I second Troegs but not necessarily as a summer beer. Also Budvar is great- and it's the original Budweiser. If there was any justice in this world Budvar would win a copyright lawsuit of breathtaking proportions that would singlehandedly make the Czech Republic the wealthiest nation on eath. Not that I care or anything...

I WANT SOME OF TICKS BEER!

That said, winter versus summer beer. Definitely a difference. I want a heavier, stoutier beer in the winter with robust flavor and a hearty filling to it that makes it taste like a meal. An oatmeal stout always rocks, as does a darker ale. In the summer you go lighter toward a Corona to chase the margarita, and maybe a little sweeter with a good wheat beer (Carolina Pale Ale isn't bad, nor is Great White down in FL if you get the chance to have some).

It's kind of like scotch, which is my drink of choice. Islay scotches are outstanding in the winter or on a cold rainy evening, like we've been having a lot of lately. However, because Florida tends to lack both, the Islays are constantly on sale down there. Bowmore is a great Islay, good winter drink- goes well with a cherry oak paneled room and a dark chocolaty cigar. Now in the summer you want your more traditional highland, something that doesn't say "I'm in Scotland and it's January please shoot me" like an Islay does. A more woodsy flavor rather than peaty, slightly lighter in tone. A sherry wood or french oak isn't bad then. Or, you skip it all and move straight to bourbon, which goes well in any season.

Say, which one of us gets to run the bar at Moonshine? Since I imagine this place will be a co-op, what's our policy for co-op owners and free drinks?

I'm certainly happy to see that I started such a lively thread - it seems like the forums haven't been this active since the last January thaw - and this is a whole lot more fun to talk about than logging and erosion at BK.

While we're on the subject of beer, I have a bit of a dilemna - my wife and I recently bought a cottage near Seven Springs (5 miles East, near Trent). We go up about every 2 weekends, and of course, I want to drink some quality beer when we're there. However, one of PA's drawbacks is it's alcohol laws - 6 packs are only available in bars, and cases in the 'distributors' - but I've yet to find anyplace in or near Somerset that has anything better than Bud, Miller, Rolling ROck, etc. I live in VA, so I've been carting up Guinness, Bass, Pilsener Urquell, etc - but I'm wondering if there is anyplace in the SOmerset area that has a slightly more upscale selection....any of you PA residents got any suggestions?

PS: I'm a PA native myself, but I've been away for 20 years, so I'm a little out of touch.

I'm not afraid to wear flip-flops or drink gin and tonics in the winter or wear ski boots in the summer, so I guess the concept of a Winter Beer versus a Summer Beer is a bit strange to me. A Winter Beer is one you have in your hand in January, and a Summer Beer is one you have in your hand in July.

For beers you can only get seasonally, I'd choose Pete's Summer Brew (same company that brews Pete's Wicked Ale) and Snow Goose Winter Ale from (I believe) the Wild Goose Brewery (MD). Not sure if they are still brewed. Snow Goose was always tough to get.

While I love most offerings from the Boston Beer Company (Sammy Adams), their winter and summer brews don't do it for me. Didn't the old slogan go something like: "Samuel Adams. Statesman. Brewer. Patriot."?

In an attempt to keep this somewhat ski related, what are some of the brews/breweries you partake in when skiing across the country?

For me:

Vermont: Otter Creek Brewing , Middlebury VT. Mostly because I went to college in the town before the brewery opened. You can find some of their offerings in Total Beer & Wine. For Otto: the Middlebury Ale kinda sucks but you have to at least try it.

Colorado: Fat Tire Amber Ale. By far.

Pennsylvania: Iron City, Yuengling and Rolling Rock. Sorry if I offend any beer connoisseurs, but PA is a blue collar state and when in Rome ...

Utah:
Wasatch Brew Pub, Park City. Believe it or not, their Raspberry Wheat kinda rocked the last time I tried it. And I'm not that big a fan of fruity beers.
Provo Girl Pilsner. After seeing those adds in Ski/Skiing Mag ...

I've yet to try Polygamy Porter. Utah, where you can have more than one wife, but where the beers are priced singly at the state-run stores.

Wyoming: Snake River Brew Pub (Jackson). IIRC, great stout.

Tahoe: Some Wheat Beer from a brwery in Oregon. Try saying Dunkel Weizen after you had more than two.

Whistler/Blackcomb: Kokanee. The Bud of Western Canada.

