Top 20 Beers

[dixiedalton]

Coors light for breakfast

[unc.si.]

Just managed to get hold of a couple of bottles of Westvleteren 12. Regular winner of worlds best beer, although you can only buy it from the sint sixtus abbey so not quite sure how it ever gets many votes.
Got some Mairage Parfait Oude Geuze as well. Delicious on a summers day. Bit of an acquired taste though.

[Brightwater]

Tesco offer any 3 of Abbot, Hobgoblin / Gold, Speckled / Golden Hen 4 x 500ml cans for £10.

[unc.si.]

Well as I have become quite the beer snob I figured I would add my list. Doubt many have had several on the list unless you have traveled to the states but these are about as good as it gets if you are into IPAs and sour styles. Hard to rank them but I am certain the top 5 our my favorite 5.

Arthur from Hillstead Farms (Saison)
Tart of Darkness from The Bruery (Sour Stout)
Another One from Maine Brewing (IPA)
Tropicalia from Creature Comforts (IPA)
Funk Metal from Jester King Brewing (Sour Stout)
Hibernal Dichotomous from Jester King Brewing (Sour)
Detritivore from Jester King Brewing (Sour)
Zombie Dust from Three Floyds (IPA)
Head Hunter from Fat Head (IPA)
Sculpin IPA from Ballast Point (IPA)
Yellow Rose from Lone Pint (IPA)
Duet from Alpine Brewing (IPA)
Lily & Seamus from Lone Pint (Hopped Wheat Ale)
Two Hearted Ale from Bell's Brewery (IPA)
The Waldo's Special Ale from Lagunitas (IPA)
Snorkel from Jester King Brewing (Sour)
Lunch from Maine Brewing (IPA)
Interurban IPA from Freemont Brewing (IPA)
Guinness (Stout)
Strawberry Harvest Lager from Abita Brewing (Lager)

Don't get that much American ale over here that I've seen but was pretty surprised at how good some of the ones were that I tried in MIA last time I was there a couple of months ago. The only one I can remember was 'Todd the Axeman'.

How sour are the American sour beers? Have you ever tried the Flemish Reds or Oude Gueuze styles - are the american ones as sour as a lambic or gueuze or more of a mix of sour and dark (like a flemish red).

You should try a Rodenbach Grand Cru if you like sour and you can get hold of one. Dark and sour - amazing beer.

[ctibbits]

Don't get that much American ale over here that I've seen but was pretty surprised at how good some of the ones were that I tried in MIA last time I was there a couple of months ago. The only one I can remember was 'Todd the Axeman'.

How sour are the American sour beers? Have you ever tried the Flemish Reds or Oude Gueuze styles - are the american ones as sour as a lambic or gueuze or more of a mix of sour and dark (like a flemish red).

You should try a Rodenbach Grand Cru if you like sour and you can get hold of one. Dark and sour - amazing beer.

Actually will be in Minnesota at the end of the month and hoping to get ahold of some Todd the Axeman. Very highly rated IPA. The sours run a full range from mildly tart to full on pucker inducing. I've had several Flemish Reds and Oude Gueuze styles. It is sort of a fad right now so a lot of breweries are trying and failing but those that hit are usually quite good. The sour stouts are on the next level to be honest. They start tart but finish with the dark coffee and roasted chocolate notes typical for stouts. The problem is that most of the really world class ones are not widely distributed. Next time you are heading stateside let me know and I will check the distribution maps for you and make some suggestions.

I've had the Rodenbach Grand Cru and it is actually very nice. Was the first Flemish Red I tried.

[unc.si.]

Lidl have a 6 pack of Belgian beers in at the moment.

Gulden Draak (Excellent), Gulden Draak 9000 (also v good), Piraat (excellent), Piraat Tripel hop (V good) and two I've never tried.

£10 for 6 bottles I think, which compared to £3 for a bottle of Duvel in Tesco isn't bad if you fancy trying some Belgian Beer.

They're 10.5%, although don't taste like it. If you drink all 6 in one go don't plan to be doing anything the next day

[ctibbits]

Arthur from Hillstead Farms (Saison)
Tart of Darkness from The Bruery (Sour Stout)
Another One from Maine Brewing (IPA)
Tropicalia from Creature Comforts (IPA)
Funk Metal from Jester King Brewing (Sour Stout)
Funk Metal W/ cherries Jester King Brewing (Sour Stout)
Vanilla Noir from Prairie Brewing (Stout)
Detritivore from Jester King Brewing (Sour)
Double Dry Hopped Mosaic Dream Other Half Brewing (IPA)
Alien Church from Tired Hands(IPA)
Zippy Squid Pinthouse Pizza (IPA)
Yellow Rose from Lone Pint (IPA)
Duet from Alpine Brewing (IPA)
Death by Coconut from Oskar Blues (porter)
Two Hearted Ale from Bell's Brewery (IPA)
The Waldo's Special Ale from Lagunitas (IPA)
Snorkel from Jester King Brewing (Sour)
Lunch from Maine Brewing (IPA)
Double Dry Hopped Fort Point from Trillium (IPA)
Mortmency vs Ballaton Jester King (sour)



Been long enough to edit this. Anyone ever stateside please look these up. Liquid gold. And I will be in London in March so if anyone could please direct me to the "must haves" I would appreciate it.

