This (not) Bud's for you old_gregg: the official craft beer thread.

[Pheidippides]

This is actually my favorite restaurant at Epcot. I go there for the food...

Epcot generally is where alcoholics go to die. I am known for my cocktail prowess in my little secret combination here (I am not the best beer guy - at least one other is better) and I loved some of the stuff I got at Disney. There was this thing with cured dark maraschino cherry garnish and two kinds of bourbon and liquid smoke (!) that is probably the most complicated set of flavors I have ever enjoyed.

The boozy slushes in France and the alcoholic shaved ice in Japan are also super tasty.

Yes we used an Uber that night.

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[Flystripper]

Not all of those are available in my area. I do love fresh squeezed - how do you feel about their pine drops?

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Pine drops is very good. I have only had it on tap and have only seen it a few times, so I have not had it nearly as often as fresh squeezed. I can get fresh squeezed at pretty much any grocery store out here, so its one of my go-to beers if I can't hit up the actual brewery or a specialty distributor for one of the beers I mentioned above.

[SoCalCoug]

I'm a beer novice. I've only tried Samuel Adams Summer Ale - it was a little bitter. Not great, but not as bad as I feared. What should a new beer drinker try to ease into it?

[Flystripper]

I need to just take a pilgrimage to SoCal to try Nobel and El Segundo. I think you have mentioned those to me before. Distribution into Utah sucks. There is good local stuff, but not distribution into the state. Never seen Stone Enjoy By anywhere that I've gone. However, RedBird made a comment about having one earlier and he is in the Northeast, so clearly there is some distribution.

Any SoCal sours that you would recommend?

I have not been as much into sours but these guys make some good stuff. http://www.brueryterreux.com/ If you become a member of their society you get access to all of their funky releases that don't get any sort of distribution. I have a couple of friends that do this and they like it. I have tried several of their sours and I think they are pretty good.

[Flystripper]

I'm a beer novice. I've only tried Samuel Adams Summer Ale - it was a little bitter. Not great, but not as bad as I feared. What should a new beer drinker try to ease into it?

The first beer for which I truly loved the flavor was a Belgium Tripel. It was the Maredsous Tripel. An easier one to get that is similar, is also good, but enjoys decent distribution is Unibroue's La Fin du Monde. It has high alcohol content so you can't drink it all day, but a Belgian-style Tripel is very flavorful, not overpowering with the bitterness of hops and is quite delicious.

As you get more accustomed to good beer (Budweiser is barely beer) it is safe to start branching out into more distinctive styles like IPAs, Sours, Stouts and the like. I would say if you think you want to like beer, but didn't like your first taste, get a belgium-style tripel and you won't be disappointed.

[BigPiney]

I'm a beer novice. I've only tried Samuel Adams Summer Ale - it was a little bitter. Not great, but not as bad as I feared. What should a new beer drinker try to ease into it?

[Flystripper]

it was a valid question

[Pheidippides]

Pine drops is very good. I have only had it on tap and have only seen it a few times, so I have not had it nearly as often as fresh squeezed. I can get fresh squeezed at pretty much any grocery store out here, so its one of my go-to beers if I can't hit up the actual brewery or a specialty distributor for one of the beers I mentioned above.

My local grocery store is surprisingly well stocked. I can usually get Pine Drops and Fresh Squeezed in a six pack. If I venture out to the local liquor store I can get an even better selection, including more than a few offerings from Utah (Polygamy Porter seems to be pretty well known because of the name, but I tend to think it's only a so-so porter at best; then again, I'm not much for stouts and porters either).

I'm a beer novice. I've only tried Samuel Adams Summer Ale - it was a little bitter. Not great, but not as bad as I feared. What should a new beer drinker try to ease into it?

Shandys and lambics. Despite my shit-talking of Leinenkugel, they are a great place to start. A lot of people also say things like Corona (light Mexican lagers, in other words) but if you're going to go that route Pacifico is better. And wheat beers (look for the words "wheat" or "hefeweisen" even though there are few true hefes in the US) might work too - they tend to be sweeter. But some people don't like wheat at all.

Avoid things that say "pale ale," "IPA," "Imperial," or that have pictures of pine trees or things that look sorta like green pinecones. You are not ready, child. Your palate must purge itself of all of the sweet cookie bars and diet coke. One day. An easy easy to cheat is to look on the label, usually near the corner, for something called IBUs. If it's over 20 or so, turn around, but only for now. Blue moon is a common starter (I can't believe I am recommending it, but I am).

You want my honest opinion? Go to a local brewery of some repute. Ask a friend. Ask one of us. Whatever. Make sure they have a bar/restaurant type area. Or find a good tavern type place. Either or. The key thing you are looking for is somewhere that offers flights. A flight is a bunch of different beers served in much smaller proportions. Tell the nice waitstaff that you are new to this whole beer thing and know nothing about it, but would like to learn, and would they be able to recommend a few good ones for a flight for a new drinker? They will be cheerful and happy to assist. Ask them lots of questions. Leave a suitable tip. That's what I'd do if I had it to do all over again.

