Beer aficionados

[vifferman]

Beer glasses need to be squeaky clean; oils and detergent kills the head. If you must wash them in detergent, be sure to rinse with lots of hot water.

Already did that. The detergent also imparts a nasty bitter flavour to wines'n'beers.

Tasty beer should be served in slightly balloon-shaped glasses to concentrate the aromas, just like a wine glass.

The glass that came with the gift pack (now "the 2 glasses", as I bought another pack so my son could sample the nales with me), are weird, like flattened brandy balloons. Most 'proper' beer glasses I've seen/used are like a slightly oversized wineglass with a fatter, shorter stem. These look like someone sat on them as they were still cooling, or a miniature, gold-rimmed glass birdbath. Not very good for either 'nose' or for preserving the bubbles. Not much good for tossing back either - most of the beer would end up in your ears.

[MisterD]

Tasty beer should be served in slightly balloon-shaped glasses to concentrate the aromas, just like a wine glass.

Rubbish - it should be served in a dimpled pot, with the handle positioned as a knuckle-duster.

[Mekk]

Tasty beer should be served in slightly balloon-shaped glasses to concentrate the aromas, just like a wine glass.

Yeah, I've had a couple of stouts in snifters, they're magnificent!

[vifferman]

Rubbish - it should be served in a dimpled pot, with the handle positioned as a knuckle-duster.

Huh.
I've actually used a 'pot' as a weapon, although I held the handle and used the other bit as the knuckleduster. Made for a very quick end to the fight. Luckily, the beer was shit, so the spillage didn't matter.

[MisterD]

Huh.
I've actually used a 'pot' as a weapon, although I held the handle and used the other bit as the knuckleduster. Made for a very quick end to the fight. Luckily, the beer was shit, so the spillage didn't matter.

I thought bar-fight etiquette was that pots were thown, but only after the table had been tipped over?

[warewolf]

These look like someone sat on them as they were still cooling, or a miniature, gold-rimmed glass birdbath. Not very good for either 'nose' or for preserving the bubbles. Not much good for tossing back either - most of the beer would end up in your ears.

Sounds like champagne coupes. Note the closing comments in that article!

[SPman]

But the alarming thing is they need to be served at around 10-14 degrees.

Fahrenheit??????

Tasty beer should be served in slightly balloon-shaped glasses to concentrate the aromas, just like a wine glass.

Whats wrong with straight from the bottle.....

Gawd - people aren't going all wine poseur on us, are they.......the stuffs for drinking, not sniffing.
Funny thing is, all those I've thought smelt a bit dodgy at bottling, have turned out great, whilst, those that smelt great at bottle time, have left something to be desired, in the tasting stakes.......

I've got a Muntons Yorkshire Bitter to make up - should be interesting.
Current favourite in this 45deg heat is Mexican style Cerveza with just a touch of lime in it, while I try and get me Pale Ale attempts closer to Little Creatures Pale Ale.

[tri boy]

Which doesn't help those who think the mass produced beer in this country tastes like the plaque scrapped from grandmas false teeth.

I have warned the Blue Rinse set about you!,

Dog Bolter. WA
King Fisher. Continent
Carlton Cold. Aus (great on a summers day).

Stout is for old ladies and cross dressers.

[vifferman]

Hokay.
I've decided those von Trapp Family brewerss are very clever evil little monks. Crazy Pete (666) and I sampled a "Dubbel" each tonight.
My word!

Firstly, I now see the light (reddish amber coloured light it is too): the beer doesn't work in a wineglass-shaped glass. In its warmed state, it froths like phark, even decanted gently. But it is happy in the flattyweirdyballoonythinguies.

Secondly, the aforementioned monkeys have cunningly labeled their beer at about a third of the alcohol (hic!) content it actually is. I sipped and savoured it very slowly, but was feeling mellow at the "25 cl" tidemark and decidedly pissed by the end of the glass.
7% my arse!

Thirdly, y'know how by the time you get near the dredges, the beer doesn't taste as good as the first sip? Well, that's not the case with the Trappist nales. They must have special drugs in them, because they test better the more you drink, yea, even unto the uttermost dregs!
I think your average swill doesn't benefit from getting warm and/or less bubbly, but that's irrelevent with these chaspses.
A Mazing!

Fourthly, the Crazy Pete (666) and I have decided that the ales after the next ones will have to be prepared for. We will need to get some serving wenches, for when our limbs stop working, and we will need to be in a reclining position, so we can't fall down. Ten percent? Well, that'll be THIRTY percent, if my beermaths is accurate. We'll be giggly after one sip, pissed by the twentyfivecentilliter mark, and comatose in the dregs.
Bring it on!

Oh - and did I mention how amazingly nice this REAL beer tastes?

[Mekk]

It has been difficult to keep my beer in a dark, cool place with the weather lately. It seems some days the only way is to wait until the sun dies, buy it then and leave it out for a bit before drinking.

I'm all about warming it up to release the flavours (with stouts, old ales etc) but this heat is making it far too warm in some cases. Will have to watch it.

In other news, walking down Queen Street is almost unbearable. I stopped in at Brooklyn to grab a Pilsner on my way back up to K'Rd. Since becoming "aware" of having different beers at different times, I can report that a light, refreshing cold one from the tap is absolute heaven in this sticky heat.

Do try it if you're caught out in town, it's most rewarding.

[madandy]

This thread has made me very thirsty!
I do beleive I shall head out after lunch and find me one of the aforementioned ales, sit down and give it a try

[warewolf]

Oh - and did I mention how amazingly nice this REAL beer tastes?

Good stuff!!!

[warewolf]

I'm all about warming it up to release the flavours (with stouts, old ales etc) but this heat is making it far too warm in some cases. Will have to watch it.

In other news, walking down Queen Street is almost unbearable. I stopped in at Brooklyn to grab a Pilsner on my way back up to K'Rd. Since becoming "aware" of having different beers at different times, I can report that a light, refreshing cold one from the tap is absolute heaven in this sticky heat.

Ales are made with more flavour, designed to be enjoyed while sitting in front of the fire.

Lagers are designed to be refreshing. More bubbles, less flavour, colder temperate served, etc. Great on a hot day.

Yes, beer (like food) is seasonal. You will have noticed the likes of Monteiths and Macs releasing summer & winter seasonal ales.

[Hitcher]

The difference between "ales" and "lagers" is largely due to the yeasts. Ales are bottom fermented, lagers are top fermented.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewing

[vifferman]

Good stuff!!!

Yee...s.s..ss.... mebbe.
Even though I was moderately sedated, I suddenly (well... eventually) had an epiphany. So I said to CrazyPete(666), "Ah...crap! D'ya see the big problem with these nales we've been enjoying, Pete? Huh? Do ya?"
Pete cocked his head to one side, thought hardly, his eyes lit up, and he replied, "Nuh."
"Cmon - think pete, think!"
*gears whir, eyes roll, nothing pops out*
Well, they're real nice, right?"
"Yup. Especially this one. I like this one! It's my favouritist!" (This is our second ale sampled )
"Uh huh. And what happens when we finish 'testing' them?"
"We get some more?"
"And...?"
"Uh... dunno. I don't see where this is going..."
"We get some more. From...??"
"Oh."
"I spoze we could just buy up all the sampler packs, but that would be a bit silly, even given that they're more economonomonical than your normal beer, on account of the mind-numbingly effectiveness of the EvilMonks' secret recipe."
"We're doomed! Dooooomed, I tellsya! Whose crazy idea was this beer testing, anyway?!?"