**** Official middle-aged man's Craft Beer thread ****

[Cesar Chavez]

Just back from my lunchtime run. Went to check on progress at the 'Right Proper Brewing Company' in Shaw, D.C. No obvious signs of an imminent opening from the ouside, but the lights were on inside, so hopefully this new venture will be up and running very soon. Amazing really, a few years back this neighborhood was right on the front line of drugs, guns, riots, fast food and cheap lager. Nice it's an epi-center of urban renewal, the Howard Theatre and Go-Go. That's the power of Craft Beer!

 

[Cesar Chavez]

Here is today's lunchtime report. Took a stroll in the sun to check out Duke's Grocery at 17th & P (NW).

Great sarnies, and craft beer too - not a great selection but a cool spot, none the less.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Just back from my lunchtime run. Went to check on progress at the 'Right Proper Brewing Company' in Shaw, D.C. No obvious signs of an imminent opening from the ouside, but the lights were on inside, so hopefully this new venture will be up and running very soon. Amazing really, a few years back this neighborhood was right on the front line of drugs, guns, riots, fast food and cheap lager. Nice it's an epi-center of urban renewal, the Howard Theatre and Go-Go. That's the power of Craft Beer!

The power of craft beer indeed. It will save the world Cesar.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It's International Stout Day. I'm celebrating this wonderful beer style with a Brewdog Imperial Stout called Cocoa Psycho which is an intense mix of cocoa and coffee with a hint of vanilla.

 

[Questions]

My old mate Vegster and me tried the new Saison from the new Burning Sky brewery set up by Mark Tranter last night. He used to be at Dark Star. Very very good. It's a style that if you get it wrong can be quite dreadful. I've had it before from a couple of English brewers but that has been as a cask effort..".this was altogether different and served as the Belgiuns would through the keg system and had that lively tip to it. Trouble was we had a couple of pints each on top of some others and it's 6.5 abv and hides it well so feel a little fragile this morning. Well worth hunting out though if you like that style although I know it's not to everyone's taste.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Here's my lunch time report. Pork belly, pulled pork, beef brisket and a potato from The Big Stuff Smoked BBQ. This was washed down with a delightful draft smoked porter brewed in collaboration with HeidenPeters; the Big Stuff smoke the brewer's malts in their smoker.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

And here is HeidenPeters bar which is the smallest and most ramshackle DIY brewery I have ever come across. I got some take homes from him and some of the bottles do not have any labels on them...because he forgot. He thinks the bottles contain his HopBack Ale though.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Mikkeller is coming to town!

http://mikkeller.dk/mikkeller-loves-berlin/

We often go to Berlin, but we find it a challenge to find good craft beer. We don’t find that fair, so we have decided to bring our own beers and tenders to the city that we like so much. Not only are we bringing our own, we are bringing enough for everybody. Finding a location for all this goodness wasn’t really difficult – we just asked our long time friends at Berlins coolest hotel “The Michelberger” if we could do it at their place? They said yes – so now we are packing the Mikkeller truck with Mikkeller goodness, to go to Michelberger Hotel to do a Mikkelberger pop up bar. It is going to be on the 29th and 30st of November (Sooooooon) and we are bringing ten different Mikkeller beers on tap. We will update all of you on timings and taplists etc. Make sure to bring your friends for this – we are bringing love and beer.
The hotel is in Warschauer Straße 39/40, 10243 Berlin. You can find more info about the hotel here: http://www.michelbergerhotel.com/#/de/hotel

 

[CheeseRolls]

My old mate Vegster and me tried the new Saison from the new Burning Sky brewery set up by Mark Tranter last night. He used to be at Dark Star. Very very good. It's a style that if you get it wrong can be quite dreadful. I've had it before from a couple of English brewers but that has been as a cask effort..".this was altogether different and served as the Belgiuns would through the keg system and had that lively tip to it. Trouble was we had a couple of pints each on top of some others and it's 6.5 abv and hides it well so feel a little fragile this morning. Well worth hunting out though if you like that style although I know it's not to everyone's taste.

Mark will be at the Duke of Wellington in Shoreham on Saturday (4-7) for a meet the brewer session and an opportunity to try all of the Burning Sky Beers. I tried the plateau on Sunday, which was a pleasant hoppy pale ale and I am looking forward to working my way through the list. Incidentally the Wellie was rammed on Sunday afternoon, for the Sons of Cream gig. This might be the middle aged men's craft beer thread, but this was the equivalent in terms of gigs. Sons of Cream play the 100 Club tonight. I was a little tired and emotional after finishing on a couple of pints of Marcus Aurelius "Roman Stout"

 

[Springal]

It's International Stout Day. I'm celebrating this wonderful beer style with a Brewdog Imperial Stout called Cocoa Psycho which is an intense mix of cocoa and coffee with a hint of vanilla.

Whats the difference between a Stout and a Porter?

