OT - What beer or wine are you drinking lately?

[TommyRude]

speaking of vintage wine, anyone remember this swill?

 

[ksoper]

This, and only this. 

[KuruPrionz]

4 hours ago, bill5 said:

Wow what a blast from the past. I haven't had that in probably 15+ yrs and haven't seen it in about as long. 

 

Younger generations don't know how lucky they are in terms of quality beer. Back in the Ice Age when I was young, there was no such thing as microbreweries or craft beer. "Good" beer came from Canada or Germany and Miller was considered perfectly acceptable. And there was lager and ale and that's about it. 

 

Lordy, I remember one time when we were gigging in Bakersfield back in the day and 2 of us walked from the hotel room to the liquor store. We got a 12 pack of Heineken, imported. We went up to pay for it and the cashier said to us, "That there beer is from Holland, you know where that is?" We laughed for days about that. 

 

Anyway, the wine that I posted the label from above is actually pretty good. Maybe a bit on the sweet side for my taste but it's smooth and good quality. Better than a $5 bottle should be. 

[Motif88]

Scotch for me, Preston…

 

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/19fc8814-174b-4551-a2ac-48cdb76e5bfb

 

 

 

[Threadslayer]

11 hours ago, TommyRude said:

speaking of vintage wine, anyone remember this swill?

 

Mad Dog 20/20!

[allan_evett]

16 hours ago, EricBarker said:

I'm a local lover, and Alaska is BOOMING right now. Tons of great and varied brews from Midnight Sun, Black Spruce, 49th State, Matanuska, HooDoo, Alaskan, etc. If you ever get a chance to come to the great white north anytime soon, these are just a few of my favorites:
 

Alaskan: "Smash Galaxy IIPA"

Black Spruce: "Aroma Dome IPA"

Matanuska: "Magnitude 9.2" (knock you out, but tasty AF)

Any time I travel I love to sample the local beers. I have about a thousand favorites that change every day. Big fan of Stouts and Porters. I like many IPAs, but let's face it, the term "IPA" is completely meaningless now. It used to be very specific, but now it's just a catch all for "Craft Ale with at least a modicum of hops". Some are fantastic, some are nasty as hell.

 

If there's distribution in the lower-48 I've got to check out the "Magnitude 9.2".  Love tasty brews that kick my behind.  Burn 'Em Brewing, here in Michigan City, has a few of those.

Lots of fun trying different crafts while traveling, and plenty of memorable beers along the journey. We discovered Dogfish Head that way.  That place is a highly-recommended hang.

[pinkfloydcramer]

I'm mostly a bourbon guy. Beer is like Koolaid to me, I don't drink it much because I have to get bloated before I feel much of an effect. On those occasions I do drink it, it's likely to be Coors Light because that's what they have at the American Legion where I play. Pairs nicely with Copenhagen and Skoal.

[TommyRude]

I used to travel all over the place when I was working.  A fun perk was trying out the local beers.  Lots of great examples, my favorite is Germany (each city seems to have its own brew). 

 

Different parts of the world, the strength can vary dramatically.  In Hong Kong, the locals took us to a restaurant and we ordered Tsingtao's.  It was tasting great, but pretty quickly I noticed the room started to wobble a bit.  Within a 1/2 hr and two beers I was stumbling around like a newb.  Might have just been a super strong batch or maybe they just have lousy quality controls.

[bill5]

11 hours ago, Threadslayer said:

Mad Dog 20/20!

Well it's no Boones Farm, but in a pinch - 

[RABid]

Took one sip of bear and thought "why?" 

 

Tried to get into the habit of drinking a small glass of red wine each night. To me it still taste like spoiled grape juice.

 

I'm an alcohol wuss and will stick with Limon Bacardi in my 7-Up or grape juice. 🤤

[Outkaster]

Young Lion.  It's a small brewery south of me:

 

https://younglionbrewing.com/brewery

[Threadslayer]

There are currently 7 microbreweries within 5 minutes of my office. What could possibly go wrong? 🤔

[Delaware Dave]

On 1/10/2023 at 10:20 PM, TommyRude said:

speaking of vintage wine, anyone remember this swill?

