Let's talk about BEER

Hello ATS - It's about 9 in the morning on a Friday here in the Central part of the USA and I can't stop thinking about drinking some beer.

I'll be at work for another 7 hours so I thought I would pass the time by talking with my good friends at ATS about some beers that I love, and hopefully get some suggestions for some new beers to try.

Right off the bat I have a confession to make...I, am an IPA man. I love them all and if you hand me any IPA there's a good chance I'm going to thank you and ask for another. But not all beer is equal. Here are a few of the beers I find myself coming back to again and again.

DRAKE'S DENOGGINIZER drinkdrakes.com...

In January of 2004, Drake’s brewers sought to create a beer to turn some heads. They crafted a massive Imperial IPA with a full body, smooth malt backbone, and an utterly irresponsible amount of pungent, dank, American hops. After three weeks in the tanks and one minor incident involving a pressure relief valve jettisoning across the cellar and nearly decapitating a brewer, a beer, and its name, were born. Citizens be warned, even without a tank valve careening at high speeds, Denogginizer has been know to blow a few minds.

I first had this beer in San Fransisco at a festival called Outsidelands, a beer, music, and wine festival. I waited about 30 minutes in a long line in the hot sun while Hall and Oates performed on the main stage. This IPA is heavy. If you don't like the idea of the taste of your beer sitting in your mouth well after the beer is gone then pass this one over, but if your a fan of very hoppy IPA's and are lucky enough to have this in your area then give it a try.

GRAPEFRUIT SCULPIN www.ballastpoint.com...

Our award-winning IPA, with a citrus twist. Our Grapefruit Sculpin is the latest take on our signature IPA. Some may say there are few ways to improve Sculpin’s unique flavor, but the tart freshness of grapefruit perfectly complements our IPA’s citrusy hop character. Grapefruit’s a winter fruit, but this easy-drinking ale tastes like summer.

I can actually get this locally and I believe Ballast Point is now sold nationwide. The Grapefruit Sculpin is the opposite of the Denogginizer above. It still has a very hoppy taste that all IPA's have, but the Sculpin also have an aftertaste of grapefruit and sweetness that makes it so easy to drink and very enjoyable during the summer. I find myself downing these much faster than other IPA's and not even realizing how many I've drank before it's too late. They've also got pineapple and watermelon flavored options that deserve an honorable mention here.

LAGUNITAS DAYTIME ALE lagunitas.com...

Our "Fractional IPA", Boldly Dosed with a Gloriou$ Fortune of Dry Hops and a Toasty Malt Foundation to satisfy your every need. But it still lets you stay in the game to do what needs to be done.

This beer is the closest to a Bud Light or Miller version of IPA's that I will drink. I grew up with parents who drank Miller light, Miller light, and more Miller light. As a child I would sneak sips and wonder why my parent's hated themselves so much that they felt the need to punish themselves through their beverage choices. I know now that everyone likes different beers and some people want a light beer they can drink very easily. That is the main reason for my love of the Lagunitas Daytime Ale. It still has the IPA taste I love, but it isn't as heavy. I've even enjoyed this one on a hot summer day on the beach without feeling weighed down by all the hopps. Fun note - If anyone can ever get to a Lagunitas Brewery in Chicago or near San Fransisco they have the best tour I've ever been on. They give you the beer samples BEFORE they take you around the place - they don't even make you go on the tour if you don;t want to. They know everyone is just there for the FREE BEER!!!! If you do be sure to ask them to tell you the story behind the "Undercover Investigation Shut Down Ale" It's a great tale.



Well that's just a few of my favorites but there are so many more.

What are some of your favorite beers? I am hoping I can have a list of new beers to pick up on my way home for the weekend. I have two days off and it doesn't take a post from someone in the prediction forum to see that I am going to do some drinking.

a reply to: Bennyzilla

Great thread, ok I was in the Phillipines for a month. Sitting on the ocean 120 miles north of Manila. A person walked up with a ice sack full of Red Horse Beer. I bought one and another kept going. Best beer ever. 6.9 %.

Best of all I could drink on the ocean.

a reply to: Quantum12

I've never seen that before but it's going on the list. Love the bottle design and how it says EXTRA STRONG haha

I have a feeling from looking at the website this isn't going to be found anywhere in the Midwest.

Hey,My first post!Anyway,my favorite beer is a local brown ale from Cold
fusion brewing company in Knoxville Tenn.It`s as good as Lion brands from New Zealand,never thought I would find any that good.My preference runs to Brown ales and lagers,really don`t care for a really hoppy style,but glad they are there for those who enjoy them.Yee Haw brewing makes a very good pale ale which is pretty hoppy without being too much.Here in the Tn,N.C.,area a lot of breweries are beginning to really make excellent brews,to say nothing of the moonshine in Gatlinberg.If you visit be sure to sample the local stuff,It`s pretty good










a reply to: Bennyzilla

Just got a job running the craft beer for a liquor store/bar.
My list would be extensive if I started.

If you want a nice summer ipa that's easy to drink and relatively easy to find, New Belgium's Citradelic has been a staple for the last few months around my house. The citra hops and subtle but noticeable tangerine go together well on a hot day.

It really depends on where you are in the country and what's available to you.

Edit to add: just saw you're in the central part of the country.

The grapefruit sculpin is pretty good. My gf hates grapefruit anything and ordered two of them at the bar a couple of months ago.
I'll get back to the thread soon...

a reply to: Bennyzilla

LOL, EXTRA STRONG. I was hammered after four beers. I found Red Horse beer only once here in Califorina at a Filipino store. After that I could never find at again:

a reply to: ridgerunner

I prefer the Hopps, but I do not discriminate against beers. Equal opportunity drinker

Thats really funny you mention Knoxville because my brother and I have been talking about places we haven't been and Austin, TX and Knoxville, TN were two of the places that came up. I'll keep Cold Fusion in mind if we make it that way.