I know I've been to brew pubs near Breckenridge and Sunday River among other places, but I can't remember too much about the offerings.

West Virginia: I'll let Brad answer this one.

Europe: Johnfmh territory. I'm sure there are one or two good offerings.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMM Beer.....

My Homer reference.

I try to think on my past trips and the brews that go with them. As far as local brews, Fat Tire is the one that stands out the most.

But I have a little taste for Harp when skiing. My first ever trip to Colorado is the reason. Before I went, I spoke to my boss who grew up in Summit County. We would relive some of his best memories of skiing Breckenridge over a Harp. He told me I had to go into this pub in Breck ("Somebody's" Down Under Pub. I can't remember the name of Somebody right now). I needed to order a Harp and play "Allison" by Elvis Costello.

Well our first day in Breck was horrific. One person stuck his pole in his girlfriend's knee while trying to get up (we still believe it was an accident), the slopes were crowded beyond belief (Ullrfest was happening that weekend), and another buddy had his binding blow while skiing down a blue, and it hadn't snowed in 3 weeks.

That night we hit the town to go drink (boy did we need it). We got to this pub and I told everybody the request from Rusty (my boss). They all thought I was crazy but they did it anyway. We all ordered Harp and I put in for Allison on the Jukebox. Well we drank a Harp (or three) and everybody was getting antsy to go hit another bar. Just then, Allison started to play. So we ordered another Harp. After that round, everybody was tired and ready to leave. So we walked outside. Just at that moment, it began to snow (I swear it's a Hallmark moment). It snowed everynight the rest of the trip.

So I have a small affinity for Harp.

jb, Have you tried Sarnelli's, intersection of rts 31 & 381? Beer dist is behind/below the market. Been good for PA Brewing (penn pilsner & all) Victory (hop devil) and Yuengling lager.

Hide the kettle, the DCer's found where we are at!!!

JohnL, i suspect the the only beer you don't like is WARM BEER . Was that you w/the gin & tonic, flip flops and sun glasses on tlines deck during WV Woodstock? I wasn't there but heard about it. As far as seasonal beers, i'd recommend Penn Brewing's St. Nicholas Bock, nice dark and malty. Skiing beers, my favorites from NE are Magic Hat Blind Faith IPA (VT) and Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale (NH). For a beer indigenous to WV, try WV Brewing's Appalachian Ale, a nice brown on tap at timber pub. You mentioned Snow Goose, I used to be a big Wild Goose fan back when it was brewed in Salisbury, I don't think Frederick Brewing has done such a good job w/the brand.

Roy, Are you suggesting some magic w/ the combination of Harp and Allison. Maybe we should all get together next November and see if we can make it snow.

Brad, We really need to set up a Kettle Watch; I thought it was your turn .

Jimmy: I've been to Sarnelli's, but not for a number of years. Since I drive up from NoVA and my property is on the Somerset side of 7 Springs, I'm hoping to find something in or near Somerset - but if not, I'm certainly willing to make the drive to Sarnelli's.

The best beer I've had that's brewed non-regionally is Mac & Jack out of Seattle. It's quietly trickling into the Rockies and is flat-out good, as is most food/drinking products from the Pac NW (my theory is that nine months of rainy weather makes for nothing much else to do but hone cooking skills). Black Butte Porter from Portland is really good too, but maybe a shade sweet.

My favorite named beer was up in Whitefish, Montana: Moosedrool. I drink it for the name- can't even remember how it tastes (well, not great) but heck, how many times in your life do you get to drink Moosedrool?

Speaking of drinking, where are your favorite bars at the ski areas? I guess there's a vote for Soriani's up by RT. Although JohnL and I disagree about the merits of JH, I'd have to say that the Mangy Moose at the base rocks (maybe it's just the word "moose" I like, who knows). There's also a great Tex-Mex place at the foot of Whistler with cold beer, hot waitresses, and great burgers. What else do you need after a hard day's skiing?

Jimmy! What's our bar at Moonshine going to be named? The Cahulawasie Cafe? (anyone know the reference there?)

ur so bad . I like it. Is that banjo music I hear in the background?

This thread would be a good start on the Beer List for the Cafe. Is Moosedrool served cold?

Been away for a week, but not away from beer. This forum is really gonna be a GREAT reference for when I travel. My favorite beer is the one I have in my hand at the given time....cold, stout, and serving the purpose...

Well...from a native southern WV hillbilly....BEER IS BEER...as long as its cold, has alcohol, and will get a good ol country girl less "nervous" (for the lack of a better word)...

