I Are Torn! AKA The Beer thread
- Thread starter macadocious
- Start date
chico state graduate student chiming in:
sierra nevada is the be-all and end-all of california microbrews...
so many of their beers are so ****ing killer...
apart from the hiking, having such a wide selection of SN on tap is one of the things i'm going to miss the most when i relocate back to sac in june...
sierra nevada is the be-all and end-all of california microbrews...
so many of their beers are so ****ing killer...
apart from the hiking, having such a wide selection of SN on tap is one of the things i'm going to miss the most when i relocate back to sac in june...
Have any of you made your own beer? It stinks badly in the first week or so but ferments quickly and is very inexpensive. I used to brew it when I was in college and it cost about $0.25 a bottle. Even if it tasted bad, which it didn't, it was a cheap buzz. 
And to stay on topic, I am not torn, near the beginning of the year I had visions of a top 4 pick in my mind. Now I think developing a credible winning attitude and perhaps even a tradition is the only way to head forward. We need to be respected by our fans and by the league.
And to stay on topic, I am not torn, near the beginning of the year I had visions of a top 4 pick in my mind. Now I think developing a credible winning attitude and perhaps even a tradition is the only way to head forward. We need to be respected by our fans and by the league.
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Have any of you made your own beer? It stinks badly in the first week or so but ferments quickly and is very inexpensive. I used to brew it when I was in college and it cost about $0.25 a bottle. Even if it tasted bad, which it didn't, it was a cheap buzz.
And to stay on topic,
And to stay on topic,
The thing is, Fat Tire is a pretty boring beer to me. I much prefer darker brews, the example from New Belgium being 1554. Around here it's actually not very common to see people drinking Fat Tire because it's "too popular" or some other trendy nonsense which I find ridiculous. I like it, but it in my opinion it is also sort of generic for a micro brew (which is also probably why it's so popular). Even if you don't like New Belgium, if you're living in a city that is nearby a Tour de Fat stop you have to check it out. If you've never heard of it it's a costumed bike parade with live music and a ton of beer. So fun. Closest one to Sac is San Francisco.
As far as breweries go, I absolutely LOVE Odell's, which just went regional a year or two ago. Their Cutthroat Porter is my favorite beer of all time, mostly because at the brewery and a few bars in town you can get it with nitro. While they can't bottle it that way, it's still a great smooth beer and not bitter at all. If you ever see it I would highly recommend it if you are into porters or stouts.
Glad this thread is up though, cause I'm moving to Northern California. And even though people say there are breweries here, I'm spoiled and can ride my bike to five of them a mile from home. It is comforting to know there are other options here, but I will miss having them in high density.
As far as breweries go, I absolutely LOVE Odell's, which just went regional a year or two ago. Their Cutthroat Porter is my favorite beer of all time, mostly because at the brewery and a few bars in town you can get it with nitro. While they can't bottle it that way, it's still a great smooth beer and not bitter at all. If you ever see it I would highly recommend it if you are into porters or stouts.
Glad this thread is up though, cause I'm moving to Northern California. And even though people say there are breweries here, I'm spoiled and can ride my bike to five of them a mile from home. It is comforting to know there are other options here, but I will miss having them in high density.
old chico's fantastic. and yes, it used to be branded as crystal wheat. i tend to skew dark in my beer selection, though, so i'm really fond of sierra nevada's porter and stout, as well as seasonals like tumbler. kellerweiss is excellent, as well. that hint of banana is incredibly pleasing in a hef, surprisingly. their limited harvest beers are exceptional, and their newest, Hoptimum, is killer, too, if you're really into hops. but their octoberfest is my favorite beer of all time, of any brewery, or any brew. its only on tap in chico a couple months out of the year. i'm gonna miss late september-to-early-november nights at duffy's...
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I want us too win and develop a "Winning attitude and mentality" for sure. But if we lose and still compete like against the Jazz, I wont be totally dissapointed.. I meen Anthony Davis would look super good beside Cuz.. We would have our twin towers... Barnes and Gilchrist would look super good on this team tooo...
For me its a win-win scenario. If we win im totally for it. If we lose ahwell, we have a shot at some potentially great players.
For me its a win-win scenario. If we win im totally for it. If we lose ahwell, we have a shot at some potentially great players.
The platypus is the poster child for non-sequitur. However, the beer discussion evolved quite naturally. But if you insist, anybody been here?
http://platypuspubbend.com/home/
http://platypuspubbend.com/home/
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I am Beer dumb. I can't tell what taste good, what taste bad, what is over priced, what is under priced .. I need an education.
I've stated this many times to friends ; If I was going to be any kind of snob, it would be a beer/whine snob. I secretly want to be 'that guy' , but I don't even know where to start.
Educate me. Give me something that will change my beer life.
I've stated this many times to friends ; If I was going to be any kind of snob, it would be a beer/whine snob. I secretly want to be 'that guy' , but I don't even know where to start.
Educate me. Give me something that will change my beer life.
If you have any taphouses near you, go in and tell them what you just said and have them line up some stuff for you. Also go pick up some Aloha Coconut Porter, its called Koko Brown and is excellent.
Edit: if you don't really want to spend a lot, Bevmo does $1 beer and wine tastings on Fridays and Saturdays. You can sample a lot of things and see what you like and have someone explain to you what you are drinking and why it tastes a certain way.
Edit: if you don't really want to spend a lot, Bevmo does $1 beer and wine tastings on Fridays and Saturdays. You can sample a lot of things and see what you like and have someone explain to you what you are drinking and why it tastes a certain way.
