The Beer Thread.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Dude I can get you fresh beer you can't get anywhere else from a ton of breweries here, including Rogue. I could even get you a fifth of the Oregon Hazelnut Rum which is only distilled down here. Widmer has a great brewery also. Oh, and there's the 120 minute IPA as well.

Hey X, where did you find the 120 Minute? I didn't see it at Whole Foods last time I was there.

 

I saw the 120 minute at Whole Foods, funny enough. I had to look for it for a bit then I was like OH SHIT SCORE.

 

If worse comes to worse though, I have Belmont Station here (ironically not located on Belmont anymore) which is the greatest beer store known to man.

 

I always do my beer shopping at the Whole Foods out by Bridgeport Village. I've never seen the 120 Min there, so the selection must vary by store..

 

Where's Belmont Station? I'm going to be in P-town on Sunday and figured I could pick up a few things.

Ah, I go to the Whole Foods over in The Pearl District since that's the closest one to my house, saw it there. They might have just ran out or something.

 

Belmont Station is over on SE 40th and Stark. I'll point you over to their website..

 

http://www.belmont-station.com/

 

And this is their current list of beers, sorted by style and category - http://www.belmont-station.com/bottlestyle.html

 

And people wonder why Oregonians bitch and moan about beer selection when we're outside our little progressive bubble.

[Cheech Tremendous]

Hey VX, you gotta make sure you head over to the Horse Brass Pub (if you haven't been). I think there are over 100 beers on tap there, mostly local favorites. They are constantly changing what they have available (and beers come in Imperial Pints).

 

In my worldly travels, I have never encountered a better city for beer drinking than Portland. It truly is remarkable.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Yup, been there, done that. They have freakin scotch eggs over there! That's a hard boiled egg wrapped in sausage and then deep-fried. Smoky as hell, though, so I'm not a fan until about January or so.

 

Funny enough, that place is right next door to where Belmont Station used to be, which is why I assume you bring it up. I'm a big fan of Henry's as well over in the Pearl.

[Lord of The Curry]

Picked up a 6 of the 60 Minute IPA tonight, results will be posted once said 6 pack is finished.

[Cheech Tremendous]

I took VX's advice and went to Belmont Station. Tonight I finally sample the 120 Minute IPA.

 

 

 

[Lord of The Curry]

Oh man that was good. I don't see it being the type of beer I can regularly drink but fuck it was delicious. Not used to the over-hoppiness of it but I'm sure that'll come with time.

[Cheech Tremendous]

Ok, I'm glad that I've had the 120 Minute IPA. Now I will never drink one again.

 

I think I found the reason why more beers don't aren't 20% alcohol.

[Guest Vitamin X]

What, you've never had Barleywine? That stuff's actually pretty good.

[AboveAverage484]

I played beer pong with some Sierra Nevada Bigfoot one time and then got into a huge brawl at an apartment complex. Needless to say, that was the first, and last, time I will play that particular game with barley wine.

[Cheech Tremendous]

What, you've never had Barleywine? That stuff's actually pretty good.

I've had barleywine and have never particularly cared for it. Bigfoot, mentioned earlier in the last post, is decent, but on the whole I haven't really felt in necessary to sample many others.

 

I did go to a barleywine beerfest at the Lucky Labrador last year. Even with my tremendous beer snobbery I don't remember having anything that impressive.

[Cheech Tremendous]

Drinking some Dogfish Head Punkin Ale right now (hey gotta find something to alleviate the pain of the stock market crash). I like it. It doesn't beat you over the head with spice like some of the other commercial brands do (Blue Moon - I'm looking at you!).

[Copper Feel]

What is 'beer pong'? Is it a variation of pub golf?

[Guest Vitamin X]

Basically, it's an excuse for college kids to get drunk, like so many other drinking games.

 

You get a ping pong table. You set up like 15 cups filled with tasty beverages- mostly beer here, but it could be a lot of other things depending on the party- we did rum and cokes at one, I remember. That tournament didn't last long. Anyways, so 15 cups, arranged like bowling pins on both sides, and both teams have 2 ping pong balls. Each team gets a couple tries to bounce the ball into the other team's cups. Every time a ball lands in a cup, the other team has to take the ball out and drink the cup it landed in. This, as you can imagine, is a bit unsanitary sometimes, especially since this is often played in dirty garages and basements. Whichever team knocks in the ball on all of the other team's cups wins.

 

This can be played one on one too but it's not as fun.

 

Here's a typical scene of it going on anywhere in America:

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS!]

Basically, it's an excuse for college kids to get drunk, like so many other drinking games.

