Whatcha drinking?

[Scuzz]

Cans are becoming much more a thing again. Sounds weird but since I drink 99% of my beer poured into a glass I prefer the ease of buying cans. Several breweries are doing only cans now.

[Daehawk]

Prefer bottle taste to can taste.

[gilraen]

Almost every can I've opened for the past year has sprayed foam all over the place. I only open them over the sink now. I've been mostly buying beer at Costco, whatever new/different/on sale thing they had to try that week. The last thing I got there is a mixed case from Dry Dock Brewery (which is actually local, but I've never heard of it before). Really liked their Apricot Blonde.

[Rumpy]

Speaking of cans, I was looking at a picture from the 80's and was surprised to see so many cans in existence, as I thought beer cans were a much more recent development. I had thought that beer bottles, and stubbies in particular, we much more prominent back then. This was Canada in 1986.

[Daehawk]

Nope. As I recall it was rare to find my go to of Bud in long neck bottles. And then find someone to buy it for me as I was a teenager

[Kraken]

Speaking of cans, I was looking at a picture from the 80's and was surprised to see so many cans in existence, as I thought beer cans were a much more recent development. I had thought that beer bottles, and stubbies in particular, we much more prominent back then. This was Canada in 1986.

I collected beer cans when I was a teen in the 70s. They were heavy steel cans. I remember Old Frothingslosh and Billy Beer, among many others.

Nowadays I buy cans exclusively. They're a more convenient package and I always drink from a glass anyway, like a civilized person. The days when only swill came in cans are long gone.

[Jeff V]

Yeah, collecting beer cans was a thing. We had a basement closed lined with over 1000 of them (not as impressive as the time we lined two walls of the garage with Stroh's cans though). My middle brother collected them, and some back then were worth real money. You could still find cone-top and tin cans in long abandon party spots along the river back then.

Beer in cans have been a thing since I've been alive. My dad would drink some of the shittiest beer know to mankind out of cans...and this gave a general perception that canned beer = suck. But since green bottles also equal suck, that left one seeking out proper brown bottles. With the rise of the microbrew came lined, non-reactive cans that kept the content genuine and didn't suffer from getting light struck (skunked) like most bottles were subject to.

[Alefroth]

I collected beer cans when I was a teen in the 70s. They were heavy steel cans. I remember Old Frothingslosh and Billy Beer, among many others.

Me too, though I was more of a tween. I loved this book https://www.abebooks.com/9780345255426/ ... 255429/plp. One of my favorites was a Sapporo can because it was so different. I'm not sure what happened to my collection, but it didn't make the move from CA to OR.

[Kraken]

Anyone else here ever drink a Billy?

After Billy Beer ceased production in 1978, advertisements appeared in newspapers offering to sell Billy Beer cans for several hundred to several thousands of dollars each, attempting to profit from their perceived rarity. However, since the cans were actually produced in the millions, the real value of a can ranged from 50 cents to one dollar in 1981

I kept an unopened Billy for a few years in the mistaken belief that it would appreciate with age. It was a little worse than average for American beer in 1978.

[Formix]

Just got some Stone Brewing Xocoveza Tres Leches. It's good but not as good as what I consider to be the high-water mark of the batch from three years ago. That year they got the cinnamon burn amount just right.

[Alefroth]

How old was it when you drank it? And isn't that a Pabst he's drinking?

[Isgrimnur]

Mental Floss

Billy had a habit of attending promotional events for his beer and parroting the company line about how delicious he thought it was, only to later get sloshed and admit to reporters that he still drank Pabst Blue Ribbon at home.

[Daehawk]

Had an uncle that owned a beer / convenience store when I was a kid. He had cases of Billy Beer in his basement. Not sure what he ever did with it all.

[Kraken]

How old was it when you drank it? And isn't that a Pabst he's drinking?

I didn't drink the "collected" can. I drank the rest of the 6-pack fresh. It was on a par with the other cheap beers of the day, but without the benefit of being cheap due to the novelty name.

[Jeff V]

Anyone else here ever drink a Billy?

I don't think so. It would have ceased production around the time I turned 16 and discovered the deliciousness of beer (even if beer that a more mature me would consider utterly wretched). As a staunch Republican and connoisseur of only the cheapest beer, I don't think my dad ever brought any into the house for us to steal.

But it's possible I guess. I just don't recall it (damn senility).

[Jeff V]

I am equidistant between 2 Jewel stores. One (Oswego) had the Goose Island Xmas Ale but is nearly sold out (I should have bought more than one yesterday). The one in Yorkville either never got it, or sold out immediately. In any case, it appears to be an early extinction again this year.