I had a lovely Porter at the Prince Albert on Saturday - Poltergeist from Caledonian Brewery. Went well with a Stilton burger

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

My old mate Vegster and me tried the new Saison from the new Burning Sky brewery set up by Mark Tranter last night. He used to be at Dark Star. Very very good. It's a style that if you get it wrong can be quite dreadful. I've had it before from a couple of English brewers but that has been as a cask effort..".this was altogether different and served as the Belgiuns would through the keg system and had that lively tip to it. Trouble was we had a couple of pints each on top of some others and it's 6.5 abv and hides it well so feel a little fragile this morning. Well worth hunting out though if you like that style although I know it's not to everyone's taste.

Thanks for this heads up. I spent some time reading his blog over the weekend. I like the sound of him.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Whats the difference between a Stout and a Porter?

I had a lovely Porter at the Prince Albert on Saturday - Poltergeist from Caledonian Brewery. Went well with a Stilton burger

I'm sure opinions differ and I am no expert but to me a stout is just a heavier porter. I'm not sure exactly where the cut-off is but buy me a drink and I will be happy to try and grade it for you

 

[keaton]

I thought Porter was stronger because you had to put more sugar in it. I think that's what the Harveys' brewer said on the tour.

 

[CheeseRolls]

I'm sure opinions differ and I am no expert but to me a stout is just a heavier porter. I'm not sure exactly where the cut-off is but buy me a drink and I will be happy to try and grade it for you

Worth reading the wikipedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_(beer)

Stout is derived from Porter, it also explains branches such as Baltic Porter, which I was sampling in Poland a couple of weeks back. So much for the history lesson, from a drinking perspective Porter in my experience is usually a thinner liquid than stout. Strength varies considerably for both styles, I would say that stouts generally have more bitterness and porters a more smoky flavour, but there are so many variations it is hard to generalise.

 

[Trufflehound]

Whats the difference between a Stout and a Porter?

The short answer is 'nothing'.

The only real difference these days lies in what the brewer decides to call it.

In the olden days a stout was a slightly stronger ('stouter') version of a porter. But in practice the two have become so blurred they are completely interchangeable in my books. I've drunk 4% stouts and 11% porters, so the stronger/weaker argument certainly no longer holds true. Some people say porters are softer/sweeter, but it's all down to marketing/branding really. Other brewers like the term porter so that their beer doesn't get mistaken for Guinness.

 

[Questions]

The short answer is 'nothing'.

The only real difference these days lies in what the brewer decides to call it.

In the olden days a stout was a slightly stronger ('stouter') version of a porter. But in practice the two have become so blurred they are completely interchangeable in my books. I've drunk 4% stouts and 11% porters, so the stronger/weaker argument certainly no longer holds true. Some people say porters are softer/sweeter, but it's all down to marketing/branding really. Other brewers like the term porter so that their beer doesn't get mistaken for Guinness.

I know there is no given as such nowadays Truffle but I always expect a Porter to be sweeter than a stout when I try one. Also I think you'll find Porters with a hint of something more than you will do with a stout like maybe a Port or a Plum or even in the case of one of my favourites from Downtons......... A Chocolate Orange twist. If you ever get the chance with that one, don't miss it.

 

[Questions]

Mark will be at the Duke of Wellington in Shoreham on Saturday (4-7) for a meet the brewer session and an opportunity to try all of the Burning Sky Beers. I tried the plateau on Sunday, which was a pleasant hoppy pale ale and I am looking forward to working my way through the list. Incidentally the Wellie was rammed on Sunday afternoon, for the Sons of Cream gig. This might be the middle aged men's craft beer thread, but this was the equivalent in terms of gigs. Sons of Cream play the 100 Club tonight. I was a little tired and emotional after finishing on a couple of pints of Marcus Aurelius "Roman Stout"

Right well after the rugby that's my 2 hr slot filled before supper.

 

[Cesar Chavez]

Here's my lunch time report. Pork belly, pulled pork, beef brisket and a potato from The Big Stuff Smoked BBQ. This was washed down with a delightful draft smoked porter brewed in collaboration with HeidenPeters; the Big Stuff smoke the brewer's malts in their smoker.

Very very tasty looking indeed. I think you would enjoy Smoke & Barrel. A very crafty place: http://smokeandbarreldc.com/menu/beer

I will be sending some new lunch reports from DC next week, I'm in California this week so may get to post something from later this evening, depending on what I find.

 

[Cesar Chavez]

So an interesting evening in Sacramento, went to the Tank House: http://tankhousebbq.com/beers

And whilst my pic. of the bbq ain't so good it was very tasty.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

CRAFT BEER BUS

Take a look at this from Dogfish Head:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...aa245e-2d2e-11e3-8ade-a1f23cda135e_story.html

Would look good outside the Amex, although the cheap lager swilling masses would be in for a shock.

Have you tried their new winter seasonal - Piercing Pils . On draft from December 1

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