[murf]

Really enjoyed a few pints of Summer Blonde recently, no idea who brews it except the barman told me it is a tiny brewery - should have worn my glasses to read the pump! Can't find it by googling. Presume it is fairly local to me (NW/Cumbria).

Any ideas?

[unc.si.]

Just back from Belgium with another suitcase full of cheap beer
Straffe Hendrik, Guulden Draak, Karmeleit Tripel, Boon Oude Geuze, Kwak (plus Kwak glass / stand), Wetstmalle Tripel and Houblon Chouffe.

I check in a suitcase full of bubblewrap on the way out and bring it back full of beer. Clothes all go in hand luggage.

Do get the odd funny look when I check in a suitcase weighing about 1.5kg on the way out sometimes

[Spinynorman]

Never tried (or heard) of any of those although they sound intriguing.

My current fave is probably Roaring Meg.

[blahblah]

Never tried (or heard) of any of those although they sound intriguing.

My current fave is probably Roaring Meg.

Imagine being limited to 20

[unc.si.]

Never tried (or heard) of any of those although they sound intriguing.

My current fave is probably Roaring Meg.

All fairly common beers in Belgium, but fairly hard to get here (and way more expensive). Most of those are Tripels, or strong pale beers (not pils style, ie nothing like Stella, more like Duvel if you've tried that, although all quite different from Duvel as well). Tend to be sweeter than British beer, and a lot stronger - Karmeleit is about 8.5% and Gulden Draak (named after the Golden Dragon on the top of Gent Belfry) about 10.5%. Not the sort of thing you drink 10 pints of. More like a nice glass of beer with a meal. Westmalle Dubbel or Orval go really well with a nice steak.

Kwak is a dark beer - nearest thing in the UK is probably Leffe Bruin.
Boon Oude Geuze is like nothing you get here. Think of a cross between scrumpy and champagne, with a bit of lemon juice added for sourness. Brewed using wild yeast from one region of Flanders - it (or the Lambic beers that its blended from) just left open to the elements during the first fermentation, which is started by wild years drifting into the open containers. Its a bit of an acquired taste to be honest, but delicious on a hot day.


you can buy Leffe (which is brewed by InBev - same as Stella and Hoegaarden, so tends to be looked down on a bit, oh and don't ask for a 'Leffay' unless you want to look like a tourist - it's 'Lef') pretty much anywhere, but some supermarkets do St Stefanus, Chimay, Westmalle Dubbel and Duvel (which people in Britain tend to pronounce 'Duv-al' for some reason - pronunciation is more like 'Duv'l') and I'm sure I've seen Delerium Tremens in the UK as well (The Delerium Tremens bar in Brussels has something like 1,000 different beers, but its a bit touristy a lot of the time. Most people know Leffe but its well worth trying one of the others if you see it. Like I say, they're not cheap in the UK though. Best thing is to get the Eurostar to Brussels, jump on a train to Gent, spend a couple of days round the old medieval town trying them all out and then bring some back from a beer warehouse there

[unc.si.]

Don't get that much American ale over here that I've seen but was pretty surprised at how good some of the ones were that I tried in MIA last time I was there a couple of months ago. The only one I can remember was 'Todd the Axeman'.

How sour are the American sour beers? Have you ever tried the Flemish Reds or Oude Gueuze styles - are the american ones as sour as a lambic or gueuze or more of a mix of sour and dark (like a flemish red).

You should try a Rodenbach Grand Cru if you like sour and you can get hold of one. Dark and sour - amazing beer.

Actually will be in Minnesota at the end of the month and hoping to get ahold of some Todd the Axeman. Very highly rated IPA. The sours run a full range from mildly tart to full on pucker inducing. I've had several Flemish Reds and Oude Gueuze styles. It is sort of a fad right now so a lot of breweries are trying and failing but those that hit are usually quite good. The sour stouts are on the next level to be honest. They start tart but finish with the dark coffee and roasted chocolate notes typical for stouts. The problem is that most of the really world class ones are not widely distributed. Next time you are heading stateside let me know and I will check the distribution maps for you and make some suggestions.

I've had the Rodenbach Grand Cru and it is actually very nice. Was the first Flemish Red I tried.

Can I take you up on the offer please

Will be in Seattle later today for a couple of days and wondering what the top local beers are

[SUZYKINS]

Just back from Belgium with another suitcase full of cheap beer
Straffe Hendrik, Guulden Draak, Karmeleit Tripel, Boon Oude Geuze, Kwak (plus Kwak glass / stand), Wetstmalle Tripel and Houblon Chouffe.

I check in a suitcase full of bubblewrap on the way out and bring it back full of beer. Clothes all go in hand luggage.

Do get the odd funny look when I check in a suitcase weighing about 1.5kg on the way out sometimes

Try a little unknown one next time Wolf.
Wolf6 - Wolf9 all different but worth trying, On Wolf8 which is 8.5%.
Although this is the best Ive tasted in quite a while! https://belgiuminabox.com/shop/christma ... oWCkIKWSUk