Congrats on the first post. I've been posting for awhile and lurked for YEARS, but this is actually my first thread I've ever authored.

Great thread! Now you're taking my language!

I can relate to the 8am cravings... That's why I started a brewery! Honestly tastin beer first thing in the morning is about my least favorite thing it makes for a very long sleepy day... And there is no spitting in beer tasting because the breathing out after a swollow releases gasses andflavor from the carbonation . So unlike wine drinkers we must see the taste through! Oh the shame ...

I have never had denoginiZer but I love the name and will remember the cautionary tale.

I'll be honest I don't care for the grapefruit sculpin .. It's a fine beer but the grapefruit throws me off. Ballast point just got distribution here and they are heavy rotation in our pub. But I do love me some session IPA and anything from Lagunitas ... Specifically Lagunitas sucks, undercover shutdown and Maximus!

Let's get down to brass tacks here.. I'm concerned with your lack of mention of Michigan beer! No doubt you have heard of Two hearted from bells. Also , in a recent upset Shorts will soon be distributing out of state so there are more Michigan goodies coming your way ..If you have never had "DRIPA" from Kuhnennen Brothers... That is an IPA worth shouting to the heavens for.

What about sour ales? Jolly Pumpkin in Ann Arbor is world class!
Speaking of sessions IPAs... I'm brewing one right now and it's time to mash out! I'll be back !
a reply to: Bennyzilla

a reply to: the owlbear

Sounds like an awesome gig. I've been on tons of brewery tours and it always seems like the people working there, especially in more craft brews, are having the time of there lives.

I'm in Iowa so we get a good mix of stuff from the East and West, but it's really kind of random. We've got some good liquor stores that have caught on to the Craft Beer wave and usually have a pretty good supply. New Belgium's Citradelic sounds great and I've had other beers from New Belgium so I think I may be able to actually find it.

I did some filming for a little craft brewery in Wisconsin once and we went out and collected the cascade hopps off the lines. Th smell in the little shed in the field after we filled it with hopps was one of a kind.

Two hearted is great off of a tap. Don't care for it as much out of the bottle...but since you're on Michigan, quite a few people are fond of Founder's. I enjoy the breakfast stout, but it's a little warm for that. The all day ipa is fine and low enough abv you can enjoy several and not feel woozy.

Yes founders is definitely top notch... Breakfast stout is excellent their barrel aged versions are world class... Kentucky breakfast stout and Canadian break fast stout (aged in maple syrup barrels)..

there were something like 100 new Brewers here last year so at this point iv given up on keeping up. I love that all day exists in cans because before that the only option was centennial IPA, which at 7.2% can really make an early night out of a summer bbq..

I agree on 2 hearted also, it's a fine beer but not the best, though it's probably the most well known Michigan IPA outside of the Founders stuff..and one day mine

a reply to: the owlbear

a reply to: SteamyJeans

The last time I was in Michigan I was not of legal drinking age D:

Funny enough I HAVE seen the Two Hearted at my store before, I just never gave it a chance. You may have given me my number one contender for after work tonight!

The Double Rice IPA sounds awesome, but I've never seen it anywhere before. It may be a bit harder for me to get my hands on, but if it's worth shouting from the rooftops about, it may be worth doing a little beer hunting.

I had some sours at the Beerfest in Potosi, WI and I did not care for it. I had a sour on a whim a few months ago and it was very refreshing but still not quite right. I had a sour a few weeks ago and I think I finally understood. It took me awhile but I am slowly transforming into a fan of sours. I'll take the suggestion to heart.

MMMMMM Beer. I love it!
Im in Northwest Arkansas and we have a local company here that is gaining alot of recognition and starting to spread to surrounding states. Core Brewing has some of the best beers that I have ever had. Some of the strongest too. Their Easy Livin IPA is awesome. Their 2XIPA was way too strong for me. Have only tried a few but would highly recomend to anyone that comes across it in the store.
I like it that we have seen several new craft beer pubs in our area.

a reply to: sassymcsnickerson

Looks good. I've never seen Core Brewery in any of my regular places but I'll be on the lookout for it now.

I too really like that the craft beer market and how many local breweries are popping up everywhere. It's always a fun thing to do to go to a draft house or tour a brewery and it now seems like theres one in every town to check out.

Im currently stuck on 2 beers:

Guns n oil:

gunsandoil.com...




and Shiner's Prickly Pear:

www.shiner.com...

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

Guns and Oil has got to be the manliest name for a beer I've ever seen.

Always enjoyed Shiner Bock, Mudpuppy Porter and Tangerine Wheat. Good stuff. Mmm Mmm come on 5 o'clock!

a reply to: slapjacks

Mudpuppy Porter sounds like it would be great after a big meal.

I swear my clock is going backwards.

a reply to: Bennyzilla

We sell out of it every week in the bar. Well go through a full keg and then have to pour off bottles from dry storage while we wait for the delivery.

very popular in West Texas right now.

first off, this thread is magnificent lol best thread I have seen so far, I too am stuck at work for another 6 hours, and also thinking about beer, on the norm I just drink Budweiser, but I like all kinds, Sam Adams Porch rocker is a good one, sam adams isn't to bad either, smithwicks is good if you like dark ales, Heineken is also good in my opinion, I like em all, I found this beer in a small town called laughing budha, it was fantastic, the bottle even looks like budha sitting down, good stuff.... damn come on 5 o'clock! now im thirsty my friends...


sh** this may even be the most informing thread on ats, so many beer choices, high five everybody!