Here are my choices of beer at different stages of life....forgive the spelling...

High School (I looked 21) --- ANY
Early College --- Nattie Light (Cheap mans beer)
Late College --- Any Bud/Miller product
After College --- Michelob/Yengling
Now --- Back to the roots....BUD
Considering im only 22 i cant go much farther than after college.

WV is by far a Bud Light State. At least the Southern half...I havent spent much time in the nothern half yet...Just moved up here a year or so ago...But still yet...Bud Light is the beer of choice...

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall...Mister Weiser gets me through them all!!!

Moosedrool is indeed served cold. Since Moonshine is in Southern WV though, we'll have to remember the bud light.

The way to summer beer fulfilment:

Pick your beer, the cheaper watery stuff is generally better think bud light, natty light, etc... Any thing that goes down smooth. Bottled beer is better. The city folk may choose stella or pilsner urquel, we mexican descendant might like corona, whatever. This is purely a stylistic consideration.

Prepare beer in large bucket or cooler, cover with ice. Leave in cool shady place. Place lawn chair next to bucket.

Go out into the back yard and work on any home improvement task for 2-4 hours. Don't over do it though or you will be too tired. Getting dirty and sweaty is the main goal here. Doing actual work is not really important. You could go for a jog or whatever if you want to be "healthy" about it. Bonus points if you have leaves in your hair.

Return to shady spot open one beer and drink as quickly as possible. Graba nother and colapse into lawn chair. relax...

Ya tromano, good strategy. Spent Saturday am chasing Toro around the yard. 2.5 hours about does it. Lawn chair, ice cold Corona (no lime) under the shade tree. Jimmy likes it .

Tromano, I have to second that. Was out doing yard work on Sat and all I wanted to do- thanks to your post - was finish and have an ice cold beer. Yesterday, didn't even need to do yardwork. Just step outside into the comfy 95 Heat Index, crack one open, and go to sleep.

Since I'm back in school, I've occasionally drank light beer to save money. Light beer is a good summer beer, and as far as light beer goes I've got a preference for Southpaw. There's no excuse, it's an awful beer, but for some reason I like it.

RogerZ,

Jimmy- that was too funny. I concede, your point is irrefutable.

There is no such thing as bad beer . . . only better beer. Oh by the way the same thing applys to spaghetti

Warm beer =bad beer, hey cool, don't be afraid, take a bad beer and make it better, the minit, you let it under ur skin......another good "bad" beer, an old family favorite is Blatz, get a hole case for 8.99

Blatz - LOL. Not a bad cheap beer. I always thought that name was a very onomatopoetic, like the sound you make if you drink too much, too quickly - BLATZ!!!

As a once (and future ) PA resident I'm surprised nobody has mentioned anything about Stoney's. When I was in high-school we used tho say "the only thing worse than Stoney's is warm Stoney's". I've had it once or twice in the past few years and it seems to taste much better than what I remember - but high school was a LONG time ago.

Ahhhh....Stoneys! I remember the days when I was a teacher in Clairton Pa and a few of us used to stop by a little hole in the wall accross from the coke plant called Bill and Jacks. A pitcher of Stoneys could be had for 60 cents albeit a small pitcher. As I remember the first pitcher was a little rough, but ensuing fill-ups were consecutively smoother! Now if you are talking about cheap beer which HAD to be cold, I used to buy an Erie Brewing Company product called Old Pub. We could buy a case in 16oz returnables for $2.99 plus the deposit. I'm past the era of buying the cheapest for gluttony. I have this thing now for imports of all types and the american generic, Sam Adams.

Upstate New York. Two words: Gennessee. Ugh. Sometimes in reverse order. Always cheap, never good... except that it was (and I think still is) 60 cents for a 12 ouncer. They serve it over in the town next to Denton, whose name slips my memory.

I'm forgetting everything. Must be all the moonshine...

RogerZ, I had always enjoyed Genny Cream on tap. That's the only genny that was worth consumption. I have friends who swear by PBR. Personally, I won't touch the stuff.

Good beers, no cheap ones here. Last fall, I went to Backstreets pizza (one of the better pizza places I've been to) and they had Sam Adams Cherry Wheat. That's one of my favorite summer beers. It's hard to find, but fortunately the local gas station here in SoMD (I'm back in DC for the summer) has it. Been enjoying it tremendously on these last few sweltering days...