[The Meal]

Almost every can I've opened for the past year has sprayed foam all over the place. I only open them over the sink now. I've been mostly buying beer at Costco, whatever new/different/on sale thing they had to try that week. The last thing I got there is a mixed case from Dry Dock Brewery (which is actually local, but I've never heard of it before). Really liked their Apricot Blonde.

I assume that's a function of living at high altitude. My canned beers have been kersploding open for the past few decades.

[Daehawk]

I remember years ago when Guinness put some kinda ball thing in the cans for some reason.

[Isgrimnur]

https://www.businessinsider.com/plastic ... gen-2015-9

A widget is a hollow, spherical piece of plastic with a tiny hole in it — it looks like a little ping pong ball.

During the canning process, brewers add pressurized nitrogen to the brew, which trickles into the hole along with a little bit of beer. The entire can is then pressurized.

When you open the can, the pressure inside the can drops to equalize with the pressure in the room. Since the pressure inside the widget is still much higher than the pressure in the beer around it, the nitrogenated beer from inside the widget squirts into the beer — providing a burst of tiny bubbles of nitrogen gas that rise to the top of beer, giving it a thick, creamy head you'd get straight from the tap.

[Scuzz]

So Sierra Nevada Celebration had finally shown up. $16.99 for a 12 pack.

[pr0ner]

The Veil in Richmond and Norfolk, VA did their annual Dark Daze release on Black Friday. This is what I picked up:

Bourbon S'mores Whangdoodle

Imperial Chocolate Milk Stout aged in bourbon barrels for 14 months conditioned on graham cracker, @viderichocolate cacao nibs, and marshmallow. Dense impressions of fresh S’mores, chocolate milk powder, and cookie cereal.

Looking forward to giving this one a go sometime soon. 11.5% ABV.

[Jeff V]

So Sierra Nevada Celebration had finally shown up. $16.99 for a 12 pack.

My supermarket had 1 12-pk, all busted up, in the cooler for $15.99. But the Goose Island Xmas IPA - 7.5% is going for $12.99/15 this week (was a buck less last week) and is a better value and a very good beer. I've only had 1 12-pk of Celebration so far this year, but I'm likely to have some on hand for the Xmas party I'm hosting on 12/24.

[AWS260]

I don't love NE IPAs, but no caps by 18th Ward and Bier Wax is excellent. Not too fruit-forward, just the right maltiness.

[Alefroth]

Boulevardiers.

[Daehawk]

Saw a reviewer try this and really like it.

[Unagi]

lols

[Blackhawk]

Want an exercise in futility? Try finding non-IPA, non-traditional beer or ale in Indiana. 70% of every store is Coors/Bud/etc. Another 25% is IPAs (which I despise - hops are the ketchup of brewing), and the remaining 5% is the weird, experimental stuff.

And shipping to I Indiana? Pfft. Most don't even bother.

[Blackhawk]

I surrender. I spent two hours trying to find a gruit that I can get shipped. Nada.

[Alefroth]

I surrender. I spent two hours trying to find a gruit that I can get shipped. Nada.

I mean, you don't have to be in Indiana to have trouble finding a gruit. Ever thought of brewing your own? I made a heather ale once, and it's one of my most memorable. I had some sweet myrtle around for a while, but never got around to brewing with it.

[Daehawk]

Never heard of gruit so was looking it up. Found only one place that even had one...and it was out of stock. And no idea if it shipped to Indiana. Seems you had some weird alcohol shipping law until recently.

Anyways this was the one I found.

[Blackhawk]

I surrender. I spent two hours trying to find a gruit that I can get shipped. Nada.

I mean, you don't have to be in Indiana to have trouble finding a gruit. Ever thought of brewing your own? I made a heather ale once, and it's one of my most memorable. I had some sweet myrtle around for a while, but never got around to brewing with it.

I have thought of it, but between the buy-in and the storage space, it just wouldn't work for me. From what I understand, brewing traditional ales (as in hopless barley/oat based) takes a larger cash investment than brewing the usual stuff, as you can't just get the generic kits. But yeah, I'd love to be able to. I've considered brewing mead as well.

Never heard of gruit so was looking it up. Found only one place that even had one...and it was out of stock. And no idea if it shipped to Indiana. Seems you had some weird alcohol shipping law until recently.

We have some really backwards laws. It's only been for the last couple of years that you could buy alcohol on Sunday.

[telcta]

Any classic Old Fashion drinkers? I started to order them when I’m out trying different kinds and I’m making some at home. They really differ and I’m not sure exactly what would constitute a perfect Old Fashion at this point.

Right now I’m at a bar and this one is a little too sweet. He used simple syrup and suggested Woodford Reserve but I think the sweetness overpowers this drink.

One place that was really good used Four Roses small batch which I grabbed and I’m experimenting at home with basic sugar cubes, muddling that with a cherry and a little bit of water and bitters. I’m trying to find a good blend of the ingredients and also not going overboard with a high end bourbon.

