Best (and worst) beers you've ever had

[McLoofus 35,182]

And if you want any other recs, there are a couple of us who frequent this thread who have them. 

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

On 3/12/2017 at 8:38 AM, Barnacle said:

So the next time I go in there, all I need to say is that I know McLoofus??? 

I'm on my phone right now. Just woke up in New Orleans (I went to sleep here too, I think). Point is that Huntsville has been doing some amazing things with the city lately, too. Later, I'll join this conversation entirely. 

On another note, what's a good beer bar in NOLA? They start drinking early here... 

TBH, I typically play it by ear. Anyplace (pick a card, any card) in NOLA likely has better beer selection than my (sweet home) Ala. My primary selection process is to poke my head in the door and listen to music.

[McLoofus 35,182]

8 minutes ago, AUinTLoosa said:

TBH, I typically play it by ear. Anyplace (pick a card, any card) in NOLA likely has better beer selection than my (sweet home) Ala. My primary selection process is to poke my head in the door and listen to music.

It seems to be changing rapidly, but there still aren't many extensive beer lists in New Orleans. Avenue Pub is still the only destination beer bar in town that I know of, except maybe Cooter Brown's. Which is not an indictment of the city in any way. Like you said, beer isn't the first, second or third criterion when choosing a place to go into. And last time I went, just about every place I went had Abita Restoration Ale, and that was good enough for me. Tasty on its own and very food friendly. Cocktails tend to steal the show down there, too. 

But Avenue Pub has a lot more going on than just beer, so it's worth the visit for a variety of delights. 

[AUDub 11,153]

I love a good beer selection, but it's a secondary concern as I generally have my wife and kids with me.

[McLoofus 35,182]

15 minutes ago, Bigbens42 said:

I love a good beer selection, but it's a secondary concern as I generally have my wife and kids with me.

I hear ya. The first question we ask is, "Can I take a toddler in there?" Our 2 yr old won't be going to Avenue Pub in April when we're down there. Hopefully I'll get to sneak out one night, though. 

And in New Orleans, music- like Loosa said- and food probably come before beer for me. BUT... Barnacle asked for a beer bar. Lucky for all, that's an easy one to answer down there.

We're lucky in Atlanta. No shortage of kid friendly places with killer tap lists. Our beer scene really got started in Decatur, which has an almost completely kid friendly downtown that also has some of our best beer bars. And 2 more of the city's better beer bars are kid friendly and a mile from my house. It's truly amazing that I'm not morbidly obese. 

When I travel for work, though, I'm always seeking out a good beer bar or brewery so that I can try stuff that I can't get at home. I'm like that with food, too, though. Whatever the local cuisine is, I will find it and kill it. 

Great. Now I'm bored, hungry and thirsty. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

Oh, Ommegang Rosetta... most interesting beer I've had in a minute, not that that's saying much. Really great balance between sweet and tart. Great body, lots of complimentary flavors going on. Looks good in the glass. Speaking of kid friendly, I had it at our new brewpub-owned bowling alley. 

[ShocksMyBrain 9,366]

Beer selection is my first consideration when it comes to a bar. Then music/atmosphere. Then food. Breweries and bottle shops are always on the agenda when I'm visiting from out of town.

But I also have no kids. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 hour ago, ShocksMyBrain said:

Beer selection is my first consideration when it comes to a bar. Then music/atmosphere. Then food. Breweries and bottle shops are always on the agenda when I'm visiting from out of town.

But I also have no kids. 

Definitely. My company pays for 1 checked bag. I never check on the way out and always check on the way back. Good thing Wifey likes beer. 

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

1 hour ago, ShocksMyBrain said:

Beer selection is my first consideration when it comes to a bar. Then music/atmosphere. Then food. Breweries and bottle shops are always on the agenda when I'm visiting from out of town.

But I also have no kids. 

Mine are all growed up, and get out more than do I.

Last trip to NOLA, they guided me.Their priorities (1. Food, 2.Beer, 3.Music) are skewed, but I'm not in charge anymore.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Oh damn, I forgot that Avenue is doing the Peche Mortel tap takeover. @Barnacle, you lucky son of...  I see a Great Raft beer on there, too. 

http://theavenuepub.com/beer-spirits/big-beer-list/

 

 

[Tiger Refuge 6,670]

32 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Oh damn, I forgot that Avenue is doing the Peche Mortel tap takeover. @Barnacle, you lucky son of...  I see a Great Raft beer on there, too. 

http://theavenuepub.com/beer-spirits/big-beer-list/

 

 

That GR is their everyday APA. Really, really solid beer. 

 

Glanced at the bottle list....BBA Narwhal....uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

1 hour ago, McLoofus said:

Definitely. My company pays for 1 checked bag. I never check on the way out and always check on the way back. Good thing Wifey likes beer. 

Question as to safety?

I've had wine bottles explode amongst my socks in airline luggage holds

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

55 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Oh damn, I forgot that Avenue is doing the Peche Mortel tap takeover. @Barnacle, you lucky son of...  I see a Great Raft beer on there, too. 

http://theavenuepub.com/beer-spirits/big-beer-list/

 

 

Map provided in the link appreciated.

A bit south of my perennial haunts.

[McLoofus 35,182]

15 minutes ago, AUinTLoosa said:

Question as to safety?

I've had wine bottles explode amongst my socks in airline luggage holds

I've never had anything explode. I suppose I've been lucky. Sometimes I think ahead and bring some gallon sized ziploc bags just in case, or I save any plastic shopping bags I might acquire on a trip to at least mitigate any damage that might occur. 

14 minutes ago, AUinTLoosa said:

Map provided in the link appreciated.

A bit south of my perennial haunts.

