheap route. Just be sure to always be open to trying a new style...and avoid becoming a snob. This is the curse and blessing for those out there that enjoy really good beer. It can hit the wallet a bit, but there's always a warm fuzzy feeling after the first few glasses to make you forget about it, and enjoy the experience :)
posted by samsara at 5:51 PM on December 6, 2010
In terms of "transitional" beers, the beers I liked when I started drinking "real" beer as opposed to whatever was cheap were things like Yuengling, Stella Artois, Harp, Bass, that sort of thing. They are still light, but have better flavor and are easy to drink. Maybe start with beers like those and then start branching out?
In DC, we actually find a lot of really good beer in the supermarkets. The Social Safeway in Georgetown, for example, has an entire aisle of full of beer that I would not expect to see in a grocery store.
posted by echo0720 at 7:54 PM on December 6, 2010
In DC, we actually find a lot of really good beer in the supermarkets. The Social Safeway in Georgetown, for example, has an entire aisle of full of beer that I would not expect to see in a grocery store.
posted by echo0720 at 7:54 PM on December 6, 2010
Since you asked to be schooled, here's an important lesson in beer: Easy To Drink is marketing lingo, and it's a ploy. Easy to drink isn't exactly a good thing to say about a beer. It's just a phrase that tests well with focus groups, most of which are made up of people who only drink mass produced beer.
"The thing about mass-produced beer like Miller Lite (or for a dark example, boy did I drink a metric ton of Michelob Amber Bock a decade ago when my local watering hole sold it for $5 a pitcher every day), is it's somehow...easy to drink. Not a lot of bitterness (hoppiness, I guess), it's not intimidatingly complex, it's just sort of there and it's easy to drink."
Mass produced beer is intentionally brewed to be that way. As you said: easy to drink. In fact, it's brewed to be irrelevant, and thus easy to drink a lot of. It won't be very hoppy or malty. It probably won't have much of a head. It won't have much character at all, really. Remember: they're not selling flavor. They're selling their brands to people who buy based on brands. As proof, notice how often beer is marketed by temperature and gimmicks rather than by how it tastes. A bottle with grooves? Who cares! Ever notice how often beer commercials show snow and ice? ...Snow and ice? WTF? The word "cold" tests very well in focus groups.
Think of your favorite food and ask yourself: Would you say it doesn't have a lot of flavor (not sweet, not spicy) but it's easy to eat? People tend to forget that beer has many varieties in both kind and quality, just as food does. Is the burger in a big mac really meat? I guess... kind of. Is Bud really beer? I guess... kind of. But it sure isn't the beer equivalent of a medium rare ribeye steak!
Beer should have character. That's part of the reason so many people don't drink good beer. They don't understand it. They think it tastes wrong.
Jay Leno is Miller. Easy to watch but equally easy to forget. George Carlin (may he rest in peace) is Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. Bitter? Hell yes, with a ton of character too. That's what makes him (and it) great.
Seek character.
posted by 2oh1 at 8:44 PM on December 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
"The thing about mass-produced beer like Miller Lite (or for a dark example, boy did I drink a metric ton of Michelob Amber Bock a decade ago when my local watering hole sold it for $5 a pitcher every day), is it's somehow...easy to drink. Not a lot of bitterness (hoppiness, I guess), it's not intimidatingly complex, it's just sort of there and it's easy to drink."
Mass produced beer is intentionally brewed to be that way. As you said: easy to drink. In fact, it's brewed to be irrelevant, and thus easy to drink a lot of. It won't be very hoppy or malty. It probably won't have much of a head. It won't have much character at all, really. Remember: they're not selling flavor. They're selling their brands to people who buy based on brands. As proof, notice how often beer is marketed by temperature and gimmicks rather than by how it tastes. A bottle with grooves? Who cares! Ever notice how often beer commercials show snow and ice? ...Snow and ice? WTF? The word "cold" tests very well in focus groups.
Think of your favorite food and ask yourself: Would you say it doesn't have a lot of flavor (not sweet, not spicy) but it's easy to eat? People tend to forget that beer has many varieties in both kind and quality, just as food does. Is the burger in a big mac really meat? I guess... kind of. Is Bud really beer? I guess... kind of. But it sure isn't the beer equivalent of a medium rare ribeye steak!
Beer should have character. That's part of the reason so many people don't drink good beer. They don't understand it. They think it tastes wrong.
Jay Leno is Miller. Easy to watch but equally easy to forget. George Carlin (may he rest in peace) is Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. Bitter? Hell yes, with a ton of character too. That's what makes him (and it) great.
Seek character.
posted by 2oh1 at 8:44 PM on December 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
"So I know mass-produced beer is generally not highly regarded in the beer world, so there's probably....transitional beers out there that can have me saying, "Ah ha! So this is why Miller Lite is crap!""
Here's how I discovered great beer: I'd just moved to Portland and was on a date. Portland is such a beer town! We have more breweries than Munich! ...anyway... She took me to a brewpub and ordered me the sampler. The sampler is such a great idea. Five or six samples of different kinds of beer instead of one pint of one beer.
One last tip from me: Whenever possible, go for microbrews. And if it's brewed there, even better.
posted by 2oh1 at 8:51 PM on December 6, 2010
Here's how I discovered great beer: I'd just moved to Portland and was on a date. Portland is such a beer town! We have more breweries than Munich! ...anyway... She took me to a brewpub and ordered me the sampler. The sampler is such a great idea. Five or six samples of different kinds of beer instead of one pint of one beer.