 

 

LOL.....  yeah, try to forget about those days.  That's about 50 years ago for me.

[Delaware Dave]

On 1/11/2023 at 12:21 AM, ksoper said:

This, and only this. 

 

One of my college roommates drank that (I introduced it to him).  He was a clean cut Christian boy when he arrived at college. By the end of his freshmen year his hair was down to his shoulders, he was unshaven and he used to stow a halfpint in the pocket of his jacket and drink that during class.  I distinctly remember his father coming to pick him up at Easter break and screaming at me for influencing his son.  I believe his father called me the Devil.  He never returned for his sophomore year.  I wonder whatever became of him.   LOL, the good 'ol days. 

[tonybanksfan]

 Drank this red recently, I really liked it, would recommend to any wine drinker.

[bill5]

On 1/9/2023 at 8:08 PM, bill5 said:

I just saw Dogfishhead had a pumpkin ale - surprising for this time of year. I'm not a fan of "flavored" beers but make the exception here, always buy some around Sept when it is out. Blue Moon has a good pumpkin ale and Sam Adams' isn't bad. I'm a big Dogfishhead IPA fan so I figured this would be great. It sucks.   

I hereby retract this statement. No it isn't great, but I was just reminded what a difference temperature makes. The first one I had was fairly cold, but having one at room temp it was much better. 

 

Stone IPA is also a very good IPA, IMO. 

[The Real MC]

Medically speaking, I don't drink.  My dad never drank at all.  I didn't drink either until my then-wife had me try some wine and I liked it.

I only drink wine, nothing else.  Prefer the traditional stuff like chardonnay, merlot, etc.  I've enjoyed some really good complex wines.  Generally I have no desire for alcoholic beverages.  My taste buds go nuts with anything carbonated.

My consumption is about a 1/2 glass of wine every 4-6 weeks.  My tolerance is so low that a full glass can get me tipsy.  I can't have wine at all on a night before work or if I am traveling.

Used to camp on a weekend once a year with college friends.  One year during community dinner I opened a bottle of wine I bought to share with my sauce & meatballs.  First sip of that wine, I could feel it...  Wow that was good.  I could feel it relaxing my body.  Since I did not have to worry about travel or work I had a full glass of that stuff.  It was the only occasion I was truly drunk, I was feeling fine and >really< tipsy - thank goodness friends were there to witness it.  Only one glass did that.  No other alcohol-related changes like alternate or goofy personality.

 

When the doctor's office reviewed my life habits and asked how much I drink, their entry is "does not drink".  Medically speaking, I don't drink.

[David Emm]

Grouch Marx once said "Friends, if you want to get stinking drunk, then Ol' Snakebite is the booze for you."

 

I haven't had any alcohol in years, simply because it doesn't thrill me. I tried a variety of things at one time, including MD 20/20, but I quickly realized it was a poor idea to rate alcoholic beverages based on their brake fluid content. 

[bill5]

lol yeah, deciding you don't like wine/booze after trying MD 20/20 is like deciding you don't like meat after having a hot dog from 7/11. 

[bill5]

Two-Hearted IPA, from Michigan. Not the best IPA I ever had, but respectable. Not very hoppy, so for someone interested in trying IPAs it might be a good gateway beer.  

[Iconoclast]

Finally, something I feel qualified to talk about

 

After years of having my taste buds slowly destroyed by ever increasing doses of hops from the IPA craze, I've started to go back to pilsners.  I won't recommend any specific brands as mostly, if drinking beer, I stick to micro brews. But I find the more delicate and floral flavors of a good Pilsner to be a good break from the IPA onslaught, and you can drink 2 without being Scheiße faced, unlike most east coast IPA's.

I guess I thought the IPA thing was awesome until the East Coast craze started and the next thing I knew, beer tasted like orange juice and was sweet with 9% alcohol. I still really tend west coast in my IPA's...think Stone or Lagunitas or something more amber and clear and less yellow,hazy and citrusy.