So I’m not exactly sure what I’m expecting and I’m too green to tell a bartender, “oh, that’s good” because I don’t think I know what I want just yet… other than easy on the sugar… this one isn’t too good.

I also have been running into a lot of places that make their own bitters or switching up the ingredients deviating from what should be classic.

[Kraken]

I have no experience with cocktails. At least, not adult cocktails like Old Fashion, Manhattan, Martini, etc. When I was a kid I did go in for sweets like Black Russians, Tequila Sunrise, Rum & Coke, etc. I'll sometimes get a margarita at a Mexican restaurant, but that's about the extent of it. It's not that I don't like them, just that I don't know anything about them.

[Daehawk]

Gate 11 ...a tiny distillery and bar in Chattanooga...took home double gold in both vodka and gin this year. May need to try the vodka.

[Alefroth]

Any classic Old Fashion drinkers? I started to order them when I’m out trying different kinds and I’m making some at home. They really differ and I’m not sure exactly what would constitute a perfect Old Fashion at this point.

Right now I’m at a bar and this one is a little too sweet. He used simple syrup and suggested Woodford Reserve but I think the sweetness overpowers this drink.

One place that was really good used Four Roses small batch which I grabbed and I’m experimenting at home with basic sugar cubes, muddling that with a cherry and a little bit of water and bitters. I’m trying to find a good blend of the ingredients and also not going overboard with a high end bourbon.

So I’m not exactly sure what I’m expecting and I’m too green to tell a bartender, “oh, that’s good” because I don’t think I know what I want just yet… other than easy on the sugar… this one isn’t too good.

I also have been running into a lot of places that make their own bitters or switching up the ingredients deviating from what should be classic.

I can't address your question other than to say I use simple syrup just for convenience, and it's easier to tailor the sweetness. Four Roses Small Batch is great bang for the buck, along with Elijah Craig Small Batch, two of my regular rotation.

[telcta]

Elijah Craig Is another one that’s been on my list to try. When I go and look for whiskeys there are so many variations of one brand.

I can see simple syrup being easier to regulate the sweetness, I may look into that. Right now just dropping one sugar cube seems good so far.

Oh, and while out looking for maraschino cherries I found these Luxardo cherries, $25 for a small jar. I have no idea what would make them so special… cherries?

[disarm]

Elijah Craig Is another one that’s been on my list to try. When I go and look for whiskeys there are so many variations of one brand.

I can see simple syrup being easier to regulate the sweetness, I may look into that. Right now just dropping one sugar cube seems good so far.

Oh, and while out looking for maraschino cherries I found these Luxardo cherries, $25 for a small jar. I have no idea what would make them so special… cherries?

Luxardo cherries are the absolute best for a bourbon cocktail and worth every penny (and can be found a little cheaper on Amazon). They are so far beyond a standard maraschino that it's pretty much a completely different thing. Once you try them, there's really no going back.

[Daehawk]

Anyone ever try Neige Apple Ice Wine from Canada? I hear its amazing. Also 13% APV

[YellowKing]

Any classic Old Fashion drinkers? I started to order them when I’m out trying different kinds and I’m making some at home. They really differ and I’m not sure exactly what would constitute a perfect Old Fashion at this point.

I love old fashioneds but I haven't yet figured out how to make ones I'm truly satisfied with at home. I think I got spoiled downing some really high-end ones when we visited NYC, so nothing I can make at home with my cheap booze ever measures up.

I did get a nice little set of bitters for Christmas that I've been experimenting with, so that's been fun. I'm also a fan of the Four Roses small batch for doing the job without breaking the bank.

The guy who bought the house next to us is a total bourbon snob, so I'm hoping to get an education from him. He's only down a week or two at the time right now as he finishes closing up his business up north, but he's moving down permanently in June. He's had us over for bourbon tastings a couple of times and I've always come away with some great recommendations. I'm a total bourbon n00b so every time I go over I'm like the Karate Kid willing to learn from Mr. Miyagi.

[telcta]

Elijah Craig Is another one that’s been on my list to try. When I go and look for whiskeys there are so many variations of one brand.

I can see simple syrup being easier to regulate the sweetness, I may look into that. Right now just dropping one sugar cube seems good so far.

Oh, and while out looking for maraschino cherries I found these Luxardo cherries, $25 for a small jar. I have no idea what would make them so special… cherries?

Luxardo cherries are the absolute best for a bourbon cocktail and worth every penny (and can be found a little cheaper on Amazon). They are so far beyond a standard maraschino that it's pretty much a completely different thing. Once you try them, there's really no going back.

I finally had an Old Fashion with a Luxardo cherry in it... you are right, it will be hard going back to regular bright red maraschino cherries. I'll add a jar to my Amazon wishlist for Christmas.