For me, the pattern is that my beer darkens as the temperature drops: stouts and porters are my favorites in the wintertime. I'm much more likely to crack open an IPA or wheat beer in the warmer weather (that's 9 months of the year around here). I'd like March to come soon, but since it won't I'm quite enjoying life on the dark side.

I am afraid still really in love with Paulaner. However ..... having just needing to clear out the garage for a new central heating boiler ... i have discovered all the old brewery stuff out there including 6 conditioning casks. So on my return from our next trip I plan some new beers and a cider! And the downstairs loo is a constant 20 degrees .... perfect for fermenting.

I am really looking forward to it.

:D

Visited my local beer seller today. Picked up 12 packs of both Miller Lite and Coors Lite for the unwashed masses (just a joke aimed at my non-craft beer-loving (or liking) friends). Grabbed a 4-pack of Founders Breakfast Stout, a sixer each of Mother Earth Park Day Pilsner, Lagunitas Pale Ale, Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale, and Firestone Union Jack IPA, as well as a pint pack (10) of Kona Brewing Co. Longboard Island Lager, and one 22 oz bottle of Stone Smoked Porter Vanilla Bean. A nice haul that should keep me well-stocked for a while.

The Brooklyn Brewery's Dry Irish Stout is still on sale for $9 for a 6 pack at my local beer store. Don't mind if I do. ;)

I looooooove winter, but only for the beer.

I generally drink Stouts and Porters all year round with a sprinkling of ciders and sours when I want something light. This time of year, I can get so many tasty stouts of all flavors, barrel aged tasty goodness.

My beer cabinet is always pretty well stocked. I recently picked up some limited edition goodies - Deschutes Abyss, Pelican Mother of all Storms (an amazing barleywine), a couple of Terrapin's limited edition beers - MooHooChiato and the French Toast Wake n Bake. I can't wait for the occasion to get into some of these.

Try to find Barrel-Aged Hi-Fi Rye. Was #1 American barleywine when available on distribution a few years ago.

It will change your life. The brewmaster responsible for it is starting a brewery/pub that should be open in a few weeks. I plan to live there.

After a walk on the beach, I stopped at Dave & Busters to kill a gift card with pints of Fat Tire. That done, I stopped at ABC (not affiliated with the state of Florida) and picked up a 4 pack of Stiegl to bring back memories of a wonderful trip to Vienna and a six pack of Einstock Icelandic Toasted Porter because the last Booze Traveler show I watched on the Travel Channel was from Iceland.

Mmm, Fat Tire. :D

Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Wet Hop IPA
St. George Brewing Company English IPA
St. George Brewing Company Golden Ale
Baltika #3
Baltika #4 (Dark Lager)
Baltika #5 (Golden Lager)
Baltika #6 (Porter)
Baltika #7 (Export Lager)
Baltika #9 (Extra Lager)

To try something different bought some Kentucky Kölsch and it's not bad.

I am from LEX. Take their tour if you are ever in the area. Fun and convenient to downtown.

I think their best regular beer is the bourbon-barrel-aged stout. Their BB-aged pumpkin was pretty good last fall.

I have, at this point, tried a few different Kolsch style beers. I didn't care for them as they were sour tasting. Is that a key flavor element of kolsch or do I need to broaden my search? As I recall they were all tried on AVL brewery tours.

That one looks pretty hard to find, but if I ever come across it I'll be sure to try.

I've had quite a few of the top Barleyines on BA right now, Mother of All Storms being one of them. That and the Bourbon County Barleywine are some of the most overall delicious beers I've ever tasted.



Anyone here ever done any craft beer tourism in Berlin, Dublin or Edinburgh? I'll be in all this year and need to find some good spots. I've sampled some good stuff in London and found a surprising scene in Tokyo so I'm ready to see what some other cities have to offer.

Thanks and I could see myself joining a tour.

Not to me. I came to Kölsch by way of it's cousin the unfiltered and cloudier German wheat beers so both are very similar and like that their aren't too hoppy or as sharp as IPA's.

Tonight is my latest default, Smithwick's. ^

Try an archetype like Reissdorf Koelsch, widely available in the US, to establish a baseline before trying American imitations/impressions/innovations/abominations (cherry wheat beers, I'm looking at you!). :)

I can't say either of us is a fan of Koelsch, bottled or frisch vom Fass.