For wine? Tonight I'm returning to Cs which I find to be a great value, from Substance Winery in Washington State. I've actually never found anything from that Winery that isn't good although some of their stuff can get expensive. They're easily recognizable as they name and label their wines with 2 letters like they were elements from the periodic chart. https://houseofsmith.com/brands/substance-wines/

I'm also a big tequila drinker and lately I've been enjoying Casa Amigos Reposado or Maestro Dobel Diamante Extra Anejo. Both are reasonably priced and best enjoyed at room temp, straight up, a sip at a time. Don't be afraid

https://maestrodobel.com/diamante/
https://www.casamigos.com/en-us/our-tequilas

 

[bill5]

5 hours ago, Iconoclast said:

I guess I thought the IPA thing was awesome until the East Coast craze started and the next thing I knew, beer tasted like orange juice and was sweet with 9% alcohol. I still really tend west coast in my IPA's...think Stone or Lagunitas or something more amber and clear and less yellow,hazy and citrusy.

I don't think "east coast" IPAs are nearly as sweet or strong as you imply, that's more of a "New England" IPA. Never been a fan of sweeter or the hazier beers or any kind. Fortunately even on the east coast they don't appear very popular as I don't see them around much.

[Theo Verelst]

In the low lands, weak beer (e.g. "pils") is mostly drunk, I however if I can stick to organic food and drinks (created with organic components, and none of the usual additives like the E numbered stuff) so that makes me every once in a while pick up an organic little bottle. For instance "Ur" white beer, or some Belgium type.

 

Wine can also be had organically and I prefer that and without added sulfur, so there are a few choices of not totally cheap but just affordable quality wines like the locally known "Demeter" quality organic brand. I drink no more than a few glasses per week, but I enjoy that.

 

There's also French organic Bordeaux wine, which is a long time favorite of mine, I forgot if it has added sulfur, but I do remember the good taste.

 

Theo

 

[Threadslayer]

4 hours ago, bill5 said:

I don't think "east coast" IPAs are nearly as sweet or strong as you imply, that's more of a "New England" IPA. Never been a fan of sweeter or the hazier beers or any kind. Fortunately even on the east coast they don't appear very popular as I don't see them around much.

I grew up on the east coast in New England and I had never heard of an East Coast IPA or a New England IPA until the last few years here on the west coast, and they are everywhere around here now. Most of them are pretty meh, but I confess to enjoying a cold Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing from time to time on a hot summer's day.

[MathOfInsects]

Club soda. Rocks. No straw. 

[Sam Mullins]

Beer only but I tend to try a lot of new things. Not a sour or Belgian wheat guy but good with every other style.  A couple standbys:

 

Big Grove Easy Eddie (local hazy IPA)

Bell’s Oberon (American wheat)

 

[OB Dave]

I keep returning to Alpine Duet, brewed just about 30 miles east of me. It's very well balanced and just about perfect. 

 

When I am finally caught, convicted, and executed for first-degree thread-jacking, I would like my last meal to be a Roberto's carne asada burrito and an Alpine Duet. 

[octa]

There are a few good local breweries here. (Athens, GA) A couple of them have pretty cool and quite large outdoor music venues now. (Terrapin, Southern Brewing Co.) This one by Creature Comforts is a regular ole beer, which is often not easy to find in these breweries. 

 

[Bill H.]

Years ago after a tour in Canada I took the back off my Leslie and stuffed it with cases of Labatt's 50 Ale for home because I loved it so much. Made it through customs ok. Nowadays with all the craft breweries around, I doubt I would have been that desperate for a decent beer. 

 

If I was still drinking. Been in sobriety for a number of years now. 

[Iconoclast]

On 1/14/2023 at 7:11 AM, bill5 said:

I don't think "east coast" IPAs are nearly as sweet or strong as you imply, that's more of a "New England" IPA. Never been a fan of sweeter or the hazier beers or any kind. Fortunately even on the east coast they don't appear very popular as I don't see them around much.

Having lived W of the Mississippi most of my life, I have trouble discerning the difference between East Coast and New England! Yes...my fault, but with beer I do find these terms relatively interchangeable.  But you are correct, I am specifically referring to New England Hazy IPAs, which started out as a cool little side thing, but now each brewery seems to want to out-do each other with how citrus-y and hi alcohol they can make the next batch.