The Beer Nerd - what are you drinking / brewing thread

Not that I've seen yet. The beer section at the market is minuscule at best. Lots of imports like Beck's and Stella Artois

 

There is actually a small but fast growing craft brewing scene in Italy.

I visted Birrificio Italiano near Milan and they have an excellent line-up and have been brewing since 1996 iirc. Yes they even brew double IPAs and sours. There are now over 400 craft breweries in Italy, start looking a little harder.

 

If you don't mind a bit of flavor it's quite good, but since your taste buds are conditioned to miller lite and peroni it might shock you.

 

Nice big IPA an a slice of pie...

 

Had a big bottle of Green Flash Imperial IPA today. Love that stuff, and it's 9+% ABV. Bookended it with some Angry Orchard, which is my new favorite hard cider.

 

Lagunitas IPA and Green Flash Imperial IPA are so good!

I had a Coronado Islander IPA the other night. Thought it was ok -- a bit too hoppy for me.

 

Did you guys acquire a taste for IPAs or was it just there? No matter what I can't get over that bitterness but I enjoy imperial stouts and the like. Different kind of bitterness? I'm no beer nerd so I might have the profiles all wrong I was just wondering, IPAs always have good flavor then...bitter.

 

I definitely acquired a taste for IPAs, but maybe that was the result of my first trip to a microbrew about a month ago. I used to think they tasted horribly bitter, but after learning more about them, and sampling IPAs from around the region, my palette changed.

Nowadays I savor the taste. There are some very well-balanced IPAs on the market!

 

I'd add that for me IPA's and Double IPA's should always be consumed as fresh as possible. Do NOT age them, they will generally lose a lot of the hop nose and change from a fresh bitterness to astringent after 6 months.

Don't buy that 2012 Maharaja that the liquor store has been storing warm for 14 months.

 

Beer thread, nice. IPA's are certainly an acquired taste. Keep in mind though that part of what defines and IPA is being overly HOPPY, not necessarily overly bitter. There are certain types of hops that are more bitter than others. Try Weyebacher Double Simcoe IPA if you can find it. Very hoppy but doesn't have that soapy bitterness in the aftertaste. Troeg's Nugget Nectar is another nice hoppy one, altough I don't think they call that an IPA, but it's hoppy and delicious nonetheless.

 

Thanks for the advice! I'm still new to the IPA game and didn't know this.

 

I think it helps to try a few IPAs. Such a wide range of flavors. I still buy a bunch and just try them. If you like it, buy more. If you don't-at least it was only one

The advice to buy from a place with good turnover and a consistent temperature is solid.

 

Bitterness is what attracted me to IPAs. I grew up drinking grapefruit juice & eating grapefruits with no sugar as a kid, so the citrus rind bitterness of a cascade hops is my preference. I want maximum hops & minimum malt; I don't like the caramel malty taste in beer at all. That's why I'll pick a hoppy IPA or often APA. Green Flash Imperial as I mentioned, Sierra Nevada Torpedo, or Schlafly's APA. I'm 90 minutes from Schlafly and used to hunt down the APA release every year before they made it a continuous offering 3 or 4 years ago now. Great stuff.

 

That's what I love about beer. So much to drink

 

Love love LOVE hoppy beers. Being from Seattle and living in Alaska for 3 years, plus Europe for almost 6 years, I love craft beers.

Currently I only have Bridgeport Kingpin in my fridge; it's a triple-hopped, double-amber ale. And only one left at that. Think I need to restock! Little craft beer store just opened up by the in-laws and they're now stocking Brewdog Punk IPA and Hardcore IPA. Cannot wait to get me some of those again!

 

drakes brewery

 

Good to know. Hopefully I'll be PCSing to the west coast next so I'll have ample time to sample other IPAs than the few I've tried. The Maui Brewing Company Big Swell IPA actually wasn't too terrible when I did their tour a few weeks ago but it definitely wasn't as pleasing to me as some of their other offerings. Wheat beers (especially unfiltered) always draw me in too...

 

Filled up my growler last night with Noble Ale Works' Big Whig IPA. Good stuff from a good place.

Wasn't planning on it, but my buddy and I finished it off within about 1 1/2 hours. Then I woke up this morning with serious beer s***. Ha!

 

Had this one tonight. It was tasty.