Back to cheap beers, anyone? Just polished off an Augustiner Lager, bought a 30 pak for 13.99, chilled using the Tromano Method. Didn't like the first few at all, you wont either if ur xpecting Sam Adams or even yuengling. The next few wer not so bad, this last one is as least as good as a blatz .

Jimmy,
Is it that they started to taste better, or did you drink all at once? If the latter, no wonder they started to taste better!
Think Snow,
The Colonel

Jimmy,
The way to do it is to buy some (but not too many) good beers. The trick is, start with those. Then, after a few good ones, it doesn't really matter anyway and you switch to the cheap ones

-Warren-

Maybe it is just me but when it comes to beer you can only trust a Mexican.

The Belgians would be upset by that comment, don't ya think?

Just remembered this post and since it's going to almost be real beer drinking weather this weekend, I must purchase some "special" beverages for the weekend. All we are missing will be the 12" of fresh!

im loaded down for the weekend with some of these





and some of these

St. Paddy's day (if anyone call's Patty's Day there'll be bloody muders) is coming up and I'll be doing my duty as a good Irishman and putting away anything anyone puts in front of me. Just some inside info, no I don't drink Guinness and thats not all that strange, yes we do get pretty well tore up for St. Paddy's day but thats only after we've been to church and finally Harp lager is considered to be the worst type of muck you can drink in Ireland.

I can't read the brand from the photo,what is it? I just bought a 12 pack of mickhelob ultra amber...not bad + I couldn't believe that a light beer has 5% alcohol! I'm a miller light person & that is an ALL SEASON Beer for me...I'm thinking about mixing the 2 beers...have any of you all tried that?(mixing beers)

"What you have here is an Imperial India Pale Ale featuring a single constant 90 minute hop addition. It's balanced by a ridiculous amount of English Two-row Barley. Then we dry hop it in every tank."



As for mixing, i'm thinking when this one's gone i mite pour a yuengling lager on top, never tried mixing in the glass before except for a black and tan, but i never mixed one of those myself, always lwt a professional do it for me!

Are you referring to mixing of fermented barly and hopps??? I haven't seen that one done since keggers in college.

Yo kwill i've bin inspired , u no my roomies at Roaring Shadows this winter past, well they're all BC skiers, out touring & winter camping in the dolly sods and such and that got me thinking about, well u no after all that exercise there can't be anything that would taste better than a nice cold beer .

Problem is the buzz/weight ratio just doesn't make it feasible to pack in enough beer to do the job. But wait here it is i'm telling you this one's a money maker.......

Freeeze Dried Beer, just melt sum snow and there you go.

Who needs to melt snow into freezedried beer. I say chug the packet, more alcohol per ounce that way.

You could put it in a paper tube and eat it like a pixie stick. mmmmm, powdered beer.

You could call them Tipsie Stix!

Tipsie Stix... BRILLIANT!

For those of you wondering how to Tromano your beer..... from the archives

Classic Post!!

that was good counsel from tromano.

yuengling - this is pretty good stuff. Just started drinking it a few years ago. I think company gradually expanded their market area in recent years from original PA base. I guess I'd say it's my favorite standard supermarket beer now.

what is yours?

Yuengling has put out an ale now called Chesterfield ale. Pretty good in comparison to a lot of domestics. However, my favorite ale is Saranac Pale Ale. Smooth. Almost too smooth. It's like the old Lay's potato chip commercial...."betcha can't eat(drink) just one."

hmm for a supermarket beer?... Rogue makes some good stuff, but I'm a big stout fan, and most supermarkets don't carry anything but guinness...yawn. (im a beer snob) The local VA supermarkets carry Old Dominion Oak Barrel stout tho, which is much much better, altho since they got bought, it seems like the recipe has been tweaked a bit

Usually tho, if im out of my homebrews, I try to hit Total Wine & More for mixed 6packs of their endless selection of microbrews!

I'm definitely not a beer snob. I drank ice cold Miller High Life in bottles over the weekend and enjoyed it thank you. Good football weather makes good beer drinking weather doesn't it.
Nothing wrong with Guinness, a meal in a bottle. Stretching beyond my watery middle-America preferences I worked to acquire a taste for Guinness Stout in homage to my ancestral roots.
What is the most full-bodied dark beer you've ever had?

Full bodied, the ultimate Winter Beer, SkullSplitter see it says so here .