But my way wasn't bad either. Most grocery stores in states that do not rhyme with "Blutah" will have a place that will allow you to make your own six pack. Do that. If you don't like a beer, dump it down the drain. No need to drink crap. That what my friend told me to do, and it worked out okay.

Oh, and one more thing: if you have seen it advertised on TV with horses or nostalgia or the word "lite" (in whatever variation thereof), if it has a coldness indicator on the can, if it has a very interesting man pitching it...run the other way. Macrobrews are for people who want to get drunk on a budget without using their tastebuds. May that never be us.

[Northwestcoug]

Please keep drinking anything from Deschutes. Anything to help the local economy!

[MartyFunkhouser]

Please keep drinking anything from Deschutes. Anything to help the local economy!

I like Deschutes. They make good beer. I rarely drink it. Sorry. I'm supporting my local economy.

So here is my ranking of local breweries (at least the ones that I feel like I've tried enough of the beer)

Red Rock - the gold standard of Utah beer. I've liked everything I've had here. They brew classics right and they have interesting special release beers. Both their high weight and sessions beers are good. Price point is great as well.

Proper Brewing - Newcomer has great beers. Love grabbing a beer at the Proper Pub. Lake Effect Gose is one of my favorites these days

2Row Brewing - It is hard to get the stuff without any distribution out of the brewery. However, the Random IPA is one of the best beers made in this state. There are a lot of new stuff that I need to get over to try.

Epic Brewing - Price point is an issue with them. They make good beers, but they always seem a little high in price. I love the sour IPAs they make, but I don't get why I'm paying $7.99 for a kettle soured bomber of IPA.


Bohomian - I love how clean the beers from BoHo taste. They brew beer the way it is supposed to be brewed. It isn't like there is any real creativity, just beer done right.

Squatters. They make a few good IPAs and the Fifth Element is fantastic. I still have one sitting in my fridge for a special occasion.

Uinta. Same as Squatters they make a couple of solid IPAs.

Wasatch. I've never had anything from Wasatch that stands out to me. It is all pretty boring.

I haven't really had enough of Shades of Pale, Desert Edge, Bonneville, Hoppers, or Moab to rank them.

[SCcoug]

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[MartyFunkhouser]

It has been a good year for beer in Utah. New breweries, new beers, and a growing list of special release beers. I stood in line for 2-hours to get some Paardebloem, picked up some 5th Element, and rushed to make sure to get a couple bottles of Forbidden Peach. The beer community in Utah is awesome and growing. Distribution into the state still sucks, but really it doesn't matter when so much quality is being produced here.

I've tried a lot this year. Here is my list of local favorites:

High Weight Beers
1) Red Rock - Elephino DIPA
2) 2Row Brewing - Randon DIPA
3) Red Rock - 25th Anniversary Imperial Red Ale
4) Epic - Tart & Juicy Sour IPA
5) Uinta - Hop Nosh IPA

Session Beers
1) Proper Brewing - Lake Effect Gose
2) Uinta - Cutthroat Pale Ale
3) Uinta - Red, Set, Gose
4) Proper Brewing - Proper Beer
5) BoHo - Cherny Bock

Special Release Beers
1) Red Rock - Paardebleom
2) Squatters - Fifth Element
3) Red Rock - Fuurlong
4) Red Rock - Forbidden Peach

[Commando]

That's a lot of beer. I assume you are matching that carb consumption with an equal amount of cardio.

[MartyFunkhouser]

That's a lot of beer. I assume you are matching that carb consumption with an equal amount of cardio.

I am not. I've just replaced that horrible chemical soda stuff with the clean and pure hops, grain, water, and yeast that is beer.

When I question if there is actually a God/Goddess and if he/she loves us, I need only remember that hops exist and I feel the love of the God/Goddess.

[Flystripper]

It has been a good year for beer in Utah. New breweries, new beers, and a growing list of special release beers. I stood in line for 2-hours to get some Paardebloem, picked up some 5th Element, and rushed to make sure to get a couple bottles of Forbidden Peach. The beer community in Utah is awesome and growing. Distribution into the state still sucks, but really it doesn't matter when so much quality is being produced here.

I've tried a lot this year. Here is my list of local favorites:

High Weight Beers
1) Red Rock - Elephino DIPA
2) 2Row Brewing - Randon DIPA
3) Red Rock - 25th Anniversary Imperial Red Ale
4) Epic - Tart & Juicy Sour IPA
5) Uinta - Hop Nosh IPA

Session Beers
1) Proper Brewing - Lake Effect Gose
2) Uinta - Cutthroat Pale Ale
3) Uinta - Red, Set, Gose
4) Proper Brewing - Proper Beer
5) BoHo - Cherny Bock

Special Release Beers
1) Red Rock - Paardebleom
2) Squatters - Fifth Element
3) Red Rock - Fuurlong
4) Red Rock - Forbidden Peach

nice. I have seen a few of these show up in CA.