And west of mine. But on our next trip, the hotel will be about an .8/mi walk, so hopefully at least one night the wife will be okay staying in after the little one retires while I seek libations. 

We'll be spending most of our time in the Quarter and in the Marigny on Frenchman. Apple Barrel, Spotted Cat, Adolfo's... is it April yet? 

[Tiger Refuge 6,670]

Me and my wife were just talking about another NO trip...soon.

[AUDub 11,153]

Zoning and planning approved 100 percent. Goes to the city council, who will vote tomorrow. I was buttering one of them up about it Saturday, as his daughter plays soccer with my daughter.

http://www.trussvilletribune.com/2017/03/13/slag-heap-brewing-companys-request-to-locate-in-downtown-trussville-approved-by-planning-and-zoning/

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

13 minutes ago, Bigbens42 said:

Zoning and planning approved 100 percent. Goes to the city council, who will vote tomorrow. I was buttering one of them up about it Saturday, as his daughter plays soccer with my daughter.

http://www.trussvilletribune.com/2017/03/13/slag-heap-brewing-companys-request-to-locate-in-downtown-trussville-approved-by-planning-and-zoning/

Keep calm, and carry on.

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

On 3/11/2017 at 8:45 PM, AUinTLoosa said:

Caught my 1st Dogfish, in a Tloosa bar tonight. 60 - min IPA.

Assume that it's been sufficiently reviewed/discussed here that I don't need to add, except

- pretty good on cigarette-sodden palates too, and 

- come IPA season (and now I can get it), we'll meet again.

Got a 4-pk of the 90-min at a grocery in So. Ala. It's really happening!

Enough heft in malt backbone (proper term?) to be worthy of occasional wintertime consideration (at least in Fairhope, at least in this winter).

Hoppiness less harsh?, much broader in scope?, and stands up well in the mix.

"I've got to admit it's getting better...

...getting better, all the time (can't get no worse).."

 

 

[AUDub 11,153]

51 minutes ago, AUinTLoosa said:

Keep calm, and carry on.

It was a fun day. The soccer game sucked though, despite the 3-1 win. In Tuscaloosa, 40 degrees, breezy and raining. We were soaked to the bone when it was over. The B team got their game in and won 6-1, albeit with a lightning delay in the midst of it. The ref called the C team's game due to heavy rain.

Said city councilman's daughter Janie and my Sadie just had to have a victory meal together, and her mom went to grad school at Bama and swore by DePalma's, so that's where we went. It was good. 

And Janie came over afterwards and the girls treated us to an impromptu karaoke/fashion/interpretive dance show in our living room. Here they are jamming to Don't Stop Believing. 

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

6 minutes ago, Bigbens42 said:

It was a fun day. The soccer game sucked though, despite the 3-1 win. In Tuscaloosa, 40 degrees, breezy and raining. We were soaked to the bone when it was over. The B team got their game in and won 6-1, albeit with a lightning delay in the midst of it. The ref called the C team's game due to heavy rain.

Said city councilman's daughter Janie and my Sadie just had together, and her mom went to grad school at Bama and swore by DePalma's, so that's where we went. It was good. 

And Janie came over afterwards and the girls treated us to an impromptu karaoke/fashion/interpretive dance show in our living room. Here they are jamming to Don't Stop Believing. 

DePalma's is the diggity. Very good food and wine selection. Walnut-pizza appetizer (weird as it sounds) is a real starter. Place is LOUD though. Old drug store, or whatever they built it in, was not acoustically designed for crowds. Occupy more than four tables and it's like conversing in a bowling alley.

Bug's-ear cute kids. Don't stop believing.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Adorable kids. Props to the SW Hop Hash, too. Playing sports in crappy weather is way better than watching sports in crappy weather. Ugh. 

 

[AUDub 11,153]

25 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Adorable kids. Props to the SW Hop Hash, too. Playing sports in crappy weather is way better than watching sports in crappy weather. Ugh.

Thanks!

Actually was a Hash Session. Was the last remaining beer from a spring variety pack that included their standard IPA, 420, Grassmonkey Pale Wheat, and their Hatchery series IPA with mosaic hops. The 420, IPA and Hash session were known quantities. Rest was meh. I was not blown away by any of the unique offerings in the pack. Was just draining it before I got to the good stuff for the softball game, which was unfortunately canceled.

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

3 hours ago, McLoofus said:

Adorable kids. Props to the SW Hop Hash, too. Playing sports in crappy weather is way better than watching sports in crappy weather. Ugh. 

 

 

2 hours ago, Bigbens42 said:

Thanks!

Actually was a Hash Session. Was the last remaining beer from a spring variety pack that included their standard IPA, 420, Grassmonkey Pale Wheat, and their Hatchery series IPA with mosaic hops. The 420, IPA and Hash session were known quantities. Rest was meh. I was not blown away by any of the unique offerings in the pack. Was just draining it before I got to the good stuff for the softball game, which was unfortunately canceled.

Ure Eureka!

SW = Sweetwater?

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

20 minutes ago, AUinTLoosa said:

SW = Sweetwater?

Yup!

Their Hash series uses some fancy technology to create a hash from hops- similar to hashish made from cannabis- and then extract the oils from that or some such insanity. I haven't had the session beer that BigBens was drinking (and unimpressed by, unsurprisingly for a session IPA), but the IPA is really flavorful. I'll stop short of calling it "good", as it's a little different and might not be for everyone. But I liked it. 

As for education, I think I can speak for others in saying that it's reciprocal at the least. 

[AUDub 11,153]

I'm not real big on session IPAs. Last one I can remember enjoying off hand would be Alpine's Hoppy Birthday. It was legit. It was strong for a session brew though. Something like 5.25. Probably just underexposure. 

Speaking of Alpine, wish I could track down their Duet IPA again. Absolutely loved that one.