 

Also, if played under traditional circumstances, it is a good way to catch herpes.

[MFer]

Since I'm 21 today, I decided to pick up some Guiness. Pretty good stuff.

[Broward83]

So somehow, living in Houston all these years I never knew about The Ginger Man. I'm thinking of going in a few weeks to try some of the Oktoberfest brews and to just chill.

 

From the list of draft's on the website, any of you experts have a suggestion as to what I should try? I normally drink Ziegen or Shiner Bock and will drink Budweiser if its ice cold and I'm watching a game.

[Cheech Tremendous]

So somehow, living in Houston all these years I never knew about The Ginger Man. I'm thinking of going in a few weeks to try some of the Oktoberfest brews and to just chill.

 

From the list of draft's on the website, any of you experts have a suggestion as to what I should try? I normally drink Ziegen or Shiner Bock and will drink Budweiser if its ice cold and I'm watching a game.

I don't have much familiarity with the imports, but I've had probably 80% of the stuff listed on the American side.

 

The offerings from Stone (IPA, Arrogant Bastard and Smoked Porter) are all quite good. Stone is a good place to go if you are looking for more adventurous versions of traditional American brews.

 

Sierra Nevada, Fat Tire, Anchor Steam and Kona all play well to the more middle of the road beer drinker. Solid brews, but underwhelming if you want deep flavor or extreme hoppiness.

 

Dogfish Head we've discussed here before. The 90 Minute IPA takes some preparation as it has a strong alcohol taste.

 

I'm not a big fan of the Oktoberfest beers. When I do indulge, Widmer Okto is usually my choice. That's probably just because it's easy to find around here.

 

Hope that helps a little.

 

EDIT: On second look, I've had most of those imported beers too. I wouldn't recommend any of them, but that's more of a personal call.

[Guest Vitamin X]

You should definitely give the Chimay a try, just for the hell of it.

[Gert T]

Well, you brought it up, so what are your liquors of choice?

 

 

[Guest Vitamin X]

To be honest, I'm a bit of liquor philistine. I have lately only pretty much been going for the cheaper stuff, because sometimes I need to just knock something back before bed to get me sleepy. So I'll do bacardi and coke, and I've been having whiskey in a strange variety of ways lately. I've had whiskey-orange juice (takes a while to get the right combination down, but it's pretty good once you do it), whiskey-coke (whatever), and even whiskey-green tea, which is apparently very popular in China but I didn't care much for it. I was drinking this thing called Georgia Moon which was corn whiskey that came in a mason jar and only cost $10 for 750ml.

There she is. It was pretty interesting, but what's pretty awesome about it is you can keep the jar and use it afterwards. And of course, it was pretty cheap. I try not to spend more than $20 or so when I go, although I keep meaning to stock the liquor cabinet up really well with good stuff one of these days. I really like vodka a lot too, by the way, not only because of its versatility in drinks, but also because of its versatility when it comes to cooking as well.

[At Home]

 

The guy or girl's hand on the left: "C'mon, pussy."

 

[NoCalMike]

I know some folks who play beer pong a different way. They have an actual ping pong table, and they set up a bunch of cups of beer on each side by the corners. and then one "huge cup" in the middle of your side's end You play regular ping pong, When someone scores a point you take a chug, but if someone manages to hit the ping pong ball in, you drink whatever's left on your side of the table.

 

I have also been really gettin' into Black N Tans lately, bit the pre-made ones you buy, rather buying Guiness and Bass Ale, and mixing them. It results in a very good taste.

 

P.S. I am making chili in the slow-cooker today and I used a 12oz Bass Ale for added flavoring. I can't wait till about 5pm.....

[Golgo 13]

I never understood that shit. Just drink.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I could see the value in doing it. It's a fun way to have a reason to drink, in essence because you're socializing, being competitive, and drinking all at the same time. What's more American than that.

[Broward83]

...doing all of that while getting head and eating some monstrously huge hamburger?

[Lord of The Curry]

With a bald eagle on your shoulder and Toby Keith blasting in the background

[Nighthawk]

My own drinking game is "drink whenever life gets you down". It's how I became the severe alcoholic I am today.

[Matt Young]

My own drinking game is "drink whenever life gets you down". It's how I became the severe alcoholic I am today.

 

Are you still not drinking, though?

[Smartly Pretty]

Drinking games are pretty fun. Flip Cup is the only sport in the entire world that girls are inherently better at than guys. I don't understand it at all. Maybe it's their tiny hands.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

I was once president in a game of Asshole where ten people puked. My first rule: "No swear words."