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Try beeradvocate.com They have a good education section. Then, go to a store and try something new. Don't be afraid to try new stuff. Especially if it's from Colorado. Try to buy some craft brews, instead of the major labels, and you'll end up sampling a wide variety of things, and that'll lead you to narrowing down what it is that you like about specific types of beers.
The other advice is good too.
Try to buy some craft brews, instead of the major labels, and you'll end up sampling a wide variety of things, and that'll lead you to narrowing down what it is that you like about specific types of beers. The other advice is good too.
Well... for starters wine is a hugely more complex world than beer. And you rarely find a serious wine snob attempt to publicly display beer snobbery as well, other than to appear to have the most basic of opinions/preferences covered. If you're looking to be a snob of something... I'd start with beer.
But, I'll say this... I think from the outside it seems more intimidating than it is, precisely because the snobbery makes it seem so. It's really not. You can hear people talking about hopsy this, malty that, etc... but if I were you, I'd just start really simple and follow your taste buds. You could stick to like three beers for a long time and just claim out loud "These are the best beers... I don't drink anything else." That should make you sound sufficently snobby. That's kind of the approach I take. I get to like a beer and then defend it with a passion. Guinness for example. That would be a good one to start with. It's one of the most respected beers in the world. There is a special way to pour it, bartenders need to be trained. If I were you I'd start with that one, get to know it, and then compare all other dark beers to that one. Have you had good Guinness? (From a tap, poured by someone who knew what they were doing.) That right there should change your beer life. What I might do is line up one of the crappiest beers out there... maybe like a michelob ultra, or any "ice" beer... next to a Guinness... first taste the ultra... then the Guinness. Then you'll get what all the fuss is about. Problem is that anyplace that knows how to serve a Guinness probably wouldn't be caught dead with crap on tap.
But, in a similar way that thrift stores are now cool... some of the really cheap beers are now chic... Pabst Blue Ribbon for example. Really, a lot of it is about image... there's no logical reason why in Portland Oregon or other super hips spots that they usually reserve a tap for PBR, rather than Budwieser... It's just that Bud is associated with trailor trash, nascar, huntin and a fishin, aligators, airboats, and conservative politics while PBR is associated with blue collar, hockey, working class trades people, loggers... things that can be justifiably cool. Taste wise/quality wise there isn't much difference.
My concern for you if you go to a good brew pub and have the server line up some samples for you and give you an education, is that you might get lost in that person's complex opinions and terminology, blah blah blah.... They might just be overly complicating things just to make themselves sound smart. Don't buy into that.
Be beer proud. If you like something, own that. There's no real objective judgement criteria... well... to a degree of course!
But for three you might start with, just to get some basic geography, I'd go:
1. Guinness
2. Pilsner Urquell (most "American Beers" like bud, michelob, etc. are technically pilsners. But when it comes to a REAL pilsner... this is what it really is. you could line up budwieser next to this one and taste the difference. that would be interesting!)
3. A good real strong tasting amber ale... you could try Full Sail Amber Ale... You might not like it... but you'll forever remember what an "ale" tastes like. Can't readily think of a popular but cheap ale to compare it to...
But, I'll say this... I think from the outside it seems more intimidating than it is, precisely because the snobbery makes it seem so. It's really not. You can hear people talking about hopsy this, malty that, etc... but if I were you, I'd just start really simple and follow your taste buds. You could stick to like three beers for a long time and just claim out loud "These are the best beers... I don't drink anything else." That should make you sound sufficently snobby. That's kind of the approach I take. I get to like a beer and then defend it with a passion. Guinness for example. That would be a good one to start with. It's one of the most respected beers in the world. There is a special way to pour it, bartenders need to be trained. If I were you I'd start with that one, get to know it, and then compare all other dark beers to that one. Have you had good Guinness? (From a tap, poured by someone who knew what they were doing.) That right there should change your beer life. What I might do is line up one of the crappiest beers out there... maybe like a michelob ultra, or any "ice" beer... next to a Guinness... first taste the ultra... then the Guinness. Then you'll get what all the fuss is about. Problem is that anyplace that knows how to serve a Guinness probably wouldn't be caught dead with crap on tap.
But, in a similar way that thrift stores are now cool... some of the really cheap beers are now chic... Pabst Blue Ribbon for example. Really, a lot of it is about image... there's no logical reason why in Portland Oregon or other super hips spots that they usually reserve a tap for PBR, rather than Budwieser... It's just that Bud is associated with trailor trash, nascar, huntin and a fishin, aligators, airboats, and conservative politics while PBR is associated with blue collar, hockey, working class trades people, loggers... things that can be justifiably cool. Taste wise/quality wise there isn't much difference.
My concern for you if you go to a good brew pub and have the server line up some samples for you and give you an education, is that you might get lost in that person's complex opinions and terminology, blah blah blah.... They might just be overly complicating things just to make themselves sound smart. Don't buy into that.
Be beer proud. If you like something, own that. There's no real objective judgement criteria... well... to a degree of course!
But for three you might start with, just to get some basic geography, I'd go:
1. Guinness
2. Pilsner Urquell (most "American Beers" like bud, michelob, etc. are technically pilsners. But when it comes to a REAL pilsner... this is what it really is. you could line up budwieser next to this one and taste the difference. that would be interesting!)
3. A good real strong tasting amber ale... you could try Full Sail Amber Ale... You might not like it... but you'll forever remember what an "ale" tastes like. Can't readily think of a popular but cheap ale to compare it to...
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