Well now that's over with....

[Oz]

Well, my current favorites are Palm, Hoegaarden and Duvel, but in Utrecht there´s this pub called `Café België´ (Belgium) where they have like 50 sorts of Belgian beer and everytime I go there I try a different one, and they´re all good, but I still have at least 30 to go, so I´ll keep you posted...  :)

[marktwain]

I just have step in and say Rich O's is the greatest.  Try the "Conesmoker" that they brew there.  And the food is cheap, so you can spend yr money on beer. mmmm.

[otter]

I just bought a Maes, Duvel, and La Fin Du Monde to see what Belgian beer is all about. What are some of the others that are really good. I'm drinking the Maes right now and I haven't tried the others just yet. Cheers.

[thebigbang]

I just bought a Maes, Duvel, and La Fin Du Monde to see what Belgian beer is all about. What are some of the others that are really good. I'm drinking the Maes right now and I haven't tried the others just yet. Cheers.

All the Belgian Ales that I've been able to sample here in the States, about 15 total including the last two you named, have been interesting at the least and great most often. Some people are put off by lambic ales that comprise so many of that country's ales.  But if you get past the yeast complexities from this style, oo la la!

My favorites are from Brasserie D'Achouffe, especially the Chouffe Bok.  Complex to the max, but not weird like some of the white beers can get. Twenty-five ounce bottles at Party Mart in Louisville were $6.50 last I tried there, and $7.50 at Liquor Barn. Read more at:

http://www.beerme.com/breweries/be/1464.shtml

[thebigbang]

If anyone on the left side of the Atlantic really wants to venture out into the fantastical world of Belgian beers, a great place to start learning about this is Michael Jackson's web site. It's a Thriller:
http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-000214.html

And finally, if you want to see how beer judges judge beer, check out their site at:
http://www.mv.com/ipusers/slack/bjcp/index.html


Now tip one back and relax.

[thebigbang]

Oh my god!

Did I read beer and Heineken in the same sentence?? That's a shame! Y'all should try to visit a bar with belgian beers and taste some REAL beer!

I used to always tell folks that the Heineken brewers were trying to make Grolsh, which is what Heineken would taste like if they spent more on the ingredients, thinner on the malts and less sophistication with the hops.  While neither is a world beater, they'll slake a thirst without objection from me.

However, I just returned from a fishing trip where someone brought along a 12 pack of Grolsh that contained six regular Grolsh and six Grolsh Amber Ales. And yes indeed, the new stuff tasted just like Killians, mass produced and cheap ingredients.

In case our beer drinking buddies in Europe were not aware of the travesty, the three major mass brewers in our country water their beer down with rice and corn.  Since barley malt and quality hops cost a few pennies more, they take the cheap way out and produce alcohol delivery systems and not real beer.  Bolt your doors and pass laws to stop their invasion into your lands.

Speaking of mass produced beers, Guinness is hugely popular, but it never tastes cheap like Budweiser.

Anyone know why they can do that and Bud can't?

[plank10]

Because Budweiser is watered down frat boy beer.

Duvel is fantastic but like someone said earlier not really an everyday beer.

I really like Fullers ESB or if i want something cheaper Red Hook ESB.

[Lieven]

I don't know that much about how they make the beer over here (Belgium). I just know that Heineken is sooo popular all over the world but it tastes real bad. I can't (and won't) judge US beer cause I never drunk one.

Otter: Maes is a normal blond beer, like Safir, Jupiler,... the ones you drink a lot on a party or something ;)
Duvel is much stronger, tastes also much better, but is not that kind of beer you drink the whole evening on a party (except when you really want a miserable day after the party). If you like them, then also try a "trappist beer" like Orval or Westmalle (if you can buy them over there).

Whatever, as long as you enjoy it and have a good time, drink whatever you want. If I ever make it to the States, I'll surely get some info of you guys here about what I should try. 'kay?

[spacehound]

Well, now that we're talking beer I think I'll have to get involved. New Castle is a pretty solid beer, but I won't buy it that often because there is a plethora of better beer out there. And I'm not sure where this talk of Heinekin is coming from... I almost never trust any beer in a green bottle... Now, my top five beers...

1. Aventinus
2. Seirra Nevada Pale Ale
3. Celis White
4. Delerium Nocturnum
5. Samuel Smith's IPA

And my top five "It's cheap and I just feel like getting a buzz" beers are...

1. Lone Star (The National Beer of Texas)
2. Mickey's (Can't beat those stupid Mickeyisms on the cap)
3. Miller High Life (All other beers are just the sparkling wines of beers)
4. Pabst Blue Ribbon
5. Old English

And I'm praying that MMJ will make a stop in Belgium or the Netherlands as well, since I'll be over on that continent from July till September. Anyway... see ya'll at the Mercury on June 3rd for MMJ for those of you from or making the trip to Austin... Later...

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

ah yes, to be 16 again and guzzling some good ol Mickey's Big Mouth...the green hornet strikes again!

Other than Genny Cream Ale, my favorite cheap beer has got to be Rolling Rock.  Yes, it's in a green bottle, but one of my best friends from college was the masterbrewer's son, and he quickly educated the masses on the mystery of "33" and all things mysterious about RR.

He passed away at age 24, and I still can't drink a Rolling Rock without feeling a tear in my beer... :'(