I'm planning to tromano a case of Budweiser for the weekend, u no i'm not a beer snob either, just like to drink different kinds of bier.

speaking beer.. whats the allure with Pabst Blue Ribbon and the younger crowd? Is it that its the hip thing, or is it just the cheapest thing?

My boss is into PBR. We had it on tap in Wisconsin back in June and I have to admit, fresh out of a keg, it's not half-bad.

You really can't beat the Belgian-style beers for true inebriatedness with flavor. There's this brewery out of Quebec that rocks- La Fin Du Monde is fantastic. The first time Sandra had some, she needed help walking down the sidewalk. She still insists she can't remember saying yes to my marriage proposal, though I vehemently deny that I asked her that night...

hmm.... depends on how i would classify full-bodied. Some might consider it to be full-bodied based on the roast or hop intensity, but for me, I consider 'full-bodied' to be a real carmelly/sweet beer, which usually equates to a higher ABV% also, and takes away from its "refreshingness". Thats the one thing i don't like about some of the stouts and porter microbrews I've had.

I think the Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter is one of the most full-bodied dark beer ive had. Altho, its an "imperial" porter, and imperial porters or stouts are ALL real full-bodied and also very high ABV% (like 9% - 10%) pretty much like alot of the "holiday ales" that come out around thanksgiving. Ive seen em up to 12%!! Good, but its hard to drink more than a few at once.

hmm.. that reminds me.. there are some pumpkin ales making an appearance now at Total Wine. Might have to make that pitstop on the way home from work!

I like to drink lean & keep it on high HIGH octane. I like to stay awake & not to feel sleepy on those heavy beers. Miller lite is one of the highest alcohol & less caloried beer out there & worked for years....But it is one card shy on the flavor....Corona light is the best lite beer on the Market..4.5 alcohol with just a few carbs.... but the price sucks! Nattie lite(4.2alc,3.5 carbs,95 calories) is now my main stay...with shots of rum!!! Corona is for tonite with visiting friends down from MD..with Crabs galore & fresh fish caught Sun!!...there is a method to the madness!

I never met a beer I didn't like which doesn't have the word light in in the name. I like all varieties pretty much. But I try to avoid things with weird or cutesy flavorings.

If PBR in a keg is not half bad, what about the other half??

I have been thinking of a response to this for 30 minutes. I have none other than, "boooooooo."

Hey speaking of beers that aren't "half-bad." Breckenridge Brewery puts out some good stuff when y'all come west this winter. Their autumn ale is really good this year. I've been deliciously polishing off a six-pack (across multiple nights) with a shooter of Dickle's whisky to follow. I actually like Dickle's whisky (despite the name that makes teenagers snicker) better than Johnnie Walker. It's good stuff, makes me think of being back in B-burg. But I digress.

Oh, and if you ever want to give your palate a true beer blessing: stop by the Yardhouse should you find yourself in Kansas City, Phoenix, or anywhere on this map- http://www.yardhouse.com/view_map.asp - you've gotta stop in. 110 beers on tap. That's right, One hundred and ten beers (sadly, not including PBR). My goal is to sample them all here in KC. I'm having a hard time participating in this latest discussion because I've tried so many different beers there, I've lost count as to which is which. Rogue is still one of the better ones, and I had a beer called a dunkelganger (or something like that- NOT a doppleganger) that was fantastic.

ps- almost forgot to mention. Yardhouse is the only chain restaurant I've ever been to that has one of it's tv channels dedicated to an extreme sports video. Kayaking, mountain biking, skateboarding, and of course snowboarding and skiing. It's a one hour loop that really makes the place. The first time I took Sandra there, we sat on the same side of the table and watched the video- twice- right through dinner. Our waiter couldn't believe it. Another reason I love her so much.

definately time to start switch to winter beer. might i suggest an offering of this:

Duck Rabbit Brews

and might i add that the senior duckrabbit is a very fine old school skier as well, having kicked my butt in the bumps.

Best beer I ever had was from a little brewery in the UK (when I lived there me and my mates took brewery tours every so often in addition to weekly pub visits). Hambleton Ales: http://www.hambletonales.co.uk/bottles.htm#

There Nightmare Porter is stupendous. Nightmare 5.0% - The bottled version of the classic Champion Winter Beer Of Britain 1997. A smooth, massively flavoured creamy drink, best served on the warm side allowing full appreciation of the roasted barley rearing out of this four malt brew (and you can find it at Chevy Chase Liquors). I highly recommend the tour if you are in Yorkshire!

There is no such thing as bad beer . . . only better beer!