One last tip from me: Whenever possible, go for microbrews. And if it's brewed there, even better.
posted by 2oh1 at 8:51 PM on December 6, 2010
I'll throw this open to the group. The thing about mass-produced beer like Miller Lite (or for a dark example, boy did I drink a metric ton of Michelob Amber Bock a decade ago when my local watering hole sold it for $5 a pitcher every day), is it's somehow...easy to drink. Not a lot of bitterness (hoppiness, I guess), it's not intimidatingly complex, it's just sort of there and it's easy to drink.
While I agree with 2oh1's comment above, I also know exactly what you mean about needing to have an "easy to drink" beer around the house. Some microbrews can put you in such a "flavor headlock" that it's tough to drink. I love fettuccini alfredo, but man, its so rich that its tough to eat an entire plate of it.
So, for me, some "easy to drink" or, so-called "gateway beers" that are more interesting than Miller, that are easy to find would be:
• Newcastle (This is a very malty and sweet beer, with very little hop bitterness)
• Bass
• Nearly anything from Sam Adams
• Fat Tire Amber from New Belgium Brewing
• Harp
• Stella Artois
I Would also encourage you to look for some wheat beers. They tend to be very sweet and yeasty, with very little bitterness, which for a lot of people, make them very "easy" to drink. Hoegaarden should be fairly easy to find, and is about as "wheaty" as it gets as far as mass-market import beers are concerned.
Also, incase its confusing, when I say "sweet" I mean that as a relative term. They aren't "sweet" in the same way, as say, a cola is.
posted by teriyaki_tornado at 8:43 AM on December 7, 2010
While I agree with 2oh1's comment above, I also know exactly what you mean about needing to have an "easy to drink" beer around the house. Some microbrews can put you in such a "flavor headlock" that it's tough to drink. I love fettuccini alfredo, but man, its so rich that its tough to eat an entire plate of it.
So, for me, some "easy to drink" or, so-called "gateway beers" that are more interesting than Miller, that are easy to find would be:
• Newcastle (This is a very malty and sweet beer, with very little hop bitterness)
• Bass
• Nearly anything from Sam Adams
• Fat Tire Amber from New Belgium Brewing
• Harp
• Stella Artois
I Would also encourage you to look for some wheat beers. They tend to be very sweet and yeasty, with very little bitterness, which for a lot of people, make them very "easy" to drink. Hoegaarden should be fairly easy to find, and is about as "wheaty" as it gets as far as mass-market import beers are concerned.
Also, incase its confusing, when I say "sweet" I mean that as a relative term. They aren't "sweet" in the same way, as say, a cola is.
posted by teriyaki_tornado at 8:43 AM on December 7, 2010
I was pretty obsessed with learning all about beer for the past 5-10 years (it was my first love before wine and liquor, which I guess is typical) and all the regional quirks and around-the-world characteristics, and have kind of lapsed after reaching a saturation point maybe 2 years ago (and moving on to other things as mentioned). That said, just the other week out of boredom killing time at my in-laws waiting for stuff to happen I flipped through their coffee table book, a beer encylopedia. It was a little dated of course, but I was pleasantly surprised at how efficient it was at quickly informing you of all the things I think of first. I'd recommend checking something like that out of the library, but a good comprehensive one mind you (that one was pretty good, and there are a lot out there). It hit all the obvious biggies--Anchor Steam, aaaaall the crazy Belgian stuff, hefeweizens, dunkels, lambics, dubbels and tripels, spontaneous fermentation, the zillions of stouts and why some have misleading names, Yuengling, Genny, whatever. It lacked in the rise of esoteric microbreweries out-weirding each other in the states of course because it's older. But to go from zero to some baseline I'd recommend that.
Then I'd say your best bet is to go to beer tastings and festivals, and/or join a good liquor store's beer of the month/week/whatever club. My city has them and I'm sure they're pretty common, and they tend to be way more of a deal than similar wine and liquor of the week clubs I've noticed. It' a really good way to find out what YOU like, sans bullshit. Also, if there's a microbrewery in your area they often have sampler platters where you get 6 little glasses of their stuff so you can try a range there too.
So in short: decent comprehensive encyclopedia run-down for the information of how it all varies in process and what makes one thing what it is vs. another (unnecessary and will gradually be picked up if you get into this long enough, but it'd be an efficient quick primer) for the bookish info, and then making use of whatever resources are available locally (weekly/monthly subscription/club, tasting events, brew pub sampler platters) to try as many different beers as possible close enough together to be able to compare and figure out what characteristics you like.
posted by ifjuly at 9:10 AM on December 7, 2010
Then I'd say your best bet is to go to beer tastings and festivals, and/or join a good liquor store's beer of the month/week/whatever club. My city has them and I'm sure they're pretty common, and they tend to be way more of a deal than similar wine and liquor of the week clubs I've noticed. It' a really good way to find out what YOU like, sans bullshit. Also, if there's a microbrewery in your area they often have sampler platters where you get 6 little glasses of their stuff so you can try a range there too.
So in short: decent comprehensive encyclopedia run-down for the information of how it all varies in process and what makes one thing what it is vs. another (unnecessary and will gradually be picked up if you get into this long enough, but it'd be an efficient quick primer) for the bookish info, and then making use of whatever resources are available locally (weekly/monthly subscription/club, tasting events, brew pub sampler platters) to try as many different beers as possible close enough together to be able to compare and figure out what characteristics you like.
posted by ifjuly at 9:10 AM on December 7, 2010
Quick update: it looks like the Brickskeller is closing down in less than two weeks.
posted by zombieflanders at 11:03 AM on December 7, 2010
posted by zombieflanders at 11:03 AM on December 7, 2010
Just had to stop in and recommend going to New Beer Distributors if you're in Manhattan. I was blown away by the selection, and I live in Portland!
posted by janerica at 12:07 AM on December 8, 2010
posted by janerica at 12:07 AM on December 8, 2010
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posted by COD at 9:23 AM on December 6, 2010